In a world of changing morals and standards, I’m grateful
for things that don’t change. While technology explodes, standards tremble,
morals fail and families fall apart, some things remain constant to give us
stability.
As a teenager, none of the kids I grouped with had
abortions, were homosexuals or lived with their boyfriends, and I really doubt
they were sleeping together. There were surely some in our high school who did,
but it wasn’t normal or obvious. Good morals were expected. Even the generation
gap hadn’t yet arrived.
Things changed for my youngest brothers. When I had several
small children I first heard about drug abuse from my mom, who told me one of
my brother’s friends was involved. I remember asking, “What are drugs?”
It’s been downhill from there. One of my friends now has a
son who has decided he’s a girl and his “boyfriend” is a girl who has decided
she’s a boy. Her parents—make that ”his” parents—think its great. Talk about
confusion….
It’s been unsettling to see churches change their standards.
Abortion, chosen childlessness, homosexuality, abstinence—they have become
relative in many congregations.
I’ve been proud of my church in this morally deficient
world. I’m an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;
the Mormons. We’ve been in the news lately because of Kate Kelly, who has demanded
the church allow women to hold the priesthood and has been subsequently
excommunicated. The Brethren, those who direct the church under inspiration
from God, say no to demands to change the priesthood. They say God sets the
standard and they have no authority to alter it. I’m glad.
Some say Mormons discriminate against women, but in a
lifetime of activity I haven’t seen it. I see differences, not discrimination.
If different discriminates, don’t blame us in the church. God gave two great privileges to His children:
to men He gave the right to hold the priesthood—the authority to act for Him, and
to women He gave the ability to create physical bodies. The two assignments work
in tandem to strengthen families and create moral individuals to populate a
moral world. Of the two assignments, I’ll take creating an original, living,
breathing human body any time. In fact, I’m a little bewildered at why the
malcontents don’t focus on what men can’t do, rather than what women can’t
hold.
Plenty of religions are changing their doctrine because of
social pressure. We don’t. We change meeting schedules and missionary ages, but
not doctrine. Our doctrine comes from God, and the First Presidency and Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles teach and enforce it. Kate Kelly can rail all she wants,
but God is not known to back down before the demands of a self-centered woman. If
she believes the doctrine, why is she challenging it? If she doesn’t, why does excommunication
matter? If, however, her goal is simply to rabble-rouse, let the media give her
15 minutes in the spotlight.
Kelly relates that the excommunication has hurt her family.
Why, then, has she done this? Why tell God how to operate His church rather
than following the path of discipleship? The hurt comes from her, not to her.
Whatever. I’m grateful that our doctrine is steady in the
face of society’s self-centered gales. The Word of God is an anchor in the
storm, not the storm, itself, making me grateful for things that don’t change.
No comments:
Post a Comment