Category: Through the Lens

  • Window to the Soul

    The eyes are a window to your soul William Shakespeare (supposedly) Gaze attentively into the pools of passion, truth, and emotion. Stare into the depths and become swallowed up in the mystery of the person in front of you. That is if you’re able to do so without the individual thinking you’re insane, feeling uncomfortable,…

  • The Forgetting

    Sorrow, shame, anger, and hate wrap around me, bind me and squeeze. The pressure builds. I cry out, “I can’t do this!” and my beloved responds, “You already have. You have simply forgotten.” I break free, like a butterfly from his cocoon. I feel God’s love on my wings and breathe it deep into my…

  • I Do Not Believe In The Atonement

    *Previously published on 08/28/2016 – updated/edited today. I should say: I do not believe in the Atonement, capital-A, as taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints™. I do not believe in an Atonement where Jesus, God’s favorite and perfect son, is sent to earth to pay for a debt he did not…

  • Reflections while on a train

    What is the nature of that which is observing? The Waking Up App, Rupert Spira, The Nature of Awareness I am sitting on a train on my way to work. It is peaceful. Nearly everyone around me is either looking at their phone, a book, or eyes closed (resting?). Each individual is focused on his…

  • Be Perfect

    Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, Or your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. Lesser Words of Jesus; 3 Nephi Over the last few weeks (months?), the above quote has come to mind. Jesus delivers the quoted words to those survivors who are gathered in the land called Bountiful after…

  • Free(ish) Will

    Free(ish) Will

    For the last few weeks, I have been attempting to sort out whether or not men have free will. In short, no, we don’t have free will. We are extremely limited in what we are truly free to do, say, think, etc.. At best, we have free-ish-will. This is something akin to Compatibilism: we may not be…

  • Through the Lens – D&C 76, part 2

    It has been a minute since I’ve had the opportunity to put to paper a few thoughts I’ve had regarding Doctrine and Covenants 76. The more I have thought about it, the more I want to break it down. According to the written account, Smith and Rigdon were in the act of translating the Bible…