I love gifts. I enjoy giving them. I enjoy seeing reactions to gifts people receive. The face tells you just how much they enjoy it. To be honest, I love receiving gifts more than giving them. It doesn't matter what it is. If somebody gives me a gift I will find a use for it. Give me a bolt and I'll do something with it. A gift can be a way to show somebody your adoration for them. The gift could be comical, dull and mundane, highly useful, or just plain lovely. When I get somebody a gift it's because I appreciate them and want them to know it. It's up to them to decide if the gift is a good gift.
Prior to that the same grandma I mentioned above was always giving me G.I. Joe toys for birthdays and Christmas. At some point I outgrew these toys. I had the nerve to ask her to not get me anymore G.I. Joe action figures. I had outgrown them and no longer had a use for them. She began to give me socks or underwear. I really didn't appreciate that, at first. I think I kind of recall even telling here that those weren't good gifts. She kept giving them anyway. I eventually appreciated these goods as gifts.
One year Melissa and I decided to give some seemingly meager gifts for Christmas. We purchased fleece blankets with features we thought would go well with the likes of my nieces and nephews. The only one that I recall for sure was a U of U blanket. We then took the time to either cut and tie the edges or crochet some decorative yarn around the edge. I knew that everybody else was giving "cool" gifts, such as money for xbox or computer games, legos, makeup, or whatever it was people were interested in.
It came as no surprise to me that some of the blankets were not well received as gifts. One in particular I recall seeing the recipient look at it. I could see their thoughts, almost with a thought bubble like you would see in a cartoon. What I saw was "Why are you giving this to me? Your siblings all knew to give me money for computer games (or similar). What is up with this gift?" They would later confirm to me this is what happened. They also then explained that said blanket is one of their favorite gifts. They constantly use it, take it camping, and use it when they are cold while playing their video games. They really appreciated having it. It took some time, but it was appreciated.
So what does all this have to do with Cain and Abel? Well, nothing, or everything. The mormon church teaches that everybody is given different gifts. They sometimes refer to these as Gifts of the Spirit. Apart from this it is well known, through church or secular means, that everybody has different talents. The church says the same thing. See Chapter 34 from the Gospel Principles manual.
A reading of Genesis chapter 4 infers to us that Abel, the second son, had a talent for keeping sheep. A reading of Moses chapter 5 will tell you that Abel "hearkened unto the voice of the Lord.". So what did he do? He brought a burnt offering, a type of scapegoat, to worship his god. It was the type of worship his god had commanded him to give. God had said to worship him in this very exact way and he will consider forgiving Abel of his sins. Now look at what the older brother did.
Cain had a green thumb. He wasn't a shepard. Now we can see from many scriptures that God will give one gift to one person, and another gift to another. One person can have a talent for herding animals and another a talent for helping plants grow. According to Christianity they are God given talents. Don't believe me? Search the scriptures, there are plenty of examples showing you this is the case. I'll give you one. Look up Romans 12:3-8. Cain's talent was in making food grow. Let us continue the story.
The version of this story that you read (Bible vs Pearl of Great Price) does make a difference in what happens next. From the Bible we learn that Cain gave up an offering of the fruit of the ground. He gave an offering of what he excelled at, what he did the best. It was the best he could give. From the PoGP we read that Lucifer commanded Cain to make an offering up to God. So why would Satan command one to make an offering to a more powerful deity? I'll give two possibilities. 1) Satan wanted to prove his control over Cain and lead him astray. 2) Satan wanted to show Cain the true nature of God. Number 1 is a fairly common motif. You can find it or similar images over nearly every version of Christianity. But the second one, well, nobody likes to talk about that, but let us ponder it for just a few minutes.
Regardless of why, Cain was making an offering to God. God rejected the offering. Let's examine why. Cain's offering wasn't exactly what god commanded he be given as an offering. I have read in various talks that God rejected the offering because the offer was given without exercising faith in him. One thing that both books fail to explain is how god rejected the offer. What did he do in rejecting it? What does this matter? Well, if it matters how to give a sacrificial offer, then how it is rejected is important.
I am not a father. However, I am an uncle, I have plenty of friends with children, and I can't get on facebook without seeing friends post about their children. I have been a young men's president and loved those boys. I tried to do all I could for them. If any of them had brought me a gift, even if it wasn't what I wanted, I would have accepted it.
Just think for a minute about parenting. Would you, if your child brought you a gift, outright reject it? Lets say you are a sports person. You have two kids. One loves sports, the other likes music, music that you do not care for. It's not bad music, per say, you just don't care for it. They both bring you a gift. The one that likes sports brings you a sports gift. Of course you are happy to accept it. The other brings a gift of music. But since you don't care for it would you actually consider rejecting the music? You may not actually listen to it, but would you reject the gift?
Let us recall that given the info we have been given, God gave Cain the gift of a green thumb, not the gift of keeping sheep. Cain would have had the best of fruits, vegetables, grains, and whatever else grows from the ground. Cain gave God the gift he was most able to give him. God rejected that gift. Please think about this. What type of father would 1) command his children that they must give him a specific type of gift, and 2) reject a gift given by a child when this gift is the best possible gift they could give.
Let us assume that the father is such a being that he commands his children about what gifts they will give him and how they will give them these gifts. These gifts are a manner of praise, but mostly a matter of saying I'm sorry I did something wrong. Let's say that father, while narcissistic, is still actually a decent father. So when a father rejects the gift of the one, the gift not being exactly what he asked for as a gift, how does reject said gift? Well, if he just flat out rejects the gift he would drive the child away. As a decent father he accepts the gift, and attempts to teach the child how to make it better. Or in the case of a god that can give any ability, could give the child the gift of tending sheep.
The worship of the Judeo Christian deity is the worship of a being that wants you to come to him, but only how he wants you to come to him. You, as you are, are not good enough for him. You are only good enough for him when you conform to his desires. He can "make you good enough", but only through the killing of sheep and other animals, or through the killing of one specific child. He gave you the gifts he gave you, but your gifts are only good enough for him if they are the gifts he wants. From the get go God has shown this to be so.
Now, this is a lot of conjecture, but no less than anything else you get from The Bible, Pearl of Great Price, or current church leaders. The point of it is to get you to think, something that at the most recent conference of the LDS church you were instructed to not do, unless you are thinking in the prescribed manner, and in the prescribed way.
So, when you give a gift are you giving a gift that the recipient requested of you? If so, take some time to think about why the gift you have to give isn't good enough for them. Then take some time to ponder how this relates to god and two men, Cain and Abel.
A reading of Genesis chapter 4 infers to us that Abel, the second son, had a talent for keeping sheep. A reading of Moses chapter 5 will tell you that Abel "hearkened unto the voice of the Lord.". So what did he do? He brought a burnt offering, a type of scapegoat, to worship his god. It was the type of worship his god had commanded him to give. God had said to worship him in this very exact way and he will consider forgiving Abel of his sins. Now look at what the older brother did.
Cain had a green thumb. He wasn't a shepard. Now we can see from many scriptures that God will give one gift to one person, and another gift to another. One person can have a talent for herding animals and another a talent for helping plants grow. According to Christianity they are God given talents. Don't believe me? Search the scriptures, there are plenty of examples showing you this is the case. I'll give you one. Look up Romans 12:3-8. Cain's talent was in making food grow. Let us continue the story.
The version of this story that you read (Bible vs Pearl of Great Price) does make a difference in what happens next. From the Bible we learn that Cain gave up an offering of the fruit of the ground. He gave an offering of what he excelled at, what he did the best. It was the best he could give. From the PoGP we read that Lucifer commanded Cain to make an offering up to God. So why would Satan command one to make an offering to a more powerful deity? I'll give two possibilities. 1) Satan wanted to prove his control over Cain and lead him astray. 2) Satan wanted to show Cain the true nature of God. Number 1 is a fairly common motif. You can find it or similar images over nearly every version of Christianity. But the second one, well, nobody likes to talk about that, but let us ponder it for just a few minutes.
Regardless of why, Cain was making an offering to God. God rejected the offering. Let's examine why. Cain's offering wasn't exactly what god commanded he be given as an offering. I have read in various talks that God rejected the offering because the offer was given without exercising faith in him. One thing that both books fail to explain is how god rejected the offer. What did he do in rejecting it? What does this matter? Well, if it matters how to give a sacrificial offer, then how it is rejected is important.
I am not a father. However, I am an uncle, I have plenty of friends with children, and I can't get on facebook without seeing friends post about their children. I have been a young men's president and loved those boys. I tried to do all I could for them. If any of them had brought me a gift, even if it wasn't what I wanted, I would have accepted it.
Just think for a minute about parenting. Would you, if your child brought you a gift, outright reject it? Lets say you are a sports person. You have two kids. One loves sports, the other likes music, music that you do not care for. It's not bad music, per say, you just don't care for it. They both bring you a gift. The one that likes sports brings you a sports gift. Of course you are happy to accept it. The other brings a gift of music. But since you don't care for it would you actually consider rejecting the music? You may not actually listen to it, but would you reject the gift?
Let us recall that given the info we have been given, God gave Cain the gift of a green thumb, not the gift of keeping sheep. Cain would have had the best of fruits, vegetables, grains, and whatever else grows from the ground. Cain gave God the gift he was most able to give him. God rejected that gift. Please think about this. What type of father would 1) command his children that they must give him a specific type of gift, and 2) reject a gift given by a child when this gift is the best possible gift they could give.
Let us assume that the father is such a being that he commands his children about what gifts they will give him and how they will give them these gifts. These gifts are a manner of praise, but mostly a matter of saying I'm sorry I did something wrong. Let's say that father, while narcissistic, is still actually a decent father. So when a father rejects the gift of the one, the gift not being exactly what he asked for as a gift, how does reject said gift? Well, if he just flat out rejects the gift he would drive the child away. As a decent father he accepts the gift, and attempts to teach the child how to make it better. Or in the case of a god that can give any ability, could give the child the gift of tending sheep.
The worship of the Judeo Christian deity is the worship of a being that wants you to come to him, but only how he wants you to come to him. You, as you are, are not good enough for him. You are only good enough for him when you conform to his desires. He can "make you good enough", but only through the killing of sheep and other animals, or through the killing of one specific child. He gave you the gifts he gave you, but your gifts are only good enough for him if they are the gifts he wants. From the get go God has shown this to be so.
Now, this is a lot of conjecture, but no less than anything else you get from The Bible, Pearl of Great Price, or current church leaders. The point of it is to get you to think, something that at the most recent conference of the LDS church you were instructed to not do, unless you are thinking in the prescribed manner, and in the prescribed way.
So, when you give a gift are you giving a gift that the recipient requested of you? If so, take some time to think about why the gift you have to give isn't good enough for them. Then take some time to ponder how this relates to god and two men, Cain and Abel.
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