[Moroni 7:1516]. Like a sword, sharp and powerful, it uncovers what is hidden, divides truth from error, and goes to the heart of religious belief. But diversities in cultures and values also challenge us to identify what can be embraced as consistent with our gospel culture and values and what cannot. . . 3 Apr 2016 Opposition in All Things General . We would even apply the wrong standards. Even He refrained from a final mortal judgment of the woman taken in adultery. Once an accepted part of American life, religion is now suspect in the minds of many. . Remember that God loves His children and will surely do what is best for each of us. I love the words in Susan Evans McClouds familiar hymn: Who am I to judge another Because of a short-term memory loss, this elderly sister innocently answered no. Satan says we are not. Our relationship to God and the purpose of earth life are explained in terms of the family. Provo, Utah 84602. But our obligation to truth has its own set of requirements and its own set of blessings. On August 25, 2000, he married Kristen M. McMain in the Salt Lake Temple. . The Holy Ghost will protect us against being deceived, but to realize that wonderful blessing we must always do the things necessary to retain that Spirit. We must go, I believe, beyond tolerance if we are to achieve harmony in our world., Relying on the teachings of the Quran, Dr. Shihab continued: We must respect this God-given dignity in every human being, even in our enemies. When He faced the woman taken in adultery, Jesus spoke the comforting words of tolerance: Neither do I condemn thee. Then, as He sent her away, He spoke the commanding words of truth: Go, and sin no more (John 8:11). I will leave it in his hands. They are directions away from pitfalls, and they are invitations to blessings. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. We are willing to receive all truth, from whatever source it may come; for truth will stand, truth will endure.2, The existence and nature of truth is one of the fundamental questions of mortal life. As president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, he oversaw the creation of the J. Reuben Clark Law School and the graduate business school. In attempting to answer the question "What have I learned and what ought I to have learned?" I've learned just how incredibly difficult it is to arrive at a consensus in a group without the assistance of a leader, teacher, or arbiter. We witness that we are willing to do so. crucified for the sins of the world, and that it is given to others to believe on their words (D&C 46:13, 14). For example, even though religious beliefs are behind many criminal laws, and some family laws, such laws have a long-standing history of appropriateness in democratic societies. President Oaks talks cover topics like desire, repentance, and trust in the Lord. The character of transgression remains the same. Sometimes urgent circumstances require us to make preliminary judgments before we can get all of the facts we desire for our decision making. 21 Oct 1975 . . First of all, a righteous judgment must, by definition, be intermediate. She said she received about 10 phone calls from outraged Latter-day Saints who would not accept her admission of error and sincere apology and berated her with abusive language. Many even question whether there is a God. 2. Another thoughtful LDS member wrote: In Mosiah 18:9 Alma tells us that when we are baptized we covenant to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in. . that which is good and of God to be of the devil. . [John 13:3435]. Elder Oaks is a graduate of Brigham Young University (1954) and of The University of Chicago Law School (1957). The scriptures not only command or contemplate that we will make intermediate judgments, but they also give us some guidancesome governing principlesin how to do so. What we get from a bookespecially a sacred textis mostly dependent on what we take to its readingin desire and readiness to learn, and in attunement to the light communicated by the Spirit of the Lord. Martha received Jesus into her house and worked to provide for him while her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. I believe that the scriptural command to judge not refers most clearly to this final judgment, as in the Book of Mormon declaration that man shall not . . First is the principle that the source of government power is the people. In most cases this decision can depend on how directly we are personally affected by it. The Law of The Big Mo (#16) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Coronavirus: la Chiesa di Ges Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni Sta Aiutando Top 40 Best Quotes from The Gift of Imperfection by Bren Brown. Second, a righteous judgment will be guided by the Spirit of the Lord, not by anger, revenge, jealousy, or self-interest. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of love. Persuaded by this philosophy, many of the rising generationyouth and young adultsare caught up in self-serving pleasures, pagan painting and piercing of body parts, foul language, revealing attire, pornography, dishonesty, and degrading sexual indulgence. For reasons we do not understand, we have different challenges in our mortal experiences. The Savior gave this same teaching on another occasion, when he said to the Pharisees, And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world (John 12:47). And behold, I am the light and the life of the world (3 Ne. This is an analysis of a general conference talk given by Elder Oaks titled Opposition in All Things, where he warned against taking opposition against the church. I have felt impressed to speak this evening about another set of twins, the twin ideas of Truth and Tolerance. Elder Dallin H. Oaks Opposition in All Things. Mormonism in the 20th century - Wikipedia The protection promised to the faithful servants of God is a reality today as it was in Bible times. You cannot possess or use the coin of tolerance without being conscious of both sides. President Dallin H. Oaks was sustained and set apart as first counselor in the First Presidency and president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, January 14, 2018. "Brother's Keeper". He will be just. And, in all of this, we must remember the command to forgive. As Latter-day Saints use the words saved and salvation, there are at least six different meanings. . Speaking at BYU a decade later, a Muslim scholar, Dr. Alwi Shihab, an Indonesian, elaborated that idea in these words: To tolerate something is to learn to live with it, even when you think it is wrong and downright evil. Profanity consistently used in our presence is an appropriate cause for us to communicate the fact that this is offensive to us. We must, of course, make judgments every day in the exercise of our moral agency, but we must be careful that our judgments of people are intermediate and not final. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. This is a harder question for those who affirm the existence of God and absolute truth than for those who believe in moral relativism. We must work harder to build mutual respect, an attitude of forbearance, with tolerance one for another regardless of the doctrines and philosophies which we may espouse.8, Note that President Hinckley spoke of mutual respect as well as tolerance. President Gordon B. Hinckley expressed this idea for Latter-day Saints: Each of us [from various religious denominations] believes in the fatherhood of God, although we may differ in our interpretations of Him. Charles Francis Adams, 10 vols. Reverent and Clean. I am convinced that these seemingly contradictory directions are consistent when we view them with the perspective of eternity. By this means we will contribute to the civility that is essential topreserve our civilization. What believers should do about this introduces the second of my twin subjects: Tolerance. A recentEnsignarticle by an anonymous victim of childhood sexual abuse illustrates the contrast between judging situations and judging persons. We know from these inspired words that even the most extreme acts of servicesuch as giving all of our goods to feed the poorprofit us nothing unless our service is motivated by the pure love of Christ. Show Timeline. One about the role of the Book of Mormon in sharing the gospel and the other in knowing the l 8, 11). As a student of the scriptures and as a former judge, I have had a special interest in the many scriptures that refer to judging. When practiced by those around us, it can be private behavior or something we are asked to condone, sponsor, or facilitate. We can acknowledge the sincerity of those whose positions we cannot accept. President Oaks' conference talk summary Jesus Christ has the power to prescribe the conditions we must fulfill to qualify for the blessings of His Atonement. Purchase a 60+ page workbook which will help you read, study, and record insights from each General Conference talk from October 2022 while using the 8 learning styles. We are to beinthe world, but notofthe world. Top 11 Best Quotes From The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, by GamblingMorally Wrong and Politically Unwise (, Education Week devotional (unavailable) June 8, 2001. We misinterpret motives, do not know facts, and judge from wrong standards. President [Harold B.] That is how we qualify for the promised blessings. 4 May 1971 Naming of a New President BYU Devotional - Oaks Inauguration. . kristen meredith mcmain oaks age - nautilusva.com The worlds way is to judge competitively between winners and losers. See, for example,John Paul II: The Encyclicals in Everyday Language,3rd ed., ed. (Church Newsroom), New BYU opera professor performs as featured soloist for Tabernacle Choir, Orchestras summer concert, Video of the Day: West Virginia city adopts stray cat as mascot, Gov. There is a doctrine underlying the subject of gospel judging. The Need for a Church. Joseph G. Donders (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2005), 21013; Harold Kushner,Who Needs God(New York: Summit, 1989), 8384. In applying the sometimes competing demands of truth and tolerance in these three behaviors and many others, we should not be tolerant with ourselves. If we apply unrighteous standards, our judgment will be unrighteous. The friend could read lips, but since I was discussingas I often dowith my back to the class, writing at the chalkboard and talking over my shoulder, my student had been translating for her friend, telling her what I was saying. Some of these intermediate judgments are surely among those the Savior referred to when he taught that the weightier matters of the law include judgment (Matthew 23:23). Those of us with more of Martha than of Mary in us . Consequently, we should be alert to honor the good we should see in all people and in many opinions and practices that differ from our own. The doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. My treatment of truth and tolerance will invite you to consider and to teach these twin subjects because they are vital to the rising generation, in which you are the senior members. The Church of Jesus Christ is committed to serving those in need, and it is also committed to cooperating with others in that effort., With partners worldwide, the Church shares the common goal of relieving suffering. The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse by John Gottman. I testify of the power and blessings of the priesthood of God, available for His sons and daughters alike. Two experiences illustrate the importance of caution in judging. That's definitely what we want. The New York Times, Wikipedia, Patheos, USA Today, NPR, Church News, LDS Living, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, Bustle, Heavy, Slate, and more. Received an email from my stake. Somebody's shelf shattered. Elder Uchtdorf introduces the revised For the Strength of Youth pamphlet while bearing powerful testimony of Jesu. One who understands that principle will not look upon his or her calling as giving or presenting a lesson, because that definition views teaching from the standpoint of the teacher, not the student. President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, center, and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, second from right, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, right, arrive for the women's session of the 192nd Annual General Conference in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on . Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. [We need]the courage to say, I dont know. Whenever possible we should refrain from judging people until we have an adequate knowledge of the facts. Dallin H. Oaks opened the Sunday afternoon session of the April 3, 2022 general conference by giving a talk titled "Divine Love in the Father's Plan." This is the topic for the rest of the week. In a time when sovereign power was universally assumed to come from the divine right of kings or from military power, attributing sovereign power to the people was revolutionary. Similarly, with our children and others we have a duty to teachsuch as in our Church callingsour duty to truth is paramount. Along with the ascendancy of moral relativism, the United States is experiencing a disturbing reduction in overall public esteem for religion. . Stephen L. Carter,The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion(New York: BasicBooks, 1993), 225. . . And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. The scriptures give a specific caution against judging where we cannot know all the facts. Who am I to judge another? , I do not need to condemn or judge my abusers nor be part of the punishment. Let us be involved in good community causes. The Lord did not go into the kitchen and tell Martha to stop cooking and come listen. What Have Scholars Learned about the Book of Mormon? Talks by Dallin H. Oaks. When we understand our relationship to God, we also understand our relationship to one another. For example, it is one thing to ignore serious sins when they are private; it is quite another thing to be asked to sponsor or impliedly endorse them, such as by housing them in our own homes. The Lord acknowledges Marthas care: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things (v. 41). It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. Page last updated 30 Sep 2021. I have been puzzled that some scriptures command us not to judge and others instruct us that we should judge and even tell us how to do it. Search for biographies: Dallin H. Oaks It really is the answer. April 2022. We believe in absolute truth, including the existence of God and the right and wrong established by His commandments. Would it have hurt Mary to have joined us in serving, then we all could have sat down to hear the Lord together? I turn now to the obligations of truth and tolerance in our personal relations with associates who use profanity in our presence, who live with a partner out of wedlock, or who do not observe the Sabbath day appropriately. For example, we must all deplore murder or other terrorist behavior, even when done by extremists in the name of religion. Surely Latter-day Saints do need to be more wise and skillful in explaining and pursuing our views and in exercising our influence when we have it. The Relief Society has great significance for every member of the Church. It is not a sermon. A fourth principle of a righteous intermediate judgment of a person is that we should, if possible, refrain from judging until we have adequate knowledge of the facts. [Catherine Corman Parry, Simon, I Have Somewhat to Say unto Thee: Judgment and Condemnation in the Parables of Jesus,Brigham Young University 199091 Devotional and Fireside Speeches[Provo: BYU, 1991], p. 116]. Dallin H. Oaks was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was given at BYU on 1 March 1998. . He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not attempt to isolate its members from alternate voices. The Law of Reproduction: (#13) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Top 50 Quotes From The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Top 23 Best Quotes from Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. I cannot change the past. . Judge Not and Judging - Dallin H. Oaks - BYU Speeches [Mosiah 4:1718, 22]. In this way diversity increases the potential for conflict and requires us to be more thoughtful about the nature of tolerance. The philosophy of moral relativism, which holds that each person is free to choose for himself what is right and wrong, is becoming the unofficial creed for many in America and other Western nations. But I can change the future. 4. This philosophy of moral relativism denies what millions of believing Christians, Jews, and Muslims consider fundamental, and this denial creates serious problems for all of us. It will refrain from declaring that a person has been assured of exaltation or from dismissing a person as being irrevocably bound for hellfire. I have been puzzled that some scriptures command us not to judge and others instruct us that we should . 320.). King Benjamin taught: Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33). A fifth principle of a righteous intermediate judgment is that whenever possible we will refrain from judging people and only judge situations. I will speak first of the final judgment. By this, all the children of God are enlightened to serve Him and one another to the best of their knowledge and ability.. As the Book of Mormon teaches: All things which are good cometh of God.