I appreciate your remarks. I started this discussion because I have been troubled by some of the trends I see at BYU. I cringe when I hear a church leader say Black Lives Matter, not because there is anything wrong with the idea. The idea is correct, and good, but the phrase is associated with an organization that is not good and is racist to the core and founded by self confessed Marxists who will tell you that if you say all lives matter you are a racist.
The fact is our church is led by prophets, seers, and revelators and we donât know what they know. I suspect some of what we see is lip service to certain ideas to minimize trouble with a wicked world. The key is to follow their counsel and minister to our fellow men and not let our personal views cloud the big picture. I have to remind myself sometimes that the 12 and first presidency are special witnesses of Christ.
That statement of yours âI suspect some of what we see is lip service to certain ideas to minimize trouble with a wicked worldâ is what I think too. I know they canât agree with BLMâs mission of segregation, racism and communism.
Correct me if Iâm wrong. He didnât say to not give opinions. We arenât to allow the Bulshevik left to turn us into a third world country. Although, what is going on in New York is just that.
âMy dear brothers and sisters, how we treat each other really matters. How we speak to and about others at home, at church and online really matters,â Nelson said. âToday, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way.â
âI am greatly concerned that so many people seem to believe that it is completely acceptable to condemn, malign and vilify anyone who does not agree with them.â
Now is the time to lay aside bitterness.
Now is the time to cease insisting that it is your way or no way.
Now is the time to stop doing things that make others walk on eggshells for fear of upsetting you.
If your verbal arsenal is filled with insults and accusations, now is the time to put them away.
âBut we can control ourselves**. My call today is to end the conflicts that are raging in your heart, your home and your life. Bury any and all inclinations to hurt others.â**
Scott, people have opinions, nothing wrong with that, âthe Howâ you express those opinions is what President Nelson is talking about.
I would encourage us all to re-read his Sunday morning conference talk and see what we all can do to follow his recommendations.
I would also say how we respond to opinions is important as well. Letâs see how that goes. When I was recently baptized, our bishop used a term that is slanderous to Jews in Sacrament meeting. After the meeting I explained where the term he used came from. I did t get mad or stomp out. Thatâs what I do. I say what I think. You donât have to get mad.
I do remember him saying we shouldnât endorse incorrect principles. Not in those words, but something to that effect. What I got out of it was to put aside contention and let kindness rule our interactions and if there is disagreement to not be disagreeable.
.Our society (including at BYU and in the Church) has almost completely lost the ability to disagree with others. I think a lot of the reason why is online communication has largely replaced face-to-face or written (pen and paper) interaction. For most people, people who are wrong are horrible people who should never have been born, etc.
People should always remember that people they disagree with are somebodyâs mom/dad, brother/sister, son/daughter. Would we want people talking like that to our parents, siblings, or children?
McKay,
I agree with what most of your posts says, the âinternetâ has been a boon for the church (was able to watch Conference when I was in another state), but it is also a hugh blocker for people and how to interact with others.
the amount of bogus ânewsâ sites on the Internet is also a problem. I do not know how many of my LDS friends have learned âchurch historyâ that was never taught in Sunday School. Some of it is true, but others have twisted the facts to meet an agenda. Which has some people leaving the church.
I also believe, at least in Utah, there are more and more âMembersâ who have become like the Pharisees, the Sadducees of Christ time. âThey belong to the âtrueâ churchâ and treat others with less than âChrist Likeâ attitudes. They feel that they are so ârighteousâ. I can go into almost any ward in the valley and within 6 months I can tell you who are the leadership families who gets moved around from position to position.
I never realized how this is such a problem until I went to serve in the inner-city mission (Spanish Ward). In that ward, the people treat each other as family. They step up any time that is needed.
My home bishop asked when we were coming back, I had to be honest and asked âwhat is there for me to come back?â
Lately I have been focusing more on how to improve my testimony of the gospel and less about callings in the church. I have found so much more peace doing this.
I have enjoyed conferences over the past few years asking us to focus more on our personal faith.
Just my viewpoints, you can accept or reject it, that is fine with me.
Many are called but few are chosen. Iâm glad for those who accept callings of leadership and followers. We find it weird how many turn down callings who are from the Lord. Imagine turning down the Lord. Leaders with testimonies end up in leadership callings because others lack In testimony and turn down callings.
Itâs amazing how people believe those who are against the Church. They canât see the deception.
Iâve always said this is Christâs Church with the fulness of the gospel. Here we have His authority to perform the ordinance works. No one else does. But, other churches have a place to help the poor, and the needy.