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== Facts of Life ==


=== Facts of the gospel ===

Facts of the gospel of Jesus Christ and [[Doctrines_of_Jesus|His doctrines]]:

* Fact: We are suppose to be seeking the [[Kingdom of God]] which is the [[Kingdom of  Heaven]] at hand not seeking a retirement after death.
* Fact: The kingdom is for the living not for the dead.<Ref>[[Matthew 22]]:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
: [[Mark 12]]:27  He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
: [[Luke 20]]:38  For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
: [[Luke 24]]:5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
</Ref>
* Fact: The kingdom was taken away from the living [[Pharisees]] who were not bearing [[fruit]]<Ref>[[Matthew 21]]:43 Therefore say I unto you, The [[kingdom of God]] shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.</Ref> because they did not know [[Moses]] and therefore did not recognize [[Jesus]].<Ref>John 5:46  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
John 7:19  Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?</Ref>
* Fact: The kingdom was [[appoint]]ed to the living apostles<Ref>Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
: Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;</Ref> who proclaimed Christ as their king and did contrary to [[Caesar]].<Ref>Acts 17:7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, [one] Jesus.</Ref>
* Fact: [[Religion]] is not what you think or say about God but the what you do about the will of God.<Ref>Luke 6:31 “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” 
: Luke 6:46, 49 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
: John 3:20,21 “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 5:20 “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” John 9:31 “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
: John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”</Ref>
* Fact: [[Pure Religion]] is taking care of the needy of your society without any help from the governments of the [[world]].<Ref>[[James 1]]:27 [[Pure religion]] and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the [[world]].</Ref>
* Fact: If you or your Children or your parents or even the members of your [[congregations]] or Church are being taken care of by the [[world]] and its social [[welfare]] systems through men who call themselves [[Benefactors]] but exercise authority over your neighbor then you are not practicing [[pure religion]].
* Fact: If you are participating in the [[benefits]] of such [[covetous practices]] then you are not keeping the [[Ten Commandments]] and do not have real [[faith]] or [[love]] of [[Christ]] and your spiritual salvation is in danger.<Ref>[[John 13]]:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that
ye also love one another.
: [[John 14]]:15 If ye love me, [[keep my commandments]].
: John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
: John 14:23-24 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my  Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
: [[John 15]]:12-17 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.</Ref>
* Fact: [[Pure Religion]] has always been very organized in order to provide the [[daily ministration]] of pure religion.
* Fact: Many people who claim to be Christians are actually not but are [[workers of iniquity]].
* Fact: more [[facts]] to come...
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== Psychology of Denial ==


And how can human beings gifted with the ability to analyze complex information ignore facts directly in front of their eyes? 

And refusing to see it even when ignoring the information might be disastrous?

Strong emotions, such as desire, greed, pride, revenge, feeling of status, shame, fear of humiliation, among others, may exert an influence over a person's mental ability to interpret the validity or even the existence of facts. This produces “Motivated reasoning” which by nature is bias. The talent to make fact-based decisions may depend in part on the values taught in society and accepted as [[Social virtues]]. Those virtues that protect us against the influence of “Motivated reasoning” may be essential for society to survive.

=== Morals and values ===

Values are often dependent upon social constructs which work in the mind almost like mathematical ''formulas of faith''. These formulas of [[faith]] may be identified as [[ideology]] which are defined first as, "A set of doctrines or beliefs that are shared by the members of a social group or that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system."

The French philosopher Condillac applied the term ''[[ideology]]'' to the history and evolution of human ideas, rooted in a knowing based on feelings or sensation and emotions rather than reason.

{{Ideology}}

{{Morality}}


=== Moral Theories ===

The '''Consequentialist theory''' of morality is based on forms of utilitarianism, where only the consequences, or outcomes, of actions matter. The consequential theory of [[morality]] may seem simple since it is based on what is most beneficial to the individual. But long and short term [[benefits]] over time may create conflicts.

A '''Deontological theory''' is based on certain duties or obligations that are considered intrinsically right or wrong, regardless of consequences. an example is that parents have an obligation to take care of their children and children have an obligation to care for their parents. Immanuel Kant, reasoned one must “act so that you treat humanity, both in your own person and in that of another, always as an end and never merely as a means.” 

There may be multiple ''duties or obligations'' in your societies Deontological theory of morality which may create moral conflicts. Putting your child welfare first may cause a violation of other duties and obligations such as telling the truth or at least not bearing false witness. But if you have as a duty to love your neighbor as yourself then you must love your neighbor's child as much as your own.

The ''duties or obligations'' should be defined and limits are on the way in which you fulfill those duties and obligations without usurping others in the performance of their duties. This of course might include principles as to not steal from others, nor kill them, nor tell lies about them or interfere with the rights of others to fulfill their duties and obligations. 

There is also a theory of ''Justice as Fairness'' as suggested by John Rawls who describes society as consisting of free citizens who hold equal fundamental rights and must cooperate within an egalitarian<Ref>Egalitarianism, or equalitarianism, is a school of thought within political philosophy that builds from the concept of social equality, prioritizing it for all people. Egalitarian doctrines are generally characterized by the idea that all humans are equal in fundamental worth or moral status.</Ref> system which may include political, constitutional, social, and economic institutions.

Those rights are not evidently determined by nature or nature's God but by a political collective. So the two basic principles are:

# The equal liberty principle of individual rights to choose the practice of freedom of speech and assembly, liberty of conscience and freedom of thought, freedom of property; and freedom from arbitrary arrest or restrictions that infringe upon those rights.
# The equal social and economic opportunity.<Ref>“social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both reasonably expected to be to everyone’s advantage, and attached to offices and positions open to all.” John Rawls, A Theory of Justice: Revised Edition (Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1999), 53.</Ref>

Rawls presents a great deal of rational thought into his theory but leaves out some of the basic doctrines and values that have guided successful societies in the past. 

Many societies included doctrines that prohibited that you even scheme to take anything that is thy neighbors. Or in other words you should not covet anything that is thy neighbors. 

Rawls presence complex scenarios of stages where he imagines that society would evolve in understanding to redistribute wealth so that there would be an equal outcome of fairness through some authority established by a vague body politic.

Besides the huge factor of human nature which is a product of individual choices an equality of outcome through the use of political [[force]], democratic or not, has always been an utopian dream the becomes a nightmare of decay and destruction. 

''Equality of outcome'' can only be accomplished in Rawls' world by a violation of the first principle of individual rights and an arbitrary authority to limit or extend that violation of individual right. This has never worked indefinitely because it consolidates power of choice. That can only happen by taking the power of choice from one individual and investing it in another.

Any time you take something from your individual neighbor by any means other than his  or her choice you are usurping his or her right to choose to distribute, or save, or consume, or invest a thing. 

By taking away by any means the right and responsibility to choose how he fulfills the ''duties or obligations'' of another we alter the very nature of their [[soul]].

'''"Freedom is the Right to Choose, the Right to create for oneself the alternatives of Choice. Without the possibility of Choice, and the exercise of Choice, a man is not a man but a member, an instrument, a thing.”''' Archibald MacLeish

Before a society redistribute wealth collectively they must redistribute rights which includes ''duties and obligations''. If rights come about by nature then [[consent]] must be acquired. This consent is often granted to obtain an apparent advantage. That gift, gratuity or benefit<Ref>[[Plutarch]]</Ref> is offered in exchange for [[consent]] and if accepted liberty is diminished.<Ref>[[Proverbs 1]]</Ref> More important, if power is consolidated or merely accumulated it has a tendency to corrupt parts of the body of society like a tumor or cancer.

Rawls also deploys the ''just savings principle''  of intergenerational savings designed to assure that future generations have sufficient capital. All nations today pass on nothing but debt and passing wealth from on generation to the next is hampered if not destroyed by inheritance taxes.

The same ancient societies that included rules and doctrines against [[covet]]ing also had rules against robbing widows and orphans<Ref>Isaiah 10:2  To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and [that] they may rob the fatherless!</Ref> to say nothing of their rule about the debt expressed in the metaphor of the [[Sabbath]].

While we see others like '''Utilitarianism''' state that actions are morally right only if they maximize the good (or, alternatively, minimizes the bad) collectively.  

But if you respect the rights of the individual the collective will take care of itself under the doctrine of loving your neighbor as yourself. All the weaknesses of "'''Virtue theories'''" are adjudicated in the [[golden rule]].

All moral theories should include the moral obligation to seek the truth, not your truth or my truth but the truth and the whole truth.

All society begins and ends with the respect for the individual but the individual chief duty and obligation is to humbly see the truth about himself and the [[facts]] about the intelligence that provides for all life. If you fear the revelation of [[facts]] the truth becomes your enemy and lies will lurk about you, but if you are willing to seek the whole truth and provide for it then facts are your friend and freedom will be your companion.

== Early Church Checklist ==

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== Footnotes ==

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