Coincidence? I think not--there are no coincidences...

Er, wait--I suppose there might be...

So, when you read Bonds that Make Us Free you will read but may gloss-over the part where C. Terry Warner writes that "self-betrayal" is his way of talking about sin in a way that you, the reader, doesn't get offended or even come to that conclusion (because you're so interested in the stories and worried about comparing yourself to those in the story (laughing at them or laughing with them or feeling sorry for them or feeling compasion for them, etc. etc.) that every single time you are reading about self-betrayal, you are actually reading about different flavors of sin!

Wait... what?

He even tells you and me that he's doing just that! Don't believe me? Just re-read it again with that insight that he's already told you about in your first reading (it's ok if you never finished it the first time through, but you might want to read it again now, right!?!).

My point, though, is that Dr. Warner didn't mind telling you his secret because he assumes that you will finish reading the book and then will keep living your life with the insights you've just read in mind, and will become a better person--you won't betray yourself as you had previously--a sinless person? The reason why he mentions this little gem of information is that he wanted people to have a new vocabulary to be able to use in a non-offensive way--wanted people to be able to talk about situations that they've been in or that others have been in and not have it be about what it actually is...sin!

So, Our Heavenly Father put me in the perfect situation and life where most people, or almost every person that I know, doesn't feel like they need to be offended at me or permanently think that I must be the biggest jerk ever to have lived (did you hear what that guy just said to me?). They can "endure it" beause they've already heard me speak and think they know that they only need to feel sorry for me or can't take it too seriously, after all... he's special... he must have special needs... he must be retarded! there is something wrong with that guy--did you hear him talk? Did you listen to him? Boy, if someone normal had said that, I'd be mad... Goog thing that guy is not normal!

Everything that I say is in a special meta-language and you can think of it as a "self-betrayal"-type language, where you might be calling it a sin, but it's only comind-out as "self-betrayal" or worse yet, you think that it's all just "self-bertral" talk, but it actually is sin!!!

JPS