Called out of the heart of Mormonism

From Mormonism to Christ's grace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0mckI8Xfl8

Above is the story of a young Mormon missionary who read the Bible in a childlike way and became born again, resulting in a sharp split with the Mormon church. This fellow convinced his good friend, his Mormon girlfriend, his parents -- his dad a Mormon priest and his mom a Brigham Young University professor -- and his brother to become born again by accepting Jesus' pardon and direct love, which is at variance with the Mormon doctrine of salvation by works.

The trouble with salvation by works is that it's like trying to pay off your loan shark. The harder you try, the deeper in debt you get, until at last you're either enslaved or dead.

A sweet summons

The Nazarene Song -- John Beag Ó Flatharta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUrGus6DntA

End of the road?

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On the site of the limo of doom
https://cyberianz.blogspot.com/2018/10/where-20-people-died.html

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I have finished Walter Kaufmann's Hegel: A reinterpretation (Anchor Books edition 1966) and can only marvel at Kaufmann's masterful, but succinct forensics. Kaufmann does not cover all the major controversies, but he does provide penetrating insight.

Of course, what we have is one brilliant but dark mind illuminating the work of another brilliant but dark mind. Though Hegel styled himself a Protestant philosopher/theologian, in fact he did not really believe the essential Christian doctrines. His idea of God was that of a cosmic force which fulfills itself via man. The German professor has had a substantial impact on the history of ideas, not only by being a precursor to Marxism but by the fact that he provoked a number of repudiations.

Hegel's works are long and obscure and I am in no rush to read them, but I am interested in the impact he had on 19th and 20th century thinkers. I would say that he was an 18th century scientifically minded young man who eventually wrote a book, The Phenomenology of Spirit, that appealed to a number of German intellectuals because it camouflaged a form of atheism, or at least strong doubt in Christian dogma. Though Hegel repudiated the atheistic Enlightenment, he was, I believe, swept along in that tide. Today, I would say, Hegelianism is reflected in the liberal humanism of some Protestant denominations (though later in life Hegel was politically conservative).

Having read several other books on Hegel, I am prepared to say that I doubt that his philosophy would satisfy me, and the reason: I don't get the impression he has dealt sufficiently with the reality of death.

You may say, "Of course, at your age, you would be pondering that dark subject."

That may be so. But I think death is a subject that we in our ordinary daily routine tend to brush off, despite our urgent need for knowledge on that strange puzzle. After all, the concept is scary. But why so? Because of the great unknown associated with cessation of life. We humans actually are extremely interested in -- even fascinated -- by death. But we don't want it to be "too real." TV action shows are sufficient. Or, for the more daring, the thrill of skydiving may be what we need to jolt our sense of mortality.

Yet every now and then a tragedy occurs that sharply concentrates our attention, as with the limousine crash that claimed the lives of 17 young revelers, a driver and two people standing in a restaurant parking lot. One second, nothing to worry about. The next, the shrieks of the mortally injured.

I went to take a look at the accident scene four days afterwards. What drew me? Well, in part, I suspect, it was the fact that the victims were mostly young, and that jogged my old memories of groups of youthful battlefield casualties. Also drawing me, I would say, is the fact of Death that is brought out by such a shocking event. Even though I am a Christian and have more faith in the verities of the New Testament than many people, there is still much I don't know about Death.

Here we are in this life, and throughout our time "here" we are faced with the question: What is Death all about? And the fact that Death is ever at the door, speaks to us about this life. It must be something very special.

But such a sudden end of the road... What kind of universe is this? Conventionally, we are told it will all make sense one day, in the sweet bye and bye. Yet that's hard to see from this curbstone. All I can think is: What kind of Crazy Guy is running this cosmos?

Hoping some soul finds refreshment

Joey and Rory

Washed in the blood of the lamb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ1pfbmCKb0

Flatt and Scruggs

Washed in the blood of the lamb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhG25DnZoog

Rhonda Vincent

You don't love God if you don't love your neighbor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR2rpVd5Lwo

Wonderful tributes

Victory in Jesus, sung by Burl Ives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyoWRqmJaj4

What a friend we have in Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDjleg5a7W4

In the sweet bye and bye, sung by Burl Ives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llYywgKOoWo

Build me a cabin in Gloryland, sung by Hank Williams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsmDnNDjWFc

The Battle of Armageddon, sung by Hank Williams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EajMuNW02uQ

On the rock where Moses stood, sung by the Carter family

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExALdMXGAhQ

Note to self

I have been having a good time boning up on philosophy. I see most philosophical endeavors as inferior to the real message of Christ. Yet that doesn't mean they shouldn't be studied, if only to be refuted. And surely it is somewhat unchristian to disrespect thinkers who may disagree with Christianity. On the other hand, maybe a false prophet should be called a false prophet.

But those remarks aren't the main point of this note. What I wish to say is that though my desire to dig in to philosophy has, I believe, merit, there is something wrong. I have been a follower of Christ since age 25, and here I am at 72 having a problem with the flesh, i.e. the selfish, bodily part of the self. I am not talking about sex -- though I have plenty to confess on that subject. I am talking about compulsive book-buying. It is easy to say that stocking up on every book for which one has a hankering is a harmless hobby. But I know that I am responding to the silly desire of the acquisitive flesh.

I am not a fast reader, and so I know I am fooling myself when I buy so much. I realize that other people fling money around much more wildly. But what's that to me? The point is that I am yielding to the flesh when I ought not. Some books, fine. But my madcap book-buying spree makes no sense. Well, why do I hurt my spiritual walk? Partly, I like to think I can become fairly knowledgeable on this subject. Yet, why should I? How much do I need? Am I truly letting God guide me or am I more or less presuming on his kindness?

A substantial factor here I think is my use daily of pseudoephedrine decongestant, which I take in order to counter some of the effects of the leukemia I am dealing with. The stuff is a mild stimulant, but unfortunately my system tends to overreact to various medicines. Hence, what happens is that my impulsivity is increased, making me a hair-trigger impulse shopper. I realize I am not being a good steward with God's money.

I know in my head that I have been spiritually off-base, even though I have been having a hard time feeling anything about this slippage. I guess I am assuming that one of these days I'll get around to repenting. Still, I am confident that God will help me to straighten up and get back on track -- and do better this time.

It is possibly relevant that I have been sorely afflicted in the flesh -- literally -- by a parasitic mite infestation that I have been fighting for seven months, with doctors baffled as to how to deal with this -- the right word is "demonic" -- attack.

While I'm at it, I should point out another major shortfall: the way I eat. After all these years, I still like to gorge, as in eat one big meal a day. The flesh just drives me when I'm supposedly hungry. Should not I have more experience with fasting and prayer, something I rarely do? When Jesus urges us to consume him, he means that spiritual manna is much better than three squares a day. A spiritual man learns to do without such, and to enjoy the rare spiritual delicacies of God. I know this, and yet here I am stuck in this same old rut. Even so, I expect God will for sure put me right.

In fact he once told me that "we can drag you in" to the kingdom of God, if necessary.

Well that's a good thing. A savior who saves the intractable bungle-heads -- to the uttermost.

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Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIbxZKN9E7w