In 66 years I have memories of only two ward Christmas parties. Actually, I wish I could forget the first one, but terribly embarassing incidents stick with you whether you like it or not. It happened in Sacramento in the mid-1950's. I was seven or eight years old and played an elf in skit about Santa's workshop. They made me wear a skimpy little costume but didn't tell me where I could change into it. So I chose an empty classroom that had one of those folding dividers used to make two classrooms out of one.
After the performance -- in which I'd put my mouth much too close to the microphone and almost blew out the speakers with my only speaking part ("Isn't it beautiful?" -- referring to Santa's Christmas tree), I retreated back to the classroom to change clothes. As if on cue, after removing my costume but before putting my pants on, someone opened the divider. It seemed like the entire ward was peering in at me -- as I crouched behind a chair -- in my underwear. My face was redder than Rudolph's nose.
In my old age, even though I may eventually forget my own name, mental images of that embarrassing incident will live forever.
The second memory is one I hope never to forget because of the insights it generated. At a ward Christmas dinner a few years ago I was seated across from a young couple I didn't know. So I introduced myself, and, typical of introductory conversations, we soon reached that inevitable pause where people ask one another, "So, what do you do?"
However the conversation developed after that is of no matter. What makes this incident especially memorable is that a few days later as I contemplated the meaning of Christmas, I thought about how Christ would answer that question, "So, what do you do?" And I seemed to hear Him say:
"What do I do? I offer hope to the hopeless. I lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees (Doctrine & Covenants 81:5). I was wounded for [your] transgressions . . . bruised for [your] iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5).
"What do I do? I have suffered temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for nehold, blood cometh from every pore" (Mosiah 3:7).
"What do I do? "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands" (Isaiah 49:16).
"What do I do? I fix broken things, and I specialize in mercy."
A few months later, I attended a stake conference where Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave further details about what Jesus and His Father do:
"They spend all day and night, working without sleep or slumber, looking for ways to bless us . . . If you feel that life is dark and that the sun doesn't ever seem to come up . . . don't give up! . . . God loves broken things . . . While you're plummeting downward and feel like you're at the end of your rope, the road you say you cannot walk--YOU WALK; and the load you say you cannot carry--YOU CARRY. It is a refining process that will help you discover the gold in your life. A new world of divinity unfolds, and we get a glimpse of the gods and goddesses we were meant to be. That day WILL come. Trust me, it will come."
As I was leaving that meeting I passed an older woman who has always been an example to me of a true and faithful Christian. Shaking my hand, and with tears in her eyes, she said, "I'm one of those broken ones."
If ever you feel that way -- that you're "one of those broken ones" -- take time to ponder the meaning of the words "glad tidings." The angel who announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds used those words NOT because every December thereafter they'd be getting Christmas gifts and vacation time. The "glad tidings" are all about Jesus Christ -- and His response to the question: "So, what do you do?"
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Hosts of Heaven
According to the familiar account in Luke, Chapter 2, on the night when Jesus was born, a lone angel appeared to shepherds in the darkness and announced the birth of “a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” in nearby Bethlehem.
Can you imagine being one of those shepherds and the awe they must have felt at seeing an angel from heaven? But that was only the beginning. Immediately after hearing the angel tell them the babe could be found “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger,” a much greater event occurred. For “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.” That lone angelic messenger was joined by a multitude of other angels, and they all literally sang praises to God because of the Savior’s birth.
Have you ever wondered, Who were those angels? Were they the musically gifted members of a special choir who had auditioned for this event while the rest of God’s spirit children who didn’t sing quite as well -- or who couldn’t carry a tune at all -- stayed home to watch it all on a heavenly widescreen?
We find the answer as we explore the meaning of the words “heavenly host” or “hosts.” Moses used the word “host” as he described the completion of the Creation: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1; Moses 3:1). A clear definition of just who these “hosts” are is found in a revelation about the war in heaven, where the Lord said this to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “The devil . . . rebelled against me, saying, ‘Give me thine honor,’ which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me . . .and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels” (Doctrine & Covenants 29:36).
Here we see that, originally, the term “hosts of heaven” referred to all of God’s spirit children. But after Satan and his followers rebelled against God’s plan, they were cast out of His presence. Thus, Satan and his followers became the “hosts of hell” (see Doctrine & Covenants 88:113). The “hosts of heaven” are the two-thirds of God’s spirit children who did not rebel. And that included you and me.
So back to my original question: Who were those heavenly singers the night the Savior was born? Luke says they were the "host of heaven" – the entire host, the remaining spirits who did not rebel -- not just a portion of them, not just the ones who could carry a tune, but all of them – including you and me. We were there! Our voices were part of that heavenly choir!
Given this perspective, it is all the more puzzling to me when I observe members, and often entire families, sitting silent in our meetings during the singing of hymns, particularly the sacrament hymns. Usually it’s because they don’t consider themselves musically “gifted.”
And I find myself wanting to lean over and whisper, “How can you remain silent? Don’t you remember? You were once part of that choir of heavenly hosts. Granted, you may not feel musically gifted, but that didn’t stop you then. Please don’t let it stop you now.”
Let us remember our part in that great choir – and remind our children that they were in it as well. Singing is not just for the musically gifted. Nor is it just something added to the program to give us a break from the speakers. It is our gift to Him, albeit humble -- a sacred offering.
And to those who sing there is a promise from the Lord Himself: “The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing on their heads” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:12).
Can you imagine being one of those shepherds and the awe they must have felt at seeing an angel from heaven? But that was only the beginning. Immediately after hearing the angel tell them the babe could be found “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger,” a much greater event occurred. For “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.” That lone angelic messenger was joined by a multitude of other angels, and they all literally sang praises to God because of the Savior’s birth.
Have you ever wondered, Who were those angels? Were they the musically gifted members of a special choir who had auditioned for this event while the rest of God’s spirit children who didn’t sing quite as well -- or who couldn’t carry a tune at all -- stayed home to watch it all on a heavenly widescreen?
We find the answer as we explore the meaning of the words “heavenly host” or “hosts.” Moses used the word “host” as he described the completion of the Creation: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1; Moses 3:1). A clear definition of just who these “hosts” are is found in a revelation about the war in heaven, where the Lord said this to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “The devil . . . rebelled against me, saying, ‘Give me thine honor,’ which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me . . .and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels” (Doctrine & Covenants 29:36).
Here we see that, originally, the term “hosts of heaven” referred to all of God’s spirit children. But after Satan and his followers rebelled against God’s plan, they were cast out of His presence. Thus, Satan and his followers became the “hosts of hell” (see Doctrine & Covenants 88:113). The “hosts of heaven” are the two-thirds of God’s spirit children who did not rebel. And that included you and me.
So back to my original question: Who were those heavenly singers the night the Savior was born? Luke says they were the "host of heaven" – the entire host, the remaining spirits who did not rebel -- not just a portion of them, not just the ones who could carry a tune, but all of them – including you and me. We were there! Our voices were part of that heavenly choir!
Given this perspective, it is all the more puzzling to me when I observe members, and often entire families, sitting silent in our meetings during the singing of hymns, particularly the sacrament hymns. Usually it’s because they don’t consider themselves musically “gifted.”
And I find myself wanting to lean over and whisper, “How can you remain silent? Don’t you remember? You were once part of that choir of heavenly hosts. Granted, you may not feel musically gifted, but that didn’t stop you then. Please don’t let it stop you now.”
Let us remember our part in that great choir – and remind our children that they were in it as well. Singing is not just for the musically gifted. Nor is it just something added to the program to give us a break from the speakers. It is our gift to Him, albeit humble -- a sacred offering.
And to those who sing there is a promise from the Lord Himself: “The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing on their heads” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:12).
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Tribute to a Great Man: Bill Porter
An obituary in today's New York Times has stirred up guilty childhood memories and not a few tears.
As you'll learn from reading that obituary, Bill Porter was a salesman in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. He sold Watkins products door-to-door. Bill was much younger then, probably around 30. He came to our house about once a month. I was in my early teens, and I confess that I didn't like being the one who had to open the door when Bill came. I didn't know his name then. All I knew was that his slurred speech and jerky way of walking scared me.
How he managed to walk up the eight or ten steps to our front porch without falling was a mystery to me. When I opened the door he would hold up a sample of one of his products and speak in an almost unintelligible manner: "D o o o Y e e w w w W a a a n n t t T o o o B u u u y y y O o o n n n e O o o f f f T t t h h e e e e s s s ?" I'd always tell him we weren't interested, hoping he wouldn't come back -- but he always did.
Several years ago, this article about Bill appeared in the Portland newspaper, The Oregonian. Then ABC's 20/20 did a segment about him. I encourage you to watch it here. Then a movie was made about him, starring Bill Macy. I later learned that Bill's assistant, Shelly Brady, had attended the same church as our family when I was growing up.
I have tender feelings towards this extraordinary man after reading those articles and watching that 20/20 segment. I marvel at how incredibly resilient he was, and I regret very much the negative feelings I had about him when I was an uncaring teen.
From Bill Porter I've learned that we need to look past peoples' outward infirmities and see the real person within. You may not have been able to button your own shirt cuffs, Bill Porter, but you're a better man than I am.
As you'll learn from reading that obituary, Bill Porter was a salesman in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. He sold Watkins products door-to-door. Bill was much younger then, probably around 30. He came to our house about once a month. I was in my early teens, and I confess that I didn't like being the one who had to open the door when Bill came. I didn't know his name then. All I knew was that his slurred speech and jerky way of walking scared me.
How he managed to walk up the eight or ten steps to our front porch without falling was a mystery to me. When I opened the door he would hold up a sample of one of his products and speak in an almost unintelligible manner: "D o o o Y e e w w w W a a a n n t t T o o o B u u u y y y O o o n n n e O o o f f f T t t h h e e e e s s s ?" I'd always tell him we weren't interested, hoping he wouldn't come back -- but he always did.
Several years ago, this article about Bill appeared in the Portland newspaper, The Oregonian. Then ABC's 20/20 did a segment about him. I encourage you to watch it here. Then a movie was made about him, starring Bill Macy. I later learned that Bill's assistant, Shelly Brady, had attended the same church as our family when I was growing up.
I have tender feelings towards this extraordinary man after reading those articles and watching that 20/20 segment. I marvel at how incredibly resilient he was, and I regret very much the negative feelings I had about him when I was an uncaring teen.
From Bill Porter I've learned that we need to look past peoples' outward infirmities and see the real person within. You may not have been able to button your own shirt cuffs, Bill Porter, but you're a better man than I am.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
For Latter-day Saints, the "Dancing" Is the Easy Part
Cecil Jenkins was one of my favorite high school teachers--easily distinguished from the rest of the faculty by his trademark crew cut, sport coat, and ever-present bow tie. Sure, other instructors could have taught the same principles of geometry that he did, but nobody could match his subtle humor, boyish grin, and those piercing blue eyes. Unlike most other classes, I looked forward to this one because he created such an enjoyable learning environment. On Friday, November 22, 1963, I was sitting in Mr. Jenkins' classroom when events in Dallas, Texas, rocked everyone's world. It was shortly after 10:30am, and the class routine was suddenly interrupted by Mr. Copper, Senior Math instructor from across the hall. He stepped into the room and said to Mr. Jenkins, "El Presidente (meaning John F. Kennedy) has been shot." Strange how our minds work when tragic or historic events occur. Not only do we recall precisely where we were at the time, but we retain a crystal clear recollection of the sights and sounds. That tragic event isn't the only memory I've retained from Mr. Jenkins' class. Surprisingly, I actually remember some basic geometry, such as: -- Parallel lines are like railroad tracks, always equidistant and never touching. -- Perpendicular lines are like those in a "+" sign, intersecting at a perfect 90-degree angle. -- And then there are the congruent lines. These are unique because, while there may be two or more of them, they have the same length, so when one is placed on top of the other, they are a perfect match. The word "congruent" doesn't just apply to geometry. It can also apply to human behavior. The dictionary says that a person has congruency when his behavior mirrors his beliefs. Many public figures have seen their careers flame out prematurely when their private behaviors were found to be shockingly incongruent with what they always claimed to be. This is why the media make such a big deal when a Latter-day Saint commits a crime; the criminal act is incongruent with the person's professed beliefs. The challenge of living a congruent life is faced by everyone, not just Latter-day Saints. Because worldly influences are so appealing--and even appetizing--we are constantly pressured to behave in ways that are in direct conflict with our moral principles. I once saw evidence of this in a Texas airport. Love Field in Dallas is the home base for Southwest Airlines. Many years ago, every Southwest gate in the airport offered free donuts, muffins, juice and coffee to all early-morning fliers. The gate area where I waited for my flight was almost empty, so it seemed strange when a woman chose to make a rather personal phone call while standing within six feet of me. As a result, I overheard every word as she called her doctor's office and confirmed the date and time of an upcoming surgery. Once the call was completed, she walked over to the free refreshments and helped herself to a large glazed donut. Now you may not see any incongruency in this, but I did. You see, I'd overheard the conversation in which she'd mentioned the specific nature of her upcoming surgery: a "stomach stapling" procedure, designed to help curb the appetite of people fighting obesity. The Lord gives members of His Church a remarkable gift to assist us when we’re tempted to make choices that are incongruent with our gospel commitments. When we're in tune with this gift of the Holy Ghost, we receive reminders—spiritual nudges—helping us remember the behaviors expected of those who've made sacred covenants with the Lord. But these nudges from the Holy Ghost don't come automatically. Church membership alone is no guarantee of personal revelation. Don't take my word for it. It was President Joseph Fielding Smith who said that while he couldn't prove it, it was his belief that most Latter-day Saints had never had a personal manifestation of the Holy Ghost. Never? Never? How could this be? I think the following story may help us understand why he held this belief. One day an old man came into the waiting room of a health clinic on an Indian reservation. Instead of signing in at the front desk like the others in the room had done, he just stood at the back. Noting that this man did not look at all well, the admitting nurse left the desk and approached him. She said he needed to register in order to be seen by a doctor. He made no reply, nor did he move toward the desk. Once more she suggested he follow the regular sign-in process, and once more he remained silent, not moving. The nurse then went into the back offices, found one of the doctors, and told him about the old man. Soon the doctor came out and invited the man to accompany him to an exam room. This time the man responded, following along behind the doctor but still saying nothing. Taking a seat across from the old man, the doctor said, "I can tell by your clothing that you are a medicine man, so I would like to ask you a question: Can you teach me to dance?" There was silence as the old man considered the doctor's request. And then he said, in a low voice: "I can teach you to dance . . . but I cannot teach you to hear the music." Now, if you go back and read President's Smith's statement again, this story may help you understand it. You see, for Latter-day Saints, there is "dancing" and then there's "hearing the music." The "dancing" part is when we attend our Church meetings and activities. In Mormon-speak this is commonly referred to as "being active." But, according to President Smith, far fewer members have learned to "hear the music"--to recognize and feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost, the whisperings of His still small voice, what Joseph Smith called "sudden flashes of inspiration." And just as the old medicine man said, the ability to “hear the music” of these spiritual promptings cannot be taught. It only comes when our thoughts, words, and actions are congruent with our covenants, congruent with the temple recommend standards, and congruent with the Savior's expectations. We can routinely "dance" day after day, week after week. But only when our lives are congruent with gospel principles will we qualify to "hear the music." slk 12/4/13
Sunday, November 24, 2013
We Cannot Say "I'll Choose the Right, But On My Own Terms"
One of my mother's distant relatives passed away last month. Here's an excerpt from her obituary:
"Sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1947 . . . she was a devoted member of the LDS Church, but on her own terms. She preferred reading a good book to attending Relief Society. She loved to sing with the ward choir and lead the singing in Primary, but she also enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a menthol cigarette. She faithfully wrote her missionary sons and grandchildren and even allowed them to attend BYU. During family weddings, as she waited outside the Temple, she was never bitter. She knew the rules. A hypocrite she was not."
It sounds like, if given a choice, she would opt for an "STG" ring (Smarter Than God) rather than one that says "CTR" (Choose the Right).
As I read the obituary I thought of this line from D&C 88:32 which describes the final reward of those who live by their own rules instead of humbly submitting to God's will: "They shall return again to their own [preferred] place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received."
There is a price to be paid for taking the Burger King approach to life ("Have it your way"). And the reality is that He will not force us to choose His preferred way. If "my will be done" is our motto, He will not stand in our way. But sooner or later those who make this choice will come face-to-face with what might have been. And that is when the weeping begins.
I pray we will all learn that His way is always better than our own. Being humble and submissive to Him is a sign of obedience and trust, not a sign of weakness.
"Sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1947 . . . she was a devoted member of the LDS Church, but on her own terms. She preferred reading a good book to attending Relief Society. She loved to sing with the ward choir and lead the singing in Primary, but she also enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a menthol cigarette. She faithfully wrote her missionary sons and grandchildren and even allowed them to attend BYU. During family weddings, as she waited outside the Temple, she was never bitter. She knew the rules. A hypocrite she was not."
It sounds like, if given a choice, she would opt for an "STG" ring (Smarter Than God) rather than one that says "CTR" (Choose the Right).
As I read the obituary I thought of this line from D&C 88:32 which describes the final reward of those who live by their own rules instead of humbly submitting to God's will: "They shall return again to their own [preferred] place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received."
There is a price to be paid for taking the Burger King approach to life ("Have it your way"). And the reality is that He will not force us to choose His preferred way. If "my will be done" is our motto, He will not stand in our way. But sooner or later those who make this choice will come face-to-face with what might have been. And that is when the weeping begins.
I pray we will all learn that His way is always better than our own. Being humble and submissive to Him is a sign of obedience and trust, not a sign of weakness.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
My Birthday Wish
Today marks my 66th lap around the track. At this age it takes me by surprise when someone asks, "What would you like for your birthday?" because I am at an age when that thought never enters my mind. I'm probably regarded as a curmudgeon at the office because there's a tradition of having a special lunch on birthdays. I decline. While some love the attention and being in the spotlight, I prefer a hot dog at Costco.
In my quiet time this morning, I came to the realization that there IS one thing I would really desire for my birthday -- and every day -- not just for myself but for my children and grandchildren. It is that we "stay on the train." That phrase was used in an Oct. 1992 conference talk titled "Spiritual Revival," by Elder Glenn L. Pace, in which he gave this wise counsel -- and it is the message I send to my posterity:
"Many of us take the blessings of the gospel for granted. It is as if we are passengers on the train of the Church, which has been moving forward gradually and methodically. Sometimes we have looked out the window and thought, 'That looks kind of fun out there. This train is so restrictive.' So we have jumped off and gone and played in the woods for a while. Sooner or later, we find it isn’t as much fun as Satan makes it appear or we get critically injured, so we work our way back to the tracks and see the train ahead. With a determined sprint we catch up to it, breathlessly wipe the perspiration from our forehead, and thank the Lord for repentance.
"While on the train, we can see the world and some of our own members outside laughing and having a great time. They taunt us and coax us to get off. Some throw logs and rocks on the tracks to try and derail it. Other members run alongside the tracks, and while they may never go play in the woods, they just can’t seem to get on the train. Others try to run ahead and too often take the wrong turn. I would propose that the luxury of getting on and off the train as we please is fading. The speed of the train is increasing. The woods are getting much too dangerous, and the fog and darkness are moving in."
We live in a world of counterfeit values -- and the thing on which this world places the greatest value is "self." We've become expert at believing the old U.S. Army slogan: "Be all you can be." Society heartily endorses the words of the Whitney Houston hit song, telling us that "the greatest love of all" is to love ourselves first. But no matter who sings it or how attractively it's packaged, that message is false doctrine.
The Lord tells us what the "greatest love" really is. It's to love God first and to put Him first above all other things -- including ourselves. It's not a question of whether certain outside interests are bad. The "badness" enters the picture -- and becomes a false god -- when material things, amusements, hobbies, and other interests replace God as our primary love.
Loving God is not just a feeling or a statement. It isn't just kindly deeds towards others. Love for God is manifest in how we regard the sacred covenants we've made with Him, It is reflected in our Church activity, and whether or not the scriptures and prayer are part of our daily lives. If we are serious about our covenants then we will be humble and submissive, seeking to know God's will for us and submitting to it, even when it's inconvenient or uncomfortable. And that's where the true test lies.
So on this birthday, the greatest desire of my heart is for my posterity to pause and remember that each of us came to this earth with a mission. Before we were born, we made certain promises to our Father regarding the way we would live when we got here. Surely, Heaven watches with disappointment when we ignore our pre-mortal commitments and do things our way instead of His way. "After all," we rationalize, "where's the harm in jumping off the train for awhile? It isn't moving all that fast, and with a little effort I can get back on whenever I want."
Please -- stay on the train. If you've jumped off, get back on. Even if it means becoming more humble and submissive to the Lord's will, do it. These things matter most -- not only to me, but to God. May we honor Him and our sacred covenants and be what He sent us here to become.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Refinement: Seeking the Best Version of Yourself
Clearly He desires that our study be broader than just the
gospel. President John Taylor taught that “we ought to foster education and
intelligence of every kind; cultivate literary tastes, and men of literary and
scientific talent should improve their talent; and all should magnify the gifts
which God has given them . . . If there is anything good and praiseworthy in
morals, religion, science, or anything calculated to exalt and ennoble man, we
are after it” (The Gospel Kingdom, sel.
G. Homer Durham [1943] 277).
As I taught the lesson, I sought to emphasize the need to seek out literature
and media that ennoble, sharing the following comment from one of my spiritual
mentors, Elder Douglas L. Callister: “I don’t know whether our heavenly home
has a television set or a DVD machine, but in my mind’s imagery it surely has a
grand piano and a magnificent library. There was a fine library in the home of
President Hinckley’s youth. It was not an ostentatious home, but the library
contained about 1,000 volumes of the rich literature of the world . . .
President David O. McKay was inclined to awaken at 4:00am, skim read up to two
books each day, and then commence his labors at 6:00am. He could quote 1,000
poems from memory. We knew that whenever he stood at the pulpit. He referred to
the grand masters of literature as the ‘minor prophets.’ . . .
On the subject of music, Elder Callister taught: “If we
could peek behind the heavenly veil we would likely be inspired by the music of
heaven, perhaps more glorious than any music we have heard on this earth. When
some music has passed the tests of time and been cherished by the noble and
refined, our failure to appreciate it is not an indictment of grand music. The
omission is within [ourselves]. If a young person grows up on a steady diet of
hamburgers and French fries, he is not likely to be a gourmet. But the fault is
not with fine food. He just grew up on something less. Some have grown up on a
steady diet of musical French fries . . . A few years ago I made my way to the
bedroom of one of my sons to say good night. He was a junior in high school. As
I approached his room I heard strains of Tchaikovsky’s sixth symphony. I was
surprised. I knew the boy loved sports, but I didn’t know he loved Tchaikovsky.
Months later, as my wife and I were listening to a videotape of three tenors
singing, our son came in and sat down. He listened and saw, and a new
appreciation developed. He said: ‘You never told me about opera.’ He took the
videotape to his room, and I never saw it again. Appreciation of the finest in
music does not depend on your age” (“Your Refined Heavenly Home,” BYU
devotional, 19 Sept. 2006).
Elder Callister has also spoken about the effect, which is noticeable
to others, of one’s devoted study of the scriptures and other great literature:
“A few years ago I overheard a Church leader lament the fact that he never had
time for anything except to read the scriptures and other works of literature
and to prepare talks. His wife admiringly responded: ‘I know, dear. We all know.
We know every time you stand up to speak.’“ That man was like a mission president Elder Callister once observed during a Mission President’s Seminar. “The presiding General Authority asked the wife of each mission president to say something unusual or different about her husband that we would not otherwise have known. One of the other wives said her husband is the only man she knows who reads the [entire] Book of Mormon once every five weeks. When he was asked to respond, he acknowledged this was true, confirming he had read the book thus far twenty-two times while presiding over his mission. I watched him through the balance of the seminar. Spirituality emanated from every pore . . . When a man has spent a lifetime studying the word of God, no one has to tell us. We know every time he opens his mouth . . . If we know the books located at the bedside, we know much about the man . . . (‘The Divine Ring,” LDS Business College Devotional, 12 Oct. 2010).
I believe the Lord desires that we pursue literature, music,
and arts which ennoble, that we read, listen to, and watch that which lifts our
spirits above the vulgar and commonplace. We even declare this standard in the
13th Article of Faith. But this “taste” does not come naturally. For most of us it’s an acquired taste, but once acquired, like my newfound love of
classical music, it can become second nature to us.
Following today’s lesson we went to priesthood meeting and
listened to our instructor share how uplifting it was to spend part of his Saturday
watching the fourth season of The Andy
Griffith Show on Netflix. I guess you have to start somewhere. =) Thursday, May 30, 2013
Is Your Ladder Against the Right Wall?
To my children;
Shari Dew was about to board a flight from New York to Salt Lake when she noticed some excitement among passengers in the gate area. Turns out there were some LDS missionaries waiting for that same flight, and they were all returning from missions in eastern Europe.
When she asked one of them-- a farm boy from Utah -- about his mission to Bulgaria, he said, "It was great!" She said, "I've heard that Bulgaria is pretty challenging for missionaries." He replied, "Oh, it was so hard! You can't imagine how hard it was! My mission must have been the hardest mission in the world!"
Grinning, she asked, "If it was so hard, what made it so great?" He struck a Napoleon-like pose and said, "Because I did what they sent me to do. And I left Bulgaria better than I found it."
Those words kept running through her mind during the flight home, and then she thought, when the time comes for us to pass through the veil don't we all hope to say, "I did what I was sent to do, and I left people I met and places I went better than I found them"?
There's a scriptural term for this: "To fill the measure of our creation," (see Doctrine & Covenants 88:19), meaning to do what God intended us to do while we're here. I once heard this phrase used in a most unusual setting. It was during a television broadcast of a San Francisco 49ers game, and Steve Young was their quarterback. His performance that day was incredible, and there came a point where one of the broadcasters, a former NFL player and member of the Church, Todd Christensen , exclaimed: "Steve Young is certainly filling the measure of his creation today!" There was a noticeable silence from his broadcasting partner who acted as if he'd been spoken to in a foreign language. Ha!
When you get to be my age you realize how quickly life has passed. In the process, you find yourself thinking about lost opportunities and not so wise decisions. And I can tell you it is not a pleasant feeling to read your patriarchal blessing and realize there are promises unfulfilled. I can relate to a statement once made by British actress, Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply): "I have quite a robust relationship with regret."
Each of us was given a "ladder" upon coming to earth. It would be regrettable to spend our time and energy in a lifetime of climbing our respective ladders only to discover, at the end of our lives, that they were leaning against the wrong walls. I encourage each of you to seek the guidance of the Spirit so that you will know whether your ladder is leaning against the right wall, for the world is full of enticing walls which only have false and empty promises waiting at the top.
We're here not just for the climb but to "fill the measure of our creation." I constantly pray we'll have the spiritual insight and discernment to be guided to the right wall for there we will find the blessings of heaven and the rewards for doing what we came here to do.
Shari Dew was about to board a flight from New York to Salt Lake when she noticed some excitement among passengers in the gate area. Turns out there were some LDS missionaries waiting for that same flight, and they were all returning from missions in eastern Europe.
When she asked one of them-- a farm boy from Utah -- about his mission to Bulgaria, he said, "It was great!" She said, "I've heard that Bulgaria is pretty challenging for missionaries." He replied, "Oh, it was so hard! You can't imagine how hard it was! My mission must have been the hardest mission in the world!"
Grinning, she asked, "If it was so hard, what made it so great?" He struck a Napoleon-like pose and said, "Because I did what they sent me to do. And I left Bulgaria better than I found it."
Those words kept running through her mind during the flight home, and then she thought, when the time comes for us to pass through the veil don't we all hope to say, "I did what I was sent to do, and I left people I met and places I went better than I found them"?
There's a scriptural term for this: "To fill the measure of our creation," (see Doctrine & Covenants 88:19), meaning to do what God intended us to do while we're here. I once heard this phrase used in a most unusual setting. It was during a television broadcast of a San Francisco 49ers game, and Steve Young was their quarterback. His performance that day was incredible, and there came a point where one of the broadcasters, a former NFL player and member of the Church, Todd Christensen , exclaimed: "Steve Young is certainly filling the measure of his creation today!" There was a noticeable silence from his broadcasting partner who acted as if he'd been spoken to in a foreign language. Ha!
When you get to be my age you realize how quickly life has passed. In the process, you find yourself thinking about lost opportunities and not so wise decisions. And I can tell you it is not a pleasant feeling to read your patriarchal blessing and realize there are promises unfulfilled. I can relate to a statement once made by British actress, Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply): "I have quite a robust relationship with regret."
Each of us was given a "ladder" upon coming to earth. It would be regrettable to spend our time and energy in a lifetime of climbing our respective ladders only to discover, at the end of our lives, that they were leaning against the wrong walls. I encourage each of you to seek the guidance of the Spirit so that you will know whether your ladder is leaning against the right wall, for the world is full of enticing walls which only have false and empty promises waiting at the top.
We're here not just for the climb but to "fill the measure of our creation." I constantly pray we'll have the spiritual insight and discernment to be guided to the right wall for there we will find the blessings of heaven and the rewards for doing what we came here to do.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Can You Carry a Message to Garcia?
Cuba was once a colony of Spain. However, by the late 1800’s a growing revolutionary movement made it clear that Cuba was about to declare its independence from Spanish rule. The United States had economic interests in Cuba, and as conditions became increasingly disorderly and the welfare of U.S. citizens was threatened, President William McKinley sent a ship, the USS Maine, to Havana to ensure their safety. While in the Havana harbor, the Maine mysteriously blew up and sank, taking the lives of 266 sailors. Soon the U.S. demanded that Spain withdraw from Cuba and allow Cuba its independence. Spain responded by cutting diplomatic relations with the U.S., and then the U.S. Navy began a blockade of Cuba. That was when Spain declared war on the United States, starting the conflict known as the Spanish-American War. Spanish soldiers fought against the Cuban revolutionaries as well as U.S. forces in Cuba.
The information mentioned above will help you better understand the setting of the now-famous article titled “A Message to Garcia.” President McKinley needed to send a very important message to a Cuban general by the name of Garcia. Colonel Andrew Summers Rowan was chosen for the task. His incredible success led a writer by the name of Elbert Hubbard to write “A Message to Garcia.” Its message is timeless. Here it is:
1899
A Message to Garcia
By Elbert Hubbard
In all this Cuban business there is one man stands out on the horizon of my memory like Mars at perihelion [the point in its orbit when the planet Mars is closest to the sun]. When war broke out between Spain & the United States, it was very necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the Insurgents. Garcia was somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba- no one
knew where. No mail nor telegraph message could reach him. The President must secure his cooperation, and quickly.
What to do! Someone said to the President, "There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan will find Garcia for you, if anybody can." Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia. How "the fellow by the name of Rowan" took the letter, sealed it up in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the jungle, & in three weeks came out on the other side of the Island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia, are things I have no special desire now to tell in detail.
The point I wish to make is this: McKinley gave Rowan a letter to be delivered to Garcia; Rowan took the letter and did not ask, "Where is he at?" By the Eternal! there is a man whose form should be cast in deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college of the land. It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies: do the thing- "Carry a message to Garcia!"
General Garcia is dead now, but there are other Garcias. No man who has endeavored to carry out an enterprise where many hands were needed, but has been well nigh appalled at times by the imbecility of the average man- the inability or unwillingness to concentrate on a thing and do it. Slip-shod assistance, foolish inattention, dowdy indifference, & half-hearted work seem the rule; and no man succeeds, unless by hook or crook, or threat, he forces or bribes other men to assist him; or mayhap, God in His goodness performs a miracle, & sends him an Angel of Light for an assistant.
You, reader, put this matter to a test:
You are sitting now in your office- six clerks are within call. Summon any one and make this request: "Please look in the encyclopedia and make a brief memorandum for me concerning the life of Correggio".
Will the clerk quietly say, "Yes, sir," and go do the task? On your life, he will not. He will look at you out of a fishy eye and ask one or more of the following questions:
Who was he?
Which encyclopedia?
Where is the encyclopedia?
Was I hired for that?
Don’t you mean Bismarck?
What’s the matter with Charlie doing it?
Is he dead?
Is there any hurry?
Shan’t I bring you the book and let you look it up yourself?
What do you want to know for?
And I will lay you ten to one that after you have answered the questions, and explained how to find the information, and why you want it, the clerk will go off and get one of the other clerks to help him try to find Garcia- and then come back and tell you there is no such man. Of course I may lose my bet, but according to the Law of Average, I will not.
Now if you are wise you will not bother to explain to your "assistant" that Correggio is indexed under the C’s, not in the K’s, but you will smile sweetly and say, "Never mind," and go look it up yourself.
And this incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift, are the things that put pure Socialism so far into the future. If men will not act for themselves, what will they do when the benefit of their effort is for all? A first-mate with knotted club seems necessary; and the dread of getting "the bounce" Saturday night, holds many a worker to his place.
Advertise for a stenographer, and nine out of ten who apply, can neither spell nor punctuate- and do not think it necessary to. Can such a one write a letter to Garcia?
"You see that bookkeeper," said the foreman to me in a large factory.
"Yes, what about him?"
"Well he’s a fine accountant, but if I’d send him up town on an errand, he might accomplish the errand all right, and on the other hand, might stop at four saloons on the way, and when he got to Main Street, would forget what he had been sent for."
Can such a man be entrusted to carry a message to Garcia?
We have recently been hearing much maudlin sympathy expressed for the "downtrodden denizen of the sweat-shop" and the "homeless wanderer searching for honest employment," & with it all often go many hard words for the men in power. Nothing is said about the employer who grows old before his time in a vain attempt to get frowsy ne’erdo- wells to do intelligent work; and his long patient striving with "help" that does nothing but loaf when his back is turned.
In every store and factory there is a constant weeding-out process going on. The employer is constantly sending away "help" that have shown their incapacity to further the interests of the business, and others are being taken on. No matter how good times are, this sorting continues, only if times are hard and work is scarce, the sorting is done finer- but out and forever out, the incompetent and unworthy go.
It is the survival of the fittest. Self-interest prompts every employer to keep the best- those who can carry a message to Garcia.
I know one man of really brilliant parts who has not the ability to manage a business of his own, and yet who is absolutely worthless to any one else, because he carries with him constantly the insane suspicion that his employer is oppressing, or intending to oppress him. He cannot give orders; and he will not receive them. Should a message be given him to take to Garcia, his answer would probably be, "Take it yourself."
Tonight this man walks the streets looking for work, the wind histling through his threadbare coat. No one who knows him dare employ him, for he is a regular fire-brand of discontent. He is impervious to reason, and the only thing that can impress him is the toe of a thick-soled No. 9 boot.
Of course I know that one so morally deformed is no less to be pitied than a physical cripple; but in our pitying, let us drop a tear, too, for the men who are striving to carry on a great enterprise, whose working hours are not limited by the whistle, and whose hair is fast turning white through the struggle to hold in line dowdy indifference, slip-shod imbecility, and the heartless ingratitude, which, but for their enterprise, would be both hungry & homeless.
Have I put the matter too strongly? Possibly I have; but when all the world has gone a-slumming I wish to speak a word of sympathy for the man who succeeds—the man who, against great odds has directed the efforts of others, and having succeeded, finds there’s nothing in it: nothing but bare board and clothes.
I have carried a dinner pail & worked for day’s wages, and I have also been an employer of labor, and I know there is something to be said on both sides. There is no excellence, per se, in poverty; rags are no recommendation; & all employers are not rapacious and high-handed, any more than all poor men are virtuous.
My heart goes out to the man who does his work when the "boss" is away, as well as when he is at home. And the man who, when given a letter for Garcia, quietly take the missive, without asking any idiotic questions, and with no lurking intention of chucking it into the nearest sewer, or of doing aught else but deliver it, never gets "laid off," nor has to go on a strike for higher wages. Civilization is one long anxious search for just such individuals. Anything such a man asks shall be granted; his kind is so rare that no employer can afford to let him go. He is wanted in every city, town and village- in every office, shop, store and factory.
The world cries out for such: he is needed, & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia.
The information mentioned above will help you better understand the setting of the now-famous article titled “A Message to Garcia.” President McKinley needed to send a very important message to a Cuban general by the name of Garcia. Colonel Andrew Summers Rowan was chosen for the task. His incredible success led a writer by the name of Elbert Hubbard to write “A Message to Garcia.” Its message is timeless. Here it is:
1899
A Message to Garcia
By Elbert Hubbard
In all this Cuban business there is one man stands out on the horizon of my memory like Mars at perihelion [the point in its orbit when the planet Mars is closest to the sun]. When war broke out between Spain & the United States, it was very necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the Insurgents. Garcia was somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba- no one
knew where. No mail nor telegraph message could reach him. The President must secure his cooperation, and quickly.
What to do! Someone said to the President, "There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan will find Garcia for you, if anybody can." Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia. How "the fellow by the name of Rowan" took the letter, sealed it up in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the jungle, & in three weeks came out on the other side of the Island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia, are things I have no special desire now to tell in detail.
The point I wish to make is this: McKinley gave Rowan a letter to be delivered to Garcia; Rowan took the letter and did not ask, "Where is he at?" By the Eternal! there is a man whose form should be cast in deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college of the land. It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies: do the thing- "Carry a message to Garcia!"
General Garcia is dead now, but there are other Garcias. No man who has endeavored to carry out an enterprise where many hands were needed, but has been well nigh appalled at times by the imbecility of the average man- the inability or unwillingness to concentrate on a thing and do it. Slip-shod assistance, foolish inattention, dowdy indifference, & half-hearted work seem the rule; and no man succeeds, unless by hook or crook, or threat, he forces or bribes other men to assist him; or mayhap, God in His goodness performs a miracle, & sends him an Angel of Light for an assistant.
You, reader, put this matter to a test:
You are sitting now in your office- six clerks are within call. Summon any one and make this request: "Please look in the encyclopedia and make a brief memorandum for me concerning the life of Correggio".
Will the clerk quietly say, "Yes, sir," and go do the task? On your life, he will not. He will look at you out of a fishy eye and ask one or more of the following questions:
Who was he?
Which encyclopedia?
Where is the encyclopedia?
Was I hired for that?
Don’t you mean Bismarck?
What’s the matter with Charlie doing it?
Is he dead?
Is there any hurry?
Shan’t I bring you the book and let you look it up yourself?
What do you want to know for?
And I will lay you ten to one that after you have answered the questions, and explained how to find the information, and why you want it, the clerk will go off and get one of the other clerks to help him try to find Garcia- and then come back and tell you there is no such man. Of course I may lose my bet, but according to the Law of Average, I will not.
Now if you are wise you will not bother to explain to your "assistant" that Correggio is indexed under the C’s, not in the K’s, but you will smile sweetly and say, "Never mind," and go look it up yourself.
And this incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift, are the things that put pure Socialism so far into the future. If men will not act for themselves, what will they do when the benefit of their effort is for all? A first-mate with knotted club seems necessary; and the dread of getting "the bounce" Saturday night, holds many a worker to his place.
Advertise for a stenographer, and nine out of ten who apply, can neither spell nor punctuate- and do not think it necessary to. Can such a one write a letter to Garcia?
"You see that bookkeeper," said the foreman to me in a large factory.
"Yes, what about him?"
"Well he’s a fine accountant, but if I’d send him up town on an errand, he might accomplish the errand all right, and on the other hand, might stop at four saloons on the way, and when he got to Main Street, would forget what he had been sent for."
Can such a man be entrusted to carry a message to Garcia?
We have recently been hearing much maudlin sympathy expressed for the "downtrodden denizen of the sweat-shop" and the "homeless wanderer searching for honest employment," & with it all often go many hard words for the men in power. Nothing is said about the employer who grows old before his time in a vain attempt to get frowsy ne’erdo- wells to do intelligent work; and his long patient striving with "help" that does nothing but loaf when his back is turned.
In every store and factory there is a constant weeding-out process going on. The employer is constantly sending away "help" that have shown their incapacity to further the interests of the business, and others are being taken on. No matter how good times are, this sorting continues, only if times are hard and work is scarce, the sorting is done finer- but out and forever out, the incompetent and unworthy go.
It is the survival of the fittest. Self-interest prompts every employer to keep the best- those who can carry a message to Garcia.
I know one man of really brilliant parts who has not the ability to manage a business of his own, and yet who is absolutely worthless to any one else, because he carries with him constantly the insane suspicion that his employer is oppressing, or intending to oppress him. He cannot give orders; and he will not receive them. Should a message be given him to take to Garcia, his answer would probably be, "Take it yourself."
Tonight this man walks the streets looking for work, the wind histling through his threadbare coat. No one who knows him dare employ him, for he is a regular fire-brand of discontent. He is impervious to reason, and the only thing that can impress him is the toe of a thick-soled No. 9 boot.
Of course I know that one so morally deformed is no less to be pitied than a physical cripple; but in our pitying, let us drop a tear, too, for the men who are striving to carry on a great enterprise, whose working hours are not limited by the whistle, and whose hair is fast turning white through the struggle to hold in line dowdy indifference, slip-shod imbecility, and the heartless ingratitude, which, but for their enterprise, would be both hungry & homeless.
Have I put the matter too strongly? Possibly I have; but when all the world has gone a-slumming I wish to speak a word of sympathy for the man who succeeds—the man who, against great odds has directed the efforts of others, and having succeeded, finds there’s nothing in it: nothing but bare board and clothes.
I have carried a dinner pail & worked for day’s wages, and I have also been an employer of labor, and I know there is something to be said on both sides. There is no excellence, per se, in poverty; rags are no recommendation; & all employers are not rapacious and high-handed, any more than all poor men are virtuous.
My heart goes out to the man who does his work when the "boss" is away, as well as when he is at home. And the man who, when given a letter for Garcia, quietly take the missive, without asking any idiotic questions, and with no lurking intention of chucking it into the nearest sewer, or of doing aught else but deliver it, never gets "laid off," nor has to go on a strike for higher wages. Civilization is one long anxious search for just such individuals. Anything such a man asks shall be granted; his kind is so rare that no employer can afford to let him go. He is wanted in every city, town and village- in every office, shop, store and factory.
The world cries out for such: he is needed, & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia.
Monday, April 8, 2013
God Speaks to His Prophets Today
While
doing research for an essay about the nature of God, I wanted to see for myself
the kind of God that traditional Christianity believes in. So I visited
"the world's largest Bible study website" and found the following
statement:
“The Mormons claim
God is a perfect exalted man with a literal flesh and bones body. As man is,
God once was, and as God is, man can be. This is also at the heart of New Age
thinking, but it’s a far cry from the revelation of God in the Bible.”
There
you have it: if it’s not in the Bible it cannot be true. For that writer and
the rest of traditional Christianity, the Bible is not only the word of God, it
is all the word of God there is. If
you tell them that God has spoken to man in our day and continues to do so,
their response is, “You are sorely mistaken. Revelation ceased with the Bible.”
When we reply, “But God Himself has spoken! We have eyewitness accounts!” they
will still not believe.This is not the first time people have denied that
revelation exists. Many felt that way about the Biblical prophets. and even
about Jesus.
Joseph
Fielding McConkie gives a perfect illustration of this audacity, citing “an
exchange between a friend and a scholar of another faith . . . My friend was
challenged with the statement that there is no way in all the world that
Latter-day Saints could ever justify the practice of polygamy. ‘Look,’ my
friend responded, ‘if the God of heaven personally appeared to you and directed
you to practice polygamy, wouldn’t you do it?’ ‘No,’ was the response,’ even if
God himself commanded it, I would not do it, because it is not found in the
Bible!’” (Here We Stand, 47). [Note: The reference to polygamy was only used as an example. It does not mean that Latter-day Saints condone or practice polygamy today. We do not.]
Traditional
Christianity boldly and unashamedly looks the God of all Creation in the eye and says,
“While it's true that we teach our followers that you are an All-Powerful God, don't think that you can just barge in here and start revealing your will to
prophets in our day. You’re finished speaking. You’ve had your chance. From now
on, we’re in charge.”
People
don’t reject prophets because of a disbelief in God. What rubs them the wrong
way is the idea of God sending living prophets to them! To
paraphrase a statement by Truman Madsen: “Living prophets can get
involved in your life, changing it, giving specific commandments and counsels,
rebuking, approving or disapproving. But prophets long dead stay out of your hair.”
What
a blessing it is to know that the heavens are open and that God still reveals
His will to prophets in our day. That's not audacity! That's not blasphemy!
After all, doesn't God love us just as much as His children were loved in ages
past? Then why not prophets in our day?
The prophet Amos declared, "Surely
the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret to his servants the
prophets" (Amos 3:7). Unfortunately, traditional Christianity has added
the following disclaimer: "Sorry--this offer had a limited shelf life and
has since expired. God only had power to reveal His will to prophets during
Biblical times. That power has run out and no longer applies. You will just
have to blindly grope your way through life without the aid of living
prophets. But if you have any questions, we're here to help."
An
ancient prophet saw our day and declared: “Wo be unto him that shall say: We
have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we
have enough!” (2 Nephi 28:29).
Friday, March 22, 2013
Changing Times, Changing Morals?
Yesterday a report was released by the Pew Research Center showing how people’s attitudes about gay marriage have changed over the past 10 years. The report states that “the rise in support for same-sex marriage is among the largest changes in opinion on any policy issue over this time period.”
I won’t burden you with the full report. If you want to study the details you can find them here . Nevertheless, I would like to share with you the answers to one of the survey questions:
Q: “What made you change your mind about same-sex marriage?”
A: I have friends/family/acquaintances who are gay/lesbian 32%
I’ve become more tolerant/older/studied more/am more aware 25%
The world has changed/it’s more prevalent/inevitable/doesn’t hurt 18%
People’s have freedom to choose/ love and happiness 18%
Equal rights 8%
Morals/religious beliefs/only God can judge 5%
Born that way 2%
Other 6%
Don’t know/refused 6%
(Total exceeds 100% because of multiple responses.)
The trend is obvious:
- Tolerance ranks supreme
- Let others live their lives as they wish.
- There is no absolute right or wrong.
I see no sign that the trend will be reversed. In fact, I foresee that Latter-day Saints will come under increasing pressure from the world—and the worldly—to “get our heads out of the sand,” “be more tolerant,” and to respect people’s freedom to choose.
While the results of the Pew survey are startling, to the observant “watchmen on the tower” they are not surprising. Anyone who’s been following societal trends—and who’s been listening to latter-day prophets—has surely seen this coming.
Here are some examples of their recent warnings:
1. President Thomas S. Monson: “The face of sin often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that façade is heartache, unhappiness, and pain. You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that. The character of the transgression remains the same” (General Conference, April 2008).
2. President Boyd K. Packer: “Tolerance is often demanded, but seldom returned” (“Be Not Afraid,” address at Ogden Institute of Religion, Nov. 16, 2008).
3. Elder Bruce D. Porter: “Until recently in our national history, tolerance referred to racial and religious non-discrimination. It meant civility in the political arena; in other words, respecting the right of others to express their views, even if we do not agree with them. It meant treating all people with decency and respect. Such tolerance is an important and vital part of our American heritage.
“Today, however, the world is in danger of abandoning all sense of absolute right or wrong, all morality and virtue, replacing them with an all-encompassing ‘tolerance’ that no longer means what it once meant. An extreme definition of tolerance is now widespread that implicitly or explicitly endorses the right of every person to choose their own morality, even their own ‘truth,’ as though morality and truth were mere matters of personal preference. This extreme tolerance culminates in a refusal to recognize any fixed standards or draw moral distinctions of any kind. Few dare say no to the ‘almighty self’ or suggest that some so-called ‘lifestyles’ may be destructive, contrary to higher law, or simply wrong.
“When tolerance is so inflated out of all proportions, it means the death of virtue, for the essence of morality is to draw clear distinctions between right and wrong. All virtue requires saying no firmly and courageously to all that is morally bankrupt.
“Curiously enough, this new modern tolerance is often a one-way street. Those who practice it expect everyone to tolerate them in anything they say or do, but show no tolerance themselves toward those who express differing viewpoints or defend traditional morality. Indeed, their intolerance is often most barbed toward those of religious conviction. But let there be no misunderstanding or deception: the First Amendment right of free speech applies to religious speech as well as to other kinds of speech. Believers of all faiths have every right to participate in and share their convictions in the public arena.” (“Defending the Family in a Troubled World,” Ensign, June 2011).
4. Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “We live in a world where more and more persons of influence are teaching and acting out a belief that there is no absolute right and wrong, that all authority and all rules of behavior are man-made choices that can prevail over the commandments of God. Many even question whether there is a God . . . Persuaded by this philosophy, many of the rising generation—youth and young adults—are caught up in self-serving pleasures, pagan painting and piercing of body parts, foul language, revealing attire, pornography, dishonesty, and degrading sexual indulgence . . .
“There is an alarming contrast between the older and younger generations. According to survey data of two decades ago, 79 percent of American adults [believed] that ‘there are clear guidelines about what’s good and evil that apply to everyone regardless of the situation.’ In contrast, a more recent poll of college seniors suggests that ‘three-quarters of [them] believe that the difference between right and wrong is relative.’ [SK’s note: I cannot help worrying about how many of those college seniors will end up as teachers in classrooms attended by our grandchildren.]
“The kingdom of God is like a leaven. A leaven—yeast—is hidden away in the larger mass until the whole is . . . raised by its influence. Our Savior taught that His followers will have tribulation in the world, that their numbers and dominions will be small, and that they will be hated because they are not of the world. But that is our role. We are called to live with other children of God who do not share our faith or our values and who do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed . . . Since followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to be a leaven—not to be taken out of the world, but to remain in it—we must seek tolerance from those who hate us for not being of the world . . . We do not abandon the truth or our covenants” (“Truth and Tolerance,” CES Devotional for Young Adults, Sept. 11, 2011).
As I was watching the live broadcast the night Elder Oaks gave his talk, and I was struck by what I heard in his closing remarks:
“The Bible teaches that one of the functions of a prophet is to be a ‘watchman’ to warn Israel (see Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). In revelation the Lord added this parable for modern Zion: ‘Set . . . a watchman upon the tower,’ who will ‘[see] the enemy while he [is] yet afar off’ and give warning to save the ‘vineyard from the hands of the destroyer’ (D&C 101:45, 54).
“I have spoken to you as one of those watchmen on the subject the Spirit has assigned me. I assure you that my message is true. If you have doubts about this, or if you have questions about how to apply these principles in your own life, I urge you to seek guidance from the same source.”
The popular call right now is for tolerance. As a Christian pastor has said, "Sadly, the debate about Christianity has shifted from 'Is it true?' to 'Was anyone offended?'" (Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church, Seattle). If we ever find that the societal pressure is causing us to waver in our role as the Lord's designated "latter-day leaven"—if we find ourselves fondling the attitude of letting every man live according to whatever lifestyle makes him happy—then it may be time for a course correction, that is, to do precisely what Elder Oaks said we should do: “Seek guidance from the same source” that “assigned” him to make those statements. I am confident that if we do, we will know that he spoke the truth and that there really are standards of right and wrong that God expects us to embrace, even in this so-called “modern world.”
I won’t burden you with the full report. If you want to study the details you can find them here . Nevertheless, I would like to share with you the answers to one of the survey questions:
Q: “What made you change your mind about same-sex marriage?”
A: I have friends/family/acquaintances who are gay/lesbian 32%
I’ve become more tolerant/older/studied more/am more aware 25%
The world has changed/it’s more prevalent/inevitable/doesn’t hurt 18%
People’s have freedom to choose/ love and happiness 18%
Equal rights 8%
Morals/religious beliefs/only God can judge 5%
Born that way 2%
Other 6%
Don’t know/refused 6%
(Total exceeds 100% because of multiple responses.)
The trend is obvious:
- Tolerance ranks supreme
- Let others live their lives as they wish.
- There is no absolute right or wrong.
I see no sign that the trend will be reversed. In fact, I foresee that Latter-day Saints will come under increasing pressure from the world—and the worldly—to “get our heads out of the sand,” “be more tolerant,” and to respect people’s freedom to choose.
While the results of the Pew survey are startling, to the observant “watchmen on the tower” they are not surprising. Anyone who’s been following societal trends—and who’s been listening to latter-day prophets—has surely seen this coming.
Here are some examples of their recent warnings:
1. President Thomas S. Monson: “The face of sin often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that façade is heartache, unhappiness, and pain. You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that. The character of the transgression remains the same” (General Conference, April 2008).
2. President Boyd K. Packer: “Tolerance is often demanded, but seldom returned” (“Be Not Afraid,” address at Ogden Institute of Religion, Nov. 16, 2008).
3. Elder Bruce D. Porter: “Until recently in our national history, tolerance referred to racial and religious non-discrimination. It meant civility in the political arena; in other words, respecting the right of others to express their views, even if we do not agree with them. It meant treating all people with decency and respect. Such tolerance is an important and vital part of our American heritage.
“Today, however, the world is in danger of abandoning all sense of absolute right or wrong, all morality and virtue, replacing them with an all-encompassing ‘tolerance’ that no longer means what it once meant. An extreme definition of tolerance is now widespread that implicitly or explicitly endorses the right of every person to choose their own morality, even their own ‘truth,’ as though morality and truth were mere matters of personal preference. This extreme tolerance culminates in a refusal to recognize any fixed standards or draw moral distinctions of any kind. Few dare say no to the ‘almighty self’ or suggest that some so-called ‘lifestyles’ may be destructive, contrary to higher law, or simply wrong.
“When tolerance is so inflated out of all proportions, it means the death of virtue, for the essence of morality is to draw clear distinctions between right and wrong. All virtue requires saying no firmly and courageously to all that is morally bankrupt.
“Curiously enough, this new modern tolerance is often a one-way street. Those who practice it expect everyone to tolerate them in anything they say or do, but show no tolerance themselves toward those who express differing viewpoints or defend traditional morality. Indeed, their intolerance is often most barbed toward those of religious conviction. But let there be no misunderstanding or deception: the First Amendment right of free speech applies to religious speech as well as to other kinds of speech. Believers of all faiths have every right to participate in and share their convictions in the public arena.” (“Defending the Family in a Troubled World,” Ensign, June 2011).
4. Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “We live in a world where more and more persons of influence are teaching and acting out a belief that there is no absolute right and wrong, that all authority and all rules of behavior are man-made choices that can prevail over the commandments of God. Many even question whether there is a God . . . Persuaded by this philosophy, many of the rising generation—youth and young adults—are caught up in self-serving pleasures, pagan painting and piercing of body parts, foul language, revealing attire, pornography, dishonesty, and degrading sexual indulgence . . .
“There is an alarming contrast between the older and younger generations. According to survey data of two decades ago, 79 percent of American adults [believed] that ‘there are clear guidelines about what’s good and evil that apply to everyone regardless of the situation.’ In contrast, a more recent poll of college seniors suggests that ‘three-quarters of [them] believe that the difference between right and wrong is relative.’ [SK’s note: I cannot help worrying about how many of those college seniors will end up as teachers in classrooms attended by our grandchildren.]
“The kingdom of God is like a leaven. A leaven—yeast—is hidden away in the larger mass until the whole is . . . raised by its influence. Our Savior taught that His followers will have tribulation in the world, that their numbers and dominions will be small, and that they will be hated because they are not of the world. But that is our role. We are called to live with other children of God who do not share our faith or our values and who do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed . . . Since followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to be a leaven—not to be taken out of the world, but to remain in it—we must seek tolerance from those who hate us for not being of the world . . . We do not abandon the truth or our covenants” (“Truth and Tolerance,” CES Devotional for Young Adults, Sept. 11, 2011).
As I was watching the live broadcast the night Elder Oaks gave his talk, and I was struck by what I heard in his closing remarks:
“The Bible teaches that one of the functions of a prophet is to be a ‘watchman’ to warn Israel (see Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). In revelation the Lord added this parable for modern Zion: ‘Set . . . a watchman upon the tower,’ who will ‘[see] the enemy while he [is] yet afar off’ and give warning to save the ‘vineyard from the hands of the destroyer’ (D&C 101:45, 54).
“I have spoken to you as one of those watchmen on the subject the Spirit has assigned me. I assure you that my message is true. If you have doubts about this, or if you have questions about how to apply these principles in your own life, I urge you to seek guidance from the same source.”
The popular call right now is for tolerance. As a Christian pastor has said, "Sadly, the debate about Christianity has shifted from 'Is it true?' to 'Was anyone offended?'" (Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church, Seattle). If we ever find that the societal pressure is causing us to waver in our role as the Lord's designated "latter-day leaven"—if we find ourselves fondling the attitude of letting every man live according to whatever lifestyle makes him happy—then it may be time for a course correction, that is, to do precisely what Elder Oaks said we should do: “Seek guidance from the same source” that “assigned” him to make those statements. I am confident that if we do, we will know that he spoke the truth and that there really are standards of right and wrong that God expects us to embrace, even in this so-called “modern world.”
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Time For a Loyalty Check
Now that the white smoke has dissipated, some are wondering just how much difference the new pope will make in the lives of the average Catholic. A few weeks ago, New York Times columnist, Frank Bruni, put it this way: ”In the American news media it’s all pope all the time, a tsunami of papal coverage, and until a new pope is named, the tide won’t quit. You’d be forgiven for concluding that he’ll actually have significant sway over Catholics in this country. He won’t, not over the majority of them, not in any immediate sense. And it’s worth pausing, amid this hoopla, to remember that. In large parts of the Roman Catholic world, certainly in North America and Western Europe, most Catholics don’t feel any particular debt or duty to the self-appointed caretakers of their church. They don’t feel bound by the pope’s interpretation of doctrine or moral commands . . .”
He continues: “We in the media love the clear-cut drama of transitions. They’re easy to grasp and frame. And in the case of the Vatican, they come with majestic visual backdrops, colorfully costumed characters: a pageant extraordinaire. It looks splendid on the front page and even better on the nightly news. We traffic in celebrities, and the pope qualifies as one. We also relish the narrative of any winner-take-all contest in which there are multiple hopefuls, murky dynamics and a familiar brand of suspense. This informs the way we approach presidential elections, focusing on the horse race. It explains all the cook-offs, the sing-offs, the analyses of the face-off between “Argo” and “Lincoln” for Best Picture. The papal selection process is in one sense “Top Chef” without the cooking. It’s the ecclesiastical Oscars.”
In other words, one shouldn’t make the mistake of equating media airtime and front-page headlines with personal devotion. Polls indicate a significant lack of papal allegiance within the Catholic church, confirmed by the results of a study I found in the National Catholic Reporter from November, 2011. It revealed that only 19% of those surveyed categorized themselves as “highly committed Catholics,” meaning that on a scale of 1 to 7—with 1 representing the highest level of commitment—the “highly committed” Catholics were those who said that (a) the church was the most important or one of the most important parts of their life; and (b) they attended church once a week or more often.
In addition:
-- Close to a majority of those who call themselves “highly committed” say that a person can be a good Catholic without going to weekly Mass (48 percent), without their marriage being approved by the church (48 percent), and without obeying the church’s teaching on divorce and remarriage (46 percent).
-- 60 percent of the “highly committed” say that one can be a good Catholic without obeying the church’s teaching on artificial contraception.
-- Only 57 percent of “highly committed” Catholics said that the teaching authority claimed by the Vatican is very important to them personally.
So while their leaders may have strong positions about moral issues, those positions are not shared by the great majority of the “highly committed.” How else would you explain that the country the new pope hails from—Argentina, 75% Catholic—recently passed a law allowing same-sex marriage?
The disconnect is obvious. In scriptural terms, it’s a “my will vs. Thy will” attitude, where most members do their own thing. I heard a great example of this several months ago as a Catholic woman from Mexico was interviewed about her church’s attitude toward birth control. She proudly declared herself “a faithful Catholic,” and then she stated that even if God Himself told her it's wrong to practice birth control, she would do it anyway, because she knows what’s best for her own life.
Bruni's article concluded with this thought: “Does the pope fully appreciate this drift? Every Sunday, he looks from his window onto St. Peter’s Square and sees adoring, rapt masses. Everywhere he goes, traffic parts and cameras follow him. But here in America, the Catholics watching closely are fewer and fewer. They’re Christian. They’re caring. They’re moral. But they have minds and wills of their own, and no conclave will change that.“ (Frank Bruni, “The Pope’s Muffled Voice,” New York Times, 18 Feb. 2013).
There is a lesson in this for Latter-day Saints. Where are our loyalties? When it comes to those we sustain as prophets, seers and revelators, where is our allegiance? Hopefully we are not like those described in this little verse quoted by President Boyd K. Packer::
The sermon was ended.
The priest had descended.
Much delighted were they,
But preferred the old way.
(Boyd K. Packer, “Follow the Brethren,” Speeches of the Year, BYU, 23 March 1965, pp.; 1-10.)
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Couldn't Happen Here!
Don’t Let the First Paragraph Fool You – This Is About Pornography, Not Obesity
Most Americans agree with experts who warn that childhood obesity is a growing problem (no pun intended). What’s ironic, however, is that when polled on this subject, four out of five parents said they weren’t worried about their children becoming obese (NPR report, March 4, 2013).
That poll illustrates a tendency most of us have. Researchers call it “optimism bias,” a tendency to believe that we’re more “special” than others. As a result, we generally under-estimate the likelihood of certain negative things happening in our own lives, such as dying from cancer or auto accident, and we over-estimate the likelihood of positive things, such as our longevity or believing that our children will naturally be brighter than other children—even when statistics prove otherwise.
Tali Sharot’s research shows how “optimism bias” manifests itself. She gave a fascinating TED talk on the subject. It can be viewed here.here. I think you’ll enjoy her presentation (even though the ending is a bit cheesy).
Examples of “optimism bias” include:
- Life-long, heavy smokers who believe they are less likely than other smokers to contract lung cancer.
- Newlyweds who firmly believe that, in spite of statistics showing that 40-50% of all marriages end in divorce, their marriages will never fail.
- Teens who engage in smoking, drug use, and unsafe sex, because, in their minds, addiction, unplanned pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases only happen to others.
- People with poor eating habits who don’t exercise but still consider themselves as a below-average risk for heart disease, even after they’ve read articles indicating that they are prime candidates.
In her presentation, Sharot illustrates this bias by asking members of her audience the following questions:
“When compared with the general population --
1. How well do you get along with others?
2. How does your driving ability compare with others?
3. How interesting are you?
4. How attractive are you?
5. How honest are you?
6. How modest are you?”
In each category the overwhelming majority ranked themselves as “above average” – something that is statistically impossible.
I am not an expert on this topic. Nevertheless, I have some real-world experience giving me a nagging suspicion that Latter-day Saints have a particularly strong “optimism bias” regarding how they feel about the likelihood of a family or ward member becoming involved with or addicted to pornography.
I’m not talking about denial. Denial is different. Denial of a pornography addiction (and there’s more of that in the Church than you’d ever guess) is what the addict does when he tells himself he’s not hurting anyone. Denial is what the addict does when he tells himself he can stop anytime—because he’s done it hundreds of times. It’s what spouses of the addicts do when they say, “He just has a little pornography problem.” Denial is manifest in a quick “I’m sorry” prayer on the way to a temple endowment session or on Saturday night when the addict is preparing his priesthood lesson. Denial is manifest by priesthood leaders who deny the statistics showing that more than 70% of men ages 18 to 34 visit a pornography site on the Internet every month “because it just couldn’t happen here,” so they leave to the General Authorities the task of preaching about it and worry about more pressing matters such as increasing attendance at ward temple day. That’s denial. (Think about it: If those statistics are only half true, then 35% of the elders quorum has a pornography problem.)
“Optimism bias” is the attitude that “We’re special, therefore it couldn’t happen here—not in our family—not in our ward.” Just like the audience’s responses to Sharot’s questions, such beliefs are statistically impossible.
Speaking of statistics, consider these statistics from a 2007 Church News article: “One survey of children ages 7-17 indicated that 90 percent of them had seen online pornography, most while doing homework. In another survey of 16-17 year-olds, 48 percent said their parents knew little or nothing about what they looked at online. The average age for an addict’s first exposure is 11 years old. Studies also say that all male high school students have viewed it at one time or another” (“In Your Home,” Church News, March 3, 2007).
That same year, the Deseret News published an article showing that Utah ranked #1 for Web searches using the words “Jesus,” “family history,” Mormon,” and “home storage.” But it also ranked Utah #1 for these search words: “Pornography,” “naked girls,” “striptease,” “topless,” “nude,” “strip poker,” “lingerie,” “blonde,” and “brunette” (“What Do Utahns Google?” Deseret News, October 12, 2007).
All of this leads me to ask a more fundamental question: Why are we not hearing more about this issue? Except for General Conference settings, we hear very little – and especially not in priesthood or Relief Society meetings. Why? If we all agree that pornography is evil, soul-destroying, marriage-destroying, and absolutely addictive, then I see two possible reasons.
First, it could be that our “optimism bias” is telling us that those evils are much more likely to happen in other families and other wards—and that we are, thankfully, immune.
The second reason can be illustrated by a classic poem that I learned as a seminary student. It’s called, “The Fence or The Ambulance,” and it’s about a town that sat at the foot of a high cliff. Because of the spectacular view from the top, many people climbed the cliff, only to get too close to the edge, and, inevitably, they suffered a disastrous fall.
So the people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally.
Some said, ‘Put a fence ‘round the edge of the cliff,’
Some, ‘An ambulance down in the valley.”
But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,
For it spread through the neighboring city.
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became brimful of pity
For those who slipped over that dangerous cliff,
And dwellers in highway and alley
Gave pounds or gave pence, not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.
“For the cliff is alright if you’re careful,” they said,
“And if folks even slip and are dropping,
It isn’t the slipping that hurts them so much
As the shock down below when they’re stopping!”
So, day after day, as those mishaps occurred,
Quick forth would the rescuers sally
To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff
With the ambulance down in the valley.
Then an old sage remarked, “It’s a marvel to me
That people give far more attention
To repairing results than to stopping the cause
When they’d much better aim at prevention.
Let us stop at its source all this mischief,” he cried,
“Come neighbors and friends, let us rally!
If the cliff we will fence we might almost dispense
With the ambulance down in the valley.”
The ambulance proponents argued that the old sage was a fanatic, saying:
“Aren’t we picking up folks just as fast as they fall?
And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?
Why should people of sense stop to put up a fence
While the ambulance works in the valley?”
["A Fence or an Ambulance," Joseph Malins]
It is entirely possible that, much like the ambulance proponents, many Latter-day Saints accept the fact that someone they know and love may have actually been enticed too close to the edge and have fallen victim to pornography. But they’re not worried. Why? Because even if someone does fall over the cliff, they reason, in the Church we have the best ambulances—and at the wheel are loving bishops and caring stake presidents who will work tirelessly to heal those broken souls and broken marriages. (As if they don’t have anything else to do!)
I side with the old sage in the poem: “If the cliff we will fence we might almost dispense with the ambulance down in the valley.”
The threat is real. Those who feel it can’t or won’t be a problem for Latter-day Saints “because we’re special” are wrong. It is precisely because we are special that it’s more likely to happen! Satan knows who we are, what we’ve covenanted to do, and what God expects of us. What a trophy for him if we ignore the warning signs until it is too late. Let us not allow “optimism bias” to lull us into a sense of false security. People we know are falling victim to this evil addiction. And even we ourselves are not immune.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)