My haters seem to ebb and flow. It seems every 6 months or so I seem to get “hate mail” from those who disagree with me. I’m a big boy, I can take it. Sometimes they are respectful and other times I’d like to send an attack drone to take them out. (My violent side) But I feel I need to address their “fears” (I think they fear everything!) I am not what they think I am. Although, I may be exactly what they think I am. It depends on how you see me. I know that it doesn’t seem, but I really can’t worry about how you readers (or anyone else) view me.
I’m a defender. I have experience with, and training in, violence. I will defend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints against all comers. I’ve been compared to DezNat and Danites. I’ve got not problem with that. The following is by “JP Bellum” who founded the DezNat hashtag.
“By J.P. Bellum
A user guide for the Faithful Latter-day Saint wading through Twitter and the purpose of #DezNat
Upon logging onto Twitter for the first time a faithful member of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ is faced with a world of decisions. You have almost direct access to anyone in the world provided they also have a Twitter account. You might follow some of your favorite sports teams, your favorite actors, maybe some political leaders you side with, and of course, you’d follow the official Twitter account of Russell M. Nelson, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then as you begin on this journey through social media you notice hashtags that fellow saints use to make their thoughts and opinions more accessible.
Twitter’s algorithm accounts for the tweets you “like” and retweet and begins to make suggestions for new people you could follow. You like being part of a worldwide community of Saints, so you follow them. But then you notice something: not all of the voices you hear online in the church are saying the same thing. Some are disagreeing, and even worse, some are attacking the church and its leaders. Politics has been infused with the religious and devotional conversation on Latter-day Saint Twitter. People are taking stances against the doctrine and the Brethren leading the church, and murmuring is creeping in everywhere. You think to yourself, “Is this what everyone else thinks? Am I alone in my devotion to the principles of the gospel? Why are those most vocal against the Church getting the most likes and retweets?” You are then faced with a choice: you either adjust your testimony to fit in with the great and spacious criticism of the church online or you give up on that part of social media forever as lost to the Enemy. To the faithful still on Twitter, you were the reinforcements that never arrived
I was at that very crossroads in August of 2018. Something had to be done or I had to leave Twitter. As is usually the case sometimes we have to look backward to go forward. Deseret was the answer. When the Saints fled Nauvoo and eventually found their way to the Salt Lake Valley, they established a government and political boundary. They called it Deseret and used the beehive as its symbol. Their bid to become a state was rejected multiple times and the name Utah was given to them. Deseret was what could have been if the federal government had left the church, lead by Brigham Young, to rule themselves. It was to be a safe haven for members of the church and fellow believers in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. All were welcome as long as they recognized God’s authority and were willing to work together to build the Kingdom of God. This was my inspiration to start a new hashtag that would be welcoming to all who were willing to build the kingdom and defend the church and its leaders online.
Before Twitter expanded the length of its tweets to 240 characters, hashtags had to be compact and succinct. Deseret Nation was shortened to “Dez,” as we all pronounce the “s” in Deseret as a “z,” and “Nat” for Nation. I was proud of my own pioneer heritage and wanted to honor them building a civilization in a difficult part of the national geography just as those who use the tag today are building an online community in a very hostile environment. So, in August 2018, I began simply by sharing quotes, scriptures, pictures, and opinions supportive of the church, its leaders, and the Family Proclamation. It started slow, but as more and more noticed that I was supportive of the church and not backing down from defending it, #DezNat started to catch on and I was noticed not only by other faithful members but by some of the Church’s largest detractors.
#DezNat may not be to everyone’s taste. Those who use the hashtag can be combative, rude, crass, aggressive, even mean. However, one thing you will never have to worry about with #DezNat is that when the prophet speaks, we listen, and when he directs, we obey. We’ve been called Danites (this topic deserves its own blog post) and worse, but the truth of the matter is if we were asked to cease, we would do so immediately. There are many ways to use the tag. I still post quotes and scriptures that have fortified my faith and strengthened my testimony and I invite all who want to use the tag to support the Church and the Brethren to use it to share their faith on Twitter and elsewhere.
More than anything, #DezNat is a banner waving in the midst of a battle. The battlefield is Twitter and beyond and #DezNat was created for the purpose of being a rallying point and a symbol to the faithful and unapologetic and for those who are firm in the faith and are still out there fighting for what we believe to be right.
#DezNat is not a movement, it is not political (especially not alt-right), racial, national, or sexual. It is simply a hashtag used by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are unapologetic about their belief in the restored Gospel, Christ as our Savior, Joseph Smith as the prophet of the Restoration, and Russell M Nelson as God’s current prophet, seer, and revelator on the earth today.
- We do not agitate for change within the Church but anxiously seek to submit our wills to that of the Lord — as revealed through His proper channels and authorities.
- We believe in and support The Family: A Proclamation to the World and recognize the family as the foundation of both earthly and celestial civilization.
- We are not limited by a one-dimensional, overly simplistic view of a Christ who teaches that only unconditional acceptance is true love. We know that Christ was both the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the “meek and lowly lamb” of the New. When He returns, we will see and know Him in all His power and glory.
- Those who use the hashtag will and do vary in our personalities, countries of origin, views of the world, family situations, goals, and ambitions — and we all gladly place any other desire or belief at the feet of the Lord.
While the questions, conditions, and problems of the world may be myriad, our response is simple — we follow the prophet.”
On August 23, 2021 an Apostle, Elder Jeffery R Holland, gave a devotional at BYU Provo. He spoke about how BYU has changed and how it needs to be. I believe because of some members and non-members, BYU has had this change come about. Because liberal, or extreme left, ideologies have crept into this school, it is no longer what it used to be. BYU doesn’t always uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is in some areas with some professors and students. I believe it should be rooted out, and I believe Elder Holland agrees. This talk was very controversial. Many members (my guess is progmos and other left leaners) had a real problem with it. I believe Elder Holland wanted a change at BYU. He defended the gospel tirelessly. Detractors of the gospel already have hit Elder Holland and his “militant” attitudes. In the words of WWII General Anthony McAuliffe “Nuts!”
I’m not concerned about detractors and progressive members of the church opinions. They would call me a militant Mormon, violent, and inflexible. I would agree with them. Not really though I’m not militant or violent unless I have to be. Inflexible? Maybe. But be that as it may, these are the same people who howled about Elder Gilbert being called as an Apostle because he was the one who straightened out some of the failed BYU policies that Elder Holland talked about in his talk. These are also the ones who think letting sisters be Sunday School Presidencies is a step toward giving sisters the priesthood. Yea, I know who they are. I’m sure they follow Kate Kelly on “X” and have a lifetime subscription to the Salt Lake Tribune. I guess what I’m trying to say is “Bring it the heck on!” I’m not skeered of any buffoon that thinks they can attack the church’s policies and doctrines. I’m certainly not scared of anyone who wants to attack the church physically. “Bring that on too!” I think that persecution of the church will get worse and being prepared is essential.
So, my haters can hate, and the church’s enemies can suck it! Members of the church should take heed, prepare and train. It will benefit you in many ways.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
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