On Sunday, the Relief Society lesson was on persecution. Specifically about the early Saints being driven west. I was curious as to where the teacher was going with this. Mostly wondering if she was going to focus on the persecution of those who plowed on before us or if she would focus on modern-day persecution.
She said both. I agree on the former and have to disagree on the latter. I have great admiration for the pioneers who left home and family to follow their faith and convictions. I can only imagine how difficult and terrifying that must have been.
Currently, I don't doubt that religious persons do indeed get persecuted for their faith. However, I feel more comfortable vigorously asserting that this is much more common in Other. Parts. Of. The. World. Having to remove prayer from schools doesn't strike me as persecution so much as making it safe for everyone to play in the sandbox.
I guess I should mention that I have never felt nor do I feel persecuted. (Except for that one time that a mean boy said I had a terrible haircut and his mother agreed with him. To which I must honestly respond: mean people suck. Also, there was that Time with the Thing in the Place.)
Getting back to safe sandboxes.
One woman shared an observation that most ways of living are becoming accepted and everything is being labeled as "okay." She didn't like this state of things because it meant that if she wasn't okay with the way another individual chose to live their life then she was the intolerant one. She was speaking specifically about her teenagers in high school and how impressionable they are. Naturally, one wants their children to be impressed upon by the right things.
(Let's be clear here. I'm talking about religious practices and life choices* that don't harm me, my family or my community. I'm not talking about the animal-torturing, pyromaniac, car-stealing druggie friends that we're all afraid our child will befriend.)
I do see her point. And I also don't. Tolerating someone's ideas, living harmoniously with people of other faiths, isn't the same as accepting their ideals or habits. It just mean you can get along. For example, I'm friends with people who drink. We like each other. We respect each other. Science supports the occasional drink. My dietary guidelines say no way. My friends are no more likely to give up drinking than I am to take it up. I have friends who don't believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Yet we still can live peacefully in the same town and get appetizers together from time to time.
As for teenagers, I obviously do not have any yet. Perhaps I will feel differently when I do. However, I won't let that minor detail stop me from giving my opinion. J and I are taking the Brother Joseph approach with Grace, teaching correct principles and letting her govern herself. We teach Grace what we believe and try to show her how we would like her to act. Then it's up to her to let that information guide her choices and actions.
As scary as it is to let her go out into the world, I have to wonder how strong her/my/our faith can be if it doesn't bear examining. Of course she will have questions. Of course she will see that others do things differently. And while the LDS church does actively recruit, most others do not. I'm trying to send out respect and good will, hoping that it will return.
The laws that govern our land make it safe for us to practice our religion. These are the same laws that keep other faiths and groups of people safe, as well. If we want to live in a society where we start drawing lines about what's okay and what's not (beyond basic crimes like murder and theft), we should be prepared for the dark times ahead.
I don't think we can have it both ways. Either we (by "we", I mean LDS faithful) want to be accepted and not be driven out and exterminated or we don't. And if we expect to be accepted we must extend that same benefit to others.
Next time, I'll just post some non-controversial family pics.
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*Yes, I'm (very nervously) inserting families of ANY type. I see families as a good thing. People wanting to form families should be supported, helped, encouraged. That's all I'll say on that point for now.
7 comments:
In my opinion, a family is a two or more people who love and care for and about one another. Blood relationships or legal commitments are welcomed but not required.
There is no doubt in my mind that Grace is going to go into the world very well prepared to choose a successful, happy path for herself. Who was it that said, the two best things a parent can give their child is love and wings? The love part is the easiest - but the wings are just as essential.
amen, sister. kindred feelings.
Well said, Miss K.
These persecution type lessons always make me uneasy because I dislike the focus. It seems so much more important to focus on MY actions or the way in which I, as a follower of Christ, should be treating people rather than their actions toward me. Persecution is such a strong word that has all too common usage in modern latter-day saint vernacular with little reason. (At least in the United States.) To me it reeks of what we, in our household, call martyr syndrome, or the poor pity mes and the tendency to become egocentric.
Finally, while it is important to take faith seriously, we must be careful in taking ourselves too seriously. A healthy sense of humor often provides the best perspective---and humor is usually the first casualty of self pity.
Natalie -beautifully said, thank you.
SC, Nicea -hello to my kindred spirits!
Kendra -you hit it on the head with martyr syndrome. I'm uncomfortable with it. (Not to say I don't do it from time to time -I just hate realizing it.) And being able to laugh at oneself is vital,imo.
Enjoyed your post, Kitti. I've always loved the Brother Joseph concept too, and think of it as the best way to go. And that goes for any parents teaching any kids in any kind of family, even if their definition of correct principles is different than mine.
About persecution: we recently had to leave our chapel to travel to Napa for church every Sunday for the next year and a half or so while they remodel our building. Listening to some people, and I kid you not, you would have thought we were being asked to cross the plains with wagons and handcarts again. Way too much whine--even for the Napa Valley.
I so feel you on this subject MK, and I am so over hearing people talk about their values being threatened by others actions. Really, are they, really?
We each get to choose what we teach our children and if that isn't tolerance and love for others then we are doing ourselves and everyone else a disservice.I think the sand box does need to be open to everyone as you say.
Shawnie- I would love to drive into Napa every Sunday, but maybe that's because I live in Utah.
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