I stopped my Facebook account because it made me weep. I close books and magazines and turn off videos, movies and internet sites that display the level of enmity that came up on Facebook from my friends, mostly Mormons. Many members of our Church fail to step beyond a worldly view to a more perceptive appreciation of the Lord's errand for his covenant people.
we are a warlike people - perverting the Savior’s teaching - we become anti-enemy instead of pro-kingdom of God
In his shot straight to the heart of this Church membership -- and it was not well received, President Spencer W. Kimball cried out:
We are a warlike people, easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel—ships, planes, missiles, fortifications—and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become anti-enemy instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of Satan’s counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Savior’s teaching:
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:44–45.)
We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us—and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (see 2 Ne. 1:7)—or he will fight our battles for us (Ex. 14:14; D&C 98:37, to name only two references of many). This he is able to do, for as he said at the time of his betrayal, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53.) We can imagine what fearsome soldiers they would be. (Pres. Spencer W. Kimball, “The False Gods We Worship,” 1976) [NOTE: Pres. Kimball may also have been responding to mounting economic & political pressure to base national defense missiles in Nevada & Utah. See culminating official statement: First Presidency Statement on Basing of MX Missile.]
mormon fear derives from ignorance of God’s plan for all of his children and our failure to minister to them all
But much Mormon fear derives from ignorance of God’s plan for his children -- all his children -- those who are Celestial bound and many more who are yet candidates for the indescribable glory of God’s innumerable other Kingdoms and of our role to reach out and minister to them.
there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness
President Boyd K. Packer lays the foundation for our roll to minister to all God’s children -- our brothers and sisters, to facilitate the continuing work of Christ's redemptive work:
When your desire is firm and you are willing to pay the “uttermost farthing,” the law of restitution is suspended. Your obligation is transferred to the Lord. He will settle your accounts.
forgiveness does not, however, necessarily assure exaltation
At the time of this General Conference address I was facilitating Alternatives to Violence (AVP) sessions in the Maryland State Prison System and wrote to President Packer and asked him if this promise that “no habit, no addition, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness” applied to those among the inmates I worked with who had murdered.
He wrote back and directed me to read the following note printed in the Ensign that was not included in the original spoken address:
15. Forgiveness will come eventually to all repentant souls who have not committed the unpardonable sin (see Matt. 12:31). Forgiveness does not, however, necessarily assure exaltation, as is the case with David (see D&C 132:38–39; see also Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:25–27; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 339).
Then President Packer added in his return note that I was doing a good work with these men and would be blessed in my efforts on their behalf. His encouragement was totally consistent with the following story Pres. Packer included in the same general conference address:
Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead -- not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam
Some years ago I was in Washington, D.C., with President Harold B. Lee. Early one morning he called me to come into his hotel room. He was sitting in his robe reading Gospel Doctrine, by President Joseph F. Smith, and he said, “Listen to this!
“‘Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission.’”
many of us are invited to assist God’s non-celestial-bound children
As President Packer explained above, saved and forgiveness do “not necessarily assure exaltation.” Notwithstanding, Jesus’ work of redemption is not completed “until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have ever been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition.” That is his mission, and many of us are invited to assist God’s non-Celestial-bound children as they work through the individually tailored process of redemption that Jesus Christ currently presides over. This process prepares every soul for the glory of the kingdom they will enter.
we cannot know the ultimate judgement of those we work with -- therefore the same dignity and respect towards all
And lest we assume a superior or condescending attitude we must understand that we ourselves are not ultimate judges of any of God’s children. We don’t who know the special circumstances of those we encounter and their ultimate glory. So we treat all we meet with dignity and respect. Besides, a perceived disrespectful attitude not only nullifies attempts to reach out but among some populations will get you seriously hurt. "Disrespected" can be dangerous.
when the new thing arrives - do not say it is blessed - do not say it is cursed - say it is here
I was graduated with an undergraduate degree in Linguistics by the University of Pennsylvania. Recently, during an interview published in the Summer 2014 PENN Arts and Sciences Magazine, Professor William Labov at Penn reflected on his life’s work in Linguistics and about those men and women he’s worked with through his career -- so true to my own life’s experience over many venues:
Asked about grammar, he references Steven Vincent Benet’s poem “John Brown’s Body” to explain how linguists approach language change: “When the new thing arrives, do not say it is blessed. Do not say it is cursed. Say it is here.” That’s also his attitude toward those who are speaking. “I think the most important thing about field work is that you have to accept people as they are, and you have to let them know that you’re ready to hear anything they have to say,” Labov says. “And I would say that the best thing that happened to me is that, talking to lots of people, I’ve fallen in love with the human race.” (Susan Ahlborn, “Giving Voice: William LaBov on the Human Core of Language” )
The women’s movement, the civil rights movement, the presence of undocumented aliens, the gay rights movement -- including same sex marriage, and the current United States President, who was declared legally and lawfully elected not only once but twice -- for those who didn't get it the first time, have arrived. They are all here now and define our current field of labor.
mormons, to do the work of God, have to begin not with fear and enmity toward what has arrived but by accepting people as they are -- ready to hear their story
Mormons, to do the work of God, have to begin not with fear and hatred of what has arrived but by accepting people as they are and have to be ready to hear their story. That’s the starting point -- and an eternal endowment of love that allows us to participate in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ of all God’s children will be ours to claim. Not warlike, rather pro-kingdom of God.
we have a more generous and Christ-like work to perform
I am deeply concerned that the hatred expressed by the fearful and ignorant -- especially among members of our Mormon Community and our own extended family -- will contaminate my children and grandchildren. Judy and I strive unceasingly to lift them above it. Truly, we all have a more generous and Christ-like work to perform.
