Moroni 9

(July 1, 2014)

                Spending any time online in the Mormon Bloggernacle, it quickly becomes apparent that many people (both out of the Church and nominally inside it) have deteriorated in testimony to the point where Mormon’s language applies to them.  If you present clear doctrine to them, then the howls of offensiveness inevitably follow.  If, on the other hand, you attempt to qualify your language, these same people will often twist your language so that they can ignore it.  What they will not do, under any circumstances, is accept doctrine as valid criticism.  Of course, this is not true of each and every one of them – but it happens far too frequently.

                It is always easy to see those weaknesses in others, but the question then becomes whether we can see those weaknesses in ourselves.  After all, we have a clear example that Mormon’s understanding of fallen human nature is accurate.  We are fallen humans.  Do we see that same weakness in our lives?  If not, perhaps we are not looking as closely as we ought to.  What criticism do we find particularly offensive?  Does it have a doctrinal basis?  Do we allow ourselves to be angry over the words because that frees us from needing to examine our lives against the message that is underneath them?  If I am honest with myself, I must admit that is true.

                The other thought I had from reading this chapter was on the idea of sin as a token of bravery.  Even in our culture, that is something that we see far too frequently.  The natural man – even when we attempt to starve him by striving for a spiritual life – seeks out whatever he can find to reinforce the strength of the arm of flesh (as he supposes).  Whether it is professionally, personally, or interpersonally, we see sin as a sign of strength because it empowers the natural man within us (and the natural man is the source of our pride – including our pride in our strength).