A Joyful Resurrection Requires
 Baptism and getting W.E.T. 
by Matt Moody 

"On Easter, we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced -- to say nothing of our resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins. That victory is available to us because of events that transpired on a weekend like this, two millennia ago in Jerusalem...

"That first Easter sequence of Atonement and Resurrection constitutes the most consequential moment, the most generous gift, the most excruciating pain, and the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever in the history of the world. Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death so that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and lift us to eternal life."
~ Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2015

Christ's suffering in Gethsemane, His death at Calvary, and His glorious Resurrection all happened to bring to pass God's work and glory: Our immortality and eternal life, to include our Resurrection. In the gospel of John, here's what Jesus said about Mankind's Resurrection:

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which
all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto
the resurrection of damnation."
(John 5:28-29)

If we will live worthy of the Resurrection of Life, and avoid the Resurrection of Damnation, we need to pay attention to 3 points of Gospel Living. We must watch our:

Words: Speaking Godly and Kind WORDS, avoiding Bitter, Corrupt Communications
Emotions: Feeling Loving EMOTIONS, avoiding Hostile Antagonism of Anger
Thoughts: Looking to Christ in Every THOUGHT and Praying Always

You can remember these 3 points with an Acronym associated with Baptism: To enter the Kingdom of God, we must be Baptized, and being Baptized means getting W.E.T.

Speaking Kind and Godly WORDS of Purpose and Value

The Savior taught:

"Every idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and
by thy words thou shalt be condemned"
(Matt. 12:36-37).

Idle words ... are words with no point, no purpose, nor lasting value. The Apostle James taught:

"Behold the ships, though they be great are turned about by a very small helm... Even so
the tongue is a small member... Like a small spark sets a great forest on fire!
And the tongue is a fire... With the tongue we bless our Lord,
and with it we curse men... Out of the same mouth
proceeds blessing and cursing...
these things ought not to be...

"Does a spring send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter?
Can the fig tree bear olive berries? ... Neither can a salt spring yield sweet water.
For where strife is, there is confusion and evil of every kind...
But the wisdom that is from above is peaceable,
gentle, open to reason, full of mercy,
without partiality and hypocrisy."
(James 3:5-17)

In Proverbs, King Solomon says:

"Meddle not with a babbling talebearer: a gossiper who reveals secrets.
The words of a slanderer are as self-inflicted wounds,
for they come from a dark heart.
Where no wood is, there the fire goes out:
so where there is no gossiper, contention and slander cease."
(Proverbs 26:17-22)

In 1986 April Conference, three decades ago, Apostle Dallin H. Oaks said this about Words:

"Vulgar expressions are
offensive to the Spirit of God.
'A wholesome tongue is a tree of life:
but perverseness is a breach in the spirit' (Proverbs 15:4)
Those who speak profane and vulgar words inevitably relinquish
the companionship of the Holy Ghost..."

Profane Words ... are worldly words and NOT Godly words. The Apostle Paul cautioned Christians to avoid "profane" words:

"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they
will increase unto more ungodliness."
(2 Tim. 2:16)

Another teaching by Paul warns us to watch our words, and also advises to avoid dark and bitter emotions. Paul preached:

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, And grieve not
the holy Spirit of God ... Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice."
(Ephesian 4:29-31)

Bitterness, Wrath, Anger, and Malice -- all these are emotions we must PUT AWAY if we will live worthy of a Joyful, Celestial Resurrection.

Feeling Loving and Kind EMOTIONS and Putting Away Anger

Concerning the Emotion of "Anger," the Resurrected Christ taught the Nephites:

"Ye have heard it said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill ...
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry
shall be in danger of the judgment."
(3 Nephi 12:21-22)

The parallel verse in the King James Bible reads this way: "That whosoever is angry WITHOUT A CAUSE shall be in danger of the judgment." But the phrase "without a cause" was NOT spoken by the Savior to the Nephites, and the phrase "without a cause" is also absent from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.

There are 5,735 ancient manuscripts of all or part of the New Testament: all of which are copies because the Original Manuscripts no longer exist. Professor of Ancient Scripture, Daniel K. Judd, confirms that the very earliest manuscript of Matthew 5:22 is dated 125 A.D., and that text does not include the phrase "without a cause." Whereas, manuscripts that include the phrase "without a cause" are dated from the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D. -- which means that phrase "without a cause" was added by someone other than the original author, the Apostle Matthew.

At Biblehub.com the phrase WITHOUT A CAUSE is omitted in 16 of 25 Bible Translations. And the reason is clear: Because in the oldest and most accurate copies of New Testament Greek text, there are No Greek Words from which to translate the English phrase "without a cause."

In the 1830's when Joseph Smith was working on the Inspired Translation of the Bible, he did not have access to any ancient manuscripts of the New Testament -- and even if the did, Joseph Smith couldn't read Greek. But centuries later, the very earliest New Testament text of Matthew 5:22 has proven Joseph Smith correct in omitting the phrase: "without a cause."

What all this means it that there is NO "cause" (or justification) for us to become angry; it means that Christ is inviting His followers to eliminate anger from their lives.

Another New Testament passage that Joseph Smith corrected is in Ephesians 4:26, where Paul seems to encourage becoming anger, but doing it is a way that is not sinful. The King James Bible reads:

"Be ye angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."

In contrast, the Joseph Smith Translation of Ephesians 4:26 reads:

"Can ye be angry, and not sin? Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."

In a 2009 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson answers this question raised by Paul:

"I ask, is it possible to feel the Spirit of our Heavenly Father when we are angry?
I know of no instance where such would be the case... To be angry is to yield
to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice.
If we desire to have a proper spirit with us at all times, we must
refrain from becoming angry. I testify that such is possible.
Anger, Satan's tool, is destructive in so many ways."

The common rebuttal to these clear admonitions is, that Jesus was allegedly angry when he drove the money changers out of the Temple, and we are to follow the example of Jesus! But the New Testament does not describe Jesus as being angry when cleansing the Temple.

Fact is, there is the only one instance in the New Testament where "anger" is attributed to Jesus. Mark chapter 3 verses 1 thru 5 reads:

"Jesus entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a
withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath
day; that they might accuse him. And Jesus said unto the man which
had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he said unto them,
Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or
to do evil? ... But they held their peace.

"And when Jesus had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for
the hardness of their hearts, He said unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand.
And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other."
(Mark 3:1-5)

Confusion about the Lord's Anger is clarified when we examine the original Greek Text of the New Testament. The Greek word used to represent what Jesus was feeling is Orge, (Or-gay), which means: "swelling up to constitutionally oppose" and "a passionate feeling against sin." The noun "Or-gay" comes from the Greek Verb "Orgizo" (Or-gid'-zo) meaning "to teem, to swell." The word "teem" means "to bring forth" or "to be full."

The very verse in Mark 3:5 echoes the Greek definition of "Orge" thus: "Jesus ... looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts" -- meaning, Jesus had a controlled, passionate feeling in opposition to sin: "the hardness of their hearts."

There are at least three Greek Words for Anger:

1) Orge, (or-gay): swelling up to constitutionally oppose, and a passionate feeling against sin.

2) Thumos, (thoo-mos): Getting heated up, breathing violently, rage.
In Eph. 4:31 this is one of the emotions that the Apostle Paul says to "put away" or remove along with "orge."

3) Cholao (khol-ah'-o): bitter anger, mad, even violent.
In John 7:23 Christ cited this emotion to describe His accusers, when he healed the man with a withered hand.

Because "orge" is the Greek word used to express Christ's emotions immediately before healing the man with a withered hand, we know that Christ did not experience the heated outburst of Thumos. Again, within moments of feeling "grieved for the hardness of their hearts," he healed the man with a withered hand. The Greek word for "grieved" is "sullupeo" (sool-loop-eh'-o) which means "moved to grief by sympathy."

In Mark 3:5 the mention of "being grieved" softens the harsh impression that the word "anger" tends to imply; thus, Christ's "passionate opposition to sin" is within a context of feeling emotional sympathy for hard-hearted sinners.

Grief = means, a deep feeling of distress due to death, suffering, or disaster. To repeat, Christ's sympathetic grieving was for "the hardness of their hearts" (spiritual disaster).

Here are words which characterize what Christ was "feeling" when he healed the man with a withered hand on the sabbath day:

                  *  Swelling passion in opposition to sin (orge),
                  *  Grieving for the hardness of their hearts,
                  *  Moved to grief by sympathy for sinners.

Hence the Greek word "orge" represents an emotion very different from contemporary definitions of "anger" in the English language. So whenever we read the English word "anger" in the Bible, we can easily get an incorrect impression of how God the Father and His Son "feel" and "perceive" when they passionately oppose sinful thoughts, words, and deeds.

But the Bible is crystal clear that all humanity is advised "put away" (Eph. 4:31) every form of anger: orge, thumos, and cholao. And even the mildest and "controlled" form of anger, "orge," is something the Bible advises against for at least four reasons:

1) Mortal man is not capable of making perfect judgments, and all "anger" begins with a Judgment; so when mortal judgments and perception are wrong, then the anger that comes with it, is wrong!

2) Certain actions are God's prerogative and stewardship and not ours. For example, Christ commands His saints thus:

"I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgives not his brother his
trespasses stands condemned before the Lord; for there remains in him the greater sin.
I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive,
but of you it is required to forgive all men. And ye ought to
say in your hearts--let God judge between me and thee."
(D&C 64:9-11)

Christ has commanded that we must "forgive all men." In contrast, because it is His divine stewardship to Judge all mankind, God will perfectly judge as He will -- and He will "forgive whom [He] will forgive."

3) Judgment and Vengeance are the Lord's. A scripture from the Book of Mormon explains:

"Behold what the scripture says -- man shall not smite, neither shall he judge;
for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay."
(Mormon 8:20)

4) Christ has admonished us to Love our enemies, to do good to them, pray for them, and bless them. Jerome, a fourth-century Catholic priest, scholar, and translator of the Latin Vulgate Bible, reasoned:

"In some codices [new testament manuscripts] 'without cause' is added; however in the authentic codices the statement is unqualified and anger is completely forbidden, for if we are commanded to pray for those who persecute us, every occasion for anger is eliminated. 'Without cause' then should be deleted, since the anger of man does not work the justice of God."

In a 1980 Ensign article entitled "The Case Against Anger," the following is said about anger:

"Anger is the result of sin... Anger itself is sin... Anger causes sin."

The fact that mortal man's "anger causes sin," is something that Thomas S. Monson reinforced in his 2009 Conference talk, "School Thy Feelings. O My Brother." President Monson said:

"Recently as I watched the news on television, I realized that many of the lead
stories were similar in nature in that the tragedies reported all basically
traced back to one emotion: anger. The father of an infant had been
arrested for physical abuse... A report of growing gang violence
with the number of gang-related killings rising sharply...
Another story involved the shooting... by an estranged spouse...
Then, of course, there was the usual coverage of wars & conflicts
throughout the world... I thought of the words of the Psalmist:
'Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.' (Psalm 37:8)"

Looking to Christ in Every THOUGHT and Praying Always

Angry actions will not arise in us as we purify our Thoughts. Jesus taught:

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:36)

The Savior said, "every thought" ... Truth is, if every thought we think were centered upon Christ, it would be impossible for anger to arise in us; nor would worldly and vulgar words ever be spoken. Expressing the teachings of Mormon, his son Moroni records:

"Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good;
neither will he give a good gift. For behold, a bitter fountain cannot
bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water;
wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ;
and if he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil."
(Moroni 7:10-11)

In a teaching parallel to "Looking to Christ in every thought," the Lord taught His followers to "pray always." In fact, the admonition to "pray always" is repeated 20 times in the scriptures. Here are three examples:

"What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one
have power in you" (D&C 93:29) ... "Pray always, lest you enter into temptation
and lose your reward" (D&C 31:12) ... I say unto you that ye must pray always,
and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing ... save in the first place
ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that He will
consecrate thy performance ... for the welfare of thy soul."
(2 Nephi 32:9)

But how is it possible to Pray Always? In the 34th Chapter of Alma, Amulek explains:

"Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening... Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in ... your secret places, and in your wilderness...

"Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you."
(Alma 34:21-27)

Thus, we should "let [our] hearts be full, drawn out in prayer." This is called having a "Prayer in our Hearts" or an "Attitude of Prayer." Looking to Christ is every thought, means total consecration of ever fiber of our being.

The first and great Commandment is this:

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,
and with all thy strength: this
is the first commandment."
(Mark 12:30)

Total consecration of Heart and Mind have parallels to ever-feeling loving and kind emotions, as well as pure and Christ-centered thoughts. And when are Heart is right with the Lord, "wholesome words" (1 Tim. 6:3-5) will follow:

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart
brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the
evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil:
for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."
(Luke 6:45)

To become worthy of a joyful, Celestial resurrection, and to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven we must be baptized, and when we are baptized we must get W.E.T. To fully live Christ's New Covenant -- a covenant that fulfills and go beyond the Law of Moses -- We must watch our:

Words: Speaking Godly and Kind WORDS, avoiding Bitter, Corrupt Communications
Emotions: Feeling Loving EMOTIONS, avoiding Hostile Antagonism of Anger
Thoughts: Looking to Christ in Every THOUGHT and Praying Always

King Benjamin gave a similar admonition of warning in 124 B.C.

"And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin;
for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.
But this much I can tell you, that
if ye do not watch yourselves,
and your thoughts,
and your words,
and your deeds,
and observe the commandments of God, and continue in
the faith of what ye have heard concerning ... our Lord,
even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish.
And now, O man, remember, and perish not."
(Mosiah 4:29-30)

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

* * * * *

Additional Thoughts

Definition of Anger in the 1828 Dictionary:

ANGER, noun. Latin angere (Ahn-gah-air), to choke strangle, to squeeze, make narrow. A violent passion ... excited by a real or supposed injury; usually accompanied with a propensity to take vengeance... with a desire to scold the offender.

Anger is also excited by an injury offered to a relation or friend... and some degrees of anger may be excited by cruelty, injustice or oppression... Anger may be inflamed till it rises to rage and a temporary delirium.

Definition of Anger from a 2017 Dictionary:

Anger: a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostile antagonism

Origin and Etymology of anger:
Old Norse, "angra" meaning grief (parallel to the Greek word Orge)
Latin angere (Ahn-gah-air) meaning "to strangle" (parallel to the Greek word Cholao)

First Used in the English Language in the 14th century. Anger Synonyms in 2017:
ire, rage, fury, wrath -- an intense emotional state induced by displeasure.

* * * *

According to the 1980 Ensign article, "The Case Against Anger," the Anger of the Natural Man is defined in at least 4 ways:

        1) Anger is the result of sin; anger itself is sin; anger causes more sin.
        2) Anger originates from an unrighteous judgment. 
        3) Anger is expressed to manipulate and control the behavior of others. 
        4) Anger is selfishly motivated. 

Sometimes those who want to justify anger, they will cite D&C 121:43:
"reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost."

Here's the problem with that faulty justification: The Revelation of D&C section 121 was given in 1839. And in the 1828 Wester's Dictionary, the word "sharpness" is defined thus:

SHARPNESS, noun
1. Keenness of an edge or penetrating point.
2. Not obtuse.

Obtuse means: Annoyingly insensitive and slow to understand; therefore "reproving with sharpness" includes being pleasingly sensitive and quick to understand.

Inspired reproof is also given "betimes." In the 1828 Webster's Dictionary, "betimes" means: "in good season or time; before it is late." Therefore, to reprove with sharpness -- with good timing and only "when moved upon by the Holy Ghost" -- means to reprove with a keen edge that cuts to a penetrating point; it is reproof that is "not obtuse," meaning: not insensitive and slow to understand. So reproof that is inspired of God (D&C 121:43) is pleasingly sensitive and quick to understand, and is perfectly consistent with the admonition in verse 44:

"showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou
hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may
know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death."
(D&C 121:44)

Any anger that is laced with contention is of the devil. To the Nephites in the Western Hemisphere, the resurrected Christ declared:

"He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is
the father of contention, ... Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up
the hearts of men with anger, ... but this is my doctrine,
that such things should be done away."
(3 Nephi 11:29-30)

Problems of Translating the Word of God from Greek to English!

There are 3 words for Anger in the Greek Language:
1. Orge (or-gay) -- Controlled, swelling passion in opposition to sin
2. Thumos (thoo-mos) -- Outburst of wrath, getting heated up, breathing violently
3. Cholao (khol-ah'-o) -- Bitter anger, mad, even violent

There are 6 words for Love in the Greek Language:
1. Eros, or sexual passion
2. Philia, or deep friendship
3. Storge, love between parents and their children
4. Ludus, or playful love -- affection between young lovers
5. Agape, or love for everyone -- selfless love
6. Pragma, or long-standing, mature love
7. Philautia, or narcissistic love for self

These are two examples of translation problems, among others.

In order to accurately characterize each of 3 types of Greek Anger, in English adjectives would need to modify "Anger" -- like: Controlled Anger (passion in opposition to sin), Outburst Anger (heated wrath) , and Violent Anger (Bitterly Mad even to physical violence). Whereas, in Greek, these ideas are communicated in a single word.

And of course adjectives need to be added to the English word "Love" in order to communicate the equivalent idea expressed in each of seven Greek words for Love. For example: Romantic Love, Puppy Love, Parental Love, Selfless Love, Self-serving Love, etc.

Read more about the Natural Emotion of the Natural Man: Anger!

* * * * * * *

Excerpts from Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition
by Matt Moody, Ph.D.

Overview.  Changing Your Stripes is organized in three 3 sections -- Situation, Self, and Solutions. The Situation section offers a Sociology for understanding the influences of your outer world. The section on Self suggests a Psychology for understanding your inner world. Finally, the Solutions section explains True Principles that lead to self-fulfillment and peace within your inner and outer world. And to arrive at this place of peace, You must experience a fundamental Change from your Core -- a Change of Heart.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life"
~ Proverbs 4:233

Changing Your Stripes renders a rebuttal to the wildly-popular yet erroneous notion that fundamental change occurs as people program their Heads with positive affirmations; in contrast, my book explains why lasting change can only come from the Heart and happens with the help of Heaven. Changing Your Stripes explains why human misery has Spiritual Roots.

Lasting change from your core occurs as True Principles are loved and lived! Freedom from self-defeating habits requires living True Principles from the Heart, there is no other way.

"The only change that matters is a change of heart,
every other change alters us cosmetically but not fundamentally,
modifies how we appear, what we do or what we say,
but does not change who we are."
~ C. Terry Warner.

It's true that positive attitude and vivid visualizing can raise your bowling score, improve your golf swing, and make you a more dazzling dancer -- but the same cognitive conjuring cannot increase your character or bring peace to a troubled soul. Using “Head” remedies alone, even the strongest mental determinations to be a better person will not work.

You can't really "think" yourself into being happy,
neither can you chant enough affirmations to change
yourself into a person of higher character.

Cognitive therapies of mental programming may alter outward appearances, but who you are from the Heart remains unchanged. Like ripples that undulate from a pebble cast in a pond, leaving the pond unaltered at its depths, the superficial effects of mind power eventually dissipate and disappear.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

The Division of Response-Ability. Want to know what you're made of? Watch what comes out of you under pressure! When life squeezes you with trials and troubles, how do you respond?

The Division of Responsibility is drawn: “If it comes out of you, . . . it is yours.” You are the author of all your responses: the good, the bad, and the ugly! Embracing this principle is empowering! For if you are the ultimate author of your thoughts, behaviors, motives, and emotions, then you also possess veto power. Otherwise, you're stuck!

* * * * *
Irritating behavior of others presents a Constraint to which you respond.
And while that bothersome behavior may necessarily capture your
attention,  the  obnoxious  actions  of  others  cannot  cause
the particular style or Character of your Response.
You are the author of your responses. Only
when you own Response-Ability for
Actions can you change them.
.* * * * *.
(Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 17)

A Self-Perpetuating Problem. You will act according to the Animal You Are until you Change Your Stripes and Become a New Kind of Creature.

* * * * *
The tone and temper of all Reaction and Response
inevitably depends upon the disposition of the
perceiver -- the core of your character.
.* * * * *

Changing Your Stripes is a vital project because your own disposition of character is an obstacle to obtaining your own best interests -- it’s the old “you-are-your-own-worst-enemy” dilemma. Even though “free to choose” rhetoric runs rampant in pitches of positive mental attitude, still the stark reality remains: You are only as free as Your current character allows.

In other words impatience people are NOT free to be patient and kind -- especially under the press of distress. Impatient people will continue to be impatient, until they experience a fundamental change from their core. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 7)

In life, the color and character of your response is all important. The way you react is a reflection of who you are from the heart.

* * * * *
It's not What Happens to you in Life, but how
You Respond to “What Happens” that matters most;
oppressive people may compel your flesh, but no power
on earth can force you from Inner Liberty --
it is yours to lose or keep.
.* * * * *.

Responding well to life's adversities leads to contented living. Who You Are from the Heart defines whether poisoned or positive emotions flow from you in a pressing moment.

Can you see the intrinsic trap before you? The very condition of your disposition is naturally self-perpetuating. You reinforce who you are today . . . because who you are presently IS the person doing the thinking, perceiving, responding and choosing! This is why people behave in consistent habit patterns. How can you possibly think fresh new thoughts using your stale old mind-set? (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 16)  

Get Free Email Advice from Dr Matt
when you buy "Changing Your Stripes"

Secular Psychology strives to find the
Einstein's Mind Bind. Impaired perceptions inevitably lead to flawed solutions. The reason why people do not, and often cannot, find their way out of a problem is explained by a conundrum I call “Einstein’s Mind Bind” -- you can’t change your mind using the same mind that needs changing, nor can you fix a situation, using a mind that needs fixing. Here’s how this bind of the mind was stated by Einstein:

* * * * *
"We cannot solve our problems
at the same level of thinking which existed
when the problem was created."
.* * * * *

This means in order to solve any problem, a paradigm shift is required!  A shift from the way of thinking that was capable of creating a problem in the first place, . . . to a way of thinking that can perceive a new perspective. Further, thinking that you can solve Life’s most important problems with your “thinking,” is itself a problem -- again, you can't fix a situation, using a mind that needs fixing. You're trapped in Einstein’s Mind Bind.

When confronted with a crucial issue, some say, “I need to figure things out, I need a strategy.” Using your Head is a good approach for solving problems of algebra, but not for solving problems of anguish. The mental mindset used to create an interpersonal problem cannot be used to solve it.

But from whence comes a mindset capable of creating chaos? It could be a function of shear ignorance, that’s one possibility, and the other source is betrayal. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Ed. p. 175)

All the Telltale Signs are identified in Dr Matt's book: Changing Your Stripes!
Tell-Tale Signs of Betrayal. Betrayal is a word to describe moments when you are out of harmony with your own sense of truth. As Shakespeare expressed, “To thine own self be true, therefore thou canst not be false to any man.” Betrayal means being false to others, as well as yourself. When you go against your own sense of goodness, you lose Life's inherent harmony; inner conflict is created and outward signs seep to the surface.

* * * * *
When I go against my own sense of Truth,
I go against myself -- I am false.
Being false, the way I experience the world is colored
by my falseness: I see darkness in my world,
because of the darkness in me. My thinking, my emotions,
and how I behave are all tainted by betrayal.
My search for solutions is skewed,
It is wrong, . . . because I am wrong.
.* * * * *

A thorough understanding of the tell-tale signs of betrayal can provide awareness sufficient to catch yourself and correct your course. The patterns are predictable and observable; they are signs central to the aim of Un-Doing! Seeing these signs in yourself will provide a huge clue . . . to what you need to Un-Do. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 173)

Dr Matt says: "The Tell-Tale Signs of Betrayal are detailed in my book!"

If you're serious about Changing Your Stripes, you need to
Put your Peepers on the Words in My Book.

You'll be so much smarter and happier if you do!

When you Undo the betrayals that obstruct the flow of Inner Goodness . . . then the Do will naturally flow from you!
A Simple Solution: Un-Doing. You’ve heard the phrase “this will be their undoing.” Typically, an undoing is a bad thing: unraveling, falling apart, or breaking up -- all these are bad. But consider a type of undoing that is good. In the process of Changing Your Stripes, you don't do it: You Un-Do It!

Solutions could be pursued with the complexity of what we think we need to accomplish: Investing mental energies into dozens of things to Do in an arduous effort to become prominent or magnificent. But this is to begin wrong! Instead our focus need only be on Un-Doing. One step at a time, line upon line, we simply need to Un-Do the NEXT thing.

* * * * *
Letting the Real Me Emerge is not something
I "make" happen, but something I "let" happen.
.* * * * *

Because you are fundamentally good by nature, you don’t really need to try to be good, or learn to be good; instead, your task is simply to recapture the goodness that is
IN YOU. At birth you began as a being of love: You were naturally generous and sharing, naturally bright and cheerful -- you possessed a spark of spontaneous goodness.

But when we fail to follow our own intuitions of innocence, our spontaneous spark of goodness, we go against ourselves -- we betray the truth! Each betrayal creates an obstruction to the flow of life-giving goodness that wells within, and as that stream is stifled, we begin to behave badly. Unblocking that flow IS the goal of Un-Doing. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 168).

BRIAR Emotions are identified in Dr Matt's book: Changing Your Stripes!
Feelings that are False: BRIAR Emotions. In betrayal, certain Tell-Tale Signs seep to the surface and are outwardly expressed:

* * * * *
You can lie with your MOUTH or EMOTION:
"When you're in the BRIAR, . . . You're a LIAR."
.* * * * *

While the lies from our lips are more obvious, lies can also be “told” without words. Resentful and accusing emotions are nonverbal lies that we live -- wordless lies that brew beneath. As we harbor irritated and tense emotions, we are entangled in the thorny mire of the BRIAR.

The BRIAR represents Lies that we “tell” via Emotion.
The BRIAR represents Lies that we Live!

These unsettled emotions show in our countenance; they reveal our betrayal of Truth. Because these feelings are false, we are Being False as we harbor them. BRIAR Emotions are one set of tell-tale signs that signal the loss of Life's inherent harmony.

* * * * *
When I am False . . . I feel
tension, agitation . . . disharmony.
My Unsettled Emotions signal falseness.
When I am True, I am at Peace;
the Peace that flows freely
signifies Harmony.
.* * * * *

Visualize a canvas of pure white, the kind of canvas that an artist uses to paint a portrait. Think of your life as a collection of colors being painted upon this clean, clear canvas. With every word you think and every deed you do, the portrait of your life is painted; and in contrast to pure white, any tint or shade less than white is obvious and conspicuous. Against an immaculate backdrop, you are able to see with perfect clarity, how some motives and emotions fall short of pure white.

                                          Pure Love                                                       Less-than-Love
                            Emotions of Bright White                                  Black & Gray Emotions

                            calm             approachable                                  impetuous                edgy
                            lovely             enthusiastic                                   suspicious             angry
                            amiable            nurturing                                  defensive              cranky
                            engaging              friendly                                  arrogant             peevish
                            fascinating              happy                                  jealous               resentful
                            welcoming                 sweet                                  galled                annoying
                            cherishing                 giving                                  mean               impatient
                            animated             genuine                                  bitter              malicious
                            gracious            generous                                  bored               apathetic
                            cheery             passionate                                   listless                worried
                            lively            comfortable                                  irritated              fearful
                            real           warmhearted                                   conceited                tense

When we are being less-than-loving, the portrait we paint upon the white canvas is clouded by confusion; instead of vivid hues of red, blue, and green, a quarreling collision of colors makes the muddied shades of black and gray. Thus the portrait of our Life loses clarity . . . and beauty. Against the backdrop of bright white, even the subtlest shades of gray are easily exposed.
(Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 195)

Dr Matt says: "BRIAR Emotions are identified & explained in my book!
32 pages are dedicated to defining and understanding
Emotion -- E-Motion -- Energy-In-Motion."

The Voice of the Light is heard in the Light!
The Light of Innocence. When I am physically cold, if I move from the shadows of darkness into the rays of the sun, I become warm again, naturally and consistently. When cold, the Sun warms me as I walk into the Light.

When my soul is cold, . . . chilled with the bitterness of blame and resentment, I can move from the shadows of dark emotions into the Light of Inner Innocence, and there I find a gentle contentment that melts my cold emotions. Like the shining rays of the Sun, the Light within illuminates the way. The Light of Innocence guides me to the warmth of Inner Peace.

* * * * *
I must move from the shadows . . . and
find a place where warmth and peace caress me.
Walk in the Light and I am warmed by peaceful radiance.
Walk in the Light and I clearly hear the Whisperings of the Light.
.* * * * *

As I align myself to my own sense of goodness, my Intuitions of Inner Innocence, I return to the way I began, balance and harmony is restored. Being True means I am aligned to the Light of Innocence. Entering into this warm and peaceful Light naturally relieves me from the chill of darkness: cold emotions depart, calm and clarity enter in. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 162)

Thinking that scars never heal is a FLAT EARTH Assumption!
The Myth of Emotional Scars. Years after experiencing a trauma, some claim emotional pain due to that difficulty; they blame their present pain upon a past event. In their mind, they think the past situation “caused” the pain they still feel years later. This could be the case if bodily contact occurred and physical damage was done, but if the pain is purely emotional, then the principles governing this “pain” are different.

the idea of emotional scars got its impetus from the tangible reality of physical scarring. Physical scars occur when bodies are battered or broken, and as they heal, the evidence of abuse or accident remains in the flesh.

The theory behind “emotional scarring” is similar, but it’s the inner person that is battered and broken; thus the parallel assumption is that emotional scars, like physical scars, leave a “mark” that never goes away -- but this assumption is false.

* * * * *
The physical flesh has its own realm of reaction,
uniquely different from the emotional realm of reaction;
while it’s commonly assumed that “emotional scars”
never completely heal and never go away,
such is a Flat-Earth Assumption.
.* * * * *

When a victim concludes, “I've been emotionally scarred for life,” this claim is comparable to the false alarm: “Help, I'm falling off the edge of the earth!” When we get completely clear about the realities of Cause as opposed to Constraint (see pages 3-12), we understand that it’s impossible for a traumatic situation to “cause” emotional pain after the initiating event is over -- just as water no longer flows from a faucet when the valve has been shut off. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 224)

Dr Matt knows the key to Healing Emotional Scars. "Changing Your Stripes"
details what must be done to make Emotional Scars disappear.

If you're serious about Changing Stripes, you need to
Put your Peepers on the Words in My Book.

By applying the Principles in my Book,
all emotional scars that keep you from living
your Best Life, will heal and completely disappear.

It's hard to believe, but YES you really can Change The Past!

Changing the Past. What people call “emotional scars” is the perceived suffering that remains years after a traumatic event is over -- after the afflicting faucet has been shut off. Today's trauma and assumed “scars” exist solely by the way you re-member the past today; and that very way of re-membering the past is informed and fed by the person you've become, from the time a past trauma occurred . . . to the present day -- the day you do your re-membering.

To think that your memories are tormenting you, is a false perception. The Truth is, it is you re-doing your old memories in every new day; and the way your memories are re-membered, is a function of who you are today (see page 89).

It is said, “the only constant is change.” This means, you will always re-member "the past" differently as you constantly "change" in the present -- as you progress or regress in maturity and character. Because perception is a function of what you've learned to date. So emotional marks necessarily change over time, . . . as you change over time.

* * * * *
While there are Physical Realities
that exist independent of how you perceive them,
still, the only World you know is the one you experience
through your Interpretations, from your Perspective.
As You Change, Your Perspective Changes.
As You Change, the Past Changes.
.* * * * *
(Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 244)

Dr Matt says: "Changing Your Stripes has many more important
points about the real possibility of Changing The Past --
24 pages are dedicated to this particular topic."

* * * * *
The Greatest Prize
for Life's labors isn't
in material possessions
or impressive accomplishments,
but in the progress of personal character.
You labor for your own becoming, this is your richest reward.
Who You Become is your greatest possession . . . make it your Masterpiece!
.* * * * *
(Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 274)

Secular Psychology strives to find the biological bases for human behavior or the environmental causes; both are a bad beginning. !
It's-Not-Your-Fault Psychology. Some therapies for solving life’s ever-appearing problems come from secular psychology -- perspectives that foster an inferior starting point, a poor premise:

What is it about my bad biology, my bad brain chemistry, and/or
my bad upbringing that “causes” the misery in which I am mired?

Because the origins for human problems are assumed to be “caused” by physical factors in the body or by a bad environment, I call this kind of science:

It’s-Not-Your-Fault Psychology

Ironically, the very institution that you look to for healing and happiness often enables you to reject personal response-ability, and instead encourages you to blame emotions and actions on your bad upbringing or bad biology. Such convenient excuses come via dubious diagnoses: Bi-Polar, A.D.D., P.T.S.D., O.C.D., etc. -- dis-orders that people purportedly “come down with” like physical diseases.

And if a disorder is not in order, Excuse-Making Psychology will assist you in blaming your misery of mind and emotion on the influence of unfit parents or inappropriate peers. Regardless of diagnosis, the bottom-line for this kind of science is:  It’s Not Your Fault!

But with this false assumption comes the inescapable conclusion that you're Stuck! Why? Since you supposedly did NOT choose your way into a problem (because it’s blamed on bad biology or bad upbringing), then you can't choose your way out of that problem either. Since the problem is supposedly caused in your body, or in your environment, solutions offered by secular science typically come in the form of a Pill or a Potion. (Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Ed., p. xi)

Get Free Email Advice from Dr Matt
when you buy "Changing Your Stripes"

Psychology offers a superior perspective compared to the stale traditions of secular psychology!
A Superior Premise for Satisfying Solutions. We live in an excuse-making society that entices us to blame someone else, or something else, for the irritable and sometimes insane reactions that come out of us. Truth is, personal peace and self fulfillment are found in the exact opposite direction from blame and excuse.

When you can fully own your responses of mind and emotion, you can live free from the self-imposed prison of a victim’s mentality -- even when victimized. As you Change Your Stripes, you will enjoy the victor’s view: You will increase in strength of character directly because of tough times -- not just in spite of them.

Superior Solutions unfold by focusing upon the present moment, and what is happening NOW in terms of your Response-Ability.

* * * * *
One Conscious Choice at at time
You choose your Propensity to be Provoked;
You even choose your Propensity . . . to Insanity.
You are Response-Able for the Person that You Become.
An All-Wise Creator designed You
to be Response-Able.
.* * * * *
(Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page xiii)

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