Raising a Standard of Our Own

The classic Book of Mormon icon, Captain Moroni raises the Title of Liberty to rally his followers.

In the October 2015 General Conference, President Monson delivered two messages.  Unless we read in context, at least superficially some of his counsel seems contradictory.  At the Priesthood Session, President Monson counselled in his address "Keep the Commandments"...

The Apostle Paul lists six attributes of a believer, attributes that will allow our lights to shine. Let us look at each one...

I mention the first two attributes together—being an example in word and in conversation. The words we use can lift and inspire, or they can harm and demean.

But then a stern warning...

We read in 1 Corinthians: “There are … so many kinds of voices in the world.”  We are surrounded by persuasive voices, beguiling voices, belittling voices, sophisticated voices, and confusing voices. I might add that these are LOUD voices.

I admonish you to turn the volume down and to be influenced instead by that still, small voice which will guide you to safety.

Disregard for the commandments has opened the way for what I consider to be the plagues of our day. They include the plague of permissiveness, the plague of pornography, the plague of drugs, the plague of immorality, and the plague of abortion, to name just a few. The scriptures tell us that the adversary is “the founder of all these things.”  We know that he is “the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men.”

The emphasis in his comments was that instead of heeding the noise of many different loud voices, we must heed the still small voice, promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Then in his opening address on Sunday, his counsel...

Let us speak to others with love and respect, ever keeping our language clean and avoiding words or comments that would wound or offend. May we follow the example of the Savior, who spoke with tolerance and kindness throughout His ministry.

The apparent contradiction comes with the worldly definition for "comments that would wound or offend".  Many of the sources of the LOUD voices take occasion to be "offended" by almost every word we might say.  They claim to be "wounded" by any mention of the doctrines of Christ.

President Monson cites Jesus Christ as the example of the example of tolerance and kindness, but even Jesus spoke harsh criticisms of those who merited strong criticism.

He did not shrink from harsh condemnation of those who deserved it.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?  (Matthew 23:14-17)

President Monson certainly understands the intent and message of these scriptures, so his counsel is fully intended to be interpreted from that context.

We need to continue to promote standards of our own, not compromise our values to speak kindly to soften our words in behalf of those who merit more severe criticism.  It is not a kindness to withhold appropriate sternness from those who try to advocate compromising the commandments of God.  It is not loving to fail to warn those who sin and embrace evil, bringing sorrow and ruin along with them, into the lives of everyone who is touched by their influence.

President Monson's example sets the standard for this.  He does not tone down his rhetoric out of concern that it might possibly offend the LOUD voices.  The guilty will always use the "he offends me" complaint.  They would likely feign offense and bleeding hearts even if he said nothing at all.

Instead, while condemning the sources of evil and ill will with no equivocation, he refrains from employing extra derogatory or hyperbolic characterizations.  Right is right, wrong is wrong, good is good, and evil is evil - it requires no further elaboration or nuance.

An example of making our own voices understood against the competing background was expressed in the April 2015 General Conference by Elder L. Tom Perry...

We want our voice to be heard against all of the counterfeit and alternative lifestyles that try to replace the family organization that God Himself established.

On the following Wednesday, the Salt Lake Tribune published a reaction from a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, advocating to promote homosexual behavior, expressing "deep disappointment" in Perry's comments, which it believes "disparage LGBT families and children as 'counterfeit.' "

HRC asserts families which promote homosexual lifestyles "are not counterfeit — they are real and beautiful.  We encourage Mr. Perry and his fellow apostles to embrace the diversity that already exists within their own church, and reject the language and practice of intolerance."

This is exactly what President Monson refers to as "the plague of permissiveness" and "the plague of immorality."

Then there was a more recent incident of an group of atheists demanding that teaching of LDS Institute Classes at the University of Utah must be stopped, claiming that it is a violation of the Constitutional Establishment Clause.  More belittling and confusing voices.

In the words of the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah,

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.  (Isaiah 5:20)

The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:

 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.  (Isaiah 29:19-21)

When dissidents and detractors insist that Prophets who speak for God must restrain themselves from speaking offensive words which contradict their own LOUD voices, they are living by the popular standard Isaiah described so long ago.

Our Prophet of today, President Monson, in his two General Conference addresses, sets the example for us all.  Keep the commandments, and be an example and a light.  Not that any softening of God's commandments or any less condemnation of sin is warranted.

April 2013 General Conference: Followers of Christ

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles prefaced his conference address by reciting the words from the hymn,

“Come, follow me,” the Savior said.

Then let us in his footsteps tread,

For thus alone can we be one

With God’s own loved, begotten Son.

Oaks taught that members of the Church study the life of the Savior from the account of the Scriptures in an effort to follow His perfect example.  He iterated some of the specifics followers of Christ would be expected to do.

We follow the example of Jesus in baptism.  One of His acts during His mortal ministry was to be baptised, and his disciples also followed this example.  Members of the Church today do likewise.

The earliest message of the Savior's ministry was the call to repentance.  This is a consistent theme, still preached.

Jesus' ministry was characterized by commandments.  He taught, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." He taught that followers would be required to abjure "...that which is highly esteemed among men", and the "tradition of men".  He gave warning to the disciples:

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you (John 15:19).

The apostle Peter later made the characterization of Christ's disciples, "Ye....are a peculiar people."


Some of the more difficult to follow counsel from the Savior includes the injunction to be not "of the world".   Jesus was critical of some of his followers because “...they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  Among the common shortcomings of Church members today, Oaks mentions "...worldly practices like political correctness and extremes in dress and grooming to deviations from basic values like the eternal nature and function of the family."


We also learn from the Scriptures that the teachings of Jesus are practical and pragmatic counsel, intended to give direction to the disciples lives. Jesus taught, "...Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man."


As Jesus taught, His followers that love Him would be obedient to the commandments.  Following Christ is a commitment that applies at all times and in all places.  We partake of the sacrament each week in reminder of the promise to always remember Him and keep His commandments.


Jesus taught that "...men ought always to pray."  Church members pray together when they meet, and are counselled to pray individually and as families.


Jesus called twelve apostles to minister for Him, and the restored Church continues in this example.


Jesus taught, "...No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  Many Church members follow this challenge today in voluntary missionary service.


Jesus taught that God created male and female and that a man should leave his parents and cleave to his wife (see Mark 10:6–8). Our commitment to this teaching is well known.


We follow the injunction of Jesus to go out of our way to seek after any of the flock who have strayed (see Matthew 18:11–14; Luke 15:3–7).


The Savior's teachings about love are characterized in this passage,

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34–35).

The instruction to be forgiving is another difficult commandment that we strive to follow.  Jesus counselled to love even our enemies (see Luke 6:27–28).


Church members follow the teaching of Jesus in giving to care for the poor and needy (see Matthew 25:31–46; Mark 14:7).  They succeed, in great measure, through support of the Church policy for offerings and donations, both monetary and service oriented.  In addition, the Church participates in global humanitarian causes with the support of Church members striving to follow Christ.


Jesus admonished followers to pursue spreading the gospel, and Church members support this work today with many missionary efforts.


Followers of Christ today teach as the apostle Paul, that we are children of God, and joint heirs with Christ.  Jesus taught, "...No man cometh unto the Father, but by me".


Elder Oaks closes with the final verses of the hymn, "Come, Follow Me",

Is it enough alone to know

That we must follow him below,

While trav’ling thru this vale of tears?

No, this extends to holier spheres. ...

For thrones, dominions, kingdoms, pow’rs,

And glory great and bliss are ours,

If we, throughout eternity,

Obey his words, “Come, follow me.

Elder Oaks testifies that the Savior invites us to follow His bidding, all of us who are heavy laden, to come unto Him, to learn of Him, to follow Him, and thus to find rest to our souls (see Matthew 4:19; 11:28).

Ameliorating the consequences

A popular aphorism, from the title of one of the LDS Hymns collection -- "Do what is right, let the consequence follow".

I offer some hopefully thoughtful reflection on this idea.

It is consistent with inspired counsel that we are constantly to conduct ourselves as wise stewards. We must do all we can to consider the implications of actions that affect our own life, and the lives of others. Utmost in our priorities, it is imperitive to be guided by correct principles, in order to let our thoughts and actions be guided by inspiration from Heavenly Father.

Doing what is right, however, never gives us license to flagrantly act in defiance or willful igorance of the consequences. Thus our attitude can never rightly be, "Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead". We cannot flagrantly ignore adverse repercussions that might have been avoided.

Just as weighty as our obligation to choose right, is the responsibility to ensure that we cause no avoidable harm.

The Savior's admonition

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.  (Matthew 10:16).

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  (Matthew 18:4-6).

Respecting the feelings and opinions of others is not necessarily an act of deplorable cowardice. Circumspection and self-control are not personal characteristics of the "lily-livered". Even Jesus Christ tempered His speech and teachings in such a manner that generally reflected a calm and peaceful demeanor. He was rarely threatening, derogatory or harsh. In those instances where He did take such dramatic action, it was only against the most bitter of evil enemies.

With His closest disciples, presumably chosen friends, Jesus seemed to be ever mindful of the patient, teaching approach. Though he was even surely aware that one of his chosen twelve would eventually betray Him, yet He did not opt to cast that man out.