I, like you, have
seen how about every third post in the Face-tagram-witter world is somebody's
opinion about guns, gun violence, gun control, and the like. I, like you, have had my own thoughts and feelings and opinions torn this way and that way as we watch sad tragedies play out on an increasingly regular basis. I, like you, realize how serious an issue this is and how important it is that we seek for healing and solutions. However, as sever an issue as gun violence is, I, like you, have something even more dangerous to
worry about. In all the discussions about guns we might just be missing a bigger issue that, if solved, could bring the answers and healing we all so desperately want.
Prophetic Woes and Warnings
Prophets in the
scriptures are quite famous for warning their audiences against the
consequences of sins. Most often their language is clear, direct, and even
harsh so that, as Nephi explained, it is impossible for people to
"misunderstand" the truth (2 Nephi 25:28.) Consider, for example, the
prophet Jacob in the Book of Mormon who pronounced woes upon the "rich . .
. [who] despise the poor," upon the "deaf that will not hear,"
the "blind that will not see," and others and foretold the terrifying
consequences that, if they died in their sins, they would "return to God,
and behold his face, and remain in their sins" (2 Nephi 9:30-38.)
Similarly, listen
for the passion in the voice of Isaiah when he spoke what could have been a
sermon for modern times: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good
evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are a wise in their own eyes,
and prudent in their own sight . . . [w]hich justify the wicked for reward, and
take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire
devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall
be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast
away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of
Israel." (Isaiah 5:20-24.)
Even Jesus, with all
of his compassion, was compassionate enough not to shy away from clarity. He
pronounced woes upon the scribes and Pharisees for their sins (Matt 23:13-33)
and in verses that could certainly be applied to many today he said, "But
woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you
that are full! For ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall
mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did
their fathers to the false prophets." (Luke 6:24-26.)
A simple reading of
these past warnings should be enough to suggest how serious it is to neglect
God, abuse the poor, justify sin, and ignore prophets. With as serious as some of the issues of today are, these prophetic priorities take the cake for concern and consequence. However, there is one warning yet that has been emphasized recently that may the most serious yet.
The Warning about Families
This kind of clear,
unfiltered prophesy came to mind just this afternoon as I noticed the way that
modern prophets and apostles speak about the importance establishing,
protecting, and honoring families. From the end of the document titled
"The Family: A Proclamation to the World" written and signed by
modern prophets and apostles we read:
Bam! If someone were looking for Church leaders to display prophetic
poignancy like ancient prophets, look no further.
Further, as anyone
who has lent even half of an ear to recent general conferences has heard,
Church leaders have spoken repeatedly and resoundingly about God's expectations
for families--from His definition of marriage to the responsibilities parents
owe to their children. After reading aloud the above portion of the
Proclamation in last general conference, Elder Ballard added, "As
Apostles, we reaffirm this solemn warning again today. Please remember that
commandments and covenants are priceless truths and doctrines found in the Old
Ship Zion (the Church), where God is at the helm" (M. Russell Ballard,
"God is at the Helm," General Conference, October 2015.)
And yet, as anyone
who has lent even half of an eye to the surrounding world has seen, the
definition, idea, ideals, responsibilities of and to family today are all
caught in a sand trap of political correctness and selfish priorities. The
public discourse focusses almost solely on speaking correctly and allowing for
alternate lifestyles rather than speaking rightly and expecting righteous
living. Further, often rapidly-growing individual agendas--either those of
parents or those of children--seem to be sapping time and effort from family
and home.
Hence, we have on
our hands dangerous trends that, if not correctly in individual families and in
the world at large, can be far more devastating than even the issues
surrounding gun violence and control. Of course this does not suggest that we abandon our
other passions nor that we should ignore other problems. However, I wonder if a
solution to many of the world's current ills, including gun violence, might be a return to family life and family values.
Could we not all
step back a bit more from our pursuit of money, from our engagement in
entertainment, from our interest in individual activities, and step inside the
door to our own home? Could we not all spend a little less time at work, on our
phones, in video games, or running after personal interests and a little more
time with our parents, our grandparents, our spouses, and our children? Instead
of all our efforts to treat the symptoms of a decaying world would we not be
better off attacking the underlying disease? If what these prophets are saying
is true (of which I would be completely convinced even without my religious
beliefs) and if "the disintegration of the family [is bringing] upon
individuals, communities, and nations the calamites foretold by ancient and
modern prophets" than maybe the solution isn't found out there in the
world (real or digital) but rather in the home.
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