Old Faith Blog

My highest aim in life is to be on the side of truth, wherever it can be found. I believe this is synonymous with being on the side of God. For that, I have journeyed down several paths in search of truth in such areas as faith, science, economics, and politics. Truth in each cannot contradict truth in the others. Any seeming contradictions are because of either incomplete information or incorrect interpretation of the available information. Along this journey, I have found true and just such libertarian principles as self-government , self-ownership , and non-aggression . I understand what each of these principles are, I try to live them, and I try to promote them. But I've certainly had some questions along the way as these principles pertain to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Within the Gospel, it is doctrine that the American Experiment was directed and established through either the direct or indirect influence of the Almighty. What this means is that God had a hand in the init...

It is my opinion that faith is a beautiful thing. It is required in almost everything we do. In remarking on faith now, however, I refer to faith in life after death. I have faith and I have hope that my spirit will continue living long after my body dies. Is this reasonable? Of course it is. Who of sound mind wouldn't want to continue life after death? But what causes that faith and hope? It can only be self-interest. Can I say that? Is it okay for me to admit that the reason I have faith and hope in an afterlife is because I am interested in myself? Is that selfish? I don't think it's selfish; I think it's logical and true. Self-interest is behind everything we do, even altruistic things like serving our neighbor. I also believe it's behind everything God and Jesus Christ do. In the book of Moses we read, "For behold, this is my work and my glory , to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Emphasis added.) Obviously, God is as self-i...

The Resurrection and the Atonement of Christ are the pinnacle events in the history of the world. The darkness and sadness of Christ's crucifixion did not endure. Christ was resurrected, enabling the resurrection of all mankind. In our lives we will have our dark days, but because of Jesus Christ we can have hope in overcoming our trials and ultimately returning to live with our Heavenly Father ( 2m, 32s, YouTube ):

A true man makes sacrifices in order to honor his commitments. Even though he will give much, the blessings he receives outweigh the sacrifice ( 3m, 12s, YouTube ):

I just read a great article on war and wanted to share it. I thought this blog a more appropriate place than my other one. After reading this, I remembered what Mormon said after the fall of his people : And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my people, and I cried: O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! The introduction and conclusion to the article " War is Sin " by Chris Hedges: The crisis faced by combat veterans returning from war is not simply a profound struggle with trauma and alienation. It is often, for those who can slice through the suffering to self-awareness, an existential crisis. War exposes the lies we tell ourselves about ourselves. It rips open the hypocrisy of our religions and secular institutions. Those who return from war have learned something which is often incomprehensible to those who have stayed home. We...

Here's a great article from Conner Boyack for LDSFreeman.com on war from an LDS perspective. We need to start listening to the council of our prophets past and present to renounce war and proclaim peace. An excerpt: In a world of constant conflict, how well are God’s chosen people renouncing the status quo of destruction and death and proclaiming peace? Do the followers of the Prince of Peace carry His standard in the face of war, or do they gladly parade around with the flags and insignia of their respective Caesars?

Here's a great video from Mormon Messages ( 3m, 23s, YouTube ) on the hard times we face, from Elder Cook's conference address:

I discovered this great General Conference summary video (10m, 56s) produced by the church that highlight great parts of each of the First Presidency and Apostles' talks. It helped to fill in some of the parts I missed, as will the conference issue of the Ensign. Different formats of it can be found here . I hope these find their way to YouTube.

I wanted to share two Easter messages. The first is a message by the First Presidency of the Church. The second is a video of the Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland bearing witness of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement: At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). Because of the Savior’s resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our ...

Great video by Mormon Messages featuring part of a talk by Elder Gerald Causse. It's embedded below this excerpt: God would indeed be unjust if the gospel were only accessible to an intellectual elite. In His goodness, He has ensured that the truths regarding God are understandable to all His children, whatever their level of education or intellectual faculty.