BEHOLD A PALE HORSE
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And Power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8
A great many people who believe in a literal translation of the bible believe that the predictions found in Revelations are upon us. Indeed, there is great hunger in the world. Indeed there are wars taking place in many parts of the world, and terrorism is worldwide. And indeed, one might consider the beasts of the earth as the recent tsunami in Asia, earthquakes in many parts of the world, and the treat of asteroids hitting the earth.
Yet it is unlikely if not impossible for any of us to have any influence over any of these. It may be impossible as well to have any influence over what is happening in our day-to-day lives in America. You may go to bed a patriot and wake up a criminal, outcast, radical, extremist, or fundamentalist. Let me give you an example. And though you might agree with the outcome, you should be able to embrace its relevance.
I grew up in a Mormon community in Southern Utah. All my relatives were Mormons as was everyone in the small, mountain village. The name Mormon was given them because of the book by that name that is purported to be a continuation of the old and new testaments, an update so to speak. Their real name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. However, let me use the shortened term LDS as it takes so fewer letters to write.
Joseph Smith, the founder, and the first authorities of the church believed in and practiced many things that were looked on by American society as immoral in some cases and perverse in others. But members of the LDS Church of the day believed strongly in them, and continued their practice. The persecution suffered for such indifference to and defiance of social norms took a great toll though it did not stop or sway them. Seeking relief, Brigham Young led his flock west until they came upon the Salt Lake Valley, where Brigham was quoted as saying, “This is the place.” And indeed it was. A treeless, sagebrush covered, alkali flat bordered by tall, nearly impenetrable mountains to the east and an extremely salty lake to the west. No one would want this wasteland. Through effort that I find difficult to imagine, they settled that land and even turned it into what is today a relative paradise.
Through it all they held on to their beliefs and the practices that had forced them from American society. They were alone, planting in barren land, but unprovoked by outsiders. But then came the changes, wholly by political coercion . Polygamy was outlawed, not only in the states, but in the Church as well. Other beliefs, considered outlandish by the populace, began to fade as well. All done in an effort to ”fit in” with national politics, obtain statehood, and in general, get the US Government off their backs.
This gave rise to the Fundamentalist Mormon Church, which I shall refer to as FLDS. In other words, some believed that the original tenets of the church were true and must be followed, regardless of popular opinion or the government. The FLDS split from the main body of the Church both by desire and by force. And they remain true to the original beliefs to this day, and in particular to Doctrine and Covenants Section 132, a section that remains to this day as part of LDS doctrine. http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132
In other words, one might use the metaphor: FLDS were patriots (to the church) one day but woke up criminals the next day with no changes in their values or faith ever having been made.
Mainstream LDS are splendid, moral, family oriented, patriotic people who strongly uphold traditional America values. Fundamentalists, on the other hand, are considered backward, immoral, and criminal. While they are left alone for the most part, they are often persecuted when someone makes an outstanding complaint, as was recently done in the case of Warren Jeffs and the storming of his compound.
I went to school with polygamists, many who lived just a block away. When my mother died, a group of them bought her house. They were FLDS and outcasts even within that small community.
If you are conservative and believe strongly in the constitution and traditional American values, you might find yourself in the same predicament as the FLDS. That is, patriots today yet waking up a criminal tomorrow, with no changes in your beliefs or conduct ever having been made.
This is not an unusual circumstance. It has happen over and over again throughout history. Though you may agree with the mainstream LDS church to part with the FLDS, and though you might find some of FLDS’s beliefs repugnant, can you not identify with their willingness to sacrifice all for what they believe? Against all odds they fought the Church, the government, and local authorities. Can we, who seem to find ourselves in a similar situation, change our values to suit a newer, liberal, left wing takeover of OUR beliefs? Does the majority rule? Has our Republic become a Democracy? Will mob rule rule? Or will we, like the FLDS, continue to defy what is rapidly becoming the majority? Will we succumb to the cultural values of immigrants, changing our own in some misguided feeling of well … sportsmanship, thus diluting ours until we have no identity? But our culture and our pubic faith are our identity.
Many of us who think of ourselves as American patriots are suddenly being characterized as extremists and radicals. Because we don’t see the constitution as a living document, changing with the tide, we are not progressive. Because we wish America to remain an English speaking culture, united in its public faith, we are racists. Because we believe in a responsibility to our values, we aren’t relativistic, not willing to live and let live. As our younger generation would say, “Like … who are you to say who is right or wrong, you know … like yo man, I go, you be telling me how to do my beeeaatch?” And with such garbled noises, our beautiful language becomes at once the profane, ugly, and unrestrained voice of rabble.
A pale horse need not ride into your midst to destroy your faith, your social structure, your values, or your livelihood. Our government will do it all on its own. Beware not of a pale horse but of those who wish to supplant our traditional values, the sacrifices made by the great generation to protect those who now disregard sacrifice, or those who work tirelessly for our demise.
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And Power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8
A great many people who believe in a literal translation of the bible believe that the predictions found in Revelations are upon us. Indeed, there is great hunger in the world. Indeed there are wars taking place in many parts of the world, and terrorism is worldwide. And indeed, one might consider the beasts of the earth as the recent tsunami in Asia, earthquakes in many parts of the world, and the treat of asteroids hitting the earth.
Yet it is unlikely if not impossible for any of us to have any influence over any of these. It may be impossible as well to have any influence over what is happening in our day-to-day lives in America. You may go to bed a patriot and wake up a criminal, outcast, radical, extremist, or fundamentalist. Let me give you an example. And though you might agree with the outcome, you should be able to embrace its relevance.
I grew up in a Mormon community in Southern Utah. All my relatives were Mormons as was everyone in the small, mountain village. The name Mormon was given them because of the book by that name that is purported to be a continuation of the old and new testaments, an update so to speak. Their real name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. However, let me use the shortened term LDS as it takes so fewer letters to write.
Joseph Smith, the founder, and the first authorities of the church believed in and practiced many things that were looked on by American society as immoral in some cases and perverse in others. But members of the LDS Church of the day believed strongly in them, and continued their practice. The persecution suffered for such indifference to and defiance of social norms took a great toll though it did not stop or sway them. Seeking relief, Brigham Young led his flock west until they came upon the Salt Lake Valley, where Brigham was quoted as saying, “This is the place.” And indeed it was. A treeless, sagebrush covered, alkali flat bordered by tall, nearly impenetrable mountains to the east and an extremely salty lake to the west. No one would want this wasteland. Through effort that I find difficult to imagine, they settled that land and even turned it into what is today a relative paradise.
Through it all they held on to their beliefs and the practices that had forced them from American society. They were alone, planting in barren land, but unprovoked by outsiders. But then came the changes, wholly by political coercion . Polygamy was outlawed, not only in the states, but in the Church as well. Other beliefs, considered outlandish by the populace, began to fade as well. All done in an effort to ”fit in” with national politics, obtain statehood, and in general, get the US Government off their backs.
This gave rise to the Fundamentalist Mormon Church, which I shall refer to as FLDS. In other words, some believed that the original tenets of the church were true and must be followed, regardless of popular opinion or the government. The FLDS split from the main body of the Church both by desire and by force. And they remain true to the original beliefs to this day, and in particular to Doctrine and Covenants Section 132, a section that remains to this day as part of LDS doctrine. http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132
In other words, one might use the metaphor: FLDS were patriots (to the church) one day but woke up criminals the next day with no changes in their values or faith ever having been made.
Mainstream LDS are splendid, moral, family oriented, patriotic people who strongly uphold traditional America values. Fundamentalists, on the other hand, are considered backward, immoral, and criminal. While they are left alone for the most part, they are often persecuted when someone makes an outstanding complaint, as was recently done in the case of Warren Jeffs and the storming of his compound.
I went to school with polygamists, many who lived just a block away. When my mother died, a group of them bought her house. They were FLDS and outcasts even within that small community.
If you are conservative and believe strongly in the constitution and traditional American values, you might find yourself in the same predicament as the FLDS. That is, patriots today yet waking up a criminal tomorrow, with no changes in your beliefs or conduct ever having been made.
This is not an unusual circumstance. It has happen over and over again throughout history. Though you may agree with the mainstream LDS church to part with the FLDS, and though you might find some of FLDS’s beliefs repugnant, can you not identify with their willingness to sacrifice all for what they believe? Against all odds they fought the Church, the government, and local authorities. Can we, who seem to find ourselves in a similar situation, change our values to suit a newer, liberal, left wing takeover of OUR beliefs? Does the majority rule? Has our Republic become a Democracy? Will mob rule rule? Or will we, like the FLDS, continue to defy what is rapidly becoming the majority? Will we succumb to the cultural values of immigrants, changing our own in some misguided feeling of well … sportsmanship, thus diluting ours until we have no identity? But our culture and our pubic faith are our identity.
Many of us who think of ourselves as American patriots are suddenly being characterized as extremists and radicals. Because we don’t see the constitution as a living document, changing with the tide, we are not progressive. Because we wish America to remain an English speaking culture, united in its public faith, we are racists. Because we believe in a responsibility to our values, we aren’t relativistic, not willing to live and let live. As our younger generation would say, “Like … who are you to say who is right or wrong, you know … like yo man, I go, you be telling me how to do my beeeaatch?” And with such garbled noises, our beautiful language becomes at once the profane, ugly, and unrestrained voice of rabble.
A pale horse need not ride into your midst to destroy your faith, your social structure, your values, or your livelihood. Our government will do it all on its own. Beware not of a pale horse but of those who wish to supplant our traditional values, the sacrifices made by the great generation to protect those who now disregard sacrifice, or those who work tirelessly for our demise.
Let an intellectual revolution be the first step to Take America Back!
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