I was born in 1950. I was baptized a member of the Mormon church when I was 10 years old. Went every Sunday with my grand parents on my fathers side of the family. My parents were divorced but my mother wanted me to know the family religion. So I went. Fell away when I was 16 due to my new job and working Sundays. Came back to the church when I was 27 because of an experience that pointed to the spiritual hole in my life. But my first real question about the church happened that next year, 1978. An amazing revelation from the prophet and leaders of the church. God had revealed that the black people of the world could now hold the Mormon priesthood.

I was fine with them having the priesthood. Even excited. Here was an amazing revelation from God himself. But in the back of my mind was this question... "Did God change his mind?" Or more basically... "God changed? God is the same yesterday, today and forever. How can God change... at all?" But like a good and obedient member of the church, I put this question way in the back of my mind to be forgotten... until "the next big question" hit me really hard.

I went through the temple for my own endowments in 1980. It was a bit strange at first, but I let it all be OK because so many had gone before me and I personally knew so many who were good and righteous people who had been through many times through the years of their lives. And all was well that day for the most part... until that part at the veil. In order to enter the Celestial room, a temple metaphor for the highest kingdom in heaven, one must converse with the Lord at the veil where a man stands on the other side of the veil (curtain) and poses as the Lord to receive my signs and tokens to enter. And in order to enter the highest kingdom of God, one must know and repeat the sighs and tokes of the priesthood AND repeat the proper wording or passwords to get in.

After I was in the Celestial room of the temple, I couldn't help but wonder why God would need me to know and repeat signs, tokens and passwords to get into heaven with Him. Doesn't he know it's me? Can God be fooled by impostor's? This was Really weird! You mean to tell me the church believes I must "Convince" God I am who I AM?!? What? He doesn't remember me? You mean God Forgets?!? BUT... like a good member, I worked really hard to put all of this back in the back of my mind because so many had gone through before me and They seemed to be alright with it all.

In 1986 I was married in the temple. Went on to have 5 children under the covenant. Was married for 16 years while filling my callings as home teacher, elders quorum presidency, gospel doctrine teacher, etc. But these two big questions were still back there in my mind with no answer. Which caused me to have an open mind about things I learned about the church. And as time went on, I began to have a collection of questions, none of which I could find logical, real and acceptable answers to.

I became aware of what was called "Apologetics" which is the defense of a position or belief and the church organization called FARMS. (Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies) As far as I could tell, this organizations job was to answer questions about the historicity and especially the archaeology of the church and whether it's authentic or not. And of course this made me ask myself, "You mean there's confusion about this?"

As time went on, I began to have an even bigger collection of questions about this and that. I even got into long conversations with my bishop and others about them. But in almost every case, their answers were weak and seemed pat and propagandist. Then one day in 2002, I was in a Waldens bookstore browsing the bible and spiritual shelves when suddenly, one book stood Right Out. The title was "One Nation Under Gods" by Richard Abanes. "Gods? Plural?" Snatched it from the shelf and began to read. It was the history of the church from the time of Joseph Smiths parents before he was born clear up to the "Mormon Olympics" in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002. The history of the church... that NO ONE in the church will tell you about! It answered my questions with facts that I later was able to verify with my own research. This took a while, but I now know the truth. And in knowing the truth, my entire life changed drastically, to say the least.

Joseph Smith was somewhat pious, maybe a little. But more than anything, he was VERY narcissistic, a dreamer who, like his father, did NOT want to work but instead found a way to make a comfortable living praying on the gullibility of those who WANTED to believe there was something magical and mystical in their lives because that was Extremely popular during his time and place in the world! And he succeeded! But just like so many who take this path, he finally assumed too much loyalty to him by his followers and took too much advantage of his position and it eventually caught up with him. They killed him for doing things that were simply not acceptable. His lies caught up with him as is always the case with liar.

The church today is a great social organization. But as far as the Book of Mormon and the actual beliefs of the church go, unless you are talking about general goodness and kindness, the rest is totally false and the Book of Mormon is the product of a 19th century imagination, Plane and Simple. I know this for a fact from all of my research.

So Mormonboy, believe all you want. But just know there millions of us who smile at your naivete.

Gunna start out by saying I have NOT read this particular holy book. Also welcome to IQ, glad to have you.

I think the Mormon faith is very young, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This only becomes a problem to me when those involved are unawares of their own history. As long as you know what you're believing in, hell, more power to you. To me this question also brings light to the fact that someone who believes in Santa Clause can vehemently reject the existence of the Tooth Fairy and still believe they have ground to stand on. Humans are so funny in easily being able to spot splinters in other's eyes while ignoring the logs in their own.

I believe all religions have been getting a great deal wrong for a very long time, so why would I dislike your religion for getting it wrong less long than those who have had a great deal longer to get their $#!% together yet are still not much farther along than the comparative 'newbies'. If you've been at it for millennia and still haven't gotten it right, I'd start being concerned. Also I notice a few common points of attack (which I admit to using myself, but equally versus all religions not just Mormons) which people only seem to apply in one direction, against others and never themselves.

You just recently allowed certain minorities into your ranks! Terrible. This is a fun complaint, as long as we ignore the checkered pasts of.. every other religion. I'd rather have a religion regularly open to revision and correction because MAN gets it wrong rather than a religion which holds so tightly to its old beliefs it stifles growths whilst purposely censoring history where it made its own corrections while still condemning others for not getting it right the first time.

Your beliefs seem crazy and outlandish! Well.. I can accept this, because as far as I'm concerned all beliefs are crazy and outlandish until founded, and I have tons of crazy and outlandish beliefs beneath which I have no foundation.

Your prophet was lazy and only looking for a way to get by without working whilst getting away with whatever behavior he wanted! Which is EXACTLY what I would do if I had the opportunity. Which also sounds very similar to the behavior of some other organizations who have been known for 'selling salvation'.. I'd rather have someone get rich by making people happy and feel good and do good than someone get rich by making people afraid, deceptive, and hateful.

Also, if there is such a thing as reality creation I figure someone who managed to whip up a religion is probably pretty darn good at it. If they managed to create such a following in this manner, why would I believe they aren't just as capable of creating the reality of what they teach? To me if the physical world is subject to such severe changes it's even more likely the "spiritual" world or wherever from whence religions come is also subject to change.

My feelings are that the book of Mormon is a man made addition to quite a few other man made additions.

The original isn't here anymore and I think its a load of bollocks.

Ive studied their doctrine and believe its the biggest load of fanciful clap trap ive ever read. It amazes me...no STUNS ME that anyone can actually believe that stuff.

BUT hey ho...I believe im Jesus Christ and a lot of people don't believe that either!

Never mind...each to his own eh.

I find Mormons very interesting. I'm interested in different beliefs and religions in general, but I find something especially interesting about Mormons. So I feel quite benevolent toward the LDS in general and this question in particular!

I don't believe that Mormon doctrine is really the correct order of things in the universe, but I also don't really think it matters, or that there's some other religion that has 100 out of 100 correct.

My working assumption is that Joseph Smith, like all prophets, was a human channel through which the Divine flowed very strongly for a period of time, and that he interpreted that wisdom through his human body and mind, and wrote down the closest match to that wisdom he was able to, given the constraints of his personality and era. I don't think that means that Joseph Smith didn't have lots of ordinary human foibles like the rest of us. And I'm certain that God's word filtered through ordinary human foibles can produce some sometimes wacky things. But it's clear that the information he channeled has been very compelling for many people, and that's fine with me.

I was at home, and there was a knock at my door. Two people stood there- a grandfather and his 10 year-old grandson. It was representatives of the Mormon Church, out on a blustery, cold Saturday, but determined to win my heart. I accepted the Book of Mormon they gave to me, mostly out of curiosity. But the older man was pushy, and would not stop talking and preaching and pressuring me. I finally had enough.

I addressed the young boy. I said to hum,"Keep your mind open, and really look ay the Doctrine and practices of your Church. I think it is full of false doctrine." The boy's eyes lit up, but the grandfather suddenly grabbed his grandson's mittened hand, and skedaddled!

I read the Book of Mormon, and I was really skeptical that it was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. It just did not seem authentically from God. It seemed more like a book written by a man determined to have his way, and not God's. I am sorry, but the Church of Latter Day Saints has a lot of weird practices and beliefs that are hard to buy. @Mormonboy, you sound really brainwashed, and you are not going to convert anyone on Inward Quest. Do not use the site to force your beliefs onto us. You are literally doing your door-to-door work here, and you are going to have a tough time with this. The site is not for preaching. But I respect your Faith. You are to be commended for it. But do not preach here, okay?

I do know a true story that might interest you. There was a nun in Spain- I think her name was Mary of Bregna. She was also known as the "Blue Nun". She traveled spiritually the the Southwestern Native Americans, who saw her in visions. She preached the Gospel to them, and taught them, from Spain, about Jesus Christ. A new church was set up by a Brother of the Catholic Church. It was miles from the Indians. Mary instructed them to go on a trip, and to talk to the Brother, and tell him what they had learned from her about Jesus Christ. They did this, and to the Brother's amazement, presented themselves as Christians, and quoted the Bible, and spoke of the "Blue Nun" who came to them in their visions. I believe someone traveled to Spain to confirm that this Miracle was real, and interviewed Mary. She also had horrible visions about the torture of Jesus before he was crucified. Mel Gibson based his movie, The Passion of the Christ, in part on these visions, which were really bad, and never truly accepted as the Truth by the Catholic Church. I hope that I have this straight; I think I do.

Thought you might find this story interesting.

Thoughtfully,

Jaianniah

Mormonboy, your post did hit a hot button with me, for so many reasons.

Yes, I have read the Book of Mormon as well as the Pearl of Great Price, D & C, etc. I investigated the Church back in the 90's.

During that time I also questioned how convenient revelations were coming forth through the years...the one about black priesthood, the one about abolishing plural marriage, and more. You know what I mean. The garment thing bothers me....as I mentioned above. The Church itself selling things needed for the temple.....doesn't seem right. The lack of accountability or transparency for the huge amounts of money the church takes in. Leaders and revelators who were well known to be senile. While I was investigating, one of our dear friends died violently while wearing his protective garments (how could that happen?) and another Church member, highly ranked I will say, asked my then-husband to go out drinking with him. The Danites........the fact that Joseph Smith's own wife felt he was mentally ill....the underage plural brides? For such a young church there are many, many marks against it in History. This makes most people want to run the other way and I am glad I did. And to me, Joseph Smith was not a credible or moral person. These are my opinions on the LDS.

Still, all perspectives are welcome here at IQ and I am glad you felt comfortable with posting. I hope you will stay, and now that I have spoken my mind, the chip has fallen off my shoulder, I promise.

Here is some interesting stuff about Mormons including an interview with two elders.

This first video is an animated film of Mormon belief.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_riamLAbuTQ&feature=related

These next two are the actual papyrus Josph Smith believed to be the story of Abraham sacrificing his son. What it really is, is Anubis Egyptian God standing over Osirus at a Egyptian funeral rite.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D0u6clxJmI8&feature=related

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mCd7v0ttBhk&feature=related

This video is of interesting things Mormons that come to your door won't tell you about themselves.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rhY-uAe8NCc&feature=related

These three are two Mormon elders being interviewed by a Christian that really knows his Bible. These two Mormons apparently don't. I do want to point out everyone is respectful in this, it is thought provoking.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wndhHF4t0Bc&feature=related

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&v=eB7VsO_sR0A

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CtxKDwceIfE&feature=fvwrel

I do want to point out that all of these are respectful, no one is yelling. These are just people peacefully communicating their sides.

There is a youtube video called, Mormons totally owned by Christian. I will not post that, it is disrespectful and a poor representation of a Christian. Thoughts of scripture should be peacefully exchanged.

The gospel of truth is joy to those who have received from the Father of truth the gift of knowing him by the power of the Logos, who has come from the Pleroma and who is in the thought and the mind of the Father; he it is who is called "the Savior," since that is the name of the work which he must do for the redemption of those who have not known the Father. For the name of the gospel is the manifestation of hope, since that is the discovery of those who seek him, because the All sought him from whom it had come forth. You see, the All had been inside of him, that illimitable, inconceivable one, who is better than every thought. This ignorance of the Father brought about terror and fear. And terror became dense like a fog, that no one was able to see. Because of this, error became strong. But it worked on its hylic substance vainly, because it did not know the truth. It was in a fashioned form while it was preparing, in power and in beauty, the equivalent of truth. This then, was not a humiliation for him, that illimitable, inconceivable one. For they were as nothing, this terror and this forgetfulness and this figure of falsehood, whereas this established truth is unchanging, unperturbed and completely beautiful.

For this reason, do not take error too seriously. Thus, since it had no root, it was in a fog as regards the Father, engaged in preparing works and forgetfulnesses and fears in order, by these means, to beguile those of the middle and to make them captive. The forgetfulness of error was not revealed. It did not become light beside the Father. Forgetfulness did not exist with the Father, although it existed because of him. What exists in him is knowledge, which was revealed so that forgetfulness might be destroyed and that they might know the Father, Since forgetfulness existed because they did not know the Father, if they then come to know the Father, from that moment on forgetfulness will cease to exist.

That is the gospel of him whom they seek, which he has revealed to the perfect through the mercies of the Father as the hidden mystery, Jesus the Christ. Through him he enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness. He enlightened them and gave them a path. And that path is the truth which he taught them. For this reason error was angry with him, so it persecuted him. It was distressed by him, so it made him powerless. He was nailed to a cross. He became a fruit of the knowledge of the Father. He did not, however, destroy them because they ate of it. He rather caused those who ate of it to be joyful because of this discovery.

And as for him, them he found in himself, and him they found in themselves, that illimitable, inconceivable one, that perfect Father who made the all, in whom the All is, and whom the All lacks, since he retained in himself their perfection, which he had not given to the all. The Father was not jealous. What jealousy, indeed, is there between him and his members? For, even if the Aeon had received their perfection, they would not have been able to approach the perfection of the Father, because he retained their perfection in himself, giving it to them as a way to return to him and as a knowledge unique in perfection. He is the one who set the All in order and in whom the All existed and whom the All lacked. As one of whom some have no knowledge, he desires that they know him and that they love him. For what is it that the All lacked, if not the knowledge of the Father?

He became a guide, quiet and in leisure. In the middle of a school he came and spoke the Word, as a teacher. Those who were wise in their own estimation came to put him to the test. But he discredited them as empty-headed people. They hated him because they really were not wise men. After all these came also the little children, those who possess the knowledge of the Father. When they became strong they were taught the aspects of the Father's face. They came to know and they were known. They were glorified and they gave glory. In their heart, the living book of the Living was manifest, the book which was written in the thought and in the mind of the Father and, from before the foundation of the All, is in that incomprehensible part of him.

This is the book which no one found possible to take, since it was reserved for him who will take it and be slain. No one was able to be manifest from those who believed in salvation as long as that book had not appeared. For this reason, the compassionate, faithful Jesus was patient in his sufferings until he took that book, since he knew that his death meant life for many. Just as in the case of a will which has not yet been opened, for the fortune of the deceased master of the house is hidden, so also in the case of the All which had been hidden as long as the Father of the All was invisible and unique in himself, in whom every space has its source. For this reason Jesus appeared. He took that book as his own. He was nailed to a cross. He affixed the edict of the Father to the cross.

Oh, such great teaching! He abases himself even unto death, though he is clothed in eternal life. Having divested himself of these perishable rags, he clothed himself in incorruptibility, which no one could possibly take from him. Having entered into the empty territory of fears, he passed before those who were stripped by forgetfulness, being both knowledge and perfection, proclaiming the things that are in the heart of the Father, so that he became the wisdom of those who have received instruction. But those who are to be taught, the living who are inscribed in the book of the living, learn for themselves, receiving instructions from the Father, turning to him again.

Since the perfection of the All is in the Father, it is necessary for the All to ascend to him. Therefore, if one has knowledge, he gets what belongs to him and draws it to himself. For he who is ignorant, is deficient, and it is a great deficiency, since he lacks that which will make him perfect. Since the perfection of the All is in the Father, it is necessary for the All to ascend to him and for each one to get the things which are his. He registered them first, having prepared them to be given to those who came from him.

Those whose name he knew first were called last, so that the one who has knowledge is he whose name the Father has pronounced. For he whose name has not been spoken is ignorant. Indeed, how shall one hear if his name has not been uttered? For he who remains ignorant until the end is a creature of forgetfulness and will perish with it. If this is not so, why have these wretches no name, why do they have no sound? Hence, if one has knowledge, he is from above. If he is called, he hears, he replies, and he turns toward him who called him and he ascends to him and he knows what he is called. Since he has knowledge, he does the will of him who called him. He desires to please him and he finds rest. He receives a certain name. He who thus is going to have knowledge knows whence he came and whither he is going. He knows it as a person who, having become intoxicated, has turned from his drunkenness and having come to himself, has restored what is his own.

He has turned many from error. He went before them to their own places, from which they departed when they erred because of the depth of him who surrounds every place, whereas there is nothing which surrounds him. It was a great wonder that they were in the Father without knowing him and that they were able to leave on their own, since they were not able to contain him and know him in whom they were, for indeed his will had not come forth from him. For he revealed it as a knowledge with which all its emanations agree, namely, the knowledge of the living book which he revealed to the Aeons at last as his letters, displaying to them that these are not merely vowels nor consonants, so that one may read them and think of something void of meaning; on the contrary, they are letters which convey the truth. They are pronounced only when they are known. Each letter is a perfect truth like a perfect book, for they are letters written by the hand of the unity, since the Father wrote them for the Aeons, so that they by means of his letters might come to know the Father.

While his wisdom mediates on the logos, and since his teaching expresses it, his knowledge has been revealed. His honor is a crown upon it. Since his joy agrees with it, his glory exalted it. It has revealed his image. It has obtained his rest. His love took bodily form around it. His trust embraced it. Thus the logos of the Father goes forth into the All, being the fruit of his heart and expression of his will. It supports the All. It chooses and also takes the form of the All, purifying it, and causing it to return to the Father and to the Mother, Jesus of the utmost sweetness. The Father opens his bosom, but his bosom is the Holy Spirit. He reveals his hidden self which is his son, so that through the compassion of the Father the Aeons may know him, end their wearying search for the Father and rest themselves in him, knowing that this is rest. After he had filled what was incomplete, he did away with form. The form of it is the world, that which it served. For where there is envy and strife, there is an incompleteness; but where there is unity, there is completeness. Since this incompleteness came about because they did not know the Father, so when they know the Father, incompleteness, from that moment on, will cease to exist. As one's ignorance disappears when he gains knowledge, and as darkness disappears when light appears, so also incompleteness is eliminated by completeness. Certainly, from that moment on, form is no longer manifest, but will be dissolved in fusion with unity. For now their works lie scattered. In time unity will make the spaces complete. By means of unity each one will understand itself. By means of knowledge it will purify itself of diversity with a view towards unity, devouring matter within itself like fire and darkness by light, death by life.

Certainly, if these things have happened to each one of us, it is fitting for us, surely, to think about the All so that the house may be holy and silent for unity. Like people who have moved from a neighborhood, if they have some dishes around which are not good, they usually break them. Nevertheless the householder does not suffer a loss, but rejoices, for in the place of these defective dishes there are those which are completely perfect. For this is the judgement which has come from above and which has judged every person, a drawn two-edged sword cutting on this side and that. When it appeared, I mean, the Logos, who is in the heart of those who pronounce it - it was not merely a sound but it has become a body - a great disturbance occurred among the dishes, for some were emptied, others filled: some were provided for, others were removed; some were purified, still others were broken. All the spaces were shaken and disturbed for they had no composure nor stability. Error was disturbed not knowing what it should do. It was troubled; it lamented, it was beside itself because it did not know anything. When knowledge, which is its abolishment, approached it with all its emanations, error is empty, since there is nothing in it. Truth appeared; all its emanations recognized it. They actually greeted the Father with a power which is complete and which joins them with the Father. For each one loves truth because truth is the mouth of the Father. His tongue is the Holy Spirit, who joins him to truth attaching him to the mouth of the Father by his tongue at the time he shall receive the Holy Spirit.

This is the manifestation of the Father and his revelation to his Aeons. He revealed his hidden self and explained it. For who is it who exists if it is not the Father himself? All the spaces are his emanations. They knew that they stem from him as children from a perfect man. They knew that they had not yet received form nor had they yet received a name, every one of which the Father produces. If they at that time receive form of his knowledge, though they are truly in him, they do not know him. But the Father is perfect. He knows every space which is within him. If he pleases, he reveals anyone whom he desires by giving him a form and by giving him a name; and he does give him a name and cause him to come into being. Those who do not yet exist are ignorant of him who created them. I do not say, then, that those who do not yet exist are nothing. But they are in him who will desire that they exist when he pleases, like the event which is going to happen. On the one hand, he knows, before anything is revealed, what he will produce. On the other hand, the fruit which has not yet been revealed does not know anything, nor is it anything either. Thus each space which, on its part, is in the Father comes from the existent one, who, on his part, has established it from the nonexistent. [...] he who does not exist at all, will never exist.

What, then, is that which he wants him to think? "I am like the shadows and phantoms of the night." When morning comes, this one knows that the fear which he had experienced was nothing. Thus they were ignorant of the Father; he is the one whom they did not see. Since there had been fear and confusion and a lack of confidence and doublemindness and division, there were many illusions which were conceived by him, the foregoing, as well as empty ignorance - as if they were fast asleep and found themselves a prey to troubled dreams. Either there is a place to which they flee, or they lack strength as they come, having pursued unspecified things. Either they are involved in inflicting blows, or they themselves receive bruises. Either they are falling from high places, or they fly off through the air, though they have no wings at all. Other times, it is as if certain people were trying to kill them, even though there is no one pursuing them; or, they themselves are killing those beside them, for they are stained by their blood. Until the moment when they who are passing through all these things - I mean they who have experienced all these confusions - awake, they see nothing because the dreams were nothing. It is thus that they who cast ignorance from them as sheep do not consider it to be anything, nor regard its properties to be something real, but they renounce them like a dream in the night and they consider the knowledge of the Father to be the dawn. It is thus that each one has acted, as if he were asleep, during the time when he was ignorant and thus he comes to understand, as if he were awakening. And happy is the man who comes to himself and awakens. Indeed, blessed is he who has opened the eyes of the blind.

And the Spirit came to him in haste when it raised him. Having given its hand to the one lying prone on the ground, it placed him firmly on his feet, for he had not yet stood up. He gave them the means of knowing the knowledge of the Father and the revelation of his son. For when they saw it and listened to it, he permitted them to take a taste of and to smell and to grasp the beloved son.

He appeared, informing them of the Father, the illimitable one. He inspired them with that which is in the mind, while doing his will. Many received the light and turned towards him. But material men were alien to him and did not discern his appearance nor recognize him. For he came in the likeness of flesh and nothing blocked his way because it was incorruptible and unrestrainable. Moreover, while saying new things, speaking about what is in the heart of the Father, he proclaimed the faultless word. Light spoke through his mouth, and his voice brought forth life. He gave them thought and understanding and mercy and salvation and the Spirit of strength derived from the limitlessness of the Father and sweetness. He caused punishments and scourgings to cease, for it was they which caused many in need of mercy to astray from him in error and in chains - and he mightily destroyed them and derided them with knowledge. He became a path for those who went astray and knowledge to those who were ignorant, a discovery for those who sought, and a support for those who tremble, a purity for those who were defiled.

He is the shepherd who left behind the ninety-nine sheep which had not strayed and went in search of that one which was lost. He rejoiced when he had found it. For ninety-nine is a number of the left hand, which holds it. The moment he finds the one, however, the whole number is transferred to the right hand. Thus it is with him who lacks the one, that is, the entire right hand which attracts that in which it is deficient, seizes it from the left side and transfers it to the right. In this way, then, the number becomes one hundred. This number signifies the Father.

He labored even on the Sabbath for the sheep which he found fallen into the pit. He saved the life of that sheep, bringing it up from the pit in order that you may understand fully what that Sabbath is, you who possess full understanding. It is a day in which it is not fitting that salvation be idle, so that you may speak of that heavenly day which has no night and of the sun which does not set because it is perfect. Say then in your heart that you are this perfect day and that in you the light which does not fail dwells.

Speak concerning the truth to those who seek it and of knowledge to those who, in their error, have committed sin. Make sure-footed those who stumble and stretch forth your hands to the sick. Nourish the hungry and set at ease those who are troubled. Foster men who love. Raise up and awaken those who sleep. For you are this understanding which encourages. If the strong follow this course, they are even stronger. Turn your attention to yourselves. Do not be concerned with other things, namely, that which you have cast forth from yourselves, that which you have dismissed. Do not return to them to eat them. Do not be moth-eaten. Do not be worm-eaten, for you have already shaken it off. Do not be a place of the devil, for you have already destroyed him. Do not strengthen your last obstacles, because that is reprehensible. For the lawless one is nothing. He harms himself more than the law. For that one does his works because he is a lawless person. But this one, because he is a righteous person, does his works among others. Do the will of the Father, then, for you are from him.

For the Father is sweet and his will is good. He knows the things that are yours, so that you may rest yourselves in them. For by the fruits one knows the things that are yours, that they are the children of the Father, and one knows his aroma, that you originate from the grace of his countenance. For this reason, the Father loved his aroma; and it manifests itself in every place; and when it is mixed with matter, he gives his aroma to the light; and into his rest he causes it to ascend in every form and in every sound. For there are no nostrils which smell the aroma, but it is the Spirit which possesses the sense of smell and it draws it for itself to itself and sinks into the aroma of the Father. He is, indeed, the place for it, and he takes it to the place from which it has come, in the first aroma which is cold. It is something in a psychic form, resembling cold water which is [...] since it is in soil which is not hard, of which those who see it think, "It is earth." Afterwards, it becomes soft again. If a breath is taken, it is usually hot. The cold aromas, then, are from the division. For this reason, God came and destroyed the division and he brought the hot Pleroma of love, so that the cold may not return, but the unity of the Perfect Thought prevail.

This is the word of the Gospel of the finding of the Pleroma for those who wait for the salvation which comes from above. When their hope, for which they are waiting, is waiting - they whose likeness is the light in which there is no shadow, then at that time the Pleroma is about to come. The deficiency of matter, however, is not because of the limitlessness of the Father who comes at the time of the deficiency. And yet no one is able to say that the incorruptible One will come in this manner. But the depth of the Father is increasing, and the thought of error is not with him. It is a matter of falling down and a matter of being readily set upright at the finding of that one who has come to him who will turn back.

For this turning back is called "repentance". For this reason, incorruption has breathed. It followed him who has sinned in order that he may find rest. For forgiveness is that which remains for the light in the deficiency, the word of the pleroma. For the physician hurries to the place in which there is sickness, because that is the desire which he has. The sick man is in a deficient condition, but he does not hide himself because the physician possesses that which he lacks. In this manner the deficiency is filled by the Pleroma, which has no deficiency, which has given itself out in order to fill the one who is deficient, so that grace may take him, then, from the area which is deficient and has no grace. Because of this a diminishing occurred in the place which there is no grace, the area where the one who is small, who is deficient, is taken hold of.

He revealed himself as a Pleroma, i.e., the finding of the light of truth which has shined towards him, because he is unchangeable. For this reason, they who have been troubled speak about Christ in their midst so that they may receive a return and he may anoint them with the ointment. The ointment is the pity of the Father, who will have mercy on them. But those whom he has anointed are those who are perfect. For the filled vessels are those which are customarily used for anointing. But when an anointing is finished, the vessel is usually empty, and the cause of its deficiency is the consumption of its ointment. For then a breath is drawn only through the power which he has. But the one who is without deficiency - one does not trust anyone beside him nor does one pour anything out. But that which is the deficient is filled again by the perfect Father. He is good. He knows his plantings because he is the one who has planted them in his Paradise. And his Paradise is his place of rest.

This is the perfection in the thought of the Father and these are the words of his reflection. Each one of his words is the work of his will alone, in the revelation of his Logos. Since they were in the depth of his mind, the Logos, who was the first to come forth, caused them to appear, along with an intellect which speaks the unique word by means of a silent grace. It was called "thought," since they were in it before becoming manifest. It happened, then, that it was the first to come forth - at the moment pleasing to the will of him who desired it; and it is in the will that the Father is at rest and with which he is pleased. Nothing happens without him, nor does anything occur without the will of the Father. But his will is incomprehensible. His will is his mark, but no one can know it, nor is it possible for them to concentrate on it in order to possess it. But that which he wishes takes place at the moment he wishes it - even if the view does not please anyone: it is God`s will. For the Father knows the beginning of them all as well as their end. For when their end arrives, he will question them to their faces. The end, you see, is the recognition of him who is hidden, that is, the Father, from whom the beginning came forth and to whom will return all who have come from him. For they were made manifest for the glory and the joy of his name.

And the name of the Father is the Son. It is he who, in the beginning, gave a name to him who came forth from him - he is the same one - and he begat him for a son. He gave him his name which belonged to him - he, the Father, who possesses everything which exists around him. He possess the name; he has the son. It is possible for them to see him. The name, however, is invisible, for it alone is the mystery of the invisible about to come to ears completely filled with it through the Father`s agency. Moreover, as for the Father, his name is not pronounced, but it is revealed through a son. Thus, then, the name is great.

Who, then, has been able to pronounce a name for him, this great name, except him alone to whom the name belongs and the sons of the name in whom the name of the Father is at rest, and who themselves in turn are at rest in his name, since the Father has no beginning? It is he alone who engendered it for himself as a name in the beginning before he had created the Aeons, that the name of the Father should be over their heads as a lord - that is, the real name, which is secure by his authority and by his perfect power. For the name is not drawn from lexicons nor is his name derived from common name-giving, But it is invisible. He gave a name to himself alone, because he alone saw it and because he alone was capable of giving himself a name. For he who does not exist has no name. For what name would one give him who did not exist? Nevertheless, he who exists also with his name and he alone knows it, and to him alone the Father gave a name. The Son is his name. He did not, therefore, keep it secretly hidden, but the son came into existence. He himself gave a name to him. The name, then, is that of the Father, just as the name of the Father is the Son. For otherwise, where would compassion find a name - outside of the Father? But someone will probably say to his companion, "Who would give a name to someone who existed before himself, as if, indeed, children did not receive their name from one of those who gave them birth?"

Above all, then, it is fitting for us to think this point over: What is the name? It is the real name. It is, indeed, the name which came from the Father, for it is he who owns the name. He did not, you see, get the name on loan, as in the case of others because of the form in which each one of them is going to be created. This, then, is the authoritative name. There is no one else to whom he has given it. But it remained unnamed, unuttered, `till the moment when he, who is perfect, pronounced it himself; and it was he alone who was able to pronounce his name and to see it. When it pleased him, then, that his son should be his pronounced name and when he gave this name to him, he who has come from the depth spoke of his secrets, because he knew that the Father was absolute goodness. For this reason, indeed, he sent this particular one in order that he might speak concerning the place and his place of rest from which he had come forth, and that he might glorify the Pleroma, the greatness of his name and the sweetness of his Father.

Each one will speak concerning the place from which he has come forth, and to the region from which he received his essential being, he will hasten to return once again. And he want from that place - the place where he was - because he tasted of that place, as he was nourished and grew. And his own place of rest is his Pleroma. All the emanations from the Father, therefore, are Pleromas, and all his emanations have their roots in the one who caused them all to grow from himself. He appointed a limit. They, then, became manifest individually in order that they might be in their own thought, for that place to which they extend their thoughts is their root, which lifts them upward through all heights to the Father. They reach his head, which is rest for them, and they remain there near to it so that they say that they have participated in his face by means of embraces. But these of this kind were not manifest, because they have not risen above themselves. Neither have they been deprived of the glory of the Father nor have they thought of him as small, nor bitter, nor angry, but as absolutely good, unperturbed, sweet, knowing all the spaces before they came into existence and having no need of instruction. Such are they who possess from above something of this immeasurable greatness, as they strain towards that unique and perfect one who exists there for them. And they do not go down to Hades. They have neither envy nor moaning, nor is death in them. But they rest in him who rests, without wearying themselves or becoming involved in the search for truth. But, they, indeed, are the truth, and the Father is in them, and they are in the Father, since they are perfect, inseparable from him who is truly good. They lack nothing in any way, but they are given rest and are refreshed by the Spirit. And they listen to their root; they have leisure for themselves, they in whom he will find his root, and he will suffer no loss to his soul.

Such is the place of the blessed; this is their place. As for the rest, then, may they know, in their place, that it does not suit me, after having been in the place of rest to say anything more. But he is the one in whom I shall be in order to devote myself, at all times, to the Father of the All and the true brothers, those upon whom the love of the Father is lavished, and in whose midst nothing of him is lacking. It is they who manifest themselves truly since they are in that true and eternal life and speak of the perfect light filled with the seed of the Father, and which is in his heart and in the Pleroma, while his Spirit rejoices in it and glorifies him in whom it was, because the Father is good. And his children are perfect and worthy of his name, because he is the Father. Children of this kind are those whom he loves.

You are not in darkness any more.

Find a place of rest before you become a carcass. clean the inside of the cup with pure water, until there is nothing false in you, let the light(spirit) that you are guide you in to all truth, overcome and go above.

Let there be light be the light that you can be experience and enjoy.