Mormonism 1:12 - “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”
What It Is:
A political statement for both the government and the people. While members interpret it as they wish, the statement is both an announcement to the government of their members' obedience and a commandment that, to remain a member, you must be obedient. Joseph understood the need for communal obedience for the success of society; however, he did not foresee what aspects such obedience would require in the future, particularly when it restricted their religious practices contrary to the previous statement. It is to say, as a collective, they are not going to threaten or overtake the government in unconventional ways.
When It Started
This article is often referenced when teaching members the importance of obedience, especially when explaining why the mainstream Mormon church no longer practices polygamy. This statement follows the previous one for a reason, insisting on the belief in freedom to worship but also submitting to diplomatic rule. Not to speak for adjacent factions, but the only reason is due to government rule on the matter, prioritizing the importance of being with family over the risk of losing them.
Essentially, it is taught that the willingness to follow Jesus as king could never be taken seriously if the group is not capable of following the government and laws under which they currently live. This is usually referred to as “the laws of the land,” establishing its distinction from “the laws of God.” Like many Christians, they expect to be able to live as they feel commanded in a time to come in the future, or after death.
The development of society with such statements has led to the teaching that morals are in place for society as much as they are simply for obedience to God. While this may be fearful, it has developed honest and true people, leading to one of the safest places to live on earth.
The purpose of polygamy has a few theories and is spoken of as still being practiced in the afterlife, regardless. It is definitely an important aspect of what makes the modern church unique. Its purpose is believed to stem from the “preexistence” and follows through for eternity. Even though it is often believed to be just about sex, for Joseph, it was about reproduction and the expansion of the church’s influence as a commandment given by God.
While Joseph’s revelation on the matter is not often discussed, it concerns the belief that before we existed on earth, we existed as spiritual beings who knew each other and agreed to be in each other’s families on earth. As one entire family under Heavenly Father and Mother, the ordinances of family on earth are strictly to give bodies to souls. It is also said to advance one’s placement in the Kingdom of Heaven, referring to the amount of service and bodies provided for the souls waiting for them.
It is believed many rules established by governments are to protect the government itself, foreseeing the advancements of groups in persuasion over the masses. Much like the reason prostitution was made illegal, social groups became powerful through physical coercion. Polygamy expands a group of people much more rapidly than monogamy, and along with any group of people usually grows their beliefs and ways of life. It is believed that the ruling against polygamy was for the protection of the government from the Mormon church potentially overthrowing them simply through their rapid expansion.
While debatable now, I was taught that Joseph's first plural wife was a brother’s widow, whom he took on as his own to protect the ownership of the property, which would have been taken away from her during a time when women were not allowed to own land. There is definitely a connection between polygamy and successful people, particularly in relation to money and the support of more women. Under monogamy rule, there are many women who go unwed and never produce children, which the church finds unfortunate.
Where We Relate
As Undefinable and Expansive, we completely agree on the need for obedience, not only to laws and governments but also to divine inspiration. We understand that adaptability according to the times is important, including the understanding that the attitudes of obedience in the afterlife would be prevalent in the current life.
We also agree that the “laws of God” do surpass the “laws of the land.” However, we also agree that being with family is more important and that the development of laws should be achieved through proper progressive channels, not by force. We even trust that “God” would influence such laws if it were absolutely important, making it possible to remain obedient to both parties.
We also agree that it is important to give life to bodies as much as possible, suitably under the guidance of divine inspiration and obedience. We agree that there are elements of a preexistence to physical bodies and that every opportunity should be provided not only for them but also for the experience of all options in the universe. We concur that anyone capable should attempt to produce offspring, insisting that shame and guilt are meaningless compared to giving life.
Obedience can seem confusing when there are contradictions between those to whom one is attempting to be obedient. This is usually deemed as the presence and influence of an adversary; however, we agree that obedience is important not only for the production of society but also for our personal surrender of being an adversary and instead seeking to join together as one-minded people.
Why It Seems
At this period of time, where we are seen individually as physical beings, there have been many attempts to teach people to be in agreement and work together. This is not just for production in life, but for advancement through dimensional paradigms. With an eternal perspective, our advancements are more complicated than the simplicity of a human's point of view. What is being taught surpasses the limitations of such a perspective.
The enforcement of the “knowledge of good and evil” has made the function of this world a service of teaching the processor of that knowledge how to surpass it. This means that the world is not only about receiving bodies but also about receiving the lesson that the restraint of bodies would teach.
Regardless of whether it was previously obtained or yet to come, gaining the abilities of a boundless, eternal being would prove the capability of the mind and soul’s “worthiness” to be “ruler” over physicality and not succumb to it. While this statement appears to discuss government rule, it actually refers to the spiritual suppression naturally occurring from physical inabilities.
While practically applicable to superficial matters, laws are meant to protect people and therefore should go without question. It is the obedience that is taught, which will be applied to the guidance of the Spirit as soon as it is recognized as such.
The purpose of providing “commandments” was to teach the independent believer's mind a sense of obedience—not simply from blind obedience, but from the ability to be fluid enough in expression that obedience to spiritual guidance becomes natural.
One believes themselves to be an individual only because they experience their own mind, wanting to make decisions differently from those of other minds who insist on enforcing decisions. Therefore, it gives us an experience of what seems like individuality—a crucial aspect in making “free will” seem possible.
With an Open Mind
If you can allow yourself simply to imagine everything as the mind of “God,” then, in order to make people seem independent within itself, it would have to disagree with itself as them. Much like in a dream, the story of Adam and Eve’s disobedience was the establishment of such independent will.
In a dream, you may struggle with others or with some goal you may be unable to achieve. This is like unto your mind; in a dream, all of it is your mind, and you are in disagreement with yourself. If it’s with something you believe is a literal person disagreeing with you or simply the inability to find something—if your mind is making up everything in a dream, why is it that you choose not to find it?
So much like the lesson of a dream could be recognizing that you are the dreamer and the ruler of the dream, it would give you the ability to manipulate the dream and manifest instantaneous occurrences within it. Breaking all the dream’s confining rules, including healing, raising the dead, and walking on water. One who has learned to overcome the world would prove themselves as “ruler” of the world’s laws.
To be subject to governments is also to be subject to the world's laws—the willingness to succumb to physical confines, as well as government rulings. Depending on one’s personal divine inspiration, one may be called to overcome the world. And this would not be done by resisting it; it could only be done by uniting with it.
You may not be able to comprehend that everything is the mind of “God”, but you may be able to understand that all of its development was created by “God”. Therefore, to put it simply, to oppose it is to oppose “God’s” creation. Then, joining with “God” occurs through joining with His creation—not necessarily by learning how to break rules and physical laws, but by learning how to join with them. How to think in the same way in which they were created—not in the way of a resistant child to parental dictation.
Even while portrayed as their betrayal, an all-powerful, all-knowing “God” developed the scenario for a particular purpose. It remains under the laws by which it was created, which are always the laws of “God”. There is no battle between the laws of the land and the laws of “God”, for the laws of “God” made the laws of the land. And if one does not understand the laws of “God”, they will resist the laws of the land. Therefore, resistance to the laws of the land is resistance to the actual laws of “God”.
Even while what this resistance is remains debatable, if the laws of “God” are still in accord with His creation, it stems from the belief that “God” could create a power stronger than its own, which created it. Nevertheless, it is not about debating what is to be done but experimenting with doing. Allow yourself to find out by experiencing the difference between resisting the world and others, and what it’s like completely accepting and following them. You may be surprised how doing so brings about divine inspiration and even opens your mind to revelation, while resisting the world and others fixates you on attempting to manipulate and con them out of their ways into yours, or somehow get away with what you want in secret.
However, I assure you, there are no secrets in a dream to a dreamer, except in denial. You cannot recognize the dreamer if you live life believing you oppose them. Regardless of whether they manifest as a being outside the dream or as people, they are the thoughts of the dreamer, in the same way that you are.
How We Unite
Aside from being on the same page regarding maintaining and respecting laws, we are a people that attempt to follow what Spirit guides us to do or how to live as often as possible. There is no real way for people to get along if they don’t all adhere to general laws they agree on. While nearly impossible for everyone to agree, we can trust that these laws are in place for a particular reason. It is always helpful to be compliant, especially for those who desire to transcend worldly perspectives. Depending on the depth you seek, an equal depth of absolute submission is required. To ascend entirely, you must surrender entirely, and resisting things such as laws is not in accordance with surrender. Therefore, it depends on the goals you have set forth.
What you find important tells a lot about you. To “ascend” or “transcend” is usually interpreted in the same fashion as “getting into heaven” would be. As humans, we all have different ideas of what is necessary to get there, and often, if not always, this reflects on what we do. What we believe leads to actions or inactions. As human bodies, we have oriented our rules around what our bodies do. It might be debatable if “heaven” has bodies, but we would agree that whatever it is, it would be eternal and everlasting.
Guidance is important because of what it teaches us, not where it takes us. Even as those following the same corporeal rules, they would be a people that can be trusted to work and stay within the same limits. Following the “still small voice” of the Wholly Spiritual Universe, we are guided to be a people of one mind, to be of one heart, to support our progression through the “plan of salvation.” We find it true that we cannot enter “spiritual paradise” if we have yet to accept “Christ for ourselves.”
How It's True
Semantics lead to misunderstandings naturally by the interpretation of them, especially when it is believed that bodies are involved. Even as there still remain so many details to be discussed, it is entirely possible for one to experience loneliness and separation when they are unable to participate with the collective that currently believes in particular ways of thinking. The advancements of dimensional perspectives require that you are in accordance with your guidance and that you feel purely authentic with what you know your “king” is commanding of you. If that king be Jesus or the Spirit within you even as Jesus, the authenticity of your willingness to follow will carry you to where you need to be, where you’ve been designed to be, and your trust will purify you.
“Why They Are Right” (book series)
By Rev. Devan Jesse Byrne
~
The author of The Statutes Of The Divinely Realized the essence of Undefinable and Expansive, here to coach spiritual people to discover their multidimensional reality beyond the veil.
~
UECreed.org
IamACIM.com
OpenandClear.com