Hugh Nibley - Beyond Politics

Beyond Politics

By Hugh Nibley

Executive Editor Phyllis Nibley

Produced by Alex Nibley

Multimedia Production by Deep Lake Media

eBook Design by Deep Lake Media

Cover Art by Davit Mirzoyan

Original Illustrations by Michael Lyon

Published by Hugh Nibley & Associates in cooperation with Deseret Book Company

Copyright Notice

Copyright 2013 Hugh Nibley & Associates

All rights reserved. No part of this multimedia publication may be produced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN-13 978-0-9890343-2-6

Beyond Politics

Easy Reading Version

The intent of this abridged version of Beyond Politics is to make the essay more accessible to a wider audience of readers interested in what Nibley had to say without the need to sort through all of his scholarly source materials. The main changes are deletion of the extensive footnotes and a reduced number of examples to explain various points. Those who wish to quote from the essay or cite it, or those who wish to delve into the authors quotes, examples and source materials, are urged to

Prologue

In most languages the church is designated as that of the last days, and so this speech, which is only a pastiche of quotations from its founders, is unblushingly apocalyptic.

Did our grandparents overreact to signs of the times? For many years a stock cartoon in sophisticated magazines has poked fun at the barefoot, bearded character in the long nightshirt carrying a placard calling all to

Repent for the End is Near

But where is the joke?

Ask the smart people who thought up the funny pictures and captions: Where are they now?

For all of us as individuals, the fashion of this world passeth away; but the Big Bang is something else. How near is that? Should we be concerned at all? The problem may be stated in the form of a little dialogue:

We: Dear Father, whenever the end is scheduled to be, cant you give us an extension of time?

He: Willingly. But tell me first, what will you do with it?

We: Well... ah... we will go on doing pretty much what we have been doing; after all, isnt that why we are asking for an extension?

He: And isnt that exactly why I want to end it soonbecause you show no inclination to change? Why should I reverse the order of nature so that you can go on doing the very things I want to put an end to?

We: But is what we are doing so terribly wrong? The economy seems sound enough. Why shouldnt we go on doing the things which have made this country great?

He: Havent I made it clear enough to you what kind of greatness I expect of my offspring? Forget the statistics; you are capable of better thingsyour stirring commercials dont impress me in the least.

We: But why should we repent when all we are doing is what each considers to be for the best good of himself and the nation?

He: Because it is not you but I who decide what that shall be, and I have told you a hundred times what is best for you individually and collectivelyand that is repentance, no matter who you are.

We: We find your inference objectionable, Sir, quite unacceptable.

He: I know.

M y story goes back to the beginning, and to some very basic propositions. This world was organized in the light of infinite knowledge and experience and after due thought and discussion to offer multiple facilities to an endless variety of creatures and especially to be the home and dominion of a godlike race who would take good care of it and have joy therein.

Being a highly favored breed, much was expected of them, and their qualifications for advancement were to be put to the test by allowing an adversary, a common enemy to God and man, to tempt them and try them. It was decided before even the world was that if man should yield to this temptation and thus lower his defenses and make himself vulnerable to repeated attacks of the adversary, steps would immediately be taken to put into operation a prearranged plan to restore him to his former status.

What God tells us in effect is, Now that you have fallen and forfeited your paradise by deliberately, knowingly disobeying me, I will give you another chance, a chance to get back to that paradise by deliberately and knowingly obeying me. To get back where you were and beyond, you must repentforever give up doing it your way and decide to live by the law of God, or by the law of obedience, which means doing it my way.

Adam agreed to do it Gods way, though Satan lost no time in trying to sell him on another plan. Adams own children and their posterity, however, chose to achieve salvation their way, not Gods way, and ever since then there has been trouble.

The Lord Jesus Christ told the young Joseph Smith in the first vision that men were no longer doing things his way, that as a result that way was no longer upon the earth, but it was about to be brought again: I was answered that I must join none of [the churches I had been investigating], for they were all wrong;... that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt...Behold the world lieth in sin at this time and none doeth good no not one,... and mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth to visit them according to this ungodliness.

The message of the restored gospel is that one phase of the earths existence is coming to a close, and another phase, a phase in which Gods will will be done on earth as it is in heaven, is about to become the order of life on earth.