Sunday, May 1, 2016

1 Nephi 13:4

4  And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the aGentiles the formation of a bgreat church.
            -the “church” referenced here can as easily be described as both a formal entity/organization and as a philosophy, value system or socio-cultural epistemology.  It is much larger and much more ubiquitous than a single religious denomination although it may have used these as hosts to spread its infectious influence.  It is much like a parasite that uses whatever body it can to promote its objective.  There is no doubt that the Roman Catholic church of the middle ages – tied at the hip to the unrivaled power of the prevailing political machinery of the era was an instrument for the formation of this “great church”.  While the Cathlic church did much to spread the truth that Jesus was the Christ, it also perverted fundamental truths (sometimes purposefully and sometimes innocently), oppressed individual religious freedom and all the gross iniquities outlined in verse five.  Speaking of the many formal and informal "churches", doctrines and belief structures established throughout the  ages, God is able to use the wicked actions of men and trends of culture to further his ends (reference Fosdik’s, “God talks to a dictator”, Riverside Sermons).

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