On not being deceived

I have written about this topic before. It was actually the last newsletter I did for the singles ward:

http://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2010/12/december-2010-preparing-to-not-be.html

Almost four years later, the topic might be ready for revisiting anyway, but it also came up last week, and I do have some things to say.

I usually avoid commenting on other people's political posts, because nothing good tends to come of it, but last week I did. Maybe it was because my sister had commented too, and I wanted to back her up.

Neither of us were appreciated really, which was expected. We were foolish for believing news from the Washington Post instead of a book that goes over a long conspiracy involving the Illuminati and the New World Order, and it was sad that we were so ill-informed.

I thought about just leaving it, because we weren't going to get anywhere, but I realized that the real reason that I commented in the first place was that she always sounds so unhappy. Everything is about our stupid and evil government, especially the president, and while the ignorance and the racism do bother me, the problem was that she always sounds so unhappy.

This is not to say that people who are blissfully ignorant and racist aren't a problem, but there may not be a lot you can do there. Here, I felt like maybe there was an opportunity to help, and so I had to try. And it didn't work, but I still had to try.

At some point I would like to be able to offer some tips on getting trustworthy news. There has been a real decline in the media, which I won't deny, and that is a problem, but it is not the main problem here.

As we enter more disturbing times, it becomes ever more important to be led by the Spirit. That will help us to know truth, it will makes us happier, and it will lead us to greater charity.

I thought of so many scriptures while this exchange was going on, including Matthew 24:26:

"Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not."

And yes, if we are leaning toward the idea that there is just a small group of us who knows what's what, and most people are fooled, that leaves a great vulnerability for deception, so that does matter.

That's really not what it came down to though.

1 Corinthians 13
1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

And Galatians 5
 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

And I thought about sheep and goats and foolish virgins.

What we need most in these days is charity, and many voices in this world are doing everything they can to sow division, where instead of feeling love for your fellow man you feel contempt. That is spreading.

That does work against your salvation, but it also makes you miserable. (That's not a coincidence.)

There are painful things about loving people, but there's a lot of joy too. If we turn that off, condemning people because of their skin color, or because they vote liberal, or because we assume that if they are poor they must be lazy, then we are damaging our charity, and you have to shut the Spirit down to do that, because the Spirit will be telling you to love.

There is a natural progression to things. We have faith, even if only a seed, and because of that faith we can have hope. That eases the burden of our worries, and gives us a better view of all of humanity, and that combines together to increase our love. As we act on that, and see how it makes everything better, our faith increases. This is a beautiful and joyful cycle.

It can be sent backwards too. Don't do that. You don't have to agree with people to love them. You don't have to think people are perfect to love them. (Actually, trying it that way will fail spectacularly.)

My love is not perfect, but it is deepening, and that may be the only thing that will keep me going as the world keeps going downhill. 

Don't let go.


Related post:
http://sporkful.blogspot.com/2012/11/normal-0-foxis-mainstream-media-iwas.html