Monday, March 18, 2024

Book of Mormon Prophecies: Contrasts With the Holy Bible?

Book of Mormon Prophecies: Contrasts With the Holy Bible?

    A friend asked me this question, more or less, yesterday, and I realized that I had not had a good or adequate immediate answer. So, I think it would be good to go over this question.

    First of all, the main prophecies or revelations of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, largely coincide and correspond with the Bible's prophecies, revelations, and doctrines. We believe that they align very well, thus making Christ's Gospel, the Anointed One's Good News, congruent and coherent. There is a bit there to absorb, predictions and happenings said of the future.

    The Book of Mormon has some specific revelations that are worth reviewing, though. I thank my friend for this question.

    There are some official Church of Jesus Christ, like this one:


    There are specific promises and revelations, some are doctrinal and general Christian blessings and truths that go along with the Holy Bible, the Old and New Testaments.

    Of course, the mere existence of the Book of Mormon suggests things that are not accepted by traditional Bible believers. That believers and prophets of the Lord came to the Americas and started civilizations on this side of the world. But apart from the lives and devotions and battles for righteousness that those peoples waged for a thousand years, and more, leaving their witness and testimony of faith in Jesus and His plan of redemption, salvation, and happiness, there are specific prophecies of the peoples of the Americas, who are of the tribes of Israel, who will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus, and bring God's kingdom back to the Earth through the Restoration of All Things. Restitution, Redemption, Glory, and Exaltation. Victory over death and the Adversary, allowing God's children to be one with God and Jesus once more, as were before.

    Christopher Columbus and the U.S. Constitution are alluded to; the American nations are suggested as the bulwark of strength and freedom, blessed through the loins or lineage of the Sons of Israel, Ephraim and Manasseh. Judah and Benjamin, Levites and the rest will be around as well, but particularly the two sons of Joseph will lead the way of the Master, the Holy One of Ancient Israel and the whole world.

    So, how to sum up?

    1. The New World, the Western Hemisphere, will play a large part in the unfolding of the end times of Christ and His imminent and eminent return, His Kingdom, His government, His and His peoples' eternal destiny and plan.

    2. The descendants of the Nephites and Lamanites, and other ancient American nations, the peoples of the Book of Mormon, will play a prominent part in the leading and gathering of all Israel, the Lost Tribes and other, from all the corners of the Earth.

    3. The Gentiles and the Europeans and later others would become the Covenant people of God, helping usher in the winding up scenes of Jesus' advent and reign. The New Millenium. The thousand years of peace.

    4. There are a few more specific prophecies to be mentioned, of which I have to re-visit. However, some distinct revelations are not contained in the Book of Mormon and claimed anciently, but are newer to the world in the modern Prophet Joseph Smith Junior, in the collections of revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants. Like the New Jerusalem to be established in Missouri, and the Saints of the Latter-days to be headquartered in the United States, more or less, the temple worship and redemption of all mankind, living and dead, would be centered in the New World.

    I need to do more homework and research to discover, or re-find and renew my knowledge of such matters. It all can blend, all the holy scriptures and prophecies. Revelations are there to be found.

    Thanks again, my brother in Jesus.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Late Night Poetry, or Thoughts

Late Night Poetry, or Thoughts


   We work and toil,

    Try to get some breaks

    Other times we are lazy,

    Or too focused on things of little matter


    I stay up late

    I think of her, I think of him

    I think of you


    I think of God, and the rest


    There are many


    Some real, some fake


    The real ones are the best


    Like you


    Need to sleep, don't really want to


    But must shut off the brain


    Good night.


    Love you.


    I think I love it all.


    Enough.

Jon Clinch is a Good Writer - The Stories have their Own Spell

 Jon Clinch is a Good Writer - The Stories have their Own Spell

    I am finishing my third book of his. The General and Julia, is the title. Much history and Americana, and good vocabulary and thoughts. Great characterization.

    He digs into our history, fictional and non-fiction, and makes it more interesting, more curious, more possible. He is quite outstanding at fashioning his stories.

    I do not need, nor want to write like him, but he is a definite stand out.

    I read him for his last name, originally, I read more of his work because he does a good job. He has gotten to know his subject matter immaculately. And it is entertaining and educational. Best of all worlds.

Indiana Declines the NIT, Compounding their Problems

Indiana Declines the NIT, Compounding their Problems

    The way you get better is playing together, developing chemistry, and becoming better individually and as a group. Mike Woodson of all people should know this. He played for Bobby Knight on an IU NIT champion in 1979, right? In between NCAA championship teams. The players on the 1979 team assuredly gelled more, developed better strengths

    Ugh. We cannot even repeat success as a pattern, let alone on the court. IU is pretty dumb! I hate that. I wish the coaches, players, and everyone related to Indiana University men's basketball could be smarter. Me, too.

    But no. The program seems to be in shambles upon further review. Can Jakai Newton hang around and be part of the answer? Is Gabe Cupps part of the answer? Will Malik Reneau come back 
as a junior, or Ke'lel Ware, or... We do have Leal and Galloway, but they may not be the answers.

    Our best and only commit for next year de-commited. What is going on?

    I have lost my faith in this system, after Mike Davis, Kelvin Sampson, Tom Crean, and Charlie Miller.

    Can Woodson right the ship?

    I have my serious doubts; I and the rest of Hoosier nation are growing older and grey as we wait for a resurgence of what happened under the General, Robert Montgomery Knight.

    He died last fall, but his great players and teams have been gone a lot longer.

    Wisconsin beat Purdue today. They are smart.

    IU, not even competing in the National Invitational Tournament?

    Yikes.

    We are kind of cursed, and we bring a lot of it on ourselves.

    I did not send after Friday night when I wrote this... No Saturday. In any regard, Indiana has been a loser for too long.

    Indiana has to be better. Please.

Friday, March 15, 2024

O for Nebraska - IU Hoosiers May Not Make NIT in 2024

O for Nebraska - IU Hoosiers May Not Make NIT in 2024

    Not a bad run at the end, but many things were wrong this season.

    We need the NIT. Please, more experience for these young dudes.

    More later.

Writing Helps - Sports are Safe[r]

 Writing Helps - Sports are Safe[r]


    Some drink coffee, some drink booze. Others smoke or take drugs. Some do things in excess, like eat, or other things. Like watch a lot of different entertainment. I like watching certain live sports, perhaps that is a drug. My drug, or opiate, or stimulant. Some people like to fish, some hunt, some race, or drive. Or sail. Or read. Or pour over reports, or analysis, or investments, or trades and stocks and funds. Some people write and play music. Some have all kinds of hobbies. Some work more, or serve, or tinker. Some preach. Some minister. Others tinker, and others figure

    Making money makes sense. Good habits and actions if you can do it. Some of us poorer, less financially savvy schmucks pay attention to the vagaries of organized sports, like in college and professional levels. Me, I am a sucker and a chump, virtually an addict for college basketball. I love it, I hate, I want some more of it.

    However, what I do not want in college basketball at the end of this season is for seven teams, that are more or less good enough, to win the final night in April. No more championships for the following. And then I will explain why.

    The No-No No More List:

    North Carolina (6 all time)

    Kentucky (8 all time)

    Duke (5 all time)

    UConn (5 all time. Really?)
 
    Kansas (three all time?)

    Villanova (three all time)

    Baylor (One all time)

    Anyone else in the tourney would be all right with me. Purdue, Houston, Tennessee, Auburn. Who else threatens? Iowa State, St. Mary's, Creighton, Marquette. Of course, my BYU Cougars would be so awesome to go all the way, and on some streak of amazing luck my long shot Indiana Hoosiers would be incrediball. Anyone but the above seven. Why?

    The UNC Tar Heels of Chapel Hill, stealers and drug dealers:

    Enough of these Indiana talent stealers! They have won rings three times since Indiana last won its last ring in 1987, with Indiana big men. One from Indianapolis, the second from Bloomington, the last from Jasper. They won again without any Hoosier players more recently, but still. Enough, North Carolina! Enough of your rings. How many now? Six? Ugh. Stop. At least this year they have no Hoosiers either. Win the right way. Use your own guys. Not my home state's.

    The Duke Blue Devil barf bags:

    Ugh, they are so cool (read: gross) and All-Americans play there every single year for decades. ENOUGH! Bob Knight's protege Mike Coach K Krwzshevski -- I can never spell it, has fashioned them into a perennial power. Anyway, the legendary coach who recently retired, Coach K, got five championships, just him, which is a modern record since the Wizard of Westwood did his craziness in the 1960s and 70s. Krzyzewski was under our Indiana guy's tutelage and then went on to outdo him, especially in recruiting.

    The Kentucky Weasel Wildcat Whackos:

    When IU won its fifth NCAA championship when I was in high school (1987), we tied Kentucky with five all time. The Weasels have won three more since; but have had 95 percent better talent. Tired of you, you rodent swine! You guys cheat a lot, and luckily for the rest of us, you have not won more. I hope you know that IU and Indiana will play you again and again, and we are not afraid to visit your arena, as you have been with ours. More like Scaredy Cats. Yeah.

    The University of Connecticut Homer Hateful Huskies:

    Ugh, they win again and again, and make me feel old. They win it all, too much, consistently in the last quarter century. They had the miracle run back in 2011, and they won it before and since. Last year, too. Which would make it especially egregious if they won it all in 2024. Go back to Alaska and mush on up there, Husky dogs! 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Existential Poetry - Dealing with Mortality, Thinking About Things

 Existential Poetry - Dealing with Mortality, Thinking About Things


    Driving back home, I see a guy

    He reminded me of a man--

    That I was friends with the last few years

    Who was alive on this earth till Sunday morning


    Not so, now

    I'm sorry, that is blunt


    I'm sorry, that is real

    This is life, then comes death


    Edgar Allen Poe was haunted by it

    And continues to perpetuate across our minds and spheres and tomes


    Shelves of yesteryear present with us still

    
    Death


    The word does not say it all. And,

     Death connotates what once was living, 

    Which is a good thing.


    But death is there. It is a constant, a reminder, a friend and an enemy.

    It is the other side of the coin.

    

    The reminders and remembrances come from all directions.

    There are many more dead than there are living.

    Newborns come, and come, gratefully, but the dead steadily move on.

    And up.

    And down.

    Some disintegrate, either fast or slow.


    Not trying to be morbid,

    Just want to explain.

    Understand.

    Analyze. Figure out.


    The most times unknowable and mysterious.

    The immortal comes from mortal, many hope.

    Even Buddhists.

    Even pagans.


    The monotheistic or celestial religions have their heavens.


   But many Jewish folks have lost their faith in the afterlife, I have observed.

    This is too bad.

    
    The God of Abraham and Isaac do not promise death as a finality.

    Nor do the Buddha and all the Hindu gods and goddesses.

    Not sure about the Shinto, or even Taoists.


    So, what am I saying? 

    Shakespeare was not sure, and spoke of it through Hamlet and many others.


    Harold Bloom, the literature guru, rhapsodied of it,

    At least through his critical loves and languishing tastes


    We will all meet him again, perhaps.

    And see Kurt Vonnegut in heaven.



    For now, we have the now and living.

    The survivor recuperates in the hospital,

    A few roads away.