Recent Politics

With the election over I am finally able to exhale a long-held sigh of relief. I am hopeful that our newly elected president can begin to mend the damage done to our economy, the relationships we held with the rest of the world, and with each other.

In spite of this large step towards healing, it seems a good majority of us still cling to hate and narrow-minded ideas. I firmly believe that God is more liberal in his views and boundless in his mercies than we are ready to believe or receive. A friend of mine posted a message from Keith Olbermann:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4xfMisqab8

I think he has some very interesting things to say, and it causes me to wonder about the nature of obedience. We all understand that in our history God has given us directions that seem to conflict with others. Here are a couple of examples I am sure you are familiar with, "multiply and replenish the Earth" and "eat not of the fruit of the tree of knowledge", "thou shalt not kill" and Nephi being instructed to kill Laban. It seems to me that we are given a multitude of choices and the opportunity to exercise our free agency to make those choices. In many circumstances, I'm not sure that one choice is more correct than another. If Nephi had spared Laban, do you think he would have been punished, or do you think God had another plan? I prefer to think that either another choice would be offered, or that his death may have come about by another means. I don't think that Nephi made a wrong decision, but he made a decision and it is in exercising our agency that we learn.

In researching conflicting commandments I came across a poem by Keith Kent entitled The Paradoxical Commandments. I thought it was an interesting read so thought I would share:

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
7. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
I hope that when we are confronted with choices that seem to conflict with lessons we have been taught or learned we will exercise our agency in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Life is about making choices and learning from the consequences. For myself, I hope along the way I learn humility and compassion, and forget pride and intolerance.