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Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » LDS Deep Doctrine » The light of Christ, Intelligence and the Priesthood (Answering a question from a friend)
Re: The light of Christ, Intelligence and the Priesthood [message #2762 is a reply to message #2759] Mon, 30 September 2013 10:24 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
kenh is currently offline  kenh
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I shared this with some other friends and some of it applies to what were are discussing here.

Here are some interesting quotes and insights into how our lives can influence others and society as a whole.

Elder James E. Faust said: "Private choices are not private; they all have public consequences ... Our society is the sum total of what millions of individuals do in their private lives. That sum total of private behavior has worldwide public consequences of enormous magnitude. There are no completely private choices" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 101; or Ensign, May 1987, 80).

I found this quote that I thought casts a different "light" on the subject as well.

"There is another responsibility correlated and even coexistent with free agency, which is too infrequently emphasized, and that is the effect not only of a person's actions, but also of his thoughts. Man radiates what he is, and that radiation affects to a greater or less degree every person who comes within that radiation." (David O. McKay " Free Agency-Freedom-Liberty")

My take on these things:

Each one of us, every spirit has an aura emanating from within our spirit. If we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we have a bright and glorious aura emanating from within our spirit. This is how Satan, who does not know our thoughts, can determine that his mental attacks on us are working. If we accept his enticements and think evil thoughts, our aura diminishes. If we resist, then we remain pure and clean with a bright aura. Likewise people around us can sense that we are different from other people because good emanates from within us. Christ was always filled with purity and love and those who sought to be pure and clean could feel that love from him and were drawn to him. "Light cleaves unto light. Darkness cleaves unto darkness." That is why He said to "Let your light so shine that others can see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." So something as private as our thoughts not only effect us but effects everyone around us. How we influence others is how we will be judged by God. Christ expects us to be a power for good on the earth by standing as witnesses of Him for everyone around us to see, hear, feel and know.

What I understand President Faust saying is that even though we make choices alone or in our homes or even in our own minds, the decisions we make have consequences that effect in one way or another everyone else. We don't control anyone else, but collectively as an individual, family member, community, country or planet all of our choices (obviously some have greater effect at different levels than other choices) carries with them universal consequences. As an example, what one eats may seem "private" but that decision can carry unintended consequences, such as those who produced those food items will need to produce more to keep up with supply and demand. If we grew it ourselves then those who produce the same food stuffs cannot produce as much since there will be one less purchaser of those items in the marketplace, too much supply and not enough demand. I can choose to have a greenhouse on my property and grow my own food, but if everyone did that worldwide there would be no more farmers or markets nor trucks and truck drivers needed to transport from farms to markets either. This example above is not a bad thing, but it will carry with it quite far reaching consequences for society as a whole.
As far as immorality goes, choosing to be promiscuous has negative consequences for not only the participating parties but for society as well. If one or more participants has a STD that could be spread to someone else, or an unwanted pregnancy could occur. Serious violations of our conscience, like immorality, effects our thoughts and decisions far beyond the "private acts" involved. Most people would agree that what someone or people do behind closed doors is there "own business"; nevertheless there are consequences that effect us all in one way or another. "Wars are born of lusts." A man who does not control his temper has not controlled his lustful desires. Physical abuse and sexual abuse go hand in hand. I believe in teaching correct principles and letting people govern themselves. Part of that teaching includes explaining the consequences that follow their self-governing decisions. In the case of immorality, that includes costing others money in taxes for decisions they make "in private." Not only that, but contributes greatly to the overall rebellious depraved society that we see taking place around us.

Finally, we need to be concerned to some extent the choices of others by trying to be a positive influence in other people's lives. We should encourage good parenting skills and diet (word of wisdom issues as well) and stand for morality in an immoral world. If we were to help one person in any of these areas, we have done good and hopefully the one whom we have helped will choose to help another as well. Their future decisions will be more in line with what God would have them choose and the world would become a better place for it. Smile

[Updated on: Mon, 30 September 2013 10:31]

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