Personality or Policy

Oddly enough, many highly successful people who influence the world in beautiful ways are Narcissistic in nature - people like Steve Jobs. Not to mention, New Yorkers have the best backbone out of anyone I’ve ever met. In 2016, I voted for Pres. Trump’s policy measures over personality. I didn’t think those particular traits would specifically have an influence on the country. I was overdone with Pres. Obama’s Leftist politics and even his lies. Many people warned me that Pres. Trump was a textbook Narcissist, but I didn’t really care.

Let’s just say I care now. 

Individuals in my Religiously Conservative Tribe are among the most selfless people in the world. I love them dearly and see them giving their time and lives to build others. But unfortunately, I feel like religious and political conservatism have come to be blurred into being believed it is the same thing, when in reality it is not. 

There is Religious Conservativism and there is a Political Conservativism. Many people conflate the two. However, Political Conservatives have been arguing for policy values in a way that exposes a culturally greedy, self-serving nature (not quite like Jesus advocates for) but they do it emphatically and  in the name of following God, swaying with their advocacy a large population of the Religious Conservatives for votes and donations, whether or not what they’re saying is actually true or even entirely congruous with their religious beliefs. My heart literally hurts because of this dynamic that exists in the religiously-infused rhetoric in the Conservative Right of American politics. 

With that important distinction being made between the different definitions of Conservatism and the tactic used to sway the one group within the demographic I belong to, I am sincerely grateful for Pres. Trump’s service to our country, but I cannot vote again for this man.

I have been studying more in depth about politics than I ever have in my entire life. I have been trying to justify the choice to cast another vote for him. But his macro-level vibe is guiding the micro-level actions, words, and reactions of the entire USA (as if the behavior is appropriate). 

His persona is having a mirror effect. 

As a leader, he brings out the inner narcissist in our circles and in our lives. He does. I have seen it. And it’s not just in the world around me, it’s all across the USA (and yes from both Left/Right sides). 

It is a valid criticism that the very things that many Conservative Republicans look past in Trump, they look down on other populations for (speaking generally of course). It’s hypocritical. 

Hearing this kind of assessment HURTS. I know because I used to fight against it. At a Conservative’s core (both the religious and political) is a heart that loves everyone so deeply.  It’s a heart that motivates one to fight with passion. But sometimes in the fight for “what is right”, a Political Conservative can become the very thing they’re fighting against.  

Manipulation and control is the cause they’re fighting against—fighting to protect their loved ones from such a thing, but when a particular issue regarding their stance is questioned, that’s typically when the Conservative Right pushes harder than ever to explain (or yell louder) why they’re “right”. So instead of the passion for freedom and the love for fellowmen, ALL that comes out is that they only care about “being right.” Not about discussing solutions. Not about recognizing flaws in their own ideas or their party’s plans. Not about participatory politics. Not about bipartisan efforts. Not about correcting past mistakes our country has made against marginalized populations. Not about recognizing different experiences as valid.  Not about working for mutual respect and understanding.

The fight might have started caring about people, but in the end the defensive nature turns the dynamic from being solution-based to being hurt and angry. That’s when “being right” turns into the biggest issue. Then to protect themselves, this is where the Politically Conservative Right population starts to affect the Religiously Conservative population by using God in order to sway people to follow them politically. 

It is okay to be an individual who is both Politically and Religiously Conservative. It is NOT okay to weaponize God against other Conservatives or Liberals in order to stop discussion about solutions and win a battle about being the most correct with overzeal. Political discussions need to be solution-based and not ego-based. If religious ideals motivate you, that is fantastic, but it is not okay to use religion to manipulate others. It is not true that God only speaks to people who are on the Politically Conservative Right.

It’s a very assuming statement to tell everyone else that they have to listen to you politically because God has spoken to you and if they don’t see everything exactly the way you see it, then you’re against God. This moment right here is the place I spoke of earlier where manipulating comes into the picture even tho it was the cause that was initially the very thing the Conservative Right was fighting against.

So here we are with only a few days before the election.  A couple months ago I was thinking of voting again for Trump. Last week I ordered 10 Republicans for Biden signs. About 5% of me was still thinking about voting for Jo Jorgensen until a couple days ago. 

My kids keep asking me about the election.

One of my kids said about Biden: “Stuff that old geezer.” Hmmmm...where is he getting that from? What kind of political tactics is he listening to? 

I told this child that these types of statements are not appropriate.

Another one of my children asked me who I was voting for because someone he respects said that Biden is for killing babies.  

So we talked about abortion:

I cannot handle abortion. It is a genocide on the unborn. It is.

I also feel like abortion has become a buzz word to pit us into a space where we have to choose one of two undesirable candidates without thinking. I am sad for all of the unborn babies' lives that have been sacrificed. I also think the topic of Abortion becomes the quick stop-to-thought on the Conservative Right because abortion is wrong and they cannot vote for a baby killer and so because of that they don’t even mind or even talk about horrible things on a larger scale, and in some ways worse, that are happening DUE TO Conservative Politics. But we can never ever get around to speaking of those terrible things because we could never vote for a baby killer and that’s where the conversation ends.

I still have to ask, however - what about the other genocides that are also happening now? There is a genocide on our trauma populations, like on our foster and adopted kids. There is a psychological genocide happening to the kids who are not being treated properly and it renders them helpless later in their lives because we ignore it—some of these kids are the children of parents trapped in racial systemic injustice within our prisons. And so what about the racial hierarchy affecting our prison populations, and the real-life hell we’re inflicting on the living? 

What about the dehumanization at our borders and the “human trafficking” of immigrants CAUSED BY OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS, and perpetuated sadly our wall (the one we voted for as Republicans)? What about the women and children who get caught in our horrific legal system seeking asylum and get stuck on that other side of the wall just to be kidnapped for ransom, raped, and live in squalor while they hope and pray for the American Dream that never comes? What about the women and children who thought they could find safety by fleeing violence, just to get caught in a hell that AMERICANS don’t care about because anything they have ever heard about migrants coming to America is that they are “illegal” and that they’re going to steal all their jobs?

Like really? I cannot believe I used to advocate for this kind of thing. To think that someone who could find the will to live thru the hell at the border for months and years—to think that kind of a person who is a fierce surviver wouldn’t have the potential work ethic to stimulate the economy? What kind of crack were we smoking? 

What about the way THIS immigration situation alone contributes to a woman feeling like she might need an abortion? Who is killing babies now? Is it just the Left’s fault that this exists? Or is the Right complicit, too? What about these people being left homeless to be raped at the border who are now without papers because their terrorizers took their Visas and tore them up just so they can be trapped legally and labeled “illegal”?  Are these illegal immigrants being raped by Border Patrol? Yes, some of them are. But “be afraid of the migrants”, because they’re “illegal” is what fuels the Conservative Right in their policy measures. 

I advocate for following the law, but why, in the name of Conservatism do we have to be so hell-bent on keeping our laws exactly as they are and referring to them as instituted by GOD? In America, WE are the people. It’s okay to talk about changing our laws. WE, the people, instituted the laws. Are we calling ourselves infallible Gods?  It’s OKAY to look at the systems we have and quit criminalizing normal people who just happen to be in a sucky social class of society. Let’s stop blaming all the pain we put living people through onto the shoulders of God. Let’s take responsibility for what we have done and actually work together to reform.

Let’s get off our high horse of Conservative Republicanism and realize we are part of the problems, and that we have CREATED many of the problems!

Some of these points were in the conversation with my other son and he said, “Oh, I get it - people are saying one side is voting for a baby killer, but the other side is doing something just as bad.” He is only eleven and he can see it. 

And so for these reasons and more, yes, I am seriously considering voting for the Biden/Harris ticket.  And no, I am not a baby killer.

I don’t approve of killing babies. 

I do believe that tending to the needs of our trauma populations will decrease the amount of individuals who feel pitted against a wall who feel that they have to seek out an abortion. 

I do not feel like the Conservative Right cares about those trauma populations as well as they could - they care about the bottom dollar for taxes only and pray the abundance in reduced tax will magically make people more selfless and that they will donate more to the impoverished.  But here’s the trick, donating wealth does not solve poverty - poverty is so much more. Our populations in poverty need so much more care and concern than wealthy people handing $20 out the window to the homeless man on the street.  Our communities in poverty needs people to give their lives to serving them, people who are trauma informed, people who understand grief, people who understand that their existence in that social class is not always due to their own choices. But instead of being those people who religiously say they believe in “succoring the weak”, we’re screaming politically rabout how God told us to vote for a particular politician - guess what - that politician is even further removed from caring about the people in our own backyard.

These issues I speak of do get perpetuated by the Right screaming that they’re right.  No, the Left is not blameless in the mix.  But the Right thinks all the blame is on the Left, and that is not true.

Before anyone on the Far Left gets confirmation bias after reading my post, I have 4 final points to make:

1. Individuals voting 3rd party for someone like Jo Jorgensen have my utmost respect this election. I wish the rest of the world could be as amazing as you are. I wish that I could be that amazing this year, but for the deepest reasons connected to my vote in this election cycle, I feel that to reflect my personal voice most clearly, joining the “Republicans for Biden” movement is a more accurate depiction of how I feel than by voting for Jo.  In my Utopian world, I wish the Left/Right DIVERSION could be forgotten and we could all be more authentic and forward thinking like you. It would be amazing for the majority to say “to hell with this two party method and manipulation from both sides” and find something a lot better in the middle.

   
   

2. I am not voting for Trump, but I have a dear DRAG QUEEN friend who is. He, along with 50 of his “Gays for Trump” friends who recently assembled in Beverly Hills, CA will be also.  I seriously ADORE the man behind Lady Maga, I am a “top fan” of his actually, and I respect his platform. He is an influencer in his LGBTQ community but also adhere’s to Conservativism that he was raised with and to stand against the nastiness in the Far Left that can manipulate and control others. His voice happily proclaims that you can be different, you don’t have to fit into stereotypes, and we can all coexist together.  For many of the same reasons this man is motivated to do what he does are the same kinds of reasons I am a Conservative Republican voting for Biden this year 😁. I am doing the same thing as Lady Maga—I am RESISTING THE NASTINESS that has been magnified by the methods of the extremely Politically Conservative Right (and yes, that nastiness I have already said is magnified by our President’s personality and behavior traits that have become a catalyst for a great many not-ideal things these last 4 years). But I salute you Lady Maga for resisting the power and control from the extreme political Left, and YOU INSPIRE ME!!!!!. :)

   
   

   
   
   
   (Screen shots used & shared from Lady Maga’s public page).

   
   

3. Here’s a lovely reminder of humanity I saved from my friend’s post the other day. It encompasses the deepest message of the Republicans for Biden platform that I’ve seen this year - one of respect - one of turning from the nastiness that politics have brought upon us all, and focusing on more harmonious principles of respect for people who are different than you are:

   
   

   
   (Picture found on FB)

   
   

4. My dad is an avid Trump supporter. I have often said that in AZ he was likely was the man who singlehandedly got Trump voted in office with his political advocacy in 2016 alone. I just want to let everyone know I bought him his Trump flag and I’m proud of him for using it. It actually looks really nice hanging at his house. :) I want everyone to know I know my dad’s choices are based in his heart of hearts and truest passion—which includes ensuring his kids and grandkids have the best he can give them, even if I am not voting the same way he is this year. 

To some individuals on the Conservative Right I might as well be the most Leftist Liberal known to man, and they could even say that with fear and disgust in their voice, disdain, shock, and they might worry about my soul even. I have already been called a lot of names for speaking up. But what’s funny is that Far Leftist and Liberal Democrats don’t really like me either - especially because I am applauding Lady Maga. Haha.

Whatever comes to our country and the world in the next 4 years, I’m praying it will be better than what we have most recently seen (especially regarding the hatred & polarization that has ruled our lives in 2020). Pres. Trump did inherit a problem, but he is a major catalyst in the continued polarization. Even tho I believe he is going to win another election I will not be voting for him. I wish my Conservative Tribe (the portion that likes to conflate religious and political conservatism as one and the same) would spend more time praying for the understanding of and protection for the people whose lives may be negatively impacted by another term with this president instead of actively trying to convert and pray for the souls of people who are not voting for him. 

Don’t waste time worrying about me and whether or not Jesus can save my soul if I vote for Biden. I don’t attend the church of Politically Far Right Conservstive Republicanism—I go to one with a different name. Jesus is bigger than just the far right of politics anyway. Far bigger. 

Care about the people in America who are literally in poverty, who are hurting NOW, and who may need even more real relief due to the political policies that are in place now and in the next 4 years. On Nov 4th don’t trust either presidential option to fix these problems and don’t think your job is done because your side “won”. If your side “wins” don’t think for one second that that must equate to mean you were "right". This is not about being right—propelling mankind forward is always a work in progress and requires solution based problem solving skills on a perpetual basis. Get over the right/wrong diversion of political propaganda. And if it’s something you haven’t done already, perhaps consider devoting part of your life to serving the marginalized people who are suffering from America’s political choices with as much passion OR MORE as the kind you use in campaigning for any given political party or candidate.

If there’s anyone else who feels like I do or who has other reasons for voting in a way similar as I am - let me know if you want me to help you get a Republicans for Biden yard sign. ;)

Comment if you’d like, but please try to leave the F-bombs out of your comments to each other if this post incites strong feelings (you know who you are).  PEACE & LOVE, ALL Y’ALL!  :)

Degrees of Glory Allegory with a Real World Application

The 3 Degrees of Glory Synopsis (I will use in this article as an Allegory)

My church very frequently talks about “The Plan of Salvation”. It is usually discussed conceptually and the main components are not often spoken of in terms of the here and now - usually the terms are only spoken of in regards to “what will be” and mostly what we believe will happen to our spirits after this life. Within the Plan of Salvation is included the progression that there was a pre-existence of a life before we were born here, then came the life of mortality as we know it, death, a spirit world where people are either in a spirit prison or not, and after judgement people go to 3 degrees of glory - Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial (like the Sun, Moon, and Stars).  Also within the Celestial Kingdom itself it is taught that there are 3 categories that exist there as well that also rank in desirability - a place you arrive at with baptism, one with endowment, and one with your spouse or family’s sealing. We’re taught that in the last days, the earth will be renewed and receive it’s paradisiacal glory, and that essentially, the world we are in now will transform into the celestial sphere - we also believe the millennium leading up to that day will include many marvelous things with new revelations and a time period with great peace. We are also taught that in the different degrees of glory, that people in the Celestial Kingdom will be allowed and able to visit people in the other two degrees, but that the people in the other two degrees will NOT be able to move upward at will.

Interestingly enough, and something I will address directly later - homosexual people, adulterers, and murderers are specifically listed in the teachings to be among the individuals who are trapped in the bottom kingdom of heaven, and this has been, of course, a great cause for a lot of pain and suffering for people who are members of my church and gay, but who are also living a wonderful life not as criminals, and yet are still be viewed by some to be as equally heinous and destructive to mankind as an adulterer or a murderer--even while they are living a good life that blesses mankind and even if they never have experienced extramarital sex.

REAL WORLD APPLICATION of TODAY       

I would now like to intersect this age-old belief in the Plan of Salvation & the 3 Degrees of Glory with different aspects of the world right now as I know and live in it.

Let’s just pretend for a second that these 3 degrees of glory apply to the 1st World, 2nd World, and 3rd World categories of wealth disparities between our countries. People who are in places of privilege and opportunity (the1st World) may live their own lives with a profession of their choice, taking care of their families and might be found attending something awesome like soccer practice with their kids or taking around the world vacationing. People in the 2nd world aren’t talked about too much, but these are places like the Soviet Union or China.  People in the 3rd world are often in very poor conditions.  Now referring to these things, I do not claim that Capitalism is Celestial. Because of “The Haitian American” on Facebook who explained that in 1804, Haiti was charged to pay back France the equivalent of $21 billion dollars for ‘the theft of slaves’, and seeing as Haiti is still so impoverished today, I can see clearly that government choices of generations past, even the ones with ties to Capitalism HAVE contributed to perpetuating a distinct hierarchy that remains all the world over.  It is a valid statement and a harsh reality. So reducing that back to my allegorical comparison, we DO have a system that remains in different states of being, or states with differences in their desirability for living - aka “different glories”, and MAYBE we do need to reform some things with an overhaul - maybe a small change will make a big difference for other parts in society - I personally think we definitely need to be open to allow it to look like whatever it needs to be to repair the problems of generations past and elevate our societies.

Let’s now pretend that America is the highest degree in the “Celestial” / 1st World with its own 3 separate and distinct states of being (insert here, the American Racial & Systemic Caste or Class Systems of hierarchy). Please know that I do NOT assert that America is better than the rest of the world, but use this example as many immigrants from the world over give everything they have and risk it all on the chance that they might be accepted as an economic migrant, asylum seeker, or refugee, by the nation that proposes to believe in inalienable human rights and justice for all. So for this purpose I’m just explaining some comparisons. Essentially in this particular location of all the “degrees” of places one might want to end up forever (or even just for the rest of their lives), it is VERY difficult to even get into the country, let alone the top degree of this “kingdom” and country’s glory, because even within this amazing place to be - with opportunities that shine as bright as the sun - people are destined to stay in their different levels of privileged or unprivileged hierarchy classes for their whole lives and for generations over, being affected by taxes and small business dynamics, and lack of healthcare, or also having natural life circumstances that get in the way of these people (even in the highest kingdom) to be able to fully embrace their agency.

Now let’s talk about the bottom degree of glory where Homosexual people are said to be. I assert that these individuals are NOT to be viewed as heinous members doing damage to society. Regarding their allegorical comparison to residing in the same place as adulterers, I believe that could be compared to the Biblical story where Jesus Christ viewed the adulteress with compassion and understanding - LGBTQ friends and family now and also for as long as I have known to have found within historical studies, have been a group of people who have been ready to be stoned by society at any given moment. What they actually could use is love and understanding as Jesus freely gave to the adulteress, so that they can be allowed to go on their way to live a happy life. And in the allegorical comparison to a homosexual person’s relation to residing within the same degree of glory as murderers do, once someone is labeled and/or convicted as a murderer, the REST of their lives are affected. Comparably, someone who is gay or lesbian has a long time deciding whether or not they should or shouldn’t “come out”, because they know that choice to be open will indefinitely mean that they could be ostracized. Many are sometimes entrapped or enslaved due to their misunderstood state of being--because of it, and just like a “prisoner”, they often have all the enjoyment of life taken away from them by the rest of the society who is actually controlling their state of being. It’s very sad, really. For people in these situations, they may be living in a 1st world country but experiencing suffering like the individuals in the 3rd world countries whose life options are limited in their amount of agency because of outside forces that are affecting them.

Now I would like to talk about Spirit Prisons.  So often Spirit prisons are referred to people who do not have the gospel and their spirits are trapped in this place until they can have their ordinances done in proxy for them to free themselves from this particular state.  I would like to talk about the Spirit Prisons we have now. Be careful when you refer to a person with mental health issues, or in labeling those things with others - I do not personally believe that depression and anxiety are the forever kind of spirit prisons. Some might view it as a temporary trap of sorts, but I think mostly anxiety and depression are messages for us to find biochemical improvements for our body - to take time for ourselves and recharge. Maybe they are messages to help us feel urgency to do things or to hold back, messages for us that we really need to do some inner thinking and maybe even deconstruction of the way we view things so that we can live more liberally - and by liberally I mean freely and with more enjoyment.  Sometimes a counselor or doctor will be able to help people recharge and break out of momentary depression or anxiety cycles - that happens because we are HUMAN.  But in regards to a true Spirit Prison, I think something like this is caused most by Personality Disorders - sociopathy, psychopathy, etc. A Spirit Prison might not always be able to be changed, but some die-hards will still try and believe in the ability for ANY of these individuals to be released from such mentally related and spiritually related prisons even in this life, and even if it’s a personality disorder.  That’s the kind of die-hard believer I am - two of my kids have Reactive Attachment Disorder - the diagnoses were harrowing, but we work like crazy to see if we can work through these mental prisons and help my kids live freely and we hope that someday they’ll have beautiful lives as adults as well as a happy childhood even while they work through their PTSD.  Another type of spirit prison might be something like Autism, severe special needs, or down syndrome - sometimes there just are lifelong experiences that might feel like a trap for the families or the persons who are living in it.  We believe in Jesus Christ having the ability to break all the chains to set us free. But He is gone right now and so those who take on His name might be able to have healing hands to help do this very kind of thing - we can live in a mental prison of some type but still experience the beauty of the world around us, and a big part of this is hingent, however, on the compassion, grace, humanity, and understanding of those around us and whether or not they are able to love us or each other conditionally. Finally, another spirit prison might be one that happens by cycles of addiction - we have the best of the best people trapped inside addictive cycles from which they have to work hard to escape.

My argument & assertion is that the JUDGEMENT (of God) has happened NOW, even if just metaphorically. We are the ones acting like Gods and we are the ones doing the judging.  The Bible says that we are made in God’s image, and even Latter Day Saints profess to believe that man can become like God eventually.  In this state of being, when we each individually speak of God and when we read the scriptures and find conflicting meanings, I assert that those conflictions are reflections of our own inner thinkings and that they project the way we think Him to be (either an angry god, or a god of mercy). Our perception of Him is really the projection of who we are as free agents. As “gods in embryo” it is the projected image of how we are currently thinking. Our judgements in the here and now perpetuate the existence of these different states of being. In our 1st world country or “highest level” state of being, we can choose to, or choose not to find ways to help with 3rd world humanitarian aid (this is a can of worms in itself with MANY complexities regarding pride, exploitation, and white-saviorism criticisms, but in principle I feel it is okay for me to reduce this statement for now - I also believe we have “3rd world” issues in our own backyard which is why we foster/adopt in Az).  But as it is, even in our supposed “highest degree” states of being in America, we may or may not choose to go help someone in their “spirit prisons”. We may also feel divided as families and may not be able to enjoy our time together because someone is going through hard things like divorce, or we might have family members with addictions, or we may know someone who is homosexual and the way we view them is pushing us further away, etc..  

Comparisons to God and Jesus in this Mortal Reality: Because “God” is an ethereal being who resides somewhere else that we cannot see, and while we might believe in Him or pray to Him, He’s somewhere else than where we are now--so what we have to decide is what type of image of “Him” do we want to be portraying through ourselves and towards others?  Do we want to visit people who live in their “different degrees” of glory, or do we want to stay by ourselves?  Do we want to promote justice?  What about harsh judgement? Or do we want to project our belief in a God of mercy? When you’re in the “highest degree” of all the glories and you have the option to visit the “other kingdoms” like where we might sit currently in the USA, I might need to warn you, though - going to visit the other kingdoms is a lot like “losing your life” before you find it - it’s more than sending $10 to UNICEF like I used to do.  It can really be more like “descending below all things” as Jesus has.  And when you take the leap and really do that, you might find yourself ALONG WITH the people you love residing in the Hell of a lot of yucky things - things like finding out Western Aid to Africa isn’t actually getting where it needs to go or helping very well & that often Western Aid can make things worse in other countries.  Or you may find that the sponsored African girl you send money to didn’t actually get taken care of, but instead she got raped by the facility owner and then sold off as a child bride at the age of 8. Or you might find that the food you worked on sending to Africa got dumped out of a plane and exploded in the fields - that that kind of delivery is normal - that giving from a distance may have felt like a personal expression of love, but that it did not ensure a personal sort of delivery method and expression of love. You might find yucky things like that at some point before you had a better understanding that you hurt people you love even though you were doing the best you could, or that even with a better understanding you hurt people unintentionally.  Yucky things like understanding the generational effects of “sin” as spoken of in the Bible, is really a lot like the generational effects of trauma. You might descend below things you never thought you could understand before and you might FEEL EVERYTHING. You might feel the hopelessness. You might feel the pain. You might take on the burdens of those you’re helping in a way that makes you mourn with those that mourn like you never have before. But don’t worry, you don’t have to stay in that space. In fact, when we apply this conceptuality to our life on Earth, what’s cool is that you don’t just have to visit the ones you love in their Terrestrial & Telestial States and then leave again to miss them desperately. You can join a journey that allows yourself to spiritually transcend back up to the happy places of the Celestial states, and you can do it together, but this time when you rise higher together, you’re not alone there--this time you’re with the people you love together even if we are from “different places” - and the experience is a lot more like our ideas of “Heaven on Earth” really should be - the idea of Heaven that Jesus can make possible - and through His grace some people believe He can make it possible for us, even on earth, and even conceptually.

In America, anything is possible, right?  It’s almost even a radical belief that was used to found our country - it’s the same kind of belief that matched the allegorical ideas that go with the “highest degree of glory” because THIS is the place where WE can choose to make ANYTHING possible. 

Is it possible for us to find a way to stop the needless suffering and bring world relief by changing the way we do things? Can’t we bring relief to those even being affected in injustice systemically - can’t we choose to listen to them and to care about what they’re going through in their different “kingdoms” of existence?  If God is not really on this physical earth with us, and if WE are the “angels that are ministering”, but who also have the legal powers to reform and to change.... Doesn’t that mean that we’re the ones who get to decide whether or not we want to keep these 3 different states of being on planet Earth as we know it, or do we want to rise above all of it?  Don’t we want to rise above it together?  

So many people are afraid of change, but in America, we are allowed to and have the agency to choose the change.  Isn’t change referred to spiritually as a “transformation” or a “repentance” process?  The transformations can happen individually as well as collectively. 

What is it going to take to work together and transform the world as we know it into a place that can be viewed as a planet-wide experience of “paradisiacal” glory for all to enjoy? Where we all live with respect for everyone else, in equality, and agency, having happiness with our families, living together in joy and peace?

I don’t have all the answers, but I wonder if part of the answer is looking at things in a new light, even with the eyes of embracing a “New Normal” as President Nelson from my church spoke of this Fall.  Maybe some of the answers to transforming our society and the world at large could potentially involve the type of framework of coexistence that was suggested in “Zion is BIGGER than we are.” I don’t know, though. I really don't know.  These thoughts and ideas of rising higher, even when compared with scriptural research, may all be too Utopian in nature for our world’s current reality.

💛 d.jo

Zion is a lot BIGGER than we are

For a few years now I have sat in church when people talk about building Zion, and I have thought about how short-sighted we are. Now, don't get me wrong, it's important to have passion for a cause that makes you think it's ALL on you - that kind of passion and determination motivates you to action & gives you purpose. But sometimes when you're so focused on a mindset of your own it can be like being in a tunnel. All you can see is the end to where you're going, and you can't actually see all the working or moving parts. You can't see what's above the tunnel, under the tunnel, or what's just outside the tunnel. You can no longer even see what perpetuated you to enter the tunnel to begin with. You just see where you are.

And so it is sometimes when the American, LDS people are reading scriptures. 

We are in a tunnel and have a hard time seeing it other ways. But this is a really important thing to change. 

As the people in the church communities consider their role in "building Zion", I personally believe that instead of focusing on how we need to change all the hearts in the world, maybe we need to change our own hearts and our own perspectives, instead. Google told me that in the world, there are 16,565,036 members of the LDS church.  In the world, there's 7.594 billion people total. Not even a quarter of 1% percent are LDS. The approx 16 million / 7.594 billion gave me this quotient: 0.0021813321. 

I do not UNDERESTIMATE the IMPACT that this “little flock” has on the world around them. But that is still a really small number, and so I also like to think about how Jesus Christ in his GRACE might have something else in the works for all of us to eventually be able to live in a Zion society with "one heart, and one mind," with "no poor" among us, and "dwelling in righteousness."

Just a quick side note: "Righteousness" is a word that LDS people get hung up on and is a word that is used to judge others. "Righteousness" is the word that might get in the way, for example, of someone being able to understand that my lesbian cousin, Jessica, gets beautiful spiritual impressions from her relationship with Jesus Christ and she still reads the Book of Mormon.  "Righteousness" might get in the way for someone like me - when I first entered the foster-adoptive community and wasn't sure if I could or should attend an event to serve foster children that was hosted by another church on a Sunday - the activities sounded too fun for my idea of "Sabbath observance". In my "righteousness", my fear of judgement from others, and fear to break the mold, I didn't participate in fellowship with Christians who were different from me that day. I have now learned that I could have and should have followed my heart.

On the byu.edu website it's explained that "For Latter-day Saints, the gathering of Israel in the last days, and the building of the city of Zion and of the New Jerusalem, are closely related concepts."

Latter Day Saints believe that the 10 tribes will be restored in the last days, but HOW is a foreign concept to them. No one really knows and so many speculations have happened. Some individual projections have been as silly as Atlantis coming back, or aliens bringing the tribes, but in reality everyone wants to know what "the restoration of the 10 tribes" really will mean.

In the Bible, the various tribes of Ancient Israel had different responsibilities, different families, different places to live. They were all connected, but they were also VERY DIFFERENT. I have, of course, found a modern-day parallel: As the world moves forward it is no secret that our world is caught in behaviors associated with modern TRIBALISM.  Most foreign to individuals of "different tribes" today is the ability to see the other tribes as human--or even as part of the same "family".  The reality is that WE (all the various and modern tribes) ARE part of the same family (the human family).  A Universal God - someone like Jesus - would know EXACTLY how to love people of ANY tribe.

I do think that different tribes really can COEXIST together, and I believe that can happen even if the tribes don't believe in Jesus.

I think the answer for people who believe in Jesus is to recognize that "other tribes" are doing things Jesus would but in their own way and from their own perspective, which may be more pertinent and more effective than if everyone did everything from the same angle.

• The other tribes are taking care of their own destinies and responsibilities.
• Their responsibilities are not necessarily the ones you were given.
• But none are any less valued to the Creator.
• All are understood by the Lord and all of us have something to learn from each other. 

In discussing this with my husband Mitch, he made the connection that a common issue between tribes is that “we might get so caught up in doing our part our way, that we think the other groups need to do their part our way. But in reality, they need to do their part their way because different assignments require their own skills sets and mind sets.”

I've heard it speculated that the 10 tribes would have their new "scriptures" brought with them. Sometimes scriptural teachings could be viewed as ideologies.

What if, for example, one of the 10 Tribes were Liberals?

What if one of the Tribes were Conservatives?

What if one of the Tribes were LGBTQ people?

What if one of the Tribes were non-denominational Christians?

What if one of the Tribes were Buddhists?

What if one of the Tribes were the LDS Church?

What if one of the Tribes were Muslims?

What if one of the Tribes were Atheists?

What is one of the Tribes were Catholics?

What if one of the Tribes were _____________ or _____________?

Would those Tribes have different scriptures, leaders, lessons, fables, or allegories for you to learn from?

Would you be able to see God's hand in those people's lives?  

Would you be able to respect them as part of the human family?  

Maybe they have something critical for you to learn that will increase your ability to know God in a more connected way.

Tonight my dad was watching the Women's Conference with my mom, sister, and me.  Afterwards we were talking about Contemporary Christian Music, and how inspired the messages are.  My dad said it best: "Mormons don't have the corner on humanity."  And it's true - while we have a significant role in building Zion, and while we do it with all our hearts, we don't have the corner on how to ultimately make "Zion the New Jerusalem" happen.

But Christ does. If we viewed Christ as a Universal Father, then He would know how to speak to the hearts of all of His children and work through them - even if we don't know the "languages" He's using in each of the "other" tribes that belong to the human race. But we can come to know Christ better as we learn from the other tribes, the way they see things, and the way they know their Creator.

As we do, maybe someday this earth really will live in peace and harmony even with groups of people who are different from each other. It's going to take love, compassion, & humanity. It's going to take trying to understand the other tribes, what they might face, and caring enough to find out why they do things the way they do. It will take a listening ear and a heart of empathy in order for us to all learn how to work together in a powerful way that transforms the world.  In this out-of-the-box way, I believe the LDS scriptural concept of "building Zion" is going to be able to occur. I look forward to that kind of Utopian day, and I can't wait. :)

💜 d.jo

On ANTIFA, BLM, Terrorism, Violence, Fascism, and Propaganda

So much unthinkable tragedy and discord in America had just occurred before the Kennedy Space Center launched American astronauts into orbit in May of this year. The sadness of those events did overshadow the progress our country was making with the space race. At that point, I remember President Trump hadn’t made an official address to America yet after George Floyd’s Death, and so awkward as it may have been to address the racism in the country, I also felt it was necessary, and was glad he didn’t skirt around it at the rocket launch. At least he didn’t ignore the tragedies and just focus on the rocket, right? I remember him declaring during his speech that ANTIFA would be labeled as a terrorist organization. Because of all of the violence that had been occurring, I agreed with him that this should be done and I felt very grateful. As time has gone on, I would like to alter the expression of my stance a little bit on this and provide clarification specifically in regards to problematic issues surrounding smeared definitions between organizations and movements, and to identify some examples of widespread propaganda.

A few problems connecting ANTIFA, BLM, and rhetoric:

• ANTIFA sounds like an abbreviation or a code used for texting that no one knows. 

• How many people on the street ACTUALLY know that Antifa is an ideology that stands for Anti-fascist? How many know there is a history connected the groupings of various Antifa individuals, going as far back as the days of those organizing to oppose Hilter?

• For those who KNOW it means anti-fascist, who are also law-abiding citizens, how many of them are allowed to now refer to themselves as such without turning a regular conversation into one with tension?  

The issue with rhetoric was probably exposed to me best when I chose to attend a family-friendly, and socially-distanced local awareness protest put on by my friend to rally as allies in a grassroots participation of the black lives matter sentiment (I do agree with the concept of the statement that “All Lives Matter”, and I understand that “Blue Lives Matter”, but because all lives matter, that is why black lives matter, to me; under the current events of that month in America it was timely and important to me to express my support specifically for black lives in America). It was a hard day logistically for our family, but my husband was willing to not just come with me, but to make it happen in the mix of our chaos if I felt strongly enough that we needed to go, which I did. But when I said we should put “BLM” on our van, he became extremely uncomfortable (while I come from a patriarchal-led background and remain active within the religion, my husband and I approach our relationship together as a team) and we went away from the kids for a moment to have a heart-to-heart, although quick discussion about this. Therein he expressed:

• Black Lives Matter, the organization, has some extreme individuals saying and doing very bad things. Their actions, comments, and threats are very concerning.

• We can love black people but we cannot associate ourselves with BLM--the organization--or promote the organization itself which is well-known for going by “BLM”.

• BLM the organization promotes terrorist ideology with their actions.

We still went to the rally. But I was stunned, and didn't actually know what to say or how to say it anymore, and so I asked my husband to please be the one who explained to the children why we were still going. My husband was the man I know he is in his core. He did in fact give our kids a very heart-felt expression and thorough explanation of what it means TO NOT BE RACIST. He did a BETTER JOB sharing this essential message for them to understand than I would have done, even if I had done it prior to my conflicted state after our discussion before leaving. We drove up and down the road honking in support of our socially distanced friends.  We cheered out the windows for them. My son Miles yelled out the car, “We love you black people!” The expressions on the faces of the people of color at the rally in response to our familial support to them as allies filled my heart. We made happy memories, unified as a family, in support of people we care about, and it was fun.

But we did not put BLM on our car. 

No one else at the event knew that, but I knew it. I also knew that BLM was an abbreviated acronym that most people would understand, which is interestingly sort of a different angle than the ambiguous nature of the ANTIFA abbreviation.

But even so, I was essentially able to speak freely within my home and family environment, but I was not able to speak freely in my community at large - not in the way I wanted to with the sign on my car (the expression of my “personal voice” on that sign would have reached more individuals with my support of the movement that day while we were in traffic). I made the choice WITH my husband, and I do not resent him or this decision for that moment in time - it was a compromise that has caused growth for all of us.  He needed to be true to himself to be able to participate and I respect that. Not to mention if I had been a better planner in the days leading up to the event, I would have been ready with a different sign anyway. The painter’s tape idea was a last-ditch effort during our time-crunch.

I need to point out that the way my husband feels is NOT an isolated thing to just him. I know MANY people who feel this way. The REASONING for specifically saying that “Black Lives Matter” is silenced from them by choice in public settings and they specifically do not use that slogan because they have learned that “BLM” (the organization) has individuals who are acting like a terrorist organization to incite violence.  Except “they” had NO TIES WHATSOEVER to the local institution of this rally I attended.  “They” (the bad guys) were not involved with our beliefs on black lives matter whatsoever, and ours was a non-violent, specifically family-friendly, expression of support to people of color. 

While I can VERY CLEARLY understand the difference between people who act like terrorists and people who use their freedom of speech, and yet this “silencing” of my own voice is STILL happening to me, then it makes me wonder how many other people there are who are afraid to say that they are anti-racist?

Furthermore, how many people are afraid to speak up specifically for the marginalization of the black population that has continued in systemically nuanced ways BECAUSE the identification of the “BLM terrorist organization” is now something that has been allowed to smear the meaning of the movement? 

How many of those people feel that they can express their anti-racism freely or even in a simple way? Even to people they are close to? And how many people who would have had the energy to enact real changes for America regarding systemic change for POC now have their time wasted by being caught up in “not talking” about it and focusing on being careful about what they say instead?

This same kind of emotional fear, silencing, and diversion is happening to people who would otherwise like to openly speak up about being anti-fascist now that “Antifa” is labeled a terrorist organization even though the FBI says it’s technically an ideology.  The effects on normal individuals are very subtle - they may not even know it’s happening to them, and the people perpetuating it may not even realize what they’re doing.

Who were the TERRORISTS after 9/11?

This month marked 19 years since 9/11, and I have recently been remembering what it was like back in those days when the general level of suspicion towards Muslims increased across America.  No one really talks about this openly, but it seemed to me that after 9/11 many people felt that all Muslims were suspect terrorists, or that all Muslims might somehow be connected to a terrorism ideology that could manifest at anytime. 

Years down the road I met one of the best friends I could ask for, who happens to be Muslim, and she explained that it was after 9/11 that she began wearing her hijab more intentionally in public and that her family was worried for her. I have so much respect for her example to follow her beliefs and to use her freedom of religious expression. Being Muslim in the Western world, and especially in a post 9/11 America is likely difficult at times, but she embraced the courage to be herself and to express her human right to follow her religion. I have perceived that her lifestyle has helped her on her own path to lead a meaningful life as she seeks spiritual transcendence and to live in peace with the world and also embrace the diversity of the community around her with her genuine love. Interestingly enough, being a Latter-Day-Saint (formerly labeled “Mormon” woman), I found that despite our theological differences, we have had a lot in common to share between our religious journeys; I have learnt a lot from her, gaining deep strength from her friendship and insights. 

Back to our government - America has not been perfect in handling a post 9/11 world, but I have noticed that there has been a purposeful distinction by our government (and then by extention the media’s reporting on the government’s influence) to clearly educate the masses by their expressions that there is a difference between Islam and terrorists who profess to be Islamic.  In so doing the government and the media have contributed to letting Muslims be. I hope most Muslim people have been able to continue living their normal lives and enjoying their human rights and freedom in America. I appreciate that the government, media, and by extension the sentiments of the general public at large when they have regular conversations will include the distinctions and understanding that it is “Al-Qaida” and “ISIS” (and other extremist groups) that are the terrorists.  

With no intent to minimize the difficulties of perceptions that American Muslims may have experienced post 9/11, I would still like to ask: Can you imagine what would have happened to innocent people (like my friend, or the Muslim population in America at large) if our government had chosen NOT to make the distinction between all of the Islamic people vs. those being fought as a terrorist group? 

Quick Talk About Violence:

Martin Luther King Jr was a hero. Especially in 2020, most everyone desires causes and movements to be promoted with non-violence and with words just like he did.  

Paradoxically, many of those same people I have heard criticize the use of violence will often also say that they would be willing to use violence when they feel it is justified - usually to protect themselves while defending their own angle of a cause, or if they were threatened.

I recently read in “Dixie Be Damned” that 1960’s newspapers gave extra press to non-violent protests to make it seem that the overarching and widespread struggle with racism was pervasively a non-violent experience, or perhaps to encourage peaceful behavior instead. Interestingly enough, non-violence was not the norm. There were situations where police sent dogs to attack black kids at a protest of school-children, and where people drove around in cars with signs saying it was their “open season to hunt” black people.  

Forget skin color for a second: If the police were to sick a dog on your child at a peaceful protest, or if you saw murderers going around your streets with signs like that, would you remain non-violent against those kinds of sickos? Would you trust that kind of person if they did that to you and YOUR KID? Would you remain non-violent after the moment?  What about in the moment?

And then what is the kind of story that would be shared in the news - would your story even be told? Would it be told accurately? Would there be a spin on it? Even if the news reported with accuracy and non-bias, and with all information accounted for - what would that story look like in gossip circles of assumption?

Martin Luther King Jr was revered, but I wonder: did he just happen to come at the right time and place after so much violence had occurred?  Both unnecessary violence and necessary violence arguably occured in those times and maybe people were tired enough to listen to Martin Luther King because they needed the war to stop. Thank God Martin Luther King Jr came and America listened.  But also, I wonder, why didn’t they listen before the violence started and only after they were tired?

As a parent I make chore requests of my kids and sometimes they don’t want to listen (especially if it’s an extra chore) - a lot of this comes because of unfair expectations that come with a large family, some of it is my own ADHD with following through.  When I realize I have asked kindly and patiently sometimes 3 or 5 and even up to 10 times, then my impatience shows through - “DO THIS NOW, I HAVE ASKED YOU SO MANY TIMES NICELY, WHY DO YOU WAIT UNTIL I SAY IT IN A MEAN WAY?”  Ask my oldest - he’s probably heard this vented frustration over the years more than the rest. 

But really - why?

Why will we allow marginalization and ostracization to occur and occur and occur, until extreme things happen?

Is it because it’s a chore?

A chore to care?

A chore to listen?

As a general and large group of American people we wait to ACTUALLY LISTEN to others. This is what parents want from their children.  But we are grown adults with the cognitive ability to apply this kind of behavior we so desperately desire to teach to children.

So why don’t we ACTUALLY TRY to empathize with adults who speak of their experiences in oppression?  Why do we wait until it’s way too late, and until we have sacrificed the day-to-day lives of so many? 

By leaving people oppressed in a trap of systemic hell and helplessness for generations on end and then refusing to listen when they kindly use calm and patient words, but to then reject their words and refusing to embrace change until they are literally so traumatized that they won’t take it anymore…. 

That makes me wonder even further:

Who are we, and what do we even believe in as Americans if we’re going to be that kind of people? 

Modern and Arguably Fascist Propaganda - Including an example from Rawanda

In the Spokesman-Review, Jeff Reyburn from Spokane, whom I assume to be Conservative, said it best: ”Without the right of free speech, without fear or harm, we have fascism.”

Since Antifa and BLM have been labeled terrorist organizations, there has suddenly been division caused within many safe circles. The words Antifa and BLM create a moral conflict that can create friends and family to be suspicious when you question it:

“There isn’t anyone who is pro-fascist! We’re all-anti fascist.” But how often in the same breath will those same passionate individuals ALSO say “Antifa and Black Lives Matter are NOT OKAY.”  So what’s happening is a great divide - the people who conversationally speak up, who are not even showing up to protests on the corner - people who do not wield weapons, and do not use violence, are being gas-lighted with disdain in their inner circles against using the words that literally define how they feel and where they stand - these people are not allowed to use those words anymore.

These are psychological tools of manipulation actually - to be silenced by your unsuspecting and yet participatory family and friends simply for promoting an issue of propaganda. Usually neither party even realizes the extent with which they’re participating in a negative and harmful emotional cycle caused by words.  If we live in America, and America has free speech protected by law, then why is our government purposely doing this to the “causes” and “movements” perpetuated by grass roots regular people like you and me?  Why is our government declaring the TITLES of these movements to be terrorist organizations? Isn’t capping someone’s free-speech and using psychological manipulation in the tool-bag of the Fascist? 

Isn’t this a Fascist tone perpetuated by an authoritarian movement that likes to make the little people do their dirty work for them?  Little people like Moms and Dads, and brothers and sisters, and community members, and co-workers, and friends?  “Little people '' controlled as citizens by their government, but who grow up together, go to church, and to school together. Little people who can turn on each other in an instant because they believe in their government so much. 

They’ll trust their leaders so much that they will listen to propaganda and promote the psychological war with words.  People can and DO get drafted into a war without wanting to be in one or even understanding what they’re doing. This happened in the Rawandan Holocaust. I recently read “Machete Season”, and “Finding God Amid the Rawandan Holocaust”. School friends and neighbors who had parties, special events, and close circles of support ended up turning on each other, and some picked up machetes to hunt and slaughter the people they loved.  It didn’t start with Machetes. It started with propaganda and words. The government perpetuated those words, and then there came a point that they didn’t have to even listen to the radio anymore, because the people in the cities and the suburbs and the rural areas all had the rhetoric memorized.  The words were taken to heart in the most unfeeling of ways. Regular people and even children became the soldiers. No draft needed. 

  

Finally, I’d just like to conclude my article with this expression:

I am Antifa. I am Black Lives Matter.

If you have read my article to the end you understand what I mean by this. I appreciate and adhere to non-violence.  I am also claiming my freedom of speech.

I believe, however, that it is pervasive propaganda and propaganda alone that has caused the need for me to take 3,333 words to explain my position on this topic. Perhaps the propaganda is even legitimately spun by real-life fascists in order to put a stop to the ordinary individuals like you and me who would otherwise speak-out about being anti-fascist, or who would otherwise openly speak in their families and communities of their support of something as simply expressed as “black lives” mattering. Perhaps this propaganda is perpetuated by elected government individuals who are fully aware of the divide that their words are causing. Maybe some of those leaders are not even close to aware - perhaps by hearing from their constituents they will shift the tide and change the rhetoric that so quickly affects the masses. Maybe they can and will do this, like they tried to do to recognize the humanity in the individuals who practice Islam. Mostly, and so very unfortunately however, the propaganda is spread quickly, easily, and pervasively by well-intentioned kind-hearted and loving people in large numbers who would give the shirt off their backs to you if they saw you face to face and you were in a bind. 

That is why the responsibility to change the trends of racism and fascism relies on “We the People”. We are the ones who either do or do not behave fascistly. We are the ones who are moved by propaganda to “do the dirty work”, but we don’t have to.  We have our own voices. 

It starts with you and me.