Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
History and Religion
On unkind feelings in an election year

On unkind feelings in an election year

Last updated on: July 3, 2024 at 6:23 pm by Dan Peterson

0 Comments

On unkind feelings in an election year 2024-07-03T18:23:11-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Newport Beach California Temple, the first temple to be constructed in California’s Orange County, is just a few minutes’ drive from where I’m currently typing. (LDS Media Library)

I’m slowly and carefully reading through the talks that were given in April 2024 at the most recent general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This passage, from the remarks that were delivered at that conference by Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (“Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ”), stood out to me against the background of the current strikingly toxic and hyper-partisan atmosphere of American political discourse:

The house of the Lord is where we can be transformed in higher and holier ways. So, when we walk out of the temple, transformed by our hope in the promises of the covenants, armed with power from on high, we take the temple with us into our homes and lives. I assure you that having the spirit of the Lord’s house in us changes us, completely.

We also know from the temple that if we want the Spirit of the Lord to be unrestrained in our lives, we simply cannot and must not have unkind feelings toward anyone. Giving place in our hearts or minds for unkind feelings or thoughts will produce unkind words and actions, whether on social media or in our homes, causing the Spirit of the Lord to withdraw from our hearts.

Although I have no reason to believe that this Brazilian apostle, speaking to members of the Church who are scattered around the world, had politics particularly in mind (let alone specifically American electoral politics), I’m absolutely sure that the quality of our politics and political discussions — right now, I’m disinclined to dignify them with the word debates — would be vastly improved, completely changed, were we to follow Elder Soares’s counsel.

One of the recurring themes in the Book of Mormon is its condemnation of “contention.” The two following passages will serve to represent the spirit of its teaching on this matter:

Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists. (Alma 1:22)

For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away. (3 Nephi 11:29-30)

We should not forget that this dispensation — which is to say, the Restoration as a whole — began with the young Joseph Smith’s rejection of the “stir and division,” the “strife,” the “war of words and tumult of opinions,” the “great confusion and bad feeling” that surrounded him and that had divided his community and even his own family. (See Joseph Smith –History 1.)

We see in the Book of Mormon what the ultimate societal result of tribalism and the loss of a cohesive sense of community can be. The account given in 3 Nephi 7 opens as follows:

1 Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.

2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.

3 And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.

4 Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes became exceedingly great.

5 Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because they did yield themselves unto the power of Satan.

6 And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.

7 And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

It is anything but an attractive picture, although it did serve as the overture to a visit of the resurrected Christ to the New World — after cataclysmic natural destruction.

On the beach near Newport. (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

Here’s something that might be of interest to at least a few of you out there: Restore 2024. It’s billed as “A Faith Matters Gathering,” and it will be held in the Mountain America Exposition Center in Salt Lake County from 5 September through 7 September 2024.

And I’m looking forward to this, as well: “New movie portrays the deep faith of former President Ronald Reagan: Dennis Quaid, who will play Ronald Reagan in an upcoming biopic, has talked about the faith that shaped Reagan’s life”

This found-object art installation attempts to represent the overflowing richness of the Hitchens File in symbolic fashion. Art critics have differed as to how successfully it achieves its aim.
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

In conclusion, knowing the desperate need that some feel for constant reminders of the evils wrought by theists and theism, I share the following specimens from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial “How Religion Poisons Everything” File™:

“Washington D.C. YSA Stake Plans Charity Event to Help 1,500 Families: More than 300 volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lazera Ministries and Good360 distributed donations to approximately 7,700 people”

“Elder S. Gifford Nielsen Joins Ga King to Celebrate Church Funded Renovation of School in Ghana: The King Tackie Tawiah I Primary School receives refurbished classrooms and new library and sanitation facilities”

“Tents and mud-brick homes allow refugees in Cameroon, West Africa, to rebuild their lives: The Church supports ShelterBox in its efforts to meet immediate and long-term needs of families in Minawao Refugee Camp”

And, yes: “How Andy Reid’s beliefs in Jesus Christ and a second chance for Michael Vick guide the Kansas City Chiefs: During a New York City event for religious leaders, Andy Reid shared ‘The Formula’ that led to Vick’s ‘tremendous, rejuvenated career’ in the NFL”

And even this: “The Hollowing Out of an American Church: What the diminishment of Mainline Protestantism means for the nation”

Posted from Newport Beach, California

History and Religion

Travel and Religion

Previous Post

July 2, 2024

Save the Date!

Next Post

July 4, 2024 A Potpourri of Thoughts on the Fourth of July

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"I have cpnsidered in my mond if the 4 volume Saints could be made into ..."

John Pack Lambert

From Serbia’s “White City,” Belgrade

"DP: “But Mr. Sutherland worries about the fact that our time, when we can communicate ..."

Theodore Brandley

Learning more about a region of ..."

"Another class of memories are of individuals who previously lived. Some of these remembered individuals ..."

PlasmaMiasma

Accounts of Premortality?

"Sutherland's lecture sounds interesting. He seems to restate the Washington consensus that trade brings peace ..."

B. Wilson

Learning more about a region of ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did God create on the first day?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Light Animals Plants Land