My life and my Religion are one and the Same

This election season has been one of great interest in so many ways. I truly believe that we need to be actively using our voices in support of and defense of people who are standing for good principles. I have felt compelled to do the little I can to join my voice with others in defending common decency and respect. As I have thought about our current situation, I have also found words of prophets and apostles that have resounded in my ears. I have shared these things knowing that some might feel like I am being judgmental. In our country today, so many voices have been silenced because people do not want to feel intolerant. Just because I share something does not mean I am intolerant. So, to people that feel that people are shaming others into voting a certain way by sharing the words of the prophets and the words of scripture, or that feel judged and attacked, to them I would say: My religion is the core of who I am. I believe that God has called prophets upon the earth. When I make decisions, I ALWAYS base my decisions upon their words because I truly believe that God speaks through them and that we as people will be BLESSED as we follow them. I base my decisions upon the words of scriptures, because I believe they are God’s words too. My view of the world is the view that God gave me through his prophets. I cannot separate any of my beliefs from who I am. They are part of me. They impact every part of my life. Everything I do relates to my religion and I think that is the way God intended it to be. I believe it to be truth. All truth comes with an unsaid understanding that if it is really true and truly comes from God, then it is universal truth. I believe it is. So, yes, I will use the words of prophets to persuade and guide and direct as God does. For, if no one will share them, how will we know them? At times, hearing a prophet's words has made me re-adjust my stance and my belief about what I should do. It has changed my path. But, I have never looked back and regretted following their words. Instead, my eyes were opened to see a multitude of blessings that I had not known were available, even when the path forward at times led to struggle. If they are true, we should embrace them, and know that blessings lay in store, no matter where that leads.

Religious freedom

Thoughts from the last few days--- Like I told everyone before, I have a lot of political opinions. :) But, today after having the same conversation for the third time about something, I realized that this is not about my political preferences anymore, for me it has become an issue of religious liberty. Now, why is that, you may ask? I realized that a huge part of why we are so afraid to participate in the political arena and to share our voices is because I believe we do not understand religious freedom. (Well, not a lot of us anyway, myself included). So many people are frustrated because voices haven't been heard. But, when people do make their voices heard, they are called all sorts of names and told they are judging and intolerant, or people insist that people are being pushy and trying to push their beliefs on others. I am not only talking in general, but also within the church (LDS, or Mormon, for those friends not of my religion). One of these examples for me has to do with at least 4 instances in the last few days where people, I am sure with good intentions, have posted that there is no evidence for a quote attributed to President Benson (a prophet): "If you vote for the lesser of two evils you are still voting for evil and you will be judged for it. You should always vote for the best possible candidate, whether they have a chance of winning or not, and then, even if the worst possible candidate wins, the Lord will bless our country more because more people were willing to stand up for what is right." Many people have shared this quote recently, I assume to help persuade others of principles they believe in. (That was my intention when I shared it, though I shared it many months ago.) Others have responded with articles claiming that it can't really be attributed to President Benson (though there is evidence that it was said by him in a private setting) and assuming that those who shared it in the first place shared as a way to insist that others were unrighteous for not following its words. What is puzzling to me though is the way that the members of this church are reacting to the sharing of this quote. Many feel that they are being judged. Others feel that they are being told they can't share things because it is judgemental and they are trying to throw the prophet's words in people's faces. I believe people share memes because the words contained embrace what they believe and it is a way to share those beliefs. That is the way it was for me. But, the words were true to me. Why can't I speak my truth? When we hear someone share quotes, do we immediately try to find out whether those quotes are accurately quoted, or do we see it as a sharing of part of who that person is and what they believe and embrace? Do we immediately try to shut down someone's beliefs, or do we try to have conversations to promote understanding? It is appropriate to share our own opposing views, but to tell someone they are not "allowed" to believe something is wrong. In this case, I think it takes away from the conversation and in a way is attacking their freedom of religion. They are free to believe what they want to believe, and you should not be telling them that their thoughts are not okay because you don't like it, that they can't believe it because it was not said over a pulpit, or that they can't share it because it is judgemental. Aren't we a church that seeks for truth everywhere? I believe those words, and the more I think about it, the truer I think they are. Who cares who said it? If I believe it, I believe it. If you don't, then you don't. It is true that as members of the church that if a prophet says something that it should hold more weight for us. Maybe that is the problem here, that somehow because for members of the church it should hold more weight, people are getting upset due to their own disagreement of it. Maybe they feel they need a justification for their disagreement? "It can't be true because then I would be wrong" mentality. Aren't we in a church where we seek for truth and where when we find it, we are expected to change? I don't think anyone has a problem with people coming to different conclusions from their own study, but to tell me my beliefs aren't worth considering and can't truly be my beliefs because "a prophet didn't say them over the pulpit," I believe is harmful. Instead, why don't we find out why people believe what they believe? Let's consider the views of others. Then if we disagree, let's share our own, opposing thoughts. This is the way we can open up the lines of communication for understanding on both sides. It allows for freedom of religion on both sides, which means the freedom to express our views in the public square. I think the same would be important in our church settings. Let's stop invalidating people's beliefs because they do not match our own. I am as guilty as the next person of that, but i know that the conversations of the last few days have given me pause. I believe freedom of religion is one of our basic rights. It is part of who we are; really the core of who we are as individuals. I want that right for myself respected and I will fight for that right for others. Aren't those claiming the quote isn't valid since not said over a pulpit in a way trying to justify that the principles contained therein are false? Since it wasn't said in an official setting, does that mean that the words are any less true? Why are people trying to tell me that my beliefs "aren't real" or that they "can't be my beliefs" or "can't be true"? Is it maybe because they don't want them to be true? Is it because they feel like I am insinuating that the principles apply to everyone? It seems to me that religion in general believes that there are universal truths that apply to everyone and that acting according to these truths improves the quality of an individual's existence and knowing them gives them hope through hard times. Thus, religious beliefs are shared with the intent to help others to improve the quality of their existence. This sharing is a key component of religious freedom. So, for me, after finding out where the quote came from, and realizing that it was not said in a formal setting, over the pulpit, I thought about its truthfulness, regardless of its source. I looked at the words and wondered if they were true and after thinking for a long time about it, decided that I still believed they were. As far as my political positions, I wondered how I should vote and what effect that would have. This was months before Evan McMullin even became a candidate. Because I had seriously studied Trump's history and the possible implications of his presidency, I knew that I needed to find a third party candidate that I could get behind. To me, belief in those words gave me hope again. Hope that our country, though seemingly morally deficient, could still have the hand of God blessing it if people would stand up and use their voices, or their votes to support what is right. I believe that if we follow this truth that we can look to God and expect his blessings. If these words are true, then those blessings coming upon our nation will also be true, and I believe that they are.