A thought on the "sanctity" of life.

Equality is important.  The haves and the have nots are real and the divide between them is real.  One's morality can change depending on how much they have monetarily.  Real crises happen worldwide without people knowing about it all the time.  One problem that is becoming a bigger and bigger issue is the population.  We allow ourselves to be enraged when we learn of companies that abuse animals to mass produce their product to sell, such as chicken, or grain or beef, where the demand is through the roof.  We are part of the problem.  When I say we, I mean everyone, but I think there is something else there.  We are still being encouraged to have big families biologically.  I asked my wife not too long ago how she felt about adopting a child and she frankly told me she didn't think she would love that child as much as loving her own.  I understood that feeling.   We have a skewed view of the "sanctity" of life I think.  We espouse a holier than thou attitude and secretly feel that we are superior because we happened to be born in 'Murica.  Well I am starting to hate myself for that fact.  Being a white male in the U.S.of A. is starting to be embarrassing.  I don't think volunteering downtown even once a day and serving by giving your time to the church is going to even make God flinch.  Our fellow human beings are starving to death around the world and dying because of a lack of simple, cheap immunizations and we quietly turn our heads so as not to see it and preach the sanctity of life to those at home who want to abort a life before it starts because they don't have their own life figured out, or they just don't want to deal with a baby right now, or whatever.  Why do we have that issue to address? Because sexuality among teenagers and young adults isn't healthy either.  At least, we often don't teach a healthy sexual lifestyle.  Don't get me wrong, I don't condone prudish behavior, I just think we can do better as a society and encourage more communication.  And yes, I think if we would put it to a vote, we should at least talk about adoption and smaller families.  Again, this is a very personal matter and I cannot and would not tell someone that they should have less babies.  Please don't think that.  I also don't look at current families and think they could do without a few kids.  I am not that person.  But I don't think we teach and encourage adoption like we should.  I think it should be a higher priority.  I think I would enjoy a communist state where all things are equal and agriculture was healthy and all were "rich" in "blessings" that were being poured upon all for treating our neighbors as ourselves and not wanting more and being full of love.  I don't think those windows are open, even for those who give a tithe to their church.  I think corporate churches have long forgotten what tithing is supposed to do.

Just a small thought on sexuality, morality and organized religion

I would dare say that 99/100 bishops and stake presidents would say that they are not the third party in any bedroom (when talking to a couple in his ward/stake).  I don't know when it happened, but only a couple decades ago it seemed that they officially made that quiet transition, like sneaking out backwards after the couple was asleep and quietly shutting the door behind them, leaving their key inside.  They would instead suggest that a couple leaves God inside, treating each other with respect, keeping the lines of communication open, and ensuring you "feel the Spirit".  If your bishop/stake president wasn't on board before, they are now and it didn't seem like a revolutionary step in church policy.  With this guidance, a couple can presumably do whatever they wish to do, as long as both partners keep their relationship to each other a priority and ensure the other one is enjoying whatever you are both participating in.  Now I don't think it is necessary at this point to detail options a couple has.  I just want to point something out.  If the church has willingly left the bedroom to a heterosexual couple, why do they, and some political personalities think they can stay inside a homosexual bedroom?  I'm no sex expert, but judging from the last 11 1/2 years of marriage, I have found that sex isn't one or two dimensional.  I am also quite aware that there are many doors with opportunities behind them that I and my wife have not even cracked.  Many "opportunities" require specific body parts, and many opportunities do not.  Think about that for a minute.  Many sexual opportunities between a couple, behind closed doors, where a bishop has no say, do not require one partner is a man and one partner is a woman.  I just thought that was interesting when, at a couples party, exchanging white elephant gifts, a gift bag had some lingerie and handcuffs in it.  An eruption of joking came about and one of the last comments made was that there was nothing wrong with the handcuffs for an active, bishop-fearing Mormon.

What are we living for?

The more I read about politics and issues with Christianity, faith, science, our universe, greed, capitalism, ignorance and what drives people for either good or evil, one thing I am getting more and more fed up with: the power of money.  Money seems to trump all principles in the world.  I may be too cynical, but good ideas and and generally good people don't get far before either being snuffed out and silenced by someone/something with money, or becoming compromised by success (i.e., money).  I may have become so cynical that I am extremely wary about who I give my money to for charitable purposes.  If an organization is using way too much manpower with way too many offices with office furniture and standard pc's all to do a job that requires people on the ground moving food and supplies, and doctors administering a 20 cent immunization in Africa and volunteers at community locations spending time picking up supplies to deliver to a centralized location, is it any wonder why I am cynical?

Is there any hope anymore? When we even talk of hope, are we even on the same page? The disappearing middle class in America is a problem, but isn't it a reflection of what we accept in this nation as far as allowing the perfect capitalistic nature reach out and touch every single thing in our lives, infecting our worldview, how we live, act and conduct ourselves?

Current Thoughts

     Some things have been rambling about the old noggin and I wanted to write them down.

     In the big picture, President Obama is more right than left and more authoritarian than libertarian, just like the majority of elected officials in the U.S.of A.  When people gripe about what a commie the President is, I laugh because it is such an ignorant opinion.  I am not for that position, I am merely observing where people fall realistically on the political spectrum.

     In the big picture, I have yet to hear a compelling argument that taking scripture literally is a necessity.  This goes for any scripture.  Some may think this goes too far.  The idea among Christians that Christ only figuratively died for the world is quite unpopular.  I am well aware of that.  As far as the bigger focus of this: I also don't find compelling arguments that any reading of scripture (other than literal) conflicts with science.  When a person sets up dialogue with a preconceived notion that it does, they have already shut down the dialogue significantly.

     In the same vein of science vs. faith, I have to wonder about something.  I don't mean to be sacrilegious or blasphemous, but when one presume to know God well enough to make such statements pitting science against faith, I have to wonder how much one really knows about God.  In my meager 33 years on earth (at least this time around), I have come to find that the person who knows God the most is the one who knows God through personal, intimate and sacred knowledge.  Do you know what that means? It means a clear lack of theology or doctrine about God.  God is not to be known this way.  Sure, I can have my own theology or doctrine.  I just want to not be a guiding force for me or my family and I don't want it to be in any argument I use.  If I encounter it, I wish I could articulate this in such a way as to have it be effective.  "To each his own" should be a guideline in discussion.  I realize here that applying this guideline to any science/faith discussion can possibly effectively void 90% of the discussion.

     I have hope for the future of what I believe is a very corporate, bureaucratic, business-oriented church.   Structurally speaking, we are quite organized.  As far as human relations, I believe we are more than lacking.  On an individual level, there may very well be over 90% of our members going about doing good at every turn, being liberal in their giving and time, befriending those in need, breaking their backs to lift a stranger, etc.  Yet, it is quite apparent that at the organized, church level, translating what Christ really said while on earth isn't being done correctly.  I admit I am critical. I admit this will show my hand.  I admit I am part of the problem.

     Keeping in that same vein of liberal charity, I find myself in paradox.  I enjoy my American lifestyle, and continue my stingy ways primarily out of selfishness.  I want my money for me and my family.  Yet, more and more often, I think about dropping everything and dedicating my life to real, purposeful service: Helping though truly in need.  Giving my time and energy to lifting another.  Building real, personal, human relationships.

     That's all I can think of right now.  It's after 6 am and I have stayed up all night due to working the graveyard shift.

Unimpressed

I have been cognizant of "issues" within my official church for some time now.  I stumbled a bit over the years, coming to grips with some points, either in history, doctrine, or something else.  I see friends and acquaintances stumble and sometimes leave.  At this point I want to publicly say I cannot blame them (even though internally, sometimes I find it hard to not blame them).  These issues are real and often I find them valid for excuses a person gives for giving up on the church they love or loved.  I try and stay on top of the issues and I am always reading to further my knowledge of my own church and the topics that make it unique. 
What I wanted to mention today is how unimpressed I am with "objective" websites that try and provide expositions or truth about my church.  They provide in-depth background and details about what they think are valid issues.  They make many of these things look as if my church is lying outright.  All of the issues they bring up are made to look like dealbreakers in their mind and anyone's mind who is a normal, thinking person.  To them I want to say I am completely unimpressed.  For awhile I thought maybe I should eat humble pie and concede the fact that I don't know everything, least of all everything about my church.  After reading a couple prominent websites and reading a couple popular books that are "exposing" truths about my church, I walked away wondering if I missed a hotlink or an entire chapter.  "That's it?"  "Am I reading about MY church?"  These truther-bearers, so-to-speak, are nearly as unprogressive (seemingly) as the church they are railing against.

In reality, I must confess something.  I have sort of been pushed into liberalism because of the things I have read and the truths I have come across.  I am unimpressed with these expositions being put forth because in my liberal worldview, very little of these things give me conflict.  I view my church as a church run by mortals, trying to balance beauracracy and corporatism with revelation, priesthood and restorationism. It isn't exactly easy also when you are in a new age of history and some of the older generation of Apostles are around, running things the old way.  These websites also talk of a sort of crisis with membership who won't stand for these truths that are so easily accessible on the internet.  They speak of a 3-part plan the church has to combat a sort of exodus of members leaving the church.  They then speak of it in an attitude of teaching people to not be swayed by the conman who is pushing this 3-part plan of missionary work, so-to-speak. 

Unimpressed.  These people are no better, maybe worse than those within my church who claim the "true history" is damaging.  These people are touting objectivism when in reality their purpose is as anti as those who don't try to hide it.  You need to step up your game if you want to be viewed as intellectual and neutral.  You (mormonthink) should probably completely start over, as a matter of fact.

websites I am unimpressed with:  www.mormonthink.com, www.exmormon.org, www.exmormonfoundation.org, www.lifeaftermormonism.net and www.exmormonscholarstestify.org

Belated

A new stage is upon my family this summer.  We will be packing up and moving much further away from family than we ever have in the 11 years since starting in Utah.  Strictly speaking of my career, this is a fairly good move that could open a lot of doors for me in the future.  Speaking of adjustments being asked from every family member, it is the familiar military story of having to move every 2-5 years. 

What's This?

Just noticed, and maybe its a fluke, that blogger.com and blogspot.com sites have been unblocked at work.  I haven't looked at family blogs for like a year! Anyway, I may post some of my pent-up thoughts that may or may not be moderate to liberal on religion and....things :)