Oh Say What is Truth...

There's a hymn in our hymn book titled Oh Say What is Truth...   We were talking about truth today in our Relief Society meeting, and I had that song pop in my head.  Have you ever heard it?

Here are the lyrics:

1. Oh say, what is truth? 'Tis the fairest gem

That the riches of worlds can produce,

And priceless the value of truth will be when

The proud monarch's costliest diadem

Is counted but dross and refuse.

***

4. Then say, what is truth? 'Tis the last and the first,

For the limits of time it steps o'er.

Tho the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst,

Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,

Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

Text: John Jaques, 1827-1900

                                                                   Music: Ellen Knowles Melling, 1820-1905

I like the last verse, where it says Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

What is truth to you?  I ran into a man on my mission that stated once you learn a truth, it no longer is truth and you have to go in search of more truth.

It kind of sounds like society today.  More and more the learned are saying that there is no God, or that morals are not necessary.  There is a great lack of civility in our interactions with others.  Polite society which was founded on morals and commandments from religion no longer rule the teaching of youth.

More and more parents are depending on others to teach those values and thoughts because they do not bother with them in their homes.  I work in education, but I'm not a teacher.  I'm a support staff to special education.  I see many classrooms and students in my interactions with teachers, and I see children that come from homes where no religion is practiced, and their parents don't care about values.  They will say, when confronted about their child, that they don't know where they have picked up the language (usually swear words).  We know it comes from their homes.  Sometimes it comes from video games they are allowed to watch.  

Even when you are trying to be an involved parent you can find out that the games you thought were innocent are not really.  I found out last week that there is an Anime type game that has pornography in it.  The teacher telling me about it said her son thought it was no big deal because it's Anime.  You can't trust anything to chance in today's world.  You have to protect your children and your family from what Satan has thrown out there as 'Okay' or 'normal' because if you don't, no one else will.  Porn is addictive...just another one of the addictions of society today.

There was a question thrown out on facebook that our daughter was telling us about - in effect it was asked, "should you be nice at a family gathering to make it more pleasant for everyone, even when your views are not the same?"  The response was no - you shouldn't bother attending family functions if they don't have the same opinions or ideals as you.

What ever happened to family being important?  More important than political or societal opinions?  Being politically correct over a sibling needing help?  It's all fine and good to tell everyone they need to be inclusive and all, but it's not okay to include those that don't have the same opinions as your own?

We are all human beings.  We are basically all brothers and sisters, regardless of what faith you believe in.  There is something to value in everyone - everyone has something to add to your life, to a community, to a nation - regardless of color or race or religion.

Just because I'm a follower of Jesus Christ doesn't mean I can't be friends with a Jew, or with a Muslim.  And as long as we can interact with respect to each other, it shouldn't matter what those beliefs are.  If you find that you can't discuss something with another person without becoming angry or upset, then perhaps you are approaching the idea the wrong way.  Are you just discussing or are you trying to convince them?  A person convinced against their will ....

We cannot force another to change their way of thinking or believing.  Everyone has their right to choice.  If you feel that everyone should be made to share with everyone else...have fun with that.  It includes you sharing all you have as well, and that's usually where that thought process breaks down.   It's all fine and good to have other's share their bounty with you - but your stuff is...well...yours.  Right?

And a opinion is our own.  We are free to express that opinion to someone else, but they are also free to either agree or disagree.  

It's like I told my son the other day when he expressed frustration at getting our dog to drink when walking them on a hot morning... "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

The same goes for everyone around us.

I would hope that families would desire to be together and love each other.  Sometimes political and religious views have to be toned down a little for a gathering, maybe dropped altogether so that everyone is comfortable.  However...if the majority of that family is of one opinion or belief, it's not fair to expect them to act like this big part of their lives is non existent.  When they are talking to other members of the family that believe the same, they should be able to talk about it without worrying about offending someone else who might hear.  And the family member who anticipates being offended is most likely to be offended, regardless of what happens, just because they are expecting it.  It goes along with that adage - you find what you expect.

So, I got a little carried away and rambled longer than I meant, but I can do that, I'm a grandma. 

This guy always has a good way of putting things...

I know it's a little different topic, but the idea is the same.  We can get along with other people!

Have a wonderful Sunday...

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