The Beginning of a New Dawn

And so it goes...here comes the start of a new wave of life! In other words, a new form of living; a better way of seeing things; the beginning of a new dawn; we have reached new heights!!...oh, sorry. Anyway, I think I must relent to this whole blogspot thingy (I'm not too excited), since I read Glenn Beck's as often as I can - which is, like, every day. I LOVE IT!

p.s. To Glenn Beck: I loved your armorial, An Inconvenient Book. You are so smart. Oh, and I saw you at Provo's Stadium of Fire and am proud to be an American, too.

Ahem, I just want to say that a blog seems to be a good thing. Better than Facebook and ABSOLUTELY better than Myspace, I would say. However, I confidently swear to only fill these...uh...pages with my personal opinions - NOT to be taken seriously by any who oppose them. Especially those with power to harm; i.e. people with guns.

But what is the problem with Facebook or myspace, you ask? Well, considering I have a Facebook account and check it almost daily...there is nothing wrong with Facebook! Myspace, on the other hand, is unsafe, unclean, unprotected, and unreliable, no matter how you twist and bend to look at it.

I will point out that Facebook is the only way I have kept in touch with many many people, some I have not seen since grade school. Myspace is the only way creepers like child rapist Kevin Mac Donnell can keep up with the little girls - and boys? - of the times...and where they live and who their mother is.

On to bigger and better, and more serious, things. I cannot, in good conscience, fail to mention the most important thing in my life: the gospel of Jesus Christ. You may stop reading here if you think I am going to go on and on all crazy-like about how Jesus has saved me and that my faith is extraordinary and that I go to church every Sunday because I am perfect and who do sinners think they are for this is God's country and He does not accept homosexuals or any person who has not proclaimed His name (and then gone out and killed someone in a drunken stupor) or given at least $5 to the local minister.
Well, while our Lord and Savior deserves every complimentary word we have to give, and practically owns our sinning souls, I want to keep this humble and straightforward. My faith is what makes me who I am. I grew up a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cincinnati, Ohio. My father's parents were the first of their family to join the church; my mother, the first in her family. Simply, I believe that Jesus Christ suffered for my sins in Gethsemane and died for me on the cross. I have not had a vision or experienced anything blindingly amazing, but I have had the feelings in my heart that give me no doubt that He is mindful of me and will lead me if I follow. I do not believe that life ends here or that there is only one way of living. I do believe that God has given us free agency so we can choose which path to take. There are many in front of us and He will let us choose, no matter how hard He sees it will get for us. I love my Father with all of my heart. And, yes, I go to church every Sunday.

Mainly, the issue with the Fundamentalist LDS sect in Texas has brought on this little editorial. I respect other religions and have come to see the joy and wisdom in much of what is taught. I also see the courage it takes for those of persecuted faiths to stand alone and continue to fight for what they believe. The early saints of my own religion showed this courage when they were forced across the United States to finally settle here in Utah, losing a beloved prophet and many family members along the way. I can't imagine going through the physical, mental and spiritual challenges they faced. My own ancestors were part of the mob who killed Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this last dispensation. That said, though, I don't agree with the assumption most make when speaking of the FLDS and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - my faith. We are as different from each other as Catholics are different from Hindus. The LDS Mormons do not practice polygamy, though we did at one time. We believe that God reveals His work through revelation still today and believe in the moving forward of society and government, in line with God, mind you. While admonishing what Joseph Smith said about polygamy bringing exaltation, however, I know that Joseph Smith said this in the time period it was needed.
Bottom line, WE ARE NOT CONNECTED WITH THE FREAKING FLDS CHURCH! But I respect them because they are children of God, just like me. I respect them as persons but I don not respect their way of life - as in, I do not think it is right to force a girl into marriage (see saop box about free agency above) and I really don't agree with Warren Jeffs' way of living off of his people and hording them around him, secluded in a random camp that claims to be living the way of God. But I respect them. A representative said that they live by the Book of Mormon - and hence, they are connected with my faith? - but Jacob, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, denounces the plurality of wives (Jacob 2:24). But I respect them. As long as they recognize that they are NOT connected to my faith.

I am exempt from being politically correct.