A while back I was struck by a particular phrase in the first commandment God ever gave: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28--identical except for minor punctuation in Moses 2:28)
The word "replenish" sounds odd there. A bit of online research should show anyone that "fill" would be a more proper translation of the word, rather than something that usually means "refill". This means that "multiply" and "replenish the earth" are a bit redundant. Even so, the fact that some translators happened to choose that word (for unknown reasons) makes me think of something. I think of what it would mean to actually replenish the earth in relation to bearing more children, because as we live on the Earth, and have more children who also live on the Earth, thus using natural resources and making a mess.
For decade now there have been some people who argue that the Earth is overpopulated, and some are even proponents of laws that would limit child-bearing. This would be directly in opposition to God's first commandment. If anyone were to confront me about my large family and accuse me of wrongdoing, I would tell them that I do not believe at all that the Earth is over-populated, and that the real problem is that we're not managing the Earth and its resources well. Yes, some people on the Earth are hungry, but if we all managed the land well we could easily produce enough food for everyone currently on the Earth and more. I would tell them that the important thing is to teach children to be good stewards of the Earth, to avoid waste, and to contribute by helping others in need. There's not a lot of direct instruction from Church leaders about how to care for the Earth, and I would always want to avoid getting political (particularly as I don't trust people in government much at all in most cases but also when it comes to environmentalism), but I do believe in managing resources well and cleaning up messes. So on a personal level, I believe in picking up trash and recycling, among other things.
The other aspect to stewardship of the Earth is that it seems to be one of those topics that some Church members easily ignore. I feel that the attitude of not examining ourselves and considering ways that we should change is on of the most spiritually inhibiting factors that can be present in a person's life.
Last thoughts for now:
Granted, "replenish" in Genesis 1:28 would be better translated as "fill". That being said, as I do my part to fill the Earth with God's children, I want to teach them to care for it also, by both word and example.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
A Bit of Good Advice for a Successful Marriage
Sometime when I was newly married, when I was living in our first apartment, my father visited me and gave me two pieces of advice for having a successful marriage. (It might have even been in the month before our marriage, before my wife moved in.) Sadly, I don't remember the first of his suggestions, but I have always remembered the second. He said:
"Always let your wife do what she wants with her hair."
That might sounds simple, but I think there's more to it than hairstyles. It really strikes home with some, people, too; perhaps a year or so later I was in a marriage class at church and when we were asked about this subject (making marriage succeed) and I mentioned the advice my father gave me, one of the sisters in the front row responded with an energetic "Woohoo!" (or some similar exclamation).
I say that a woman ought to be entirely able to choose her hairstyle (including the length) for herself. Sure, her husband will generally have preferences, and she ought to consider them, but the decision should be hers. It's her body and her appearance; not only does she clearly have the greatest interest in her appearance, she is the only one with any real claim to control over it.
In past eras or other cultures, it might be highly normal for a husband to dictate certain things like his wife's hairstyle. In the modern U.S. that kind of practice or attitude is surely less common, though (and this is mostly speculation) it might be more likely in the homes of some latter-day saints. Members of the church are used to the idea of men being the leader in the home, responsible for guiding the family as the patriarch and priesthood holder. There's justification for this way of living, and also some very clear warnings in Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:37 against "exercise[ing] control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness".
If my father's advice sounds to any women out there like something to celebrate, it's an indication that some husbands are exceeding the proper bounds of their decision-making authority. There are times when it's important for a husband and father to seek out revelation for his family, and times when he should express conviction related to what his family should do, but there are also times when his wife's decisions are personal and he should not try to interfere. If a wife feels like her husband is being domineering, he should genuinely listen to and consider her complaint, and if he's compelling her to the point where she doesn't feel like she's able to make any personal decisions for herself, it's basically a guarantee that he's doing things wrong in a way that is depriving them both of a lot of happiness.
Granted, a wife can definitely be the domineering spouse within a marriage, but in those cases it's the exception to the typical cultural phenomenon for Church members.
Last thoughts for now:
I don't want to focus on the negative side of this, and I would hate to give the impression that domineering spouses are more prevalent than they really are. I do think it's important to remember the sentiment behind my father's advice. We ought to respect our husbands and wives and their God-given agency.
(Also, as a side note, my wife does listen to my preferences for her hair and, while she is totally free to choose her hairstyle and length, she has never chosen something that I would dislike. And she's beautiful.)
"Always let your wife do what she wants with her hair."
That might sounds simple, but I think there's more to it than hairstyles. It really strikes home with some, people, too; perhaps a year or so later I was in a marriage class at church and when we were asked about this subject (making marriage succeed) and I mentioned the advice my father gave me, one of the sisters in the front row responded with an energetic "Woohoo!" (or some similar exclamation).
I say that a woman ought to be entirely able to choose her hairstyle (including the length) for herself. Sure, her husband will generally have preferences, and she ought to consider them, but the decision should be hers. It's her body and her appearance; not only does she clearly have the greatest interest in her appearance, she is the only one with any real claim to control over it.
In past eras or other cultures, it might be highly normal for a husband to dictate certain things like his wife's hairstyle. In the modern U.S. that kind of practice or attitude is surely less common, though (and this is mostly speculation) it might be more likely in the homes of some latter-day saints. Members of the church are used to the idea of men being the leader in the home, responsible for guiding the family as the patriarch and priesthood holder. There's justification for this way of living, and also some very clear warnings in Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:37 against "exercise[ing] control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness".
If my father's advice sounds to any women out there like something to celebrate, it's an indication that some husbands are exceeding the proper bounds of their decision-making authority. There are times when it's important for a husband and father to seek out revelation for his family, and times when he should express conviction related to what his family should do, but there are also times when his wife's decisions are personal and he should not try to interfere. If a wife feels like her husband is being domineering, he should genuinely listen to and consider her complaint, and if he's compelling her to the point where she doesn't feel like she's able to make any personal decisions for herself, it's basically a guarantee that he's doing things wrong in a way that is depriving them both of a lot of happiness.
Granted, a wife can definitely be the domineering spouse within a marriage, but in those cases it's the exception to the typical cultural phenomenon for Church members.
Last thoughts for now:
I don't want to focus on the negative side of this, and I would hate to give the impression that domineering spouses are more prevalent than they really are. I do think it's important to remember the sentiment behind my father's advice. We ought to respect our husbands and wives and their God-given agency.
(Also, as a side note, my wife does listen to my preferences for her hair and, while she is totally free to choose her hairstyle and length, she has never chosen something that I would dislike. And she's beautiful.)
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Peace, Not As the World Giveth
I'm a blessed man. Downright spoiled right now, in fact. That's what I tell everyone. Beyond being blessed by the restored gospel and having a wonderful family, I have a good income and I'm able to pursue good professional opportunities. I have an extremely flexible schedule at the moment.
I have a lot of little things that bring me some measure of happiness, like books and movies. I'm able to chat with distant friends via text message. I'm in good health. I have clean water to drink and bathe in and access to a wide variety of food that is either healthy, good-tasting, or both. I have a comfortable home. (And carpet; my standard for being rich, on a global scale, is having carpet, so overall I'm doing really well.) I live in a land that values and preserves a great deal of personal liberty.
Being blessed as I am and being currently free from severe stress makes it easy to feel happy. I think that sometimes similar conditions have led people to overlook the source of true, lasting happiness and real, eternal peace.
What if I were to lose the things I have?
People experience loss. There is a limitless amount of precedent for misfortune and loss, and it's entirely plausible that I could lose almost all of the things I listed above, and much more. I doubt that I would lose them all together, like Job, but it's possible that any day I could experience significant loss on any given day. Tragedy sometimes occurs on a personal level, and sometimes with much larger scope. Nations fall. Natural disasters, war, and other problems displace thousands and millions. I could break a limb or get cancer or otherwise fall ill. My house could burn down, with all of my possessions in it. I sincerely hope it will not happen, but my wife or children could experience grave injury. But what if? What if I were to lose these things that bring me happiness?
I know that regardless of any particular blessing or the loss of it, no matter how much misfortune may come my way, I can still be right before God. No matter what I could lose, I could still dedicate myself to righteousness and service to God and others. And that would bring me peace, "not as the world giveth" (John 14:27), but as Jesus Christ gives to all those who earnestly follow Him.
To say this is the sort of thing that would have superstitious people knocking on wood. Indeed, I do not ask for trouble or loss to enter my life. But, having mentioned Job, I know that any of us can show the same commitment to following Christ that he showed, despite any loss.
Last thoughts for now:
It's easy to say that I could be committed like that. But I know it's possible. I know that we can make that kind of choice. In the meanwhile, I hope to make that kind of commitment without needing tragedy to spur me on. But if tragedy should befall me, I know that I can still receive the peace that our Savior brings.
I have a lot of little things that bring me some measure of happiness, like books and movies. I'm able to chat with distant friends via text message. I'm in good health. I have clean water to drink and bathe in and access to a wide variety of food that is either healthy, good-tasting, or both. I have a comfortable home. (And carpet; my standard for being rich, on a global scale, is having carpet, so overall I'm doing really well.) I live in a land that values and preserves a great deal of personal liberty.
Being blessed as I am and being currently free from severe stress makes it easy to feel happy. I think that sometimes similar conditions have led people to overlook the source of true, lasting happiness and real, eternal peace.
What if I were to lose the things I have?
People experience loss. There is a limitless amount of precedent for misfortune and loss, and it's entirely plausible that I could lose almost all of the things I listed above, and much more. I doubt that I would lose them all together, like Job, but it's possible that any day I could experience significant loss on any given day. Tragedy sometimes occurs on a personal level, and sometimes with much larger scope. Nations fall. Natural disasters, war, and other problems displace thousands and millions. I could break a limb or get cancer or otherwise fall ill. My house could burn down, with all of my possessions in it. I sincerely hope it will not happen, but my wife or children could experience grave injury. But what if? What if I were to lose these things that bring me happiness?
I know that regardless of any particular blessing or the loss of it, no matter how much misfortune may come my way, I can still be right before God. No matter what I could lose, I could still dedicate myself to righteousness and service to God and others. And that would bring me peace, "not as the world giveth" (John 14:27), but as Jesus Christ gives to all those who earnestly follow Him.
To say this is the sort of thing that would have superstitious people knocking on wood. Indeed, I do not ask for trouble or loss to enter my life. But, having mentioned Job, I know that any of us can show the same commitment to following Christ that he showed, despite any loss.
Last thoughts for now:
It's easy to say that I could be committed like that. But I know it's possible. I know that we can make that kind of choice. In the meanwhile, I hope to make that kind of commitment without needing tragedy to spur me on. But if tragedy should befall me, I know that I can still receive the peace that our Savior brings.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Crises of Faith
Sometimes fast and testimony meetings end up having themes. Today's meeting was kind of like that, with a theme being the right way to handle a questions about the Church. One sister bore her testimony of how she had harbored doubts for a while, but had eventually had them alleviated essentially through true doctrine. One of my favorite parts of the Gospel is that we can pray to Heavenly Father for a witness of truth from Him, especially when troubled, and for me, the simple answer for any crisis of faith is to pray. Once we receive a witness from the Holy Ghost, we can know whatever we really need to know.
There's something else that qualifies as a crisis of faith in a very different sense but with the same solution. At times we may be in quite a different situation; we may know exactly what we need to do but lack the faith to do it. The answer again is to pray for a witness of the Holy Ghost, though in this case what's more important than new knowledge is the inspiration to act on our knowledge.
Even Jesus Christ prayed for strength to do His Father's will when in a difficult situation, and when he would have preferred another way, as he prepared himself for the Atonement. That probably doesn't qualify as a "crisis of faith" for Him, but He did show us what to do when we are in the middle of our own crises.
Last thoughts for now:
The great test of life is how we will submit ourselves to God's will. Jesus Christ gave an amazingly powerful example to us, and we can follow it. Prayer can bring us knowledge and inspiration from the Holy Ghost.
There's something else that qualifies as a crisis of faith in a very different sense but with the same solution. At times we may be in quite a different situation; we may know exactly what we need to do but lack the faith to do it. The answer again is to pray for a witness of the Holy Ghost, though in this case what's more important than new knowledge is the inspiration to act on our knowledge.
Even Jesus Christ prayed for strength to do His Father's will when in a difficult situation, and when he would have preferred another way, as he prepared himself for the Atonement. That probably doesn't qualify as a "crisis of faith" for Him, but He did show us what to do when we are in the middle of our own crises.
Last thoughts for now:
The great test of life is how we will submit ourselves to God's will. Jesus Christ gave an amazingly powerful example to us, and we can follow it. Prayer can bring us knowledge and inspiration from the Holy Ghost.
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