PURE RELIGION (continued)

James in his epistle to the twelve tribes said: “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions and keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 1:26, 27

In some edited remarks by Marvin J. Aston we read: “At no time did Jesus Christ encourage us to spend time participating in damaging, destructive criticism. His message was to encourage us to seek, learn, and share all that is praiseworthy and of value as we associate with our fellowmen. Only those who are vindictive and cantankerous participate in ferreting out and advertising the negative and unsavory.

Whether accusations, innuendos, aspersions, or falsehoods are whispered or blatantly shouted, the gospel of Jesus Christ reminds us that we are not to retaliate nor contend. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

This religion is not to retaliate, or to exchange in kind, evil actions or unkind statements. Pure religion encompasses the ability to cherish, to build up, and to turn the other cheek in place of destroying and tearing down.

To keep ourselves unspotted from the world requires taking charge of and ruling our lives from within, accepting responsibility for our own actions, and choosing the role of peacemaker rather than retaliator when those around us are critical or spread false propaganda. It includes being aware that God’s work on earth is done by human beings, all of whom have some weaknesses. It encompasses the ability to look for the good accomplished rather than being disillusioned when human failings surface. It includes resisting the urge to proclaim such weaknesses so adamantly that the basic good is overshadowed and testimonies waver.

One who practices pure religion soon discovers it is more rewarding to lift a man up than to hold him down. Happiness is bound up with helpfulness. Those who fail to protect someone’s good name, who take advantage of the innocent or uninformed, who build a fortune by pretending godliness to manipulate others, are missing the joy of practicing pure religion.

Pure religion is having the courage to do what is right and let the consequence follow. It is doing the right things for right reasons. To be righteous or serving or loving or obedient to God’s laws just to earn praise or recognition is not pure religion. General Conference, October, 1982

If we were to take even a cursory look at the teachings of Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Islam, Hinduism or any or all other isms we would find a cooperative validation of these admonitions that we diligently move ever closer toward universal agape based relationships.

Ultimately and universally we have been admonished to act lovingly toward one another.

We are all taught to spend meaningful time in thought about whether we are on course and cease to worry whether others are wandering in the wilderness.

We need to stop our inquiries into other’s belief systems from being a muckraking search for weaknesses.

It would be better if we ceased demanding that others see only the positive in the principles we espouse.

How can we straight-facedly desire that others investigate the rightness of our doctrines, while we unceasingly search out the dark secrets of our neighbor’s dogmas?

When others point out flaws in our principles do we make an honest search to find a better way or do we defensively pour fuel on the fire by pointing to the glaring problems in their religious exercises?

The prophet Joseph Smith taught: One of the grand fundamentals of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may…I want to see truth in all its bearings and hug it to my bosom.”

Matthew records at the beginning of his record, the following teaching of Jesus the Christ: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?” Mathew 5: 43-46

John records that as the disciples gathered to partake of the Passover meal often referred to as the Last Supper with Jesus that among the many things taught that evening was the counsel: “This new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John13:34, 35