Thoughts about Christ

Dear Readers,

Again, in my institute class, we had another lesson about the nature of Christ and why He had to be the way He was in order to be our Savior. Of course, this got me thinking and speculating again. To explain my thoughts, I think I will begin with referring to my Adam, Eve, and Lilith post.

In that post I talked about a quote from Brigham Young "One thing has remained a mystery in this kingdom up to this day. It is in regard to the character of the well-beloved Son of God, upon which subject the Elder of Israel have conflicting views... The question has been, and is often, asked, who it was that begat the Son of the Virgin Mary... Now, remember from this time forth, and forever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost." (Journal of Discourses v1 pg 50-51). Thus we see that in the portions I quoted earlier in my other post, he was clearly comparing Adam's birth to Christ's. Also, since Jesus was not born of the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost, Jesus was literally the offspring of an immortal Father and a mortal mother, the Virgin Mary.

Now, there may be many people and members of the church that might think that this means that God the Father had sexual intercourse with the betrothed Mary. However, I will declare unequivocally and irrevocably that God will not break His own commandments. My God is not an adulterer or a fornicator. Yet clearly Mary was not His wife. Therefore, I am lead to believe that the Father's divine genetics were infused into one of Mary's ovum. The genes could have easily been in the form of sperm, thus we would call this artificial insemination. Ironically, the television show of Jane the Virgin may have some enlightenment on this subject of how Mary the mother of Jesus could be a virgin who conceived the Son of God.

Nevertheless, we must remember why this was necessary. Christ had to be half-mortal half-immortal. Without those attributes, He could not suffer the eternal pains of all of our sins and yet live, for any mortal would either perish or faint before the full measure of the price could be paid (Doctrine and Covenants 19:18).

Nor could He die and raise himself from the dead, for if He were mortal, He would die just like us and like our bodies, remain in the earth, and if He was immortal, He could not die and bring to pass the resurrection for Himself or the rest of us. These two crucial and encompassing points of the atonement required the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the child of a true Immortal and a very mortal mother.

Now, with these things in mind, I became intrigued with the realization I had concerning Ectoplasm in immortal beings. What would a demigod hybrid have flowing through His body? Just blood like a mortal? Christ bled from every pore in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44) and bled as he was beaten, scourged, crucified, and notably when His side was pierced (John 19:34). So He most certainly had blood, but did He have spirit in His veins too? Spirit which is too fine or pure to be seen with our natural eyes (Doctrine and Covenants 131:7).

Though He could die, Christ could not be killed, He would have to give up His life and relinquish His body, at least for a time. If He could not be killed, it implies that His spirit was connected to His body in a stronger way, like possibly flowing through His body. Maybe within even every cell of His earthly tabernacle.

In my Light of Christ post, I speculated about why Christ's resurrected "perfect" body still had scars. Maybe His scars were from parts of His spirit He had given us so that we could have the light of Christ in us. Though, what has satisfied my in query was the notion that Christ's atonement made Him suffer body and spirit, thus when He was nailed on the cross, the nails pierced His body and His spirit, scaring both.

The idea that maybe He had this spiritual connection to His body all along now makes me wonder if this was the reason why the scripture was written that angels would bear Christ up least He dash His foot against a stone (Psalms 91:11-12, Matthew 4:6), because maybe any damage His body received during mortality would forever scar His spiritual body and therefore resurrected immortal body as well.

This would also mean that the tokens, which we are taught about in the temple, were the signs of Christ that needed to be upon His body, His immortal body. Literally, like a lamb to the slaughter, He could have been spared from physical pain, or at least scaring incisions, until the end of His life. This would also explain why none of His bones would be permitted to be broken, because those breaks would forever disfigure His bones.

Alas, this is all fun to speculate, but when all is said and done, all that has been revealed about Christ's upbringing is that he grew from grace to grace (Luke 2:52, John 1:16, Doctrine and Covenants 93:12-14), and that His childhood is not talked about because of sacred reverence much like how we treat our Mother in Heaven.

Because of the silence and the holding of peace that is given to this subject, a friend gave me a different view. When I expressed these ideas I was having to him, he asked whether or not I thought that Jesus got splinters, or accidentally cut Himself while He was a carpenter working with His father Joseph. I don't know, it could go either way with the fallen world of mortality, or the subtle protection from harm that Joseph and Mary might have taken for granted, much like David Dunn (Bruce Willis' character in Unbreakable) who never realized his impervious powers until the Glassman blew up a train and David survived without a scratch. It is very likely that we can take health for granted, and Joseph and Mary could have taken Christ's the same way.

However, to compensate for the possibility for a normal childhood, what if His spirit was not merged with His body until He was at the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:2)? What if Christ's transfiguration was a activation of some of His Father's dormant genes inside of Him, preparing Him to suffer body and spirit during the atonement. Using a rough estimation, the transfiguration took place about halfway through Christ's three year mission (Harmony of the Gospels) which would mean that Christ would have been in this semi-immortal, yet vulnerable state for about a year and a half.

Ultimately, in either case, acknowledging both could be wrong, I consign that these are simply cool ideas and thoughts that I was having about Christ. Thoughts that I figured were worth sharing. I hope that they get you thinking, and might even inspire you in some new terrains of thought. Feel free to leave any comments, concerns, or ideas that you have below.

Love,
Jacobugoth

God Creator Council

Dear Readers,

I think this will be a fun post today. This post is not addressing ideas like Mormons are "godmakers" or anything like that. However, this post is addressing the idea that man created God. Let us begin by imagining that we are creating a perfect God.

So, if there is a God, what would He need to be? He would need to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). He must have the basic all powerfuls: Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient. Thus we have a God that must be all powerful (Matthew 19:26) Check!, is everywhere at once (Psalms 139:7-12) Check!, and knows everything (Isaiah 46:10) Check!.

Creation Hands from The Old Dead Guys blog

If He is all powerful, and is God, or creator of everything (Colossians 1:16), then He has to have a reason for creating everything (Mosses 1:33). Not to mention He had to exist before everything (Colossians 1:17, John 1:1-3) Thus He must have a Master Plan. That plan must include our planet, our lives and all of the life around us.

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However, this is OUR God, so He must have created us in His image, which would make Him a human in form (Genesis 1:26-27). If He created us and we look like Him, then we must be His children (Romans 8:16), which would mean that He is our Father and has a body (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). But, if He has a physical body, then He cannot be omnipresent. Thus He must have more than just a body, lets call that the Spirit of God. This allows Him or at least His presence to be everywhere at once (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).

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If He is everywhere, then He must be within us, and what kind of being would we want within us? We want to feel love, so this Being must have love. "...God is love..." (1 John 4:16) Check!

So, If God is love then He must be kind and considerate, but how do we know, how does God speak to us? Well, maybe some people are lucky enough to see Him face to face (Exodus 33:11), but most of us don't see God. Maybe the Spirit of God talks to us. This would be revelation because God is revealing it to us. He has all knowledge, so He could literally tell us anything we wanted to know (James 1:5).

When God talks to us, what does He say? It is probably things having to do with His Master Plan. If He is also love, then He wants the best for us (Matthew 7:7-11). Thus this plan must be for our happiness. But we are not always happy, why? Because we have the freedom to choose, we all want to be free and we don't want a God who would take that away from us. Which means, if we are making choices that either bring us happiness or misery then there is opposition. If there is a God of love, there must be a source of hate, this is Satan. (2 Nephi 2:27)

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If there are choices we make for good or for bad, then there must be some kind of law that says which is which. If there is a law, there must be consequences. Thus, some of what God reveals are His laws for our happiness. Is happiness our only motivation for living these laws? There must be a better reward than that! How about after we die? Maybe there is an after life in which we receive a wonderful reward. However, laws have consequences when not obeyed. Thus in this after life, there might be a horrible reward as well. Lets call these heaven and hell or paradise and prison.

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Okay, so God has these laws that we must obey to have heaven after this life. However, we all break these laws, and miss the mark, or sin. If we broke the law then we must have hell... but isn't God love, why would He send every one of us His children to hell... so He must be merciful! Notwithstanding His love and mercy, if He forgives all of us for breaking the law, then no one would go to hell, and the purpose of the law would not work. There would be no justice for the law (Alma 42:25). We all want a just God who judges us perfectly, but if He does, then He cannot be merciful.... Hmmm... quite a predicament. (Alma 42:21-22)

Maybe one of these laws is a requirement for mercy, lets call that the law of repentance, but how would that law work? There would need to be a Mediator, someone who is able to pay the price or consequences to justice, so that justice is appeased, and then offers that mercy. So this would be another part of God, an individual pleading to God on our behalf (Doctrine and Covenants 45:3-5).

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However, this other Individual must know perfectly what we have gone through, so maybe the Spirit of God could be this Mediator for us? It is inside of us and thus could judge whether or not we are truly repentant. Though, how would it pay the price for sin? No, this Mediator must be a being with a body who also knows what we have gone through. Maybe the Spirit of God is with Him too! Yet, this Individual has to be perfect, not having sinned at all, otherwise it is like someone condemned to death saying, "Hey, I will vouch for that man (or woman), he (or she) is just like me!". Thus, this Mediator must not have to pay for His or Her own sins because they didn't have any. This would enable Them to properly plead our case.

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Who among us sinful mortals could qualify for this perfection? That Mediator would need to be super-human. Maybe the Mediator is a physical Child of God. Yet, if the Mediator was pure God, then He too would have to have that strict justice. Thus the Mediator would need to be something in between. Half God and half mortal. A Demi-God. This would enable the Mediator to live in mortality and pay every price for sin having felt it perfectly through the Spirit of God within all of us while escaping the penalties for Himself.

Thus, justice can be satisfied, mercy can be extended, our mortal lives have reason and purpose, and we can have eternal life in the after life. However, this would mean that God is three beings: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Because, if any one of these three is taken away, then God would cease to be God. Yet, they are also three individual beings, One the Supreme Creator, One the Mediator, and One the being that is everywhere connecting the first two. Yet still, they are One Perfect Ideal God.

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Now that we have talked about how and why humans could imagine themselves a perfect God as we know Him to be in the Christian world. Does this shake my faith at all? No. Nor should it you. For, at least in the LDS church, we find that the very first counsel in heaven, in our premortal life, was between God the Father, Jehovah (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. They counseled together to make a Plan of Salvation for all of us. They made sure it met every possible criteria of perfection and of Godhood. Then they presented this plan to us in the Grand Council. This is when we sustained Jehovah (Jesus) as our Savior and Redeemer. This is also when Lucifer rebelled, trying to take Jehovah's position and even The Father's authority unto himself. Surprisingly, 1/3 of all of the spirit children of God like Lucifer's plan and followed him. Lucifer was cast out and became Satan, that opposition to God.

Thus, by reason we can understand why God is who He is, because by perfect reason He became our God.

As a side note, I do not believe Lucifer becoming Satan was part of God's plan that was presented. Of course, knowing all things, He knew it would happen, but that was not part of the perfect plan. I believe that in God's perfect plan, the appetites and carnality of our bodies was enough opposition for us to experience. Yet, because Satan and his angels are also tempting us, I believe that Christ's mercy is that much more extended towards us, because He understands Satan's temptations (Matthew 4:1-11).

I hope that you enjoyed this post. Feel free to leave any comments.

Love,
Jacobugoth

Star Wars: The Force

Dear Readers,

In light of the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, I have decided to write a post about the force and my understanding of it. It is funny, at least to me, that I am writing this post. As a missionary I had heard other missionaries talk quite a bit about how easy it is to compare Star Wars to the gospel of Jesus Christ and with brief reflection, I agreed. Now I am actually doing it.

Big question: What is the force?

One of the first clues as to the answer of this question is "It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together." (Obi Wan, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope).

So first, what is energy? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines energy as "usable power that comes from heat, electricity, etc." There are known energy fields, such as electromagnetic fields, which are fields of energy produced by electricity. There are also magnetic fields due to polarized minerals like magnetite.

The force is an energy field created by all living things. Most living things produce body heat. They also tend to produce energy through electrical means such as the nervous system. Yet, plants are living things and don't always produce either electrical fields or heat.

They do, however, produce chemical energy. That energy is often dormant in the forms of sugars, Yet the bonds of molecules together are still considered energy, potential energy. There is also the force of gravity, which produces kenetic energy. Is that to say that the earth is alive? Why not? I rather think so. Obi-Wan said that the force "...surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." Does not gravity do all these things? Does the sun's gravity bind the planets to in their orbits? Genesis 1:16 "And god made two great lights;" the sun and the moon, "the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also." How can something "rule" if it is not alive.

Yoda did some clarifying Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back, "For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship."

Thus the force is not any of these fields, because none of these fields fulfill all of the requirements. Thus it is likely some other field or force than these... or possibly all of them working together.

Yet, Yoda hints at the Force being spirit energy, or spirit itself. "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."(Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back), "Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not." (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)

Doctrine and Covenants 131:7 "There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes;" The Force is not the spirit, but when Yoda said "luminous" it does sound a bit like intelligence, which is the light of truth (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29). We can also grow in intelligence (Doctrine and Covenants 130:19) and in light (Doctrine and Covenants 50:24).

So, if intelligence is "luminous" and can grow, how is it in and around everything? "...matter is capacitated to receive intelligence." (Journal of Discourses 7:2-3). Thus all matter has intelligence, whether spirit or physical matter. Also, if intelligence is the light of truth, then the light of Christ could be considered very similar, if not the same.

Doctrine and Covenants 88 clarifies this immensely: "6.... that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; 7. Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made....11. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; 12. Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space-"

Thus we see that not only do all of us have and are the light of truth, it also fills the immensity of space. It is almost exactly what Yoda and Obi-Wan described. So, how would we "transform into the Force" upon death? The physical death is our spirits becoming separated from our physical bodies. That does not make us intelligence or light of truth, Yet, spirits, like resurrected bodies (Book of Mormon: Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith), can shine forth their intelligence in glory. Indeed, even the Devil who has never had, nor ever will have a body can transform himself like an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14, 2 Nephi 9:9). That is what Yoda meant, as far as I can tell, that the mortal physical body no longer hides the glorious intelligence that resides within the tabernacle.

Finally, is there any evidence as to the light, or power of Christ being able to affect or effect matter? How did God create the earth and all things? Did not Christ transform water into wine? or multiply bread and fish to feed a multitude? Did He not walk on water?

So, now that we have defined the Force as the light of Christ or light of truth, how do we feel and use the Force?

Yoda has said, "Feel the Force!", but what senses do we feel it with, physical touch or the heart? Moroni 7:16 says, "For behold, the Spirit of Christ" which could also mean the light of Christ or the light of truth, "is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God."

Here we begin to find the purpose of the light of Christ, to know good from evil. It invites "to do good" and tries to persuade people to "believe in Christ". Indeed, the light or Spirit of Christ acts quite a bit like the Holy Ghost... or rather, the Holy Ghost acts through the light within us. So, what are the feelings or "fruit" of the Spirit of God?

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance..." These are the feelings of the heart when we use the light of Christ. We physically feel like we are laboring in some task to do good, while in our hearts, or emotionally, we feel love, compassion, and peace.

Faith is one of the "fruits" of the Spirit. Indeed, it is by faith that miracles are performed (Mormon 9:16-21). These miracles include healings, casting out evil spirits (Acts 5:12-16), raising the dead (Acts 9:37-41), the commanding of the very elements (Matthew 8:23-27), and countless others, all of which, those who have faith in Christ, and His authority can perform, if worthy. One in particular I wish to mention is when Peter walked on water as he approached Christ. He leaped forth with faith, but as his faith dwindled or was shaken because of the storm surging around him, he began to sink.

Often times, I have been annoyed when someone asks me to do something, and I reply, "I will try". Then they rebuke me with Yoda's words, "Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try." (Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back) We try our choices, between good and evil. We try to learn and do new things. That is why Yoda was urging Luke first with patience: "Patience you must have my young padawan." It was only after Luke wanted end his training and prove himself that Yoda chastised him. When learning stops, and we are called upon to perform a task, that is when trying is no longer acceptable. We are either whole heartily involved and capable of accomplishing the task, or not. For Peter, he tried his faith, to walk on water, that he may have more confidence and not have to try, but do, when called to the ministry. While Luke's experience was becoming dumb struck saying "I can't believe it." to which Yoda retorted, "That is why you fail."(Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back) Not only do we have to have the faith once, but continue to nourish it and strengthen it, that we may not be found with "little faith" (Matthew 8:26). Sometimes I wonder if the angels of heaven look down on us and say something similar to Darth Vader, "I find your lack of faith... disturbing."(Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)

What about the Dark Side of the Force? Moroni had mentioned that the light of Christ is given that everyone may "know good from evil". By this same power each of us have, we can also know evil. "But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him." (Moroni 7:17).

Some of the fruits of the spirit of the devil are: contention and anger (3 Nephi 11:29), doubt, darkness, unbelief, depression, hatred, jealousy, malice, envy, theft, lust (Gospel Truth 1:19-20). The greatest of which is pride (Proverbs 16:18, Pride). Yoda has said: "Yes, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight."(Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back), "Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is."(Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith), and "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."(Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace)

The knowledge of these evils also comes through the light of truth. It is between these two choices, good and evil, that we must choose and make a stand for or against. Yoda said: "To be Jedi is to face the truth, and choose. Give off light, or darkness, Padawan. Be a candle, or the night." Yoda has also spoken on how to know the good from the bad, "You will know when you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack."(Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back)

There are those who believe that feelings are not as important as the western world deems them to be. There has been countless speculations on a "sixth sense". The movie The Sixth Sense portrayed this ability as seeing spirits. What if we all have a "sixth sense" only, the world does not recognize it as such. The light of Christ is that "sixth sense". Those feelings, those emotions, for good or bad, are a sense, a physical response to stimuli. If any of you have wondered about this, I extend Darth Vader's challenge: "Search your feelings, you know it to be true."

Indeed, we can find all truth through prayer and the answers that come by the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:5). As I mentioned before, the Holy Ghost works using the light of Christ in us. I will compare this to Luke Skywalker's experience. While training with Obi Wan Kenobi, he was able to use the Force, at least in part. He had promptings and could feel and learn truth, much in the same way that one who has not been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost feel's promptings and learns truth. In comparing episodes 1-3, also called the prequels, to the original or classic three, I notice that the Jedi wish to each other, "May the Force be with you.", but when Obi Wan wishes the same for Luke, he says, "The Force will be with you... always." Obi Wan, knowing that he was soon going to the other side of the veil, was giving a promise to Luke. After Obi Wan's passing, he then actively prompts and guide Luke, beckoning him, "Use the Force, Luke." This is the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is an actual spirit being (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22) who actively seeks our well being with promptings and divine guidance. He can be comparatively seen as an Obi Wan, or Yoda whispering guidance to us from the unseen world, beckoning us to use the light of Christ, to seek Christ, grow spiritually, and rely upon Christ.

Indeed, it is important that we trust, and have faith in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, because of the false old adage, "seeing is believing". Seeing has never been, nor ever will be believing. Obi Wan explained, "Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them. Stretch out with your feelings." Truly the scriptures are filled with accounts of people who saw, but did not believe. Laman and Lemuel, from the Book of Mormon, saw angels, yet they did not believe (1 Nephi 3:28-29). Alma the Younger was  smitten three days by an angel, yet seeing was not what converted him. As he shared in his testimony, it was turning his heart to Christ and his father's words that changed his heart (Alma 36). Even Cain spoke to God, yet he did not believe enough to trust in Him (Genesis 4:6).

Obi Wan said, "The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded." Sadly, there are some who try to come unto Christ, but are easily dissuaded by trials or temptations of the adversary. The gospel of Jesus Christ can excite as much as the dark side can betray. Like Christ's parable of the sower (Mark 4) there are those who "...[fall] on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had not depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away." Sometimes the adversary tries to teach us that good is evil, and that evil is good (Isaiah 5:20). Other times, when we find a doctrinal stumbling block, something that we are not sure if we believe, or not sure if it is true, we can pray and find truth. Sometimes, and can even be often, the answer is to wait and gain a stronger foundation first,  "These aren't problems that you should be troubled with."

There can be many stumbling blocks that hold us up. We may rely too much upon ourselves, our own skills. The scriptures describe this as "making flesh his arm" ( Jeremiah 17:5) or "putting his trust in the arm of flesh" (2 Nephi 4:34). Even Darth Vader had something to say on the matter upon seeing his subordinates become proud of the Death Star they had built, "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force." Truly, if the Force is intelligence, or light and truth, then "knowledge is power", and the understanding that the glory of God is intelligence (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36), becomes so much clearer. It is in God's all knowing, all powerful hand that we should put our trust. "Don't underestimate the Force!" (Darth Vader).

Scriptures, doctrines, and prophecy can be some stumbling blocks as well. Obi Wan was outraged because of Anakin's betrayal, "You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. You were to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness." Like the Jews in Christ's day, we may not be expecting quite what will come to pass. Did Anakin destroy the Sith, yes, he killed the Emperor and died himself, but did that act end evil, no. Did it happen how any of the Jedi thought it would happen, diffidently not. The Jews were expecting a magnificent Messiah, a great warrior coming to save, redeem and free them from their oppressors. They did not understand that Christ had to be born humble and as a teacher, paying the price for us with His atonement, before He would return in power and great glory at the last day to free us forever. Because they looked beyond the mark, they were confused, offended, and angry.

"A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one, a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was....Hmm? On what he was doing." (Yoda). Sometimes we think too much ahead, like the hymn, Have I Done Any Good?, "Then wake up and do something more Than dream of your mansion above." President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us "The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live in it." Though we may not personally understand everything, we can trust that all things are in God's hands.

Yet we all can have the spirit of prophecy. This may seem extreme to declare, but it is non-the-less true. The spirit of prophecy is having faith in Christ. When we share our witnesses or testimonies of Christ, we are declaring that He is God's Son, that He has broken the bonds of death, and that He will return. Is that not a prophecy? Are we not declaring to the world that there is hope? That things will get better? That even though we have lost those we care about, we can be together with them forever. Indeed, that when we depart from this life, there is more, it is not just an endless darkness, abyss or nothingness, but that the spirit exists, our bodies will be resurrected, and we will live again.

We know that Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection, thus, playing with the idea of Yoda and Obi Wan being real, they could not be resurrected with physical bodies until after Christ. The story line of Star Wars places the events occurring "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away". This would also make sense with what Yoda said about Qui Gon Jinn, "An old friend has learned the path to immortality. One who has returned from the netherworld of the Force, your old master." All people, good and evil, as soon as they depart from this life, are taken home to God (Alma 40:11), or the "netherworld of the Force". Thus, upon returning, he had spoken to God, and finally learned about Christ and the path to true immortality, life after the resurrection. Yet, he had only learned about the path, and had not yet been resurrected.

Oh, how much do I delight in the glory of God, and I love Job's testimony, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:" (Job 19:25-26). When Obi Wan said, "Strike me down, and I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." most people did not understand what that meant. Understanding that he sealed his testimony with his blood, as the Prophet Joseph Smith, and most importantly our Savior Jesus Christ did. Thus, ensured that he would be resurrected in power and glory. For his faith was so sure, that his very body was taken and stored up in heaven, like Yoda's, to wait for the promised Savior, not Anakin, who will truly free us from evil.

"Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view." (Yoda). So make sure that you always keep the eternal point of view, for those truths will aid you more and longer than the points of view found on the Dark Side.

Lastly, I leave you with a challenge. I have created this post to share my knowledge and my testimony of the power of God, and my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. That there is hope in this world, that we can have power beyond what the world, or what we sometimes believe we can. There is evidences of these universal truths all around us, truth that span time, and are eternal. Find them and seek out every good thing. Then, as Yoda said, "Always pass on what you have learned." If you agree with what I have taught or shared, or have your own beliefs or understanding, share it in turn. "To answer power with power, the Jedi way this is not. In this war, a danger there is, of losing who we are." (Yoda). There is a spiritual war going on around us. Be careful that you share your beliefs with love and compassion, not anger and contention, that you may maintain who you are, and what you stand for. Let faith and strength in Christ and His gospel spread to the quarters of the earth. Let the Force work in you, and work in those around you. May the Force be with you, in Christ's name, Amen.

Love,
Jacobugoth

Next Post: Star Wars: Lightsaber, Midichlorians

Bleach 2: Zampakuto and Hollows

Dear Readers,

This post is based off of the prerequisite of having read the first Bleach post. Thus, some aspects could become confusing if the Bleach 1 post is not read first.

In my last Bleach post I mentioned zampakuto, the spirits of the ausuchi or spirit swords. I wanted to talk about these spirits a little bit, but first, I will be making a comparison with Job. Specifically, when the Lord speaks to Job in chapters 40-41 and shows him the Behemoth and the Leviathan.

Job 40:15-24 Behemoth
"15. Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the naval of his belly.
17. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
18. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21. He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23. Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
24. He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares."

Now that we have how the scriptures describe the behemoth, I would like to point out a couple of things. First, the Lord says that He made the behemoth with Job. That could mean that Job helped to make the behemoth, but for the purpose of my comparison, I will take a leap and say that the beast is with Job as well as made by him. The beast has strengths, a large tail, strong bones, then is compared to the ways of God. It is a good beast. Then we have the comparison of a sword and "approach[ing]" the beast. Often times Ichigo, the main character from Bleach, trained and fought with his zampakuto named Zangetsu.

Then we get a kind of description of what is the behemoth's home. Mountains, grass, trees, and a brook or river that is compared to the river Jordan. For Ichigo, his zampakuto lives in an inner world that contains skyscrapers, symbolizing his heart's joy and reaching for the sky.

Thus, the mountainous luscious area could be considered Job's inner world.

(Final Fantasy Behemoth below)

One could make the argument, that Zangetsu is humanoid, but the behemoth is some strange beast (likely the description of a hippopotamus).

Renji Abarai is another character from Bleach, who begins as a kind of neutral antagonist that later becomes a protagonist and fights along side Ichigo. Renji's zampakuto is called Zabimaru which appears as a baboon with a snake tail.

Therefore, it is not necessary for the zampakuto to be humanoid, and indeed most are not,(at least in the shikai stage). This adds credence to my comparison with the behemoth.

(Final Fantasy Leviathan below)

Then there is the Leviathan
Job 41:1, 7-8, 14-32
"1. Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
7. Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8. Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
14. Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
15. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18. By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or cauldron.
21. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
22. In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23. The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
24. His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25. When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28. The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstone are turned with him into stubble.
29. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
30. Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.
31. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32. He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary."

We see here that the Leviathan, has so much more power than the Behemoth. The Behemoth was compared to having bones of iron and brass, but to the Leviathan, it "esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood". Thus we see the power difference that could be compared to the shikai stage of a zampakuto and the bankai stage. For, with the bankai stage, the spirit changes in its own right, or at least in appearance.

(Ichigo's bankai Tensa Zangetsu, below)

(Renji's bankai Zabimaru, below)

Remember that in order to awaken the bankai stage, one must discover that the sword of the Spirit, and its power truly reside within the individual. As we study the scripture and being to feel the power of God's word, we gain an appreciation of it. Yet, if we allow the words of Christ to be written within us, become part of us, our power becomes unimaginably stronger. Thus, Ichigo's Zangetsu no longer looks like a wise old man, but has now become young, very close to Ichigo himself in age. As for Renji's Zabimaru, it has become humanoid. Both representing how the word is becoming more relatable to them. I think that it is interesting that throughout the series, beings become more powerful by becoming more human. Adds credence to the concept that we are the children of God and are made in His perfect, all powerful image.

One should note that Ichigo's inner world has changed as well (see above). Zangetsu, who lives in this world, explained that the reason for this was all of the sadness that Ichigo has felt, all his pain, came down like rain, so heavily, that it flooded the world. In a correlated transformation, the once sky reaching buildings have become the town in which Ichigo lives. The town that houses the people he loves and wants to protect.

I think it is fitting that both Ichigo's inner world, and the Leviathan's habitat have to do with the sea (Job 41:31). Water can symbolize so many things, the tears of sorrow, as well as the washing and renewal of baptism. Indeed, if combined, we see that as we are washed clean from sin in the waters of baptism, sorrow for past sins are merged therewith and swept away. Very poetic when one compares the flooding during Noah's time as the baptism of the earth. The wicked(ness) were drowned and washed away.

Indeed, even while Zangetsu was in the shikai (old man) stage, he pleaded with Ichigo not to let the rains fall in his inner world. From the very beginning, the Spirit of God uses the light of Christ in us to plead, asking us not to commit sin which cause us suffering and pain. Yet, when Zangetsu was in the bankai (young man) stage, Zangetsu made his intentions clear, that he, Zangetsu, wants all despair to depart from Ichigo. Indeed offers to remove the "source of despair" within Ichigo's heart. I think that it is amazing, that when we perform the ordinance of baptism, we make a covenant to God that we will keep His commandments, and God promises that the Holy Ghost will be with us and will help us do this very thing. The Holy Ghost will act as a refiner's fire and purify our hearts and rid us of our sin and and the despair that accompanies it.

Now, I have not as yet mentioned the bad guy in this inner world. He is what is known as an inner hollow. His name is Hichigo (Hollow Ichigo). He represents the animalistic side of Ichigo, basically the "natural man" spoken of in Mosiah 3:7 in the Book of Mormon. In that passage of scripture it states that the "natural man is an enemy of God" so is Hichigo the enemy of all things, save it be, what Hichigo himself wants. He is an embodiment of selfishness and pride.

Once Ichigo begins training to become what is known as a visored, he battles with his inner hollow. During this course of action, Ichigo learns new ways to fight, as well as eventually defeats this darkness inside. This allows him to wear a hollow mask, which is the sign of the visored. Ichigo's mask, or the mask of a visored, I will relate to the "helm of salvation" spoken of in Ephesians 6:17. I consider it as such, because it is helm of sorts and it can represent salvation. It represents salvation not in the traditional way, the use of a halo, but rather what the salvation is from. Christ offers us salvation from all that is vile, unclean, and evil. He offers us salvation from our natural man, but first we must show our efforts and do all we can to fight our inner hollow, or natural man. I say first, because we are saved through mercy, which is the redeeming and enabling power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. We use mercy when we repent, but when we are obedient, when we strive to follow Christ's example, that is when we take advantage of mercy by becoming something/someone better. That is what the visored mask represents to me.

A hollow mask, hollow being a spirit who's heart has been lost through the encroachment of his chains of fate, is a mask that represents the animalistic, monstrous "hunger" that the hollow has. A hunger that is fueled by the desire to fill the hole within that cannot be satisfied.

For hollows (not inner hollows), unlike other spirits, they cannot be saved though the konso or soul burial. Instead, when a shinigami slices a hollow, essentially killing it, then it is purified. In a way, the only salvation for a hollow is intervention by the power of the word of God. Cutting through and purifying the spirit.

There are also ranks or progression of hollows. If we were to temporarily compare them to demonic spirits, rather than the "familiar spirits" (1 Samuel 28:7-6) that they more likely represent, we find that Luke 11:26, which is part of Christ explaining a phenomenon, sheds light on their progression. A woman has a possessing spirit, probably a demon, expelled from her body. That demon then goes forth, wandering from place to place, and finds seven demons "more wicked than himself". He then returns with these demons and makes the woman's life worse than before. I do not think that Christ would say anything that could be untrue, even for a teaching purpose. Therefore, there are ranks of evil spirits, or demons. Satan does have an hierarchy to go with his priesthoods.

Just up from hollow is the gillian or minos grande (lesser great hollow). This creature is created from a hollow that is so hungry that it develops a taste, not only of normal spirits, but of other hollows as well. After eating enough other hollows, it transforms into a gillian. Most gillian are uniform. They loose their sense of self to the will of hunger.

On some occasions, a gillian will manage to keep its wicked will and sense of self, and use it to eat other gillians. This causes it to become an adjuchas (intermediate great hollow). These are beast like, reflecting their former hollow selves, but are much stronger.

If an adjuchas manages to stay alive long enough, devouring other hollows, it can eventually become a vasto lorde (highest great hollow). As I pointed out earlier, the stronger a being becomes, the more human it's appearance is. So it is with the vasto lorde.

Now is time to make a comparison. During Ichigo's visored training, while fighting his inner hollow Hichigo, Ichigo's body or spirit body would become hollowfied. He would become a raging hollow. First, we can see that the spirit and the mind or inner world, are not the same thing.

Later, when Ichigo is fighting an arrancar named Ulquiorra (I will talk about arrancar in a different post), Ichigo, seeming to be defeated, and again transforms into a hollow, only this time... different.

This time, his hollow has the appearance of a vasto lorde. This is also near the period that he will battle Aizen for the first time. It is here that I would like to make the point, that the more righteous we become, the more the powers of darkness combine against us. Also, the more righteous we become, the harder we fall if we become unrighteous. It is because we would be sinning against the greater light (Doctrine and Covenants 82:3). If Ichigo were to fall, now, forever, he would become a vasto lorde, the most wicked and powerful beast in hueco mundo (the hollow world, which I will also talk more about in another post). A great example of this is the Book of Mormon itself. The Nephites, who are supposed to be the more righteous people, go through the "pride cycle" so many times, that eventually they are left more wicked than their counterparts the Lamanites (Moroni 9:8-10). When the righteous fall, they become as equally wicked as they were righteous. It is also important to note that Ichigo is still using his bankai. Even Hollowfied, Ichigo is still using the word of God. That is because even the Devil uses scripture when it suits his needs, like when he was trying to tempt Christ in Matthew 4. Indeed, often when someone leaves the church, they use the scriptures to try to back up and produce anti material. Yet, for Ichigo, he did not fall, at least for good and managed to return to normal. There is always that chance for repentance, if we use it.

Sadly, I could not find a proper visual for my next point, but during Ichigo's training to be a visored, it was revealed that Hichigo and Zangetsu are part of one whole, Ichigo himself. Indeed, Hichigo and Zangetsu cannot exist in the inner world simultaneously, at least at this time. When we are beginning to become better, using the gospel of Jesus Christ and the scriptures, we have to cast aside our natural man and listen to the Spirit of God. You cannot listen to both the Spirit and the natural man. Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters..." and this is a prime example of that.

Now, to connect the two halves or yin and yang (good and evil), when Tensa Zangetsu offers to remove the "source of despair" from Ichigo, Zangetsu digs his hand into Ichigo's chest and rips out Hichigo. It is at this time that Hichigo manifests himself separate from Zangetsu.

Now is the time for a battle. Ichigo, being advised by his father to do so, is seeking knowledge from Zangetsu. The knowledge of the Saigo no Getsuga Tenshou (final heaven piercing lunar fang). Getsuga (lunar fang) is the first power that manifested when Ichigo awakened his shikai form. Getsuga Tenshou (heaven piercing lunar fang) is the power of Ichigo's bankai. I think that these names are significant, because, the sword being the word of God, means that the word is at first sharp, reaching for the moon or terrestrial glory, trying to break past this fallen telestial world, then "heaven piercing" trying to reach even higher, and then, finally, a final piercing reach into heaven, the celestial glory. Thus, what Ichigo is truly seeking here is exaltation in the Celestial kingdom of God.

Here, Hichigo and Tensa Zangetsu merge again and fight Ichigo. Indeed the toughest battle Ichigo has ever fought, and ultimately looses. This merging is different and necessary. 2 Nephi 2:27 says, "For there must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.... righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, nor holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore all things must needs be a compound in one..." When we are resurrected, we will still have bodies, with the same appetites, that same opposition. Only, we will have dominion over it. Doctrine and Covenants 93:33 "...spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fullness of joy;" That is why the resurrection is so joyous. Also, the Old Testament or Law of Moses focused on the letter of the law, what we have to do. The New Testament or spirit of the law focused on what we can do. I declare that when it comes to God's commandments, obeying the spirit of the law or the letter of the law will never bring complete fulfillment of the commandment. Only if we combine the two and live the spirit and the letter of the law, can we completely keep the commandment. Indeed, the spirit and the letter inseparably connected produce a fullness of joy.

It was with these that Ichigo fought with or wrestled with, comparing this experience to Jacob's "wrestling" with the Lord (Genesis 32:24-26). Here, Jacob wrestled seeking a blessing, just as Ichigo is wrestling for exaltation. Ultimately, Ichigo lost the battle in a way that allows him to win. This complete Zangetsu plunged his blade into Ichigo's chest, piercing his heart. We have to let God's will be done. We have to "accept His blade" into our hearts, completely, wholely, and let it change us for the better. The law of sacrifice is still valid today, but Christ does not ask us to offer up live stock. 3 Nephi 9:19-20 state this clearly. Christ, who has appeared to the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, speaks His will.
"And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood.... And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit..." Christ asks for us to willingly offer up our very hearts unto him, hearts that have been broken, through suffering and compassion.

I do not believe that we will have a heart broken enough to be an acceptable offering until we are kneeling before the judgment bar of God. When we are taken from this life, and come to a remembrance of all our sins, when our lives have been fully spent doing the will of the Father even though imperfectly, that is when Christ who sits upon the mercy seat will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21) That is when we will receive the the robes of glory that are prepared for the saints (Revelations 6:11).

This does not mean that we cannot offer up our hearts to Christ, broken or not. It just means, in my opinion, that it will not be a complete sacrifice until the time of judgement.

Now, that Ichigo has given his whole heart, and received glory, we find that there are some differences.

 The first, and most distinguishable is that the chain that hung from Ichigo's bankai is now wrapped around his arm, and has formed a gauntlet on his right hand. Literally, the sword, meaning the word of God or the Spirit of God, has become one with Ichigo. He truly wields the sword of justice in his right hand (3 Nephi 29:4). The purpose of this blade is to strike down the wicked.

Ichigo goes into a final battle with Aizen. Aizen, who has gained so much power through wickedness that even the shinigami can no longer recognize his reiatsu or spirit pressure. Like trying to feel the rain when you are already under water. When Ichigo finally comes forth, Aizen is surprised, for not even he can feel Ichigo's reiatsu. He falsely surmises that somehow Ichigo found a way to remove his reiatsu in exchange for his new speed and strength, which Ichigo uses to grab Aizen's face and slam him into some mountains far out of town.

Then, during the battle, we find that mountains are being sliced clean through. Again Aizen incorrectly assumes that it is his power doing so.

Finally Ichigo uses the Saigo no Getsuga Tenshou to slice Aizen in half.

I would like to point out something here. Though I have compared Ichigo's power with glory, clearly this is not the tradition white light glory. However, we can easily compare it to the shadow and smoke that filled the temple in old testament times (Isaiah 6:3-4).

Also, Aizen was not slain nor killed. Instead the source of his power, which I will talk about in a later post, kept him alive. Yet this attack made it so that Aizen could be bound. There is a clear correlation here of Ichigo being a representation of Christ, and Aizen being a representation of Satan, and how, at the resurrection and the beginning of the millennium Satan will be bound and have no power (Revelations 20:2). That is not to say that Satan will physically be bound, but that he will have no power to tempt the hearts of God's children because they will choose righteousness. Going back and thinking of Ichigo as simply a resurrected being, imagine, an army of the saints of God all holding such power. Power that even with all of Satan's conniving and deceit, he cannot even fathom let alone compete with. Alma 48:17 says, "...if all men had been, and were, and ever will be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would be shaken forever; yea, the devil will never have power over the hearts of the children of men." All these soldiers of God standing as watch guards and sentinels here on earth being like unto Moroni. No wonder Satan would have no power. No wonder he would shrink from the very sight of the children of God and bury himself in the depths of darkness.

It is at this point, however, that one could make a mistake and learn false doctrine. In the series, because of this attack, Ichigo looses his powers, and becomes human, even less than he was before for he can no longer see spirits. Despite this loss, he works hard and finds a way to gain back most of his power. This is a cycle that most would consider reincarnation. Going through the plan all over again, just in a new life, and in a new way. I have posted about reincarnation as a false doctrine here: http://jacobugothbeliefs.blogspot.com/2015/10/reincarnation.html

Turning aside from that false doctrine, we can still appreciate the opportunity this gave for us to learn other quite amazing doctrinal precepts that were not covered earlier in the series. I will refer to those in a later post. I must admit, I can fully see why most people stopped watching the series after Aizen was defeated. The great and strongest adversary vanquished. Yet, I hope, that with my next few posts about Bleach, you will be able to appreciate the rest of the anime series as well. Again, special thanks to bleach.wikia.com for their information. Feel free to leave any comments.

Love,
Jacobugoth

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