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Are Esoteric Teachings Useful?

November 23, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Are Esoteric Teachings Useful?

Question: Is there any usable knowledge in the writings of Alice A. Bailey or any other esoteric writings?

First, let me say that as a general rule esoteric knowledge has a much different purpose than exoteric knowledge, such as an engineer building bridges.

If a person wants knowledge to obtain skills to do outward things then DK is not your man. To learn practical applications in the outward world one must learn from the teachers in the outward world. For instance, I make signs and I certainly do not look to esoteric knowledge to improve my craft.

Probably the closest subject corresponding to esoteric knowledge learned by standard scholars is the subject of philosophy — which sometimes goes into the outskirts of the esoteric.

You can’t build a bridge or manufacture a car with philosophy. People generally study it because they find it interesting. It expands their mind and helps give them purpose in life. A life with purpose is much more exciting than one without it.

Esoteric and spiritual knowledge does not build bridges, for it is not directed toward the outer world, but the inner. Is the inner world worth cultivating?

Yes, a thousand times yes. When we die, we take nothing of the outer, but the inner remains making its cultivation of sublime importance.

But one may say these pieces of knowledge you are inserting in your mind are fairly meaningless and they are making no change.

My answer is that every piece of knowledge or revelation of a principle is important.

Visualize putting a puzzle together and you do not know what the final picture looks like. You may place hundreds of pieces and still not know, but if you continue the time finally comes that one seemingly insignificant piece turns on the light of seeing, and you now see and understand what the finished picture will be.

Now if you go back to the beginning and find that piece that turned on the light and just look at that alone, could you have guessed the picture?

No.

Why not?

Because it was not the final piece that turned on the light, but a combination of all the pieces.

Even so, it has been with me. I have found pieces here and there, but still could not see the picture until I gathered enough so the picture could finally be visualized.

The writings of DK through Alice A. Bailey have given me many pieces to many pictures that has turned on many lights.

Has it made a difference?

It didn’t build any outward bridges but it built a lot of inner ones.

The light I received from DK overshadowed anything I learned in the church, for I became dissatisfied with the simple teachings there and shifted my consciousness away from standard religion to higher knowledge. This led me out of the church, which was a good thing for me.

I have told the group before that the whole concept of the Molecular Relationship was downloaded into my mind in an instant, but I’m not sure I would have understood crucial ingredients if I had not studied principles as taught by DK.

I could write a book on things I learned from the Alice A. Bailey books, but just as important as the actual learning was what the learning did for me. It gave me an increase of faith and a fiery purpose to keep moving forward in my progression. After all, what good is life if you have no purpose? Other writers and teachers have assisted me along the way, but DK gave me the realization that there is unlimited knowledge out there for the taking. Earlier in the church I thought I was at a dead end — that I had all the basics and the prophet would have to give more revelation at a future time.

Take the principle of harmlessness for example. This teaching is not new and was briefly mentioned by Jesus. It is difficult to find anything that is entirely new. On the other hand, DK gave many new insights on this principle that went way beyond anything written in the Bible. His teachings on it made me much more aware of myself and how to apply this principle in ways that I never received from the words if Jesus.

Here’s just one example. He pointed out we can create harm by attempting to enlighten others. Some people are not prepared for certain truths and if we try to force-feed others too soon it will damage their psyche. When I read this, I immediately knew this was true and it changed my approach in teaching. It made me much more accepting of people that were not ready to change.

After I introduced DK to Curtis (my nephew) we sometimes used to do a fun exercise. We’d take one of the DK books and open it at random to a page and read about 100 words and the examine the knowledge that was there. Each time we were amazed at how much we would find there which was usually more useful knowledge than in a whole church book that we had been reading in the past.

DK’s teachings on the Intuition have been particularly useful to me. Again, many in the past have spoken about intuition, but not the way DK does. DK defined it differently than I had seen before and made me realize that I had used this principle but just had not isolated it properly in my mind. When I did this, it gave me much more power to use it and see the Oneness Principle, something DK did not teach in so many words, but led me toward.

I personally owe a lot to DK and would be a much different person today if his writings had never existed. Even though he teaches much that is esoteric, I have found that his teachings have done much to ground a dreamer, such as myself, in the real world.

“One’s first love is always perfect until one meets one’s second love.” — Elizabeth Aston

June 27, 2009

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Source of Emotions

November 22, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Source of Emotions

I was asked for my views on the source of emotion.

Djwhal Khul [DK] has given the best seed thought on this. He states that the astral (emotional world) is created by the mental, that in ancient days the emotional world did not even exist. It wasn’t until humanity’s mental ability developed that desire as we know it was even possible. The lower emotions are therefore created on an illusionary principle and the astral world of lower emotions will one day pass away.

And what creates our values? A mental assessment of what is meaningful to us.

Now mind alone will not create all the emotions as we know it but the fullness of these emotions is caused through the interplay of mental energy with etheric energy and prana. Etheric energy creates the impulses to the life sustaining desire in animals, but when this is analyzed and amplified by the mind, we have produced the spectrum of human emotions not available to lower life forms.

On the other hand, the Masters learn to then place the human emotions in their proper place through the power of higher mind and negate their negative influence. They have learned to see where the illusion is.

Then we have higher emotions on the plane of the Buddha that are created from the Mind of God itself. Paul [the Apostle] in speaking of one of these, spiritual love, said it endures forever. It indeed at least endures for the life of the universe and then is reborn with each new creation.

Question: If mind is necessary to create emotion, then what about animals? It seems that they have feelings.

Human emotion is an effect created by the mind. The root emotion that sets man apart from the animals is desire. This is particularly evident in our sexual natures. It is true that animals are attracted to each other but mainly through instinct during the mating season. With humans the attraction is during all times because of the mental construct of what is and is not desirable and attractive.

Except in rare cases where the animal is very advanced the feelings an animal experiences is produced by its instincts, learned and natural and it has no power to intelligently direct them.

Because a human has power to program and deprogram himself he has power to manufacture his emotional world or to deconstruct it.

Comment: I don’t see how ‘lower emotions are … created on an illusionary principle.

JJ: If the emotions are “always an effect produced by the mind” as you say, then as soon as the mind changes the programming the emotion is no more. Because the emotion can pass away and be as if it had never been then it is created by an illusionary principle.

On the other hand, the higher mind is capable of seeing truth and principles which is eternal so it exists upon a non-illusionary principle.

The higher emotions are those that do not pass away such as spiritual love, spiritual joy, spiritual desire for eternal progression and creation in line with the dominating good and others.

Jealousy, anger, hatred, possessive love, and other lower emotions are created by the meaning we assign to situations and will pass when the situation or the mental construct changes.

As far as there being an astral or emotional world, there is no way to prove this exists. I personally can feel my emotional body and have seen the vivid colors given off by it many times. It is different than the etheric. Anyone can see the aura if they want to practice at it long enough.

As far as what the emotions are or where they come from — that could be a treatise in itself. All creation springs from positive and/or negative or male and female energy. Thought comes from the male side and emotion of feeling, the female.

Basically, we all know what emotion is because we all have felt it. If one had never felt anger then he wouldn’t know what it is even if someone explained it to him. Similarly, a person must taste an orange to know the taste. It cannot be explained in full.

All life is immersed in thought and feeling which originates from the heart and mind of God. To understand thought and feeling in fullness one must understand God. We start by understanding ourselves.

Work while you have the light. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you. Henri-Frederic Amiel

June 22, 2009

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Chaos and Knowing

November 21, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Chaos and Knowing

A reader makes the point that it would create confusion if any person could receive revelation to tell the president of the church what to do, teach or have for official doctrine.

This idea is not something I have promoted. Any organization has to have its structure, rules and laws and when they are established it would create chaos if anyone could command them to change.

This is a far different thing than to permit open discussion of teachings or possible change in structure or organization.

For instance, Obama is our president (written in 2009). I do not agree with him on many matters, but I am free to voice my thoughts on this forum or most any open discussion. Even so, if he raises our taxes, I still have to pay the tax if I am to remain a citizen. I am still free to say I do not agree with the tax.

President Monson is the head of the LDS church. If he lays down a new rule you, as a member, are not only subject to it, but you are not free to question it or tell people what you think without incurring a possible excommunication.

If President Monson announced off-the-cuff that reincarnation was true, you are right it would create a great disturbance. But it would not create a big problem if he allowed members to have their own study groups not connected to the church where they can discuss mysteries.

The Beast is created when an outer voice takes the place of the inner voice of God. When an outer authority cancels out that which is spoken of by the inner voice or the pilgrim follows the outer when the inner says otherwise, then he has the mark of the Beast. I did not escape the mark of the Beast until I was excommunicated. The moment this happened produced a great freedom of mind for myself and the chord that held me to the Beast was severed. Once that freedom is tasted one will never return. Now I’m not saying that every member here should go get excommunicated. I’m just saying it was a positive and liberating step for me. It removed for me all concern about what the voices of the outer gods were saying.

A member who read over a treatise I wrote back in the Sixties wondered if it still expressed my views today on the emotional world.

JJ: As I read this treatise through again, I was pleased to see that my views have not changed so much as just expanded. My sense of truth back then seemed to focus on the highest truths my religion would allow me to explore and most of them are still seen as true to me today.

For instance, I still see human beings as eternal entities who existed before birth, but the added knowledge of reincarnation has greatly expanded my grasp of the whole matter.

I also still believe that the astral body is in human form and does have more senses available than do we in the physical. At that time I only knew of three parts of ourselves — the physical, the spirit body and the core intelligence. Now I see the intelligence is the monad and the spirit body is usually the astral body. Now I understand that we also have a mental body. This body would have all the perceptions available to the astral and physical with some of its own added.

Then in the higher formless worlds perception is through a direct knowing which the ancients called “gnosis.” All perception is reduced from The Many to The One.

Question: Is “knowing” even a step on the way to “realization with understanding?

JJ: Yes.

Reader: Please define the two words with examples?

JJ: Knowing covers a large range from data to principles. This is a registration of something that is true by your consciousness.

Let me illustrate the other two words with a story:

When I was a young child, my mother told me not to touch the burner on the stove. She said that when it was red it was very hot and would burn me.

Then one day I was watching the burner when it was turned on to a hot red. My mother then turned if off and walked away. I watched the burner cool until it was no longer red. When the color returned to normal, I assumed it was now cool and placed my hand flat on the burner.

Was I in for a surprise? I wound up with a major burn on my hand. As I was screaming my mother came to my aid and asked my why on earth I touched the burner.

I told her that when it lost its redness, I assumed it was cool. She then explained that there were gradations of heat and I had to wait a while after it resumed normal color before it was cool enough to touch.

Realization and understanding are two aspects of intelligence and grow together. When I touched the stove, I realized the stove was still hot and when my mother explained it to me, I then understood.

The realization made me careful to not let the problem happen again and understanding helped me to not fear being around a stove again.

When we know, realize and understand the right course to take the die is pretty much cast unless one takes the Left Hand Path of extreme selfishness.

Question: If it is simply continually contemplating within that which comes from without while seeking to follow the highest I have thus far received — That seems too simplistic to be right yet when I try it seems so HARD, why is it so hard?

JJ: The highest truths are quite simplistic but their working out is often more complicated than the story I just told. My knowledge, realization and understanding made the decision easy. There are others much more difficult, even with something simple like stopping smoking. But if one has knowledge, realization and understanding about a right course, even though it is difficult, he will ultimately succeed. It may not be the first attempt but these three aspects will not let the seeker give up and eventually he will draw forth the will to succeed.

Question: Why am I so fearful of making mistakes that I would rather rely on another (outer authority) – even if that authority turns out to have been wrong?

JJ: Seek to know, realize and understand “the inner,” and soon it will dominate.

Question: When I do try to trust/follow what I THINK I receive from within, it seems to always put me at odds with my loved ones, is the road always lonely?

JJ: The outer generally conflicts with the inner, and yes the disciple is lonely until he becomes anchored with the inner voice. Then he will tune into the group mind that links others like himself and then he will never feel alone.

Reader Comment: If I’ll get there eventually anyway, maybe I should just BE with my loved ones for now and worry the lonely road tomorrow (in ‘God Class’ as Paul put it)?”

JJ: I understand your spouse accepts you for who you are, which is fortunate. As far as other loved ones go one can have a reasonable relationship with them, even if they think you are crazy.

Many of my family think the devil has led me astray, but we still have good relationships as we manage to put philosophy on the shelf and talk about things with which we agree.

Just keep forging ahead the best you can and all your problems will eventually be solved. Keep in mind that much of the progress in this life prepares us for the next.

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set it free. — Michaelangelo

June 18, 2009

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Who Are the Firstborn?

November 19, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Who Are the Firstborn?

A reader quotes this from me:

“Therefore, the question to be asked is this. Do you want to be linked with the current church in the next world, or would you rather be linked with the numerous assembly of the firstborn who are linked through the great spiritual power of love and purity of heart?”

He then asks:

Would please explain the firstborn? I am guessing that this comes from somewhere in the Mormon scriptures.

JJ: Actually the term in this context originated in the Book of Hebrews from the New Testament and reads as follows.

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” Heb 12:22-23

Mormon scripture also uses the term and several break-offs from the main LDS or Mormon church call themselves some variation of “The Church of the Firstborn.”

Here’s a quote about the Firstborn:

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Rom 8:29)

Jesus, as all believers know is called the firstborn, but here we find that ordinary men and women may even share that title with him for Jesus and the rest of the sons of men are brethren with a similar destiny as taught by Paul:

“For both he that sanctifieth (Jesus) and they who are sanctified (followers of Christ) ARE ALL OF ONE: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Heb 2:11

We are supposed to come to “the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the FULLNESS OF CHRIST.” (Eph 4:13)

To accomplish this Jesus taught that we are supposed to follow in his footsteps: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev 3:21

Breaking Free

I achieved enlightenment about the church and higher teachings after I was married and had kids. It would have been a lot easier to rebel when I was single, but my wife was a diehard Mormon who felt I was being led astray by the devil.

I hated with a passion the fact that I could not openly discuss any thoughts that were not approved by the church authorities but was pretty careful not to break this rule. As time passed I realized my days with the church were numbered for I am the type of person who can only be held prisoner for so long.

My nephew Curtis forced my hand before I was ready. I gave him a short article I had written illustrating that there was progression from one kingdom to another after death. I warned him to not show it to anyone, for if it got to his Bishop he could wind up getting kicked out of the church.

He didn’t believe that was possible, especially when the article only quoted accepted scriptures.

A short time later he found out I was right and soon we were both excommunicated for not having our minds “right.”

Now some think the church is correct in insisting strict adherence to doctrine with no discussion allowed on deviations. They think it would lead to chaos.

I don’t think so.

For one thing Joseph Smith allowed such talk, and in Nauvoo they had public debates on all kinds of subjects.

Secondly, our country is a good example of the benefits of open debate. We have a basic constitution that makes us all one in theory, but we are all free to discuss any political philosophy we want (at least for now). The diversity of discussion in this country does not create chaos but it helps make us more stable and to see certain basic truths.

Being powerfully subject to LDS authority, and then escaping it made me realize the principle behind the Beast and why most people willingly receive the Mark in their right hand or forehead.

May we all instead receive the name of God in our foreheads (Rev 14:1) where we learn of the authority within.

You — We

A reader comments: “I have learned long ago that when writing a letter to someone not to use the word “YOU” or any derivative of it. It is so accusatory and finger pointing. I have always substituted you for we or I. Or when you do use it, use it in the positive — not negative — or not use(d) the word at all.”

JJ: I admit that I could sweetened that letter a bit, but believe me as long as the authorities realize that an excommunicated member is trying to enlighten them they will place it in the “File 13” [trash] you mentioned.

I do not see much softening from avoiding the word “you” as I use it often with my best friends and no offense is taken.

If someone writes me and says “I read your book, The Immortal, and I liked it.” And another says, “I read The Immortal, and I didn’t like it.” It makes absolutely no difference to me.

I couldn’t say “we as members” or “we as priesthood holders” because I was not even a member of The Church or the Priesthood. I had to write the letter as an outsider. There was not much “we” that I could have honestly used.

From the experience I did learn that one cannot enlighten the LDS [Latter-Day Saints] by telling them, however nicely, that their leaders are on the wrong path. I have had much greater success with the LDS just by teaching correct principles without mentioning any conflicts with their doctrine. For the first couple years I taught on the Keys, members did not even know I had a Mormon background because I did not mention it; but nevertheless, I still wound up drawing quite a few members of “The Church.”

I have no problem with anyone going to any church in which they feel comfortable while being on this forum. Members are welcome to take what they find useful here and use it as they see fit.

Prison Reform

Prison problems and reform is an important topic indeed. Most of those in prison deserve to pay a debt, but they do not deserve to be beaten up, raped, etc. Here are my suggestions:

* Since Mexico is always in need of funds we hire them to house our violent criminals. Repeat offenders of violence are sent down there. This threat alone will scare many into good behavior.

* Release all prisoners who are non violent and pose no physical threat to society. Give them a chance to pay off their debt in actual cash over a reasonable time period. The money can go to victims and finance the prison system. If they do not pay they go back to jail.

* Study prisons that have successfully eliminated violence and establish a uniform system that protects civil rights.

* Create a labor system that teaches skills they can use on the outside. Some of this is done but much of the labor presently required is unskilled and many prisoners are idle most of the day.

“To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human.” — Andy and Larry Wachowski, “The Matrix,” 1999.

June 12, 2009

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The Two Laws

November 15, 2024 Joseph Dewey

The Two Laws

A reader presents this conundrum: “JJ, something you wrote in your treatise “Eternal Lives” has been bothering me the last few days. I wonder if you might clarify your meaning and set my mind at ease about it.

“I recently told my LDS bishop about my ‘heretical’ beliefs, so now of course I am ‘on the outs’ with him. I wasn’t too worried about it until I re-read these lines in Chapter 7 of ‘Eternal Lives’:

“‘Love is the true sealing power whereas the ordinance is merely a symbol. IF ONE IS UNDER THE LAW HE MUST GO THROUGH THE ORDINANCE, but if he is not then the power of love itself will create a binding force so those two individuals will meet in future lives.’ (my capitalization)

“Having been baptized, endowed, etc. as a Mormon, does this mean that I am ‘under the law’ and MUST be married and/or sealed in a Mormon temple, or else I won’t meet up with my wife in a future life? Cause there’s little chance I’ll be getting a temple recommend at this point.

“I’m unmarried, but I know I’ll get married some day. According to your understanding, do I need to go renounce my ‘apostasy’ so that the Mormon church will let me be ‘sealed’ to my future wife? My instincts tell me no, but I’d like to understand better what it means for one to be “under the law.”

JJ: We are affected by karma on levels other than physical effect. These other levels are significantly governed by our belief system. Humanity is basically governed by two approaches:

The “black-and-white” law of which the Law of Moses was the quintessential example.
The Law of Christ. Under this the person uses the Second Key of Judgment through the interplay of heart and mind from within himself.

If the person’s consciousness is held hostage by the Law of the Church then it is best for him to conform to that law to obtain a degree of peace.

On the other hand, if you can free yourself from the Law of the Church then you are no longer subject to any of its laws, but only to the Law of Christ where you receive your guidance from within.

If you are therefore subject to the Law of Christ the highest link you can make with another person is not through an ordinance, but through love, for as the apostle Paul said, “love endureth forever.”

That which endureth forever came not through an ordinance, but through the heart.

Now an ordinance can anchor the focus of love within the heart. Therefore, there is some advantage to our civil and spiritual ordinances, but if these are not available you can create one for yourself as did my wife and I when we were married, for we wrote our own vows.

One may then ask if there are any supernatural powers linked to any spiritual ordinances.

Yes and no.

If an organization is created that has members in both this world and the next then an organized linkage can be made, but whatever organized linkage Joseph Smith had in mind has been corrupted. I am sure he does not even presently link anything he has done with the current church.

Therefore, the question to be asked is this: Do you want to be linked with the current church in the next world, or would you rather be linked with the numerous assembly of the firstborn who are linked through the great spiritual power of love and purity of heart?

Another reader comments: “There is a quote from JJ I do not understand:

“‘A work of light is never destroyed by its enemies, but by its friends.’

“Can someone explain?”

JJ: From the Roman Empire, to the Christian Church, to the United States to Apple Computer, 99% of progression or retrogression comes from within rather than influences without.

For instance, in many ways the United States has fallen away from constitutional principles. This was not caused by our outside enemies, but by those who claim to be friends of America and the Constitution.

Jesus was not betrayed by his enemies, but his friend Judas. Many innovators are betrayed by their best friends.

This is why soul contact will be so essential in the Molecular Relationship. Two people with soul contact will work in cooperation and build rather than destroy.

Gun Rights

A reader says he can’t find anything about gun rights in the Bible? Duh. There were no guns in the Bible days, but they used swords as weapons instead and all of Israel were armed with swords. They were always fully prepared to defend themselves with their swords. There were no proposals for “sword control.”

Even angels had swords in their hands when they appeared.

“Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand:” (Numbers 22:31. Also see Joshua 5:13)

“And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword;” (1 Sam 25:13)

You will remember that Peter had a sword with him when he cut off the soldier’s ear? Jesus obviously did not require “sword control” but allowed his disciples to carry their swords.

On the other hand, even though Jesus did not forbid the disciple from carrying swords he did say this to Peter after he struck the Roman Soldier: “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Matt 26:52

This tells us that Jesus saw the way to ultimate peace was not through forcing people to lay down their arms, but to teach them about the eventual futility of using arms.

No Offense Taken

NOTE: This was a response I gave to a reader’s questions which are obvious in the text.

You say that you feel that which I teach is true. That feeling is from your soul. Pay attention to that sense of truth and it will lead you to everything your heart desires — as far as knowledge is concerned.

Don’t worry about offending me. Especially if you are sincere as you seem to be. I have been attacked many times, often somewhat viciously, but if someone has a sincere objection or question it will be appreciated. How could any true teacher be offended by sincerity?

You say you are a skeptic. Good. Isaiah said “he that believeth shall not make haste.” True believers and people of faith proceed cautiously and want their questions answered. But they are different from others in that they do at least move forward.

The only true proof that I or any teacher can give you must come from your own soul. If you are in touch with it and pay attention to that feeling you talked about then you will feel something vibrate within you when the truth is presented. Deception can be presented with seeming facts, statistics, quotes and references that lead one away from the truth that has not attained soul contact.

As far as how progressed I am I will not attempt to answer that to you. Your only clue will be the enlightenment behind my teachings, many of which are found in no book.

Have I overcome death? No, but I am in a race against time to do so in this life. One of the things I must do is take a certain number of students through certain teachings.

Using logic as you mention is good, but always remember that the use of logic alone leads to dead ends and “slays the real.” True intuition is higher than logic. This is different than emotional feeling with is lower than logic.

Sense of purpose is a very good answer but it is not the key. True purpose will be covered by us in more detail later on. The Purpose of God is a unifying energy that makes us one. There is another ability that makes us many.

June 11, 2009

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Comments on Injustice

November 14, 2024 Joseph Dewey

A Letter to My Friends

I’m continuing to go through some old papers and thought I would publish a couple more to the group that may be of interest.

My friends and associates in my local church were very surprised that I had been excommunicated so I decided to write them a letter. I sent a copy to everyone in the local ward [similar to a parish] which consisted of a couple hundred members.

Here is the letter:

Dear Ward Members,

As you have probably heard I have been excommunicated from the Church.

After this event took place, I thought it would probably be best not to contact the ward members as a whole for I did not want to cause any undue concern among you. I thought it best at this time not to send you out any unorthodox writings. However, now that several weeks have past, I do get the impression that many of you have questions in mind as to what happened to me and it looks as if many are imagining the worst. Frankly, I am amazed that only one person in the ward thus far has approached me in any way as to my beliefs, and that was an emotional effort to set me straight.

Thus, because of many erroneous conceptions, members have I concluded I would write you a brief letter explaining my position and why I was excommunicated.

One of the reasons I was excommunicated was because I believe in the following statement by Brigham Young:

“Perhaps it may make some of you stumble, were I to ask you a question – Does a man being a prophet in this church prove that he shall be president of it? I answer no! A man may be a prophet, seer and revelator, and it may have nothing to do with his being president of it.” [Journal of Discourses (JD), Vol 1, Page 333.]

Also, I believe what he said in another place:

“Is this (the Spirit of prophesy) the privilege of every person? It is.” (JD 3:389

Also I believe the words of Joseph Smith:

“No man is a minister of Jesus Christ without being a prophet.” (History of the Church, Vol 3 Page 389.)

Also I believe in the Word of the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C):

“And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture….” (D&C 68:4)

This scripture does not refer to the General Authorities only, but to all of the Lord’s servants. Open your scriptures and read the whole thing.

Did you realize that only eight pages of the entire New Testament was written by the President of the Church. Mark and Luke who were junior companions in the mission field wrote two of the Gospels. If non general Authorities could write scripture in the past then why could it not happen again?

Because I believe that it can and that it has happened I was excommunicated from the church. Concerning a man who was wrongly excommunicated from the Church in Joseph Smith’s day the Prophet said:

“I did not like the old man being called up for erring in doctrine. It sounds too much like the Methodists and not like the Latter-Day Saints. Methodists have creeds which a man must believe or be asked out of their church. I want the liberty of thinking and believing as I please. It feels so good not to be trammeled. IT DOES NOT PROVE THAT A MAN IS MAN IS NOT A GOOD MAN BECAUSE HE ERRS IN DOCTRINE.” [Documentary History of the Church (DHC) 5:340].

Thus according to Joseph Smith one should not be asked out of the church because he errs in doctrine. Instead, someone should step forward and show me from the scriptures where I am wrong. Just because I believe the scriptures the way they read and accept the answers the Lord gives me to my prayers — is that any reason to ask me out and condemn me to hell as an apostate?

Concerning the scriptures Joseph Fielding Smith said:

“The Standard works judge the teachings of ALL men. It makes no difference what is written or about what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, WE CAN SET IT ASIDE. My words and the teachings of any other member of the church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have the matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure a man’s doctrine.

“You CANNOT accept the books written by the general Authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only as far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works.

“Every man who writes is responsible, not the church, for what he writes. If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH IS DUTY BOUND TO REJECT IT. If he writes that which is in perfect harmony with the revealed word of the Lord, then it should be accepted.” (Doctrines Of Salvation, Vol 3; Page 203)

President Smith said that if we find things that the brethren have said that are not in harmony with the standard works then we are “duty bound” to reject it.

I feel that it is unfair to excommunicate a person for following a prophet’s advice.

Concerning those who present false doctrines the Lord said:

“Call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest. Wherefore let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord.” (D&C 71:7-8)

If the Brethren feel that I am against the Lord then why not let me bring forth my strong reasons, for if I am wrong the scriptures tell us that they will be able to confound me.

No one has as yet confounded me or given me any scriptural proof that I am wrong and all are terrified at letting me express my views in public as the scriptures command.

To make the record clear I would like to tell all of you that I was found guilty of no sin. I have weaknesses like everyone else, but for none of these was I asked out of the church. I have always supported my leaders in everything they have asked me to do and paid my tithes and offerings and I have tried to live a moral life.

I wish to remain friends with all of you and want only the best feelings between us and I hope you continue to show my wife and children the consideration you have in the past. As of yet my children do not know of my excommunication so please do not mention it around them as it would break their little hearts, but even for them I cannot deny the testimony the Lord has given me just to stay in the church. I feel that to deny the Holy Ghost would bring me under great condemnation.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Dewey

After reading the letter a reader asks this:

“JJ, did you really WANT to continue being a member of the church at this point? It sounds like you are trying to convince them you were excommunicated wrongly.”

JJ: Outside of the effect on my family I was not concerned about being kicked out. What bothered me most was their hypocrisy in the way that they did it. They kicked me out illegally, and I thought it was the best thing to do in the name of justice to resist and make their injustice as obvious as possible.

One reason for this is many who are unjustly excommunicated fear that they are going to hell and it is very disturbing to them.

Curtis and I are the only ones I know of that fought our excommunication as far as we did and we did so in hopes of creating some change in their procedure. If they had let us back in the church we still would not have gone back. We were ready to move on.

Letter To the Prophet

My Friends,

Today I am posting a letter I wrote to the LDS [Mormon] President shortly after I was excommunicated. I realized I was not going to change his mind and was not interested in returning if he did. I was, however, interested in justice and making the church aware that they were not obeying their own rules.

Here is the letter:

June 1979

Dear President Kimball:

I have recently been tried and excommunicated for apostasy. Basically, the reason I was excommunicated was because I believe that certain things are out of order in the church today and that they should be set right. I find it quite odd that you should excommunicate one such as myself who was living all the laws of the church, yet you nurture and care for those who break such laws and have to beg to get out of the church. Behold, the violent and abusers whose very prayers are an abomination you do administer the sacrament and allow cancers in the body of Christ which doth short circuit the Spirit and cause the body to die and great is the stench thereof.

Why is it that the church of God has less freedom of action than does our nation which has been corrupted since the original constitution. Even so, I can openly teach that the country is out of order all the day long and I can disagree with the President till the moon turns blue, but as long as I obey the laws of the land I can yet remain a good citizen. If I betray my country, I am to be punished for it is a great sin, yet I can disagree all I want and I can teach the principles of the constitution all that I want.

Why can I not teach the principles of the constitution of this church, which is found in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) and the other scriptures! Why can I not disagree with the President of the church on doctrine and yet remain a member if I keep all of the commandments? There is certainly no commandment saying that I must blindly accept all the President says without question. Any disagreement I have comes from the witness of the Holy Spirit. Is that not to be considered?

An unrighteous government has to rule with fear. This is what the communist governments do. When someone disagrees with them they cut them off and totally ignore their strong reasonings for this would bring the darkness to light. Why do you follow the example of a government inspired by darkness, for you seem afraid to hear the strong reasonings of those who disagree with you and do all that you can to silence them. In this you are disobeying a commandment for the Lord said:

“Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest. Wherefore, LET THEM BRING THEII STRONG REASONS AGAINST THE LORD. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you – there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper.” (D&C 71:7-9)

If you really believe that I am against the Lord then you are to let me bring forth my strong reasons and if you have the Spirit the scriptures say that my shame will be made manifest.

If I am against the Lord as you believe then why is it that no one can confound me or those who believe as I do??? Why is it that it is the members of the church whose shame is manifest because of a total lack of understanding of the scriptures accompanied by a void of the Holy Spirit?

“He that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.” (2 Nephi 28:28)

It was made obvious recently that your foundation is sandy when my nephew, after numerous attempts finally made an appointment through Mr. Watson to see you. Before he made the 400-mile journey he called to verify it and was told that the appointment was still set. It took money that he needed for groceries to make that journey, but did the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints honor that appointment?

No.

What was more disappointing was that Curtis overheard that a young couple who had an appointment with President Kimball about the same time did not show up so there should have been plenty of time to see him. As Curtis thought that he was going to be escorted into the Presidents office word came back that President Kimball would not see him. In desperation Curtis tried to speak with the secretary, Brother Haycock, but was denied this privilege.

Shades of US President Van Buren — our cause is just, but you can do nothing for us. But at least President Van Buren allowed Joseph Smith into his presence.

Curtis has told many people about this happening and even strong members seem to wonder what you are afraid of. If you are afraid we will rant and rave like fanatics you will find that we are gentlemen and can behave as such. After all, both of us were top missionaries in our missions.

At this time, I would like to formally request a rehearing for the D&C tells us that:

“Should the parties or either of them be dissatisfied with the decision of said council, they may appeal to the high council of the seat of the First Presidency of the Church, AND HAVE A RE-HEARING, which case shall be conducted, ACCORDING TO THE FORMER PATTERN written, as though no such decision had been made.” (D&C 102:27)

Someone close to you has told me that he knew of no such rehearing as this on record. Do you suppose the Lord gave us that scripture just to be ignored? Why do you not give even one rehearing to someone whom you believe has apostatized “according to the former pattern”?

Are you going to give me the usual answer? Are you going to tell me that you have reviewed the minutes and agree with the Stake President’s decision?

If it has to be it has to be, but friends have insisted I will be heard if I appeal so I do so now make such appeal.

I give you my best wishes and I trust that your health is improving.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Dewey

Posted June 10 & 11, 2009

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Letter From a Friend

November 13, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Letter From a Friend

Written in June 1979

I have been sifting through some old papers and writings to decide what to preserve and found several interesting things. I found a letter from an old friend (who is somewhat of a ruffian) written to the Mormon Prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, on my behalf shortly after I was excommunicated in 1979.

I had forgotten all about it and found it amusing to read again after all these years. Maybe you will also.

Here is the letter:

To: Spencer W. Kimball, Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Prophet,

I want to know what the hell is going on here.

I have recently learned that my good friend Joe Dewey from New Plymouth, Idaho has been excommunicated from the Mormon Church. When I learned this I wanted to know how the hell he did that when I, hell raiser that I am, have been trying to get that done to me for years. I’ve committed every sin in the book and then some you haven’t thought of, and still your people try and trace me down and haul me off to some damn church and pour your religion down my throat. The last time the teachers came to see me I threw a drink in their face and told them I wanted out, but I’m still not out. How is a man to get his message across?

That’s why it just blew my mind all to hell when I heard about Joe. I wanted to know how he got out. I thought he must have blown up the church or raped the Bishop’s wife.

But do you know what Joe told me? He said he got kicked out because God answered his prayers and told him stuff he apparently hasn’t told the big businessmen down there.

Hell. That must be my problem. I haven’t prayed for years. If I pray can I get out of your of organization? I’ve done every other exciting sin in the book, and if you think praying is a sin then I’ll do that if I have to.

Joe is one of the best damn guys I ever met. He never screwed anybody out of nothing. About the only thing I didn’t like about him is that he spent so much time running around for the church, he never had any time to run around with me and the boys.

Joe was the best Mormon I ever knew. Sometimes when Joe would sit down and talk to me and tell me things about religion he made it sound so good I was almost proud I was still a Mormon. What bothered me about him was that he gave the church fifteen per cent of what he made and I could never do that. I always figured he was a bit crazy for doing that, especially since he never made much money. Now you’re going crazy too. You’re biting the hand that feeds you.

Joe don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t screw the girls, and reads the Bible like I read Playboy. If anybody is as good as Jesus, he is. What the hell — they crucified Jesus now you’re trying to crucify my good friend Joe.

What really gripes me enough to write my first (and probably the last) letter to the Mormon prophet is your hypocrisy. You preach about all this family togetherness and now you’re tearing up Joe’s family. He hasn’t told me, but I know that he’s worried sick over losing his wife and children over this thing. His wife thinks the authorities are right in everything they do so she figures that Joe must be going to hell and she’s not going to let the kids go with him. If he loses his kids then it’s all because you damn hypocrites cut him off because he prays too much.

I swear that if there is a God you are the ones who are going to burn in hell for doing this to Joe. He hasn’t done nothing wrong — nothing at all and if there’s a heaven he’ll go there if anyone will.

Everyone I know that knows Joe thinks the Mormon Church must be sick for doing this to him. Do you hear that Prophet? Sick!

What more can I say? If Joe goes out I want out. I don’t want anything to do with an organization that kicks out a guy and ruins his family because God answers his prayers.

One more time I plead — I want out! O…U…T! OUT!

As much of a sinner as I am I have scruples enough to not want my name associated with hypocrites.

What do I have to do? Rape, steal, kill, burn a town down? I don’t have the patience to pray like Joe does — nor do I want to pay money like he did, but there’s got to be a good easy way I can raise enough hell to get disassociated with you guys.

You probably want to throw this in the garbage, but I want an answer, and I’m going to get an answer. Why did you do this to Joe? I’m going to get an answer from you guys if I have to print this in the Salt Lake Tribune or some other major paper and I’ve got the money to do it. I owe Joe that much just because of the type of guy he is.

Yours Waiting,

Dick J. Wilson

JJ: As expected my friend did not receive an answer, and I do not recall him placing an ad in the Salt Lake Tribune. The threat probably sent a chill down the LDS General Authorities’ spine, however.

Published June 8, 2009

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Are We Gods or Not?

November 9, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Are We Gods or Not?

It seems to me that the Bible point blank teaches that men are Gods or becoming Gods.

First let me quote Jesus himself:

34 “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, YE ARE GODS?

35 “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” John 10:34-36)

Jesus here was quoting from Psalms where God who “judgeth among the Gods” judged the men Gods to be falling short of their destiny. Let me quote:

“God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.” (Psalms 82:1)

“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Psalms 82:6

“But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” (Psalms 82:7)

It should be no surprise that men are Gods for God said it in the beginning:

“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as ONE OF US, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:” Genesis 3:22

If the Bible is true then we are truly becoming as “One of” them.

I have never had anyone give me a biblical reason or even a logical reason why the above is not true.

I was asked what kind of gods are we becoming? There is only one kind. The God God. Jesus explained the process. Let me quote:

21 “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17:21-23

One of the reasons Jesus was called a God was because he declared that he and God were one. But herein John he clearly tells us that he is not the only one to become one with God. The followers of Christ are to be “one in us…even as we are one.”

If you are one with God then you are God. If you are not one with God then you are not God. How can you argue out of that?

If God is everywhere then that which is you and occupies space is God.

A reader says I quoted out of context. Then why does he not quote enough text so he will be satisfied?

I quoted enough to make my point. What do you want me to do?

We do not know if the original authors of the scriptures used a small or large “G” when they were talking about the various descriptions of God. Actually, it does not matter. God is God whether it is capitalized or not. If the Great Creator calls men Gods then they must be Gods.

Perhaps god with a small “g” is the Presence in mortal flesh and God with a capital is a being living in a state of immortality.

The Gods in Psalms 82:6 are not false gods as a reader says because they are named so by the mouth of Jehovah and Jesus says “the scripture cannot be broken.” You would have to call them liars to call men of Psalms false Gods.

John 10:35 says: “If he (God) called them gods, unto whom the word of God came….”

Here Jesus clearly states that men are called gods and uses it as evidence that he can be called the Son of God.

The reader did not explain why God said in Genesis that man is to “become as one of us.”

I agree with him that scripture explains scripture, but I seem to be the one using this idea.

A reader quotes Jesus as saying:

“Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”

“If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;”

Then he says:

“The correct answer to Jesus Christ’s question, ‘Is it not written in your law,’ is ‘No, it’s not in Torah.’ It’s written in Isaiah (Nevi’im), and Psalms (Ketuvim). It’s a condemnation of the rulers of Israel, warning them that they’ve judged with favoritism, and unjustly. It’s a stern warning to repent, and return to the righteousness of God.”

The basic argument here is that since Psalms is not in the Tora (the Law) then a quote from Psalms is not a quote from the law. Therefore, Jesus must have been using a play on words.

Jesus himself disagrees with you my friend. He calls the Psalms the law in another verse in John 15:26:

“But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their LAW, They hated me without a cause.”

Here Jesus directly quotes from Psalms 35:19 and repeated in 69:4.

This is not all. The scriptures call the Psalms the law in John 12:34: “We have heard out of the LAW that Christ abideth for ever….”

This scripture is a direct reference to Psalms 89, Verses 4, 29, & 36-37 where we have this truth affirmed several times.

Perhaps you, current Jews, and even scholars do not call the Psalms the law, but the scriptures refer to it as such three times.

This pretty much destroys your whole argument.

In addition to this, a careful reading of John 10:34-35 reveals that Jesus was indeed quoting from the Psalms. First it is an exact quote. Second, he stated that those who received the Word of God were called Gods “and the scripture cannot be broken.”

Why try and break the scripture and insist that Jesus did not mean what he said?

The statement “I said, Ye are gods,” is definitely from the Psalms and not found by that wording in the Tora. Even so, men are directly called gods there. Moses was called a god twice. See Exodus 4:16 & Exodus 7:1.

Those who judged Israel were also called gods. I’ll quote from a previous posting here:

Not only was Moses called a god, but the men appointed to judge the people were called gods also. Translators have tried to cover this up by mistranslating the word ELOHIYM: “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges….” (Exo 21:6) The word “judges” comes from ELOHIYM which should be rendered “gods.”

This mistranslation, as any good concordance will reveal, occurs three times in the next chapter: “If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges (ELOHIYM — gods), to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbor’s goods. For all manner of trespass, whether it be of ox for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges (gods); and the judges (gods) shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbor.” (Exodus 22:8-9)

ELOHIYM is translated correctly in the King James version in Verse 28: “Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of the people.”

The translation of the word “Elohiym” into the word “judges” or other wordings is a purely human conjecture. Only by rendering the translation as god or gods does it make sense.

The question should not be: “How can we prove that men were not called gods?” The question should be: “Since men are called gods throughout the scripture then what does it mean?”

I am one of the few that can answer this question honestly because I belong to no religion and can read the scriptures with no agenda.

“Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk.” — Joaquin Setanti

June 1, 2009

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Meditation, Auras and More

November 8, 2024 Joseph Dewey

Meditation, Auras and More

Meditation can remove some of the blocks between you and the Spirit, but if one does not meditate on a regular basis yet uses the correct focus of his thought he will see positive results.

Some who pray or meditate on a regular basis still remain in great illusion. When you are praying or mediating you must apply correct intention. Then you will be able to make a wise judgment that leads to a correct decision that releases the Kingdom of God within you.

What is the difference between one who meditates and gets correct information from the Spirit and one who meditates and gets incorrect information?

Psychedelic substances and certain drugs that are natural to the earth may be helpful at times when used with judgment, but more often than not the supposed help is an illusion. Man-made psychedelic drugs are more dangerous and can alter the personality — sometimes to the bad and sometimes to the good — and is something like electric shock treatment.

Pot [marijuana] stimulates the Head and Sacral Center. It often brings thoughts to the mind that seem very heavy, but if the evolution of the person has not advanced to the level of thought being unleashed then the person will not consciously understand them and his communications will seem like ramblings. If his Head Center has already unfolded then he will have a natural high, but more refined than that produced by pot. Thus when the advanced person smokes pot the main stimulation will be the Sacral Center which can have the effect of shifting his energies from the spiritual to the physical.

Becoming one with the Spirit can produce many times the feeling and experience of any drug. The intention of my teachings is to lead you in this direction.

Teleportation

A reader asks: “Have you been able to do this (teleportation), and will you be teaching those keys of knowledge to the group?”

JJ: It would be great if I could teleport at will, but this ability is beyond my individual ring-pass-not at present. The scriptures indicate that the disciples of Jesus may have had this ability through the Molecular Relationship.

There is no record of Jesus teleporting himself during his mortal life, but he definitely did after his resurrection.

I believe teleportation will be available at some level of the Molecular Relationship. It may take the power of several molecules rather than a single one. Hopefully spiritual scientists of the future will figure it out.

Seeing Auras

A reader asked for comment on seeing auras.

If you or anyone else is having any luck in seeing them I would be interested in hearing your experiences. As I have demonstrated at the gatherings it is easy to see the etheric body, but much more difficult to see the aura, and it is extremely difficult to see the outer film.

I learned to see aura by practicing at church during boring speeches. I would look intensely at the speaker and attempt to see his aura. He probably noticed me and thought that at least there was one guy who found him interesting. Little did he know.

It took me several months of intensive practice before I made my breakthrough and the colors were so brilliant that I was quite excited about it.

I haven’t kept up my exercises and am a bit rusty, but will sometimes catch an aura when I’m not even trying to see one. I have also found I can usually intuit what would be revealed in the aura.

Question: Will we become Masters after learning all the keys in this lifetime?”

JJ: Just learning the keys will do little to make you a Master, but mastering them will.

Question: “I am still trying to work my head around how re-incarnation works. Is it only this earth we have come back to, or are there others?”

JJ: In this round of creation most of the people on this earth have only incarnated on this planet. A handful have come from other solar systems.

We descend from higher worlds to the material level, or this earthly state, and then advance back up.

The physical, the astral and the mental are actual worlds of form from which we descend and ascend. Then there are higher levels of what is called the formless worlds.

Question: Do we have to obtain perfection to escape the wheel of rebirth?

JJ: The key is not to, live a life without error, but to live as one with the Spirit so it is as if you are the same life.

The Christ learned about his mission in increments just like we do if we apply ourselves.

Question: “This is the part I don’t understand, I guess. Just where am I on this evolutionary chain? I realize that one day I will make it, but what does living the highest I know now do for me?”

JJ: Forget about where you are and concentrate on your next step. This will be discovered by following the highest you know. As you take one step and then another you will get a sense of where you are in the scheme of things.

As you progress you will experience satisfaction and joy and become aware of eternal progression through eternal lives on eternal worlds, and spheres without end.

Jesus and Socialism

Reader Comment: “One thing that truly perplexes me is the fact that many of the right are Christian yet do not support a socialist government system. Taking from what I know about Jesus and the way the man worked wouldn’t he support socialist programs like health care?”

JJ: Rome also had social programs. They taxed the people and gave out welfare to those the State deemed as deserving. Jesus had nothing to do with giving the State power to tax and redistribute. In fact he was criticized for not paying taxes (Matt 17:24) and only then reluctantly paid them.

Jesus told the people to give their donations directly to the poor. Not once did he tell his disciples to give to Rome so the State could redistribute the wealth.

Even though this is crystal clear many like to preach that Jesus was a socialist after the order of the Europeans, or perhaps the communists. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Reader: “Giving your donations directly to the poor these days is not a good idea. That’s like giving a pyromaniac matches and saying have fun!”

JJ: It’s nothing like that at all. Giving directly to the poor today is no different than giving to the poor in the time of Jesus. For one thing, if you give $100 then 100% of it goes to where it is needed rather than a bureaucracy where maybe half goes to the need. I encounter more people in need than I have money to give without Uncle Sam stepping in to force me to give to his pet projects.

Reader: “Jesus in your opinion may have not been a socialist, but he was interested in helping everyone, even you can’t disagree with that.”

JJ: I agree, but he wasn’t into supporting the State which took money by force and redistributed it according to its whims. He was for giving of one’s own free will just as I am which is entirely at odds with modern day state sponsored socialism.

“A man may be so much of everything that he is nothing of anything.” — Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784), (attributed)

May 29, 2009

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