C. S. Lewis once referred to pride as the father of all sins. He was right. If you look at any other sin, you can find pride right beside it.
This week's reading in 2 Nephi invite us to look at pride. The Nephites should have been very familiar with what we now call the Pride Cycle, but they could not see it, even when they were in the midst of it. We, looking back, can see the cycle clearly. It is also there in the Old and New Testaments, but it is more difficult to see. We identify those things leading to destruction and fall as we read the scriptures, but to we ever look at our own blind spots?
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One of the main characteristics of pride is enmity - enmity between men and enmity with God. C. S. Lewis also wrote that pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. (Mere Christianity, 1952, p 109.)
The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
This is a link to lesson 18 of The Teachings of the Prophets of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson. It is a great reminder about the danger of pride.
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Our lesson invites us to read 2 Nephi 15: 20-23 and to look for modern examples of these traits of pride. It didn't take me long to come with a lengthy list!
Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil . . . darkness for light and light for darkness . . . bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
This blog would go on for a hundred pages were I to list everyone I thought of. Much of it can be summed up in the term Political Correctness. People in the spotlight have proposed ideas that are so ludicrous that I am stunned that people believe them, much less pass them off as truth! PC has all but destroyed this country. When people rose up in anger over our President authorizing the execution of a known terrorist leader with more blood on his hands than Noah's flood, and painted that man as worthy of emulation, and defiled our President for doing what he had to do in the face of clear and present danger, they took verse 20 to its limits. The same could be said for portraying the outright slaughter of innocent unborn in the name of "women's health" and condemn anyone who has the moral courage to say "This is infanticide as surely as if we were feeding out little ones to the fires of the pagan god, Moloch!"
Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight.
Hollywood and DC: both are filled with these sophomoric (wise fools) people who feel their power and celebrity automatically makes them correct. A current presidential candidate recently belittled the American farmer as ignorant and one whose opinions don't matter. This man has never plowed anything but an adding machine and a pencil. How is he vital to our survival? So many of these loud voices shame themselves, yet those who don't know their own history listen to them as to wise gurus. They are wise only in their own eyes, not mine!
Wo unto the mighty who drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink.
To which statement we might add other addictive substances and behavior such as drugs (both legal and illegal), gambling, pornography, and all manner of licentiousness. We are a nation run by our own selfish desires and lack of self-control or responsibility. Someone once said that since we have a statue of liberty on the east coast, we should have a statue of responsibility on the west.
Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
I have no problem with a billionaire who ran for public office because he loves this country a gave up much to do so. I do, however, have a HUGE problem with men and women who come to public office with no more than the rest of us and exit as billionaires. I'm going to name names and these are, by no means, the only ones: the Clintons and the Clinton Foundation; Nancy Pelosi (who is worth, according to online search, $120 billion), Bernie Sanders (who campaigns as a socialist, but who is in the top 1% of the richest people in America!) In the Book of Mormon, these folks would be called Gadiantons.
As for me, I will continue to put my trust in the Lord. I will study His word. I will attempt to follow His example and, even though I am human and I fall, I will pick myself up and start anew. I believe that God knows my heart and that He knows it is His.
© February 2020 Dr. Kathleen Rawlings
Buntin Danielson
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