“it’s just a game” vs “eternal progression”
We are developing a culture of kids that grow up either fiercely competitive putting every thought to the prize, all or nothing. That are distraught by any failure and believe this is their only chance. OR
A colture of kids who are raised on the belief that whatever they do is alright. That are coddled and feel perfectly at home with never winning or getting better if they're having fun.
"As long as you're having fun dear"
The game is a ruin if they skin their shins or scrape their elbows, for the only emotion that is worth having is the one of exuberance... All others are to be shunned and protected fiercely against.
It is the job of the parent to wipe away all tears and if possible to never let them come. (Never allow the reason)
The struggle to perform and possibly win should not be placed to highly for fear that at not attaining the child is saddened.
For if we never try we'll never feel the pains of failing ... Is the belief.
We react in polar opposite because we see those so fiercely competitive with disregard to the journey or even morals who's lack of scruples so very much jades us that we want to be the exact opposite in disregard for looking for the path that seems to split them both and is the actual best path of action.
And so today as we're grown up we apply our philosophies to the many other areas of our life.
A relationship if it's too hard can't be won and it's perfectly acceptable to give up rather than face long hard saddening struggles to make a come back.
In fact we get there because we believe we shouldn't have to fight or try very hard to begin with.
The only appropriate emotions are the ones that make us giggle and smile and feel those butterfly feelings.
We aren't looking for teams that can go the distance that work through every scenario, we aren't looking for the teammate that can still be up and fighting in the later rounds but those that seem to bring the biggest laughs and giggles right then and there.
Because just like in a friendly game of the pickup game of the sport of our choice, it doesn't matter how hard you try as long as no one gets hurt and everyone is smiling at the end. Personal and team advancement mean very little in our day and age. It's all very faranheit 451 it reminds me of the plan of the adversary who wants us all to believe all is well in Zion and that we can eat drink and be merry for god will smite us with a few stripes if we don't do our best but in the end it's no big deal because you're just fine the way you are. Don't change, don't try harder because we know how nasty those people that are total tools that take the fun out of every game and are just too serious.
So yeah I'm sorry to say that while you need to keep in perspective what you're doing and why... that personal betterment should always be in mind and that sometimes you should try harder and sometimes you should not be satisfied. You should instead want to be more and do more... Be ye therefore perfect was more than just a suggestion and while we all come up short he doesn't say "just kidding I'll scratch that one because I know it makes you sad or frustrated" but he does love us still the same even when we constantly come up short.
He doesn't say here's a little box, I will accept whatever excuse you have today. (sick, busy, sad, overwhelmed... They don't work except when we work through them then we get the bigger prize... And it's all about doing as much as you can, knowing your limits and hitting them and trying to expand them each time a little bit more.)
See we need to know when to soften the blow and when to let the winds blow to strengthen the roots.
One thing is for certain we are heading down destructive roads when we convince everyone there's nothing worth fighting for by constantly showing them thing after thing that is not worth fighting for and not worth or time or hard emotions.
He makes me laugh and smile and I these emotions inside say he's meant to be with me forever because surely "love is all you need" ...ya if you understand love is a lot of work and happens when both parties are on board with that work. Otherwise this idea of love will be all you need for the utter downfall.
Love does not exist when the actions of love are absent.
If you understand what a real friend will do for their friend then fine I applaud you in wanting to marry your best friend and that's exactly how it should be. If not then it's just a bunch of empty words when you say you're marrying your best friend the one that makes you laugh and smile.
Parents need to raise their kids with appropriate stewardship helping them to become their best self prepared to fight for what's right. To not give up because it's starting to hurt.
In the long run it's not about jobs sports schools and hobbies it's about the virtues you've gained and the strengths of your relationships with the people around you. With yourself, with god, with your spouse, children and other family and yes with friends.
It's a tricky road. Be careful next time you use the concept "it's just a game"... be careful pushing someone to hard just like be careful supporting them when they give up too easily.
Love is what we need (thank you Beatles) but let's get a handle of what real love is... That real love like God. The kind that truly cares for the soul and eternal happiness of a person.
Eternal progression is what the attitude and character are what we're actually here to learn despite your love of football, calculus, marketing, money, or even photography.
(first post written completley on my iPad and published on it... Written while sitting in a car)
A Grasp of Principles before taking on Issues
It is my belief that discussions become very complicated when they dive into specifics first without establishing foundations in principles.
Allow me to attempt to explain.
Voltaire was often attributed: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. " this is a principle, that goes beyond a specific argument. it's not about homosexuality or adultery it's not about your thoughts on your favorite football team. It's a principle. He means to say regardless of your specific issue i will defend your right to say it, regardless of whether I myself believe it.
The Principle of Agency
One principle I heard over and over again by at least a half dozen speakers at conference this year was the principle of Agency... what we might call Free Will.
We have been granted the right to Say and do what we choose to do in this life whether right wrong, legal or illegal. It was repeatedly mentioned that taking away someone's agency is not the way of God but of his adversary. Understanding this principle in depth will lay the foundation for future discussions. Diving straight into tricky and popular issues of the day can be unwieldy when we don't have principles straight, everyone argues each and every way and seems to make nice arguments... the answer in the end is the one that holds true to the correct principles and doesn't simply mention or lightly fondle reason and mix in sprinklings of truth.
Agency allows us to choose our actions but not our consequences.
The Principle of Love
The love of God tells us his love is every lasting never changing always consistent and to all.
Agency is not stating that anything we do is proper, allowed and acceptable. Nor that the Love of God means that God puts his stamp of approval on anything we do. His love drives him to help us be the best we can be as he understands.
We are helped to understand the workings of true love as we understand further the principle that "his ways are not our ways", the understanding that his work is our eternal life and eternal joy. Understanding his love and his eternal-purpose(objective) helps us to tackle issues such as why are things so difficult for us in this world, how he can love US and despise some of our choices yet the principle of agency states he must allow those choices and yet his law and his justice states that while allowing those choices does not make them free from consequence.
A sure foundation
We should rise above talking about a protest at a temple and the timelieness of a talk. But the principles upon which both parties operate. When we gather a firm grasp on true and unchanging principles like Love, Agency, Justice, Mercy, Stewardship (and many others) we can take a fresh look into the Issues of the day and tackle the situation with an enlightened view. Even still we are still somewhat in the dark grasping for many answers. But at least true principles give us something sure and steady to hold on to in the darkness so we don't get lost in the sea of theories. (Blown in any and every direction by the winds of social change.)
A strong foudation, a lighthouse, a rock that can't be moved by the torrents of a river, a sure footing... they're all metaphors for someone who places their thoughts or beliefs in something that remains a constant. For surely there are so many philosophies of men that change from day to day, science changes, facts somehow become ridiculous fallacies years later, social norms ebb and flow. We can anchor ourselves in the few absolutes we can find and branch off from there. Start building our house based on those few that hold dear to. I choose to believe that "Time vindicates the prophets" (Hugh Nibley)
Love revisited
We'll understand that we can love as god does and in fact must do it and yet have the right to not do so and that there will be consequences for doing or not doing.
With the principle of Charity-Love we learn we must Love and treat with respect those who differ from us in the many issues of the day. Such as those that practice homosexuality, we must be kind, we must give and serve just as we would anyone else. In fact even to our enemies we must be good, turn the other cheek, pray for (with love).
Love does not state one must accept their ways or make their beliefs our beliefs. As god loves us in our ignorance and does not say "because I love you I will believe as you believe" he does not say I will only love you if you believe as I believe. We also can not put conditions on our love for him or anyone as well. i.e. "I will love you only if you allow me to be this way" first of all you're already allowed if you mean permitted by agency, but if you mean allowed as in given the thumbs up and a stamp of aproval you'll be disapointed. Lets take a timely principle based statement from a certain talk: "moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot" we are not in charge.
We must do a reverse from what we're being told love is by the media or even by our books and friends. When we return to a principle based approach to love we can begin to realize that one can truly have love for the person who stands against everything you believe. That you can love that person and not accept any of their beliefs as your own. We seem to be told these days that love means acceptance of whatever I choose to believe.
It's difficult
I can see how it is difficult for someone to feel loved when they're told what they're doing is wrong. The baby cries when it is told it can't eat the shiny rock, the toddler cries when they're told they can't play in the street, the adolecent cries when they can't be dating at the early age of like 12, the teenager cries when deprived the coolest party of the year.
Yes it's hard to grasp the concept of "I love you" by the same person that says what you're doing is WRONG.
Love for who you are is different from acceptance of what you choose to do.
Sad for me
For me it is difficult to see the kindest gentlest of men who preach of love and proclaim peace, who share true principles and help millions to understand the rest and peace and joy found through the process of returning to god and being clean to be attacked.
For giving a talk about right and wrong, the essence of the family, being chaste and "cleaning the inner vessel" ... that so many don't understand that this is not an issue of hating those that choose with their agency to do otherwise.
Elevate
“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
Let's elevate the level of our conversations even further and talk about PRINCIPLES... then lets take those principles into the chat rooms where all the issues of the moment are happening.
Perhaps we even force ourself to forget issue with it's complex situations and tackle principles for a little while.
What does it mean to really love, what does it mean to have agency, what does it mean to be loved regardless of what we do with said agency.
"Love is never wasted, for its value does not rest upon reciprocity" (Neal A Maxwell)
We speak so often on Love
We try so hard to figure out what love is and talk about it in so many ways to gain a grasp on such an important topic.
We have a per'darn good instruction manual on the subject from a per'darn good source.
Let's review:
- Love suffers long
- Love is Kind
- Love envieth not
- Love vaunteth not itself
- Love is not puffed up
- Love does not behave unseemingly
- Love seeks not her own
- Love is not easily provoked
- Love doesn't think evil
- Love doesn't rejoice in iniquity
- Love rejoices in truth
- Love Bears all things
- Love believes all things
- Love hopes all things
- Love endures all things
- Love does not fail
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil:
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all thing, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth: but whether there will be prophecies, they shall fall; whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, verses one through eight,
Being inspired is a talent to learn
I find it so very impressive the power of words, of lyrics of quotes.
To express what's in one's heart is a talent.
