Post by LDS Anarchist on Mar 22, 2004 14:38:20 GMT -5
The law of consecration and stewardship (the LoCS) is pretty much embodied in the law of tithing (the LoT), fast offerings (FOs) and the welfare plan (the WP). Anyone who wants to live this LoCS law, to a great extent can. All they need to do is to fully live the law of tithing and pay a generous fast offering.
The first part of the law of tithing, which nobody obeys, is to consecrate all your surplus properties to the Church by putting them into the hands of the bishop. (See Doctrine and Covenants 119: 1, 5.)
This is how a person is supposed to start obeying the law of tithing. (See Doctrine and Covenants 119: 3.)
This is very similar, at least in effect, to the LoCS, in that the LoCS requires that we consecrate all our property to the Church,which then gives us a stewardship for our maintenance. The stewardship could be more or less than that which was consecrated. It could even be exactly the same amount. But the end result is the same: in both the LoCS and the LoT, the surplus goes to the Lord.
Then, with the LoT, we have the "standing law" (see Doctrine and Covenants 119: 4) which, only after paying our surplus property to the Lord, consists of paying one-tenth of all our interest annually. Under the LoCS, however, we find that we are to pay to the Lord all of the surplus which we have gained through wise use of our stewardship properties and this is also done annually. So, the only similarities between the two laws is their annual application.
Obviously, 10% and 100% are big differences, hence the LoT being a lesser law. However, when we combine the LoT with a generous fast offering, it is possible to achieve that full 100% that would have been given under the LoCS. All we need to do is simply give the remaining 90% of our surplus as a FO.
Finally, the welfare plan takes care of the poor. The FOs that are voluntarily and generously given go to help the poor and needy and are distributed by the Bishop according to the circumstances involved. This is similar to how the LoCS functions.
There are, of course, some things that cannot be accomplished under the LoT, FOs and WP, that can only be accomplished under the LoCS, (for example, the support of the bishops, which under the LoCS was provided,) but much of the same effects of the celestial LoCS can be accomplished by using the LoT, FOs and WP. Evidence of this can be found in Doctrine and Covenants 119: 6, 7. In those verses we learn that the LoT will sanctify the land and stakes of Zion just as much as the LoCS will.
The purpose of this think tank is not to figure out a way to live the LoCS. The Lord has already given us the means of bringing it back: the LoT, the FOs and the WP. These three programs and laws are our test of worthiness. If we fully live them, we prove ourselves ready for the LoCS and back it comes in full force. In actuality, the LoCS never really went away. It still hangs over our heads and the Lord expects us to live it to the best of our ability, using the LoT, the FOs and the WP.
So, I hope that the discussion found in this think tank is not directed towards figuring out how to live the LoCS, since we already know how to do that, as explained above.
The thrust of this think tank is how to establish Zion itself, independent from Babylon, and not to sanctify the land and stakes of Zion. By this, I mean that the LoT, if correctly obeyed and in combination with the FO, will sanctify the people's lands, but Zion itself may still not be independent from Babylon.
As long as we, the people of the Lord, are dependent upon Babylon, when Babylon falls we will feel the effects. It doesn't matter if we pay our tithing and fast offerings in a manner consistent with the LoCS and ultimately are contributing 100% of our surplus annually to the Lord, if we are working in a Babylonian establishment, buying our food from Babylon, getting our energy needs met from Babylon, transportation needs, health needs and all other needs from Babylon, when it falls, and it will fall, we will suffer the consequences.
The prophets have continuously called upon us to not partake of the sins of Babylon, but additionally, we are counselled to "go out from Bablyon." We must be independent of it and seek to cut the ties to it. This is the purpose of this think tank.
We must figure out and plan and design ways that can be implemented realistically by which we can provide for our own needs, all of our own needs, and to reduce and eventually eliminate the dependency upon the Babylonian system to which we give money in return for our sustenance.
In case you still don't get it, I'll explain it another way. Let's take, for example, gasoline. Who controls the gasoline? Babylon. She decides when it goes up in price and when it goes down in price. The price of gasoline affects everyone dependent upon it for transportation. The LDS, no matter how faithful they are in paying tithes and offerings, if they never come up with an alternate system of transportation, one which does not rely upon the Babylonian gasoline, we are left to our own two feet as the only means of transportation if, and when, that Babylonian system falls.
The purpose of this site is to come up with ideas which can cut the strings of Babylonian dependency and allow people who wish to implement those ideas to come together and cooperate locally to that end. In essence, it will allow people to learn and share ways of getting out of Babylon and working in and for Zion. Only by working towards this end can we fully escape the coming destructions which have been prophesied upon Babylon, the ripple effects of which will be felt by all those dependent upon her, whether they partake of her sins or not.
P.S. Here is the link to Doctrine and Covenants section 119:
scriptures.lds.org/dc/119
The first part of the law of tithing, which nobody obeys, is to consecrate all your surplus properties to the Church by putting them into the hands of the bishop. (See Doctrine and Covenants 119: 1, 5.)
This is how a person is supposed to start obeying the law of tithing. (See Doctrine and Covenants 119: 3.)
This is very similar, at least in effect, to the LoCS, in that the LoCS requires that we consecrate all our property to the Church,which then gives us a stewardship for our maintenance. The stewardship could be more or less than that which was consecrated. It could even be exactly the same amount. But the end result is the same: in both the LoCS and the LoT, the surplus goes to the Lord.
Then, with the LoT, we have the "standing law" (see Doctrine and Covenants 119: 4) which, only after paying our surplus property to the Lord, consists of paying one-tenth of all our interest annually. Under the LoCS, however, we find that we are to pay to the Lord all of the surplus which we have gained through wise use of our stewardship properties and this is also done annually. So, the only similarities between the two laws is their annual application.
Obviously, 10% and 100% are big differences, hence the LoT being a lesser law. However, when we combine the LoT with a generous fast offering, it is possible to achieve that full 100% that would have been given under the LoCS. All we need to do is simply give the remaining 90% of our surplus as a FO.
Finally, the welfare plan takes care of the poor. The FOs that are voluntarily and generously given go to help the poor and needy and are distributed by the Bishop according to the circumstances involved. This is similar to how the LoCS functions.
There are, of course, some things that cannot be accomplished under the LoT, FOs and WP, that can only be accomplished under the LoCS, (for example, the support of the bishops, which under the LoCS was provided,) but much of the same effects of the celestial LoCS can be accomplished by using the LoT, FOs and WP. Evidence of this can be found in Doctrine and Covenants 119: 6, 7. In those verses we learn that the LoT will sanctify the land and stakes of Zion just as much as the LoCS will.
The purpose of this think tank is not to figure out a way to live the LoCS. The Lord has already given us the means of bringing it back: the LoT, the FOs and the WP. These three programs and laws are our test of worthiness. If we fully live them, we prove ourselves ready for the LoCS and back it comes in full force. In actuality, the LoCS never really went away. It still hangs over our heads and the Lord expects us to live it to the best of our ability, using the LoT, the FOs and the WP.
So, I hope that the discussion found in this think tank is not directed towards figuring out how to live the LoCS, since we already know how to do that, as explained above.
The thrust of this think tank is how to establish Zion itself, independent from Babylon, and not to sanctify the land and stakes of Zion. By this, I mean that the LoT, if correctly obeyed and in combination with the FO, will sanctify the people's lands, but Zion itself may still not be independent from Babylon.
As long as we, the people of the Lord, are dependent upon Babylon, when Babylon falls we will feel the effects. It doesn't matter if we pay our tithing and fast offerings in a manner consistent with the LoCS and ultimately are contributing 100% of our surplus annually to the Lord, if we are working in a Babylonian establishment, buying our food from Babylon, getting our energy needs met from Babylon, transportation needs, health needs and all other needs from Babylon, when it falls, and it will fall, we will suffer the consequences.
The prophets have continuously called upon us to not partake of the sins of Babylon, but additionally, we are counselled to "go out from Bablyon." We must be independent of it and seek to cut the ties to it. This is the purpose of this think tank.
We must figure out and plan and design ways that can be implemented realistically by which we can provide for our own needs, all of our own needs, and to reduce and eventually eliminate the dependency upon the Babylonian system to which we give money in return for our sustenance.
In case you still don't get it, I'll explain it another way. Let's take, for example, gasoline. Who controls the gasoline? Babylon. She decides when it goes up in price and when it goes down in price. The price of gasoline affects everyone dependent upon it for transportation. The LDS, no matter how faithful they are in paying tithes and offerings, if they never come up with an alternate system of transportation, one which does not rely upon the Babylonian gasoline, we are left to our own two feet as the only means of transportation if, and when, that Babylonian system falls.
The purpose of this site is to come up with ideas which can cut the strings of Babylonian dependency and allow people who wish to implement those ideas to come together and cooperate locally to that end. In essence, it will allow people to learn and share ways of getting out of Babylon and working in and for Zion. Only by working towards this end can we fully escape the coming destructions which have been prophesied upon Babylon, the ripple effects of which will be felt by all those dependent upon her, whether they partake of her sins or not.
P.S. Here is the link to Doctrine and Covenants section 119:
scriptures.lds.org/dc/119