D&C 129-132 - Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome! This week includes the Polygamy section which I do not plan on discussion much because first, that is what everyone is doing, second, its too wide and audience and not enough time to approach it correctly.

Section 129

Section 129 is a pretty cool section. For those of you who haven't had an experience such as that which Section 129 prepares for, the key take away is that the devil and his angels cannot but be deceptive, while the angels of God cannot but tell the truth. We can use this to pattern our own lives.

Section 130

Section 130 is such a fun grab bag. here are my hot takes on all the cool things

vs 1-3 and vs 22. The bold message of the restoration is that God is our literally heavenly or spiritual father, and a personage like us, except at a celestial glory, that Christ is the same and our spiritual brother, and that we can attain this some glory through Gods plan. There are many who struggle with this today. It seems so wild that it can hardly be believed. And yet, this is the testimony of Joseph Smith and the prophets and all those who have seen His face.

vs 4-5 what did Joseph Smith know of Quantum Mechanics and general relativity? Did he merely see God's time in the sense of revolutions, or did he know that time was relative?

vs6-10. It seems that material can be purified such that it is one with everything and everything is one with it, where all things are made manifest before and through it. In Joseph Smiths copy of the book of breathings, a stone of truth is discussed. There is also the platform of maat, which is essentially a stone of truth or justification that the initiate is to be led to to show they are justified.

vs 12-13. I've had some fun thinking about how things cascaded from the Civil war to the present. Nothing to really put down here except that we could see the prototypes/beginnings of modern war beginning at the civil war. it seems the economic/money powers also consolidated at the time of the civil war. As far as direct historic ripples, the evidence seems more sparse.

vs14-17 These verses have tilted a couple people that I know. The key here is that Joseph Smith does not even attempt an interpretation of what the message meant besides that he 'believed' that it would be at least that far away. Let's not interpret what The Prophet did not.

vs 18. Intelligence as pure light or knowledge flowing through you, not directly book smarts, accumulated facts or even necessarily understanding and explaining subjects

vs 19. There is some sort of progression after this life.

vs20-21. I believe these verses are very much simplified to fit the current understanding we have, but the key is that there is cause and effect in the universe and the two are not separated, neither should they be, except as provided as a way that can finally resolve through God's atoning power and law.

vs 23. a great reminder for all those not yet baptized and a great reminder for those who already are as well :).

Section 131

Another awesome grab bag

vs1-4. The priesthood, the new and everlasting covenant and marriage are somehow tied together. Curious Curious.

vs 5. Pretty cool!

vs 6 this is where the whole 'don't teach me so I won't be judged as harshly' thing falls apart. there is a time and an order to teaching a person to the degree or level that they can bear that knowledge, but remember, if we do not find out what these things mean, there is only blind oblivion. And even blind oblivion must end some day.

vs 7-8 again, how much did Joseph Smith understand about quantum theory and general relativity? We tend to say taht everything is energy, even matter. Joseph Smith put it the other way, but it means the same thing. Everything has what we may call objective existence. In other words, everything is real, the question is, a real what?

Section 132

Yep, its the polygamy section. As I said, I'm not going to mess with it. The only thing I'm going to say is that once again, the priesthood, the new and everlasting covenant, and marriage seem intrinsically tied based off of these scriptures.

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