The most significant barrier standing between most people and a knowledge of God is that spiritual things can only be perceived spiritually. Thus, if they are not prepared or willing to practice that type of perception, their proof will not materialize.

I find this analogous to a radio signal - I may be willing to believe for a moment that the radio can give me information, but unless I am willing to tune that radio to a frequency where a broadcast is occurring, I will hear only static.

Spiritual static has many causes, as does static on the radio. It is unproductive to analyze the static itself - we must find the signal that cuts through it. When people are searching for spiritual truth, they often dwell on their reasons for unbelief or uncertainty. This is like straining at the static - turning up the volume to try to figure out why there is no signal.

When we acknowledge that the static exists, but then pursue the signal, we can gain spiritual knowledge by experience. To tune our lives toward God's signal, we use the instructions He has given to find it. They are called commandments, and they are taught by Scripture and the living Prophets.

As we obey the commandments (even if we do not yet believe) and pray sincerely for a real knowledge of the truth, that is when the process of revelation begins.

The Church has said what it has to say about the upcoming episode of Big Love in which sacred Temple ceremonies are supposedly portrayed. I think the Church's statement is well-reasoned and more merciful than I was at first inclined to be. If you have not read it, please do: The Publicity Dilemma

Some have asked why HBO as an autonomous business should "bend to LDS opinion." I feel to address this briefly here.

To take something which a religion (any religion) holds sacred and place it out of context in the public view is distasteful. However, when certain things are held so sacred that they are not shared with the general public, to carelessly put them on display is like religious voyeurism.

I don't want people taking pictures of me in the shower. It's not because I'm doing anything dirty, or because I'm ashamed of my body; there are simply parts of me that should not be available for open public viewing. It is perfectly appropriate for my wife to join me in the shower, but not a camera crew. This makes logical sense to most people.

Similarly, sacred covenants made in the Temple are closed to public view for a purpose. It is not because they are dirty or because we are ashamed of them in any way; it is because displaying them in public opens them for ridicule and false imitation. Jesus warned the disciples not to cast their pearls before swine - even in Biblical times, there were practices and doctrines not to be shared with the entire world. In this case, the swine at HBO seem to have cracked open the jewelry box.

HBO is part of a large corporation. They have resources to do many things I do not. But if they place a camera in my shower, they deserve a heavy-handed lawsuit. Since they have risked to offend God in a similar way, we must allow Him to judge in this life or the next. As for me, I will choose not to support those who openly mock Him.

I've always had a difficult time journaling. I think part of that is my perfectionist nature. Every time I restart in my journaling efforts, I have a hard time documenting in detail so many seemingly unimportant daily things while so many more valuable things remain unwritten. I'm trying to alleviate this frustration with my new Personal Journal Assignments sub-blog. The basic idea is that while I try (again) to keep a daily(ish) journal, I also write 2-3 times a week on a specific prompt, usually regarding the past. That way, I can keep up with the present and start to reconstruct the past a little more than I have to this point. I know that keeping a personal history is important, and I hope that this will help me to stick with it.

Proposition 8 passed. Latter-day Saints are happy, and rightly so. Others are obviously angry. That is their right.

However, things are escalating. When attacks become more than verbal, as we have seen in the past few days, they can cross the line toward terrorism. There are many ways to deal with those who deface our property and threaten our people.

We could become violent ourselves, but that would require stooping to the level of those who hate us. We could trust the FBI and other law enforcement to do their job to bring these people to justice. However, historically speaking, Latter-day Saints have not had much success by allowing the U.S. justice system to run its course.

Our best option is to pray for those who would do us harm. We can pray for the protection of our people and our families, but our heartfelt desires must go beyond self-serving goals.

I am saying that we must pray for their hearts to be softened, that they may come unto Christ and be saved through His Atonement. We must have pure motives in this endeavor - no malice or hatred toward them. Hate is a strong tool used by the forces that would destroy the LDS people. We cannot combat their ideology with the same tactics - we must use love in combination with firm determination.

So this is my encouragement - that we pray with sincerity for all the best things for our detractors. In a spirit of love and forgiveness, let us pray for the welfare of their souls. God can soften their hearts in ways we cannot. If we actually believe in Him, we can trust that He is with us and will use the powers of Heaven to protect His people if he finds us to be pure in heart.

As I recently said in an online conversation, I find that the formal language of prayer, when practiced until natural, enhances the communication. It helps us to think more specifically about what we are trying to say to the Father. Here are some simple guidelines:

1. As the subject of the phrase or sentence, we address God as Thou. Generally, the verb of such a sentence has a "t" or "st" added to the end.

"Thou art holy."
"We pray that Thou wilt bless us."
"Thou makest a way for us to escape temptation."
"Thou lovest Thy children."
"Thou hast prepared a place for us in Heaven."

In each example, God is the one doing or being something.

2. As the object of a phrase or sentence, we address God as Thee. We don't change the verb with a formal ending.

"We thank Thee."
"We praise Thee."
"May we represent Thee more effectively."
"We offer Thee our hearts."

In each example, God is the one being thanked, praised, represented, etc. He is not performing the action.

3. When God possesses something, we use the pronoun Thy.

"Help us to understand Thy will."
"We are thankful for the Atonement of Thy Son."
"Please help us to share Thy truth."

In each example, God possesses something - His will, His Son, and His truth.

4. Any or all of these forms can be combined in the same sentence.

"We thank Thee for Thy Son."
"Please give us Thy power, that we may testify that Thou art with us."
"Wilt Thou bless Thy children with a greater knowledge of Thee?"

5. A pet peeve as a final sidenote. Many Latter-day Saints end their prayers by saying, "In the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Amen." There is nothing particularly wrong with that, although it can become a vain repetition. The problem comes when these people give talks or lessons. Addressing the congregation, they use their usual ending, including the phrase "Thy Son." Christ is not the son of the congregation - He is the Son of God. We can only use the phrase "Thy Son" in reference to Christ when we are talking to the Father.