Chapter 20: I believe!

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” At least, that’s what Simon Sinek says. So I’ve decided to put my ‘why’ in a form of belief statements.

I believe the family is forever. I believe that really great music should be shared. I believe that Doctor Who is one of the greatest shows ever written. I believe that ‘book-smarts’ are equally important as ‘street-smarts’. I believe that, if not handled properly, religion and politics can spark contentious debates.

So, now I want to talk in more detail about one of these belief statements. I believe that really great music should be shared. I love the way harmonies and melodies work together to create something beautiful. Some music has the power to make me smile just by hearing it. Other music sounds fun. On the flip side, there is also music that is so horrible it barely counts as music. However, in keeping with the law of opposition, we must know bad music if we are to recognize the good stuff.

In the end, music is awesome!

Chapter 19: Digital Identity

So, the digital world is all around us. We have role playing games, we have business profiles, such as Linkedin. Most of all we have social networks, such as Facebook, or Twitter, or Instagram.

Have you ever thought about your digital profile? Your online presence? I have (recently), by watching some youtube videos and reading some articles. One of the articles I read stated that some employers are required to do online research about an applicant before he or she is hired. In that same article it talked about employers requiring employees/applicants to supply usernames and passwords to their social network sites. It talked about how this would allow the bosses to access information about you that you would rather keep private. It was also mentioned how this action of requiring passwords could influence the company in their hiring/firing decisions.

For employers to require usernames and passwords is, in my opinion, unethical. If a potential employer wants me to give them my username and password, I don't want to work for them. I do not feel comfortable giving them the power to change anything about my profile, or about them having access to personal information about my family.

The other article I read dealt extensively with Locke's Memory Theory. This theory states (in part) that if you have a memory of something, then you must have experienced it. According to the theory, the converse is also true: if you can't remember something, then you must not have experienced it.
I disagree. Memory fades for various reasons. We choose to forget. We grow older. Who among us remembers being a 1-year-old? Yet, obviously we were at some point or we would not be here now. Just because we can't remember a thing doesn't mean that we never experienced it. Another example would be dreams. Many is the time that I wake up, knowing that I dreamt, but retaining no memory of the details of said dream. The fact that I have no memory of the dream doesn't mean I didn't have it.

So, what does all this have to do with Digital Identity? How does this affect me and my online profile? I think that everybody can take steps to protect themselves. Personally, I plan on doing a little experiment. Let's call it 'unplugging'. this experiment will consist of 'unplugging' myself from technology (as far as possible. I am a college student in a digital age, after all. I still need to do homework) for a week or so and see how well I can live without it. Wish me luck!

Chapter 18: Following a Prophet

So, no one has actually asked me yet if I support gay marriage (no, I don't, for reasons I will explain in this chapter) but I am sure at some point they will. So this chapter is me trying to organize my thoughts and feelings on this and other pertinent matters.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I firmly believe that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God" and that "God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World, emphasis added). This is from a Proclamation read by a prophet of God in 1995. I would like to point out that back then, the issue of gay marriage wasn't nearly as prominent as it is now. To me, that shows that God does indeed know what will happen and when, and He warns us, His children, through His prophets.

I believe that when God speaks on an issue, it shouldn't be necessary for Him to speak again. Sometimes, He will clarify an issue, and sometimes, because His children don't do what He asks, it becomes necessary for Him to repeat it. I mention this because after Christ was lifted up into heaven, the apostles spoke on this matter. In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul says this: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." (Romans 1:26-27). In our day, this message has been repeated by prophets and apostles. In October, 2013, Elder Dallin H. Oaks ( of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a group of ranking leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) said, "Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to civil authority and “in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. Commitment to our highest priority—to love and serve God—requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior. For example, we remain under divine command not to commit adultery or fornication even when those acts are no longer crimes under the laws of the states or countries where we reside. Similarly, laws legalizing so-called “same-sex marriage” do not change God’s law of marriage or His commandments and our standards concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments." (No Other Gods, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2013 Ensign, emphasis added).

In its monthly magazine, the Ensign, the Church has published an article that is entitled The Lord's Standard of Morality. I encourage you to go and read it, because the points from it that I wish to make are too long to include in this post.

To continue with my reasoning, I will be using scriptures from the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, all of which are accepted by me as the word of God, and by the Church as its official canon (Note: the official scriptural canon of the Church also includes the Pearl of Great Price, but I won't be quoting that in this chapter).

I testify that God calls prophets today to teach us His word and His will. In the Bible, an Old Testament prophet tells us "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).  That is why I choose to follow the prophets, because I know that they will never lead me astray. In fact, they will lead me (and all of us) back to God.

I return for a moment to  Elder Oaks' comments above. I would add to that this scripture from the Doctrine and Covenants: "Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land" (Doc. & Cov. 58:21 emphasis added). I remind the reader that God's law is a higher law than man's law, and is a more sure way of receiving blessings from heaven.

All of this can be summed up in one phrase: the law of chastity. As I have explained, the principle of chastity is not a new one but it does come with blessings. But blessings only come by obedience: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—  And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (Doc. & Cov. 130:21). I want to have the blessings from following the law of chastity, which is why I choose to obey the prophets.

You may be thinking that  I have strayed from my original purpose but I have not. Let me sum up (and add a quote to) what I have already said. God has decreed that marriage is between a man and a woman. Anything else, such as gay marriage, is contrary to God's commandment. I have also stated (indirectly) that happiness comes from being obedient to God. For those of you who doubt this fact, "I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it" (Mosiah 2:41).

I realize that this post may be somewhat controversial and I may get a lot of negative comments about it, but I feel better about making my stance clear and supporting the Lord. To dispel the negativity slightly, I conclude with this final quote from the Bible, which you can apply equally to me: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

Chapter 17: Christmas Spirit

President Thomas S. Monson said, "To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ." One of my favorite Christmas stories illustrates this point extremely well. Maybe you've heard/read it. Maybe you haven't. If you have, it doesn't hurt to read it again. If you have not, please enjoy The Symbols of Christmas.

Symbols of Christmas

Late one Christmas Eve I sank into my easy chair. Admiring the tree with its decorations, I couldn't help but feel that something was missing... The kids were in bed, the gifts were all wrapped, the milk and cookies were in their place for Santa. It wasn't long before the tiny twinkling tree lights lulled me into a deep sleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but all of a sudden I opened my eyes and there stood Santa Claus himself next to my Christmas tree.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot just as the poem described him. But he was not the "jolly old elf" of Christmas legend. The man who stood before me looked sad and disappointed with tears in his eyes.

I had to ask, "Santa, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" "It's the children," Santa replied sadly. "But the children love you," I said. "Oh, I know they love me and the gifts I bring them," Santa said. "But the children of today seem to have somehow missed out on the true spirit of Christmas. It's not their fault. It's just that the adults, many of them not having been taught themselves, have forgotten to teach the children."

"Teach them what?" I asked. Santa's kind old face became soft, more gentle. His eyes began to shine with something more than tears. He spoke softly. "Teach the children the true meaning of Christmas. Teach them that the part of Christmas we can see, hear and touch is much more than meets the eye. Teach them the symbolism behind the customs and traditions of Christmas we now observe. Teach them what it is they truly represent."

Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a tiny Christmas tree and set it on the fireplace mantle.

"Teach them about the Christmas tree. Green is the second color of Christmas. The stately evergreen with its unchanging color represents the hope of eternal life in Jesus. Its needles point heavenward as a reminder that man's thoughts should turn heavenward as well."

Santa reached into his bag again and pulled out a shiny star and placed it at the top of the small tree. "The star was the heavenly sign of promise. God promised a Savior for the world and the star was the sign of the fulfillment of that promise of the night that Jesus Christ was born. Teach the children that God always fulfills His promises and that the wise will still seek Him."

 "Red," said Santa, "is the first color of Christmas." He pulled forth a red ornament for the tiny tree. "Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the color of the life giving blood that flows through our veins. It is the symbol of God's greatest gift. Teach the children that Christ gave His life and shed his blood for them that they might have eternal life. When they see the color red it should remind them of that most wonderful gift."

Santa found a bell in his pack and placed it on the tree. "Just as lost sheep are guided to safety by the sound of the bell, it continues to ring today for all to be guided to the fold. Teach the children to follow the true Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep."

 Santa placed a candle on the mantle and lit it. The soft glow from its one tiny flame brightened the room.

"The glow of the candle represents how man can show his thanks for the gift of God's Son that Christmas Eve long ago. Teach the children to follow in Christ's footsteps... to go about doing good. Teach them to let their lights shine before men that all may see it and glorify God. This is what is symbolized when the twinkling lights shine on the tree like hundreds of bright, shining candles, each of them representing one of God's precious children, their light shining for all to see."

Again, Santa reached into his bag and this time he brought forth a tiny red and white striped candy cane. As he hung it on the tree, he spoke softly, "The candy cane is a stick of hard, white candy. White to symbolize the virgin birth and sinless nature of Jesus. The shape 'J' to represent the precious name of Jesus who came to earth as our Savior. It also represents the crook of the Good Shepherd which he uses to reach down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like sheep, have gone astray. The original candy cane had three small red stripes which are the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed, and a large red stripe that represents the shed blood of Jesus so that we can have eternal life. Teach these things to the children."

Santa brought out a beautiful wreath made of fresh fragrant greenery and tied with a bright red bow. "The bow reminds us of the bond of perfection which is love. The wreath embodies all the good things about Christmas for those with eyes to see and hearts to understand. It contains the colors of red and green and the heaven turned needles of the evergreen. The bow tells the story of good will towards all and its color reminds us of Christ's sacrifice. Even the wreath's very shape is symbolic, representing eternity and the eternal nature of Christ's love. It is a circle without beginning and without end.

These are the things you must teach the children."

"But where does that leave you Santa?" I asked. The tears gone now from his eyes, a smile broke over Santa's face. "Why, bless you, my dear," he laughed. "I, too, am only a symbol. I represent the spirit of family fun and the joy of giving and receiving.

If the children are taught these other things, there is no danger that I'll ever be forgotten."

"I think I'm beginning to understand at last," I replied. That's why I came," said Santa. "You're an adult. If you don't teach the children these things, then who will?"

-Author unknown-

In this season of commercialization of Christmas, let us teach our children (and adults) to remember the Spirit of Christ. I testify that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. I know He lives and I know His gospel is true.

Chapter 16: Good vs. Evil

While watching a TV show recently, and remembering a comment that a friend made a while ago, I have come to the conclusion that whenever there is a fight between good and evil, it is never a one-on-one fight.
Good never fights alone, and Evil never has friends. Let me also say that I am arguing with the assumption that Good has multiple primary heroes, whereas Evil generally has only one primary villain.

If you think about it, you realize I am right. Let me elaborate with examples from a few classic books. Harry Potter had his friends Hermione and Ron and Hagrid (to name a few). Sure, Voldemort had his Death Eaters, but were they really his friends? They were more like his slaves. Also, think back to the last book, where Harry and Voldemort were duking it out and Voldemort "kills" Harry and they end up in what Harry describes as the train station. Harry had Dumbledore (who for the sake of argument I will say represented all of Harry's friends), but Voldemort was alone.

Next example: Chronicles of Narnia. In the first book, the White Witch kills Aslan. Lucy and Susan were nearby. However, when Aslan returns the favor, she dies alone.

Next: Lord of the Rings. The primary heroes are the Nine Walkers, and the primary villain is Sauron. You can argue that Saruman was a primary villain, and I will (somewhat) allow it, because they were in different parts of the world with different purposes.

Now I come to the comment that a friend made to me once. This friend had made the observation that in every book/movie is...I believe the word I am searching for is archetypical... of Jesus Christ, in that everybody needs a Savior, or in other words, someone (a hero) to do what nobody else can.

To elaborate this point, I return to the previous examples. Harry Potter was "the Chosen One". Frodo was the Ringbearer. Aslan died to save a traitor. All of these characters did something that nobody else could do.

I conclude this chapter by saying that there may be flaws and gaping holes in this theory of mine, but I don't really care. It is nothing more than the interesting ramblings of an interesting mind.

Chapter 15: Movie Music

This chapter may be shorter than some of the others, but that's okay. It makes for easier reading.

I am of the correct opinion that music can make or break a movie. If you think about all the movies you've seen, you will agree that I am right.

Some time ago, my wife and I watched a horrible movie. This movie was called Chronicle. It had no plot, very little special effects, no credits, and absolutely no music whatsoever. Basically, it looked as if a couple of kids had picked up a camera and started filming with no idea what they were doing. Now, maybe if they had had some music it might have been better (although I rather doubt it). The point is they had no music and so "broke" the movie and ruined it for us.

On the other hand, you have the movies that everybody loves: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, and so forth. Why does everybody love these movies? Because the music made them exciting. Every time something exciting, creepy, eerie, or sentimental happens in a movie, the music is there to back it up and intensify the emotion.

So to summarize, I repeat what I proclaimed at the beginning of this chapter. Music can make or break a movie.

Chapter 14: Idiomatic expressions from a Veggie's point of view

Some of you may be wondering about the title of this chapter. At the end of this chapter, the title will become clear (I hope).

Anyways, some of the idioms that we use in American English can sound somewhat ridiculous if you think about them. I will include a list of some idiomatic expressions, along with my thoughts on some (not all) of them.

First is the phrase "up a creek without a paddle". Personally, I would rather be up a creek than down it because downstream, or down the creek if you will, is where all the waterfalls are. But if you are up a creek, you still have time to get to shore before arriving at said waterfalls.

Next, the term 'pet peeve'. You can have pet dogs, cats, rats or any other animal. You can even have pet rocks! So now imagine the absurdity of having a pet peeve. Can you put a leash on it and take it for a walk? What does it eat/drink?

I follow that with the phrase "drive me up the wall" or "drive me crazy". They mean the same thing, they are just different ways of saying it. If something (or someone) is driving you crazy, I just say one thing: Take away its license. If that doesn't work, take away the keys. Then you must question when and how did this person or object learn to drive?

Next on the list is 'shoot the breeze'. This presents to me a rather comical mental picture of a redneck hillbilly (stereotypical of course) with a shotgun aimed at the wind that's gusting through his yard. Need I say more?

Some other expressions are "head over heels" and 'train of thought', along with a classic "human race". "Head over heels" makes me think of a loaf of bread, and the thought of bread that has a head is just creepy. I know that you can make bread into shapes including heads, but that's different.

Switching gears now (which by the way is another idiomatic expression that sounds ridiculous). My wife showed me a video of  what I will call a rant about vegetables. This made me think of a song I heard years ago that goes along the same lines. So I included it in a video playlist, and then added one more video that goes with the phrase "train of thought". So hopefully you now understand the title of this chapter...