I was listening to a talk this week given by President Thomas S. Monson in 2009 that contained the following quote:
We have actually convinced ourselves that slogans will save us. "Shoot up if you must; but use a clean needle." "Enjoy sex whenever with whomever you wish; but [protect yourself]."
No. The answer is no. Not "no" because it isn't cool or smart or because you might end up in jail or dying in an AIDS ward--but no, because it's wrong.
What Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai were not the Ten Suggestions, they are Commandments. "Are," not "were." (Tedd Koppel, Duke University commencement address, 1987)
I had to look twice to make sure that this actually came from the mouth of a widely known and respected news anchor because it sounds so unlike the typical liberal rhetoric we hear coming from our TVs and radios. I admire the courage it took for him to speak these words to an audience most likely made up of many people who probably did not share his views. However, I admire even more those who actually walk a commandment-keeping walk in their daily lives despite the ever-changing views of the society around them.
In my studies this week, I found a new favorite scripture in Ecclesiastes 12:13: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." People can argue over whether or not the commandments--not just the ten but those found throughout the scriptures--are outdated, but the fact still remains that "God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing" (The Book of Mormon, Mormon 9:9). As Elder Dallin H. Oaks so aptly puts it, ". . . man's laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. Commitment to love and serve God requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior" (No Other Gods, October 2013 LDS General Conference).
In my opinion, I don't think there are any grey areas when it comes to what God expects us to do and not do, and we can certainly trust that whatever he requires of us will shape us into a much better, happier person that what we might become otherwise. I think that we often talk about the grey area between what is wrong and what is right as a way to excuse ourselves and others for bending the rules a little. This kind of spiritual fence-sitting seems to be an excuse for not fully committing to a Christ-centered life that may seem a little daunting at first, but in actuality brings a deep sense of joy and happiness. I believe that God has given us commandments because He loves us. As parents, we often wish we had an instruction manual for our children. Well, God has given us instructions in the form of commandments that will lead families back to Him. I know there are great blessings that come from obedience to God.
I have included links to talks on this subject below:
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