Reminiscing
In the shower this morning I was considering the concept of “church”. Every time I run into a conversation on – church – I get uneasy. I don’t believe in church but I know the person does. The moral structure of churches are hypocritical, limited and artificial. I believe in the structure of society Moses laid out in the Torah, is more honest, and lends itself to spiritual connectedness to Gd. I realized that our whole society, even the religious societies are way off kilter. I had to ask why did Joseph establish a church when he really came to establish Zion, which has to be based on Torah? Up to this point I attributed the structure he gave was fall back on the churches of that day. I came across this statement, which has caused me to examine closer my conclusion.
The group stated it existed “merely to renew those laws… rites… and ordinances which have been forsaken, and must be here when he [Christ] returns.” The church was seen as “provisional” by members, and would no longer be needed once “the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the ‘setting in order’ that Joseph will do…” (Shields, p. 198, quoting What is the Church of Christ (Patriarchal)?).
. . . . the Patriarchal Priesthood to be superior, and placed the Patriarch at the head of the church. The president was viewed only as administrative head, and in charge of day-to-day activities. “Only in the Church of Christ (Patriarchal) is the pure order of heaven as it was had in the Primitive Church of Christ and among the early Patriarchs preserved. Only in this Church can be found the fulness of those laws, ordinances and instructions which emanate from the Holy Priesthood after the Order of God” (Shields, p. 199, quoting What is the Church of Christ (Patriarchal)?)
I think these quotes are “begging” the question of church. Once again making church fit the concept rather than the concept fit the church. There is a society of the heavens we only view briefly as we ascent into the higher realms of realities. Moses offered the people the vehicle to be able to travers those realms, while being in society, while church hold you in and down allowing society to do the same.
Hubris (/ ˈ h juː b r ɪ s /, from ancient Greek ὕβρις) describes a personality quality of extreme or foolish pride or dangerous overconfidence, often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance.
