Hugh NibleyApproaching Zion (The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol 9)

Having converted to the church in 2003, there is one thing I always had trouble with, I should say got into trouble for: bringing up the earlier teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. I realized that much of what was taught earlier had become taboo to the mainstream of the Church. I thought I was alone, for no one would answer my questions; then I found Hugh Nibley. This man, as stated by others, is THE scholar of Mormonism, and all else pale in comparison. This man’s influence has led me to pursue languages and scholarship on my own terms.Pertaining to this book, Approaching Zion, it is by far in my top three of Nibley books. Chapter three, “Zeal without Knowledge,” alone is worth purchasing the book. This chapter evinces that simply having zeal for what you believe can lead to disastrous results. Nibley aptly suggests that knowledge provides the clutch and brakes necessary to bridle one’s zeal. For me, this undoubtedly connected with section eleven of the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein Hyrum is told to obtain the word of the Lord first, meaning consume and study the scriptures, before he attempted to declare the gospel before the world. Nibley points out repeatedly that most members are not interested in cultivating their minds. Many students at BYU do not seek education for this purpose; instead, their first question when pursuing a college degree is “how much money can I make with it?”Another captivating chapter is “Work We Must, But The Lunch Is Free.” This chapter essentially defines, to an extent, the Lord’s definition of property rights. From the title of the chapter, it is clear that the Lord intents that all of his children have access to property for their own sustenance. This led me to investigate Alma chapter 35 on a much deeper level, and it shows that the competitive basis for acquiring property at the expense of the not so skilled is equivalent to the Nehor and Korihor doctrines in Alma chapters 1 and 30. The Lord’s economy is not based on invidious comparison that fuel an ire for crushing your economic opponent. Instead, it is based on need, which is also evident in the allotment of land given to each tribe of Israel in the Old Testament. The Lord does not dispense it based on who is more deserving but does so based on need: the larger tribe receives more land, the smaller tribe receives less.Aside from these highlights, the book is packed with important information that reveals why exactly the Saints under Joseph Smith failed to establish Zion in Jackson County: they refused to live up to the higher laws required of them by the Lord. Some may balk at this, but I suggest that you read about the “First Provocation” where the children of Israel, in like manner, refused to live up to higher laws given them at Mt. Sinai. For this, they received the Mosaic Law, which is a lesser law for little children. One of my favorite parts of the book is where Nibley analyzes the attitude of these earlier Saints. When asked to consecrate some of their property for the erection of a new temple, the members were adamant that they had nothing to spare: though many of them had hundreds of acres they were setting aside for their unborn children. To mollify the prophet, they would offer him a rundown cow or a lame horse. Nibley compares this with the free-will offering to the Lord in the Old Testament, which was supposed to be your very best. However, because of the meanness of spirit portrayed, these early saints, like the children of Israel who offered such dross offerings, received covenant curses and were driven out of Jackson country.There is so much more I could praise this book for, but I don’t want to take anything away from the potential feast of would-be readers. If you are looking for someone who takes a baseball bat to the façade of mainstream Mormonism, then Nibley’s “Approaching Zion” is the tour de force you are looking for.

One habit I have developed with reading that has helped me get through books, especially as things get over my head, is to keep going. While I do this, I still find myself gleaning positive ideas and principles from the book. In this book, the longest of books I have read, I found myself doing this quite often.Two of the most significant principles I have gleaned from this book are these:1) Man's greatest struggle is that of selfishly seeking after money. The foundation of this desire is to be free or, restated by Nibley, to avoid the crosses of the world. Nibley repeatedly expresses the foolishness of making money life's purpose or pursuit. He is a true advocate of the Law of Consecration where money is very secondary.2) Happiness is greatly measured on how active one's mind is; We are to constantly fill it with wholesome truth and allow it to feed our souls. Nibley has a clear love and value of seeking food for the soul and believes it to be one of life's greatest blessings.In addition to these, I was very impressed with the final chapter on the atonement. He was very clear with ideas that were enabling to my mind.Glad to have taken in much from this book.

Here is the entire big picture with all of the pieces of the puzzle, including the ones that most of the primary beneficiaries (read: direct descendants) of the policy holders have removed and burned in their mad quest to re-enter the gates and inhabit the great, spacious palaces of Mystery Babylon. If this precisely focused view of what has come among us doesn't awaken you to a sense of our awful situation it is because you either choose to remain asleep in denial or because you are secretly combined with those whom we have allowed to get above us, in which case you are getting the references and need no further explanation. If you get the references and are disturbed by the implications of the above comments, remember Joseph Smith's promise prophecy with regard to who should receive your loyalty when there is dissension in the ranking quorums. Be prepared and fear not.

Nibley puts the lie to the myth that one can both pursue wealth and be a "good" Christian at the same time. He directs his analysis to Mormon Christians in particular, calling them out for their extreme hypocrisy when it comes to matters of money. I strongly recommend this to all my fellow Mormon brothers and sisters who incorrectly equate material wealth with God's blessings. Nibley adroitly shows us how we're supposed to be working toward buiding the Kingdom of God or Zion, here in earth, which necessarily requires there to be "no poor and no rich." He shows us the ancient Hebrew word "mammon" really does mean, money, wealth, riches, business and greed. Therefore, when Christ tells us "ye cannot serve God and mammon" he's truly saying we've got to choose between the two worlds -- God's kingdom, where money is nothing, and Satan's, where money is king. Great read, very challenging. Don't buy it if you think you've already got it all figured out and you're living comfortably thinking the point of life is to acquire things.