2008-8-21 17:55:00
In message number 36238 posted at The Keys Of Knowledge spiritual discussion group, Susan wrote:
"Joseph Smith claimed authority from God himself and his son as well as from John the Baptist and Peter. So he was claiming a lot of authority. Sometimes he made sense and sometimes he didn't."
JJ responded with:
On the other hand, he taught that the great authority of the Priesthood was a available to the humblest of the brethren making them equal with him.
He rarely made mention to his supposed high station as a reason for people to conform.
On the other hand, the creation of the Mormon Church was one of the last spiritual creations of the Piscean Age and the emphasis on authority has made the church, as a whole, unable to move toward the Aquarian Age. When the New Age has come fully in they are likely to be on the outside looking in with most of the other orthodox religions.
In message 36244, posted at The Keys Of Knowledge spiritual discussion group, John K. wrote:
"Just to throw a little twist into this, there was one who made some pretty wild claims of great authority. You probably know the claims:"
"'I and the Father are one.'
"'I am the way, the truth and the light, no one comes to the Father but by me.'
"'If you've seen me, you've seen the Father.'
"Now I don't mean to turn this into a theological question, but man, this guy made some of the most far out claims of authority that have ever come down the pike. Does this make him crazy?"
JJ responded with:
Good to hear from you again John.
Most of these statements were made to the inner circle and not for the purpose of forcing compliance. He did tell his enemies that he was one with the Father but this was with the knowledge that all of us are one with the Father if we could but realize it.
The few times he did attempt to get his followers to comply with his wishes he did not use authority, but love and reason. His strongest statement desiring compliance was:
"If you love me keep my commandments."
The modern day Messiahs will say something like this.
"I am the Christ, and if you do not obey me you are in for hellfire."
When he strongly desired Peter to feed his sheep he did not use his authority, but asked him three times in a row so when he was gone he would remember the gentle request.
Another thing to consider is that some of the scriptures have been altered to make them sound more authoritative.
Authority and sacrifice were the keynotes of the Piscean Age, but service and freewill are the keynotes of the Aquarian Age.
Even so, Christ demonstrated His greatness, not with His claims, but with His great words and works.
The modern day ones who claim to be "a great one" have hollow words only. Rarely do they have any works of significance.
Copyright © 2008 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved