Tithing: The Great Bait and Switch

     For 200 years after CHRIST's visit to the descendants of Lehi and Sariah a near perfect society was achieved. Lamanites and Nephites came together to eliminate ethnicities, classes, religions, and poverty. Homelessness was eradicated and hunger was unheard of. Every one took care of every one else. It was almost Zion. Had it been Zion they would have been taken up into Heaven. In the 201st year, literally all hell brook loose when economic divisions began again. The possibility of Zion was gone in less time than it took for a few people to start acquiring nice clothes. 

The same system was attempted for a short while when the LORD's last prophet Joseph Smith restored parts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was not able to restore it all, because the early Mormons were not ready to be anything resembling ZION. In the place of the law of consecration GOD reluctantly permitted the new religion to implement tithing. It has been almost 200 years since tithing was substituted as a test to see if Mormons could figure out how to share their stuff with others, to no avail. 

Modern Mormons, like most modern people have no desire to treat their fellow man as economic equals. Individuals come first, and if it is not too costly, families come next, friends occasionally, neighbors rarely, and strangers not at all. The Church gets 10 percent and gives almost none of it to the needy, and Mormons hope that is good enough to placate a Being that suffered infinitely for their sins. Mormons are hoping JESUS did everything, and they can just make a small sacrifice and it will all work out. Unfortunately GOD requires everything we have, if we are going to lay claim to anything He has.

I am sincerely hoping GOD will stay his hand from destroying this telestial world until I am dead, but my instincts tell me otherwise. Why should GOD wait another 200 years or even 20 for people who claim to be members of His Son's "One True Church" to become unselfish? Why should He allow more abortions, more murders, more human trafficking, more adultery, more warfare, and more selfishness from the world at large, when He knows better than all of us put together that humanity will not change?

I hope 2021 is better than 2020, but I will understand if it is not. Just in case a fool like me is right, we might want to repent and ask GOD to change us from our sinful selves into something less likely to be burned at CHRIST's second coming. It is going to require divine intervention and your sincere will to pull this off. GOD is not going to accept "that is just the way I am" at the final judgement.

All you have to do is ask, and keep asking, until being born of the Holy Spirit happens. I have work to do in 2021. What better New Year's resolution than to make sure you are really on GOD's team for whatever is coming.

The Gospel According to Luke

My pick for best gospel song ever was a small hit by Skip Ewing from the 1990s.

I am certain Joseph Smith would have liked the song, because he loved "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief."

I think the SAVIOR appreciates this underrated singer-songwriter's attempt to distill the Gospel of JESUS CHRST down to a few verses.

I could be wrong on both counts, but the song is better than anything currently being played as "Christmas music."

Here are the first half of the song's lyrics:

He was an old hand at living and making his way.

He smelled like old whiskey and he needed a shave.

His home was an alley off 8th avenue, 

but if you had a minute or an hour or two,

he'd tell you the Gospel according to Luke.

Luke carried his Bible in a Crown Royal bag,

and he wiped off his face with an old dirty rag

He'd tell you straight out just the way he believed,

Faith in the good Lord is all that you need

I remember the morning he first preached to me...

He said "give to your brother if he is in need,

Offer up thanks for the gifts you receive,

There's treasure in Heaven for the generous few"...

That was the Gospel according to Luke.

There are other verses but I let those interested search on Youtube for a video of Skip and his timeless song.

You will not be disappointed.

As a final note I see the word "Christlike" thrown around a lot on social media by Mormons and Christians who mean well, but do not know any better.

There is no being past, present, or future who will walk this planet who merits the adjective "Christlike." Their was only one CHRIST, and the difference between He and us is almost infinite. Calling someone Christlike demeans what the Savior did for us. It also elevates the person receiving this praise to a position where they might believe it, and then fail to repent.

It is like telling someone there are like GOD, because JESUS is God. I know a lot of above average people. But being a good person does not make someone like CHRIST. It just makes them slightly less sinful than the rest of us. 

The Dangers of Being Special

I grew up in a religion (LDS) that taught its membership explicitly and implicitly that Mormons are special. I have heard the phrase "The one true church" at least ten thousand times in lessons, testimonies, and talks. I was guilty of using that phrase more times than I would like to admit. 

It only took me 50 years to figure out there is no true church. I am a slow learner. All religion is an obstacle to GOD. Mormons are not the only people who think they are special. 

1. Jews

2. Catholics

3. Evangelical Christians

4. Muslims

5. Buddhists

6. Hindus

7. Politicians

8. Celebrities

9. Athletes

10. Mormon Leadership

11. Mormon remnant groups

12. Scientists

13. Journalists

14. College students

15. Americans

16. Men who believe in polygamy, past, present, or future.

17. People who think they were saved for the last days.

18. Sports fans

19. Doctors

20. Lawyers

21. Rich people

22. Democrats

23. Republicans

Anyone or any group that thinks they are special will get to suffer for their own sins. That horrific road leads straight through a literal hell. 

The only way out of the "special trap" is to acknolowedge you are less than the dust of the earth, cry to GOD for forgiveness, and spend the rest of your life helping people without thought of fame, money, power, or reward.

No one reading this or not reading this will likely change...

because they are special and need no repentance. They consider themselves whole and need no physician.

I am an above average sinner (and below average person) and need the only remedy that can save me from my awful situation...the Savior-GOD JESUS CHRIST. 

We are all in the same group: sinners.  

#BLINDOBEDIENCE

Almost anyone who might accidentally stumble on this humble blog would know that Mormon president Russell Nelson has asked his followers to spend a week giving thanks. He feels this will turn the tide on the world's problems and create healing.

I think a 96 year old has come up with a ridiculous idea and apparently no one at Mormon Inc. has the ability to make him see the obvious...

This is already the time of year when people give thanks...it is called Thanksgiving.

What is next up on the false prophet agenda?

Extra days of Christmas? If we go back to the 12 days of Christmas will Covid go away? If Mormons everywhere buy a partridge in a pear tree will evil be stopped in its tracks?

More New Year's resolutions? If all Mormons make more goals they do not keep for 2021 will it be a better year than 2020?

Will the Mormon Church allow drinking one day a year on St. Patrick's day in the hopes that its members can more closely bond with potential Irish converts?

How about more eggs at Easter? More fireworks on the 4th of July? More candy at Halloween?

All of these things are ridiculous I know, but not any more so absurd as giving thanks at Thanksgiving and calling it a revelation from a prophet.

I have also noticed that not many Mormons are giving thanks for JESUS the savior of this planet.

They like to focus on family. Families that will all go to Hell without JESUS and a laser-like focus on Him.

Here is my list of things I am grateful for every damn day...

I am grateful for the Most High GOD who came up with a way that others could become like Him (but still answer to Him).

I am grateful for Jesus Christ, the true son of the Most High God, who suffered immensely in a superhuman effort to save sinners like me.

I am grateful for the knowledge that salvation is between and individual and GOD, and not between families and middle-men like bishops, stake presidents, and general authorities.

I am grateful for the last prophet to walk the earth, Joseph Smith, and his equally noble wife Emma, and for the too easily overlooked brother Hyrum for all of their sacrifices to get a restoration of truth started in the 1800s.

I am grateful for the knowledge that the Holy Ghost is really the Holy Spirit and is NOT a personage. It is the influence of GOD that fills the immensity of space.

I am grateful that the Holy Spirit helped a hard-headed fool like me to leave a religion that prided itself on its specialness, and did almost nothing to help poor and needy people in the world.

I can never repay JESUS for what HE has done for me, and I will forever be in his debt.

If you are going to give extra thanks this thanksgiving, the only things that you could never be grateful enough for would be the life and Atonement of Jesus Christ and the incredible unselfishness of the Most High God!

Joseph Smith's Message of Love and Hope for the World

 If I were a billionaire I would pay to have every person on the planet receive the following information. Since I am a "thousandaire" I will use the limited tools at my disposal. 

According to a prophet of God, Joseph Smith, Life is a no-lose proposition. 

GOD wins by giving His children a vehicle to experience the consequences of good and evil.

We win by learning the difference.

We win just by having the experience. 

GOD wins by seeing who loves Him when He is not around.

Stop believing the false dichotomy of heaven/hell or good/bad or win/lose. 

Live the rest of your life by trying to learn as much as possible and serve as many people as you can. 

Trust GOD. He is real. He loves you. 

There is nothing you can do to stop Him from loving you. 

Stop trying to earn your way into Heaven.

Stop comparing your righteousness with those around you. 

We are all sinners. That is no excuse to sin.

We are all potential divine beings, but that is no excuse to think you are better than anyone else. 

Start loving others and yourself. Most of all love GOD.

GOD wants to be in a relationship with you regardless of your past choices.

He is waiting for you to reciprocate His love so He can make you whole again.

All of these ideas have been stolen from Blake Ostler's book

Fire on the Horizon: A Meditation on the Endowment and Love of Atonement

I am not smart enough or spiritual enough to come up with any of these concepts on my own.

41,456 Extra Dead Americans (and Counting)

There has been a lot of criticism of Sweden's supposedly lax approach to Covid-19. While the vast majority of the planet has been employing lockdowns out of fear, Sweden has not. Initially the Swedes had lots of cases of Covid and apparently a lot of deaths relating to it. Just ask CNN.

As of October 31. 2020 the death rate per one million people in Sweden is 587.

The death rate in the United States is 712. 

If you subtract 587 from 712 you get 125.

If you multiply 125 times 331.65 (there are 331,653.000 people in the US) you get 41,456.

That number is only going to go up. Sweden's death rate will go up a little and the US's will go up a lot. 

Apparently Sweden cares more about their people than the media portrays.

We may all need to move to Sweden in order to avoid tyranny and literal death.

JESUS the Messiah

Buddhists, Hindus, Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, Protestants, Atheists, and Agnostics have only one critical thing in common...

Each group needs JESUS or they will go to Hell and suffer for their own sins.

You do not need to read the Bible to find JESUS, but it helps. As CHRIST pointed out to the Jewish experts on the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) there is no salvation in scripture study. The scriptures point to JESUS.

You do not need to read the Book of Mormon, but it helps immensely. There is no salvation in reading it, but it is filled with people being saved by relying on "one Jesus Christ, a son of God."

You do not need to accept that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but he did assist in bringing forth a lot of information that points to CHRIST. There is no saving power in Joseph Smith. He was a man almost infinitely more righteous than I am, but he cannot save you. Joseph knew better than most that JESUS is the center of salvation and everything else a mere appendage.

You do not need to join a church, and religion probably is a hindrance on the path to GOD. You can find CHRIST while religious, but it makes it harder. 

JESUS was not just a being who did some awe-inspiring miracles. He brought people back from the physical grave, to show He had power to bring people back from a spiritual death.

JESUS was not just the smartest person that ever lived with dozens of great stories that even a child could understand. He is way, the truth, and the life.

JESUS was not just the best teacher in history, He is the model of a saved person.

JESUS is not just the son of GOD, He is a GOD.

JESUS is the only way to salvation. 

To take a quote from The Shawshank Redemption and modify it for our purposes here:

"Get busy repenting and finding CHRIST, 

or get ready to spend some time with Satan."

Tricking a Virus: Refer to previous post for an update

 I added some ideas to the end of my previous post. You can decide if it is better or worse.

Combination = Alliance Part 2: Fear can fool a virus

Just in case there is someone even lazier than I am that reads this blog, I submit the following discovery.

After waiting 45 years to look up the word "combination", as in "secret combination" from the BOM, I caved and used dictionary.com.

Just as the title explains a combination can be an alliance. I always guessed it was something like that, but now I am sure Gadiaton and Kishkumen and company had a covert alliance. Their goal was power, kind of like all the fools running this world right now...with the exception of those sensible Swedes.

That last sentence is NOT ironic. Sweden understands that a global virus is a "you can pay me now, or you can pay me later" conundrum. The Swedes have wisely opted to not destroy their country in a misguided attempt to trick a virus into not infecting anyone. The foolish leaders of the rest of the world are now dealing with crippled economies and the continued rise in Covid cases. Most importantly the death rate goes up in the land of wishful thinking (US) and the death rate has flat-lined in Sweden. There are vastly fewer hospitalizations in Sweden than the US. 

This is kind of like the gospel. We can repent now and avoid having to pay for our sins later. JESUS has already paid for those sins, and it would be eternally tragic to waste his infinite efforts to save us. 

That would be dumber than trying to think a virus will go away if everyone stays inside.

A Desolating Scourge

desolate (verb) desolated, desolating

1. to lay waste, devastate

2. to deprive of inhabitants, depopulate

There has been too much talk about Covid-19, and I am sorry to add to the total tonnage about this touchy subject. Some people are scared because their cousin died from it, and so they live in fear. Others do not know anyone who has succumbed to this virus, and so they party like it is 1999. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. 

I feel this is serious illness, but not serious enough to suspend common sense. I am an out of shape 55 year old, and I have not yet gotten it, and if I do, I might die. That would put me in the minority of humans. Most people who get it, do not die. I feel for those who suffered from this even if they did not die. I feel for the families of those left behind. 

I also feel for those who have lost loved ones to any other tragic end.  I had a sister die of complications from Celiac disease. I miss her, but I do not expect governments to take drastic measures to protect us from wheat. 

There has been some talk in the Mormon world that this virus is part of the calamities of the last days. I would agree that the power grabs by every country on the planet (except Sweden) might be a sign of things to come. I would disagree that the virus is a "desolating scourge."

Desolating does not mean killing part of a population, it means you eliminate everyone. The Jews were supposed to make the Land of Canaan desolate, and when they did not finish the job, they triggered their own eventual demise. 

I have never met GOD, and I obviously do not speak for Him. I am fairly certain that if there is a desolating scourge to come, it will kill everyone GOD targets. Not just old people, and not just 1 or 2 or 3 out of every 100 people would get it. Lots of people.

When GOD unleashes a scourge that makes desolate, there will be no doubt in anyone's mind what is happening. There will be no debate. 

GOD is patient, until He isn't. Covid is serious, but it is not the end of the world. Stop worrying about something you cannot control like a virus, and start focusing on repenting and finding GOD.

LDS goal is to have a temple in every suburb in Utah?

I am always interested in where the Mormon leaders have decided by fiat to put some more money-wasting temples. By fiat, I mean that men decided and JESUS was not part of the process.

This October conference has been no different.

First, Utah gets its 25 temple to go with a population of 3.4 million people. 1.4 million of whom are not LDS. Of the remaining 2 million people only a third of them go to church every week. Of that 666,666 only half are old enough to possess a temple recommend. Of that 333,333, only 250,000 have a temple recommend (owing to the fact that at least 90.000 of them lied).

That leaves us with one temple per 10,000 card-holding members (liars included).

Second, Bolivia gets a second temple in a curious locale. I served a mission to Bolivia when there was only one mission in a country geographically the size of California and Texas put together. The first Mormon temple was put in Cochabamba which makes sense because of its central location. The second LDS temple will be in Santa Cruz (technically Santa Cruz de la Sierra). 

The LDS press release stated that this city in the southeast region of Bolivia is home to 3 million people. A quick check of the internet gives us a real population of 1.5 million. So the church did double the number of people in this city, the way they double the number of members of the church worldwide every spring.

La Paz is the de facto capital of the country, with numerous stakes and thousands of faithful members. It has now been passed over twice, and I believe I know the reason. Mammon. If you do not know Aramaic, then you can just call it Money. Here are the factors that put a temple in a far less deserving spot.

1. Santa Cruz is wealthier than La Paz. 

2. Any tithing coming from La Paz members and the outlying Altiplano and other mountain close by like Oruro would be negligible. Why? Because the very few rich people in Bolivia are not Mormon, and the many poor people pay ten percent of basically nothing.

3. Russel M. Nelson is an idiot.

Finally, for the 110th straight conference in my lifetime there was no mention of any homeless shelters.

It is astounding that people still waste two weekends a year believing they have the golden ticket to Heaven. Even more astounding is a church with CHRIST's name in the title, and hundreds of billions of dollars in the bank, that refuses to help poor people.

"And upon my house shall it begin..."

JESUS

Why BYU football gets to break the law

As a former BYU football player during the 1980s I participated in 3 Friday night home games in Provo, Utah. My sophomore year (1986) we lost to Colorado State in Provo, and my junior and senior years we beat Utah State in Provo. Why is this important? Because BYU received special dispensation from the NCAA to play these 3 Friday night home games. These games ordinarily would not be allowed because they violate laws that protect high school football. If every college was playing on Fridays, there would be far fewer people in attendance at local high school games. 

To this very day (at the time I write this BYU is playing Louisiana Tech in Provo on a Friday night), the NCAA grants BYU this ridiculous exemption under the guise that this is a special religous weekend. What is so special? LDS General Conference, aka the most boring weekend in the history of religion.

I totally respect BYU for still not allowing their teams to violate the Sabbath and play on Sundays. I laugh at the reasoning behind having to play every other year at home on the first weekend in October. Why does the LDS church make its flagship school play on Friday night? To avoid a conflict with one or both of the 2 insipid meetings on Saturday.

If the LDS church were getting information from JESUS and relaying it every 6 months in General Conference I would walk the 750 miles to Salt Lake if I had to. Unfortunately,  as most clinically sane people know, the Mormon church is not getting revelation anymore, and so the entire weekend is a chance for sycophants to quote their superiors who are higher up the hierarchy. 

If JESUS had something He wanted Mormon leaders to say in conference, leadership would not have to worry about a football game being played at the same time. Any sincere truth seeker would either be in attendance or be tuning in to hear what GOD had to say. No threat of that every happening. 

Now all Utahns have to do to avoid intense boredom is watch Alabama or Clemson or Ohio State play during conference. Or they can do something more important like weeding or napping. If it weren't for the Tabernacle Choir singing a few hymns of praise, the whole thing would be grounds for lawsuits involving religious torture.

My freshmen year (1983) Steve Young and company beat PAC 10 champion UCLA in Los Angeles 38-37 on "conference saturday." Because the game was in California, we were "forced" to play on Saturday. I am sure the tabernacle was full of fools that day, but most of the TV sets in Utah were tuned to ESPN. UCLA was the PAC 10 champ that year because the league had not yet allowed in 2 weak athletic schools (Utah and Colorado). With those two lesser schools the league became the PAC 12 in a ploy to get a conference championship game (and millions of dollars) for football.

BYU ended up ranked 7th in the country in 1983. I did not play very much as a back up, but I got to watch the greatest season of quarterbacking in college history. I know Steve Young was robbed by not winning the Heisman trophy that year. 

The 1984 National Championship team did not include me, because I was serving a mission in Bolivia. Based on JESUS's promise in Matthew 19:29, (with no inspired change by Joseph Smith)

"And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren,

or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands

for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold,

and shall inherit everlasting life."

I would not trade that time talking to people about JESUS and the Book of Mormon for anything. I do regret helping 84 people join a false church.

By the way, it is BYU 28-LA Tech 7 at halftime on Friday. 

Tomorrow, Saturday, the old guys devoid of priesthood, but full of priestcraft get their chance. A chance to blather on twice without having to worry about something else more interesting happening nearby. And with absolutely no chance of anything interesting happening in the conference center either.

Light and Dark are not equals

Last week while driving home the following idea popped into my mind. If it sounds right to you it came from GOD, and if not it came from my fallen brain.

GOD takes the unjust circumstances of oppressed people and turns it to their good. It rarely happens quickly, and it usually does not happen in this life. But it will work out in the long run.

GOD would prefer that all men be economically equal, in that we all have a decent home, decent clothes, and enough food to eat. Satan knows this and has turned the ideal of the law of consecration on its head. At least 90 percent of the people on this planet struggle to survive. Most of these struggling people do NOT live in the US or Canada. Most call Africa, Asia, and South America home. 

How does GOD use poverty here to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children? 

GOD allows Satan to influence the selfish people of history to create a world where it is literally dog eat dog. GOD then rewards the poor who have no control of their lives with a reversal of circumstances in the world to come. 

The rich who do not share now go to Hell, and the poor who do share their meager resources go to Heaven. The rich young ruler went away sorrowing. He was not going to make it anyway. Those who he could have helped are now reaping the rewards of a humble life.

Satan's plan is turned on its head. He has created a temporary Hell for most people here, and an endless Heaven for those people to come. 

If everyone would share, and everyone had an equal chance (not an equal result), everyone would have a chance to advance towards GOD in the next phase of existence. GOD knew this was never going to happen. The selfish can never form a Zion society. The next best thing is to have an unfair economic system here, in order the give the overwhelming majority of people a better chance when they pass through the veil.

GOD is maximizing the results of His creation. It sucks now for most people, but it will be worth it for anyone who makes the best of it now, and trusts GOD.

The battle between Good and evil is not a fair fight. Even if you give Satan more guys, it will not matter.

GOD will always prevail. 

He is not just smarter than us all, 

He is smarter than all of us put together!

Heroes and Cowards: How to tell the difference

 Roland G. Fryer Jr. was a Harvard professor. His 2017 study found that in 1,300 police shootings from 2000-2015 police were less likely to shoot a black person than those of other races. Fryer is black. He said he was personally shocked at his findings. Unlike the cowards running this country, and the fools in today's mainstream media, he published his findings even though they went against his preconceptions. 

Harvard contrived a way to fire Fryer, because they did not like his study. The facts did not fit with their flawed world view that only whites can be racist. Fryer lost his job even though he is considered one of the top 10 Economists in the world! 

Ronald Fryer is a hero. 

To the ignorant athletes of professional sports, and their politically correct, but factually incorrect coaches, and all the idiots in Hollywood, I say the following:

Be grateful.

Thank GOD every day you do not live in Bolivia or Africa or Haiti or any of the other third world countries of the world. Try protesting in Putin's Russia or in China.

I do not believe the US is the greatest country in the world, but it is certainly in the top 10. 

Be grateful that Americans overvalue sports so much that people who either cannot read, or refuse to read, can be paid millions of dollars to add no value to society. 

There has never been a more lucrative time to be uneducated.

Be grateful that a person of any color can be president of the US. 

Next up is getting a female in the top executive office.

Be grateful you can protest during the national anthem here in the country you hate. 

In most countries of the world today, and all of them before 1776, your protest would cost you your life at the maximum, or being imprisoned for treason at a minimum.

Be grateful that most people think what comes out of your misinformed mouths is important. 

If your are famous and you lie, that just makes you a well-known idiot.

Be grateful you still have time to do some actual research, repent, and help make the country a better place. 

Focus on what is truly good in this country.  Fight against what is truly evil. Avoid what is popular.

Let's start helping out poor people. Let's end human trafficking. Let's treat women and children better. 

We all better literally find JESUS before we die, or we are all going to Hell regardless of color.

Finally, here is what I promised in the title. Some simple ways to tell the heroes from the cowards.

1. Heroes do not play sports. 

Heroes fight in the military.

2. Heroes do not coach spoiled athletes and let them do whatever they want as long as you get paid and the team wins.

Heroes walk and ride the streets of this diverse nation and put their lives at risk every damn day as law enforcement officers.

3. Heroes do not work in Hollywood. 

Heroes go to work in the inner-city and middle of nowhere schools to help others become educated.

4. Heroes do not do whatever is popular at the time.

Heroes serve in Emergency rooms and ambulances trying to save lives.

5. Heroes do not waste their wealth on cars and boats and planes. Fools do that.

Heroes use their excess wealth to help the poor, and they do it in secret.

The last professional athlete/hero in my estimation was Sandy Koufax. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the late 1950s into the mid 1960s. One year he refused to pitch game 1 in the World Series because it fell on a Jewish Holiday. He took abuse even from Jewish people for that. Why? Because fools think sports are more important than a person's belief in doing what is right by GOD. 

By the way he pitched games 2, 5, and 7 that year for his team in that World Series. Most remember Koufax's brilliant pitching to win games 5 and 7. I choose to remember his heroic refusal to violate deep-seated spiritual beliefs.

Be a hero. Heroes read and reflect and repent constantly.  Heroes only speak up when they are inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so. Heroes make the world a better place one person and one situation at a time.

It is your right to say and do whatever you want, but it is not your right to avoid the eventual consequences. 

Best to keep your stupidity to yourself, than to open your mouth because you think you are special, and remove all doubt.

Finally, JESUS is no respecter of persons. That means simply that He can save anyone regardless of skin color. Good black people will go to Heaven, and bad white people will go to Hell. And vice versa.

He cannot save someone who thinks they are special, even if they can dunk a basketball. JESUS will not save someone based on a popular vote. 

JESUS is the keeper of the gate to Heaven, He employs no servant there, and He cannot be deceived.

Black Lives Matter To JESUS...But Not to All Black People

This post is not in support of rioting and looting and burning and killing associated with the Satanic group labeled "Black Lives Matter." Many of these fools are actually white and using this issue as a way to operate outside the rule of law. Their day is coming.

This post is in support of law abiding black citizens of the United States who make up 95 percent of the black demographic.

African-Americans are 13 percent of the US population. That is roughly one black person for every 12 people. One in a dozen. America is blessed to have such diversity. 

The people I admire most in this country are black people who overcame racism and adversity to succeed in sports, the arts, education, leadership, and business. There has never been a tougher American than Jackie Robinson. There will never be a smarter American than Thomas Sowell. No one will ever write popular love songs like Lionel Richie, and no one will ever sing them like Whitney Houston. There will never be a better American athlete than Jessie Owens. No one will ever speak more eloquently than Martin Luther King.

In the next life I am 100 percent certain that the inequities of this life will be turned into great rewards. Glory for those who endured humiliation here and did good things anyway. There will be more than one black person in Heaven for every 12 people. Slaves will be Kings and Queens in the next life. Slave owners will be the slaves of Satan. The average black person on this planet will ascend higher than the average white person, simply by having endured a playing field that is rarely level.

The people I admire least in this country are those who realize life is not fair and decide to give up and play the victim. That is how we get 44 percent of the abortions in the US committed by black women. I do not blame them, because the great majority of these are done out of desperation. Desperation because too many young black males will not take responsibility for their children. Black or white, if you do not take care of your children, you are not a man. 

40 percent of the homicides in this country are committed by a black person. Four out of 10. 40 percent is nowhere near 13 percent. It is more than 3 times higher. Too many blacks desperate to escape poverty turn to gangs and end up killing each other. 

If you think I got these numbers from Fox News, think again. Those statistics come from a black professor, Walter Williams. He is also wiser than I am, and wiser than any politician or pundit.

Williams taught me that a police officer is 18 times more likely to be killed by a black man, than a black man is to be killed by a police officer. I am in total agreement that the police tend toward shooting first, and it needs to stop. A good way to make police officers less likely to shoot black criminals, is to have black criminals stop shooting police officers.

African-Americans are the only race that kill people far in excess of its demographic numbers. Almost half of the unnecessary deaths in this country (43 percent) are caused by one race. The other races combined cause 57 percent of the tragic deaths in the US. People of all colors need to stop killing the unborn and the born. 

I know that it is a small percentage of blacks who are perpetrating these fatal crimes. However, once a life is gone, it is gone. The only way to atone for such things is on road that runs through a literal hell for a time that will seem endless. 

There are certainly too many racist whites in this country and their future reward is not going to be anything to envy. White criminals will be punished more severely than blacks, just for having had a head start in life. That does not mean that non-whites will not be punished. GOD is perfectly fair, but He is not going to be mocked. GOD is not going to accept, "but my life was hard" as the justification for criminal behavior.

I would not want to be the KKK member waiting for the final judgement, because they are not going anywhere near Heaven. It will be even worse for the secret racist, because JESUS punishes hypocrites the most severely.  True, hard core racists of any color, will get to hang around with Satan in the next phase of existence.

JESUS will be surrounded by people who were unjustly treated and made the world a better place anyway. No person was ever more cruelly and inhumanely treated than CHRIST. No person did more for humanity than JESUS despite having lived the hardest life of us all.

Black lives matter to me, and they need to matter to 100 percent of law enforcement, but...

Black lives need to matter to ALL black people, not just 95 percent of them.

 

The Book of Mormon Does Not Belong to Any Religion

The most memorable thing I learned in my 4.5 years at BYU was taught to me by a girl whose name I sadly do not remember.   

While discussing if 2 friends of ours should get married I lobbied in the affirmative. My reasoning was that they were obviously in love. The third wisest woman I have ever encountered after my mother and my wife responded with,

"Just because 2 people are in love does not mean they should get married."

I was stunned into silence, but 30 years later I realize that truer words were never spoken.

I now realize that getting married because of love falls under the concept of conflation. Love is a necessary part of marriage but it is not the only part. 

On page 10 of Rob Smith's seminal book, Seek Ye This Jesus, is this profound quote:

"Believing in it (the Book of Mormon) does not require one to be Mormon,

anymore than believing in the Bible requires on to be Catholic."

When people pray to see if the Book of Mormon is true they usually get a confirmation of its veracity. If they are sincere it always happens. If they are not sincere it rarely happens.

The danger is in thinking the truthfulness of the BOM proves the veracity of the LDS church.

The Book of Mormon is the greatest book of scripture in history.

The Book of Mormon is true.

The LDS Church is NOT true.

Why? Because it violates basic truths contained in the Book of Mormon. 

It is like the modern Mormon church hasn't got around to reading the instruction manual from JESUS yet. It is too focused on the acquisition of money and power. 

The money and power acquisition manual was authored by Satan.

A little conflation can be a very dangerous thing.

Robert A. Rees Quote

"I am convinced that all the scholars and theologians in the world in 1830, working with all the known texts and reference materials, could not have written what was translated from the gold plates."

Robert A. Rees, faithful Mormon scholar

A New Witness to the World
________________________________________

"I concur one million percent."

John Scott Peterson (me), former Mormon, 
current high school teacher

My Mother Could Not Have Children

I was thinking today about my deceased mother, Janet. She lived over 90 years and only had to wait 2 years to be reunited with my noble father. My sister is also with them. I am the last leaf on the tree, which is a line I stole from my Mom. She was the last of her nuclear family of 6 to go.

Since this world is all about making excuses when things do not go someone's way,  I am inspired by the grit and common sense of my Mother. There is a great disparity in between my telestial self and my celestial Mom and equally celestial Dad.

My mother tried for years to have children and finally realized that it was not going to happen the standard way. So at age 33 she and my Father adopted my sister Jill. It is never easy to adopt a child, and it was especially difficult in 1958.

Luckily for me, after 7 years my parents rolled the dice on a son. It was trouble for them, and the second best thing that ever happened to me. Obviously, the Atonement of CHRIST is a clear number 1.

When I hear about people complaining about how GOD must not want them to have kids, "I always think, yeah, my Mom couldn't have kids either, and she ended up with 2!"

Thanks Mom. I miss you and I love you and I will see you when my test here is done. It should only be about 100 more years until I learn all I need to learn.

No Joseph Smith Translation, No Vision of the 3 Degrees of Glory

Most Mormons and even some non-LDS know that Joseph Smith had a vision regarding the multiple kingdoms awaiting us after this life. Some Mormons know that Sidney Rigdon experienced the same vision with Joseph, probably to fulfill the law of witnesses. This vision came as a direct result of Joseph's efforts to correct the Bible, and Sidney's assistance as scribe. The two men came upon John 5:29 concerning the resurrection of the just and the unjust and decided the ask the Lord if Christianity was correct in its idea of 2 possible results for all people---Heaven or Hell.

GOD would obviously not be fair if there were some arbitrary cut off line dividing the sheep from the goats. Imagine the line was 50.1 percent goodness or righteousness and everyone from 50.0 percent down went to Hell. People who just missed the cut off would spend eons justifiably crushed at just missing out on the only good outcome. It is also patently unfair to put someone who is barely half good with others who could be 70, 80, or 90 percent good. 

The Most High GOD is Not arbitrary so there are multiple kingdoms. There are 4 main divisions according to this vision: Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms, alone with Outer Darkness, a kind of permanent Hell.

The Telestial Kingdom and Outer Darkness fall under the "resurrection of the unjust" and all who end up in those 2 undesirable spots will spend time in Hell either temporarily (Telestial) or permanently (Outer Darkness). The top 2 kingdoms are part of the "resurrection of the just" and the blessing of such an outcome is CHRIST paying for your sins, and you getting to skip Hell altogether.

JESUS revealed to Joseph and Sidney the kind of people who end up in the lowest kingdom of glory in verse 103 of section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

"These are they who are liars, 

and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers,

and whosoever loves and makes a lie."

(I added the underlining for emphasis)

It looks like CHRIST is emphasizing the lying part because "liars" leads off the verse, and "a lie" ends it with nifty inclusio.

The line "whosoever loves and makes a lie" has always perplexed me, but now I think I have an answer. The line refers to anyone who uses deception to take away other people's free agency. It refers to anyone who enjoys lying for the sake of personal gain at the expense of others.

Now, who in the present day world who fit such a bill?

Politicians. The old joke about the politician being told he was lying and responding "I know I am, but hear me out!" comes to mind. Regardless of party, if you are just going with the flow of public opinion, and you do not stand up for truth and the rule of law, you are going to Hell. 

Journalists. The media world-wide is so corrupt as to be a cruel joke. Promoting fear and hoping for rewards from their political overlords is just another great way to pay for your own sins with some wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Religious Leaders. No surprise here. Since the days of JESUS, religious leaders care more about power and prestige than people. They would rather kill the GOD of this world and forfeit salvation, than give up power. Still true today.

There should be a special section in the Telestial Kingdom for Sadducess, Pharisees, Molesting Priests, and pretend Apostles who have never seen GOD. 

JESUS is real, and He has revealed to 2 of his servants that there are more than just Heaven and Hell. He also graciously gave them, and us, information about how to avoid the lowest kingdom: 
be faithful to your spouse, 
the occult is out, 
avoid jobs in the sex industry, and...

STOP LYING!

Revelation 2:26-27

"The history book on the shelf, is always repeating itself."

ABBA, "Waterloo" 1974 winner of the Eurovision Song Contest

Yes, truth can come from a Swedish pop supergroup of the 1970s. One of the things that keeps happening over and over and over in history is people trying to get power. It is occurring right now all over the world with the overblown reaction to a virus. The virus is serious.  The medical experts seeking 15 minutes of fame act like Covid-19 is infecting billions of people, when it is only millions. Their hysteria is off by a factor of 1,000.  Politicians and the press want us to give up our rights as if the Coronavirus was killing every other person it infected, rather than 2 out of a 100. Their methods are truly madness.


Joseph Smith, aided by the Holy Spirit, made dozens of changes to the Book of Revelation. The most significant one I have found occurs in chapter 2. 

In verse 18 and angel of GOD tells John "these things saith the Son of God." This deals with all the statements in the rest of chapter 2. JESUS is speaking the following words.

The KJV of Revelation 2:26-27 is as follows:

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end,
to him will I give power over the nations:

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron;
as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:
even as I received of my father.

I can just imagine all the tyrants in the past reading these 2 verses and salivating  in hopes of getting power over the world. Too bad that is not what CHRIST actually said. I can also see people asking what they heck shivers are, but that is beside the point.

The Joseph Smith Translation of the same 2 verses reads as follows:

And to him who overcometh, 
and keepeth my commandments unto the end,
will I give power over many kingdoms;

And he shall rule them with the word of God;
and they shall be in his hands 
as the vessels of clay in the hands of a potter;
and he shall govern them with faith,
with equity and justice,
even as I received of my Father,

CHRIST is promising the truly faithful power after this life. It is only for those who prove they can be trusted during this present time of testing. Equity and justice does not exist in the halls of power in this fallen world. It does exist in the next phase of everyone's existence when there is an initial judgement for everyone who dies. The justice of GOD will separate people in one of 3 places in the Spirit World: Paradise, Prison, and Hell. 

Those who have power now and do not use it with justice and equity will end up in Hell. Good luck to all the fools trying to get some temporary power here, and then end up being a slave to Satan in the next life. They will get to pay for their owns sins, and when your corruption has effected the lives of large groups of people, that bill is going to take a long time to pay.

Fast Sunday is Not the will of GOD

The King James Version of Mark 2:28 is:

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.



The Joseph Smith Translation of the same verse reads:

Wherefore the sabbath was given unto man for a day of rest;

and also that man should glorify God,

and not that man should not eat;

For the Son of man made the sabbath day,

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

(the underlining is mine for emphasis)

It appears as if no leader in Mormonism, since Joseph Smith, has ever read this restored verse because Utah-based Mormons have a day called "Fast Sunday." This is not a recent thing, but the Church's fast day used to be on Thursdays. In an effort to pack more pain into the sabbath, church leadership decided the day of fasting should be moved to the first Sunday of each month, unless a boring conference has been scheduled for talk regurgitation from previous boring conferences. 

Fast Sunday is in direct violation of JESUS's teaching that the sabbath is not about not eating. Once of month misguided Mormons "fast" and then go to church and bear testimony to whatever health issue or travelogue they have experienced. Testimonies rarely focus on GOD, are rarely interesting, but you get the occasional crazy person to kept you distracted from the line of primary children waiting their turn at the podium. The fact that Mormons also think fasting includes not drinking anything, gives you an idea of how utterly ridiculous this idea is.

When CHRIST came out of the desert after fasting for 40 days, why didn't Satan tempt JESUS with superfluous water creation to quench His thirst, as well as unneeded creation of food? Because Satan knew that JESUS was not dehydrated. JESUS was drinking water the entire time. CHRIST is the only being in history who could go 40 days without water, but He would not set an example that would endanger the rest of us. There was no need for Him to avoid water, when it would have required Him to use His Divine powers over life unnecessarily. Satan could have then led with, "Hey, I see you were using your powers over life and death to avoid drinking anything, so you have already abused your gifts from GOD and I have won." We would all be literal toast.

Fast Sunday seems like a really good way to get people to hate the sabbath. Have people not eat and not drink, and then have them sit through an hour of crying women, coached kids, and old men who know that their church is the only one worth attending. It it almost as foolish as the Zoramites from the Book of Mormon. At least the Zoramites were not at the point of hospitalization before ascending the Rameumpton to tell each other how chosen they were.

If only someone in Salt Lake would read the Joseph Smith Translation then Mormons could avoid excess torture on Sunday. 2 hours of pain is better than 3, so they are getting marginally smarter. If they really cared what CHRIST said they could get rid of Fast Sunday too. That might get their attendance numbers up to 25 percent.

JESUS created the Sabbath to be the best day of the week. We do not have to work, we get to focus on GOD, and we should be allowed to eat whatever and whenever we want. The Jewish leaders in His day, and moronic Mormons in our day have made it the worst day of the week. Once a month, it gets even worse.

JESUS's commandments are what He said, not what someone or some group decides in the Vatican, Mecca, or Salt Lake City.

JESUS Had 12 Apostles

Why the obvious title? In reading S. Kent Brown's commentary on the book of Luke it struck me that CHRIST only had 12 special witnesses in the innermost circle. Why is this important? Because modern corrupted Mormonism would like its members to believe you need 15 apostles to run a church. 3 for the First Presidency and 12 for the quorum. 

GOD does not change, so why would Mormons need 15 apostles? I guess to share the wealth of their priestcraft among an extra 3 people who have never seen the SAVIOR, and have apparently never read the New Testament.

30 Pieces of Silver

We all know that Judas Iscariot betrayed JESUS for the sum of 30 silver Roman coins. It was a significant amount of money. I do not care what the exact figure would be then or today, the point is that Judas felt it was worth it. He realized his colossal mistake too late and hung himself.

In reading the accounts in Mark 14, Matthew 26, and Luke 22 I was struck with one nagging thought,

For what kinds of temporary reward do We betray the SAVIOR?

Money?

Sexual gratification? 

Career Advancement?

To fit in and avoid drawing attention to our cowardly selves?

To remain part of any religion?

To pursue or own vain interest on the Sabbath...sports, recreation, travel, shopping, work, etc?

To have more of the world's goods than our neighbors?

We need to ask ourselves if in some way, large or small, we are betraying CHRIST. Do we really do what he says, even at the most basic level of the 10 commandments? Do we honor our parents, never lie, keep the Sabbath, etc. Is there some other god in our lives before the true GOD of this planet?

If not, let us repent and avoid a fate similar to Judas. 

Matthew 27:50- CHRIST's Final Words as a Mortal

The KJV says this about JESUS's last act in mortality:

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

The JST adds a poignant and powerful statement from the Savior.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, 
saying, Father, it is finished, thy will is done,
yielded up the ghost.

Obviously much clearer. Definitely better. 

Inspired? 

You and the Holy Spirit be the judge. I feel that after suffering for numerous hours both on the cross and in the garden, JESUS would certainly have announced his victory over Sin, on His way to creating a victory over Death.

The statement that the Father's will (The Most High GOD) bookends beautifully with CHRIST's prayer for a way out in Gethsemane. There was no escape for JESUS if humanity was to be given an escape from Death and Satan and Hell.

I, for one, am literally eternally grateful that JESUS finished the hardest thing ever done. I am also thankful for a Bible that adds to the majesty of CHRIST.

Matthew 27:44 : The 2 Thieves and the Master

Here is the King James Version of Matthew 27:44 describing the behavior of the two thieves crucified with JESUS...

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

This verse refers back to the mocking of the chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jews. They derided the Savior with calls for him to come down from the cross and save Himself, and then they would believe. As a younger person I had always hoped that He would have come down and incinerated those fools. But, that would have foiled his other worldly and infinite attempt to save all of mankind.

Joseph Smith was divinely authorized to add the following words to this verse, so that we could see there was one dissenting voice among the self-righteous rubes that mocked the GOD of this world.

One of the thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

But the other rebuked him, saying. 
Dost thou not fear God? 
seeing thou art under the same condemnation;
and this man is just and hath not sinned;
and he cried unto the Lord, that he would save him.

And the Lord said unto him, 
This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

(I added the underlining to the last phrase and the question mark.)

I have studied the world of spirits as it relates to scripture, and I can tell you that the LDS depictions of two places to reside before the final judgement are incorrect. There are 3 locations for the dead: Paradise, Prison, and Hell. Paradise is for those who have passed the test of mortality to see who is truly loyal to CHRIST. Prison (a horrible misnomer) is for those who have not yet made up their minds. Hell is for those who have failed the test through above average selfishness and refusal to repent. Persons relegated to Hell have to suffer for their own sins before being released. The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jews were undoubtedly sent there. 

Now I know that JESUS stated on the cross "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." But the JST of Luke 23:35 makes it clear that CHRIST is referring to the Roman soldiers only.

I love this new and improved verse because it points out how you can know that you will end up in Paradise. Support the Savior even if every other idiot in the building or your family or your town does not believe in Him.

This is Not an example of death bed repentance. The wise thief was being horrifically punished for his crimes. I am pretty sure crucifixion for theft is cruel and unusual punishment, even by Biblical standards. The thief could have joined in the "misery loves company" crowd and mocked GOD the Son. Instead he chose to rebuke the other thief and recognize that JESUS had not sinned and did not deserve any punishment, let alone crucifixion.

He did not ask JESUS to save him in the moment, but in return for defending his Master, CHRIST rewarded him after his death with a spot in Paradise. I think it is well deserved. It is never easy to go against a mob.

For me this is the perfect example of how to avoid Spirit Prison and Hell. Take the suffering this life gives out like the wise thief and have the faith necessary in JESUS to wait for your reward after you die. It is the people who try to take short cuts to salvation that end up with a long delay in the world of spirits. You can thank JRR Tolkien for part of that last idea. In The Lord of the Rings book one Pippin tells Frodo, "short cuts make long delays."

It is the religious folk who think their membership in a church is a kind of short cut to Heaven, that may find themselves bitterly disappointed after this life. Sacrifice and suffering and service in following JESUS at all costs is the long, hard road that leads to eternal life.

"And upon my house shall it begin"

A revelation given to Joseph Smith to Thomas Marsh in 1837 includes the following information from JESUS CHRIST:

24 Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.

25 And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;

26 First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.

I think this refers to the Mormon Church, which is so eager to jettison the word Mormon from their institution. I wonder how the editor of the Book of Mormon feels about this. Maybe they will change the title to get Mormon's name off the cover.

These 3 verses could also include all Christian religions. Covid-19 has done a mediocre job of killing people, but it has done a great job of closing churches. Only a mere handful of congregations have tried to hold their worship services in defiance of the idiotic orders from government tyrants. Perhaps GOD is trying to see who really is on His team. 

It should not be easy to be a true Christian. The Christians from JESUS's life time were not in the majority. They were subject to unfair laws that did not permit them to worship like Jews could. Christians in the Book of Mormon had to secretly meet outside their communities during times of selfish leaders. Alma had to flee from King Noah and his fake priests. That group reminds me of the 15 fools in Salt Lake City. Noah made the mistake of having a 20 percent tax, but modern wolves in sheep's clothing have learned that 10 percent is the best way to get people's money.

Obviously there are Mormon leaders who want people to think they have seen the LORD, and are His chosen representatives. The great majority know they are hypocrites, and use phrases like "too sacred" to hide the fact that they have not met JESUS. There are a couple rubes like Bednar who says things like, "I am scripture" and make it clear how shockingly narcissistic they truly are.

When it is illegal to attend church and you just go along with it like a good Latter-Day Saint or Christian, you have demonstrated that you are not yet part of the Kingdom of GOD.

How Many More People Have to Die? (From things much deadlier than a virus)

As of midnight Eastern Daylight Time on April 23, 2020 there have been 191,000 deaths linked to Coronavirus. 

Governments continue to using the rising death toll to justify all kinds of abuses of people natural's rights. 

Going along with this flawed reasoning I offer the following.

If in the same time period 1.5 million people in the world have died this year from their use of tobacco products, why are we not banning the production of all products with tobacco?

1. How many people have to die until we stop making cigarettes?

1.5 million tobacco deaths is almost 8 times as many deaths as Covid-19.

2. How many more people will be killed until we stop making beverages with alcohol?

771,000 people have died from problems directly related to the consumption of alcohol. Time to have a worldwide Prohibition.


That is 4 times as many casualties from drinking than Corona.

3. How many more people have to die until we close all roads?

There have been 419,000 traffic fatalities worldwide in the first 112 days of 2020.

Covid-19 is fairly wimpy compared to the dangers of driving.

4. How many more people will die by their own hand if we do not do something to stop their agency and forbid them from committing suicide?

332,000 people have chosen to end their lives this year.

Should we make a worldwide ban on razor blades and rope?

I am not saying that Coronavirus is not serious. What I am saying is that governments have chosen to focus on the 20th biggest threat to a person's life. These leaders who do not lead are ignoring 19 other threats that are much worse. The blind are truly leading the blind, and we are all headed into the nearest ditch.


The easiest way this literal Hell has come up with for people to die is Abortion. So far this unfathomable right has claimed the lives of 13 million potential humans this year alone.

I think it would be just if GOD killed the same number of people from Covid-19 in 2020 as this world has permitted to die via Abortion. GOD is obviously much more loving than I am, but it would make for a potential wake up call.

However, even if that happens, I know that people would not repent, even if 50 million or so people die from Corona. 50 million is a low estimate of the number of abortions there will be in all of 2020. Most people will just curse GOD, or wonder is there even is One. Then everyone will go back to hiding in fear in their homes, unless they need to visit the local abortion clinic wearing a N-95 mask. 

500 Million Infected and 50 Million Dead: The Spanish Flu of 1918-1920

The title has the truly horrific numbers from the flu pandemic that started in the fall of 1918 and continued on into 1919 and 1920.. The timing could not have been worse, coming in the spring in the US before World War I ended on November 11th, 1918. It probably started during the winter of 1917-1918, but the countries involved in that foolish conflict refused to report on the early cases in a misguided attempt to retain morale.

It was called the "Spanish Flu" because only the neutral country of Spain was reporting on it until the war ended.

Right now Covid-19 has infected 2.4 million people in the world and killed just over 165,000. Those numbers are certainly tragic. Everyone one of the 165,000 fatalities has caused countless other people to mourn each loss. 

I am not here to minimize the suffering of this terrible time.

What I do want to point out are the following statistics:

1. Even if there are 10 times the infections by the end of the year that would still be 22.4 million people. I doubt very much, and hope even more, that it does not reach anything near that total.

2. Even if 10 times more people die (and I certainly hope and pray this does not happen), that would be 1,650,000 fatalities. 

3. The world population in 1918 was almost 2 billion. 

4. The world population today is almost 8 billion. (7.8 Billion to be more exact) I am rounding here to make the math simpler.

5. The Spanish Flu infected 25 percent of the world's population. Some estimates are as high as one third, but I am going low to be safe.

6. The Spanish Flu killed 2.5 percent of the people on the planet at the time. Ten percent of those infected ultimately died from that infamous flu. The Coronavirus is not even close to killing 3 percent of those infected. 

7. To get the same devastating result as the Spanish Flu in terms of infecting one quarter of the population, the Coronavirus would have to infect almost 2 Billion people. By the way, a Billion is a 1,000 units of one Million. 

8. To get the same death toll of 2.5 percent of the population (NOT 2.5 percent of those infected), the Coronavirus is going to have to kill almost 200 Hundred Million people. 

Covid-19 is deadly serious medical crisis, and it hopefully will end sooner rather than later. 

The Coronavirus is not the Spanish Flu. It is also not the Andromeda Strain for those of you who like the fiction of Michael Crichton. It is bad, but it pales in comparison to the devastation caused by the influenza of 1918-1919.

Trust GOD, and know that even if someone you love succumbs to this virus, you will see them again on the other side of this vale of tears.

You and I are probably not going to die from this virus, but we will die of something. Please repent ASAP. Do what you know to be right based on the Light of CHRIST inside of you. Every person who has ever lived has had the same influence from the SAVIOR and GOD of this planet. Calling it a "conscience" detracts from the fact that its power comes from GOD. 

Finally, be of good cheer, for JESUS has overcome the world.