TRUTH vs. truth

The TRUTHs of God are absolute and don’t change with time.  The truths discovered by science commonly evolve and change over time, because we are not given the TRUTHs of God’s science in a science Bible.  Even the religion truths of the Bible are filtered through the particular paradigm of the prophet or prophetess who wrote them.  The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, can reveal these absolute TRUTHs to us – whether in science or religion.  Years ago, a dear friend and colleague asked me to summarize my faith.  I responded, “We search for Truth with a capital T” – implying that the truths of science change.  He understood.  In the world of religion there is much of conflict, and most truths there seem also to be with a lower case “t.”  They are mostly the subjective feelings of imperfect mortals.  I feel the Holy Ghost has revealed the following absolute and glorious TRUTHs to my soul.

God lives and He loves us.  We are His offspring, and, as Christ has taught us, He likes to be called our Father, which art in heaven, because we are His children.  Each of us is precious to Him, and He wants us back to live with Him again.  To this end, He gave us the Creation, the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the Atonement of Christ.  Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy.  His Only Begotten Son was given by the Father to show us the way; He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to Father but by Him.  The Savior worked out the infinite atonement in a seven step process to bring perfection to Father’s glorious plan of happiness: showing His infinite love of the Father and of us.  He calls prophets and missionaries – both modern and ancient – to teach His children the gospel.  We now have the Bible and modern scriptures to teach His word, and more is to come.  Free choice is also essential to the plan, and everyone will have an opportunity to hear His glorious gospel message – either in this life or in the spirit world beyond the grave.  For this cause was the gospel preached to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.  The Messiah came to redeem the children of men from the fall.  And because they are redeemed from the fall they are free forever, knowing good from evil...  Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil...  Opposition is part of the plan, and earth’s challenges have a Divine design.  Viewed through celestial eyes, all of these earthly experiences will be for our good, and as we ask, we can learn important lessons from each.  Then, we have the capstone promise of the Father:  Since we are His offspring, we are gods in embryo, and through the atonement and the personal help of Christ  we can become like Him and follow the instruction of our Savior to be perfect even as our Father-in-heaven is perfect.  The final offering is a fulness of joy with our loved ones and to receive all that the Father hath – this because of His infinite love for each of us.  Eternal family is the order in the ultimate heaven we seek – through His Holy temples.  How could we imagine a better plan?

Most early scientists believed in God and received Divine help in their research.  The greatest scientist to ever live, Isaac Newton, studied more of the Bible than he did of science.  The great Swiss-American naturalist, Louis Agassiz (1807-1873), sought in his research for the “mind of the Divine,” in discovering how the earth was made.  Charles Darwin brought a basic change in scientific thinking – proposing no need for God and that everything happened by chance (natural selection).  Agassiz was a contemporary of Darwin , and proved him wrong at that time.  The world followed Darwin, and the 1900s saw the theory of evolution being taught throughout our education systems to this day, and those who do not accept it or are not willing to teach it have often been expelled.  (See Ben Stein’s movie: Expelled – No Intelligence Allowed)  Darwin ’s theory implicitly teaches that there was no fall of Adam and Eve – bypassing it with the idea that man is evolved from lower forms of life.  If there were no fall, then there is no need for an atonement.  So implicitly, Darwin ’s teachings are anti-Christ and often lead to atheism.  This theory has had a great negative impact on the morality of mankind.  Accountability goes away if we are animals.  What we do doesn’t matter.  Good and evil and moral law have no meaning in this theory.

This theory, along with some other philosophers, has lead to our current social paradigm that science and religion are incompatible.  If an idea is based on religion, then it is not scientific.  And visa versa.  This is in total contrast to the early devout scientists coming out of the reformation era.  Interestingly, we have direct evidence that the early Americans here – living 100 to 200 years A.D. – had total harmony between science and religion, which is in marked contrast to our time where science and religion are in conflict.   In addition, they lived in peace with no enemies in proximity.  To them Truth was truth, whether in science or religion.  These ancients give us an inspiring example.  They have built into their earth works and temples astronomical information – along with the story of the creation, the fall, and the atonement – the three pillars of eternity in the Father’s perfect plan of happiness.  (See four volume set: This Land by Wayne N. May and the following link:) http://www.allanstime.com/Spiritual/Hopewell_Civilization_Great_Octagon/

As we look at the trend in the world – and in our own great nation – away from these most important teachings of our Savior to both have faith in Him and to walk the Christian walk, we can see the need for a full return to Him and for massive repentance.  Do we worship the works of men’s hands or the God of Israel (Jehovah {Jesus the Christ})?  As He taught, do we believe Him and do His will?  Do we love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, might, mind, and strength?  Do we love all including our enemies and obey His commandments?  We see the world in a tail spin.  (See www.allanstime.com/Spritual/Are_we_a_Christian_Nation.html )

We are privileged to live in the dispensation of the fulness of times when the Lord will gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him (Eph. 1:10).  Joseph Smith, Jr. was called by the Lord to head that dispensation, and the Lord has promised through him that exciting truths will come forth in our day to bring again a harmony between science and religion. (Doctrine & Covenants 121:26-31)  A recent book Signature in the Cell by Stephen C. Meyer is a great example of that as he proves scientifically that behind DNA is Intelligent Design (ID).  George Gilder, author of Wealth and Poverty and Telecosm, commenting on Dr. Meyer’s book exposes the following great insight:

Meyer demolishes the materialist superstition at the core of evolutionary biology by exposing its Achilles’ heel: its utter blindness to the origins of information.  With the recognition that cells function as fast as supercomputers and as fruitfully as so many factories, the case for mindless cosmos collapses.  His refutation of Richard Dawkins [Darwinian evolution] will have all the dogs barking and the angels singing.

Having read the book, I fully concur with Gilder’s comment, and I am delighted that Dr. Meyer has opened again the door so that there may come a harmony between science and religion.

We live in the most exciting time in the history of the earth in anticipation of the glorious return of our Lord and Savior.  Now is our opportunity to truly come to Christ – believe and hearken – then we have the promise that we need not fear (worry, doubt, hate, envy, fear, discouragement, and anxiety are tools of the adversary and he is very real – knowing it is his last hour).  Christ promises love, joy, and peace as we fill our lives with faith and trust in Him.  He knows what is coming, and He will help us through it all to receive Him, if we will but totally turn to Him with all of our hearts, might, minds, and strength.  This purging time coming has its Divine purpose and will purify His people and the earth.  We can look forward to the most glorious day this earth has ever seen when He comes again and reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords.  May we exercise pure faith in Him and hearken to His voice, I pray.