SELF-DISCIPLINE BASED ON MORAL DISCIPLINE

Historians have recorded the various eras of the human struggle on this planet, labeling various stages by the major discoveries and advancements which occurred during those years. At the mention of the Stone Age, Dark Age, or Industrial Age our minds are triggered with images which represent each of those societies. I'm sure our views are limited and the degree of understanding of those times is far outstripped by what we lack in our historical 'enlightenment'.

John Naisbitt, some years ago in his book Megatrends, labeled the future generation which is now our present life as the Information Age. He described an era when a large contingency of the population would be occupied in exchanging, promoting, and storing information; a time when an ever decreasing amount of the populace would be required to be occupied in the providing of the basic needs of mankind. He envisioned that one of the perplexities of this coming society would be how to deal with an ever increasing amount of leisure time.

Now that we find ourselves in the middle of the Information Age we find that other problems besides dealing effectively with leisure time have emerged. In October General Conference 2009, Elder Christofferson stated "As a consequence of [loss of moral discipline] self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments."

Therefore, what seems to be at a casual first glance a time where we would want to shout praises to be able to live in a society where leisure time becomes a norm and not a luxury, it would be well to remember that some times when societies take quantum leaps forward they have a tendency to leave many of the best things of past ages behind.

So that we don't get carried away into some sort of euphoric dream-world based on shaky assumptions it might be good for us to ponder some of the following:

WHY – During a time when dress and life styles have become extremely relaxed and short of standards, have we become plagued with high levels of anxiety and stress and the attending disabilities at an all time rate of frequency?

WHY – At a time when nutritional knowledge and physical fitness facilities are available to more of the earth's inhabitants are so many being stricken with diseases related to malnutrition and obesity?

WILL – A Society which has prospered largely because of an integrity based work ethic succeed and endure as it goes through a time when pleasure seeking becomes paramount, productivity becomes a nuisance and honesty is based on not getting caught?

WILL – Individuals be able to progress in a time when quality of life is less dependent on cooperative interrelationships and more as a result of individuals being driven by attitude and independence?

WILL – There ever be a time when one can find fulfillment through doing his stewardship poorly?

WILL – There ever be a mountain of minutia high enough to satiate the wants of a person filled with greed and consumptionism?

WILL – There ever be a rewarding relationship based on selfishness and exclusivity?

WILL – A feeling of wholeness ever come to an individual who handles their relationship with Deity casually?

As we are daily engulfed in this ever increasingly fast paced Information Age, shouldn't we also continue to upgrade and enlarge our moral behavior so that we will be able to remain a compatible and cooperative society? Perhaps, just perhaps, the best way for us to upgrade and enlarge our morality may be discovered by investigating the well-worn paths of rightness and wisdom which have been trod by the inhabitants of 'Ages' past.

As we move deeper into the Information Age and discover that our imagined 'freeness' is built on those fleeting ideas and ideals which, like the latest technology become passé before they are unwrapped in the store, it might be wise to keep our mirrors of introspective evaluation polished and nearby. It is absolutely certain that in our rapidly approaching future is a day when the quality of our lives will be a reflection of how well we have learned to govern ourselves through Self-discipline based on Moral-discipline.