History

Today (Saturday) we got up at 4:40 am, worked at the temple until nearly 2 pm, then went on  an historic tour. Our tour guide was an interesting man, LDS and originally from Utah. He was recruited to help start a university here but after selling his home and moving out here, the university only lasted a short time. He and his wife decided to stay and he opened a business as a chiropractor which is a skill he had learned years before. He has a love of history and has spent countless hours researching, especially events surrounding the early LDS Church in this area. He became so knowledgeable that people started asking him to ride around with them so he could tell them what he had learned. Now for about 4 years he has been writing books and has purchased a small bus and gives wonderful tours. He has been very thorough in investigating incidents, especially those surrounding the killing of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum as well as researching firsthand accounts and accurate places of events. Russ is standing in front of what is left of the print shop of Thomas Sharp. (The lettering on the window is obviously not original. The very little town of Warsaw, IL has maintained the painting for the benefit of tourists.) The building itself is not maintained at all. In fact, you can barely see through the window (that's my reflection in the window taking the picture!) the ceiling/upper floors that have totally caved in. There is very little roof left and when you look down through the window on the door you can see remnants of a printing business. Thomas Sharp was a man who hated Joseph Smith as well as Mormons in general and printed vindictive articles, first in the Nauvoo Expositor (which was destroyed by Mormons because of its libelous nature) then in the Warsaw Signal.
     As I listened to this man through the 4-hour tour, I kept reflecting on why people hate and develop prejudice. I know I wrote a blog quite awhile ago after having read books about slavery, seeing a movie about WWII prisoners and a movie about a massacre in a southern town shortly after the Civil Rights movement. I was also reflecting on a friend who loves history and posts articles on Facebook nearly every day having to do with archaeology and history. Add to the mix other people close to me, even in my family, who are undying cynics and always question information no matter how recent or old, no matter what subject, and no matter what sources given. I guess I have come to the conclusion that reality is truly whatever you choose it to be. In the New Testament there are several different witnesses of Jesus Christ, his resurrection, miracles he performed, and his teachings. Yet there were MANY people at the time who refused to believe He was the Son of God, the Messiah. There are MANY more people now who refuse to believe. I truly believe that if anyone sincerely investigated the history of the Mormon church, they would come to believe that Joseph Smith was truly a prophet. On the other hand, I also believe that anyone can choose to believe anything they want no matter what evidence or arguments there may be. Suggestions like "in the mouth of two or more witnesses" (doesn't work because there may be conspiracies) or "by their fruits ye may know them" (doesn't work because I have even personally had someone say they thought Mormons are good people but it's so sad they are all so deceived) or statistics (you can eliminate or highlight whichever ones you want to prove whatever you want)- don't provide "proof". People tend to read or listen to things they agree with (birds of a feather flock together). People color what they see or hear according to whatever they have pre-determined. Every human being has a mind of their own, a will of their own, and makes their own choices. Nobody can mislead you unless you let them. Nobody can convince you unless you let them. People have been killed, martyred, because they refused to change an opinion or belief even at the threat of death. People have knuckled under despots or oppressive regimes, appearing to be obedient but having growing hatred and resentment in their hearts.
     The only answer continues to be: YOU are in command. YOU choose for yourself who you want to follow, believe, or emulate. YOU are what you make of yourself. The only exceptions are those who truly have mental illness. Even drug addicts have a choice, although their original choice to start on a drug makes it harder. If you want to choose to ignore standards or morals because you consider them somehow restrictive, you can do that. If you choose to strive to live high standards and be the best person you can be, you can do that. If you choose to envy or resent others who try to be "good", you can do that. If in your heart you covet anything God would call sin, you can do that and justify doing it. There will always be someone who does much worse things or even the same thing so you won't have to feel judged- at least not in this life. History is not black and white. 2+2 is simply 4 but the founding fathers of the United States and how you think of them or the military and how you think of them or people in general of any group can be colored to your liking. I realize I can be colored to the liking of others. I have been misinterpreted and misunderstood. God has, too, and still is. Some day we'll all know more clearly than we do now. I look forward to that.