Since last week, I trust we are looking to fill the gaping hole in our metaphorical hearts that was once occupied by clever military comparisons to religion. Never fear – I have just the solution. Rather than the enlisting in the Lord's Army, we can apply for service in the Lord's Diplomatic Corps!
I know what I said about repetitive metaphors, but in this case, I make an exception. The reason? This isn't a metaphor at all. In every literal sense of the word, as Mormons, or as representatives of any group, we automatically become diplomats to the rest of the world.
I admit that I have an unusual passion for diplomacy. I believe that good diplomacy is an essential tool for progress in the world. In fact, my own career goal is to become a diplomat for the United States. I believe this fondness for diplomacy stems from the diplomatic opportunities I have had in life, including visiting 35 different countries, and living in four, and representing both my religion and my country as a missionary and a Peace Corps volunteer, respectively. Countless time I have been the first American that somebody has ever met. Even more frequently, I have been the first Mormon that they have ever met.
Perhaps this is a scary thought. But the truth is, it could be any of us. Whether the impressions we make are good or bad depends on our diplomatic efforts.
For whatever reason, Mormons stand out sharply wherever they go. Maybe it's because of our “peculiar” way of life, maybe it is because of a glowing countenance, or maybe we just smell different, I don't know. Whatever the reason, it usually takes less than fifteen minutes after meeting somebody before they find out that I'm a Mormon. No matter where I am, I find that my job as a Mormon Diplomat is unceasing.
There are many different definitions of diplomacy. One of my favorites that I learned in graduate school is this: “Diplomacy is telling someone to 'go to hell' in such a way that they look forward to the trip.” While it makes me laugh, I'm quite certain that isn't the message a religious organization wants to send. To me, true diplomacy is being open and honest about who you are in a way that helps people 1) respect you for who you are, and 2) desire to know more about you. It is building relationships of mutual trust and cooperation.
Some might say that missionaries are the diplomats of the Church. True, for many, the face of Mormonism is found in the faces of these young men and women. However, I think even more far reaching are the diplomatic impressions made by members everywhere. Sometimes those impressions are good, and other times, well, let's just say they need to work on their approach a bit.
To make it even more difficult, it seems that for some reason Mormons are held to a higher standard of scrutiny. Former church President Gordon B. Hinckley described this as a sort of “back-handed compliment.” Suffice it to say, the impressions we make as Mormon Diplomats can have long-reaching effects.
I have witnessed the handiwork of successful Mormon Diplomats in the past. I recall moving into an apartment. During my first conversation with the landlady, she found out I grew up in Utah. Immediately, she asked “oh, are you Mormon?” I admitted that I was, and was met by an awkward pause. I thought I had lost the apartment. However, after a few seconds she said “Well why didn't you say so? I am happy to rent to a Mormon!” She even refused to accept a deposit from me, saying “I know I won't have to worry about you.” Her respect for Mormons, she claimed, stemmed from having a Mormon roommate in college who left lasting positive impressions on her. A great diplomat.
Mormon Diplomats are always facing pre-conceptions, many of which are negative. Indeed, other groups have similar obstacles they face when making their diplomatic case to the world. No matter who we are, if we improve our skills of diplomacy, the difference will be amazing. Whatever cause you represent, do so with the heart and mind of a diplomat.
What diplomatic experiences have you had? Have you benefited from the diplomatic skills of others?
DISCLAIMER:
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The Lord's Army
Like anybody, I am always up for a good metaphor. Metaphors make wonderful learning tools, and they help us understand concepts more clearly. Even Jesus Christ was a big fan of metaphors, using parables to explain spiritual concepts to His disciples.
Another great learning tool is repetition. Repetition seldom has negative side-effects, and often helps us improve memory. I generally need to hear something several times before it truly sinks in.
Despite the value of these two great tools, I think they can become dangerous when they are mixed together too frequently. Like a concoction which slowly affects our ability to think clearly, when the same types of metaphors are used over and over again, the metaphor can have the affect of losing its metaphorical value, and becoming just a little too real.
For instance, sports metaphors seemed to be used and reused in the business world. True, competition is an inherent part of a capitalist system, but there is a great difference between competition with yourself and competition against another person. When a businessman or businesswoman applies the first type of competition, they can make great things happen. However, if they get caught up in the second type of competition, such determination may lead them to compromise their integrity. Now I am not saying such is caused by sports metaphors, I am saying that perhaps they don't help prevent unhealthy competition. But that is a different topic altogether. Let's look at a repetitive metaphor associated with religion.
Perhaps, because along with religion, war has been another constant in human culture, it gets used quite frequently in religious metaphors. Whether it is the “Lord's Army,” the “Armor of God,” or fighting in the “battle against evil,” militaristic metaphors are used again and again in demonstrating religious concepts.
I have nothing against the military, but I wonder if repetitive use of such metaphors at times leads us to mistakenly view religion as a genuine military action.
We are all aware that acts of war have been committed, motivated by religion, throughout history. While this horrible misuse of religion continues even today, I think even lesser forms of associating religion with war can become damaging.
The major negative side-effect I have seen coming from such metaphors is the “identification of the enemy.” For instance, I hear again and again that we are in a “battle” against evil. I fully agree that there is always a conflict of interests between good and evil in the world. However, I feel that viewing this battle in a militaristic sense can lead towards the need to create a tangible enemy.
In a real war, you must inevitably fight against opposing armies, which, until we invent robot-only warfare, means real, living, breathing people. However, in this “battle against evil,” we are not fighting against other people. In fact, if you want to be specific about it, we are fighting FOR the well-being of ALL other people. In reality, it is not a fight against anything, it is the struggle for peace, righteousness, and good.
Nevertheless, it seems that those who view this life as a battle against evil seem to need to assign people as their antagonists, whether they be Muslims, Mormons, Democrats, Atheists, Republicans, Catholics, Jews, etc. Rather than seeking to fight for the well being of these people, they become “the enemy.”
Ultimately, such thinking is destructive to the true purpose of religion. When we allow ourselves to identify other people as our enemy, how will we ever be willing to “fight” for their well-being, if such is actually required for us?
So, maybe we could lay off the military metaphors just a bit?
Another great learning tool is repetition. Repetition seldom has negative side-effects, and often helps us improve memory. I generally need to hear something several times before it truly sinks in.
Despite the value of these two great tools, I think they can become dangerous when they are mixed together too frequently. Like a concoction which slowly affects our ability to think clearly, when the same types of metaphors are used over and over again, the metaphor can have the affect of losing its metaphorical value, and becoming just a little too real.
For instance, sports metaphors seemed to be used and reused in the business world. True, competition is an inherent part of a capitalist system, but there is a great difference between competition with yourself and competition against another person. When a businessman or businesswoman applies the first type of competition, they can make great things happen. However, if they get caught up in the second type of competition, such determination may lead them to compromise their integrity. Now I am not saying such is caused by sports metaphors, I am saying that perhaps they don't help prevent unhealthy competition. But that is a different topic altogether. Let's look at a repetitive metaphor associated with religion.
Perhaps, because along with religion, war has been another constant in human culture, it gets used quite frequently in religious metaphors. Whether it is the “Lord's Army,” the “Armor of God,” or fighting in the “battle against evil,” militaristic metaphors are used again and again in demonstrating religious concepts.
I have nothing against the military, but I wonder if repetitive use of such metaphors at times leads us to mistakenly view religion as a genuine military action.
We are all aware that acts of war have been committed, motivated by religion, throughout history. While this horrible misuse of religion continues even today, I think even lesser forms of associating religion with war can become damaging.
The major negative side-effect I have seen coming from such metaphors is the “identification of the enemy.” For instance, I hear again and again that we are in a “battle” against evil. I fully agree that there is always a conflict of interests between good and evil in the world. However, I feel that viewing this battle in a militaristic sense can lead towards the need to create a tangible enemy.
In a real war, you must inevitably fight against opposing armies, which, until we invent robot-only warfare, means real, living, breathing people. However, in this “battle against evil,” we are not fighting against other people. In fact, if you want to be specific about it, we are fighting FOR the well-being of ALL other people. In reality, it is not a fight against anything, it is the struggle for peace, righteousness, and good.
Nevertheless, it seems that those who view this life as a battle against evil seem to need to assign people as their antagonists, whether they be Muslims, Mormons, Democrats, Atheists, Republicans, Catholics, Jews, etc. Rather than seeking to fight for the well being of these people, they become “the enemy.”
Ultimately, such thinking is destructive to the true purpose of religion. When we allow ourselves to identify other people as our enemy, how will we ever be willing to “fight” for their well-being, if such is actually required for us?
So, maybe we could lay off the military metaphors just a bit?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Keystone
Continuing on the subject of scripture, I wish to use the Book of Mormon as the explanatory tool for today's post.
In recent years, I have gained appreciation for good literature. I am certainly not “well read,” but I have read dozens of great books and hope to read hundreds more throughout my life. Out of all these books, however, only one has drastically affected the course of my life. That book is the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon was written by prophets living on the American continent from about 600 B.C. until around 400 A.D. 180 years ago, a young farmer named Joseph Smith received their writings and translated them into modern English. The translation period lasted just under three months, and the Book of Mormon was first published in late 1829. Since that day, over 130 million copies of the book have been distributed throughout the world (the 9th most distributed book in history), and it has been translated into over 100 languages.
I have been aware of the Book of Mormon for as long as I can remember. However, despite growing up in Utah among Mormons, I never read the book until I was nearly 17 years old.
One day, a friend suggested that I read the Book of Mormon. This was not unusual, with most of my friends and neighbors being Mormons. I usually changed the subject when challenged to read what seemed an inevitably boring book. But for some reason, on this occasion I reacted differently. I decided to ask him questions about the book. He provided some basic answers, and for the first time, I felt the desire to read the Book of Mormon.
Over the next several weeks, I began to read it bit by bit. I found the initial stories interesting, and from time to time a passage would strike me as profound. About 100 pages into the book, one thing stood out to me abruptly. It was the name “Jesus Christ,” used by one of the prophets in reference to the future Messiah who would come some 500-600 years in the future.
Now, I didn't consider myself to be a Christian at the time, let alone a member of any religion. Nevertheless, I had read parts of the New Testament, and was aware of the basic history of Jesus Christ as told therein. I knew that Jesus lived in Jerusalem, continents and an ocean away from this Book of Mormon prophet. It struck me as odd how he could name someone who wouldn't be born for hundreds of years, moreover in a completely different part of the world. For whatever reason, this notion peaked my curiosity, filling me with an intense desire to read on and to understand.
It was after this that I felt I had unlocked some secret compartment of the book. As I read, I felt like there was a light slowly growing brighter and brighter, filling me with a holistic sense of understanding that I had never before experienced. Reading only a few passages seemed to open into a huge volume of wisdom, which taught me profound life lessons. These ideas that I had never before considered were not only laid out in the clearest possible way, they stayed with me too. These lingering thoughts carried with them a certain confidence of truth.
At the end of the book, a passage (which I would later learn is one of the primary scriptures used by missionaries when teaching) stood out to me: “...when ye shall read these things...ask God...if these things are not true...he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)
At that moment, I felt assured that I had discovered an essential key of truth that would unlock the door to the rest of my existence. I have never since felt so certain about anything else, and I have not been able to forget that feeling.
I understand why Mormons call the Book of Mormon the “keystone” to our religion. By gaining this personal conviction of truth, logic follows that other Gospel teachings merit a closer view. For millions, the Book of Mormon has been that key which has unlocked the door to their perception of God-revealed truth. This experience becomes the solid foundation, the stone, of their understanding of the meaning of life.
I continue to read and enjoy many wonderful books, but none of them has influenced my life as the Book of Mormon. It is a bottomless spring of wisdom. In the years since that first reading, each subsequent read has yielded similar results.
For those who have read the Book of Mormon, I am curious to hear your experiences. Mine has led me to all things in my life, both religious and secular. In your own lives, have you found a similar “keystone” which has led you to where you are now?
In recent years, I have gained appreciation for good literature. I am certainly not “well read,” but I have read dozens of great books and hope to read hundreds more throughout my life. Out of all these books, however, only one has drastically affected the course of my life. That book is the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon was written by prophets living on the American continent from about 600 B.C. until around 400 A.D. 180 years ago, a young farmer named Joseph Smith received their writings and translated them into modern English. The translation period lasted just under three months, and the Book of Mormon was first published in late 1829. Since that day, over 130 million copies of the book have been distributed throughout the world (the 9th most distributed book in history), and it has been translated into over 100 languages.
I have been aware of the Book of Mormon for as long as I can remember. However, despite growing up in Utah among Mormons, I never read the book until I was nearly 17 years old.
One day, a friend suggested that I read the Book of Mormon. This was not unusual, with most of my friends and neighbors being Mormons. I usually changed the subject when challenged to read what seemed an inevitably boring book. But for some reason, on this occasion I reacted differently. I decided to ask him questions about the book. He provided some basic answers, and for the first time, I felt the desire to read the Book of Mormon.
Over the next several weeks, I began to read it bit by bit. I found the initial stories interesting, and from time to time a passage would strike me as profound. About 100 pages into the book, one thing stood out to me abruptly. It was the name “Jesus Christ,” used by one of the prophets in reference to the future Messiah who would come some 500-600 years in the future.
Now, I didn't consider myself to be a Christian at the time, let alone a member of any religion. Nevertheless, I had read parts of the New Testament, and was aware of the basic history of Jesus Christ as told therein. I knew that Jesus lived in Jerusalem, continents and an ocean away from this Book of Mormon prophet. It struck me as odd how he could name someone who wouldn't be born for hundreds of years, moreover in a completely different part of the world. For whatever reason, this notion peaked my curiosity, filling me with an intense desire to read on and to understand.
It was after this that I felt I had unlocked some secret compartment of the book. As I read, I felt like there was a light slowly growing brighter and brighter, filling me with a holistic sense of understanding that I had never before experienced. Reading only a few passages seemed to open into a huge volume of wisdom, which taught me profound life lessons. These ideas that I had never before considered were not only laid out in the clearest possible way, they stayed with me too. These lingering thoughts carried with them a certain confidence of truth.
At the end of the book, a passage (which I would later learn is one of the primary scriptures used by missionaries when teaching) stood out to me: “...when ye shall read these things...ask God...if these things are not true...he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)
At that moment, I felt assured that I had discovered an essential key of truth that would unlock the door to the rest of my existence. I have never since felt so certain about anything else, and I have not been able to forget that feeling.
I understand why Mormons call the Book of Mormon the “keystone” to our religion. By gaining this personal conviction of truth, logic follows that other Gospel teachings merit a closer view. For millions, the Book of Mormon has been that key which has unlocked the door to their perception of God-revealed truth. This experience becomes the solid foundation, the stone, of their understanding of the meaning of life.
I continue to read and enjoy many wonderful books, but none of them has influenced my life as the Book of Mormon. It is a bottomless spring of wisdom. In the years since that first reading, each subsequent read has yielded similar results.
For those who have read the Book of Mormon, I am curious to hear your experiences. Mine has led me to all things in my life, both religious and secular. In your own lives, have you found a similar “keystone” which has led you to where you are now?
Saturday, May 2, 2009
The Good Book, or the Perfect Book?
Not long ago, I shared a polite conversation with a missionary from another Christian church concerning his religious beliefs. He particularly stressed the importance of understanding scripture, which, he claimed, contained the inerrant word of God. The Bible, he highlighted, is the only true source through which we can learn the will of God.
A few days later, I read an article about a man whose profession as a Biblical researcher brought about a life transition which led from being an evangelical Christian with a literalist view of the Bible to becoming agnostic. This change began with the scrutiny of a single scripture. He discovered a Biblical verse which was contradicted in multiple places throughout the Bible. Finding no satisfactory rationalization, he was left to conclude that some mistake had been made in recording or translating the Bible. This discovery was the stone that shattered his belief in a 100% infallible and inerrant Bible.
These situations led me to think more about this idea of the Bible being the “infallible word of God.” The definitions of the words “perfect” and “infallible” differ from person to person. There are many who consider the Bible to be 100% accurate in every aspect. Some even go so far as to conduct extensive apologetic research aimed at rationalizing scriptural details which contradict historical, scientific, or other evidence.
For others, the Bible is not a “perfect” book, according to the literalist definition. I put myself into this category. I truly value the word of God I believe is contained therein, but also believe that “perfection” isn’t necessarily found in 100% inerrancy.
According to Joseph Smith, the first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly” (Article of Faith 8). In other words, there might be errors in the scriptures.
The Bible and other scriptures were at some point written or otherwise recorded by human hands. In most cases, they have not only gone through one translation, but through many. Moreover, the original authors of the books of scriptures wrote based on their own understanding of their surroundings.
All these individuals who participated in the creation of scripture, just like you or me, were imperfect. The title page of the Book of Mormon even contains this caveat: “…if there are faults they are the mistakes of men…” There is admittedly room for error, even in scripture.
For some, this notion is troubling. However, this needn’t be the case. Two key considerations of scripture are important in confronting such a challenge:
1) Focus on the big picture, not on minute details or semantics
2) Recognize the true purpose of scripture
First, keeping the “big picture” in our perspective is always healthy. A Church leader once shared a parable concerning this concept. Imagine the Bible as a wonderful tapestry or masterpiece painting. As you view this beautiful work of art, you notice some flaws. In one corner there are some loose threads, or perhaps flaking paint. Do such errors negate the greater beauty?
Second, the true purpose of scripture should always been considered when reading them. Just a few months ago, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the Apostles in the Church, visited Romania. One of the messages which he shared was this very principle – understanding the true purpose of scripture. He declared that if we read the scriptures for the purpose of understanding history, science, archeology, sociology, etc., we will be left wanting. The primary purpose of scripture is to record doctrines and prophecies, not travelogues or narratives. The word of God means the principles by which we should live.
In conclusion, I leave you with some questions. Do you feel the Bible, or any other book of scripture, requires literal accuracy? If so, why? Even if the Bible were infallible, would it be of use to us if we didn’t understand its true purpose?
I value the words of the Bible. This wonderful book, errors and all, contains truth, which, if properly applied, can lead along the path of perfection. However, before scriptures can become “perfect books,” we must first recognize “the good book” within them all.
A few days later, I read an article about a man whose profession as a Biblical researcher brought about a life transition which led from being an evangelical Christian with a literalist view of the Bible to becoming agnostic. This change began with the scrutiny of a single scripture. He discovered a Biblical verse which was contradicted in multiple places throughout the Bible. Finding no satisfactory rationalization, he was left to conclude that some mistake had been made in recording or translating the Bible. This discovery was the stone that shattered his belief in a 100% infallible and inerrant Bible.
These situations led me to think more about this idea of the Bible being the “infallible word of God.” The definitions of the words “perfect” and “infallible” differ from person to person. There are many who consider the Bible to be 100% accurate in every aspect. Some even go so far as to conduct extensive apologetic research aimed at rationalizing scriptural details which contradict historical, scientific, or other evidence.
For others, the Bible is not a “perfect” book, according to the literalist definition. I put myself into this category. I truly value the word of God I believe is contained therein, but also believe that “perfection” isn’t necessarily found in 100% inerrancy.
According to Joseph Smith, the first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly” (Article of Faith 8). In other words, there might be errors in the scriptures.
The Bible and other scriptures were at some point written or otherwise recorded by human hands. In most cases, they have not only gone through one translation, but through many. Moreover, the original authors of the books of scriptures wrote based on their own understanding of their surroundings.
All these individuals who participated in the creation of scripture, just like you or me, were imperfect. The title page of the Book of Mormon even contains this caveat: “…if there are faults they are the mistakes of men…” There is admittedly room for error, even in scripture.
For some, this notion is troubling. However, this needn’t be the case. Two key considerations of scripture are important in confronting such a challenge:
1) Focus on the big picture, not on minute details or semantics
2) Recognize the true purpose of scripture
First, keeping the “big picture” in our perspective is always healthy. A Church leader once shared a parable concerning this concept. Imagine the Bible as a wonderful tapestry or masterpiece painting. As you view this beautiful work of art, you notice some flaws. In one corner there are some loose threads, or perhaps flaking paint. Do such errors negate the greater beauty?
Second, the true purpose of scripture should always been considered when reading them. Just a few months ago, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the Apostles in the Church, visited Romania. One of the messages which he shared was this very principle – understanding the true purpose of scripture. He declared that if we read the scriptures for the purpose of understanding history, science, archeology, sociology, etc., we will be left wanting. The primary purpose of scripture is to record doctrines and prophecies, not travelogues or narratives. The word of God means the principles by which we should live.
In conclusion, I leave you with some questions. Do you feel the Bible, or any other book of scripture, requires literal accuracy? If so, why? Even if the Bible were infallible, would it be of use to us if we didn’t understand its true purpose?
I value the words of the Bible. This wonderful book, errors and all, contains truth, which, if properly applied, can lead along the path of perfection. However, before scriptures can become “perfect books,” we must first recognize “the good book” within them all.
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