Columbus Day

As a preface, I will say that I am presenting views of Columbus based on doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  If you are interested read on.  If not, you were warned.  While I think that the doctrine is correct, it is only represented as my opinion and belief.

 I wanted to take a moment to write about Columbus Day, and the why.  Starting by going back to nearly 600 years BC. 

 1st  Nephi 13:

  12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

 This is from the Book of Mormon, translated by a young man on the frontier with very little formal education.  How?  Through the power of God.  

 What did Columbus have to say about his desire to go west?

 “It was the Lord who put into my mind that fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures.”

 It began with Columbus, but was followed  by others.  The pilgrims came, seeking religious freedom.   Slowly the colonies populated.  Nephi's prophecy continued describing the Revolution, and the building up of a new nation.  A nation where religious freedom is paramount.  In fact, it is the first freedom guaranteed by the 1st Amendment.  

 This nation was founded specifically for the restoration of the Gospel on the earth.  Freedoms were guaranteed so that it could grow.  We see historically that even with freedoms protected by law, people can and do take matters into their own hands.  In spite of all of that, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was able to grow and spread throughout the earth.  See Daniel 2:44

 I get so tired of the "Columbus came and ruined the native Utopia" mantra.  Some tribes ate other tribes.  Some kept others as slaves so that they could offer them up as human sacrifices.  I am not saying that wrongs weren't done.  I am just pointing out that Columbus had a mission to fulfill, and he fulfilled it.

Happy Columbus Day!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Peering through the fog.

The opinion is my own, and in no way do I pretend to speak for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Church, to avoid lengthy repetition) Yesterday, November 5, the Salt Lake Tribune (a newspaper not know for sympathy to the church) reported on a change to Handbook 1, which access is limited to Stake Presidencies, and Bishoprics. Never mind that the change was reported through an excommunicated member that some how got access to the book, the PR spokesman for the church confirmed the change.   To sum it up, the church has defined same sex, or gay marriage, as apostasy, and as such, certain conditions are placed on the families, in particular the children.  Children of same sex marriages are not allowed to be named, blessed, or baptized as children.  And when they turn 18, to be baptized, they must not be living in the household, and must disavow the lifestyle.  They must also get permission from the First Presidency of the church.  The last...
Read more

a masterpiece

I received an invitation from a good friend to sing in a choir for an upcoming conference.  Of course, I am kind of a closet groupie for the director and her husband, and so the answer was easy.  But then it became irresistible. My favorite arrangement of my favorite hymn in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' hymnal.  I missed the first rehearsal, but attended tonight, and will next week as well. I would probably walk over broken glass on top of burning coals to sing that song.  Okay, not really, but if memory serves, I think I have sang it in performances one season, my first with the Heartland of America Community Choir and Orchestra, in 2004.  Fourteen years.  Now, those who have had me as a choir director know that as we sang songs I would say this was my favorite, or that one was, but really there is only one favorite. (no don't cue the Highlander music).  Know what it is? The lyrics and music were written by a frequent duo in th...
Read more

December 7, 1941, a day that will live in Infamy. How will yours be? #LIGHTtheWORLD

Seventy Five years ago, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into World War II.  A war that literally spanned the globe.  Hundreds of millions of people with their lives directly impacted.  An attack that its architect knew would doom his homeland, and yet out of duty to country and to his Emperor, planned and executed it. This is very important to understand. While I know that it is extremely unlikely that the actions that I take will impact more than a handful of people, I have come to realize that it is those small interactions, replayed billions of times the world over every day, by billions of people, that make a lasting difference.  It doesn't matter whether we pay attention or not, the mere actions we take do ripple across the world. So much hatred in the world. So much fear.  So much anger.  It was these emotions that resulted in such destruction.  But what can I do?  What difference can I make? Right now...
Read more