Since followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to be a leavennot to be taken out of the world, but to remain in itwe must seek tolerance from those who hate us for not being of the world. This belief system can tolerate almost any behavior and almost any persons. We have a right to our preferences, our likes and dislikes, our impressions, our opinions, but we should withhold final judgmentas an honest unprejudiced juryman keeps his verdict in suspense until he has heard and tested all of the evidence. 1. The guilty parties were not hard to spot because they continued whispering all through the class. A leavenyeastis hidden away in the larger mass until the whole is leavened, which means raised by its influence. We meet on 9/11, the tenth anniversary of an event that has profoundly influenced our lives and thinking and will do so for many years to come. Our obligation to tolerance means that none of these behaviorsor others we consider deviations from the truthshould ever cause us to react with hateful communications or unkind actions. Many even question whether there is a God. This is a vital matter on which we who believe in a Supreme Being who has established absolute right and wrong in human behavior must unite to insist on our time-honored constitutional rights to exercise our religion, to vote our consciences on public issues, and to participate in elections and debates in the public square and in the halls of justice. The Savior also commanded individuals to be judges, both of circumstances and of other people. Tolerance is often demanded but seldom returned. We Latter-day Saints are sometimes accused of being self-righteous and intolerant of others, especially where we are in the majority or where others are in the majority and our beliefs cause us to oppose them. As I face this audience of committed youngpeople, I know that some of you may be wondering why I am speaking about what is obvious to you and what, you might assume, is obvious to others. Sustaining of General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers. on Dallin H. Oaks Quotes From Every General Conference, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Angel Moroni, Come Follow Me 2023: New Testament Resources. Finally, the spirit of our balance of truth and tolerance is applied in these words of President Gordon B. Hinckley: Let us reach out to those in our community who are not of our faith. (Boston: Little, Brown, 18501856), 9:229. . How can I keep my covenant to stand as a witness and not offend these people?13. A gospel teacher, like the Master we serve, will concentrate entirely on those being taught. . Our tolerance and respect forothersand theirbeliefsdoes not cause us to abandon our commitment to the truths we understand and the covenants we have made. That's amazing. Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST), President Nelson Quotes from Every General Conference. [vv. . He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Commandments mark the path and show us the way to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. 8, 11). Alwi Shihab, Building Bridges to Harmony Through Understanding, BYU forum address, 10 October 2006); http://speeches-dev.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=11324. [We need]the courage to say, I dont know. Martha received Jesus into her house and worked to provide for him while her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.15. Our Savior also taught that His followers will have tribulation in the world, that their numbers and dominions will be small (see 1 Nephi 14:12), and that they will be hated because they are not of the world (John 17:14). . The Law of The Big Mo (#16) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Coronavirus: la Chiesa di Ges Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni Sta Aiutando Top 40 Best Quotes from The Gift of Imperfection by Bren Brown. Recall the survey data I mentioned earlier, suggesting that about three-quarters of all college seniors believe thedifference between right and wrong is relative. President Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was invited to speak at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit on July 20. Last update: May 2022. We are willing to receive all truth, from whatever source it may come; for truth will stand, truth will endure.2, The existence and nature of truth is one of the fundamental questions of mortal life. If given in the right way and for the right reasons, that service will reward us beyond anything we have given. "Brother's Keeper". President Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was invited to speak at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit on July 20. . Sorrow that the eye cant see. . Even the Savior, during his mortal ministry, refrained from making final judgments. Those who seek out and use pornography forfeit the power of their priesthood. This is shaping the attitudes of many young Americans who are taking their places as the teachers of our children and the shapers of public attitudes through the media and popular entertainment. And in those intermediate judgments we are responsible to make, may we judge righteously and with love. that which is good and of God to be of the devil. . Whats Really in the Journal of Discourses? When we seek the truth about religion, we should use spiritual methods appropriate for that search. In this circumstance, all of usand especially you of the rising generationhave a duty to stand up and speak up to affirm that God exists and that there are absolute truths His commandments establish. 2021. Common Misunderstandings about Brigham Young. . We witness that we are willing to do so. The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense. And we must all oppose violence and thievery. . . I am very t`hankful that it is not our province . He has given 87 general conference talksincluding 18 addresses as a member of the First Presidency. The key is to understand that there are two kinds of judging: final judgments, which we are forbidden to make; and intermediate judgments, which we are directed to make, but upon righteous principles. The Law of Reproduction: (#13) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Top 50 Quotes From The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Top 23 Best Quotes from Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. First: Truth. . Sometimes it even takes a tragedy to teach us that there's more to our lives than what's going on . First: Truth. We also know that evil exists and that some things are simply, seriously, and everlastingly wrong. Our Master, whom we seek to serve, is, as the scriptures say, a God of love (2 Corinthians 13:11). Faith is essential for healing by the powers of heaven. Two experiences illustrate the importance of caution in judging. From our love of God and our fellowmen, we acquire our desire to share that great gift with everyone. As the Apostle Paul taught, Christians should follow after the things which make for peace (Romans 14:19) and, as much as possible, live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18). The Holy Ghost will protect us against being deceived, but to realize that wonderful blessing we must always do the things necessary to retain that Spirit. When I walk imperfectly? That judgment is the Lords, not ours. But that is our role. In May 2013, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty awarded him the Canterbury Medal for courage in the defense of religious liberty (from the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), Your email address will not be published. To help us develop the godly attributes and the change in nature necessary to realize our divine potential, the Lord has revealed doctrine and established commandments based on eternal law. Dallin H. Oaks discusses the parable of the sower and warns of attitudes that prevent the word of God from growing in our hearts and bearing "fruit." Video Collections; Broadcast and Live Event Recordings; General Conference; April 2015; Saturday Morning Session April 2015; Our Savior gave Himself in unselfish service. Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. Show Timeline. As the Book of Mormon teaches: All things which are good cometh of God. Elder Uchtdorf introduces the revised For the Strength of Youth pamphlet while bearing powerful testimony of Jesu. I will not be judged for what happened to me, but I will be judged by how I let it affect my life. Amen. As one of our Apostles observed: God is using more than one people for the accomplishment of his great and marvelous work. . Provo, Utah 84602, Simon, I Have Somewhat to Say unto Thee: Judgment and Condemnation in the Parables of Jesus. While we must practice tolerance and respect forothers and theirbeliefs,including their constitutional freedom to explain and advocate their positions, we are not required to respect and tolerate wrongbehavior. 11:1011). . . The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of the extent of our personal conversion. As young adults, you may wonder why I am speaking to you about the principles we should follow when we seek government action, such as by the legislature. As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I seek to help you make right choices in a world that is increasingly polarized between belief and disbelief, between good and evil. It is too vast, too arduous, for any one people. As members of the restored Church, we need to be more aware and more appreciative of the service of others.Quote #2: Modern revelation teaches that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. By this, all the children of God are enlightened to serve Him and one another to the best of their knowledge and ability. As believers, we should also frame our arguments and positions in ways that contribute to the reasoned discussion and accommodation that are essential to democratic government in a pluralistic society. The Book of Mormon teaches: For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain . Apostles have the calling and ordination to be special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world (see D&C 107:23), but the duty to witness and testify of Christ at all times and in all places applies to every member of the Church who has received the testimony of the Holy Ghost. And whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people. [Moroni 7:1214]. In doing so we stand with angels. Josephs candor about his shortcomings is evident in the fact that one of the first revelations he recorded in writing and published to the world was a crushing rebuke he received from the Lord. This greater exposure to diversity both enriches our lives and complicates them. See Riots in Britain: Anarchy in the UK, Leaders,The Economist,400, no. Unfortunately, some who believe in moral relativism seem to have difficulty tolerating those who insist that there is a God who should be respected and certain moral absolutes that should be observed. . I testify of Jesus Christ, whose light and Spirit guides all the children of God in helping the poor and distressed throughout the world.. I am convinced that these seemingly contradictory directions are consistent when we view them with the perspective of eternity. Sign up to receive free emails each time we publish new content, like Russell M. Nelson quotes and links to Brad Wilcox talks. The worlds way is to judge competitively between winners and losers. In the process of what we call the Apostasy, the tangible, personal God described in the Old and New Testaments was replaced by the abstract, incomprehensible deity defined by compromise with the speculative principles of Greek philosophy. Subscribe To Our Newsletter. Remember that God loves His children and will surely do what is best for each of us. And we must also acquire the discretion that God exercises in being able to look into futurity, and to ascertain and know the results of our acts away in the future, even in eternity, before we will be capable of judging. For example, an atheist has no need to decide what kinds and occasions of profanity or blasphemy can be tolerated and what kinds should be confronted. Priesthood Blessings. Did Herod the Great Claim to Be the Messiah? judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord (Mormon 8:20). He will be just. Joseph G. Donders (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2005), 21013; Harold Kushner,Who Needs God(New York: Summit, 1989), 8384. 2. President Oaks asks BYU: How are we measuring up to President Kimballs 1975 call to be unique, special? Even half-conscious, Elder [Spencer W.] Kimball recoiled and implored: Please! The Church of Jesus Christ is committed to serving those in need, and it is also committed to cooperating with others in that effort., With partners worldwide, the Church shares the common goal of relieving suffering. He loves us, and all that He does is for our eternal benefit. Reverend Dr. Andrew Teal on Finding Christ Through Suffering, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution, Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Loving Others and Living with Differences, Priesthood Authority in the Family and the Church.