Escape From Idolatry

golden-statueI notice a pattern with people who escape idolatry. I would dare say it is nearly universal. It is perhaps the most difficult and treacherous path to navigate in this life, but if we endure to the end, it leads to the riches of eternity.

In the worst of idolatry, men and women will put their trust solely in external things. Usually this consists of pastors, bishops, preachers, ministers, and whatever books that happen to be approved within their belief system. If they run into a question or concern, they speak to the nearest “authority” on the subject, who has enough knowledge with the approved books to pacify the person and lull them back to sleep.

golden-calfIf the person keeps seeking greater truth, they will soon begin to see contradictions coming from the pulpit. The local “authority” will sometimes say things that are not coinciding with the approved books, and the seeker begins to see that the local authorities are fallible, and not to be trusted as far as Truth is concerned.

In the next phase the seeker will begin to seek the words of the “greater” leaders and “authorities.” They will seek the words of the founders of the religion, the dead prophets and popes, the great men and women of the belief system. The seeker will begin finding others who see the fallibility of the local leaders and they will enjoy seeking words of the greater leaders of the belief system.

money-idolatryEventually if the seeker persists in the journey, it will become clear that even the founders and the great ones of the belief system do not agree on all things. Hopefully the seeker at this point has begun to receive revelation and is developing his/her own relationship with God. Slowly their eyes are opened as they continue forward.

The next step in the pattern comes to a point where the seeker will cleave to THE ONE person that seems to have all the answers. THE ONE prophet, or pope, whether living or dead, who was or is guided by God. This will be THE ONE who was truly infallible because he/she was God’s voice, instrument, prophet, pope, king, or whatever the title may be. This also can come in the form of THE ONE book, THE ONE philosophy, THE ONE trustworthy source of Truth besides God.

golden-calf2If the seeker does not rest, and will truly endure to the end, at some point they will see that even THE ONE has things that are not true. This can only be done by receiving revelation line upon line on every subject that the one remaining idol has taught. Sometimes things outside of the one remaining idol are used as tools to help the seeker break the shackles.

It can be THE ONE book or idol that others have pointed too. It can be the Laotzis and the Buddhas and the Emmanuel Swedenborgs and the Apocryphas etc that point out truths that the one idol does not have and even teaches or has taught against, but the spirit will bear witness to.

golden-calf1Of course the last phase, and the only True Way is when the disciple learns to only trust in the Spirit of the Living God, the Spirit of Truth. When one enters this zone, Truth comes quickly from many avenues because the chains of idolatry have been broken. There is no damning limit to what the Spirit could tell you, because the only creed is Truth, wherever it may be found.

Outward authority never can exist to the true disciple, because the holy oil of God is giving truth to the inward vessel. The only things to conquer in this last phase are the devils and powers of darkness which will fight with desperation and fury. All of the powers of hell will be used to stop the seeker from becoming a holy disciple of God.

academic-idolatryAs one progresses from phase to phase in the escape of idolatry, the seeker will find less and less human companionship, but more and more association with the angels and righteous on the other side of the veil. Most are not willing to trade the outward forms of spirituality for the inward blessings of discipleship. To escape each phase, more strength is needed than to escape the last, and only the Lord can provide it.

food-as-an-idolIn each of these phases there will be many who will try to persuade you that you are in the right spot. You have made it to THE GROUP, to the elite, “you have escaped! This is the place!” the mortals and devils will call, yet the seeker must learn to heed the call of The Only One that matters.

Of course many would call the seeker a person that “picks and chooses.” They will call it a “buffet style” approach and call the wisdom of God foolishness. “You can’t just pick and choose!” will be the voice of the devil. “You can’t trust personal revelation!” They will say you must check it with all of the idols and if it doesn’t match up it must be discarded. Think deeper about some verses in Matt 13:41-50

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I pray God’s blessings upon each of us as we shed idolatry and falsehood, and come unto the Truth. Those who will not be cast into the furnace of fire will be those who have sold all the filth, who have cast all the bad away, before the coming of the Lord.

15 thoughts on “Escape From Idolatry”

  1. Thank you, thank you for this!! Idolatry is such an incredibly hard thing to break free from. Many of the things or people that we hold on to, we have an incredible love for, we feel an incredible safety with, and we just can’t see that we are being hindered in anyway. How can they be idols if we receive good things from them, if we hear truths from them? They become idols when we allow them to take the place of God in our lives. They become idols when we receive a prompting or an insight in our heart and mind, but then we question it and throw it out if doesn’t fall in line with what another has said in their writings, written or vocal. They become idols when we ignore the still small voice, or the thought, or the “ah-ha” moment that we have in one moment, because it is not what someone else or something else would agree with, so then you think you must be mistaken. But of course, these are just my opinions on the matter

    There are so many thought forms and so much conditioning that is so ingrained within us in regards to this subject. I realize it is a process to break free and it is something that I am continuously working on and thinking about. I have, however, been learning so much. I have felt my faith grow in leaps and bounds as I have been trying to break free from this nasty habit. This is where I have had to trust fully in The Lord and at the same time, trust fully in me. Often times, when I have had questions and gone to The Lord in prayer, I have been prompted to go to places that I never would have thought, that are definitely out of the box of where I have been! In doing so, I have been led to an answer to a question I have had, every.single.time. I get excited about it and then I want to share with others and in doing so, sometimes the reactions of others cause me to question myself and my ability to my personal revelation. They question me and in turn I question myself and then I begin to fear that what I am doing is “wrong”. I have realized with time though, that what I have received for me has been right along, because my heart and mind were open and ready for it. This has been a great lesson for me. It is truly time to have more confidence in myself and the promptings and guidance I receive as that is how The Lord works. When I give others (people, things, etc.) that authority to tell me I am “wrong” or being deceived, then I am actually giving them power and authority over me. We get so fearful at times that we are going to be deceived that we hold ourselves back from progressing at all. We are so worried that we will choose incorrectly that we choose to not choose AT ALL and in doing so damn ourselves, hold ourselves back from moving forward. We hold ourselves back from receiving the “many great and important” revelations that He has YET to reveal about the Kingdom of God.

    1. Wow your comment was powerful thank you I couldn’t have said it better. I love the thought about confidence in ourselves. When we think some other human has more prophetic ability or revelatory power than we do it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

      “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” goes a heck of a lot deeper than I realized when I first began thinking about it years ago.

      1. You are definitely right about that. Don’t the scriptures teach, “Ye are Gods”?, well, if we are all Gods and/or have the potential to become so, then there you have it…”Thou shalt have no other Gods before me”
        Funny thing is, when I posted my response yesterday, that hadn’t even come to my mind until I was pondering this morning what I had read last night. I had been reading a book that pointed out that five people within the scriptures taught about men being Gods, including Jesus. Jesus argued this with the Pharasies when they were calling him blasphemous and wanted to stone him for calling himself the Son of God.

        “34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law I SAY Ye are Gods?

        35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

        36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”

        It was one of those “AH-HA” moments I was talking about earlier. Very profound to me.

    2. Great searching, feeling comment. Isn’t this exactly why we are here? Questions, qhestions and more questions is what we are here for. Battling the elementals and giving no power over the thoughts of others as we keep our thoughts powerfully positive. IT makes a difference in revelation received to free our minds ofthe negative and welcome the positive. This is creation! We create by not allowing any other entity to guide you other than the Holy Ghost. You are a great creator with your process. Break free!

    3. god gives to each of us gifts of the spirit to some it is given to believe on the words of those that have received revelation , there are many who have been given the gift of faith in the words of the prophets. not all are given the same gift

      1. Minorityofone

        Rick,

        It is interesting to me that they are called gifts of THE SPIRIT. So it seems to suggest that one must obtain the spirit in order to exercise any of the gifts of the spirit. If someone obtains the spirit they have also obtained revelation, so there is no need to simply believe anything.
        Why would I ever follow a man (prophet) with no spiritual witness that he is a prophet? And if i have gained a spiritual witness that someone is a prophet, that mean I can gain a spiritual witness concerning anything, and therefore the spirit becomes my prophet, and there is still no need to ever follow or believe any men. I know many prophets and I trust none of them in spiritual matters nor do I take them at their word.
        So if you don’t receive a witness that someone is a prophet don’t follow them, and is you do, then don’t follow them because you have a greater prophet in the Holy Ghost that gave you the witness. Belief in men is no gift from God.

  2. Eminem……Slim Shady…I wonder if you can listen to this piece of trash filled with darkness and still carry the Light of Heaven in your soul?

    1. I like a select few of eminems edited songs and I think they are just fine. I like the edited version of “not afraid” and I like the one that talks about “lose yourself in the moment.” Ha ha funny Daniel.
      You will be surprised who the sheep of God are in the end and many who may seem to be filled with darkness might be changed by God into spiritual giants.
      Many ignorantly say denver snuffer has a bad mouth so he must be nobody, and many say ignorantly that he is committing adultery by getting married again. To judge anyone by external things is the judgment of men. I seek any music that I feel the spirit in and that includes a couple from tupac, a couple from eminem, a couple from Carrie underwood. I love “wade in the water.” That song is beautiful. Amazing grace. All sorts of songs. I didn’t realize how evil “we thank thee oh god for a prophet” was or “praise to the man” were until I learned some things but God still mercifully blessed me with revelation even on the days I sang them.
      I have felt the spirit watching rated r movies (I rarely watch them) like the matrix, last samurai, braveheart, the patriot, to name a few. I mean let’s not get pharisaic here. The most recent one I watched was “Lucy.” I felt the spirit quite a bit with the awesome truths in it. I highly recommend it if you can stand a little violence. I don’t like to hear much swearing ever it grates on my spirit but a little here and there never bothers me.

      1. Good points. I have felt the spirit with Eminem and tupac. Both have light and are of light. When we get offended or means we need to learn something. Those who believe that God gets offended are wrong. God understands and has overcome all things.
        btw that picture of the burgers looks good!

  3. +1

    This pattern is exactly what the Lord God has taught me directly. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt worship the Lord they God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Follow Me. Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm. Trust in the Lord with All thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. If any of you lack wisdom (and we all do, don’t miss the irony), let him ask of God. That man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh — But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world. Trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments (and you need the Holy Ghost to really discern, don’t trust yourself even if you are being of God, another irony). You should not have feared man more than God. And this one:

    D&C 11
    12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.
    13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;
    14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.
    15 Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called.
    16 Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine.
    17 And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith shall it be done unto you.
    18 Keep my commandments; hold your peace; appeal unto my Spirit;

    In Mormonism we see this manifest as many believers or seekers (including me!) following and idolizing and trusting in living church leaders, with particular adulation focused on the 15 presiding Apostles, especially “the Prophet”/President of the Church as oracle(s)/intermediaries for them (i.e. “Exodus 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”). Sometimes they work their way backwards, including all past Church Presidents and Apostles in their cannon. Often they reach a place where Joseph Smith’s, the founding prophet’s, teachings are considered deepest, most pristine, and most profound and emphasized as the gold standard or they elevate the scriptures to this ruling standard by which all others must be judged true or false. Many act like scribes and Pharisees, quoting the law and the prophets, appealing to authorities to establish their truth, highlighting along the way how all these various teachers/standards disagree with one another and have evolved leaving precious essential truths behind.

    So often ignoring this simple pattern (personally, for each of us and to each of us):
    Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost wherefore they speak the words of Christ.
    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?
    The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
    They shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
    Whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.
    He will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

    You’ll notice I did quote some scriptures – I did so because the principles encapsulated in them were manifest to be true to me by the power of the Holy Ghost. How I need the power of the Holy Ghost!

  4. Correction: (and you need the Holy Ghost to really discern, don’t trust yourself UNLESS you are being of God, another irony)

  5. Online communication is so feeble and incomplete. I feel like Moroni expressed with the awkwardness of this typed media and ambiguous English language. Please don’t misinterpret or take offense to my comment, whether you are an active, believing FTP (“Follow the Prophet”) LDS member in good standing, or a DS-follower/Remnant or however you classify or nominate yourself. I pray and wish you well in your journey. I believe each of us has our own path, curriculum, and progress to make in this mortal life – it is not one size fits all or nothing. I am no judge. I am an imperfect, weak human being just like you. Please tolerate and forgive me, as I will you. Peace and Love.

  6. Thanks for this post, Minority of One. I appreciate the points you make, and I know I can relate with them on a personal level.

    I’d like to point out what you presented is one type of idolatry and one path a person can take that leads away from it.

    It is possible to have different kinds of Gods besides leaders.

    Also, if a person surrenders to God, then that person can remove all idolatry from his or her soul immediately. This is how I’d hope others can leave their own false Gods behind.

    My favorite thing you said was “There is no damning limit to what the Spirit could tell you, because the only creed is Truth”. This has given me a lot to think about.

  7. minorityofone

    Thanks Ben,

    I agree with your thoughts completely about the speed at which idolatry can be removed. In 3 Nephi sanctification happened very quickly. No doubt the Lord taught them with power and every truth was seared into them by the Spirit. Sometimes I think the really fast conversions are not absent from intense pain though like with Alma the Younger or Paul or Zeezrom with his fever. Some people who go from intense idolatry to magnificent light fall to the earth and their bodies can’t even handle it.
    I believe the healthiest way is a process over time and when we learn line upon line each new truth is processed, absorbed, and understood to a greater degree than if it is an explosion of light, but the Lord works many different ways, and I think we will see a lot of the explosions here soon. Thanks brother

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