No Coincidences

Author: Brayden Quackenbush

  • Which Church?

    Which Church?

    I often have religious conversations.  As often as possible I try to have those conversations with people of different faiths.

    I’ve had great conversations with someone who is devout in their faith of Jesus Christ. He doesn’t believe the Book of Mormon to be true.  We have many great discussions.  Our discussions are always extremely cordial, soft-spoken, and kind.  I think we are both extremely aware and conscious of our tones when we get into topics.  Early on in our discussions things would get somewhat heated every once in a while.  I don’t remember a time when we yelled at each other or it ever got out of hand, but there’s always this feeling when we talk.  It’s a feeling of being on the edge of a cliff.  Like we’re justttt teetering on the edge of it being a full-blown argument.   We could topple over the edge at any moment.

    Our discussions are almost always centered on disagreements.  There are many, many things we agree on.  Obviously, what good is it for us to dwell on those things?  We get to the meat of our differences and try to learn from each other, I love it.  But like I mentioned, there’s always this dangerous balance.  It makes sense since we disagree.

    Our extra-cautious approach protects us.  We both love Jesus Christ and His principles with all our hearts.  We’ve both been saved by Him in powerful ways.  I believe this is what keeps us from toppling over the edge.  The constant fight within ourselves to let love, tolerance, patience, and agreeing-to-disagree trump those powerful emotions brought on by Satan in the midst of a heated discussion centered on doctrine and eternity. 

    I’ve had similar discussions with many different faiths.  Catholics, Presbyterians, Bahai. I’d like to have these discussions with every faith on earth. 

    If we all believe in Christ we should all be able to agree on so many points, right?

    No matter what there’s always that feeling.  Are we going to go over the edge?  Is this going to turn from friendly banter and growth to a “I’m right you’re wrong!” And a storming out of the room?

    This particular friend I started the story about and I have in the past discussed John 17:21:

    “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou has sent me.”

    When we had this discussion my point was this: How can we be one in Christ if so many sects disagree?

    His standpoint is that as long as we believe in Christ we are one.  We are all one under Christianity.  Under this great umbrella, we are all one in Him. That sounds great, and I love that.  In theory that is so beautiful.  There are some immediate problems with this, though. For one, I’ve been told I’m not Christian. Where do we go from that? For another, I’ve mentioned the contention that so easily arises when two groups disagree. As much as we want to be one in Christ, how can we be when there’s that underlying tension of disagreement? While millions of people can have a good Christ-like conversation with other faiths, there are also wars over these topics.

    Let me be EXTREMELY clear about one thing. There is some truth and light in all religions that teach and promote peace and love.  I love any religion that brings someone closer to God and especially if it brings someone closer to Christ.  All religions that love Christ and focus on Christ have light to them.

    There seems to be this issue when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims to be THE True Church of Jesus Christ. 

    The millennium is coming.  A time is coming when all Christians in the world will begin to be persecuted.  It won’t matter if we’re Baptist, or Catholic, or Protestant.  What will matter to the world is the belief in Christ.  As the world unites against Christians, what banner do Christians unite under?  Is it Christ alone?  Is there no one organization He would have us look to?  With all the arguments, contentions; standing on the edge, ready to topple off, between different Christian sects, how can we possibly unite as one?  If we do unite, who do we listen to?  What do we follow?

    God is a God of order.  He wouldn’t have us blindly wander as the world unites against all believers.  He can’t have us guessing which way is up and which way is down.  So, where is our banner?  Do we follow the Catholic Church, the Pope?  Do we follow some non-denominational sect?  We’ve never been able to unite.  When the world is in chaos, will that be the time the Christian world pulls it together and joins as one? I don’t see that happening. Especially as the world in general becomes more and more divided.

    We must be one.  We must be united in Jesus Christ. 

    My belief is that the Church to follow is Christ’s restored Church.  There is no more beating around the bush.  The Church of Jesus Christ has come out with a worldwide declaration that makes clear what we’ve always declared: 

    “In humility, we declare that in answer to (Joseph Smith’s) prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth. Joseph would be instrumental in its return.

    “We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New Testament Church restored.”

    The declaration is clear.  This is the banner.  The keys of the gathering of Israel were handed down to Joseph Smith by Moses himself.  Those same keys have been passed down for 200 years and are now in the possession of God’s prophet on the earth today, the speaker of the above declaration, President Russell M. Nelson.  Only by God’s official authority could the gathering of Israel be accomplished;  without contention, without fighting, without controversy.

    This is my testimony and I leave it in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

    __________________________

    If you would like to learn more about the gathering of Israel, the keys that have been handed down, the restoration of Christ’s Church, and why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends out so many young men and women to preach the gospel, please click below:

    https://www.comeuntochrist.org/belong/meet-missionaries

    A missionary would gladly teach you more about what we believe. Thank you for reading.

  • Baby

    Baby

    I am scared. 

    Can I protect you?

    Will you be bright?

    Will you be happy?

    Will you be strong or gentle?

    Will you be mine?

    I will be yours.

    You will be gentle and strong.

    You will bring joy to all those around you.

    You will bring light to the world.

    I will protect you.

    Don’t be afraid.

    Your mom will teach you some things.  I will teach you others. 

    I know I knew you before.  I know you taught me before I came here.  You will continue to teach me once you join me here. 

    I know you’ve been anxious to come.  I know because every time I prayed about you God told me.  We are ready for you.

    I will do my best to support you always.  I will do my best to shield you from the world.

    Can I ever be ready for the responsibility of your life?

    You’re coming into a scary world.  The world needs you now, more than ever.  Be kind.  Be gentle.  Be strong. 

    It’s the year 2020.  The world needs you desperately.  Don’t hold back.  Give your all.  Shine bright.

    I love you already.

    My girl.  Our girl.

  • -ites: Politics

    -ites: Politics

    4 Nephi 1:16-17

    16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

    17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

    After Christ came and established peace in the land, we have the above account from 4 Nephi in the Book of Mormon.  Before Christ came there had been many contentions – different denominations, different groups and sects.  Sound familiar?

    The world we live in today is full of envyings, strifes, tumults, whoredoms, lyings, murders, and all manner of lasciviousness.  We are separated into so many groups of -ites.

    Let’s take a look at a few of the categories we separate ourselves into:

    • Poor, middle, upper class
    • Educated and uneducated.
    • Religious and non religious
    • Asian, American, African, Hispanic, European, Russian, etc.

    Believers in Christ separate themselves:

    • Catholic
    • Baptist
    • Lutheran
    • Latter-day Saint
    • Non-denomination

    Even Latter-day Saints have their separations:

    • Member and nonmember
    • Return missionary and non-return missionary
    • Convert and pioneer heritage

    Factions and divisions are prevalent no matter how small a group is broken down into in society. Sometimes it feels like if two people were put in a room they would only find things to disagree on. I list all these groups and ways we separate ourselves to lead to a point. One of the most polarizing groups we separate ourselves into, especially in America, is our political party.

    The political landscape today is full of so much vitriol, so much animosity. Sometimes I fear our politics is what will be the ultimate downfall of all unity and kindness in the United States. There are other times I’m positive political beliefs will be the end of all love in the world.

    This post does a great job in describing the major issue with politics today:

    https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/49040923/posts/48634

    Please give it a read. The post talks about how in politics we often hate the other side more than we care about our own side.

    Democrats and Republicans are the modern-day Nephites and Lamanites.  They are titles, distinctions, parties.  All they do is separate us from one another.  As soon as we look at somebody as a Republican or a Democrat and assume something negative about them, we are unfairly characterizing that individual.  Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, you know someone of the other party that you like.  If only we could see the viewpoints of other parties and understand the reason they think that way, it would make such a difference.

    All these categories described above, and especially political affiliation, they are all modern day -ites.  If we don’t start uniting and working together, this will all fall apart.

    As we approach another heated political season, I hope we all remember that we’re in this together. The Republican isn’t all that different from their Democrat neighbor. Love and accept and try to see why others have different viewpoints. Often when we put ourselves in the shoes of another and try to understand why they think the way they think, we will be shocked at how quickly we at least understand where they’re coming from.

    There are so many ways we differentiate ourselves. I hope we can do our best to focus on the one category we all belong to: children of our Heavenly Father. We are brothers and sisters, all in this test of life together. I hope we can start to act like it.

    Just imagine. What if the politics in America was better represented by this image than the one above?

    That’s a political landscape I’d like to be a part of.

  • White Privilege

    White Privilege

    I’ve tried to think if there’s something I can write right now.  There’s nothing I can write that will change the world.  That’s desperately what I’d like to do.  Maybe I could write something that makes a tiny difference. A friend of mine who is in a better position to speak on the pain being experienced by so many said in a video that it helps when we speak up. So, I’m speaking up.

    I’ve tried to decide if there’s something I can write for my black brothers and sisters.

    Let me start there.  I’m not saying African American.  No one calls me Finnish-American.  I am American.  My brothers and sisters aren’t African American.  Few of my friends have ever been to Africa.  They’re as American as I am.

    I’m going to give a personal anecdote that taught me something. Before you read, know going in, this is not me giving a commentary about how discrimination happens to white people too or to share that we are all discriminated against. Please get to my point at the end of the story.

    One early evening a couple years ago Beth and I left my condo to go get food.  I took a right turn a bit hastily through a red light, I didn’t yield as I should have.  I saw the police officer behind me.  He followed me briefly and pulled me over.  He came to my window.  He was a young, white, male officer.  Couldn’t have been older than 30.  He approached my window and asked for license and registration.  I handed it to him.

    He took my information back to his vehicle.  He came back and discussed why he pulled me over.  I knew why. 

    He was not being pleasant.  He was not kind.  He seemed angry at the inconvenience of having to pull me over.  He proceeded to tell me that recently someone was killed at a crosswalk because someone like me didn’t yield.  I apologized and said I understood.  I made a mistake and shouldn’t drive like that through crosswalks.  To this day I think about it almost every time I approach a red light.  I should have been more cautious.

    The officer was very…unkind.  I don’t know how else to describe it.  His tone, his demeanor, his stance, everything was aggressive.  Then he looked in at Beth and told her to give him her license.  She told him she didn’t have her license since she wasn’t driving.  This is where the whole situation turned.  He got really angry.  He told her she was required to provide her identification, and not in a nice way.  Beth said that wasn’t true.  She didn’t say it in a nasty way, just stated that wasn’t true and anyways she didn’t have her license on her.

    He then continued by saying that he didn’t know if we had just stolen this car and he needed her license to verify that, and that she was required to provide it.  He had my license and registration for my car in his hands so he knew the car wasn’t stolen.  I politely stated I lived just down the street and we could get her license if it was necessary.  But now he was being nasty and Beth was upset.  He started aggressively telling her, basically, that she was dumb for thinking she didn’t need her license when she left the house. 

    He got out a pen and paper and took down her information and looked her up.  He then told us he had bigger criminals to catch and to get out of here.  He didn’t give me a ticket, just told us to leave.  He told us we wasted his time because he wanted to catch criminals.

    For those wondering – I’ve since checked the legality of leaving your home without identification.  “It is absolutely not illegal to walk around on the street without ID in the United States of America. Under the 4th Amendment of the Constitution you are secure from unreasonable searches and providing your identification is a form of search.”

    I left that interaction feeling uncomfortable. Beth was extremely upset. I felt uneasy. I felt a little abused. I felt like a man took an opportunity from a position of power to make me feel small, to insult my girlfriend, to show his power.

    I’ve told this story to lead to one big, important point:

    At no point in that interaction did I ever fear for my life or fear for the safety of my (then) girlfriend.  It was uncomfortable.  That was it.  I never felt truly threatened. I’ve since thought what it would be like to be in that situation, to feel everything I felt that day, with the added feeling that my life might be in danger. I’ll likely never know what that feels like.

    I know there are good cops everywhere.  I know only some are bad.  Let’s get that completely out of the way.  That is not what this is about.

    That’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m talking about fear and oppression.  I don’t fear like that.  Why?  Why do some of my brothers and sisters have to fear?

    The title of this post is White Privilege. I want to say something I think I’ve realized far too late. Saying white people have white privilege isn’t an insult to white people.  I am white.  There may have been a time when I heard “white privilege” and took offense to this phrase.  Not anymore.  It’s time we accept that we’ve been given a leg up compared to so many others.  White privilege isn’t a personal attack on me.  It’s a fact.  We have to stop taking these statements of fact as an insult.  They’re not.  They’re facts.

    I’m sorry.  I know these words don’t change anything.  I know things need to change. I’m sorry I don’t know how to help change it.  I’m sorry I don’t know how to bring more love into the hearts of every person here.  I’m sorry there are people that hate.  I’m sorry there are people who discriminate.  I’m sorry there are people that kill.  I’m sorry there are people without empathy when a man is begging for air.  I’m sorry.  I know it doesn’t change anything. 

    I love my black brothers and sisters.  I’m sorry you have to fear.  It’s not right.

    I’d like to share two things a friend of mine shared, two ways we can start to make a small difference.

    1. Stop saying the N word. Don’t say it. Ever.
    2. Don’t let the little comments slide by. When you hear racist remarks or comments, speak up. Say something.

    All I can do is speak up, say my part. I know it’s not much. I love you. Many more people love you than you realize. There is more good in the world than we’re lead to believe.  I have to believe that.  I have to hold on to that.  I know that doesn’t change the world.  All I can do is hope.  Hope that love will eventually prevail.  Hope that discrimination and hate will end.  Maybe it won’t in this life. Or maybe we can still change. Maybe we can still make a difference.

    _________________________

    These are some links, videos, music that I’ve viewed recently that have impacted me. Please listen and read:

    President Nelson Calls for Repentance in Statement on Racism:

    https://www.ldsliving.com/President-Nelson-Calls-for-Repentance-in-Statement-on-Racism/s/92936

    Life of Privilege Explained:

    ****EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING****:

  • An Angel

    An Angel

    Some of God’s children are special beyond measure.

    They never lose their innocence and childlike wonder.

    I have a cousin who is like that.

    She taught me a lot.

    She has taught me about true joy.  She has taught me about true happiness.

    The simple things in life would bring such a laugh.

    The kind of laugh you couldn’t avoid.

    The kind of laugh that made you laugh, I guess because her joy was so contagious, so infectious.

    Olivia and her bike

    I had to laugh with her.

    God’s plan is perfect. 

    Despite a loving family, loving parents and siblings, there was never a perfect place on this earth for her.

    I’m not sure she ever had a comfortable moment on this earth.

    Despite that, still the joy, the joy was ever present.

    A new dress.  A butterfly.  A rad motorcycle.

    She could teach us so much.

    There was never a perfect place for her on this earth.

    I know when I next see her, she will be clothed with such beauty and glory that I will be blinded by her.

    But God’s plan is perfect.

    I know there is a perfect place for her with Him.

    If you looked very closely you could see her glory here.

    I know there is a perfect place for her.

    I’ve never been around a soul who deserved a perfect place more.

    I’m thankful for what she has taught me.  I’m grateful for her strength.  I’m grateful for her fight to stay here and teach us.

    I know her family is grieving now.  We all are.  We grieve when someone so good is taken from us.

    Take comfort in where she’s gone.

    No place was good enough for her here.  She’s finally in a place deserving of her light.

    We will miss her.

    Enjoy paradise Olivia. You are a princess every day and I can’t wait to see you again.