It's quiet... too quiet.

[Awakened]

WARNING: It\'s gonna get pretty TL;DR in here.

When I first came here and made my account, I made my name Awakened as a nod to that moment of complete clarity and happiness I had experienced, now a while ago. I\'m sure most of you already know this.

 

However, during my time here, I began to think of the implications of my awakening. I began to think about how it was ages past as compared to our day. I then thought about our spiritual natures and tied it all together.

 

It all starts with how the Adversary has opposed the Church throughout ancient history. With how many people back then were \"quick to do iniquity\". All it took seemingly was someone getting up on a soapbox and telling people what they wanted to hear. We see such examples of this with Nehor in the Book of Mormon and the incident of the golden calf in the Old Testament and many others scattered throughout the pages of the Scriptures. And if it wasn\'t that, it was other countries and groups making flat out war against the believers.

 

Skip to the times of the Restoration. As we all know, Joseph Smith encountered crazy amounts of greed and hate fueled opposition. He was slandered, arrested, beaten, tarred and feathered, robbed, betrayed, and finally assassinated. In spite of all this, the Church survived and grew.

 

And now, let\'s come back to the present day. Where\'s the straight up opposition that has constantly plagued the Church for millennia? Where\'s the wars? Where\'s the hate? I think we all know the answer to this.

 

It\'s not really there anymore. Sure there are still some who flagrantly oppose the Church, but it\'s not nearly at the level it once was. So why did the Adversary switch gears so late into the game? I believe this can be explained by something the General Authorities keep telling us. That we are choice son and daughters of God that have been saved up for these last days.

 

Reserved to come forth in these last days and labor for our Father and His Son are some of the most valiant and noble of our Father’s sons and daughters. Their valiance and nobility were demonstrated in the pre-earth struggle with Satan. There, “being left to choose good or evil,” they “[chose] good” and exhibited “exceedingly great faith” and “good works.” Such are the traits that are now needed to sustain the work of God in the earth and to save the souls of men from the intensifying wrath of the adversary.

Satan knows this. He knows that straight up opposition won\'t work very well, if at all, against us. But we are not unfalliable! Satan also knows where we are weak. Instead of fighting, Satan has instead opted to persuade us. To fight such spirits would be like throwing gasoline on a fire. But by tempting us, he can disable us and turn the tables.

 

... Satan is marshalling every resource at his disposal to entice you into transgression. He knows that if he can draw you into transgression, he may prevent you from serving a full-time mission, marrying in the temple, and securing your future children in the faith, all of which weakens not only you but the Church.

My friends, a very long time ago, there were also of course some very faithful people. These people, with the power of God and Jesus Christ, cast out demons, split seas, tore down cities, conquered armies, healed countless people both physcially and spiritually, and did many other awe-inspiring things. If they could do that then imagine what we could do. Imagine the great potential inside each of us just waiting to be awakened and made use of if we would just hearken to and obey the Lord\'s commandments.

Satan is trying to bring us into his grasp very softly but surely. But we shouldn\'t let him. We can\'t. Instead, we should know what he is trying to do and stay ever vigilant. He\'s trying so hard to get us to accept his enticements so he can have us, but the Lord can do any and all things and he can help us greatly if we choose it.

May we all have the courage to resist and call upon the Lord when we can\'t do anymore.

[Quin]

Not me!

I\\\'m not even select, much less choice.

Red headed stepchild, perhaps.

But that might be too much, even.

More likely a passing irritant, or mildly annoying.

You know, though,,i do go rounds.

In my own life I\\\'ve found that periods of Boredom, or peace, are the times I should most cling to.

As they are my time to rest up between now & the next catastrophe.

So the rounds I bounce back and forth between are wondering how much of the present peace is the calm before the storm,

the time that I should spend resting up...

And how much of the present peace is merely my being sheltered from said storm.

All,over the world, wars rage on.

I was looking up the stat for the Congo rape-baby population (I\\\'ve read in some years over 70% of babies born are rape babies! and wanted the current numbers... And found this horrifying article instead : (warning, it\\\'s nauseating as it gets http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/17/us-war-rape-un-idUSBRE93G13U20130417 ).

Many, if not most people in the US are still irked at France for not joining in the Iraq war, yet France couldn\\\'t, as they were already fighting a DIFFERENT war in Africa.

(Actually, a couple different ones if we include the FFL, but if I\'m recalling right, in 2002 most of their forces were on the Ivory Coast).

In both Africa & Eastern Europe, genocides are still happening.

The Middle East is still simmering away, with periodic roils.

South & MesoAmerica are bleeding (literally) disasters.

Eastern Europe is a powder keg,

Asia is seriously scary no matter if you\\\'re looking north & northwest to Russia & former Soviet States squaring off, SE Asia, or west toward I&P.

Global news is grey hair inducing, State Dept notices, other cables & releases gutting, & if media and govt isn\\\'t enough

Human Rights Watch & other NGOs will cheerfully inform anyone they can beg to listen about thousands of atrocities both global and local.

And that\\s just violence.

Famines still sweep the globe.

Immunologists are constantly in tango with a zillion plagues, trying to keep us all from dying from the flu & worse 24/7/365

Poverty is claiming countless lives.

I used to work in the violence sphere until I had kids...

And wanted to raise them HERE, where it\\\'s (comparatively ) safe.

Some of my nearest & dearest still work in those spheres.

Their unified mantra is that

\\\"If you\\\'re not angry, you\\\'re not paying attention\\\".

One of the things I love about this Church is how much we DO...

But whether we\\\'re in a lull or a backwater...

There\\\'s a series of storms buffeting the world.

Nothing has quieted down.

It\\\'s just comparatively quiet, here.

For now.

Don\'t get me wrong... In many many many ways life -even globally- is better than it was wih advances in medicine, transport, communication, assistance, etc,

But it\'s not quiet out there.

Not at all.

Q

[Awakened]

snip

Actually, I was talking much more in terms of opposition to the Church than any actual events in the world.

 

What makes you say you're a passing irritant though?

[Blackmarch]

why theswitch in tactics, if you've if ever done a game that involves shoving and pulling, you'll know that abruptly switching tactics is often times a good way to throw the opponent off.

[Awakened]

why theswitch in tactics, if you've if ever done a game that involves shoving and pulling, you'll know that abruptly switching tactics is often times a good way to throw the opponent off.

While I agree with you, I don't think that applies to this situation. Satan can't exactly throw us off very well because there are a lot of parents who teach their children how the world is and prophets to instruct us what's coming, so that robs him greatly of any element of surprise. And besides, if that really did work, then he would do it all the time. He's switching tactics because the battlefield's changed.

[SpiritDragon]

And now, let\'s come back to the present day. Where\'s the straight up opposition that has constantly plagued the Church for millennia? Where\'s the wars? Where\'s the hate? I think we all know the answer to this.

 

It\'s not really there anymore. Sure there are still some who flagrantly oppose the Church, but it\'s not nearly at the level it once was. So why did the Adversary switch gears so late into the game? I believe this can be explained by something the General Authorities keep telling us. That we are choice son and daughters of God that have been saved up for these last days.

 

Satan knows this. He knows that straight up opposition won\'t work very well, if at all, against us. But we are not unfalliable! Satan also knows where we are weak. Instead of fighting, Satan has instead opted to persuade us. To fight such spirits would be like throwing gasoline on a fire. But by tempting us, he can disable us and turn the tables.

 

 

 

I see this all very differently. My intent being to give my perspective and not to argue.

 

I don't think Satan has really changed anything about his strategy. I think it has served him well for centuries and if anything he has become more adept at implementing it.

 

Opposition to truth is very strong in our day. Sure we don't contend with gunmen raiding the conference center (at least not yet) but our values are constantly under attack and this is a recurring theme through history as well. Tempting people to transgress seems to have started in Eden, so I don't think it is a new tactic either. Satan fights a multi-front war on us. He attacks in variuos ways... take agency by addiction, mess lives up through poor choices, get trapped in sin of this kind or that kind, get killed because we won't give in, get distracted with internet forums  with the guise of possibly doing missionary work and or coming closer to God... and so on.

 

So yes we are not currently under threat of physical harm, but everything the church stands for is under constant attack. The concept of morality is skewed to the point that those who would suggest sex should be limited to marriage between a man and woman are either idealistic fools or bigots, religion in general is undesirable. How dare a parent make a choice based on religious convictions that differ from mainstream ideology such as a JW not wanting a blood transfusion. Joseph Smith resisted liquour for his pain when he had his leg operated on, today people don't get much choice (especially where kids are concerned - they'll be deemed unfit parents)

 

Satan's plan seems to me to have always been to get us to choose to give our agency, or to not put up a sufficient fight while he gets others to do so.

[Lakumi]

A lot of people I talk to see religion as undesirable, more often for how they see them as greedy and power hungry, people's beliefs on sex and whatnot do change, even when religion isn't involved.

I do have a study about "the rise of nones" if you'd like to read it.

[jerome1232]

I don't think opposition has dropped at all. It's just changed with the way our world works. Instead of ousting groups with nooses, guns, and tar, we use signs, shaming, and ostracizing these days is all.

We have groups from within our own ranks protesting at our conferences. 

I guess I don't share your observation that it is quiet.

[Awakened]

I see this all very differently. My intent being to give my perspective and not to argue.

 

I don't think Satan has really changed anything about his strategy. I think it has served him well for centuries and if anything he has become more adept at implementing it.

 

Opposition to truth is very strong in our day. Sure we don't contend with gunmen raiding the conference center (at least not yet) but our values are constantly under attack and this is a recurring theme through history as well. Tempting people to transgress seems to have started in Eden, so I don't think it is a new tactic either. Satan fights a multi-front war on us. He attacks in variuos ways... take agency by addiction, mess lives up through poor choices, get trapped in sin of this kind or that kind, get killed because we won't give in, get distracted with internet forums  with the guise of possibly doing missionary work and or coming closer to God... and so on.

 

So yes we are not currently under threat of physical harm, but everything the church stands for is under constant attack. The concept of morality is skewed to the point that those who would suggest sex should be limited to marriage between a man and woman are either idealistic fools or bigots, religion in general is undesirable. How dare a parent make a choice based on religious convictions that differ from mainstream ideology such as a JW not wanting a blood transfusion. Joseph Smith resisted liquour for his pain when he had his leg operated on, today people don't get much choice (especially where kids are concerned - they'll be deemed unfit parents)

 

Satan's plan seems to me to have always been to get us to choose to give our agency, or to not put up a sufficient fight while he gets others to do so.

No, you misunderstand me. I'm not saying at all that Satan hasn't used these tactics before. Not at all. He uses every tool he's got all the time. What I am saying though is that lately, he's been focusing much more now than before to get Church members to give in to his temptations.

 

I don't think opposition has dropped at all. It's just changed with the way our world works. Instead of ousting groups with nooses, guns, and tar, we use signs, shaming, and ostracizing these days is all.

We have groups from within our own ranks protesting at our conferences. 

I guess I don't share your observation that it is quiet.

Well, it's quiet in terms of physical conflict is what I was trying to say. Very quiet on that front. On another however, as you have said, another battle of spiritually apocalyptic proportions is raging.

[Traveler]

WARNING: It\'s gonna get pretty TL;DR in here.

When I first came here and made my account, I made my name Awakened as a nod to that moment of complete clarity and happiness I had experienced, now a while ago. I\'m sure most of you already know this.

 

However, during my time here, I began to think of the implications of my awakening. I began to think about how it was ages past as compared to our day. I then thought about our spiritual natures and tied it all together.

 

It all starts with how the Adversary has opposed the Church throughout ancient history. With how many people back then were \"quick to do iniquity\". All it took seemingly was someone getting up on a soapbox and telling people what they wanted to hear. We see such examples of this with Nehor in the Book of Mormon and the incident of the golden calf in the Old Testament and many others scattered throughout the pages of the Scriptures. And if it wasn\'t that, it was other countries and groups making flat out war against the believers.

 

Skip to the times of the Restoration. As we all know, Joseph Smith encountered crazy amounts of greed and hate fueled opposition. He was slandered, arrested, beaten, tarred and feathered, robbed, betrayed, and finally assassinated. In spite of all this, the Church survived and grew.

 

And now, let\'s come back to the present day. Where\'s the straight up opposition that has constantly plagued the Church for millennia? Where\'s the wars? Where\'s the hate? I think we all know the answer to this.

 

It\'s not really there anymore. Sure there are still some who flagrantly oppose the Church, but it\'s not nearly at the level it once was. So why did the Adversary switch gears so late into the game? I believe this can be explained by something the General Authorities keep telling us. That we are choice son and daughters of God that have been saved up for these last days.

 

Satan knows this. He knows that straight up opposition won\'t work very well, if at all, against us. But we are not unfalliable! Satan also knows where we are weak. Instead of fighting, Satan has instead opted to persuade us. To fight such spirits would be like throwing gasoline on a fire. But by tempting us, he can disable us and turn the tables.

 

My friends, a very long time ago, there were also of course some very faithful people. These people, with the power of God and Jesus Christ, cast out demons, split seas, tore down cities, conquered armies, healed countless people both physcially and spiritually, and did many other awe-inspiring things. If they could do that then imagine what we could do. Imagine the great potential inside each of us just waiting to be awakened and made use of if we would just hearken to and obey the Lord\'s commandments.

Satan is trying to bring us into his grasp very softly but surely. But we shouldn\'t let him. We can\'t. Instead, we should know what he is trying to do and stay ever vigilant. He\'s trying so hard to get us to accept his enticements so he can have us, but the Lord can do any and all things and he can help us greatly if we choose it.

May we all have the courage to resist and call upon the Lord when we can\'t do anymore.

 

Is it really quiet or are there things we are being temporally shielded from?

[Awakened]

Is it really quiet or are there things we are being temporally shielded from?

Nope. Why would we be shielded? I don't think there's any evidence from any of the general authorities for the theory that we are being shielded at all anyway.

 

In fact, in a way, We're encountering more evil than in the past. This form of evil may not be breaking down our door or tar and feathering us or etc. but it is almost everywhere and it is always trying to drag us down into sin. It's much less,

 

"Hey, you a Mormon? GET 'EM!"

 

and much more,

 

"Oh you're a Mormon? That's cool... But hey, don't you think you're missing out on life? You really should at least try some things like drinking."

 

or better yet,

 

"Hey, it's OK if you 'sinned', it's natural and really isn't a sin at all. Don't worry about it."