The Dawn of Ape Evolution

When I first started this blog site I tried to keep the topics to theology. I was successful for the most part. But, my second favorite topic, evolution, just creeps in now and again. I am fully confident that those uninterested in evolution are capable of skipping posts.

A fascinating and controversial scientific area is ape evolution. Let the arguments fly.

The Dawn Monkey by Chris Beard is an amazing introduction to ape evolution and its associated scientific controversies.

A less technical, but award winning book, is The Ape in the Tree by Alan Walker and Pat Shipman. The book is a nice introduction to how evolutionary science is done.

Both books cited above are great reads, and provide a great education on the topic.

Many paleoanthropologists believe that apes arose in Africa about 22 to 12 million years ago. But few ape fossils have been found in Africa during that time period. Interestingly, many "Miocene" ape fossils have been found in India, Pakistan, Spain, and Hungry to name just a few countries. Some "heretical" scientists have proposed that apes evolved in Eurasia and then migrated to Africa!!!

It's one of those inevitably fun debates that arise out of the scientific study of evolution.

Are We Exons or Introns?

Figure from commons.wikimedia.org.

Perhaps one should not generate moral lessons from genetics, but I cannot help myself.

I like thinking about DNA sequences of nucleotides and how they are divided into protein coding segments called exons which are separated by non-coding segments called introns. Messenger RNA (mRNA) splices together the information from the exons to produce (potentially) a wide variety of proteins. To do so, mRNA "ignores" or splices out the intron segments. (Pardon my oversimplifications).

Which would you rather be: an exon or an intron?

My father used to give me irritating advice. He still does. He used to say things like: "Steve, do you want to be a ballplayer in life or just a spectator? Do you want to be playing on the field or just sitting in the stands?"

For some reason I think of exons as ballplayers. They are active and they affect outcomes.

BUT, the introns are important, even if they are sort of like spectators. They allow for "creativity" in the construction of proteins, but otherwise they just sit there. They just sort of watch things go by.

So, if your life were translated into DNA (it sort of is already), then would you be an exon or an intron?

Maybe you are an intron now, but will evolve into an exon. Wow, that could be a possibility. I suppose the reverse could happen too.

There are significant dangers in stereotyping people and labeling them. People are not all one thing or another. Metaphorically speaking, I suppose we could be a little bit of exon and a little bit of intron at the same time. It is OK to be introns and watch TV or play video games, as long as we occasionally turn into exons and try to shape our communities (for the good).

I suppose in the LDS Church we are trying to help turn people into exons more than introns.

OK, it is early in the morning and maybe I am off my rocker. What's my excuse? I am just trying to be an exon.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Christ is Lord of the Living & Dead

Christ expiant sur la Croix, by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1695

Latter-day Saints believe in an INFINITE atonement of Christ (see, e.g., 2 Ne. 9:7; 2 Ne. 25:16; Alma 34: 12). This concept of an infinite atonement means that all of humanity have been rescued, allowing for and giving rise to reconciliation with God. The atonement covers young children who have died at an early age (Moroni 8: 12-16). It covers retroactively all those who died before the ministry of Christ (Mosiah 3:11). Jesus took on the infirmities of ALL his people (Alma 7: 10-13), no matter the nature of the suffering (physical or mental), no matter when or where they lived, and no matter whether they were living or dead.

The apostle Paul captured succinctly the infinite nature of the atonement:

Romans 14:9
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

*****

The true gospel of Christ lends meaning and value to ALL peoples' lives – those in China, New Guinea, Madagascar, and even in Utah. All lives are important – not just those Mormon. Latter-day Saints believe in a successful plan of salvation, not one that dooms humanity to hell. Our latter-day scriptures support the Bible with such teachings as:

D&C 137:7-9
All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.

An important theological innovation (relative to the rest of the Christian world) provided by LDS scripture is that men and women will be judged according to BOTH their works and "the desires of their hearts." Alma 41:3 reads: "if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good … at the last day [they may be] restored unto that which is good." (See verses 3 through 6). Only God can know the desires of our hearts. There is often a disconnect between our good works and our sincere desires for righteousness. Think of the bed-ridden who wish they could be active missionaries. Think of the widow with a limited income unable to denote to humanitarian causes, but cannot. Only God can fully appreciate our limitations.

Joseph Smith taught the following from the Bible:

“Chapter 35: Redemption for the Dead,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church:
Joseph Smith, (2007), 401–11.
Peter, also, in speaking concerning our Savior, says, that ‘He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah’ (1 Peter 3:19, 20). Here then we have an account of our Savior preaching to the spirits in prison, to spirits that had been imprisoned from the days of Noah; and what did He preach to them? That they were to stay there? Certainly not! Let His own declaration testify. ‘He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.’ (Luke 4:18) Isaiah has it—‘To bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness from the prison house.’ (Isaiah 42:7) It is very evident from this that He not only went to preach to them, but to deliver, or bring them out of the prison house. …

Joseph Smith recognized that a successful plan of salvation would provide a path for all to return to God the Father:

“Chapter 35: Redemption for the Dead,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church:
Joseph Smith, (2007), 401–11.
To say that the heathens would be damned because they did not believe the Gospel would be preposterous, and to say that the Jews would all be damned that do not believe in Jesus would be equally absurd; for ‘how can they believe on him of whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without a preacher, and how can he preach except he be sent’ [see Romans 10:14–15]; consequently neither Jew nor heathen can be culpable for rejecting the conflicting opinions of sectarianism, nor for rejecting any testimony but that which is sent of God, for as the preacher cannot preach except he be sent, so the hearer cannot believe [except] he hear a ‘sent’ preacher, and cannot be condemned for what he has not heard, and being without law, will have to be judged without law.

Joseph Smith taught that this life is a period of great education, which shall continue into the next life until the great resurrection:

“Chapter 35: Redemption for the Dead,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church:
Joseph Smith, (2007), 401–11.
[W]hat has become of our fathers? Will they all be damned for not obeying the Gospel, when they never heard it? Certainly not. But they will possess the same privilege that we here enjoy, through the medium of the everlasting priesthood, which not only administers on earth, but also in heaven, and the wise dispensations of the great Jehovah. Hence those characters referred to by Isaiah [see Isaiah 24:21–22] will be visited by the Priesthood, and come out of their prison upon the same principle as those who were disobedient in the days of Noah were visited by our Savior [who possessed the everlasting Melchizedek Priesthood] and had the Gospel preached to them, by Him in prison.

*****

Latter-day Saints have a global and eternal perspective about God and humanity. The plan of God applies to all – both the living and the dead. Further, all humanity, NOT just the LDS, can have access to God and his inspiration.

Latter-day Saints firmly believe in the Bible as scripture, but we also realize that there are many great peoples and many inspired ideas. The Book of Mormon says: says, "I [God] shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it" (2 Nephi 29:12; see also, Alma 29:8). The LDS understand that God inspires who He inspires and is NOT limited to a particular group or to a particular country.

The atonement of Christ is infinite. Those who limit its powers to living Christians fail to understand the universal nature of God's plan. Latter-day Saints do NOT claim that all people will return to God, but they do claim that a pathway has been created for ALL good people who sincerely desire to be with God and would not reject Him.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Carving the Meaning of Life:

An Essay Inspired by Delly Henderson

Handpainted, bas relief carving, "The Woman at the Well," by Adelbert "Delly" Henderson was completed in 1921. This photograph was taken in my mother's home.

*****

What is most important for us to pass down to our families?

For Latter-day Saints the item of most precious worth is immaterial, our testimonies. Material riches have no value by comparison. However, there is at least ONE material item in my family I hope gets passed down through the ages for a thousand years. It is priceless because it is a testimony. It is a 1921 wooden carving depicting the Savior entitled, "The Woman at the Well" by Adelbert Cutler Henderson (1862 – 1938), who went by A.D. or "Delly."

Thank goodness I remember the story of Solomon's wisdom. A third of Delly's carving cannot be given to each of my sons. Just one will receive the carving, along with careful instructions about its care. The carving is not only to stay within the family, but it is to stay within the Church. Why? It is a testament to the Henderson descendants.

*****"Delly" Henderson*****

Adelbert Cutler "A.D. or Delly" Henderson (1862 – 1938)

*****

Delly was a carpenter from Clifton, Idaho. He supervised the building of many LDS church buildings in southern Idaho and northern Utah during his adult lifetime. Delly Henderson built the so-called "Longfellow School," which was a red brick and sandstone block building near Clifton that was described as "the pride of the community" (in: History of Clifton, Idaho, p. 105).

When he was not directing the building of chapels or other construction projects, he was sitting on his porch, arguing politics while he whittled. Piles of shavings were his signatures. One always knew where he had been sitting.

Actually, Delly loved four things: the Church, his family, working with wood, and politics, probably in that order. Delly served a term in the Idaho state legislature (1913-1916).

In 1921 Delly won several awards for his carvings at the Utah State Fair – one of which was of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Just a few weeks later Delly sent President Heber J. Grant a beautifully carved bust of the Prophet Joseph Smith, perhaps the same one presented at the Fair. President Grant sent back a letter of great praise to Delly, stating "I assure you that I shall take good care of it and preserve it" (letter dated: Oct. 13, 1921).

That bust is still retained by Museum of Church History & Art in Salt Lake City, Utah.

*****

A few short words written by Delly Henderson may be almost as significant as his carvings. These words were handwritten in a note entitled "Gentlemen," dated March 2nd, 1920:

A man who is clear both outside
and inside; who neither looks up to
the rich nor down to the poor;
who can loose [lose] without squealing and
win without bragging; who is considerate
of Women, Children and old people;
who is too brave to lie, too generous
to cheat, and who take his share of
World and lets other people have theirs;
is a man.

[Quoted from a photo of the original published in: Jocelyn H. Faux (1994) Our Mayflower Ancestors and Their Descendants: Ten Generations from Howland-Tilley to Henderson-Howell, p. 462; available in Church History Library & Archives.]

***** My Grandmother*****

Photo taken by my mother in 1972. My grandmother stands next to "The Woman at the Well." The roses were grown in my grandmother's garden.

I remember as a child visiting the home of my grandmother, the daughter of Delly. The carving hung in a place of honor in her small living room. She would point to it and tell me the story of the woman at the well. It was my grandmother's teachings and my love of the carving that provoked my little essay entitled, "The Woman at Jacob's Well."

Samuel G. Henderson (1820 – 1904). Photo probably taken in Utah or Idaho.

Once my grandmother started to tell stories it was hard to get her to stop. She knew so much, and she was determined to get it into my head. Only some of it stuck.

One of my favorite stories from my grandmother was about Samuel G. Henderson, the father of Delly. I was told that Samuel was a "personal bodyguard to the Prophet Joseph Smith" while in Nauvoo -- circa 1839. Samuel liked to hand-wrestle with Joseph. Only later as an adult did I learn that Joseph had dozens upon dozens of "bodyguards." Most men in Nauvoo felt it was a duty to protect the Prophet. Joseph was a beloved figure by the Nauvoo citizens.

*****Conclusion*****

Samuel G. Henderson joined the Church in Missouri and went to Nauvoo in 1839. He stayed in the Church until the end. His son Adelbert "Delly" Henderson, the carver and builder, died in the Church, and left his descendants his religious carvings and some writings. My grandmother made sure I learned the traditions of my ancestors.


Again, what is the most important possession we have that must be passed down to our families? What meaning about life can we "carve" for our descendants? Perhaps there is something material to pass down, but ultimately there is nothing more valuable than our testimony. Our descendants deserve to have a record of it.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Doctrines in Perpetuity

If one could do a historical analysis over the entire span of authorized prophets, going from expelled Adam to President Thomas S. Monson, then what would be the doctrines of perpetuity that would span all time? Clearly, the way we implement the gospel now in the 21st century is NOT identical to the gospel implementation of the 1st century. Obviously, revelation allows each period of time and each dispensation to proceed a little differently. Some teachings will be the same, but others will be different. God may not change, but people do.

Doctrinal continuity over history would be based on just a few truths, such as:

1) There is one God the Father;

2) we are his children living in a fallen state;

3) His only begotten must sacrifice for our sins;

4) God speaks through prophets, answers prayers, and makes covenants;

5) priests and high priests administer specific cleansing ordinances, such as baptism;

6) special advanced doctrines teach “the way,” a returning to our Father;

7) obedience to revealed commandments yields happiness;

8) faith and priesthood are commanding powers;

9) we will be resurrected; and

10) there is a life eternal.

I cannot think of too many more central doctrines that have spanned the history of authorized prophets. Maybe you can think of some more.

Please note that there is a fair amount of latitude about how these principles become implemented into a religious practice, and that is my point. A modern Mormon hardly would recognize Church services in the 19th century. (See my past essay: "The Latter-day Church in the 19th Century"). How much more would we be confused by the religious services of Adam? Still, we would recognize strings of continuity, such as those items mentioned above.

BASIC MESSAGE: The core "doctrines in perpetuity" do not make up a large list. Believers in continuing revelation should also be believers in religious evolution. Things change. Humans change. Such is the nature of life.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Armstrong v. Dawkins

Readers: Wall Street Journal recently published a fascinating article entitled: "Man v. God," that I think is well worth reading and contemplating. The article juxtaposes thoughts from Karen Armstrong with those from Richard Dawkins.

Karen Armstrong is a leading non-LDS theologian and former Catholic nun. Richard Dawkins is a leading evolutionist and advocate of atheism. (I am sure he is NOT sympathetic to Mormon ideas).

In the context of evolution can theologians salvage the concept of God? Is there evolutionary adaptive value to religion? These are questions I am raising in a university class that I am now teaching, which is one-third basic evolution, one-third physical anthropology, and one-third human social evolution. The course has been a lot of fun so far, and I do allow ALL students to express their opinions from any perspective, religious or scientific.

Religion is a cross-cultural universal. Mircea Eliade, a comparative theologian, has even contemplated renaming our species Homo Religiosus. Is there a genetic basis for our religious tendencies? Is it possible that religions have evolved in a manner that is consistent with biological evolution. Of course, as Latter-day Saints we believe in divine intervention and restoration of priesthood. But, my questions are in the context of a broader comparative sense of religion -- socially and cross-culturally. Do human societies operate according to natural principles?

I highly recommend reading the WSJ article linked in the first paragraph. Comments are welcome, agreeing or disagreeing with any of the issues raised in this post. I will love them all.

Preparation Day

In LDS missionary lingo a "Prep Day" is a day off of missionary work to do laundry, buy groceries, and generally prepare for the rest of the week. In a broader sense, every day of our lives is a day of preparation (Alma 34:32).

A few years ago, a newly called missionary on a LDS Chat Board asked how he could prepare for his mission in South America. Naturally, I could not resist offering some advice. Here is some of what I said:

Some of the best advice for missionaries of any age is given in Alma 29 through 39. …

Purchase about 6 to10 Zig Millennium red pens (MS-01) and 2-3 [metal] 6" straight edges. These pens have archival quality ink that does not soak into the other side of the page. Mark your scriptures neatly with the straight edge. … Once you have your scriptures marked and footnoted, you will be able to teach many wonderful lessons with just your scriptures in hand. …

Study Jesus and learn how he dealt with the controversies of his time. Apply the same principles to today's controversies. If you do so, then you will find that most of the nagging issues you could encounter on a mission or on these web pages will fall by the wayside. Nearly all controversies can be answered from the scriptures themselves. Learn to do so. …

Remember that missions set the stage for the rest of your life. Do not squander the time or make light of what you are doing. Be a leader and an example to other missionaries. Carry the demeanor and comportment of a 30 year old, even though you will be much younger. Do not succumb to excessive laughter and silliness. Have fun, but give up immaturity as a sacrifice to the Lord.

Finally, and maybe this is the most important piece of advice (and this is something that cannot be learned in just a few weeks): learn how to engage the gift of the Holy Ghost and the enabling power of the atonement. They will be your main survival tools. There are few more important lessons in life than the one that involves learning to listen to the still small voice.

Preparation is an issue that follows us all our lives, not just on missions. We need to prepare for marriage; prepare for getting a job; prepare for children; prepare for the temple; and prepare for retirement. Our very existence is a preparation.

What does it mean to “prepare,” or is this just a word we toss around? It means to plan in advance; to make ready beforehand; it means to consider all possibilities to allow for decisive action. I am reminded of the following passage:

Proverbs 30:24-28
24 ¶ There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 The conies [rodents] are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

Of course, the fifth little thing on earth that is exceeding wise is the LDS missionary who is in tune with the spirit. With preparation and love, he or she will be able to teach with great power.

The Lord can inspire during preparation just as easily as he can inspire during presentation. Furthermore, he usually does!! Can you imagine trying to teach a missionary lesson without knowing the “Preach My Gospel” manual? Inspired presentation requires inspired preparation. This is a great lesson to remember. Actually, we should remember that the gospel is more action than words. I love the phrase attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

We forget that Patriarchs prepare for their blessings, because what we see is just the actual blessing itself. Actually, there is much to prepare. Patriarchs must know the gospel, the scriptures, the basic bureaucracy of the Church (having served in previous leadership positions), how to receive revelation, how to live the gospel, etc., etc.

Being “filled with the spirit” does not mean that we go into the world with blank minds. Action in ignorance must be the most frightening of experiences. Imagine being a surgeon and trying to do an operation without preparation. Imagine being a soldier in the thick of battle and not knowing how to operate or aim your rifle. A good phrase to remember is: “Know before you go.”

In the context of the previous paragraphs, the following sentence can now make sense: A seer is someone who sees into the future with foresight. To plan effectively, one must forecast and prognosticate the future. Sometimes one must solve problems before they ever occur.

Preparation is really a “study it out in your own mind” kind of process. Isn’t that the first step to revelation??? (See: D&C 9:8).

I once saw a humorous needlework with the phrase “Plan Ahead,” embroidered like in the figure shown above. The embroidery was an effective reminder of what can happen when we don’t.

When we Latter-day Saints do NOT prepare, we come to meetings late, our sermons at the pulpit go over time, and our meetings drag on without accomplishment. Preparation and punctuality show respect for other people’s time.

When Jesus comes to earth, he is not going to just wave his hand and “New Jerusalem” will appear out of nowhere. He will need a prepared people. We need to be that prepared people.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Mental Illness & the Gospel

Schizophrenia involves a disintegration of the self, as the brain slowly decays.

*****

I have worked with hundreds and been near thousands of mentally ill patients over the years. Not once did I ever feel one of them was possessed by an evil spirit.

Mentally ill people have enough stigmas without having to carry the label of “possessed by the devil” on top of it all. In Medieval times schizophrenic patients were chained. Some had their heads drilled to “let out the evil spirits.” These patients were treated in the most horrible of ways.

Mentally impaired individuals deserve to be treated with respect, like anyone else.

The strange behavior associated with mental illness is due to chemicals of the brain that are out of balance, and/or brain cells that have been damaged.

*****

Any Church leader from time to time is going to run across members of the Church who suffer from major psychiatric illness. Schizophrenia, for example, exists in 1% of the population. The disease usually occurs between the ages of 18 and 30. This means that a typical LDS Ward easily could have a member struggling with schizophrenia or a related disorder.

Medical scientists now know that schizophrenia is a brain disease involving the emotional centers of the brain (the limbic system, temporal lobes, frontal lobes, etc.). Since the disease attacks the auditory and language centers of the brain in the superior (top) portions of the temporal lobe, these patients hear hallucinatory voices. They hear conversations among multiple voices, which are often derogatory conversations telling the patient to “Go kill the pregnant woman,” as just one example. (They do NOT act upon these hallucinatory commands).

Although there are acute cases of schizophrenia lasting only a few weeks, most schizophrenic patients have a chronic brain disease.

These patients often talk funny, saying things like: “Quick ancestors pin my sleep.” Their language is bizarre and often without meaning. As they speak, they show a flight of ideas, often jumping from topic to topic without any logical threads.

Although the patients typically are not violent, they are often accusatory and paranoid. They often believe that others are out to get them, talking about them, and poisoning their food. They often believe that others (or TV sets) are inserting thoughts into their heads. They often have bizarre delusions, like “A flying saucer just flew out of my head.”

They often make up new words (neologisms): “The police are trying to figoriate me.” If you ask, “What does “figoriate” mean? The patient might define the term with other neologisms.

The schizophrenic patient is often withdrawn from others and incapable of maintaining relationships with family members and close friends. They often prefer to just be alone.

*****

Suppose a LDS Bishop encountered a faithful member of the Church who was suddenly acting bizarre. It would be a good idea for that Bishop to interview the member in the presence of other family members. The Bishop should keep in mind that the family members may think of the disorder as a possession by evil spirits.

The Bishop should try to determine the answers to such questions as: Does the affected person hear voices in his or her head? What do the voices say? Are the voices derogatory? Are there any bizarre actions and beliefs? Does the person have excessive suspicions? Is the person’s language difficult to interpret? Is the person withdrawn from loved ones? How long have the symptoms been present?

Naturally, a priesthood blessing is appropriate. If the symptoms resemble that of schizophrenia or if the behavior concerns the family and the Bishop, then an appropriate referral should be made to a psychiatrist (an MD) or a psychologist (a PhD). Hospitalization may be an important consideration.

Mentally ill individuals need our love and compassion. They need our prayers, but they also need the best of medical science. Most schizophrenic patients need drug therapies, using medicines like clozapine or thorazine. Such drugs block the effects of a neurotransmitter in the brain called dopamine.

*****

Finally, it is inappropriate to baptize any individual who is suffering from a psychotic mental illness. They are in NO CONDITION to make big life decisions. Such individuals should be treated with love and kindness, but they should NOT be issued religious challenges.

Mental illnesses are characterized by extreme confusion, and a confused brain should have minimal stress, religious or otherwise.

It is fine to remind a patient that God loves him or her, especially if there are feelings of deep-seated guilt. However, such patients do NOT need complex religious messages, because such messages, even if given with good intentions, are too often extremely disturbing.

*****

Conclusion: The scriptures describe how Jesus dealt with the ill. He was an exemplar of care and concern. We should follow his footsteps.

When dealing with the mentally ill, it is useful to remember the story of the man born blind in John 9: 1-3. Jesus was asked, "[W]ho did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus set the standard: "Neither."

That simple answer generalizes to mental illness as well.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Jennetta Richards & Her Glorious Nauvoo Photo

This glorious photo (actually a daguerreotype) of Willard, Jennetta, & Heber John Richards was taken by Lucien Foster on March 26, 1845 in his Nauvoo, Illinois studio on Parley Street. The background story is even more glorious.

Preface: Suppose Mormon Times held a giant contest to find the single most representative photo (taken in any period of time) that captured the essence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If there were such a contest, then I would nominate the photo above, without hesitation.

One could imagine beautiful color photos of temples or Church houses being nominated. Certainly, the contest would receive a scenic picture of white-shirted & helmeted missionaries riding their bicycles on a remote road of the Yucatán. No doubt contest-officials would have to examine a putative photo of Joseph Smith with a provenance never nailed down.

Despite all the great competition, I think an argument can be made that the Richards family photo should win.

Since there are no photos of Jesus, what could be more central in the gospel plan than a photo of an LDS family? But, which LDS family is iconic, representative, and captures a big story? The Richards family photo meets all the necessary criteria.

*****The Family Portrait*****

From Willard Richards' journal we know this particular daguerreotype was taken on March 26, 1845 in Nauvoo. Willard was forty; Jennetta was twenty-eight; and Heber John was four and a half. Their home was on the south side of White Street, between Durphey and Partridge. Clearly, they spent some time getting themselves dressed in their best clothing. Heber John's hair had been nicely combed by his mother. Clearly, Willard's ratty hair was never going to be helped by a comb. Jennetta looked immaculate. They likely took a walk four blocks south on Partridge Street toward the location of the studio on Parley Street.

We can almost imagine the conversations that took place during that short walk. Jennetta might have said, "Heber John, don't go near that puddle. Your clothes need to stay clean." Then, you can almost see her turning to Willard and saying, "I wish you would have let me clip and groom your hair." He might have replied, "Your beauty will dilute all my imperfections." It did.

The daguerreotype image was a new French invention made public in 1839, and it spread rapidly to the United States. In April of 1844 Nauvoo was lucky enough to obtain a daguerreotypist, Lucien Foster of New York.

The mechanical and chemical processes behind daguerreotypes were technical. Good pictures required exposure times of five to fifteen minutes. People would have to be posed and told to stay still until the long exposure time was competed. The strain of staying motionless for such lengths of time usually prohibited any form of emotional expression, especially smiling.

But, the beauty of the Richards family portrait is that great emotion somehow made it through the daguerreotype camera. Jennetta is leaning into and almost hugging Willard with her right arm. At the same time, she is holding Heber John's outstretched arm with her left. Willard's gigantic right hand secured Heber John from moving. His left arm must have been hidden around Jennetta. This lovely family is literally sealed.

Of course, the people in the Richards family daguerreotype are MOST notable. The life of Elder Willard Richards is well known. Heber John would become a notable LDS physician in Salt Lake City. The story of how Heber John went to medical school in New York, and how he was sponsored by Brigham Young is beautifully described by Ardis E. Parshall in her essay, "The Surgeon and Brigham Young."

Setting the others somewhat to the side, the focal point of this essay is Sister Jennetta Richards. Why? Her story is just as amazing, maybe more so than the men in her life.

*****Sister Jennetta Richards Richards*****

Jennetta was born on August 21, 1817 in Lancashire, England to Reverend John & Ellen Richards. In 1837 Jennetta's family was living in Walkerfold, England, where her father was a Protestant minister. On Wednesday August 2nd of that year, she was paying a visit to friends in nearby Preston when she ran into Elders Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde. The following Friday, Jennetta was baptized by Elder Kimball in Preston's River Ribble. She was the first overseas convert to the Church (see: Times and Seasons, Vol.4, p.880-881).

After the baptism Elder Kimball composed a letter to his fellow missionary Willard Richards, who was serving in another part of England. He wrote, "I baptized your wife today" (see: Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1967, p. 143). Willard took him seriously.

On March 10th 1838 Willard wrote in his autobiography:

While walking in Thornly, I plucked a snowdrop [flower], far through the hedge, and carried it to James Mercer's, and hung it up in his kitchen; soon after Jennetta Richards came into the room, and I walked with her and Alice Parker to Ribchester, and attended meeting with Brothers Kimball and Hyde at Brother Clark's.

While walking with these sisters I remarked, `Richards was a good name--I never want to change it, do you, Jennetta?' `No, I do not,' was her reply, and I think she never will. [Willard Richards autobiography, in MS 27, p.151].

Perhaps prompted by Jennetta's hint of interest and Elder Kimball's prophecy, some kind of courtship developed. We do not have the details. We do know they were married on September 24, six months later.

In March of 1839 some dissension broke out among the Mormon Elders. Much of the concern revolved around Jennetta:

Some were tried and tempted because Elder Richards took to himself a wife; they thought he should have given himself wholly to the ministry, and followed Paul's advice to the letter. Some were tried because his wife wore a veil, and others because she carried a muff to keep herself warm when she walked out in cold weather; and even the President of the Church [Joseph Fielding] there, thought "she had better done without it;" she had nothing ever purchased by the Church; and to gratify their feelings, wore the poorest clothes she had, and they were too good, so hard was it to buffet the storm of feeling that arose from such foolish causes. Sister Richards was very sick for some time, and some were dissatisfied because her husband did not neglect her entirely and go out preaching; and others, that she did not go to meeting when she was not able to go so far. [History of the Church, Vol.3, Ch.19, p.277]

On July 17th, 1839 Jennetta bore a son named Heber John (not the child in the daguerrotype). Five months later the baby broke out with small pox and died [Willard Richards autobiography, in MS 27, p.165]. She quickly became pregnant, and in October of 1840 gave birth to a second boy, also named Heber John – the one pictured above.

Willard finished his mission in 1841, and his family returned to the United States that summer. Willard arranged for Jennetta and Heber John to stay with relatives in Richmond, Massachusetts while he setup a household in Nauvoo, Illinois. Willard's intention was to make a quick return to gather his family, but his Church duties became consuming resulting in the passage of many months.

Understandably, Jennetta was anxious to be with Willard, and no doubt she yearned to be with the Saints in Nauvoo. Consequently, she wrote a letter to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo telling him that she did not wish to be forgotten – a reasonable inference based upon Joseph's June 23rd, 1842 response sent to Richmond, Massachusetts:

[Condensed with spelling corrections and grammatical changes]

Sister Jennetta Richards;

… I now embrace a moment to address a few words to you… to know that you too are remembered by me as well as all the saints… . [Y]our husband … has done me great good and taken a great burden off my shoulders since his arrival in Nauvoo. Never did I have greater intimacy with any man… . We are about to send him in a few days after his dear family. He shall have our prayers fervently for his safe arrival to their embraces, and may God speed his journey and return him quickly to our society… .

Joseph Smith

[See: Dean C. Jessee: The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, Deseret Book.; also see History of the Church, Vol.5, Ch.2, p.40-41].

Willard departed Nauvoo on July 1, 1842 and returned with his family on November 21st.

Jennetta had made extraordinary sacrifices to get to Nauvoo. She had left her extended family in England. She had to live with her in-laws on the American east coast for well over a year without her husband. She possibly thought she had been forgotten. Her entry into the Nauvoo of 1842 must have been a mix of relief and hope. Her faith must have been the type that moved mountains.

Two years would pass. During that time there would be both bliss and horror. In May of 1843 Jennetta was sealed to Willard for all eternity under the auspices of the priesthood. In June of 1844 Joseph Smith was martyred in the Carthage Jail. Her husband witnessed the death and was lucky to have escaped with his life. The funeral and its associated tensions were overwhelming. By contrast, it must have been a relatively peaceful day on March 26th, 1845. This was the day the family took their walk to get their family portrait. The result was beautiful. The image was priceless, more than the family could realize on that spring day.

Unexpectedly, Jennetta passed away three and a half months later on July 9th.

Here is what we know of that final drama:

Wednesday July 9, [1845] At day light dressed… . [Jennetta] very weak. [I] kneeled, prayed, and laid hands on her three times… . I gave her encouragement as I felt. She said, "How can I die under such progress?" About sunrise [I] sent for Levi [Richards] [and] about 6 [A.M.] sent for Elder H. C. Kimball, who came and laid on hands and prayed, she revived. [I] also sent for Father John Smith, John Taylor [and] George A. Smith. Heber Kimball, John E. Page, Levi Richards, and myself dressed [in temple clothing and] prayed and went into her room anointed and prayed for her and felt encouraged. At fifteen minutes past 10 A.M. Jennetta stopped breathing… . Sister Wilcox and Lucy Clayton watched and I slept in room on the floor.

Thursday July 10, 1845 … Heber [John] said, "Pa, will you bury Ma in the garden, if you do I can bear it. If you do not I cannot bear it." I told him I would bury her in the garden.

Friday July 11, [1845] At dinner Rhonda Ann [Willard & Jennetta's third child, now age 2] spoke out very pleasantly and said "Ma is gone away. She is gone to see Uncle Joseph and Hyrum and my little brother." I wept for joy to think of the happy meeting of Jennetta and Heber John.

[See: Willard Richards journals, cited in: R. N. Holzapfel & T. J. Cottle (1991). Old Mormon Nauvoo and Southeastern Iowa, Santa Ana: Fieldbrook, p. 76.]

Glorious is the restored understanding of the afterlife, which is of great assistance to those bereaved.

*****Finale*****

Stuck in Richmond, Massachusetts, Jennetta was worried that she had been forgotten by the Church. Jennetta should never be forgotten. In fact, the reality is that the very process of the Restoration in these latter-days was fully dependent upon women like Jennetta.

Take one last good look at the daguerreotype posted at the top of this essay. Does it not capture in many ways the historical essence of this Church? It represents more than the Richards family in Nauvoo. It captures the love, bonding, sacrifice, and commitment that were required to build this Church.

The picture is truly priceless.

***** Basic References *****

Daguerreotype: "Temple on the Hill" by Lucian R. Foster taken in 1846, probably from his studio on Parley Street, Nauvoo, Illinois.

Portrait: "Jennetta Richards Richards," by William W. Major, 1845.

Photos: For some beautiful pictures of sites in England associated with Jennetta, see: Pioneer Love.

Francis M. Gibbons & Daniel B. Gibbons (2002). A Gathering of Eagles: Conversions from the Four Quarters of the Earth, Bloomington: iUniverse.

D. Michael Quinn (1980). "They Served:
The Richards Legacy in the Church," Ensign, January, p. 25.

Orson F. Whitney (1904). "Willard Richards," History of Utah: Biographical.

Note: The Richards family portrait was a prominent item in a 1992 exhibit by the Museum of Church History entitled: "A Vision of Zion: Photographs of Latter-day Saint Life, 1845–1991."

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Righteous Determination

The beehive – one of the most important Mormon symbols, representing dedication to the Lord, industry, and the Book of Mormon term for honey bee: deseret (Ether 2:3).

*****

How does one get from point A to point B in life? Whatever the correct answer is, righteous determination must be part of it. How might we define righteous determination? To me, the concept consists of planning, pondering, persistence, perseverance, and prayer.

With days just to live, Elder Bruce R. McConkie was laying in his bed dying of cancer, when he received a visit from his elderly but healthy mother. The visit was described by Elder McConkie’s son, Joseph:

Joseph Fielding McConkie: Bruce R. McConkie Story: Reflections of a Son, Chapter: “His Final Testimony,” Deseret Book, 2003.
The next few days family members and close friends came to bid Dad farewell. Each experience contained its own tenderness. The tone of the visit with his mother, Vivian Redd McConkie, was somewhat different, however. She visited Dad to give him instruction. “When you see Daddy,” she said, referring to his father and her companion, from whom she had now been separated for twenty years, “you tell him my suitcase is packed and I am waiting at the curb.” Grandmother, who had hardly been sick a day in her life, was now in her ninety- fifth year—no great thing, particularly, considering that her mother, Lucinda Pace Redd, had lived to be 104. Yet Grandmother McConkie was ready to meet Granddaddy and fully expected Dad to see that the matter was attended to. Three weeks and one day after Dad’s death, she herself died.

One could safely say that Vivian McConkie was righteously determined. Now at age 95, Sister Vivian had the right to make such a request. The rest of us do not, but the basic principle is the same. We must have a dog-gone strong determination if we are to get from point A to point B.

Elder James E. Faust described determination and perseverance this way:

James E. Faust, “Perseverance,” Ensign, May 2005, 51
A young man recently shared with me how much he had learned from his perseverance as a missionary. I draw from his experience some of the things you can learn that would bring opportunities and blessings to you:

1. How to organize and use time wisely
2. The importance of hard work—that you reap what you sow
3. Leadership skills
4. People skills
5. The value of gospel study
6. Respect for authority
7. The importance of prayer
8. Humility and dependence on the Lord.

When I went to Granite High School in Salt Lake City in the 1930s, I had some friends who excelled in athletics, drama, music, and speech. Some of them went on to achieve success in life, but too many of those gifted and able young people did not persevere and failed to achieve their potential. In contrast, several less visible young men and women at the same school worked diligently, persevered, and continued with their education and became outstanding doctors, engineers, educators, lawyers, scientists, businessmen, artisans, electricians, plumbers, and entrepreneurs.
Success is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged when we encounter challenges.

President Benson put the same message in terms of scriptures and the sacrament:

Ezra Taft Benson, “Do Not Despair,” Ensign, Oct 1986, 2
Every accountable child of God needs to set goals, short- and long-range goals. A man who is pressing forward to accomplish worthy goals can soon put despondency under his feet, and once a goal is accomplished, others can be set up. Some will be continuing goals. Each week when we partake of the sacrament we commit ourselves to the goals of taking upon ourselves the name of Christ, of always remembering him and keeping his commandments. Of Jesus’ preparations for his mission, the scripture states that he “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” (Luke 2:52.) This encompasses four main areas for goals: spiritual, mental, physical, and social. “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?” asked the Master, and he answered, “Verily I say unto you, even as I am.” (3 Ne. 27:27.) Now, there is a lifetime goal—to walk in his steps, to perfect ourselves in every virtue as he has done, to seek his face, and to work to make our calling and election sure.

Generally, the Lord does not do for us what we can do for ourselves. Graduation from High School is not accomplished by skipping school and praying not to get caught. Therefore, in most things we must be proactive and make things happen, rather than waiting for things to happen on their own.

A famous standard for decision-making came early in Mormon history. In 1829 Joseph Smith had to teach Oliver Cowdery, "you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask [God] if it be right" (D&C 9:8). Study and prayer is a combination that is hard to beat.

*****

Goals serve a good purpose when they set up a target to which we can aim. This purpose is lost when goals are used as the criteria for success. A few years ago I was a little disturbed by a comment made in a letter from my missionary son. His letter said, “mission goals become commandments.” This concept is extreme and should be dismissed. Mission goals give a nice target, but I refuse to believe that missing those goals after giving an honest effort is the equivalent of failing God.

God gives us commandments that will improve our lives. He also knows that we will fall short. Hence, we need an atonement to allow repentance, redeem sins, and lift burdens. In my opinion, we should NOT mistake man-made goals for God-given covenants. Elder Bruce R. McConkie had this to say:

Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Vol.2, p.140
Under the Mosaic law the taking of oaths was so common and covered such a variety of circumstances that, in practice, little verity attended statements that were not made with an oath. "If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." (Num. 30:2.) And so Jesus, rejecting the old and proclaiming the new, said: "And again it is written, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil." [See Matthew 5: 33-37].

The problem with man-made goals is that God is perfectly willing to let us fall on our faces, especially if the goals are unrealistic and out of proportion to our abilities. A possible complication arises if we think God has failed us, when in fact we have failed by ourselves, with the full responsibility being our own.

We cannot run before we walk, but too many times we try. Our goals need to be realistic!!!! One of my favorite scriptures with this theme is:

Mosiah 4:27
27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

The topic of setting goals too high reminds me of the phrase found in Jacob 4:14, “Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall.”

*****

It is perfectly fine to make goals challenging, as long as they are achievable. As a young man I had the goal of earning a PhD. This was a proper goal for me. By contrast, it would have been improper for me to dream of being a billionaire like Howard Hughes (the Bill Gates of my generation). Not everyone, especially me, should shape his or her lives around money.

Living a life centered on the commandments as taught by our modern Church is a worthy goal. For example, LDS couples married outside of the temple should make it a righteous goal to be sealed in the temple. Such a goal is both spiritually important and quite achievable.

It is possible to create unrighteous goals that pervert righteous principles. For example, as a missionary is easy to baptize people by dunking them; by contrast, it is hard to make sure people are truly converted before being properly baptized. It is easy to do Home Teaching every month; by contrast, it is hard to be spiritually in tune to serve the needs of those families being visited.

Our job as Latter-day Saints is to SEE CLEARLY. In that sense, we all should be seers.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.

Digital Creation versus Analog Evolution

Digital blue dots form a sample of a red analog (continuous) sine wave.
Please note that the dots represent only a small and incomplete part of the whole sine wave. They show aliasing, meaning the dots misrepresent the whole sine wave.

*****

It seems a shame to deny a most significant part of God's handiwork, but that is what traditional "Creationists" have done. They have denied or ignored the great evolutionary continuity of the origin of species. Instead, Biblical literalists have made the presumption that phrases in Genesis, like "Let there be…" or "God created…" referred to some divine process that was instantaneous, abrupt, sudden, and creatio ex nihil. In shorthand, I call this the digital view of creation. It is, frankly, incompatible with the natural world as we find it.

We humans have a strong tendency to limit God to our own way of doing things. We often assume that our methods should be His.

A carpenter constructs furniture from readymade pieces in a woodshop. Would God use such a digital process to make furniture? No. I imagine a continuous cycle of cells, microbes, multicellular organisms, plants, fish, trees, land mammals, primates, and humans, who would chop down trees to make "God's furniture." God's ways are not ours.

Again, the common literal view of creation is that God made each individual type of species one at a time. According to this view, God drew up the "blueprints" and somehow assembled males and females, who then over time became parents to start the next generations. Once a species had been made, then it reproduced on its own.

I refer to this literal view as "digital creation," because the process reminds me of "1's" and "0's." Before God made a particular species of bird, let's say the robin, the mathematical state of the robin was "zero." Once God made the robin, then it existed as a whole, suddenly becoming a digital state of "one."

Why must God do "creation" the way humans would do "creation?"

*****

There are Latter-day Saint blog writers who are pro or con with respect to Darwinian evolution. Much of the discussion from these writers revolves around whether or not the Church is neutral or anti-Darwin.

All I really know is what nature says. The evolution of life is analog. Fossil rocks reveal an underlying continuity of life. Yes, there are many transitional fossil forms, contrary to many claims made elsewhere. Further, DNA nucleotide sequences can reproduce basically the same phylogenetic trees suggested in the fossil record. Scientists call this kind of agreement "convergent validity."

I love the use of the word "organized" found in the Book of Abraham:

Abraham 4:1
1 AND then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.

Joseph Smith elaborated on the meaning of the term "organize:"

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 350
You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing; and they will answer, "Doesn't the Bible say He created the world?" And they infer, from the word create, that it must have been made out of nothing. Now, the word create came from the baurau which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos--chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.

By the way, I think God would organize materials for the ship using continuous methods, not digital ones. But, yes, the ship would get built, beautifully.

Joseph Smith's Hebrew transliteration baurau is usually spelled bara' (Strong's #H1254), which means to create, shape, form or organize.

The Latter-day Saint concept of God's organization seems highly consistent with the notion of analog evolution – a continuous process. Again, digital creation sounds too close to making something out of nothing. To me, Joseph Smith would object to such a notion.

*****

POSTSCRIPT: Be on the look out for the soon to be released movie entitled "Creation: The Life of Charles Darwin." The movie is based on the book Annie's Box by Randal Keynes, who is a descendant of Darwin. The book and the movie examine the effect of Darwin's ideas upon his family, and how the death of Darwin's daughter, Annie, dramatically affected him.

*****

Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




Please feel free to give my blog site a "Blogged.com" rating and review by clicking here.

*****
Support Mormon Insights by making a COMMENT.