The Zombie Apocalypse

 Virtual Reality is an oxymoron. There are things that are virtual, and things that are real. There is nothing in virtual that is real. Things that are virtual are not real, they are fake, made-up, fraud, deception, or just representations of reality. The real thing is so much better than what is in a book or movie. I am going to separate "virtual" from "reality." It seems like everyone is moving to a virtual life, becoming Zombies. 

Watching the Normandy invasion in Saving Private Ryan from the safety of your living room is not the same as being in that battle. Reading about a sexual encounter, watching sex on your phone, or even masturbation is not the same as connecting with someone you love. Seeing and smelling the food at a great restaurant is not the same as eating there. I have assisted in over two hundred deliveries, but I don’t know what it’s like to have a baby because I have never experienced it. Human beings cannot understand what we don’t experience. We must feel the whole variety of human experiences to live, learn, grow, and understand.

We can sometimes be in the experience and not understand it. I had a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Harbor General Hospital in Los Angeles whom the students and residents called The Dragon Lady. She felt it was her duty to teach all doctors about abortions and birth control so no unwanted child would ever be born. I told her I did not want to participate in abortions so she tricked me by telling me to go into a D&C procedure. During the procedure I felt dark, depressed, and grief, like a loss. I didn’t know why until I saw a tiny arm going through the clear plastic suction tube. Then I knew what it felt like to abort a baby. We didn’t talk about it; nobody said anything. We just filed out of the room after the procedure and wrote down all the stats -- just check the boxes. Blood loss, sponges, heart rate, blood pressure... numbers. That’s how Zombies deal with feelings.

On the other hand, I also experienced the deliveries of many beautiful babies. The joy that is felt at the delivery is palpable. Everyone smiles, even the nurse assistant walking past the room starts to smile, and doesn’t even know why. The Dragon Lady did not smile. She probably didn’t even feel the joy of birth, nor did she feel the grief of abortion. She was numb, dead, a Zombie. She used drugs to manipulate her feelings.

There are all sorts of drugs to imitate real experiences, creating Zombies. Doctors are told to be sure nobody is having a bad day. Everyone should feel good. Thus, there are drugs for every feeling:

• ·        Drugs to calm you down
• ·        Drugs to lift you up
• ·        Drugs to comfort your sorrow
• ·        Drugs to soothe your pain
• ·        Happy pills to relieve depression
• ·        Drugs to make you sleep
• ·        Drugs to wake you up
• ·        Drugs to calm your fears
• ·        Drugs to relieve anxiety

Drugs are virtual reality. Sleeping pills knock you out and make you unconscious, but do not give you rest. Caffeine can pick you up and allow you to pretend you are awake, but you are still half-asleep all day; it’s not real. Thus, most people in the world are half-asleep all day, and half-awake all night. In reality, they are dead -- Zombies. The Zombie Apocalypse is already happening right in front of us, as people live virtual lives, and take drugs to suppress feelings. 

Feelings

The idea that people should not feel pain, sorrow, grief, or suffering is completely misguided. We need to feel every human experience. Life is in the experience of it. Going through life sitting on a couch watching others have virtual, made-up, and fake experiences is not living. It is death. As virtual reality becomes more common, there are more zombies in the world. Their world is not real. They live in a fantasy. There is nothing there to experience for real. It is in the struggle that life is found. Life comes from the extremities. Hot and cold. Sorrow and joy. Pain and pleasure. Light and dark. Awake and asleep. Work and rest. If all we ever experience is peace, rest, happiness, and comfort, then we are always lukewarm, not living life.

For example, spiritual life is filled with imitations. Many say there is no such thing as a spirit because you can take psychedelic drugs and simulate a spiritual epiphany. They don’t know the difference between the counterfeit and reality. The experience of knowing God is not the same as taking a drug. I don’t want the drug. I want to know God. Eating a lollipop when you really hungry is not the same as having a steak dinner. The candy is like a virtual meal, it has flavor and calories, but without substance. It does not satisfy the hunger. The candy is one-dimensional, giving a semblance of being able to satisfy, but without anything substantial. I don’t want candy, I want real food. I don’t want Disneyland, “The Happiest Place on Earth,” with its perfectly-groomed lawns and actors with perfect smiles painted-on. I want real happiness. I only want real experiences. I want to feel real pain, grief and sorrow, as well as true love, joy and happiness. I want to know reality on an intimate level, the highs and the lows.

WHAT IS REAL?

Family is real. Blood is thicker than water. We maintain a relationship with family because they are family, not because we like them. We can be real with family, there is no pretense, no need to impress, no airs or facing. It is real. You know all their faults and weaknesses. You know and you are known, being accepted as you are.

A marriage is real. There is a real person to whom you are committed, and must learn to love entirely to become one.

Children are real. The baby needs. Parents learn true love by getting outside of themselves, sacrificing for their child.

Business is real. You must produce something that others want, requiring you to think of other people, and what they want.

Injuries are real. Blood, broken bones, and pain are real. Living can be painful sometimes.

Illness is real. People get sick. Those who are trying to avoid illness, will be zombies, which never get sick.

Grief is real. Loss is a part of life. All who live life will experience loss of what they love the most, and know grief first-hand. Some people say their parents tell them life isn’t fair. My mom used to tell me: Life is perfectly fair, sooner or later it breaks everyone’s heart.

Evil is real. There are people who are bent on the destruction of others, who only think of themselves at the expense of others.

God is real. All that exists allows us to see God.

The Holy Ghost is real, the Comforter is so much more rich and fulfilling than drugs for comfort.

Joy is real. Those who are willing to make sacrifices will experience pain, and joy. Having children is a great example of knowing pain, and joy.

My mom also told me that God does not want us to have good experiences, He wants us to sacrifice what we think is good so we can have the best. Virtual experiences are good, but real experiences are the best. After seeing pictures of the Parthenon in Greece for many years, I finally went to visit. The experience of being there was so much different than seeing pictures and even movies. It was awesome! It filled me with awe!

BE REAL

• ·        Turn off the TV.
• ·        Put away the VR set.
• ·        Avoid theme parks.
• ·        Stop gaming.
• ·        Don’t eat candy, or pastries.
• ·        Stay away from processed foods.
• ·        Shelve the fantasy novels.
• ·        Ditch social media.
• ·        Shun watching sports.

 

• ·        Be there for others, in person, hang-out, talk.
• ·        Hug everyone.
• ·        Get married.
• ·        Stay married.
• ·        Have children.
• ·        Love your children.
• ·        Play sports.
• ·        Learn to play the piano.
• ·        Take care of your aging parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
• ·        Create or work in a business that provides real goods and services (not drugs, ha ha!).
• ·        Learn languages and experience cultures.
• ·        Ask about the beliefs and ideas of others.
• ·        Learn a new skill.
• ·        Eat nourishing food, learn to cook real, living food.
• ·        Seek God, truth, reality, and ye shall find.
• ·        Ask God for wisdom, and it shall be given.
• ·        Knock on Heaven’s door frequently, and it shall be opened.

 Why reject tasty junk food? So you can experience real food, and live a healthy life.

Why give up porn? So you can have real intimacy and have fulfillment.

Why sacrifice video games? So you can use your muscles and have energy.

Why give up coffee? So you can be fully awake.

Why fast? So you can have a clean spirit and body.

Why go to bed early? So your body can rejuvenate.

Why get married? So you can have a real relationship.

Why have children? So you can grow up with them.

Why sacrifice the things of the world? So you can know God.

The best experiences are available to everyone who is willing to make the sacrifice of the things they like, want, and need.

DON’T BE SAFE

Anyone who tells you to be safe does not care about your life. The purpose of life is to have the best, to be your best, to live and learn and grow. There is so much good that can be done in the world, there is no excuse for living a virtual life, or being a zombie. Zombies are safe. Those who are dead only watch others live life. They watch videos of people crashing on their One Wheels, laughing at people who are living life. They pretend to live through virtual means. Their activities are virtual, their entertainment is virtual, their exercise is virtual, their relationships are virtual, their intimacy is virtual, their fun is virtual -- they only pretend to live, but they are safe.

Those who live life are not safe. Rich came into my office one day with full protection gear on -- helmet, wrist braces, elbow pads and knee pads. It was surprising to me because I knew him to be a conservative man in his 60’s. “Are you riding around on a skateboard these days?” I asked. He explained that he got a One Wheel motorized skateboard and goes everywhere on it. “You’re going to fall, so it’s important to wear protection.” In spite of the “protection” he showed me his injuries and scars from falling. “It’s a great way to get around town, I go all over Santa Barbara and Goleta on my One Wheel!” He continues to ride it in spite of the danger (or, perhaps, because of it!) knowing he is going to fall, protecting himself as best he can, while still living life. This is real. He will have great balance when he’s a hundred years old because he rides a One Wheel around instead of driving a car.

There is a way out of the Zombie world: Live life! Life is taking chances. Jump in. Don’t even think about it, “Just Do It!” Life is to be lived blindly. You never know until you try. You cannot understand before you experience it, so just go for it, experience it, do something real, try something unsafe. Safety is death. Climb a mountain. Take up a new sport. Sing for an audience. Open that restaurant you’ve always wanted to do. Odds are good that it will fail within five years. It’s not safe, but you will learn, especially when you fail. The point is not to be stupid, but rather to stop shrinking into the safety of your virtual, pretend Zombie world. Get out and do something real! By taking chances, your life will become real, and you will be real.

 

The Good Samaritan

Jesus describes my situation and His grace in the parable of the Good Samaritan. In only six verses He describes the entire plan of salvation, including: 

• Premortal life and the glory I had before coming to earth. 
• The fall of man
• The earth being half-way between heaven and hell
• Satan and his followers and their effects on my mortal existence. 
• The purpose of life and mortality. 
• How and why religion cannot save me
• How and why the law cannot save me 
• The coming of Christ and His mission of healing and salvation
• The love of Christ
• Jesus carries us 
• There are only two churches: the religions of the world, and the church of Christ
• The church of Jesus Christ and it’s mission
• Washing or cleansing of sin
• Anointing of fallen man to become kings and queens
• Gifts that are given to the church to take care of each other
• How we love one another
• The second coming of Christ
• The final judgment
• The reward of the righteous

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

        Luke 10:30-35

A certain man... The “certain man” is each person who comes to earth -- all of mankind -- it is me. 

went down... To go “down” is to descend from a higher plane, to a lower one, like coming to earth from heaven. 

from Jerusalem... “Jerusalem” represents the Holy City, or the place where God dwells. It represents heaven. 

to Jericho... “Jericho” represents the world, the east, the middle-ground between heaven and hell.

and fell... “fell” refers to the fall of Adam. Adam is each man and Eve is each woman. They are the parents of all mankind. We all “fell” to come “down” to earth. I am a fallen man. 

... for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.

         Helaman 14:16

among thieves...“Thieves” are Satan and the spirits who follow him who are not in the presence of God, but are in the world.  They are also fallen, cast out of heaven, where they will never return. They take all they can from those who are on the journey though the world to return to the Holy City. They steal. They offer no exchange. They are thieves and robbers of the heart. 

...the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away...

                 3 Nephi 2:2

which stripped him... They take anything. They strip everything from me. They even take my memories of my home in heaven. I am stripped bare of intelligence, power and glory. The poem Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood, By William Wordsworth is a wonderful account of how I am stripped by the evil of the world of all I had before. One verse has many parallels with the parable of the Good Samaritan: 

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's star
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:

of his raiment... “Raiment” is the clothing of power and authority that I had when I was with God. I had glory, but am stripped of it. This concept of clothing with power and authority is found in many parts of the word of God. Priests had certain clothing which gives them authority to minister in their office as representatives of God. John describes the white robes of those who have followed Christ. Also, Jesus will come back to earth clothed with glory: 

I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory;

    Doctrine and Covenants 45:44

And wounded him... I am “wounded” by Satan, meaning I have suffering that leaves me dysfunctional. I suffer pain and grief in the lone and dreary world. I suffer loneliness and separation. I have weakness from my wounds. It is as Paul explains: 

...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me...

            2 Corinthians 12:7

and departed... They wound me and leave. After they have taken all they can, Satan and his followers depart leaving me alone and wounded.  

...and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day...

    Alma 30:60

leaving him half dead... “Half dead” is not all the way dead. The evil spirits take my power and glory, and wound me and leave half dead. There I am, lying on the side of the path. Because I am half dead, I cannot make it back to the Holy City. I am lost. I cannot remember my life with God. Though I still live, I am human -- I have a mortal body with an eternal spirit so I am half dead, as Adam was promised if he ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, mortality is being half dead. 

...in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

    Genesis 2:17

And by chance... There are chance happenings. Some happen to run into others.  This does not mean God doesn’t know it’s going to happen. God is in all things, and the priest happened to be there at the same time when the wounded man was dying. The religions of the world happen to be in your time and place. 

there came down... The priest also comes down from heaven to sojourn on earth at the same time. They are on the same road together. They are in the world together, but not in different parts. They are both “down” or fallen, leaving heaven, at the same time. 

a certain priest... The “priest” signifies religion, or those who represent God to the people. The priest stands in the place of God if he is authorized to do so. It is like a lawyer who is called to represent a client, in this case the “client” is God. The priest represents all religion that has a man in between mankind and God. 

that way... The priest is going the same way, on the same road. We are fellow wayfarers on the earth. The go-between is just one of us. He is as I am, fallen, wounded, and half dead. 

and when he saw him... Religious people see me wounded and dying on the side of the road. They see a sinner. They see a fallen man. They know I am bad because of my wounds and I am stripped naked. I have no glory. I am mortal. I have weaknesses. They see my wounds and fallen nature. 

he passed by on the other side... Religious people do what they are supposed to do, and they must avoid the appearance of sin and stay away from sinners. Religion cannot help me in my half-dead state. All the religions of the world are just made up of half dead people. Jesus spoke often against religion, forgiving the sinners, but condemning the religious leaders as hypocrites. 

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

    Luke 11:44

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him... The Levites represent the Law of Moses, or the rules and laws that surround our lives. The “Levite” is the keeper of the law, who cannot touch a dead person or body fluids like blood or they become unclean. The Levite is not being mean, he is doing what the law requires of him, to avoid dead people. He keeps the law. Jesus also condemned the lawyers. 

Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

    Luke 11:45-46

and passed by on the other side... The rules are given to me in my wounded and half-dead state, but I cannot keep them. I am wounded, and don’t know what I’m doing. I do not have the glory and intelligence I possessed before. The laws are therefore dead. The law is useless in my condition. The law cannot save me, only Christ can save me. 

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

                    Galatians 2:19-21

But a certain Samaritan... “A certain Samaritan” represents the Lord, Jesus Christ. A Samaritan is an outcast. When Jesus was accused by the leaders of the Jews of being a Samaritan, He did not deny it, but did deny having an evil spirit. He then explained that He was the only one who could help them to live. 

Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

    John 8:48-51

as he journeyed... This Samaritan, Christ, is on a “journey,” away from home. Jesus is Emmanuel, or “God with us.” He left His home in heaven where He is worshipped and honored as creator and king, to come to earth on a journey of salvation and redemption of all mankind. He came down to save me. 

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

    Matthew 1:23-25

came where he was... He comes to where I am, leaving heaven to come to earth where I am wounded. He is rejected by His own, but has come to save those who are wounded and half dead. The Lord comes to me. He is on the Earth with me and comes to where I am. He is love. 

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

    Matthew 20:28

and when he saw him... The Lord comes near to me and sees me in my lost and fallen state. 

he had compassion on him... The Lord has compassion. He is the One with compassion. He is the Outcast with “compassion.” Compassion means “to suffer with.” He has compassion on every person in the world, suffering for them so they can live again. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

    John 3:16-17

And went to him... Jesus comes to me, He actively seeks each person who is half dead, as he explained to the Apostles: 

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,

    John 15:16

and bound up his wounds... He binds up the wounds, meaning He gives grace to those who are weak, and wounded. 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

    2 Corinthians 12:9

pouring in oil... He pours in oil. Oil represents an anointing. This wounded and half dead person is anointed to become a king, as King David in his youth was anointed. 

And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren:

    1 Samuel 16:12-13

and wine... The wounds are also washed with wine which represents cleansing. The sacramental cup of wine represents the blood of Christ which makes my garments white and spotless. Moreover, alcohol is for cleansing the body. The physical washing is symbolic of the spiritual cleansing. 

And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.

    Doctrine and Covenants 89:7

and set him on his own beast... Jesus carries me personally. He takes me out of danger to safety. 

and brought him to an inn... The inn represents a safe place where I can heal. It is the church. The Lord gathers His people into a group. They are His. He takes the wheat and gathers it into the garners. He brings them. He brings me to the church. Nobody comes into the church unless He brings them there. 

And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

    Acts 2:47

and took care of him... The Lord personally takes care of me in the church. 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

    John 14:21

And on the morrow, when he departed... The Lord is martyred and resurrected, returning to heaven, leaving the earth, leaving His wounded people in the hands of the church. 

he took out two pence... Money represents the gifts God gives to His servants on the earth. This is like in the parable of the talents. They are gifts of the Spirit. Paul explains that there are different gifts given to each of God’s servants so they can all profit by them. 

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

    1 Corinthians 12:4-7

and gave them to the host... “The host” represents the keepers of the church, or the leaders. They are the ones who are charged with maintaining the people of the church. They administer the ordinances, and see that all things are done in order, according to the will of the Lord. They receive revelation from the Lord to direct the work of the church. 

But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

    Mark 10:43-44

and said unto him, Take care of him... The Lord tells the church to take care of the wounded man. As He leaves, He gives the church a commandment to take care of each other, to love one another. I become a member of the church, and I take care of those the Lord brings to the church, who are wounded and half dead. 

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

    John 13:34-35

and whatsoever thou spendest more... The members of the church are supposed to do whatever it takes to care for the people. We will sacrifice to help the new members grow up. We will help them to be converted so the Lord can heal them. We simply minister to them, and keep them in the church. 

Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.

    3 Nephi 18:32

when I come again... The Lord will come again. 

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

         Acts 1:11

I will repay thee... He will come to give recompense to all. He will judge all when He comes again, to give everyone what they have given to others. 

Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.

    Doctrine and Covenants 1:10

There is so much more in this parable than meets the eye. It is dense with meaning. Each of these concepts represented by a single word could be expanded into a book. It is so easy to understand the last words of John in his gospel: 

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

    John 21:25

There is a plan. Each step is spelled-out in the scriptures for all to see. Jesus is the only means of salvation. He personally works with each of the children of God to bring them back to heaven to be with Him. The parable is all about Him and His relationship with us. As we all lay wounded and half dead we may call to Him for salvation, and He will save each one. 

The God of the Gaps

Whatever we think of as random is really our own ignorance of how things work. Once we understand how things work we can understand that there is a cause and effect for everything. We have “random number generators” that are not random. They have a complex algorithm that is not readily apparent, but when the process is understood, it is obvious that there is a cause and the number can be predicted every time. Throwing dice and tossing coins are thought to be random because we cannot measure or even know all the factors that control the outcome. Complexity does not equal random. 

Having children is not random. The exact sperm that enters into the exact egg can be known, if all the factors were known. It was always thought that God determined the fertility of couples. For example, for many centuries the idea of an “immaculate conception” was amazing to everyone. It would be like growing a garden without any seeds. Mary had a child without any seeds being planted in her womb. Everyone agreed that it had to be an act of God. Now that we know how to do it, we don’t consider it miraculous anymore. Thousands of children are born every year through “immaculate conception,” so we don’t think of it as a miracle. Once we know how creation happens, and can duplicate it, then that knowledge precludes the need for God. God is defined as ignorance, or what happens that we do not understand -- the power of God is the gap in our knowledge. This “god of the gaps” goes away with knowledge so that when we know everything, we are told that God would cease to exist entirely. 

But this is an illusion. For example, I could be amazed at the span of the Golden Gate bridge, and think it’s miraculous because it holds itself up. However, If I learn the principles of engineering and understand how it is done, and even build one just like it, then it is no longer a miracle. Nevertheless, that does not preclude the need for the original engineers of the bridge. They still exist. They still created the bridge. Knowing how something is done does not cause someone who uses that knowledge to cease to exist. That is ridiculous. True scientists such as Sir Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein often said they were wondering how God thought, or created, trying to elucidate how God works to understand the knowledge of God. Knowing how does not preclude His work. The traditional concept of “god of the gaps” is not real because gaining knowledge only increases our understanding of God. Knowing how Mary could have had a child without knowing a man doesn't negate that fact that she did bear the Son of God, being a virgin. 

Random = Ignorance

The real “god of the gaps” is found in modern religion. Ironically, the foundation of all modern religions is “random.” These are seen in many terms such as: abiogenesis, random mutation, and natural selection. So the foundation of the Humanist/Naturalist/Atheist/Scientism religions is not based on science, which means "knowledge," but on ignorance -- the gap in knowledge. That which is not understood is the god that is worshipped. It is just like any other religion that worships ignorance, or the “god of the gaps.” It uses the word “science,” but is not based on science. Science is a process of discovery, not a cadre of dogmatic beliefs. There is no way for science to ever come to truth because we don’t know what we don’t know. So the Humanist religion must rely on superstition, false suppositions, and randomness to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. Thus, the god of random is the actual “god of the gaps.” It is a great irony, that humanists criticize other religions for having a “god of the gaps,” while having a worse issue -- their” god of the gaps” actually is annihilated by knowledge. Once I know how life is created, abiogenesis ceases to exist. Once I understand how the species of life came to be, random mutation and evolution becomes just another false theory, the way darkness goes away when a light is turned on. The humanist religion falls apart as knowledge increases and we find out that nothing is random. 

Satan instituted religion in the world to maintain ignorance. Jesus did not condemn a single "sinner" but forgave them all; He only condemned the purveyors of the official religion of His day. The reason God hates religion is because all their gods are deaf, dumb, blind, and ignorant. Throughout the Old Testament the Lord is continually chastening the Children of Israel for going after “dumb idols.” People prayed to their favorite gods, danced, made sacrifices, and worshipped in ignorance. Elijah got mad at Israel for their stupidity and proposed a contest between Baal and the one true God. When the priests of Baal could not call down fire for their burnt offering he mocked them.

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

1 Kings 18:27

After their failure, Elijah prayed to God to show the people the power of God and the Lord burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the altar, the stones, and licked up the water around it. Elijah then killed the priests of Baal to illustrate the end of all those who worship false gods. The point was to seek God, who brings life, and not the false gods of the state religion, who can only bring death. 

The official state religion today is sometimes called “humanism.” You must believe to receive many of the benefits of society. Those who do not espouse the official doctrines are censored, or removed. “Scientists” who do not do “research” to “prove” the doctrines are not funded, or are not able to get their work published. The official word comes from “peer-review” which assures the false doctrine remains pure and unsullied by anyone who might want to publish the truth. Those who do publish truth are marginalized, excommunicated, from fellowship in the official state religion, and de-funded. Censorship is rampant as corporations pay for ads on media to gain editorial control over them. Thus, propaganda is assured, and everyone must join in the worship of the gods of the state if they want to participate in the economy, science, education, or other business of the world. It’s not just another religion, it is the official religion of the political and corporate world. 

In spite of being advertised as "secular," and "scientific," the Humanist religion is just another religion of ignorance and superstition. The god of random must use dogmas to fill the gaps. The dogmas you must believe to be part of the religion are exactly the same categories as ALL other religions -- creation, justice, and salvation -- including: 

• Creatio ex nihilo
• Spontaneous generation (abiogenesis)
• Random mutation
• Natural evolution
• Life begins at birth and ends at death
• Random existence of everything
• Doomsday predictions such as the ice age, global warming, or climate change
• The technology of scientism will save us from overpopulation, limited resources, or excessive waste 
• Patent medicines, surgery, radiation, and vaccines will save us from death and disease. 
• Gender confusion is not a mental illness
• Minorities are defined and suppressed by other people who learn and grow
• the linear progression of mankind

None of these are true. It’s all just a belief system. There is no foundation. In reality, Humanism is just an ancient nature religion (nature is god) mixed with New Age (humans are god), and it adds a new twist of “science” that seems to impart credibility to the ignorance. But true science cannot ever know truth. Thus, the very foundation of Humanism is a series of contradictions: 

• Decrying ignorance while being ignorant
• Defining Humanism as a religion while saying religions are bad
• Saying they use “science” to know truth
• Doomsday predictions as truth
• Having a random (ignorant) "god of the gaps"

Religion is false

Truth is not found in religion. Religions may contain truth, but they also have false beliefs and philosophies. Every organization of man that includes beliefs of origin, creation, and salvation are false religions. Religion isn’t the answer; either an individual is seeking truth, or they join a religion. Those individuals who seek truth are found among all religions, sects, and organizations. They are part of the entire religious spectrum, but they do not accept the dogmas of the world, the philosophies of men, or political lies; they only seek truth. They take the truth out of all religions. They just want to know truth. They do not have an organization, they do not form a church. They are few in number, as the scriptures attest: 

I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Jeremiah 3:14

...strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:14

Jesus was talking to His disciples when He said few would find life, 

Faith allows me to tolerate gaps in knowledge. I believe God knows all things so if He says one little thing I know it is true. He is not going to be surprised by a "random" process. As Albert Einstein said, "God does not play dice." If there are any gaps in my knowledge, I have faith that I can fill them and be closer to knowing God. However, it is not required to be fully involved in a religion and accept the lies with the truth. I don’t need to ascribe to every philosophy of a worldly organization. Democrats believe they must accept the lies of the Democratic Party along with the truth. Republicans do the same, as do Muslims, Catholics, Jews, Atheists, and Humanists. Where do you draw the line? It’s simple, accept the truths contained in all of them, and the lies of none of them. There is no “god of the gaps” because there are no gaps -- whatever I don’t know, I can find out from God. The information is out there. God has made truth known to many people. There are real scientists who are looking for truth. It could be found in experts, organizations, science, religion, research, non-fiction, or even fiction literature. I don’t know where it is, so I seek it out. God will guide me to truth; it is everywhere around me, free for the asking.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Luke 11:9-10

An Easy Road to Truth

The prophet Daniel interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar saying that in the last days there would be a “stone cut out of the mountain without hands” that would fill the whole earth. This is not an organization of men for it was made without hands. 

Isaiah illustrated the same concept with a highway that would bring people to God, or truth. 

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:3

The desert represents those places where there is no truth to be found, a spiritual wasteland. A highway is a fast road that can carry a lot of people, making it easy to find the truth, and God. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is such an organization. It is a political organization started by God through the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. This is significant in that people can reliably find God, if they are seeking. There are members of this organization who are not seeking truth that use it as another religion, nevertheless the truth is still there. It is hidden behind the religious people who seek the philosophies of men, mingled with scripture. Each individual must seek, study, ponder, and pray to find it, moving past the religion and seeking instead God. In spite of the religious traditions, it contains the path of truth that leads to eternal life. The information is there, the covenants are there, and the authority is there. Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost are true. There is more truth, more scripture, more prophecy, and more of the word of God. Those who seek the Holy Ghost start on the path to eternal life. This is a good path; it is much better than any religion. 

Even so, we don’t learn truth all at once, the gaps are filled a little at a time. 

For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

2 Nephi 28:30

Truth does not come from being a member of the religion and going to church weekly. It comes from daily study, service, seeking, asking, and knocking on heaven’s door. Search the scriptures. Pray. No human can give me this knowledge, it must come directly from God. Over time, the gaps are all filled and my knowledge will be perfect, or complete. And, rather than disappearing, God becomes more real. Knowledge helps me to come to know Him. He is the God of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, He is not just a “god of the gaps.” 

The Two Churches

Religions are necessarily false because they have dogma, defining truth as what is not true. Dogma is not a part of God because God is expedient. God does not see a group as a group, but as individuals that make up a group. A dog does not smell chocolate brownies, but rather distinguishes every ingredient -- eggs, flour, butter, salt, sugar, and so forth. Likewise God does not lump people into an organization, but rather knows each individually. People create organizations and seek uniformity through conformity. However, there is one belief system that is true because it only seeks truth wherever it is found. Thus, there are only two ways: 

And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

1 Nephi 14:10

This is true. There are only two churches. 

1. Those who seek truth, or God, wherever it is found are the Church of the Lamb of God. 

2. Those who define a religion with dogmatic assertions, but containing some truth are the church of the devil. 

Satan is “the father of all lies” who teaches only one thing in all religions of the world: 

“The philosophies of men, mingled with scripture.”

I am reading a book called “Enlightenment Now” which is set out to define the Humanist religion as atheistic and based on science. It is just another “nature is god” religion combined with “humans are gods.” The worship of nature is now called “Scientism,” which is not the same as science. Science has no dogma, no assertions of truth, no beliefs, no tenets, no doctrine. Science is simply a path to discovery with no possibility of ever knowing the truth because it is a process of searching, always searching, but never finding. “You don’t know what you don't know.” Thus, true science can never, will never, has never arrived at truth. Scientism on the other hand, makes dogmatic assertions of truth based on current beliefs. These beliefs are put into a catechism that everyone can believe without any evidence. It’s just a religion. There is some truth so it can appear to be true, thus it is “mingled with scripture.” Everyone believes, so it has become the official state religion.  Everyone is doing it. People are leaving other religions in droves to take on the “Humanist” religion. These are the “enlightened ones.” They have the truth while all other religions are false. 

This humanist religion is atheist, which always sets up a straw-man god, using other false religions, and saying there is no God. “Zeus is not a true god, therefore there is no God.” On the other hand, the gods they worship are just as supernatural. They pretend to be practical and empirical, but take on ancient supernatural beliefs such as “creatio ex nihilo,” “spontaneous generation,” and evolution. They have “man is god” dogmatic assertions that make man responsible for the climate of the earth. Salvation comes from man turning back the clock and fixing the environment of the earth so things can go on as they were. Salvation is keeping things the same. Salvation is man solving problems. It’s a “who cares?” religion. There is nothing to care about. Those in power care about power, and the rest are subject to the people who are in control because they are smart. It’s just another false religion, not searching for truth, but creating dogma that everyone needs to believe: 

• Climate change
• Evolution
• Creatio ex nihilo
• Spontaneous generation
• Vaccines are safe and effective.
• Patent drugs bring health and longevity.
• Whatever “doctrine du jour” comes from the ivory tower of “science” that they lay person cannot understand because it’s too complicated. 

All religions are false. All religions are of Satan. All religions are built on “the philosophies of men, mingled with scripture.” All religions, including the “Atheism/Humanism/Scientism” religion are a mixture of truth and lies. The truth is there to give credence to the lies. People see the truth and believe in the religion, taking in the lies as if they were also true. This flavor of truth makes it palatable to the masses. Like a dog, they sniff out the part that is true, and then swallow the whole thing. Those in any religion cannot see their own lies, but they are very good at seeing the lies of others so they look around and see the lies of all the other religions and think they must have the truth. Belief is powerful. The mind will give credence to what it believes, and filter out whatever does not support that belief. They are blind to the fact that, all religions are false, even their own. 

There is a political organization that was set up by God which is called “The Kingdom of God on Earth.” The official political name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Those in this religion have the opportunity to get up in front of their congregation every month and say that the church is true. But even this church contains a religion that is false. The church is true, but the religion is false. The church has the foundation of apostles and prophets, which will teach the truth, but the belief systems of the members with the dogmatic assertions of truth are the philosophies of men. The fact that they are “mingled with scripture,” does not make them true. Nevertheless, the underlying truth goes on in the church which continues to provide important ordinances whereby people can become part of “the Church of the Lamb of God.” Those few can receive the Holy Ghost and go to the temple and make covenants with the Lord, learning His ways. 

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

3 Nephi 14:14

Those few are the Church of the Firstborn. Jesus spoke this same doctrine in His time. The Jews were members of the “true church of God,” the one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They had, and memorized, the words of all the holy prophets from the beginning of time. They thought they were the true religion, but they were really built on the foundation of human philosophy, “mingled with scripture.” Jesus did not condemn sinners that were brought to Him, He only condemned the leaders of the “true religion” and all their dogma. They had the truth, but they did not know it. 

There is only one way to know truth -- that is by knowing everything. If I know everything, I can know what is true and what is not. 

Since no human can know everything, there must be some other way to know something is true. There is. If one person knows all truth, and does not lie, then there is a way to know some truth without having to know everything. If that person tells me something, then I know it’s true. God knows all truth. I can know truth only if God tells me something is true. He speaks to me through the Holy Ghost. 

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Moroni 10:5

There is no other way to know anything is true. Thus, being in the “Church of the Lamb of God” only means having the gift of the Holy Ghost and receiving truth from Him. 

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:5

The only true church is defined by those who have the gift of the Holy Ghost and are seeking truth wherever it is found. Without the Holy Ghost I cannot be a member of the true church of Christ. There is no dogma. There is no assertions of truth. There is no doctrine except that of Christ. Everyone is different. No two people in the church have the same knowledge. I cannot get any knowledge from other members of the church, I can only get information that I can take to the Lord and ask if it is right. I must do the work of research and discovery. I must read the scriptures. I must go to the temple. I must pray every day, twice daily, to be connected with God, to have the Holy Ghost, so I can know if something is true. The Lord will teach me truth that is expedient for me to know. I do not give that to others because it may not be expedient for them to know. 

Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you; And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:64-65

The Few

The Church of the Firstborn is only a group because they have something in common in seeking the Lord, to know God through Jesus Christ, but at first there is no organization. God sees them as individuals. He knows them by name. He loves them. He loves each one. Each is led by God with a path different from all the others. Thus, it is not like a religion, as in a political organization, but rather a set of scattered individuals seeking truth.

In the church of the Lamb of God there are no two people with the same knowledge. Nobody is dependent on another person for knowledge. All turn to the Lord for all truth, knowledge, and understanding. Not that we do not teach each other, but rather that we are not dependent on each other for knowledge and truth. We can share whatever the Spirit tells us to share so that we can build the faith of others. People need confirmation of their faith in the Lord, and in what they receive by the Holy Ghost. 

For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments. And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.

2 Nephi 25:25-27

The “law” is all the rules that are given to help us grow up. Children need laws. Children need guidelines. Children need restraints. Children need to know their limits. However, when people grow up and become mature in the Spirit, they no longer need such things. The law will be done away, and become dead to them. The law is irrelevant when you have the Holy Ghost to tell you all things that you should do, even things that may be contrary to the law. The Church teaches the laws, or set of rules for children, but when I grow up, I no longer need the law. I put away the things of children, and take responsibility like an adult. 

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:8-11

All are born in sin, automatically being part of the church of the devil. But God gives us the opportunity to grow up and receive the Holy Ghost. Once I receive the Holy Ghost I can start on the path to eternal life. I am not on the path to eternal life until I receive the Holy Ghost to guide me. 

Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

2 Nephi 31:17-18

Once I receive the Holy Ghost I can speak with the tongue of angels. I can speak the words of Christ. I can speak the truth. Before that time I cannot speak the truth because I can never know what I don’t know. Indeed, I never know what to do until I have the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:2-3

Thus, the definition of the Church of the Lamb of God is those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and can speak the words of Christ with the tongue of Angels. They have access to truth that no other church or religion has. Their truth is individual, and personal. They know truth that is expedient, gaining knowledge upon knowledge, until they know all things. 

That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

Doctrine and Covenants 50:24

The purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to provide a framework whereby I can become a member of the Church of the Firstborn and start on the path to eternal life. There are so many that do not move forward, but stay back and remain children, being in the church of the devil. They do not search the scriptures, pray, nor take the Holy Ghost for their guide. Instead, they go to church every week and hope something will happen to them. They were commanded to “receive the Holy Ghost” when they were confirmed members so they could move on to be members of the Church of the Firstborn and start on the path to eternal life, but they don’t move forward. They need to continue to be told what to do by the church, living by rules and laws, instead of taking the Holy Ghost as their guide. 

Those who join the Church of the Firstborn are no longer guided by men. They have no doctrine except the Doctrine of Christ. They have no dogma on which to rest. They have no one in the world to talk to. They cannot receive counsel from others. They have no foundation in the world. Their only foundation is the Rock of our Redeemer. Thus, the rug is pulled-out from under them and they no longer feel like they are on shaky ground. They have nobody in the world to rely on. They only have the very ethereal Holy Spirit to guide them. It doesn’t seem firm. It doesn’t seem like a true foundation. It seems like a ghost. One thing I have learned that has become axiomatic: "Things are not what they seem to be." 

The world is filled with paradox. What seems like a solid foundation to mortals, is really no foundation at all, and what seems unsubstantial is where to find a really firm foundation. The Rock of our Redeemer is a true foundation. 

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Helaman 5:12

Those in the Church of the Firstborn cannot fall because of the forces from outside them. They can only fall by choice, by giving up what they have and leaving the house they had built on the sure foundation. If I go out into the storm, leaving my strong house, I could be dragged down to the gulf of misery and endless wo. 

Gaining such a foundation came the same way I receive the Holy Ghost, by searching, praying and fasting -- and giving my heart to God. 

Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

Helaman 3:35

The more I learn, the firmer it gets. Those who are members of the Church of the Firstborn may have problems in life; they may be hated by others and have difficult lives, but they have joy and consolation from the Holy Spirit. Their sorrow is swallowed up in the joy of the Savior. 

Zion

Those who are of the Church of the Lamb of God are scattered among all nations. They are "one of a city and two of a family." They do not have a congregation, nor are they supporting each other. They are the salt of the earth -- allowing the Spirit of God to protect the people and places where they live. A whole city can be protected with just one righteous person, as Abraham God is their support and their guide. However, at some point those on the earth will be gathered. They will be brought together to create Zion, the New Jerusalem. 

And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God; And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety. And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand. And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:66-71

Those who are not of the Church of the Lamb of God may also go to Zion for safety if they are not afraid to meet the Lord. What a glorious time this will be, when all those who have the Holy Ghost for their guide are together in the same place! What a wonderful city it will be! 

How to Overcome Addictions

The word addict is thrown around a lot these days. It seems everyone is addicted to something. People aren’t only addicted to substances like drugs, they are addicted to people, things, and experiences. Some accuse others of being addicted to their own adrenaline. Is there no end to the possibilities of addiction?

Dictionary definitions don’t tell the complete story. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary says:

Addiction (noun) – A compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence.

While this defines the word, it does not go far enough. As a medical doctor dealing with all sorts of health issues, it seems to me that there is more to addiction than habit-forming substances and getting withdrawal symptoms. I think there is much more. Let’s take that definition and revise it more generally. After removing all the fluff, we get:

Addiction is a need.

However, we also must consider what is a need. “Need” has an inherent “for what?” attached. You can’t just need. There must be a purpose in a need. “I need to eat so I can live.” Does that mean I’m addicted to food? Perhaps we can add just one thing to it: 

Addiction is a need that causes harm.

The Need is the Problem 

People who need people are not “the luckiest people in the world.” They are addicted to people. When I was very young, around eight years old, I realized that my parents and brothers could not fill my needs for connection, love, and companionship. I specifically thought about my needs and knew I would have to wait to get that need filled. I was a patient little boy! I looked around and listened, and decided that marriage would fill that need. Other people said it worked for them, so I waited. Fast forward twenty years, I got married, and was shocked that my wife was also unable to fill that need. I didn’t know what to do. I was lost. Without thinking about it I kept trying. It was like trying to fit the square peg in the round hole (her words). I have a need, a hole in my heart that must be filled, but I don’t understand that my childhood assumption is not working. I tried really hard for twenty years, but ended up divorced.

Then, with some hope, I married again, and found that my second wife also wasn’t able to fill the need, but I kept trying – doing the same things that didn’t work the first time. My addiction destroyed my relationships. My need has caused harm to my marriage, my children, and myself. After a long time, I realized that the need is the problem!

So, I looked around and saw this problem everywhere: 

People who need money get addicted to cheating, stealing, and gambling.

People who need a substance to feel good get addicted to drugs, caffeine, alcohol, prescriptions. And so forth.

Food is likely the most common addiction. People eat to feel better but eating only briefly raises dopamine levels so they become addicted, and become obese in the process. They get calorie toxicity that manifests as metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar with central obesity) or diabetes, among many other health problems. “When you’re not feeling your best, you might crave comfort foods, like sweets, fried foods, or processed foods. These are often high in salt, saturated fat, and sugar, which can lead to illness over time.”

But this addiction can even take on the façade of “good.” Orthorexia is a term used for people who must eat good food all the time. They get anxious if there is any “junk food” around.

Some people take on all sorts of obsessions to ally their fears and calm their hearts. Some exercise, others have orthorexia, still others are focused on avoiding toxins. It’s not that these are injurious, necessarily, but rather they take their focus away from things that are important, like dealing with their problems. In this sense it is little different from drowning your sorrows in alcohol.

Needing comfort also creates addictions. It seems that just about everyone could be addicted to something because of a need that is not being filled.

SUFFERING 

There is a need in the heart, a yearning, a longing. Anything in the world that people find to fill that need can become an addiction. It is literally trying to use a short-term solution to fill a long-term need. Sometimes the need is for comfort, to relieve suffering, which can come in many forms:

• Pain

• Loneliness

• Hunger

• Thirst

• Fatigue

• Stress

• Grief

• Anxiety/fear

• Loss

There are many different ways to fill this need, but the most likely bottom-line is dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that allows us to feel pleasure. What’s odd is that anything that causes us to release dopamine will fill the need -- or seem to.

• Marijuana (That’s why they call it “smoking dope”)

• An argument or fight

• Cold showers

• Massage

• Opiates (Heroin, morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and so forth)

• Food – especially carbohydrates and fried foods.

• Exercise

• Buying things

• Pornography

• Winning

• A hug

• Shoplifting

• Running a business

• Sex

• Alcohol 

• Nicotine (tobacco)

• Amphetamines, ecstasy, caffeine, and other stimulants

• Acceleration/speed

• Danger/walking on the edge

• Power

• Money

Notice that they aren’t all things that are pleasant. Dopamine and endorphins can be released by pain as well as comfort. Some people prefer that way, to feel pain. When they are asked, “Why do you hurt yourself, or enjoy pain?” they answer, “Because it feels so good when I stop!”

The point is, a person could relieve pain by any of them, potentially. However, oddly enough, people are so different that there is nothing that works for everyone. Many people don’t like opiates, they feel more nausea than pleasure. Some never get a “runner’s high.” Others don’t like a good massage. Most people like to eat, but some get no dopamine from it, so it doesn’t relieve their stress. Many people drink alcohol, but relatively few become addicted.

I had a friend in medical school who said, “My mom is an alcoholic, my dad is an alcoholic, and both of my sisters are alcoholics…” That’s a pretty strong family history, so of course my question to her was, “are you an alcoholic?” She answered in the best way possible: “I don’t know, and I’m not going to find out.”

Thus, addictions are highly variable since no two people have the same response to any given stimulus. This is the difficulty of defining the term. It could be that everyone has an addiction in some way – there is something they do or something they take in that gives them a dopamine rush to calm, soothe, comfort, and feel good, that is temporary, requiring constant renewal. Thus, addiction is better defined as: 

Addiction is using a dopamine reward to temporarily fill a permanent emotional need. 

Curing Addictions 

During medical school we were asked to attend a 12-step recovery program for a time. I went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with one of my patients from the V.A. hospital. At the time, I thought it was funny that the people there were recovering from alcohol, but had several pots of coffee brewing as we walked in. There was also a lot of smoking. I surmised that avoiding alcohol required some other habit to take its place. Some smoked. Others drank a lot of coffee, or sugary caffeinated drinks. The program also allows more contact with others – the meeting itself can become the addiction. In AA we were told “once and alcoholic, always an alcoholic.” The desire will always be there, we can just decide not to fill it. Thus, we probably never cure addictions.

A good friend of mine who smoked all his life got laryngeal cancer. Because of throat surgery and radiation, he had to have a tracheostomy tube, to breathe through his neck. I went to visit him at Cottage Hospital after his surgery and he told me, “I’m never going to smoke again!” He had to plug the trach tube in his neck to speak.

“Oh? Where have I heard that before?”

“No, this time I mean it!”

“How do you know?

“Because of this!” he grimaced as he pointed to the trach tube in his neck. “I hate it! I have been praying for years for help to quit smoking, but I would have never stopped if it wasn’t for this. It sucks that this is an answer to prayer!” Years later, still with a trach tube, he had indeed not smoked, but he confided to me that he almost always wants cigarettes. He was not cured of the cravings; despite all he had suffered, and years of abstention.

Studies on addiction seem to indicate that there are two main factors that are required to overcome addictions:

1. Social support. This could be family, friends or groups that encourage and teach.

2. Taking responsibility

12-step programs may provide both of these, but it is not the only way. Most people who overcome addictions do not use a 12-step program. These people find they do have control, that they can overcome, that they have the power within them. They have the outside resources as well, such as family support, or access to a good therapist. Let’s discuss some specifics.

ASSESSING YOUR VALUES: 

Once you have acknowledged your addiction, the next step is to appraise your values. What is it you value most? What is important to you. Is feeling good for moments more important than anything? You may value something more such as:

• Health

• Spouse, children, or other close relationship

• Appearance

• Relationship to God or sense of spirituality

• Intelligence

• Standing in the community

• Self-respect

• Job/profession/work skills

• Friends

• Ethical standards

• Something not mentioned above

It is essential that you find something that is more important than the temporary high or comfort you get from your addiction. You will have cravings at times, but your values can help you stay on “the strait and narrow” because you have something more important.

DEVELOPING YOUR ASSETS:

The next step is to evaluate what you have that can help you in your quest to conquer. The resources that improve your ability to overcome an addiction may include:

• Supportive relationships

• Work that is stimulating

• Leisure activities such as hobbies, exercise, art, or travel

• Coping skills like emotional resilience and character

These help you to cope with the vicissitudes of life. You will suffer. You will be uncomfortable at times. There are up and downs. When there are downs, we mostly hang in there and pass through them with the support of others, having other things to do, keeping busy, and just having resilience and character to stay on track in spite of pain and problems.

FINDING A SUBSTITUTE: 

Next, you can consider a replacement for your addiction. Whether it’s a 12-step program or any medical program, one thing that works long-term is exchanging the addiction for a different one. It is well-known that people who quit smoking start eating and gain a lot of weight. My cousin was a cocaine addict, and we could always tell when he was off cocaine because he would gain almost a hundred pounds. He would go back on cocaine and would lose it all and be very thin. He’s dead now, may he rest in peace.

Debbie was a young mother who came into my urgent care office from time-to-time because of chronic pain. One day she confided that she was using heroin since high school and was getting pain pills to keep her from going into withdrawals between hits. She wanted help getting off heroin for good. Over a period of about a year we tried everything to get off heroin, but nothing worked for her. A couple of years later I went into a business found she was the human resources director. I asked her, “What are you doing here?”

“Clean and sober for over a year!”

“OK, I gotta know, how did you do it after everything we tried?”

“Have you ever heard of a ‘runner’s high’?”

“Of course!”

“When I need a “hit” I just go for a run, and I can hardly wait to “hit the wall.” I just push through the pain, and the endorphin rush completely relieves the need.” She switched from a harmful addiction to fill her emotional need to a beneficial one. She uses pain to give her endorphins that release dopamine. But, it’s still only temporary, she needs to run frequently to feel good.

Debbie found a beneficial substitution. Some substitutions are not helpful, as they may also do damage, such as the smoker who starts eating. It is essential that you choose what you will do instead. The trigger is the need, and when you feel it you must have something to do instead of the addiction. Choose some kind of art, or creative outlet. Try yoga or exercise. Go for a walk. Clean a closet or the garage. Do laundry. Write in a journal. I have many people do breathing exercises. Try a cold shower! There are myriad constructive things that can be done.

It is normal to have setbacks, but don’t get discouraged, just keep getting up every time you fall. Life is all about falling – and then getting up again. If you get up the same number of times that you fall, you will end up on your feet. That’s ideal! Don’t ever give up!

THE TRIGGER OF LONELINESS 

Understand that suffering is a part of life. Buddhists learn to acknowledge their suffering. Sometimes that means hunger, fatigue, or pain, but most often it is loneliness. Studies in rats indicate that being alone is the greatest trigger for addictions. The obvious ones are sex, pornography, and falling in love, but even food, drugs, and alcohol increase with loneliness. Ultimately, we must all deal with the fact that nothing and nobody in the world can fill our loneliness. We must deal with being alone and learn to love ourselves.

Everyone, even if you have hundreds of friends who love you, must deal with loneliness. Many years ago I had a patient who lived on a ranch nearby. One day I was called to see him because he fell on the stairs and had an injured foot. I got there and the foot was rather swollen, so I ordered x-rays. He was very famous and didn’t want to go out in public or call an ambulance, so he asked me to take him to the local hospital. We limped to my little Saturn coupe and stuffed him in. When we got to the gate of his ranch, there were a lot of girls there. He ducked down, practically to the floor so nobody would see him. As we drove by, the girls mobbed the car, trying to look in the windows, and screaming, “WE LOVE YOU…!!!” but we just drove on. He certainly was well-loved! However, he once told me that he had no friends, and there was nobody he could trust, not even his family. He was the most famous man in the world, at the time, known by almost everyone, with millions of raving fans, but had no close relationships. He was lonely. He would call me, his doctor, for minor aches or sniffles just as an excuse to come over and talk. When I said I had to go, he begged me to stay - he was so needy! Despite fame and fortune, he was a very lonely man. Even he needed to deal with his loneliness! But instead, he ended up dying young because of his addictions.

FINDING A PERMANENT SOLUTION: 

Exchanging one addiction for another may be an improvement in your life by not causing more pain, but the need is still there, and dopamine is used to fill it -- temporarily. Even being comfortable with yourself may not cure you of addictions. The only way to be cured is to permanently fill the need. The need is the problem. The addictions are just the wrong way to fill the need. 

When 12-step programs tried to take God out of the picture, they didn’t work as well. The “Higher Power” seems to be essential to the program. But the program tells you that you are an addict and will always be an addict. On the contrary, I have seen that there is a way to change the heart. Your heart is your most basic wants, needs, and desires. It is the “why” of your life. Your values come out of your heart, as well as everything you think, feel, say, and do; the heart is the bottom-line. We are told that there is no way to change the heart because our foundations don’t change. We can act differently, but that doesn’t change the underlying desires. However, there is a way.

Ultimately, the answer is to discover the underlying need of the heart and fill it. Most humans have an innate need to connect with the infinite. We think that need can be filled by something in the world, but everything in the world is temporary. The reason we get addicted to the things of the world is because they work! Dopamine comforts and temporarily fills the need. Even things that are healthy like good food and exercise only work briefly. But, if we seek to connect with God, He can fill the need permanently. Jesus explained to His disciples:

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things... Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

(KJV John 14:26,27)

This seems to be the answer to every addiction issue. The Comforter is to comfort us. Rather than seek comfort in something temporary, we can have permanent comfort, and peace, without fear or even a troubled heart. When we have no needs, we will have no addictions. Imagine the peace this would bring! The heart is full, and you are not worried about the next dopamine "hit." You have no needs! You are not dependent on anything in the world to feel whole, complete, or satisfied. You don't need dopamine at all. This is true healing.

When I discovered my addiction, I found there was no way out -- nothing in the world could fill my need. I had to deal with my loneliness and seek a relationship that was eternal to fill me. 50 years after that little eight-year-old boy discovered the need, I have finally found the best way to fill it. Now, I no longer seek anything in the world because I don’t feel like I need anything. 

People tell me I have a lot of willpower. I think “willpower” is just permanently filling the true needs of the heart. I have found this in my own life. I don’t need to berate myself for “falling” but rather turn to God and seek the Comforter. I “fall” because I’m empty. When I'm filled, I have "willpower" because there is no need. 

SHARING

Overcoming addictions is like growing up. We start out as infants, completely dependent on others, but gradually grow up to be independent as our needs are filled by the Infinite. And then we move forward to be able to take responsibility for those who are newborn and are dependent, like a parent taking care of a child. The 12th step is to become a mentor and bring others up, helping them to conquer addictions. Together we can all help each other grow up to be independent, healthy, and happy. Happiness is connecting with others. The parent-child relationship can grow into a peer relationship, so nobody is alone, or lonely. As each overcomes, and then helps others to overcome, it will spread everywhere, and addictions will disappear from the world. 

A Happy Thought for a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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RESTORATION

While in a junkyard looking for a part for your car, you find the bones of a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO. You can’t believe it! This is the most expensive car in the world. Only 36 cars were ever produced! The car that won the 1963 Tour de France race set a record auction price at $70 million. Others have sold in the $30 and $40 million range. You check to make sure it’s true. And, sure enough, you have stumbled onto the real thing. You can buy the entire chassis and much of the original car for pocket change, so you buy it. You ask the junkyard about the various parts that have been sold, and who bought them. Over a period of more than a decade the car has been gradually disassembled and the parts taken for various uses on other cars. The front fenders were taken for a teenager’s high school project. The engine was restored and put in a Porsche. Other parts are scattered all over the area. You need to restore everything to its original state for it to have any value, so you want every part for your restoration project. 

So, you go to each person who owns a part and make an offer to buy back them back, but many parts are long gone. Moreover, when some find they have a part of an original 250 GTO they want too much money, or they don’t want to give it up. The guy with the engine is especially reticent to sell. He wants his car to have a 250 GTO engine. You increase your offer, but he just won’t sell -- it can’t be bought. Other parts are available, and you buy all you can, but you still cannot get some critical parts. Moreover, many parts are lost, damaged, rusted out, or destroyed. The fenders are cut up. The headlights are gone. The seats are mostly aged and cracked. Since there are so few of these cars, and none are used for parts, there is no way to restore it with original parts. You begin to assemble what you have and have the missing parts custom-made or taken from other cars. All the time and materials already invested is quite expensive, but should be worth it when the car is sold, even though it has no engine. You run out of money, and all you borrowed from everyone you know. 

At auction, the car is a beautiful restoration, but when the clientele finds out that it is not original, nobody wants it. It doesn’t have an engine! So, it doesn’t sell for even the amount you invested. Though it has many original parts, it’s not real. It’s not original. It isn’t a true restoration. It’s a fake, a copy. You lost money, and now must pay back all you borrowed!

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When Jesus formed a church, “he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) However, when those apostles and prophets died, the church fell into disrepair. Parts were taken and put into pagan churches. 

Over the years, people noticed that the church built by Christ was valuable, but with many original parts missing. They saw the bones of the church and decided to try a restoration project. But they didn’t have all the parts. They filled-in the blanks with things of the world, things that they could understand, and that made logical sense to them, but never had the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus, hundreds of Christian churches were born out of the parts of the original church. They have original parts, but fill-in the missing pieces with their own custom-made parts. The biggest problem is that they could never get the authority to give the gift of the Holy Ghost. It would be like having a 250 GTO without an engine. When the Prophet Joseph Smith visited President Martin Van Buren, the President asked the Prophet what difference there was between the Prophet’s church and the other churches of the world. The Prophet answered: “We have the correct mode of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.” Then he added: “We considered that all other considerations were contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

In the case of the church of Jesus Christ, there is only one way to restore it to its original form. The Lord Himself must come and restore it with authority -- apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – and the gift of the Holy Ghost, according to the original plan. Nobody can just assume he has the authority of God. “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Hebrews 5:4) There is no way to buy this authority, as Simon found out when he asked Peter to sell him the ability to give the Holy Ghost. “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.” (Acts 8:19-20)  

Thus, people have pieces of the church of Christ, but they don’t mean anything. Without the whole thing restored in its proper order as an original with heaven-made parts, it isn’t worth anything. Without the gift of the Holy Ghost there is no power in the church. It can look good, even looking like the original, but it won’t get anyone to heaven without the gift of the Holy Ghost. There can be no parts from the world. It must be original in every aspect to be His church, to be able to bring all to “the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Missing parts just will not do. Having part of the gospel doesn’t bring anyone to the “fulness of Christ.” Without every original part, and all of it together, a church is worthless, and all who invest in it will lose. However, if hands are laid upon my head and I do receive the Holy Ghost, then I know that this is the real thing, the original, the one and only church of Jesus Christ. This is the “Pearl of Great Price” that is worth selling everything of the world to possess! It is priceless, requiring me to sacrifice my all, even my heart, but I get the most valuable thing in the Universe! 

For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.  (Doctrine and Covenants 84:36-38)