Off to Battle

We have been blessed to live in a country with so many freedoms and rights protected for us. Those rights were hard won – our forefathers went to war and died for the rights we sometimes take for granted today. One of the most important freedoms is the freedom of religion. The early pilgrims came here to find a place where they could practice what they believed, fleeing persecution and hoping for a better life. As the world moves away from religion in general, that freedom is in jeopardy. Now everyone has a right to believe as they will. If it is their belief that there is no higher power that is just fine. Forcing in on another is when it becomes an issue.

So how do we protect our freedom of religion while not overstepping onto someone else’s? I think being slow to anger and keeping an open mind goes a long way. Also protecting freedom of speech goes hand in hand with this. Freedom of speech gives us the liberty of expressing our views, and it is saddening that there doesn’t seem to be a safe way of doing that anymore. Today’s media, especially social media, is a very hostile environment for sharing opinions. There are people who try to offend and degrade anything that doesn’t match their view. It is really starting to tear people apart.

“Extreme voices polarize and create resentment and fear by emphasizing what is nonnegotiable and by suggesting that the desired outcome is to disable the adversary and achieve absolute victory. Such outcomes are rarely attainable and never preferable to living together in mutual understanding and peace.”

–Elder Oaks (The Boundary Between Church and State)

I love this quote. We are encouraged to share our beliefs on social media and to stand up for what we believe and I think that is good and necessary. We defend traditional marriage and the family. However, like Elder Oaks mentions, extreme voices do not bring about compromise and good will. They create a tense, hostile environment for sharing opinions and beliefs and work only toward winning at the cost of the other.