Dan Brooks's Blog, page 9

The Homeless And Outcast

Shane Claiborne is an evangelical speaker and author who as far as I can tell was the first to ask "How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?"
I personally don't understand the disdain many have, in Utah especially, for homeless people. The assumptions are many however. Assumptions like "They're all druggies and alcoholics." Or other assumptions like "They're all too lazy to work." 
The facts do not support these assumptions because most homeless are mentally ill and a huge percentage are veterans. 

"According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. In comparison, only 6% of Americans are severely mentally ill (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). In a 2008 survey performed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 25 cities were asked for the three largest causes of homelessness in their communities. Mental illness was the third largest cause of homelessness for single adults (mentioned by 48% of cities). For homeless families, mental illness was mentioned by 12% of cities as one of the top 3 causes of homelessness.

RELATIONSHIP TO HOMELESSNESS

Serious mental illnesses disrupt people’s ability to carry out essential aspects of daily life, such as self care and household management. Mental illnesses may also prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause people to misinterpret others’ guidance and react irrationally. This often results in pushing away caregivers, family, and friends who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless. As a result of these factors and the stresses of living with a mental disorder, people with mentally illnesses are much more likely to become homeless than the general population (Library Index, 2009). A study of people with serious mental illnesses seen by California’s public mental health system found that 15% were homeless at least once in a one-year period (Folsom et al., 2005). Patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are particularly vulnerable.

Poor mental health may also affect physical health, especially for people who are homeless. Mental illness may cause people to neglect taking the necessary precautions against disease. When combined with inadequate hygiene due to homelessness, this may lead to physical problems such as respiratory infections, skin diseases, or exposure to tuberculosis or HIV. In addition, half of the mentally ill homeless population in the United States also suffers from substance abuse and dependence (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Minorities, especially African Americans, are over-represented in this group. Some mentally ill people self-medicate using street drugs, which can lead not only to addictions, but also to disease transmission from injection drug use. This combination of mental illness, substance abuse, and poor physical health makes it very difficult for people to obtain employment and residential stability." From national homeless.org

Plus how can we accurately judge those whose names, much less stories, we do not know? We are commanded by Christ to love one another as He loves us and by that all will know we are His disciples. You can judge or you can love but you can't do both.

Perfect judgment only comes from perfect knowledge and only Christ has perfect knowledge which is why only Christ is fit to judge.

the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." D&C 64:10

Many have had bad experiences with being taken for a ride by homeless people but to blame all homeless people for the sins of a few would be like me saying I've had bad experiences with women so all women must be bad. Blanket statements don't work.

They don't work because there are good people and bad people, the flaw is in thinking that all people are one or the other.

And why so many condemn the homeless, the poor and the powerless in our society makes no sense to me because Jesus focused His ministry on those very people. So how can we act in His stead if we are so displeased with the very people He ministered to?

Here is a parable about the rich who can easily help those in need and those in need who suffer preventable ailments.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Luke 16:19-31

The beggar is known by name but the rich man is not. That says a lot. The last shall be the first and the first shall be last.

I went to a comedy night not long ago and one comic compared panhandling, or begging, to rape and a friend I told later agreed with that comic.

That comparison is revolting to me.

I won't go as far as Jesus goes in saying that we should sell all we have and give it to the poor but a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate in the dead of winter goes along way. I'm often approached at the drive through and in that case I rarely have money to give but I will happily buy food for those I meet. 

But contrary to how many Utahns feel about the homeless the Utah state government has reduced homelessness by a staggering degree.

From nationofchange.org 

"This trend makes Utah’s accomplishment even more noteworthy. In eight years, Utah has quietly reduced homelessness by 78 percent, and is on track to end homelessness by 2015.

How did Utah accomplish this? Simple. Utah solved homelessness by giving people homes. In 2005, Utah figured out that the annual cost of E.R. visits and jail stays for homeless people was about $16,670 per person, compared to $11,000 to provide each homeless person with an apartment and a social worker. So, the state began giving away apartments, with no strings attached. Each participant in Utah’s Housing First program also gets a caseworker to help them become self-sufficient, but they keep the apartment even if they fail. The program has been so successful that other states are hoping to achieve similar results with programs modeled on Utah’s."

It came down to simple economics, it was cheaper to take care of the homeless than to abandon them.

Volunteering at soup kitchens daily may not be nessecary but it's better than comparing panhandling to rape. In the Lazarus and the rich man parable the homeless beggar goes to Heaven while to rich man goes to Hell. That gives us a good idea of how we should treat one another. 

The lesson I gather is that we, each of us, are our brothers and sisters keeper.

Gandhi On Jesus

Gandhi said the following about Christ:

"Although I have devoted a large part of my life to the study of religion and to discussion with religious leaders of all faiths, I know very well that I cannot but seem presumptuous in writing about Jesus Christ and trying to explain what he means to me. I do so only because my Christian friends have told me, on more than a few occasions, that for the very reason I am not a Christian and that (I shall quote their words exactly) “I do not accept Christ in the bottom of my heart as the only Son of God,” it is impossible for me to understand the profound significance of his teachings, or to know and interpret the greatest source of spiritual strength that man has ever known.

Although this may or may not be true in my case, I have reasons to believe that it is an erroneous point of view. I believe that such an estimate is incompatible with the message that Jesus Christ gave to the world. For, he was certainly the highest example of one who wished to give everything, asking nothing in return, and not caring what creed might happen to be professed by the recipient. I am sure that if he were living here now among men, he would bless the lives of many who perhaps have never even heard his name, if only their lives embodied the virtues of which he was a living example on earth; the virtues of loving one’s neighbour as oneself and of doing good and charitable works among one’s fellowmen.

What, then, does Jesus mean to me? To me, he was one of the greatest teachers humanity has ever had. To his believers, he was God’s only begotten Son.* Could the fact that I do or do not accept this belief make Jesus have any more or less influence in my life? Is all the grandeur of his teaching and of his doctrine to be forbidden to me? I cannot believe so.

To me, it implies a spiritual birth. My interpretation, in other words, is that in Jesus’ own life is the key of his nearness to God; that he expressed, as no other could, the spirit and will of God. It is in this sense that I see him and recognize him as the Son of God.

The Spirit of Jesus

But I do believe that something of this spirit that Jesus exemplified in the highest measure, in its most profound human sense, does exist. I must believe this; if I did not believe it, I should be a sceptic; and to be a sceptic is to live a life that is empty and lacks moral content. Or, what is the same thing, to condemn the entire human race to a negative end.

It is true that there certainly is reason for scepticism when one observes the bloody butchery that European aggressors have unloosed, and when one thinks about the misery and suffering prevalent in every corner of the world, as well as the pestilence and famine that always follow, terribly and inevitably, upon war.

In the face of this, how can one speak seriously of the Divine Spirit incarnate in man? Because these acts of terror and murder offend the conscience of man; because man knows that they represent evil; because in the inner depths of his heart and of his mind, he deplores them. And because, moreover, when he does not go astray, misled by false teachings or corrupted by false leaders, man has within his breast an impulse for good and a compassion that is the spark of Divinity, and which some day, I believe, will burst forth into the full flower that is the hope of all mankind.

Jesus’ Example

An example of this flowering may be found in the figure and in the life of Jesus. I refuse to believe that there now exists or has ever existed a person that has not made use of his example to lessen his sins, even though he may have done so without realizing it. The lives of all have, in some greater or lesser degree, been changed by his presence, his actions, and the words spoken by his divine voice.

I believe that it is impossible to estimate the merits of the various religions of the world, and, moreover, I believe that it is unnecessary and harmful even to attempt it. But each one of them, in my judgment, embodies a common motivating force: the desire to uplift man’s life and give it purpose.

And because the life of Jesus has the significance and the transcendency to which I have alluded, I believe that he belongs not solely to Christianity, but to the entire world; to all races and people, it matters little under what flag, name or doctrine they may work, profess a faith, or worship a God inherited from their ancestors."

— The Modern Review, October 1941, republished on mahatma.org.in/

The word begotten, has for Gandhi, a significance that is more profound and possibly nobler than its simple literal meaning. It's like believing that Salvation can be lived out on Earth as it is in Heaven.

But I believe belief that both those things can be literal and metaphorical and even instructive at the same time.

Gandhi's take on Christ shows us that one can be Hindu, Buddhist, a Janist,(an eastern post-Vedic/universalist faith) or  any other faith and still understand and believe in Christ's example and teachings. Gandhi shows much understanding of the teachings of Christ and the example of His life and ministry.

That understanding can still change lives even if they aren't always taken literally. And more importantly the teachings of Christ can save lives. Literal belief I feel sometimes misses the metaphorical or analogous point in scripture.

Gandi's take on Jesus lead him to be one of the greatest forces for all things good and peaceful. 

What if living Christ's teachings, even if one does not have literal belief, is what allows us to be truly saved? What if simply living the teachings brings about salvation for us and those around us? What if salvation eminates from within us out around us like ripples from a thrown stone in a pond? Is that how we can build up the Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in Heaven?

Is it possible to be saved without literal belief? Is literal belief more important than living by the teachings? Is living by the teachings the path to salvation?

If people like Gandhi cannot make it in to Heaven I'm not sure I'd fair any better. 

Spiritual Training Wheels

Many view the 613 commandments of Mosaic law as eternal laws. But Jesus said that there were two that all the law and prophets hang on, the foundation on which all others were based on.
They are to love God and to love all of His children. And the one addition from Jesus was that we love others as He loves us and in so doing prove that we are His disciples.
Which is why Christendom feels that we are living under a new covenant. They feel that Mosaic law is obsolete because having the love of Christ, that is the new principle we ought to govern ourselves by and in so doing we will live as Christ did, we will find salvation on Earth not only in Heaven.
I tend to think of the commandments as the spiritual training wheels that will teach us how to be Christlike and once we've learned the basic we can be free of them and ride free doing things we could never do under their restraints.
The goal of the teachings of Christ is to be like Him but not merely in terms of outward signs but internally because the Kingdom of God is within us. To be free of the restraint of Mosaic law means we have to see one another as Christ did. 
He saw a woman hurting and lost and did not condemn her or cast the first stone, He forgave her and simply said go and sin no more. He viewed her as a daughter of God as opposed to the adulteress those with stones in their hands saw.
A Hindu holy man named Yogananda coined the term Christconsciousness in the very early days of the 20th century.
The idea is to mold or open up our consciousness to think like Christ, to treat others as Christ did, to see the face of God in His children as Christ did. That is how we can become like Christ.
And once we achieve that end we will find salvation in this life not only in the next. For ourselves and for others.
Death will not magically change our personalities and bad habits. The key to salvation lies in Christconsciousness in this life that will open the door to salvation in the next life.

Love The Sinner

The Gospel, I think, is intended to open hearts. It teaches us to open our hearts. Yet so many of the faithful, inside and outside of our church, have very closed minds.
It feels strange to me to see some use the Gospel to narrow their views and close their minds, and also it seems, their hearts.
The reason I find closed minds and closed hearts as so detrimental to relationships of every kind is because it prevents people from being accepted as they are instead of how they "should" be.
Acceptance is the first step to understanding and ultimately loving our neighbors and even our enemies.
We cannot love who we cannot accept. We can't love only the love able aspects of others, we must love them completely.
Many people will say they can love the sinner but hate the sin. But this is often used as an excuse to judge while "loving" the sinner. Which is why this cliche often goes wrong and is just another damaging method to judge a sinner.
It is impossible, I feel, to stand in judgment of someone yet "love" them at the same time. I think you can do one or the other but not both.
That and according to the scriptures we are all sinners. We still owe it to the God we worship to love all His children. Every last one, regardless of them simply sinning differently than we do.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
If we are to judge every sin, if we are to judge every sinner we will never mete out justice because judgment is Christs' alone. Our job is to love one another as Christ loves each of us.
What makes this easier for me is sending how much God loves everyone I know, every single person I meet. Seeing others as Christ does, with understanding, with compassion and with love.
Gandhi once said if you can't see God in the next person you meet you can forget about finding Him anywhere else.
We can't move on from hurt and pain until we accept our sutuation as it is rather than as it should be. Acceptance allows us to move forward with our lives.
Acceptance is also the means by which we begin to love others as Christ loved us. 
The scriptures tell us to judge not and we will not be judged but if we do judge others we will be judged by that same standard by God. The scriptures teach that if we want mercy, we must be merciful. If we want forgiveness we must be forgiving.
But since we are all sinners, to hate every sin would be exhausting. And hate is too great a burden to bear because it wears us down, it burns us from the inside out. It overwhelms us and causes us to do and say hateful things.
Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
You can murder a hater, you can murder a killer but you can't murder hate or murder.
Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. With hate you will never win over anyone but with love there is a chance albeit a small chance.
Sometimes it is better to lose in love than to win with hate.

Are We A Cult?

As Mormons we are often, even now, accused of being a cult. But what does that even mean? Here's the Merriam-Websters definition of the word:

: a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous

: a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much or too much

: a small group of very devoted supporters or fans

Full Definition1:formal religious veneration :worship2:a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also  :its body of adherents
Typically cults venerate and worship their leaders and the way in which some LDS members praise the Apostles and Prophets seems to blur the line between a religion and a cult.But I see the use of the term cult aimed at LDS members as being rather vague and ambiguous. Because to an atheist all religious practices and beliefs are strange and cultish.So how can we properly differentiate between groups like the Heavens Gate Cult or the Jonesboro group and us?By the definition I don't believe we can. I think we need to redefine an incredibly vague word. Because as I see it we aren't accused of being a cult for any other reason than to slander, smear and marginalized us.But we can never win the hearts and minds of everyone. Some will marginalized us regardless of what we say or do.Jesus spoke about preaching to those who will smear and twist whatever light and knowledge you wish to share:"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Matthew 7:6And Jesus told us we are to love our enemies and pray for those who curse us.He also had something to say about being persecuted for our faith.

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:11-13

One could argue that if we focused more on what Christ taught than on manual after manual after magazine article after news article on what modern prophets have taught that we would be without the accusations of being a cult.

But this I think is untrue. Joseph Smith preached almost exclusively using the Bible and was still persecuted for what differences there were in His interpretation of scripture. So I feel based on that as well as my own experience that if we are to ever be accepted by Christendom as a whole then we must be upfront about our differences but especially the similarities.

The Pope invited Henry B. Eyring as an LDS representative for an interfaith summit at the Vatican. The Pope's awesomeness aside, he sees that we follow Christ as best we can and as best as we understand His message. Which is all that can be asked of anyone regardless of which church they go to.

In time others may see that as well.But that will be on them, not us. 

All we can do is to love others as we are loved by Christ and remember that Christ loves our enemies as much as He loves us and our loved ones.

One bit of scripture that has been used to defame the LDS church and all other restoration groups is found in Matthew 7.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:15-23

Jesus is saying that His true disciples will be known by their fruits or in other words their works and words. The founding principle of Jesus' teachings is love of God and all His children. If we love one another as Jesus loves us we are fufilling His message.

My point is not the every Mormon or Community of Christ or any other restoration church is a disciple of Christ; my point is that any one of us can be if we show our love of God by loving His children and taking care of His creation.

Thinking that going to the "right" church is what makes you a Christian is like thinking that standing in a garage is what makes you a car.

And I'm not say Catholics and Protestants are not true disciples as John tells us what defines a disciple of Christ is the love we have for one another.

Anyone is capable of being a disciple. Our beliefs don't make us better people, our behavior does.

And maligning others because they belong to a different church is not a Christlike trait or teaching.

It is velvet rope Christianity or keeping some believers in a VIP section and leaving others out in the rain because they believe differently.

All sides and groups do this from time to time. It is a human weakness not a Christlike strength.

So what about the word cult? According to many evangelicals we are a cult but according to some atheists everyone of faith, every church is a cult. The definition is so vague I'd say it's deciding factor is in the eye of the beholder.

Blessings And Tragedies

In July 2011 I waited under the scorching summer Sun in the blooming and shimmering Big Cottonwood Canyon. I was waiting for my fiancé to walk down the isle and begin the wedding ceremony as an instrumental version of Something by The Beatles played on our portable CD player. My wife has been the best part of my life. My world has come alive in ways that they never would have without her. She is the emotionally the healthiest woman I have ever been with. I do feel blessed by her and also to be with her. And our wedding day made that very clear to me.
But I haven't always dealt with blessings properly. Because I haven't balanced out the tragedies with the blessings.
In May of 2014 my wife was singing with her choir at Temple Square. She began to feel unwell. She sat down. She almost passed out. Her speech was slurred and one side of her face was numb and drooping. The EMT in her choir told me to get the car but by the time I did he had called 911 and the paramedics had arrived. Because all the medical personnel were convinced my wife was having a stroke.
I was in tears and terrified as I drove to the hospital. I don't remember much of it. But I arrived before my wife did. I may have exceeded the speed limit and/or blown through stop lights.
I had to wait to be lead back to see my wife. I had to call our oldest daughter as she could get ahold of all her sisters and tell them in a way better than I may have.
She told me to take a deep breath and asked me how I was doing. Had I told her honestly how I felt I would have crumbled into a puddle of a hysterically sobbing despondent hot mess.
I told her I'd be ok and asked her to tell her sisters.
It was not too long after our wedding where I promised to spend the rest of my life with her and yet was now looking at her possibly dying as most young stroke victims typically do.
I felt cheated out of a lifetime with my wife. But I didn't blame God for it. I was petrified that I wouldn't be able to support the younger two children that we had living with us. I felt I could not cut it alone without my wife.
I did wonder though if I had done something wrong or had not done right well enough or often enough. I couldn't see the silver lining in this situation.
This seemed like staring into a deep painful abyss until the abyss stared back into you.
Everyone experiences blessings and tragedies. Some strike a balance between the two, many do not.
But I don't believe the bad outweighs the good. I believe the good outweighs the bad. Because even if I felt like I was cheated out of time with my wife I still felt that our life together was worth the heartache. It was worth it because life was greater with her than it ever was without her even for what little time we had together at that point.
Now my wife turned out to have a rare type of migraine that does increase her risk of stroke but she is well managed.
But she has lupus. But she will not die from lupus, she will likely die from complications of lupus like kidney or liver failure.
But her health is good most days but sooner or later she goes through what's called a "flare" which is what reduces her to bed rest for a few days.
Her health is better and it's been a while since I was looking down the barrel of being a widower before I turned 35.
The reason I bring all this up is to offer what I thought of at times when I felt blessed, and at times I felt tragedy.
Because I thought of Job while I was making calls and letting my wife's family know what was going on when it looked like she was having a stroke. Job suffered great loss and tragedy. He lost his wife and children, his property and his wealth, possessions and clothing. Yet he did not blame God. He knew there was a reason. He just didn't know what that reason was.
That scary night at the hospital has helped me treasure my wife and everyday with her since then. I tell her I love her daily but more than that I show her everyday because one day it will be our last day together. And I want her to cross from this life to the next knowing how much she has meant to me.
Tragedy has helped me to appreciate my blessings more than I ever have before. That is how we can balance out blessings and tragedies.
We cannot know light without dark and we cannot know pleasure without pain. It may sound trite but I believe there is truth in those analogies.
But the difference between balancing out the blessings and tragedies is a matter of ones frame of mind. We must chose to look at life in a healthier way. If we do not we will capsize. But then we can start over and get it right the next time.

The Gospels' Missionaries

Scrolling through my Facebook feed I found a YouTube clip of a man in Europe who has a show detailing the adventures he has because he says yes to everything and everyone.  As he happens upon some LDS missionaries he agrees to a second meeting with them.  And then he asks the hard questions as one who feels no draw to religion is apt to do.  He explains that his father died of cancer, and wants to know if God is so good why did that happen?  The missionaries say that we all die but that the man will see his father again.  They all pray together.  They don't show what that man says as he prays but he does say that it was a peaceful moment and it was nice to just be still for a moment.  He further adds that that moment he was able to receive closure which he expresses gratitude to those missionaries for.

But this got me thinking about what Christ expected when He sent out His disciples to preach.

Christ sent them out in pairs of two, likely for solidarity rather than a show of strength.  Those Apostles could not perform the miracles Jesus so easily did.  they asked for the power but Jesus told them they already had it, they just needed to exercise it.  They needed to have the faith that they could heal in order to heal.

"10 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city." Luke 10:1-12

Jesus says much the same in  Matthew 10 but He adds a statement about the proper preparation for missionary work.

"3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." Luke 9:3-5

And here He lays out the stakes and dangers of preaching His Gospel message.
  AxmTYklsjo190QWAxmTYkl"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as dove 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Matthew 10:16-20

The spirit of God will speak so we need not worry about what to say.  Joseph Smith said much the same when he was sending out the first LDS missionaries. So why do we need an MTC if all we need is the spirit of God?  I was impressed with the maturity of the missionaries in the youtube clip, but it isn't just MTC sanctioned missionaries that represent what it means to be LDS/Christian, a disciple of Christ, it is each of us.
What I liked most about the YouTube clip was the Elder who said that you don't have to take my word for it, you can go to the source, to God, and recieve an answer for yourself. That may seem trite to some but for me coming back to church and to God it was a game changing idea.

When we are judgmental, when we lose our temper, when we treat others badly, when we gossip, then we are defining Mormonism for the worse.

But when we love one another as Christ loves us, when we offer to listen and more than that, when we understand, when we offer compassion, then we are defining what it means to be Mormon for the better.

These examples bolster the idea that David O. McKay had which was "Every member a missionary" because we are examples not only to non-members but to other Mormons as well.  We need not simply preach the message, we would do better to be the message.

Temple Marriage

When my wife and I were married I wanted nothing to do with the LDS church. Nothing.
My wife was okay with that. I had faith in Christ but little faith in men who claimed to speak for Him.
So an LDS ceremony was out of the question never mind a Temple sealing. But the longer my wife and I were together the more the church came up. At first it was just attending church on occasion, then it was taking our then ten year old to missionary talks for her baptism( previous bishop was too busy judging my wife and her kids to bother with making sure the child was baptized at 8.)
After all those lessons with the missionaries I felt better about having a relationship with the church. I made peace with all the issues that I had or that sonny, many people have these days. I can't excuse these issues but I can make peace with them.
And not long after I decided I wanted to be fully involved with church.
At this point my wife and I discussed a Temple sealing. But there were many things we needed to sort through. So we set the idea on the back burner for a time.
At this point my wife and I were fighting a lot. We often couldn't make even a short car ride without a huge fight. Our kids were upset often because we fought so much.
We discussed divorce a few times. It didn't just look like then end, it felt like the end. I felt unwanted, unloveable and despised. I was suicidal. The only reason I didn't give into that was because as I wrote in my post "Your own personal Jesus" I had begged for a second chance at life and was given it. I couldn't throw it back at Christ and say it wasn't good enough.
I had to pull myself together and find a way to save my marriage. But I was shutting down and was all out of ideas.
And then came marriage counseling. We strategize do on the therapists couch but we put those plans into action daily and our marriage improved. We still had fights but now we would discuss what we felt and why we felt it rather than attacking one another.
And in the last 2 years we have been stronger and happier together than we ever have. Our therapist said that we made a good team, that we were better together than we ever were apart.
And that was my lightbulb moment; when I realized that before we are husband and wife we are a team. That must come first to avoid any breakdown in the system.
That and my friend Rock Waterman told me that I can fight for my wife or I can fight with her but I can only ever do one.
To put the responsibility and weight of an eternal covenant I truly couldn't fathom before I understood what marriage truly means and entails may have broken my marriage. 
A couple in my ward were pressured into a Temple sealing by our last bishop. They were not ready and they knew it and when they felt the weight of all of it they divorced. I've seen this happen to many marriages.
It's a fine goal to have but it is best to wait until one is honestly and truly ready for it. You might feel obliged or pressured but those are tactics of control not of understanding and compassion.
Until I understood what marriage truly meant, until I understood the gravity of the Temple covenants I could not have made them and followed through with them.
You're not a failure for not being ready to make those or any covenants. Just like you wouldn't issue a drivers license without drivers ed, you shouldn't jump to a Temple marriage before you are ready. Even if your spouse or your family are ready for you, until you are ready don't.
I'm glad my wife and I have waited. Because it means more to me now that I better understand the covenants we will be making. Without that understanding simply repeating the words would have been meaningless.
Whereas now those covenants are more meaningful than I ever imagined.

Making Amends

"These qualities are first learned in the home and family and can be practiced in all our relationships. To be guileless is to look for our own fault first. When accused, we should ask as the Savior’s Apostles did, “Lord, is it I?” (Matthew 26:22). If we listen to the answer given by the Spirit, we can, if needed, make corrections, apologize, seek forgiveness, and do better."--Robert D. Hales; Oct. 2008; Gen. Conf.--
Elder Oaks said during a recent press conference that "I know that the history of the church is not to seek apologies or to give them,” Oaks said in an interview. “We sometimes look back on issues and say, ‘Maybe that was counterproductive for what we wish to achieve,’ but we look forward and not backward.”
It has also been said that there is no scriptural basis for the church itself to make apologies but I find that hard to believe. And I find it hard to believe that apologies are uncalled for after so much hurt being caused by things like the priesthood ban or Prop 8.
These are not abstract ideas and problems these issues have caused harm and hurt to many and has damaged families that we as the body of the church are supposed to protect. Just because some families don't meet the ideal is not cause for condemnation or discrimination.
Religious freedom is not a license to discriminate and being criticized for discrimination is not persecution no matter how bad you want it to be.
"Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted." Ralph Waldo Emerson
It seems to me that many in our church today are dreaming that they are persecuted when they face the blowback from their earlier discriminations. They are being held to account for their words and deeds. I don't support condemnation of any kind but discrimination has no place in God's kingdom. We are to love one another as Christ loves us.
And one cannot stand in judgement of another and still love them at the same time. And one certainly cannot condemn another yet love them. This is true on all sides of political, religious or cultural conflicts.
But are apologies supported by scripture?

"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." Matthew 5:22-26

The scriptures don't use a word approximating apology but they do teach us to ask forgiveness and to make amends, basically to make it right. An apology, even a sincere one, is just words. But to agree with our adversary or make amends with them and to ask for forgiveness are scriptural teachings.

When our words or actions hurt others we owe an apology, we owe it to those we've hurt to make amends to move forward. To simply look forward without acknowledging our mistakes, our missteps, and our wrong doing whether intentional or not requires us to admit our actions or words were wrong and did cause pain and damage to others. 

Part of repenting to one another requires the humility to admit we caused harm and pain to others. I find it sad that a church that is based on Christ's teachings and example refuses to make amends or apologize as a start to making amends.

If I recounted every scripture that applies to this main question we would be here all day. 

We cannot move forward without acknowledging the sins of the past. And making amends for those sins.

So maybe an apology is not Scripturally based. We are asked to do more than apologize, we are asked to make right what has gone wrong. We are taught to offer more than words. We are taught to repent and forgive and not just ask for forgiveness but to do whatever it takes to earn it.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:12-13

Not To Condemn The World

John 3:16 states: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it. We are to act in His stead and likewise should love one another rather than condemn one another.
Jesus was sinless and could have condemned the world, He could have thrown the first stone yet He chose to love the sinner and pardon the sin.
And many people use this to profess their belief that if you accept Jesus as the son of God or God Himself, that salvation is yours. Many in fact use this belief to bully others into believing in Christ.
But what follows this scripture in John 3:17 is what amazes and inspires me.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
So while many people are preoccupied with condemning others to Hell, Christ was concerned with guiding His flock on the basis of the two greatest commandments, scriptures records this passage in Matthew 22:36-40:

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

So the foundation of the Gospel and all the prophets and commandments hinge on these two commandments to love God and all His children. How can one condemn another to Hell and fufill those commandments?

If Jesus came to us to save us rather than condemn us and we are taught to follow Christs example then logic follows that we ought not condemn one another but love one another as Christ loves us as He commanded in John 13:34-35.

We will be held to account for all we say and do. This includes how we treat each other online and in person as well as over the phone.

Asking wwjd is one thing but asking if your words or actions are loving is also effective.

Truly loving someone cannot be done if we condemn them at the same time. It's not that everyone is sinless and does no harm, it's that they will be held to account for all their words and deeds by Christ Himself so let's trust Jesus to do His job while we do ours which as His disciples is to love one another as He loves us.