de labore sub tyrranis, pars secunda

At this one again.

The fundamental struggle of my existence (no exaggeration) right now is how to reconcile the urge to live for God and the apparent necessities of a (forgive me) godless culture.

"What?! Godless culture? Here in the heart of Mormondom? Counties numero uno for religiosity? Are you attacking my bishop? My Relief Society sisters? My grandma?!"

Of course not.

I'm not saying the waking, rational minds and hearts of you, your neighbours, or your grandma are anti-god. I'm not saying they are in knowing rebellion against God. I'm not saying that Mormon culture specifically is anti-god. This is a problem much, much bigger than Mormondom.

I'm not. What I am saying

I love conspiracy theories as much as (maybe more than) the next man, but that isn't what this is about either. On the one hand, I guess I am talking about the mother of all conspiracies — it gives birth to all others — but it isn't master-minded by any elite class or closet hitlerian. In fact, I don't know if it is masterminded at all. But it is perpetuated. It is buoyed up. It is supported.

By whom?

By you.

By me.

By almost all of us.

"Let's assume I accept, having not even heard yet, the allegation that we are all complicit in some abominable injustice. I don't need to know what the evil is, just tell me what I am doing to support it."

Deal: You go to work.

"I knew it. You're a socialist. You think making money is bad and that those that have have some moral obligation to give it to the lazy, undeserving poor."

Nope. Not that either.

"Then you don't believe that work is necessary to sustain life."

Wrong again. THIS IS NOT A TIRADE AGAINST LABOR, BUT LABOR UNDER AN INVISIBLE TYRANY.

Of course work is necessary. All the essays ever written on the virtue of work — I believe them. All the motivational speeches that list WORK, day in and day out, as the primary factor for success and achievement — I agree with them. Every sermon given from every pulpit that ever hounded or hinted at the idea that "In the beginning," God worked — I know they are true. I support it.

The law of the harvest. Karma. Reap what you sow. Ants and crickets. Noah and the ark — guys, I believe!

But there is a sinisterity that underlies nearly all our interactions as they pertain to the sustaining and development and enriching of human life on this planet. Something tied to our motivation. Something about our basic view of why we do productive things and how we consume the fruits of them.

"To see the captive hears released —
The sick, the hurt, the poor at peace.
We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause."

Is that why you work?

That is why Jesus worked. That is what Jesus worked. I cannot believe that it is impossible for us to do it to.

Enoch succeeded. Joseph didn't.

Don't you get the feeling that it is possible?