Telestial Entertainment, Politics and Schools

Imagine that today the Savior came and ended the world as we know it. Everyone was then judged “according to their works.” How many would go to the Celestial glory, the Terrestrial, and the Telestial glories, and how many would eventually end up in perdition?

The Scriptures imply that most will fail, and apparently be doomed to lower heavens – the Telestial and the Terrestrial kingdoms. 

But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore; (D&C 76:109, bold added)

Contrast that with those who inherit the Celestial Kingdom.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:14, bold added)

No quantity is mentioned for the projected number of Terrestrials, at least as far as I know.

From my personal observation and from Scriptural inference, the Terrestrials will undoubtedly be more numerous than the Celestial but much less than the Telestial.

Therefore, today, we may correctly conclude that the vast majority, perhaps even 80-90% or more, are now living Telestial lives!

What kinds of people are the Telestials?

These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. (D&C 76:103)

Where are these people? They are in all walks of life, some teaching our children in schools, making television shows for us to watch to influence our behavior, and governing our lives per their political whims. In short, the Telestials are trying to influence our behavior and our souls to become or remain Telestial.

Ever wonder why nearly every television show indoctrinates us to accept premarital sexual relationships as normal; why government leaders are so extremely pro-gay, pro-abortion, why schools are paranoid about anything regarding the right to self-defense? It is not an accident.

Satan is real and does exist, as also his billions of demons that were defeated in the war in heaven and are now upon this earth relentlessly determined to influence whoever they can, in order to destroy this world. Telestials are easily influenced by evil, as the scriptures say.

Celestials were sent to this earth to experience these lower kingdoms, resulting in the expansion of their virtues, but not to join them – in the world, but not of it. And those who belong to the lower kingdoms were sent here to become acquainted with and be influenced by the good, and to join them.

Next time, we listen to a politician, learn what is being taught our kids in school, or turn on the television only to see yet another sex scene between unmarried individuals and hear profanities, realize who is influencing that source and what their objective is.

We need to be very careful indeed, of what we pass for acceptable into our living rooms and minds; and what we vote for. We might ask ourselves "Is this show really helping me to live, be and think Celestial, or is it mind pollution, to be corrupted by the Telestial?" The lesser of two evils might still be evil. Where our heart is so is our soul.

… If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. (Article of Faith 13)

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philipp. 4:8)

The Beginning, Part V: Heaven - Life in the Celestial Kingdom

Little is said about the actual conditions, cultures, norms, etc. of the society of beings inhabiting the Celestial Kingdoms.

Joseph Smith Jr. envisioned Zion consisting of small cities about one mile square, with a business center, residential areas – each home having ½ acre, with a total population estimated between 15-20,000. Farms would be outside of the city, but the farmers would live in the city with their families, in order to avoid class distinction. The farmers would enjoy the same benefits as any other city dweller: schools, shopping, etc.

For more details, please see http://www.yorgalily.org/~yorgasor/church/ComprehensiveHistoryOfTheChurch/hc1.html

In the search box type in “Zion, The City Plat.”

"When this square is thus laid off and supplied, lay off another in the same way," said the Prophet to those to whom the city plat was sent, "and so fill up the world in these last days, and let every man live in the city, for this is the city of Zion." (Joseph Smith, CHC 1:311)

Therefore, we might perceive this city plat could be typical of that which is in each Celestial planet, and followed in larger cities there as well.

Brigham Young taught that we must have “amusement” in the eternities. Said he: “Whenever we get into the Kingdom of Heaven, where God and Christ dwell, we shall something more to do than to ‘sit and sing ourselves away to everlasting bliss.’ The mind of man is active, and we must have exercise and amusement for the mind as well as the body.” Discourses of Brigham Young, p.97

There will be billions of inhabitants spread over the immortal Celestial globe located inside a star: gods and their spirit children.

Inasmuch as the resurrected bodies and the bodies of the maturing spirit children each possess the physical characteristics of mortal bodies – eyes, ears, lungs, hearts, stomachs, nervous systems, mouths, etc., we can expect that they all will function much the same way they do here. That is to say, they will eat and drink, hear, speak and do. They will be employed, and be active.

“I believe men in their resurrected bodies eat or they would die. I believe they eat as well as men in their mortal bodies.” Brigham Young quoted by Wilford Woodruff, WWJ 4:398

Personally, I do not envision an environment stiff and regimented at all – a “1984” society, but rather a place that is easy to live and to enjoy.

There will also be problems however, that need to be dealt with. Our former abode harbored a rebellious number of spirits that swore allegiance to a rebel named Lucifer who tried to dethrone God. He and his friends were tolerated for some time. I can imagine their god-parents tried to raise them correctly, but the seeds of Darkness entered them, even in Heaven. Finally, a war broke out in the Celestial kingdom, whereupon these demon spirits were evicted, and peace restored. Because there is opposition in all things, we might well expect history to repeat itself in the next Celestial Kingdom as well.

But evil cannot triumph in a Celestial glory. Joy and happiness will be the norm.

There are a few shorts online I have run across, and have imagined something like them could actually be in the Celestial Kingdom. See if you agree.

·        Esther and Abi Ofarim sing “Garden of My Home”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFRs4VSkgy0

·        Norah Jones in “Sunrise.” Note: You may have to first see a short ad. Also, the first few seconds seem dark and dismal – get past that point, and it might be a theatrical performance in the Celestial Kingdom attended by all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd02pGJx0s0

·        A Night in Venice with Nova Era Live shows a few segments of classical upbeat songs they play on their DVD. Could well be a performance put on in the Celestial Kingdom.

http://www.novaeramusic.com/home.html

·        Corning put on an excellent advertisement about the future uses of glass that seems to be somewhat from what life could be like in a larger city in the Celestial Kingdom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38

       ·        That Happy Feeling by Bert Kaempfert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Wx8BRjzoI

Nobody with wings, no souls sitting on clouds playing harps, etc. – just real immortal people, gods and their spirit children busy trying to live their normal lives in peace and harmony in a Celestial glory. And there is the duty of all gods to organize the universe into the most that every particle of it can be, all the while contending with the forces of Darkness as those forces attempt to break down and destroy, like a virus, anything organized.

ddd

The Beginning Part I: Heaven (The Celestial Kingdom)

Orson Pratt, many years ago, made the mistake of preaching the “First Great Cause” as doctrine. I hope to avoid that pitfall, and state that the ideas here presented are my own postulates developed from the Scriptures and the Prophets.

Isaiah 33:14-21. 16…Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?  who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. 17  Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. … 20  Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. 21  But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; …

He that is righteous shall dwell with the devouring fire – heaven. There, he shall have water and bread. There will be land, cities, streams and rivers.

It might be surprising to some that heaven is a place of fire. We are taught that those who go to hell get fire and brimstone. Actually, those who go to hell go to “outer darkness,” Matt.25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

If there were fire in outer darkness, then outer darkness would have light, and then it would not be outer darkness. The fire and brimstone (see Rev. 21:8) refers to the souls of those going to this place of extreme cold, likely their resurrected bodies burning immense energy to endure that place. As Brigham Young stated: “What principle does the devil work upon? It is to destroy, dissolve, decompose, and tear in pieces.” (JD 1:114-118) “To choose life is to choose an eternal increase in an organized capacity: to refuse life and choose death is to refuse an eternal existence in an organized capacity, and be contented to become decomposed, and return again to native element.” (JD1:439-353)
This burning or consumption of the matter that comprises the souls in hell Brigham Young refers to as “decomposition.”

 According to the Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2, one “governing planet” (Enish-go-on-dosh) is thought by the Egyptians of Abraham’s time to be the sun.

 Brigham Young agreed with Isaiah and the ancient Egyptians: “What is in the sun? Can astronomers tell who lives there? No. It is filled with the glory of the Gods. The fixed stars are glorified worlds, filled with beings who are passing through degrees of perfection; every one of those spheres is a glorified sun and has a ruler, God.” Journal History at the LDS Church Archives, (Ms/f/143/#34), May 14, 1876

Further Read: Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2 Explanation
http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/fac-2?lang=eng

Summary:

·        Heavens are in suns (stars),

·        The heavens are Celestial planets, and are governing planets filled with beings,

·        Celestial Beings have food and drink, and dwell in cities,

·       Celestial planets have land, streams and rivers (therefore, there must be higher elevations also).