Stand for Something

Well, I have been working on another "soap box" post in all my free time (believe it or not, I do actually put some thought into those things), but the Daily Gems email from the Church had one of my favorite quotes from Elder Uchtdorf and I decided that it was definitely worth of a quick post.

"When we bear testimony, we declare the absolute truth of the gospel message. In a time when many perceive truth as relative, a declaration of absolute truth is not very popular, nor does it seem politically correct or opportune. Testimonies of things how 'they really are' (Jacob 4:13) are bold, true, and vital because they have eternal consequences for mankind. Satan wouldn't mind if we declared the message of our faith and gospel doctrine as negotiable according to circumstances. Our firm conviction of gospel truth is an anchor in our lives; it is steady and reliable as the North Star. A testimony is very personal and may be a little different for each of us, because everyone is a unique person."

As we progress down the road we are on as a society, the fear of absolutes will only increase. Absolute truth is intimidating, it is a hard pill for some to swallow, it eliminates the gray area where justification and rationalization of wrong thrive. Because there is no gray area, a person really must decide who they are and what they stand for. You can't fence sit and this often makes people feel uneasy.

Having the courage to stand for something, to not succumb to the cultural pressures to conform to a world of relative truth, will be increasingly more important as the years pass. Having values and standards is not elitist, it is not wrong, it is not something that we should ever apologize for in any way. These same standards and values that make us a peculiar people are our anchor point that holds us firm in a world thrown about by the volatile whims of special interest groups and an increasingly unreliable and unbalanced media.

Ok, I have to go catch my plane. Hope everyone is doing well!

-Cim