Like an Addict to Desire

Reading:   3 Nephi 7:1-15

I guess ultimately this blog is for me, the challenge is no longer to read the scriptures (not a problem anymore) but to learn something, write a blog that interests me, that teaches me and hopefully along the way, teaches others as well; but if nothing else - causes thought and contemplation. 

When I first started reading the scriptures I set a mark of 30-days straight to prove personal commitment.  I achieved that aim and started the blog to compliment my reading.  I originally made it accessible only to those I emailed or invited, primarily family (my kids especially).  I then set another goal of 30-days, writing the blog consistently before I went public. I have again reached that goal - this is blog number thirty! So, with this blog, I change my settings.  Words of Kipling goes public today, becomes searcheable, available to others.  I am a bit apprehensive, as I was when I published my first book, Bouncer, but the challenge is the key and I'm ready for action.

My greatest concern is that there will be disparaging comments on the blog, not geared toward me but toward my faith, my belief in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (yes, the Mormons) and though I love a challenge, a fight, I have decided that this is not the place...that being said, if you see a comment and then it is gone, well, I have removed it.  I will not engage in unhealthy debate in this forum - healthy debate absolutely!

I would love to receive comments, questions, remarks of any kind, on my posts.  I know that my written thoughts aren't always clear, that I may drift a bit, or sprinkle too much humor as to cover the point, so please, if you are confused or find something particularly interesting, post it!  Why is this encouraged - let me explain.  when you read a scripture you may ponder it for a time but eventually the spark fades, here, you read the scripture and then contemplate the verse with additionally reference from whatever I ramble on about - keeps the spark lit a bit longer.  Now, throw in some external comments from you and we have a discussion that may go on for days, the spark might catch fire and burn for some time...that's the idea!    
Today was a challenge.  I started reading early this morning and managed fifteen verses before I had to return to work.  I planned to read more but never found the time, that being said, as per my personal blogging rule, I had to write from those fifteen verses.  I reread the verses hoping something would give me a jab - nothing.  Finally, I settled on verse eight and wrote some opening lines but still couldn't dig into it the way I would like so I walked away, pondered, started looking things up, pondered some more, and finally started tracking an idea that I wanted to explore (this all of course after midnight otherwise I would have read more scriptures).

3 Nephi 7:8

8    And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

Okay, briefly, the people were all righteous six years ago!  They were doing great, had defeated GNR (Gadianton Robbers) soundly and became quite prosperous.  Pride, this time, worked insane magic in a tremendously short period to the end that the system of government was abolished (100 year reign of judges ended).  Tribes were established, talk about sliding backwards?  Anyway, as verse eight describes, the people turned from righteousness, comparing their actions to that of a dog returning to vomit or a pig to mud.  There are similar verses in the Bible (2 Peter 2:22 and Proverbs 26:11) and therefore these similitude's must be significant.

A dog and a pig are natural beasts with natural instincts; a dog eats what is edible and vomit is certainly edible and the smell, to a dog, quite delectable.  So the idea off a dog returning to its vomit, though foul, is quite natural.  The sow too is acting in a natural way, mud is cooling and protects the skin, it feels good.  I've played in mud and it is indeed all those things.  It's a natural inclination.  Is that it then, a natural instinct, I submit that there is more...it is also an easy answer to a natural need.  The dog doesn't have to hunt for nourishment when it sits in an available pile before it - instant gratification.  The pig doesn't care about filth, it too wants instant gratification and the easiest answer is mud.

Are there similitudes that we could use in our day:
...like an alcoholic to liquor
...an arousal addict to porn
...a hoarder to filth
...a gambler to cards
...the lazy to couches and television

What is the guiding similarity - EASE!  Fighting urges, natural or learned, is difficult.  It requires work; constant, continual and ever active, work!  All of these examples are addictions. Each can be easily lumped into one encompassing example, "like an addict to desire."  We are natural beings, like the dog and pig, and prone to finding the easy way.  The righteous people, prospered, had no more physical concern for their lives, and therefore found it difficult to remain humble, upright, and unselfish, it became work - pride bullied them forth to unbelief.

Returning to righteousness becomes a mountain of work, or so it seems, but that is not the case...turn away from addictions, turn away from the natural enticements of man, find faith, accept the atonement of our savior in your life, believe - that's when the work begins...

~Kipling