My next four short posts will be on the topics of Idolatry that we are ‘immersed’ in today as illustrated by this statement from Brigham;
“When God spoke from heaven to Joseph Smith, the people were bound down by priestcraft, doctorcraft, kingcraft and lawyercraft, the four grand crafts that uphold Satan’s kingdom.” (Brigham Young, Des. News, July 12, 1865)
Reading through the Chronicles this weekend I happened across a scripture that I felt worth sharing.
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.” (II Chron. 16:12-13)
The writer of the Chronicles shows a remarkable bit of perspective, one which we have lost as a people almost entirely today. A king went to a Doctor, relied on a doctor, for diagnosis and treatment. Whether or not he died because of this is irrelevant to me, rather I see the importance here of seeing as the writer of scripture saw. He looked on this event and shook his head, as a man dying laid on his death bed, because he went to a doctor. But of course today, the Covenant people of the lord are doctors themselves. They really on synthetic drugs prescribed by these doctors. They spend their money and time leaning on and trusting their opinions. It has not been this way always. Once upon a time the Latter Day Saints were taught to rely on God and not be idolatrous in relying on the arm of flesh.
“I preached to a large congregation at the stand, on the science and practice of medicine, desiring to persuade the Saints to trust in God when sick, and not in an arm of flesh, and live by faith and not by medicine, or poison;” (Joe Smith T.P.J.S., p. 190)
“I would rather have a wife of mine that knows what medicine to give me when I am sick, than all the professional doctors in the world.” (Brigham Young, J.D. 12:225)
“Who is the real doctor? That man who knows by the spirit of revelation what ails an individual and by the same spirit knows what medicine to administer. That is the real doctor, the others are quacks.” (Brigham Young J.D. 15:226)
“Doctors and their medicines I regard as a deadly bane to any community. Give your children, when sick, a little simple herb drink; and if they have eaten too much let them go without food until their stomachs are cleansed and purified, and have faith in the name of Jesus and in the ordinances of His Church, and they will live. That is my faith with regard to this thing. I am not very partial to doctors and lawyers, I can see no use for them unless it is to raise grain or go to mechanical work.” (Brigham Young, J.D. 14:109)
“It will be so in a little time that not a woman in all Israel will dare to have a baby unless she can have a doctor by her.” (Brigham Young, J.D. 15:225)
The Children of Israel, Gods covenant people, have covenanted to make him their God and to rely on him. This is a rather plain, though difficult, illustration and test of our faith. Will we rely on God, on his revelation and the gifts of healing as he has given us? In section 42 the Lord plainly instructs,
As is obvious here, the Lord even makes allowance for those who die. “if they cdie they shall ddie unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me.” Let the blessings that God has given us be enough. The priesthood, the gifts of healing, the gift of faith, the gift of herbs and of discernment are given for this purpose. By turning to a physician we show our lack of faith, and if we then die, do we then “die unto HIM”? Drugs and Doctors are wrecking havoc on the world, and making a handsome profit. Leaving a society of saints depressed and reliant on synthetic medicine, destitute and poor from sending Zions money to the hospitals and scientists. Stand up Zions people, with faith, shake off your chains that bind you down, touch not their unclean things.
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all aphysicians of no value.5 O that ye would altogether ahold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.16 He also shall be my salvation: for an ahypocrite shall not come before him.18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be ajustified.19 Who is he that will aplead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to aknow my transgression and my sin.26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the ainiquities of my youth.
I feel the spirit of this as it relates directly to an illness in my family.
I wonder sometimes how awesome life would be if we even had a little faith and trust in god.
“Stand up Zions people, with faith, shake off your chains that bind you down, touch not their unclean things.”
amen! we need some fucking boldness in these stagnant lukewarm waters.
I shutter when I hear Gen Conf talks that relate the spiritual gift of healing with the use of allopathic medical doctors. Also i find it of worth to note that the condemned practice of “sorcery” in the scriptures is the greek word for pharmaceuticals.
Thankfully there is a wonderful exception to this rule as the man who came to mind was a doctor who fully relied on god. one of rock’s posts has the background information for dr. christopher and his research on the workings of herbal remedies
http://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-avoid-swine-flu-shot.html
also while reading this i was reminded of a statement by brigham young that seemed to contradict the above quotes but, after pondering for a bit, realized that it compliments them because the statement says, along the lines, that the sick and afflicted shouldn’t immediately seek out priesthood blessings until they’ve attempted natural cures and medicines. if i remember correctly, he says nothing about doctors in there. i’ll have to look for the full statement to be 100% certain.
you know, 2 weeks ago my 2 yr old daughter nearly drowned. I found her unconscious and blue, and appeared to have no life. I revived her, and she was life flighted to primary childrens. she needed oxygen and liquids/electrolytes via IV pumps, and later a ventilator until her lungs were repaired. I indeed gave her a blessing when I was trying to revive, and not until then did she come back. but after that, she needed more than herbs could give. Even after my blessings pleading with heaven to let her live, she still needed critical care. no herbs could be given. she could not eat for a week with a vent tube that was required until her lungs could do the job. she did come home quickly beyond expectations of dr’s and nurses who had little faith she would make it. she was quickly named the miracle baby. i know heaven intervened to save her and to get 1 of the dr’s to quickly come off the vent and sedation meds while other dr’s and staff were thinking she was acting too quickly (i think the morphine was making things worse after a while). what a blessing to have such places as primary childrens (except the outrageous costs!). I had all the faith in the world that I could heal her on the spot and be made whole. everything seemed to work together to get her better with what we have available today. i’m not sure why an angel did not stand on the water near my canoe to tell me my daughter fell in the water to avoid the accident in the first place. either way, she was under for a long time… and today has zero side effects from the incident. despite the lack of faith at the hospital, my little girl was still saved by the power and help from heaven, and later the assistance of a machine that prevented her lungs from failing. course, the hospitals follow usual protocol, and the vent tube and drugs were inserted before i was consulted…
i do wish we had more divine protection and heavenly gifts. this is something i’ve been seeking for years now. i have been seeking my own close connection with heaven, maybe the lord showed me they were closer to me than i imagined. either way, i’m sooo thankful my little girl is here with us and will continue to seek the gifts and will of heaven, hosts whom so wish we were closer to them.
thanks for the reminder, dan. I had a son born in Panama who was taken right back to the hospital with spinal meningitis. his white blood count was through the roof, and I doubt that he would be here were it not for his grandfather who had the gift of healing and was told by the spirit to quit fasting and praying and to bless him from thousands of miles away. He did so, with his arm to the square i believe and as near as i can tell my son’s recovery started that instant. glory be to god and thanks to my father-in-law.