[Dan]

... catholic church is the 'great and abominable' church. I do not believe that is at all what Nephi was getting at. Nephi was setting up a dichotomy between true disciples of Christ (Zion) and those infused in Babylon. Zion and Babylon are mutually exclusive, just as are light and darkness. Where one exists, the other cannot. IMO, very few, especially in the latter/last days that Nephi described, will be true disciples. Many (most? :cry: ) members of the church, IMO, are actually of the 'great and abominable' church. It does not matter what church you are an outward member of, but rather where your heart is. If your heart is pure, you will not be involved in the abominable church. But if your heart is full of idolatry (in its many, MANY forms), then you have included yourself in babylon, and the abominable church. You cannot have a heart full of idolarty, vanity and pride, and hope to be found outside the abominable church, at least no more than you can hope to serve two masters.

Lehi's dream teaches that the numbers of the true followers will be few. Even back in the 70s, SWK acknowledged that for the most part the members of the church are full of idolatry. he gave a great talk on that topic in general conference. It has only worsened, IMO, since that time. If our hearts are set upon the things of the world, then we fail to learn the one real lesson we are here to learn (D&C 121), which is to discharge the natural man and live the one true eternal law of charity as a spiritual man. This is why the world must go through a great and terrible cleansing at the end. Regardless of what LeGrand Richards taught, the "Marvelous Work and a Wonder" is about this very thing.

Few understand Nephi's absolutely fantastic discourse on the last days. The main reason they do not understand is because when Nephi gets to the part where he is about to divulge what will happen in our actual days on the earth, he says he cannot say anymore because of our unbelief. But then he goes right on ahead and tells us exactly what he had just said he was not going to tell us. The funny thing is that most people do not comprehend it though. But it is meant to be that way. It is only meant to be understood by those actually ready to understand the message. In fact most do not even read the message itself. I would guess many do not have any clue what I am talking about right now. :? What Nephi could not say blatantly, he said in another way. He used the words of the great apocalyptic prophet Isaiah. Isaiah lays the last days out quite nicely, but few search long enough to understand what he is saying, and most give up and just skip his words altogether. Yet, the words of Isaiah are the only words (speaking of a particular prophet) that Jesus himself commanded us to specifically read. Isaiah's "marvelous work and a wonder" is not about the restoration of the gospel. The restoration is one initial part of it, but that is all. The vast bulk of it is referring to something else altogether.

I wish I had a nickle for every time I heard a member of the church use the parable of the 10 virgins to try to claim half the members will "make it", so to speak. I do not believe that is at all the division the parable portrays. Numbers are extremely symbolic and they must be used with care. Virtually any time the number "10" is used it means one of two things (or a combination of both). The number 10 means 'an incomplete part' or 'limited part'. For example, in "the Revelation" of John, you see all sorts of beasts and numbers, and the number 10 is common. Well, 10 tries to teach that the power of last days tyrants and entities, etc. are limited. This number is in opposition to the number "12" which represents complete power or governance, or completeness in an earthly and/or eternal sense. There are many examples of the number 12 through out scripture and you will see it has a positive indication as I just explained, or it tells of complete power and control by God in general, or by darkness for a limited time.

So it is no real suprise that the parable about those who will enter into the kingdom of heaven and church of the firstborn are of a selct and limited number of people. And also notice that the 10 females are "virgins". This is not about the 5 virgins and 5 whores. This is about a select number of virgins (i.e., those who try to comply with the commandments and to keep their hearts clean). I would not classify all of the church as "virgins". No, I would only classify a minority share of them as "virgins" in the sense that they are spiritually espoused to Christ.

Well, the other thing the number 10 often represents is a 'tithe'. The number 10 can represent 10% (which of itself is an incomplete part of a whole, as I explained above). I believe the parable of the 10 virgins represents a tithe of the true followers of Christ, those who truly desire to give all of their heart to him. The others, who are not even included with the 10 virgins, are clearly of babylon, or the great and abominable church. Of the "virgins" there is yet a separation within in that only half of them are truly doing all they need to do to become at one with God.

IMO, if the parable is only describing the church, then I see 5% or so as the 5 'righteous' virgins. That makes sense to me as I ponder how many members I think may be REALLY giving their whole heart to god and eschewing idolatry, pride and vanity in their entirety. But the parable may be speaking of a much broader selection that just the church.