In a recent posting that replied to one of mine, Eliza used the phrase,
"lawyer-priest' to refer to an acquintance of mine, which reference created a small
storm of anti-lawyerly vituperation. I generally don't have much use for lawyers, but it's
well-known that the Prophet Joseph hired lawyers on more than one occasion, who were
useful in getting him delivered out of jails and other precarious situations. The lesson?
There's no doubt that lawyers are part of the world system, but they can be really really
useful when we find ourselves dragged into dealing with the system against our will.
I know that several of you think that anybody who pays FICA and other taxes, has a social
security number, a drivers license, and other accoutrements of modern life is a toady to
the system, and you're probably right. We're all in different stages of "coming
out." I'd like to submit, though, that some professions are worse than others, with
Exhibit A being myself. I work for a credit union. That's a bank, folks, only slightly
different in structure.
Now you can't get any more into the system than a bank -- in fact the bankers (the big
ones, I mean) ARE the system!
I've had several other jobs in my life, few if any of which are really honoring to God.
I've been a reporter, an auto repossessor, and an Amway salesman. There's probably a
special room in hell just for people like me.
Do I want to get out? Of course I do! But remember the example of the prophet Joseph.
Ministry is full-time work and not without its expenses, and Joseph was deep in debt
(uh-oh -- he was in the system!) so he ran a general store (that's honorable work, I
guess.) He was also a banker (The Kirtland Safety Society became an 'anti-banking company'
only after the State of Ohio refused the saints a banking charter), a voluntary bankrupt,
and a politician. Oh, and he edited a newspaper!
So let's see:
--Banker
--Merchant
--Politician
--Media Magnate
Hmm. Could be Ted Turner or Dan Quayle or David Rockefeller.
But no. He was a prophet of God.
