When the ancient Greeks traveled to India and other places, they found that rules, morals, and customs varied from region to region. This observation led to the development of philosophy, a field dedicated to the study of wisdom, moral inquiry, and introspection.
Socrates contributed to this development by emphasizing freedom. He recognized that different individuals have unique frameworks guiding their lives, which broadened his understanding of humanity. In response to conflicting moral codes, he chose to dedicate his life to seeking wisdom that could provide insight into these differences. He developed the method of asking probing questions.
Aristotle’s ideas significantly influenced Western civilization. He observed that specific rules, laws, and customs varied across regions. Instead of being discouraged by these differences, he argued that humans naturally develop governing attitudes. As their knowledge grows, they respond to reason, logic, and order.
Plato believed in the immortality of the soul and viewed philosophical inquiry as a means to test existing concepts. He asserted that learning is about rediscovering forgotten knowledge—latent within consciousness—rather than creating new information. Through priori reasoning, individuals recognize the eternal forms with which they were familiar before birth.
Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato have significantly influenced beliefs and lifestyles throughout history. Their teachings encourage individuals to achieve their potential, despite often confronting the realities of sin and self-criticism.
The concept of natural law emerged from the synthesis of biblical teachings on the inherent value of mankind and the Greek belief in human rationality. The combined wisdom of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, and others led to the formulation of natural rights.
SUMMARY
Big Idea
The development of philosophy in ancient Greece, especially through the teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, fostered a new approach to understanding morality, wisdom, and the nature of law and human rights. Their insights laid the groundwork for the concept of natural law by blending Greek rationalism with biblical views of human value.
Key Points
Ancient Greeks noticed that moral codes and customs varied between regions, prompting deeper philosophical inquiry.
Socrates introduced the method of questioning and emphasized the importance of individual frameworks for understanding life.
Aristotle observed the diversity of laws and customs but saw them as a reflection of humans’ capacity for reason and governance.
Plato asserted that learning is the recollection of innate knowledge and believed in the immortality of the soul.
The philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle have had a lasting influence, encouraging self-discovery, moral inquiry, and the pursuit of potential despite human flaws.
The concept of natural law emerged from the integration of Greek philosophical thought and biblical teachings about human dignity and rationality.
The Great Salt Lake, city skyline, and the Wasatch Mountain.
In reference to the drought conditions being experienced in the Great Basin, which directly impact the Great Salt Lake, the Colorado River, Lake Powell, Lake Mead, their tributaries, and the eight-state region, four general positions are being proposed to alleviate the water shortages we collectively face: 1. conservation and slowing growth. 2. bringing in water from outside sources. 3. relying on Nature to provide. 4. finding other sources of water.
While I believe there is merit in a balanced approach and appreciate that much good is being done by thoughtful people at the present time, this post will argue in favor of finding other sources of water as the primary solution to our challenge.
Conservation and slowing growth.
Nine out of ten Utahns live along the Wasatch Front and in Washington County. In other words, 90% of the state’s residents live on just 1.1% of the land.
The federal government owns 64.4% of the land.
4.5% of the land is held in trust for tribal nations.
The state of Utah owns about 10% of the land.
21% of the land is privately owned, much of which is not suitable for or used for residential development.
I do not see conservation (heresy, I know) and slowing down Utah’s growth as feasible solutions.
Bringing in water from outside sources.
If state, regional, national, and international politics could allow water to flow from Canada, the Colombia River, the Snake River, or directly or indirectly from any of the Great Lakes, into the Great Basin, that would be an incredible solution.
Relying on Nature to provide.
In its truest sense, no matter which solution we adopt, we will be relying on Nature to provide. However, I am specifically referring to snowpack, water storage, and allocation. There are many perspectives to consider: we need water for food, recreation, and lifestyles, which is why my proposed solution will focus on the 4th option.
Finding other sources of water.
People of faith are often ridiculed because we believe that “the earth has enough and to spare,” an affirmation that the Earth’s resources are abundant. Somewhat heartening, it is also true that even scientists can be “stunned by Nature’s surprises.” Let’s consider:
71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
The Earth’s crust (mantle) may hold more water than all the ocean’s combined.
Within the Earth are “the fountains of the deep,” the subterranean waters that combined with the rain to flood the Earth in the days of Noah.
The remainder of this post will focus on this option. I invite you to read, comment, like, and share.
COMMON SENSE: A Call to Action
An LDS maxim states: “Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause and do many things of their own free will . . . for the power is in them.” There is value in proactive engagement, individual initiative, and meaningful contributions toward achieving positive results, rather than waiting to be told what to do. Service is an imperative, whether to God or to our fellowmen. Bringing water to the Great Salt Lake and surrounding areas is a good cause.
In the 1930s. in a powerful example of harnessing Nature’s abundance, government and private interests combined to build a series of dams, canals, and irrigation systems in the Northwest, bringing water and transportation to the land. These visionary efforts brought productive agriculture and a multitude of benefits to millions of people in the region and across the entire United States. Though solving today’s issues will require a different approach, the challenge remains the same: we need water!
In all human pursuits, power shapes societal structures and influences quality of life. Therefore, even though the issue of power may appear to be balanced and fair at the present time, it is essential to exercise discernment amid the many factors at play. The increasing mindset of scarcity feeds inefficiency, lust for control, and bureaucratic growth. Hence the constant emphasis on the crisis of the GSL: “Droughts are growing more severe as population increases . . . Less surface water is available . . . Reliance on well water is increasing . . . Everything is human caused . . . We must regulate . . . We must control population and growth . . . We have tools for later use.” Some observers even go so far as to attribute aspects of climate change to certain religious groups, such as the LDS Church, noting that their support for irrigation and large families increases resource consumption. These perspectives are a powerful reminder that Thoreau’s idea of addressing the root cause is essential.
Water means freedom!
As debates over power intensify, we the people have a great deal to lose if bureaucratic thinking and policies win the day. To preserve liberty, boldness is needed. Let’s not forget, that government is best which governs least.
Water means beauty!
Let’s continue to beautify our homes, yards, parks, public spaces, and houses of worship; let’s keep our lawns, gardens, and fences well-groomed, reflecting orderliness. Let the beehive–with the hive and the honeybees forming our communal coat of arms–be a significant representation of the industry, harmony, order, and frugality of the people, demonstrating the sweet results of our toil, union, and intelligent cooperation. Let’s keep in mind the eternal principle that all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of mankind, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart. Let’s cherish our mountain lakes, rivers, and streams, and do everything we can to support the migratory birds and animals that seek refuge and sanctuary across our state. In our pursuit of social refinement, let’s rejoice that music continues to swell the breeze with freedom’s song.
Water means a bright future!
Let’s continue to develop parks and trails that bring families together and draw people to the beautiful outdoors. Let’s continue to support the centers that celebrate the arts, elevating the culture. Let’s continue to showcase our commitment to education, physical achievement, and entertainment through beautiful schools, manicured campuses, and magnificent athletic fields, arenas, and golf courses. Let’s continue to facilitate commerce through transportation systems that are safe and efficient as they carry us to the four corners of our state. Let’s continue to keep our winter sports and year-round outdoor activities attractive and vibrant.
Citing Jay Evensen (DN, Dec. 1, 2022), I encourage KSL Radio and TV, the Deseret News, Rod Arquette and Greg Hughes, as well as all other Church and secular communication organs to give voice to the proposals by Steven Lund and Matthew Memmot in order to spur interest and thought in the public square by advancing positive conversation of horizontal drilling of deep freshwater aquifers and statewide desalination reactors to quickly restore the GSL, refill Lake Powell and Lake Mead, and increase water flow across Utah and the Western region for the benefit of over 40 million people. The methods they advocate are presently in use across the United States.
Deep water aquifers, found 400 to several thousand meters underground and still largely uncharted, are more widespread than once thought. The current record drought and historical absence of saline lake recovery offer a timely opportunity to seek new deep groundwater sources.
The USGS estimates that these aquifers contain at least 900 million acre-feet of water, with approximately 700,000 acre-feet needed to restore the GSL. Verifying these figures would involve drilling wells projected to cost $100 million. Using existing oil and gas data and satellite technology will reduce exploration costs.
Down through the years, beginning in Nauvoo and continuing through the modern day, the Restored Church has faced many challenges. In the early stages of the great pioneer exodus, Church leaders directed members to construct the roads and bridges to assist the migration. These efforts were followed by the down-and-back trains and the rescue at Martin’s Cove directed by Brigham Young.
In addition to the tasks performed by the Saints, many of the things that have been done were beyond the capacity of ordinary members, requiring a much higher level of ecclesiastical engagement. For example, sending supplies to war-torn Europe following World War II, the ongoing world-wide philanthropic efforts carried out by the Church, and, in partnership with local officials, the renovation and improvement of downtown Salt Lake City to create a buffer of protection around Temple Square and Church headquarters.
While Church members continue to contribute tithes, offerings, missionary service, and other support, we do not have sufficient resources among us to solve the current water crisis. I believe that alleviating the drought will require another joint venture between ecclesiastical and state officials. I urge the Church to play the leading role in controlling the narrative, providing the funding, and organizing the efforts, because sitting back and relying on well-intentioned individuals and organizations risks empowering bureaucracy and reducing our individual and collective freedom.
LDS generosity is well known throughout the world, but at the same time we can focus on strengthening ourselves from within, without compromising that vital mission. Much like the need for the development of City Creek as a protective barrier within downtown Salt Lake, action must be taken to expand the arc of protection to all citizens of Utah and beyond our borders through solving the water crisis. Regardless of your location or resources, this crisis threatens our very way of life and the spiritual work we have been assigned to do. Instead of relying solely on Providence, let’s keep in mind that the Lord helps those who help themselves.
I respectfully urge the Church at all levels of bureaucracy, leadership, and membership to follow the prophet. When the prophet announces a house of the Lord, he is endorsing growth, prosperity, and freedom. Proven time and again, this is the economic pattern that unfolds once a temple is dedicated. He is also affirming that the Restoration is ongoing, that the Restored Church is the kingdom of God on the Earth, that the earth has enough and to spare, and that the desert blooming as a rose symbolizes a spiritual transformation from darkness to light as well as the interdependence of human and environmental health. If we see in these words more than mere abstractions, then indeed the power is in us to be anxiously engaged in a good cause.
Sources:
Doctrine and Covenants 58:27-28.
Jay Evensen, DN Opinion Editor, December 1, 2022.
Deep Groundwater Might be a Sustainable Solution to the Water Crisis by Claudia Bertoni, Fridtjov Ruden, Elizabeth Quiroga Jordan and Helene Ruden. February 27, 2025.
Great Salt Lake Strike Team.
Doug Burgum: A rough rider at heart. DN May 15, 2025.
Sustainability, October 12, 2022, Beyond the story: Great Salt Lake in the New York Times, Maximilian S. Werner, College of Humanities.
If the Great Salt Lake dries up what would that mean for the U.S. economy? Janet Nguyen, SaveShare.
The Colorado River Basin’s groundwater is disappearing faster than the river itself. May 31, 2025, Kevin Lind, Ideas and Culture team covering the Intermountain West.
The Great Lake Is Drying. Can Utah Save It? Leia Larsen, The New York Times, May 5, 2025.
Climate Change and Capitalism: A Political Marxist View. Simon Mair, July 7, 2019.
Environmentalists’ goal is climate indoctrination, not education. Washington Examiner, Kaylee McGhee White.
We live in a world plagued by a growing epidemic of depression and anxiety, especially among the younger generations. Recent surveys have shown that nearly one-third of teenagers are suffering from clinical levels of anxiety and depression. Among the contributing factors are genetics, trauma, neglect, parenting styles, sexual orientation, peer and social group influence, and social media use. Data also suggests that older age groups are not immune to the discouragement, frustration, and sadness running rampant throughout American society. Overall, it is being reported that over 50% of Americans are dissatisfied in their lives.
I am not a counselor or mental health specialist. However, I have kids, grandkids, and friends who are facing life’s challenges as they pursue happiness and seek to discover meaning in their lives. Like Americans of all ages, they want to dream, to find meaning, and to fulfill their potential. In the ongoing battle that at times can overwhelm each of us and fill us with despair, it is my hope that when we see our futures as bleak and fragile, we will find strength and reassurance.
One clue as to where we are as a society was recently provided by a billionaire donor to Harvard University who said that Harvard and other elite schools create “whiny snowflakes.” He asked, “Are we going to educate a group of young men and women who are just caught up in a rhetoric of oppressor and oppressee and ‘this is not fair’?
“Until Harvard makes it very clear that they are going to resume their role of educating young American men and women to be leaders, to be problem solvers, to take on difficult issues, I am not interested in supporting the institution.” Over the past 40 years, he has donated in excess of $500 million to the school.
As we confront and conquer tough times, we owe a debt of gratitude to all of those, past and present, who work overtime to become a counterweight to the negative factors that threaten our individual and collective peace. Through inspiring words of wisdom and encouragement, they demonstrate how we too can become purveyors of hope.
Looking back in time, we can see that what passes today for intellectualism and scholarship is a very narrow view of the world. Disdain for natural law and a lack of respect for the great thinkers of the past has led to an intellectual environment governed by license–Let me do what I want, let me live “my truth,” while I mock and ignore the sacred, the foundational, and the traditional.
In 1987, Allan Bloom wrote The Closing of the American Mind. Painting the picture of a nation in crisis, he wrote of “the universities’ lack of purpose and the students’ lack of learning. Each of which has led to nihilism and despair, of relativism disguised as tolerance.
“What we see today is a culture which lacks an understanding of the past and a vision of the future. Entrusted with the education of our people, our system no longer provides the knowledge of the great traditions of philosophy and literature that made students aware of the order of nature and of man’s place within it. In their failure to arouse or to nurture the self-knowledge that has always been the basis for serious learning, the intellectual currents of Western civilization and history have been replaced by a spiritual malaise.”
Accelerating this deterioration are those who either have no interest in or who are actively hostile to our founding, to the Declaration of Independence, and to the Constitution. Employing deceit, and under the guise of objectivity, our culture has been transformed “by the idea that there is no longer hope in great and wise men from other places and times who can reveal the truth about life.” In short, relativism, revisionism, and opposition to spiritual principles have extinguished the real motives of education and the essential importance of the standards by which we are to be governed.
My prescription for instilling hope and alleviating sadness is as follows:
We live in a world of spiritual warfare. Beginning with the War in Heaven and continuing on Earth today, a fierce battle is being waged between the forces of good and evil. It is imperative that all people, both young and old, see this.
We are children of God; created in His likeness and image.
Our two greatest blessings are the gift of life and the freedom to direct that life.
Mortality is an opportunity to gain a physical body, to overcome weakness and temptation, to improve, and to gain experience. Each of us won (earned) the right to be here (on Earth). We were not forced to come. Furthermore, we each have an important mission to fulfill. So much of what is beneficial is discovered through developing a love of work and in learning to value time.
We are possessed with an irresistible desire to know our relationship with the Infinite. Hope is rooted in faith and trust that God is at the helm.
Knowledge is of no value unless used. Learn and apply correct principles.
Strive to rise above the environment. Master the body and all things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world.
Turn to Jesus Christ. He is the Light of the World. He has overcome spiritual and physical death. He has suffered pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind. Full of mercy and compassion, He understands our infirmities, anxieties, and limitations.
Our nation was founded by honorable men. The invention of the market economy fostered upward mobility, harnessed self-interest, and spurred creativity, imagination, and individual talent. Remember all of our hard-won rights and responsibilities. Pursue a renaissance of respect, a revival of responsibility, a spiritual awakening of our story, of who we are and how we got here, of all we have been through and achieved, to accompany the emphasis on human rights, our pursuit of equality and justice, and our celebration of human freedom. There is no upside to the weakening of our nation. The conservative worldview drives human flourishing.
Reverence for life is imperative. The world’s richest man is also the world’s leading proponent of natalism. “Having children is saving the world,” said Elon Musk. “A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far.” Prepare well, fall in love, walk down the aisle or kneel at the altar, and raise a family. The right to life is the universal birthright of every soul.
Seek and promote balance in our environmental stewardship. We do not have to choose between a cleaner planet and a prosperous economy. We can have both.
Maintain freedom against the forces of socialism and communism. “Of all the systems of political economy which have shaped our history, none has so revolutionized ordinary expectations of human life–lengthened the life span, made the elimination of poverty and famine thinkable, enlarged the range of human choice–as democratic capitalism” (Michael Novak).
“Lay down true principles and adhere to them inflexibly. Do not be frightened into their surrender by the alarms of the timid, or the croakings of wealth against the ascendancy of the people” (Thomas Jefferson).
Live the Golden Rule. Always be kind, honest, and friendly.
Righteousness exalts a nation. When the meanings of words are changed through plausible definitions, freedom is degenerated, and the culture is in decline.
Above is a list of universal truths. They are designed to help us better understand the why of our existence and the purposes of mortal life. Understanding them, applying them, and sharing them will build and preserve spiritual and emotional resilience in ourselves and others. May we be the voice of hope, the purveyors of hope, to all those around us.
Each calendar year, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we rotate our weekly Sunday School scripture study between what we call the Standard Works: The Old and New Testaments from the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. These four books represent our canon of scripture. Accordingly, calendar year 2024 is devoted to the study of the Book of Mormon.
The Bible is a divine library of sixty-six individual books divided into the Old and New Testaments, collected and edited over many centuries. The books were written by divinely inspired authors about Israel’s sacred history and theology, her covenants with God, her faith and loyalty to Him, her patriarchs and prophets, her expectation of a Messiah, and the fulfillment of that expectation in the advent of Jesus Christ.
Our Church honors and reveres the Bible. We believe that the Bible has had greater influence on the world for good than any other book ever published. We consider the Bible to be the Book of books!
The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. Foretold in both the Old and New Testaments, it is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel. The Book of Mormon is the greatest witness for the truth of the Bible that has ever been published. Through its teachings, we draw nearer to the Infinite, greatly aided in our discovery of the reasons for our being.
In support of these claims, Plato’s divine ontology and Socrates’s divine signs manifestly fit the narrative of the human quest: to discover our highest potential. As members of the human family, we were in the beginning with God. Each of us is on the Earth because of our acceptance of the plan of salvation, and because we lived satisfactory preexistent lives. We won the right to be here; we were not forced to come; we won our place on the earth!
The work of God has been designed and will not be complete until every soul has been taught the gospel and has been offered the privilege of salvation and the accompanying great blessings which the Lord has in store for His children. Joining the Bible in proclaiming that our purpose in mortal life is to seek and follow divine pronouncements, the Book of Mormon is essential to mankind.
Further substantiating these assertions are four narratives, each beginning around 600 BC. First are the prophecies of Isaiah which foretell the coming of the Messiah, a time of falling away through transgression of the laws and changing of the ordinances, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the establishment of an ensign for the nations in anticipation of the gathering of Israel and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Second is the philosophical account which led to ethics and helped preserve Christianity in the time of Constantine. The three great minds behind this unfolding were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Third is the Muslim scholarly tradition. The role played by eastern intellectuals in keeping truth alive was essential, as visionary Muslim scholars fled the Ottoman Empire, bringing sacred and vital works to Italy, thus fueling the Renaissance. The fourth in this series of connected events is the record of Nephi, a succession of kings and prophets in the New World. Containing the fullness of the everlasting gospel, this record is known as the Book of Mormon.
Creating a paradox, the philosophical, Roman, and Muslim narratives had at their heart the idea of obscuring, burying, or eliminating true Christianity. For example, in the face of biblical and historical evidence, the Greeks and Jews scoffed at the idea of Christ’s resurrection, thus negating the purpose for which He had come to Earth and given His life. Islam, on the other hand, though regarding Jesus as a great prophet, is not Christian. Siding with universal truths that were appealing and important, in order to be popular and relevant in the world, these movements sold out what Jesus Christ was really about, and precious truths were lost.
Upon the foundation of Hellenism–the act of becoming Greek in thought and culture–and warped by speculative thinking–resulting in creeds and edicts–God lost His corporeal form and free will yielded to the iron yoke of man-made ecclesiasticism through the joining of the altar and the throne and the establishment of the Divine Right of Kings. Moreover, many of the Master’s original teachings, such as the correct mode of baptism, the doctrine of preexistence, and the emblematic nature of His sacrifice were allowed to wither away. Over time, through the introduction of doctrines and practices such as purgatory, limbo, the sale of indulgences, and the establishment of national churches, the Roman Church would greatly limit the spiritual quest of ordinary people. To ensure conformance with an ever-changing orthodoxy, the state became the arm of power.
Unique from other Christian churches, this combination of events, known historically as the Dark and Early Middle Ages, and theistically as the Great Apostasy, triggered the loss of priesthood power from the earth, severed the lines of revelation, and signaled that purity of doctrine would not long remain. Over a period of centuries, guided by the hand of the Lord and designated scripturally as a marvelous work and a wonder (see Isaiah), a series of events took place which prepared the way for constitutional government and the Restoration of that which had been lost. Beginning with the Renaissance, and continuing with the Protestant Reformation, the Ages of Enlightenment, Discovery, and Colonization, and the War for Independence, the way was paved for civil and religious liberty and pluralism, wherein the restitution of all things as foretold by Peter could begin to unfold.
As the doctrine of biblical inerrancy and the rise of state churches continued to perpetuate the falsehoods of apostasy in America, the timing was right for a great reset. Translated by the gift and power of God and coming forth as the great clarifier of the true mission of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon was brought forth in 1830. Bypassing the influences of Greek and Roman jargon and sophism, the Book of Mormon was also spared the grueling process of polemical translation that the Bible had undergone. Accordingly, we believe, as expressed by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that the Book of Mormon is “the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”
Beginning with the events of 1820, the Doctrine and Covenants is not a translation from ancient documents but rather direct revelations and communications from God to His children through His chosen prophets in our times. It is a book of scripture given directly to our generation, containing the will of the Lord for us in these last days that precede the Second Coming of Christ.
Throughout the history of the world, the Lord has revealed His word and will to prophets. In our day, all the streams and rivers of the past are flowing into the grand ocean of truth that is known as the dispensation of the fulness of times.
The James Webb Telescope has shown the world a glimpse into endless and spectacular creation. The question is, do puny humans on a tiny speck of a planet really matter?
My post for this week is by The Deseret News Editorial Board, Salt Lake City, Utah December 24, 2023.
The “Pillars of Creation,” a star-forming area within the Eagle Nebula about 6,500 light-years away from Earth, are shown in this image from the James Webb Space Telescope.
Viewed in the right light, Christmas brings clarity to so much of what vexes the world. If that clarity entered every household during this season, think how the world would change.
Consider how ridiculous the hubris of dictators and tyrants appears amid the endless sparkles of creation the James Webb Telescope has laid bare this year. Consider how the perspective of endless creation reduces human conceit and pride to nothingness.
Just one example, but a typical one, is a photo the telescope produced, showing what experts say is 50,000 sources of near infrared light. Each tiny bright spot is a separate galaxy containing millions of stars and planets. The website explorersweb.com says this one single photo may contain as many as 4 trillion stars.
That seems impossible to comprehend.
Not only do human pursuits vanish into vapor against this backdrop, but a bigger, more ominous question comes to mind. How could anyone on a planet such as earth, which is less than a dark pebble in an ocean of stars and planets, presume a level of importance at all? How does anything we do matter?
And how could any thoughtful person consider the vastness of endless creation without wondering about the value of individuals, from the tiniest newborn baby to the most powerful political figure?
Christmas brings clarity to it all.
“O, Holy Night,” a hymn written by Placide Cappeau, a poet in a small town in France, contains these words about Jesus Christ: “Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.”
The story of Christmas is the story of weak things being, in reality, of infinite worth. It is the story that corrects the way perspectives can be obscured by finite vision. It is about how tiny lives on a dim and remote planet, eclipsed by endless creative splendor, are important enough for the God of all creation to send his “only begotten son” to offer redemption, “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
More than just a story about a baby born in a manger, it is a jaw-dropping affirmation of the divine worth of every person who has inhabited this planet, or whoever will so long as the planet exists. This tiny speck of a globe, then, is in reality the most sparkling jewel in the vast array of cosmic lights.
One of the most troubling tragedies of modern life is the way so many people today readily lose sight of the eternal and focus obsessively on things of little or no value. Much has been written in recent years about families in the United States being torn apart by politics. Many people cringe at the thought of another acrimonious election season coming in 2024.
Too many people now refuse to talk to or acknowledge mothers, fathers, sisters or brothers who hold differing political views. Too many walk amid splendor and beauty, focused only on the tiny specks of imperfections they insist on magnifying beyond proportion. Too many strive to keep those they dislike under their thumbs.
In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Will Leitch described the change in people regarding politics over the past eight years, or so.
“What had once been merely some awkward moments at Thanksgiving became constant fissures pitting kids against parents, siblings against siblings, generation against generation,” he said.
Others focus solely on wealth or the acquisition of things, oblivious to the short duration of their own lives.
It is common this time of year to hear people talk about wanting to feel the spirit of Christmas. Let’s be clear about that.
Cappeau’s “O, Holy Night” continues, “Truly he taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother, and in his name all oppression shall cease.”
The spirit of Christmas comes when we forgive as he does, when we love as he does, and when we stop trying to punish others for what we have seen as irredeemable shortcomings. It comes when we view all people as equals, endowed by the same loving creator with certain inalienable rights. It comes when we look around us and, most importantly, above us, focusing on transcendent beauties and wonders that lift and inspire.
It comes when we discover the worth of our own soul, and subsequently the worth of all other souls. It comes when we can see the bright light of that holy night through the perspective of eternity.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I may look at the Bible differently than you. While I consider it to be the greatest literary treasure of Western Civilization and the driving force in the shaping of the English-speaking world, I have studied the path that what would eventually become the King James Version, commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, traveled, before its official designation and acceptance. Historical data has influenced my thinking.
To begin, we know very little about the authorship of the Old Testament with the exception that it arose over time and in phases. No doubt, its different prophets had different agendas and concerns while working in different cultural frameworks. While it conveys many wonderful and consistent themes, it is also complex and can be the subject of controversy.
Likewise, in the New Testament, which has a much less complicated history, we find discordance between the apostles. For example, the challenge James faced with what he was hearing about the teachings of Paul began when he realized that Paul’s teachings about salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ, absent performance according to the law, were being interpreted in an oversimplified way that Paul never intended. In his book, James clarified this by writing that true faith always leads to righteous works, meaning our actions and efforts.
In the ensuing centuries however, beginning with Martin Luther, who was attempting to unwind some of the elaborate theology that had overtaken the Roman Church through the doctrines of pilgrimages to holy sites, confession to a priest, penance, indulgences, limbo, purgatory, and transubstantiation, we see that Paul’s teachings were continuing to be distorted through Luther’s development of the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
As their frustrations grew with these works that were purported to save, “The Reformers overcompensated and invented a new doctrine of salvation by grace alone, a doctrine that disavowed all works, even godly works, as a necessary ingredient of salvation. The pendulum merely swung from one heresy to another. As a result of the Reformation, many Christians teach that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be saved by grace alone, regardless of any works on our part” (Callister).
In his misinterpretation of Paul’s teachings, Luther contended that the redemptive work of Christ was finished, that the sinner’s condition does not depend on what he can do today, but on his relationship to what Christ has done. Justified by faith alone, he taught that all that is needed for salvation is to either accept Jesus in your heart or confess him with your lips.
When one looks at the hold this doctrine of justification by faith alone has on the Christian world as well as its mistaken linkage to the doctrine of grace, it is as if a central theme of the Book of James, “Faith without works is dead,” has never been a factor. It is as if Luther was saying, “Well, let’s just throw out the book of James!” Moreover, it undermines the Savior’s continual emphasis of doing and becoming as He constantly emphasized in His sermons. A half-brother to Jesus, and one who was by His side for His entire earthly ministry, there can be no doubt that James understood the Savior’s teachings.
When our Church states, as a matter of doctrine, that “We believe in the Bible, as far as it is translated correctly,” what we mean is that we are not on board with the liberal Protestant tradition of biblical inerrancy. There are too many things that have been lost, too many definitions that have been incorrectly formulated through the interpolations of men, and too many erroneous descriptions of God and His interactions with His children.
Furthermore, as Joseph Smith labored to better understand the Bible, there were the frustrations of working within the limits of language. Thus constrained, he struggled to transmit his feelings into words and wrote, “The little narrow prison almost as it were total darkness of paper, pen, and ink, and a crooked, broken, scattered, and imperfect language.”
Willing to acknowledge the challenge of writing with concise, accurate grammar and diction, and anticipating a future day when all of us will read and understand to the fullness and satisfaction of our immortal souls, the Prophet of the Restoration seemed to say, “I don’t have the full picture. I’m struggling with an imperfect language.”
There are far too many unanswered questions to make everything fit together perfectly. This suggests that the Bible is the repository of numerous accounts, versions, and a library of stories rather than one coherent narrative. Because there is so much to learn about the life before, the Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall, the Atonement, the true nature of God and man, and the teachings of Jesus, rather than take the position that the Bible is complete and has all the answers, it seems reasonable to be open to further revelation or even scholarship to fill in the gaps.
In accordance with this line of thinking, there is another basic belief to share. Introduced by Joseph Smith in 1842, as one of 13 Articles of Faith of the newly restored Church, it is the doctrine of ongoing revelation: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
In conclusion, the Bible is a book of inspired discourse. It unites us in our pursuit of understanding ethics and the divine will. The foundation of our Judeo-Christian heritage, it provides a basis for common conversation and community. In its morality lies the safety of society.
Explained by a Jewish writer, “Somewhere on the Temple Mount was the actual temple, but we don’t know exactly where. And so, we take off our shoes and treat the whole Mount with the reverence it deserves. And that’s how I try to approach the scriptures. I know that God’s fingerprints are there.”
It never ceases to amaze me how incredible, and how beautiful, this country and her people are.
Park City, Utah, started out as a mining town in 1884 and had great success. When the mines played out there was agriculture and farming. Then, along came skiing, tourism, and the Olympics. At its heart, a community of wonderful people combined the elements of all these industries. And therein lies the appeal of this very special place on the western edge of the Rocky Mountains.
No doubt, the most interesting thing I do, as an owner of a transportation company with two of my sons, is meet and talk with people from all over the United States (and the world) and from all walks of life. Over the years I have heard some amazing things as people shared a part of their life story.
I remember the young man from Tibet. In our ride to the airport, he spoke quietly of how much he enjoyed the solitude of the mountains. He said that as he skied through the powder and the trees he was overcome by the grandeur of it all and felt great peace, “a oneness with nature.”
I’ll never forget the woman who flew in for a convention and a three-day ski vacation at a luxury hotel. She was so appreciative of everything from the physical beauty of her surroundings to the way she was treated. Traveling to the airport we began to talk about her story–her pathway to such an “incredible experience.”
A few years before she held a good job doing research. Then she was hired by a large firm to find out why their candy sales fell off during Christmas and other major holidays, at a time when the owners of the company felt that their sales should soar.
What she discovered was that candy sales did increase, but it was in the upscale brands because people were willing to spend more on candy during those times of the year.
Her discovery led to a change of thinking in the presentation of their product. This was followed by the development and marketing of red and green M & M’s and other candy specialties. Indeed, their candy sales took off–and so did her career.
Two years ago, on a beautiful evening, just as the sun was beginning to go down, I was returning to Park City with a family who had enjoyed an afternoon of snowmobiling. Sensing what was happening in the sky and on the tops of the mountains, as the light converged in an incredible mixture of pinks and blues on the snow-capped peaks, I took a different route because I wanted them to see the back of the Wasatch Range (Mt. Timpanogos) under these conditions.
Nature did not disappoint. As we crested a hill and the back of the Wasatch came into view, with its 11,000-foot peaks, there were gasps of appreciation. Then, stilled silence, as they took it all in. It was a special time as a family from New Orleans experienced a moment they will never forget.
What I have written about Utah is something that unfolds in thousands of places across America, many of which I have witnessed firsthand. Throw in the changing seasons, from the fall colors to the stillness of winter, from Nature’s renewal in springtime to the long summer days with their parades, celebrations, and family gatherings.
Such reflection often leads me to a question: What is the higher purpose of Nature? And to a possible answer: “To cultivate the sense of the beautiful, is one of the most effectual ways of cultivating an appreciation of the divine goodness” (Bovee).
As I wrote in the beginning, it never ceases to amaze me how incredible, and how beautiful, this country and her people are.
