Benefits of Watermelon Juice


Benefits of Watermelon Juice


Watermelon, also known as a pin, watermelon contains vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium among other minerals. In addition, it is rich in lycopene and beta carotene. It is the fruit that contains more water (93%), so it's caloric value is very low, just 20 calories per 100 grams.
The natural juices are a tasty and refreshing way to enjoy the fruit, although it should not replace the integral consumption of this since they concentrate a large amount of sugar and hardly retain fiber. Orange juice is perhaps the most famous of the juices, present in breakfasts and snacks in a traditional way. It is the citrus fruits in general that best lend themselves to being squeezed to extract their juices.



How to make watermelon juice

Before extracting watermelon juice, we recommend that you clean the skin to remove traces of dirt, chemicals or wax. For this, you can rub the peel with a brush and apple cider vinegar. To obtain the watermelon juice you have several options: on the one hand, you can use a blender in which you are introducing the pieces of watermelon with a little pulp even to take advantage of the nutrients. But you can also extract the watermelon juice directly from the fruit, using the rods of a blender.

But there are many other fruits that we can taste this way although perhaps a priori we can not think of it. This is the case of the watermelon juice that today we propose both for its flavor and for its health benefits:


1. Anticancer freshness

This fruit of red pulp and a thick green skin is rich in lycopene (the vegetable pigment that gives it the color red), a carotenoid known for its antioxidant capacity. This compound plays an active role in fighting various cancers such as breast, prostate, uterus, and lung by protecting the cells against free radical damage.


2. Beneficial for the circulatory system 

  


Watermelon contains a considerable amount of citrulline, an amino acid that in our body is converted into arginine, essential amino acid to improve blood flow and circulation through the vessels. This has a positive effect when it comes to controlling tension in times of stress, as well as to replenish the muscles after exercise, for example.


3. For muscle pain

Does exercising leave you in pain? Drinking watermelon juice could be the natural remedy you need to combat the discomforts, according to a study from the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, in Colombia. The authors of the research attribute the aforementioned effect to an amino acid present in the fruit, L-citrulline.


4. Vitamins and minerals

Watermelon contains mainly vitamin C, but also beta-carotene (which the body uses to make vitamin A) and vitamins of group B. In addition, as for minerals, including potassium and magnesium, in the pulp, and iron and zinc, in the seeds.


5. Anti-inflammatory

Some studies consider that the content of watermelon juice in carotenoids, flavonoids, and triterpenoids has an anti-inflammatory effect, which makes this fruit an ideal food to consume before exercise. The riper the watermelons are, the greater these effects will be.


6. Antioxidant

Watermelon contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that brings various benefits to our body. On the one hand, it protects against the action of free radicals at the cardiovascular level, which results in a lower incidence of heart disease. This antioxidant also protects the skin from the damage of UV rays, which means prevention of wrinkles, sunspots and, ultimately, skin cancer.


7. A friend of the skin

The secret of a radiant and hydrated skin could be in the watermelon, its high content of lycopene, vitamin A and C make it a fruit that can do wonders. In addition, thanks to the antioxidant power of lycopene and since most of the content of watermelon is essentially water and fiber is excellent protection against UV rays.




Clean the skin
Cut a piece of watermelon, extract the juice and apply it on the face for fifteen minutes. Wash with hot water and then with cold water, it will leave your skin clean and fresh.

Close the pores
If you want to close the open pores, mix watermelon juice with crushed mint leaves; Freeze the mixture in a bucket and rub the ice cubes on your skin, it will help close your pores and it will have a refreshing and soothing effect on the skin.

Exfoliate the skin
Crush the contents of a cup with watermelon and apply it on the face to stretch the skin, let it act for ten minutes and rinse with warm water to help exfoliate your skin surface. For better results mix the watermelon with yogurt if you have oily skin or banana if your skin is dry.

Natural Tonic
To prepare a natural tonic, combine watermelon juice with honey and apply it to dry skin; instead, if you have oily skin, add a cup of watermelon juice with two tablespoons of witch hazel and rub on the skin of the face with a cotton ball.

Smooth and Smooth Skin
Mix the watermelon and cucumber pulp equally and apply it to the face and neck. Leave on for twenty minutes and rinse; This mixture is useful to treat sunburns in the summer.



8. Good for the kidneys

Drinking watermelon juice has a purifying effect that helps eliminate ammonia and uric acid from the body. It is even advisable in cases of kidney stones.
  • Its high lycopene content makes it really a great source of antioxidants.
  • They have a high content of magnesium and zinc.
  • The body is drained.
  • Eliminate toxins harmful and dangerous to the body.
  • Helps to eliminate infections in the urinary tract.
  • Its main function is to clean the kidneys.
  • Watermelon seeds are effective against intestinal parasites.
  • Watermelon seeds contain Vitamin B complex.

9. Weight loss 

Studies with animals have shown that arginine (which our body manufactures with the help of citrulline) interferes with the accumulation of fats. In addition, consuming watermelon juice favors the hydration of the body without providing only calories and a number of important nutrients, which is interesting in weight loss diets. 



Despite its sweet taste, watermelon has a low energy density, that is, a large amount of water that allows you to eat large portions without consuming many calories. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that L-arginine accelerates metabolism and promotes fat loss.


10. It's Good for the Heart

Watermelon is a natural source of L-citrulline, a compound that significantly influences cardiovascular health and is transformed into L-arginine, an amino acid that helps the production of nitric oxide, essential for maintaining the elasticity of arteries and blood vessels (University of Texas A & M).
The intake of watermelon improves blood circulation. In fact, a study carried out by researchers belonging to the University of Texas A & M, concluded that watermelon has very positive effects to combat impotence.


Bhimu Patil, director of the Center for Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables of the University of Texas said that "watermelon is a source of nutrients with an effect similar to viagra, it has stimulating effects on blood vessels and in the libido."

This help present in watermelon is due in large part to arginine, which leads to increased libido, thus reducing frigidity.


11. Reduce Blood Pressure


A daily dose of watermelon juice may be enough to lower blood pressure, a study from Florida State University in Tallahassee showed and published in the American Journal of Hypertension in 2011. Researchers emphasize that watermelon is a fruit functional with vasodilator effects that increase the synthesis of nitric oxide, with the consequent decrease in blood pressure.


12. Forget about the viagra, eat watermelon

A slice of watermelon could have effects similar to those of Viagra, a drug to counteract erectile dysfunction, and could even increase libido, according to an investigation by the University of Texas A & M. He says that the phytonutrients (lycopene, beta-carotene, and L-citrulline) that it contains have the virtue of relaxing blood vessels and fighting impotence.


13. Acts as a diuretic

If you have problems in the kidneys, urinary tract, prostate, or fluid retention, watermelon is an ideal natural diuretic for the elimination of toxins and increase the secretion of urine by the kidneys. Its high fiber content also favors the cleaning of the intestines and the correct functioning of the digestive system. It is advisable to strengthen the immune system.


14. Against the Metabolic syndrome

Drinking watermelon juice, especially if the rind or skin is also ground, can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome by improving blood sugar levels and fat dysfunction associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The thick Watermelon peel green veined is what most lycopene contains (University of Texas A & M).


15. It's Good for the Eyes

Watermelon is a wonderful source of beta carotene which turns the body into vitamin A. This vitamin helps produce pigments in the retina of the eye and protects against age-related macular degeneration. A study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology details that the consumption of three servings a day decreases the risk of suffering from this disease.




The high levels of vitamin A that watermelon brings to our body will improve your optimal health, helping the development of pigments in the retina of your eyes.

In addition, vitamin A helps protect you against macular degeneration and night blindness. Likewise, lutein and zeaxanthin will act as powerful protectors.

In this way, do not forget that to notice these changes, you must eat the fruit for long periods of time.




16.Better functioning of body insulin

When suffering from a disease such as a type 2 diabetes, our body begins to stop producing insulin, which leads to problems related to cell production.

As a result, the level of glucose and blood sugar becomes something difficult to regulate in our body.

Now, if we fall into the habit of consuming watermelon, we can make the creation of insulin easier thanks to the arginine contained in this fruit. Several studies have already shown this.

Therefore, if you suffer from diabetes, do not forget to add a portion of watermelon daily to your diet.


Home Made Drinks for Stomach Pain



Home Made Drinks for Stomach Pain


Some excellent home remedies for stomach pain are eating lettuce leaves or eating a piece of raw potato, since these foods possess properties that calm the stomach, relieving pain quickly.

These natural remedies can be consumed by people of all ages, including pregnant women, as they do not have any type of medical contraindication. However, if the symptoms persist it is important to make a consultation with the Gastroenteritis, to identify the cause of the problem and initiate the appropriate treatment. Drinking mint tea, mallow or melon seeds can be useful to relieve the discomfort caused by pain or the burning sensation in the stomach, because they have soothing properties that act on the digestive system, decreasing pain.

While the individual has pain and burning in the stomach, a light diet based on cooked vegetables and low-fat meats is recommended. If the individual can not eat anything, it is recommended to drink coconut water and go ingesting all cooked foods according to tolerance, until it is restored.


1. Raw potato juice

Raw potato juice is an excellent natural option to neutralize the acidity of the stomach, relieving the symptoms of heartburn and pain in the stomach.





Ingredients:

  • 1 raw potato
Preparation mode

Grate the potato and squeeze it into a clean cloth until all the juice comes out and then drink it. This home remedy can be taken daily, several times a day and has no contraindications.


2. Lettuce leaves tea

A good home remedy for stomach pain is to drink lettuce tea every day, thanks to its leaves are a natural antacid.

Ingredients:
  • 80 g of lettuce
  • 1 liter of water
Preparation mode

To prepare this tea, gather all the ingredients in a pot and let it boil for about 5 minutes, then let it sit covered for 10 minutes, then it should be strained. This tea can be drunk 4 times a day, both on an empty stomach and between meals.


3. Mugwort tea

Excellent home treatment for stomach pain is mugwort tea due to its digestive, soothing and diuretic properties.
 

Ingredients:
  • 10 to 15 leaves of mugwort;
  • 1 cup of boiling water
Preparation mode

Add the mugwort leaves in the cup of boiling water and allow to cool for 15 minutes, enough time to make the tea warm. Take a cup of tea 2 to 3 times per day.


4. Dandelion Tea

Dandelion tea is a good option for the stomach since it is anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and appetite stimulating.


Ingredients:
  • 1 spoonful of dried dandelion leaves
  • 1 cup of boiling water
Preparation mode

Place the ingredients in a cup, let stand for 10 minutes and drink to follow.

In addition to the options listed above you can also drink tea from Zacate, Filipendula ulmaria or Hops, there are other options that serve as home remedies and that can be used to treat pain.

Stomach pain can be caused by poor diet, emotional problems or the ingestion of any medication taken for several days, as in the case of anti-inflammatory, which is recommended to be taken with meals to reduce the chances of it appearing belly pain



5. Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea, scientifically named Mentha piperita L., has very effective antiseptic, soothing and analgesic properties in the treatment of stomach problems. The use of this home remedy, in addition to relieving pain in the stomach, decreases other symptoms of gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
  
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 tbsp. Minced Piperita mint leaves.
Preparation mode

You should boil the water and add the mint leaves in the bowl and cover it. The tea should remain covered for about 10 minutes and then it should be strained. Take this tea 3 times a day, right after meals.


6. Mauve Tea

An excellent natural remedy for stomach pain and heartburn is the Malva tea that has properties that act as soothing for the digestive system, being excellent for pain in the stomach, bad digestion, gastritis and other diseases of the digestive system.



Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped mauve leaves
  • 1 cup of water
Preparation mode

To prepare this home remedy it is enough to boil the water, add the Malva leaves in the container and cover it. The tea should remain covered for approximately 15 minutes, and then be strained. Take 1 cup of tea after the main meals.
For some cases, only the leaves are needed, in other instances only the flowers and in other situations, both parts of the mallow will be required. However, the way of preparation is the same.


Make sure you use the right ingredient for the infusion to be effective:

In a liter of water, boil 2 or 3 tablespoons of dried flowers and/or dry leaves for 5 minutes. Let stand for a couple of minutes and then strain.




The scientific name of the mallow is Malva Verticellata and it is a plant with a great number of medicinal properties.

Digestive properties

The mallow improves all the functioning of the digestive system. For these conditions infusions of mallow flowers are made:



  • Improves digestion
  • Calm gastritis
  • Avoid constipation
  • It is antidiarrheal
  • Calm reflux
  • Heal the ulcers
  • Mauve tea for weight loss has been shown to be very effective as it prevents constipation, promotes intestinal transit and eliminates fats.



Intake of infusions or preparations based on mallow flowers and leaves in the following cases is not recommended.

People with esophageal obstruction problems or similar pathologies, since their high mucilage content could increase their symptoms and worsen this condition.

People who have an intestinal obstruction, because this picture could be aggravated by the consumption of mallow. It is important that people with these types of problems consume an abundant amount of water in conjunction with the mallow.

Women who are pregnant or in the lactation stage, because although there have not been cases of problems caused by mallow in these cases, it has not been proven to be safe either. Due to this, its consumption is not recommended in any of its forms of preparation, to women who are in these situations.

People with appendicitis, since the consumption of mallow, can aggravate this inflammatory condition rapidly.




7. Tea of Melon Seeds

An excellent option to end stomach diseases is melon seed tea.
  
                        
Ingredients:
  • 1 tbsp melon seeds;
  • 1 glass of warm water
Preparation mode

Blend the ingredients and sweeten with 1 tablespoon of honey. Take 3 cups of this tea a day, preferably 30 minutes before meals.

Stomach pain and heartburn can be caused by stress and poor diet, among other causes. Discovering its cause is fundamental for the treatment of the disease, as well as following a diet low in sugars, fats and acidic foods such as orange, strawberry, fast food, tomato, and onion.



8. Baking soda and lemon

Baking soda is even better than any antacid. It is one of the home remedies for the oldest and most effective stomach pain, and thanks to its slight alkaline effect, it relieves heartburn and helps reduce gas formation, bloating and belching.

Although it seems contradictory, the gases released by the sodium bicarbonate help to eliminate the gases that are difficult to expel to the organism, due to slow digestion or a very copious meal. When combined with a little lemon, the sodium bicarbonate favors the balance of the lining of the stomach and the feeling of acidity.


Ingredients



  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Juice ½ lemon
  • 1 cup of water

Preparation

Just follow these steps!



  • Dilute the teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water.
  • Then, add the lemon juice and mix a little
  • Wait for the effervescence to pass and drink it.
  • Whenever the stomach ache is due to an excess of acidity this remedy comes as a ring to the finger, since it neutralizes the acidity instantly. However, it is important to emphasize that you should not exceed your consumption, because it can be harmful.




Rice water


Rice water is one of the most popular stomach pain remedies among moms to relieve stomach upset in children. It is a drink of light consistency and high nutritional value (fiber, vitamins, antioxidants) that helps improve digestion, and protects the lining of the stomach.




Its digestive effect is due to the starch that has the rice, which has an astringent effect on the intestinal mucosa. This reduces the expulsion of fluid and hardens the bowel movements, which is why it is especially useful for relieving stomach pain accompanied by diarrhea, heartburn and intestinal cramps. It is also a good remedy for diarrhea and all kinds of stomach upsets.

Ingredients
  • ½ cup of rice
  • 6 cups of water
Preparation

To make the rice water, put the following steps into practice:
  • Put a casserole of water to boil. Meanwhile, wash the rice quickly.
  • Pour half a cup of rice and let it boil for 15 minutes over low heat.
  • Once the rice is soft, pass the liquid through a sieve and let it cool.
  • Sweeten with a little honey and drink it.
Remember to take it quickly before it gets cold. You can repeat this remedy twice a day.



Chamomile is a herb widely used as a home remedy to treat many ailments, and one of them is stomach pain. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and carminative properties, chamomile tea relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract, decreases swelling, and provides relief. It also helps to mitigate gas and nausea.


So whenever you have stomach upset due to indigestion, gas accumulation or a lot of stress, chamomile tea is one of the stomach pain remedies that you can not stop trying.

Treatment for Stomach Pain
For the treatment of stomach pain it is advised:


  • Do not consume alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
  • Follow a diet rich in vegetables, non-citrus fruits, vegetables, and cooked low-fat meats.
  • Take medication for stomach pain under doctor's instructions.
  • Perform some type of physical activity regularly.
  • As some possible causes of stomach pain are gastritis, poor nutrition, nervousness, anxiety, stress, the presence of H. pylori in the stomach or bulimia, all these situations must be properly evaluated by the doctor and treated to help combat stomach pain.
  • 3 Teas to relieve stomach pain faster.


Foods with No Carbs and No Sugar


A list of healthy foods with no carbs and no sugar

Nowadays many people are looking to lose weight and get healthy.
 
Junk foods are high in processed carbohydrates and refined sugars. These have been proven cause inflammation throughout the body.
 
Over time this can lead to a great range of illnesses such as diabetes, weight gain, obesity, arthritis, eye disorders, heart attacks, strokes and many more.
 
In today's video we will share with you a list of the top 16 healthy foods which contain very low carbs and sugars. 

Eating these in place of junk food will bring in lots of nutrients to your body and allow it to heal naturally. 
 
Let's take a look at some of these foods.
 
1. Kale
 
Kale is one of the most nutrient dense superfoods on the planet. This is a leafy green vegetable which helps to lower inflammation and provide energy and nutrients. It contains no carbohydrates only healthy forms of fibre. 
 
2. Eggs
 
Eggs contain all the building blocks of life yet have no carbs or sugars within them. They are rich in proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals which help the body's cells to heal and grow. 

3. Pecan Nuts

These contain a very low amount of net carbs, and contain a high amount of fibre. These provide minerals which heal the thyroid gland and are an excellent source of omega 3.
 
4. Cheese
 
Cheese is one of the healthiest sources of fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, E, D and K2. This helps calcium to be absorbed into the bones, teeth and nails.  It also contains healthy fatty acids and proteins which improve the health of the brain. 
 
5. Chicken
 
Chicken is a lean white meat which is rich in iron, protein, calcium, potassium and B vitamins. This supports the health of the heart and increases serotonin in the brain to ward off depression. Meat sources contain 0 carbohydrates or sugar. 
 
6. Butter
 
Another low carb food which is rich in natural fats. Pure butter that has not been blended with vegetable oil is one of the best sources of Vitamin A to protect your eyes, skin and hair. The calcium in butter also strengthens bones and is very bioavailable.
 
7. Beef
 
A healthy red meat containing a rich source of vitamin B12. Beef is excellent in the development of healthy muscles and provides energy. Like chicken and other meats, this contains no carbs or sugar. 
 
8. Salmon
 
Like other fish, this is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which heal the body internally, especially when trying to lose weight. Eating fish improves the health of the central nervous system and contains no carbs or sugar.
 
9. Coconut Oil
 
This is a healthy oil which provides an excellent source of natural fats. This contains no sugars or carbs yet provides an alternative fuel for the body. This helps you to achieve strong mental focus and a healthy overall body.  When cooking delicious meals, replace the vegetable oils for extra virgin coconut oil to maximise your health.
 
10. Green Tea

Green tea contains no carbs or sugar yet is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet. It contains a substance known as chlorophyll which is rich in antioxidants. These heal the body internally at the cellular level, helping you to lose weight and lower inflammation.
 
11. Watermelon
 
Watermelon contains an extremely low amount of carbohydrates and natural sugars. It is rich fibre and minerals which help to flush the digestive system and keep the colon healthy. Eating this fruit is an excellent alternative to junk foods such as cookies, bread, biscuit, pasta, or waffles.
 
12. Cauliflower
 
This healthy vegetable is well known for its anti-inflammatory effects due to its concentration of antioxidants. It contains two groups of antioxidants which have been scientifically shown to slow the growth of cancer cells. 
 
13. Blackberries
 
All fruits contain a small amount of sugars, however berries contain the lowest amount.  Blackberries and strawberries contain pigments which help in healing the body, and sharpening the brain. 
 
14. Xylitol
 
This is a replacement for granulated sugar. Xylitol is a natural sweetener made from the wood of birch trees. This tastes sweet and exactly the same as sugar yet is not absorbed by the body. This does not trigger an insulin response and is therefore excellent when trying to lose weight.
 
15. Mint
 
Mint is one of the healthiest and tastiest natural herbs available. It contains a powerful compound called menthol which is anti-inflammatory and heals the body from within. It contains no sugars or carbohydrates and can be used in many dishes or drinks.
 
16. Turmeric

One of nature's most powerful natural healers. This spice can be used in cooking to boost the health of the body rapidly. This can work wonders for lowering blood pressure, aiding weight loss and curing depression and anxiety.  Be sure to add a little black pepper to help your body absorb the curcumin compound it contains. 
 
As you can see there are a great range of foods available which contain no sugar and no carbs. 

Most leafy green (cruciferous) vegetables can be eaten without concern, and contain the highest amount of plant based nutrients. These should be eaten raw, as once they are heated they lose some of their nutrients.

We recommend eating lots of kale, watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, spinach, beet tops and arugula.

It is important to be aware when following a low carb diet that many fruits contain a lot of fructose. This sugar can promote an insulin response which slows down weight loss.

When eating meat, try to look for high quality grass fed animals which have not been minced or processed. 

To learn more about nutrition and healthy foods, please see our other videos. 

Thank you very much for listening, a like is always appreciated and remember to subscribe and tap the bell for more healthy videos. I wish you great health, wealth and happiness.



Evidence Sixty: Joseph Smith vs. St. Augustine as Theologian”©

101 Reasons Why I Believe Joseph Smith Was a Prophet of God:

Evidence Sixty:
“Joseph Smith vs. St. Augustine as Theologian”

I don’t know a great deal about this yet, but apparently it has been coming to light among scholars of Christian history for some time that the early Western church, and subsequently the Protestant Reformation, were led down the garden path by a theologically inadequate St. Augustine! The great saint, “the father of Western Christianity,” imposed upon the early church two ideas that have become “fundamentals” of Christianity. They were the doctrines of predestination and original sin--that man had no choice in his own salvation and from birth man was sinful, evil, and depraved. These two doctrines have, for 1,500 years and more, influenced the thinking of the Western Christian world. The trouble is, scholars now find that Augustine was wrong on both counts. Here is an excerpt from an article recently published in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, by Terryl Givens on these points:
One of the great scholars of early Christianity [David Bentley Hart], has recently noted that the father of Western Christianity predicated his entire theological edifice on blatant, demonstrable errors of translation.  Not proficient in Greek, Augustine did not know that the proorizein of the New Testament should be rendered “to mark out in advance,” or as Mormons would say, “to foreordain,” not to predestine.7 As a consequence, Augustine vanquishes the efficacy of human agency and individual choice, in the face of a predestinating God of caprice, whim, and indefensible cruelty. This is the God fully embraced and taught by the great Reformers, a sovereign deity who damns and saves indiscriminately and independently of human efforts, choices, or desires. 
Augustine compounds the error by elaborating a pernicious dogma of original sin.  In David Bentley Hart’s analysis (which is, by the way, seconded in numerous sources), “only in the West did the idea arise that a newborn infant is somehow already guilty of transgression in God’s eyes,” because the Latin text Augustine relied upon “contained a mistranslation that suggested that “in’ Adam ‘all sinned.’”The actual Greek text,” he continues” says nothing of the sort.” So sin and depravity become the basis, the default, on which Western theology is constituted.(1)
How interesting, and the more so because Joseph Smith taught in the King Follett sermon that, “It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God....”(2) In the third Lecture on Faith he also taught that having “a correct idea”–and he emphasized the word “correct”– “the correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes,” was one of three things necessary for a disciple to possess in order to “exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.”(3) Alas, we are now learning from scholars of the world that St. Augustine had an erroneous intellectual conception of God based on faulty understanding and mistranslations. Nor did he possess personal knowledge of God’s character, perfections, and attributes based on revelation.

No wonder there was a need for a Restoration! And among the first things restored was a correct idea of the character, perfections and attributes of God, starting with the First Vision and continuing to the end of the Prophet’s life. That understanding was intertwined with a new understanding of theology that taught a doctrine of foreordination, but not predestination; a Fall, but not original sin and the depravity of man. Terryl Givens wrote: “Taken together, Joseph’s revelations restore a God wholly devoted to our fullest thriving who safeguards our agency at terrible cost, who sacrificed beyond imagining to bring us healing in his wings and guide us through this terrible but necessary mortal crucible.”(4)

Somehow, even against a man considered one of the greatest intellects of the Western world, Joseph Smith didn’t flinch.  He always seems to get religious things right. The contrast between Joseph and St. Augustine as theologians teaching about God is stark.  To me, this is not an insignificant evidence of his divine appointment as a Prophet of God.

Thank God for Joseph Smith!

Lets think together again, soon.

7 David Bentley Hart, The Story of Christianity: An Illustrated History of 2000 Years of the Christian Faith (New York: Quercus, 2012), 77.

Notes:

1.  Terryl L. Givens, “Heretics in Truth: Love, Faith, and Hope as the Foundation for Theology, Community, and Destiny,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 51, no. 4 (Winter 2018): 13-14, my bold emphasis added.

2.  Joseph Fielding Smith, comp., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1967, 345.

3.  The original publication of the Lectures on Faith was in the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.  See, “Lecture Third,” in Doctrine and Covenants, Kirtland, Ohio: F. G. Williams, 1835), 36.

4.  Givens, “Heretics in Truth,” 14.