Babylon – Zion’s Antithesis

A BYU Student named Akatzin Lopez recently wrote a paper for his religion class and titled it, Defining Zion: Striving for the Dream of Zion. Brother Lopez begins his paper by saying, “For me it is a little more difficult to really fathom what a Zion society would be like.” I admire his courage in […]

Ran across a long talk by Orson Pratt, given 3/9/1873. He begins by quoting D&C 78: 3 For verily I say unto you, the time has come, and is now at hand; and behold, and lo, it must needs be that there be an organization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of […]

Studying the discourses given by early LDS Church leaders about Zion, I ran across this jewel given by Brigham Young on 2/3/1867: And one of the last writers we have here in this book—John the Revelator—looking at the Church in the latter days, says: “Come out of her, my people”—out of Babylon, out of this […]

I recall reading with shock Hugh Nibley’s criticism of Utahns’ use of the word “Zion” to give an air of legitimacy to Babylon-style businesses and organizations here in Utah. I remember at the time being surprised by his lambasting such companies as “Zion’s Bank”. Now, decades later, after having studied and pondered the scriptures and […]

Since writing the Thoughts on Zion article entitled, “Pride to Destruction in 6 Easy Steps“, I came to see that the Book of Mormon is replete with examples and sermons regarding what I’m calling “The Pride Flu”.  Societies catch the Pride Flu and it leads to their eventual destruction.  My sense is that this is […]

Following an inspiration one morning to study all the instances of the word “gain” in the Book of Mormon,  a pattern opened up to me that helps us see how pride is literally the steppingstone to Babylon and a precursor to disastrous consequences for society. As I pondered those various verses mentioning “gain”, a step […]