Let Our Voices Be Heard
We Latter-day Saints need to be more active in public dialogue and debate. We need to vote more often and inform ourselves better as we do. We need to study the issues and voice our opinions to government officials, private institutions, friends, family, and neighbors. We need to stand for truth, righteousness, decency, honesty, freedom, and the family. If we don’t, then who will?
Elder Ballard said in 2003 that “we need to raise our voices with other concerned citizens throughout the world in opposition to current trends. We need to tell the sponsors of offensive media that we have had enough. We need to support programs and products that are positive and uplifting. Joining together with neighbors and friends who share our concerns, we can send a clear message to those responsible.”
Elder Ballard also recently said, “May I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration … you can start a blog in minutes and begin sharing what you know to be true. You can download videos from Church and other appropriate sites, including newsroom.lds.org, and send them to your friends. You can write to media sites on the Internet that report on the Church and voice your views as to the accuracy of the reports. This, of course, requires that you understand the basic principles of the gospel. It is essential that you are able to offer a clear and correct witness of gospel truths. It is also important that you and the people to whom you testify understand that you do not speak for the Church as a whole. You speak as one member–but you testify of the truths you have come to know.”
“Far too many people have a poor understanding of the Church because most of the information they hear about us is from news media reports that are often driven by controversies. Too much attention to controversy has a negative impact on peoples’ perceptions of what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really is.”
I know a lot of people who are heeding Elder Ballard’s counsel. They have blogs (my brother has about 7), avoid bad media, write letters, and do many other good things to spread the Gospel and defend truth. I think we can do much more. I know it’s difficult to find time to do these things. I have a hard time sometimes even though I’m very involved in government and politics and blogging. But we can’t sit idle while other interest groups shape the debate and public policy. We must let our voices be heard!
What do you think? Please submit comments about personal stories when you’ve let your voice be heard and made a positive difference. They will inspire us and give us ideas of what we can do to help.
Blogging your testimony presents certain challenges. One is attracting readers. People quickly click away if they aren’t immediately interested. Some people visit blog sites for information. Others visit to interact, often times in a polemic way.
That leads to another problem, which is staying away from argument and contention, as Elder Ballard counsels in this month’s Ensign. How do you deal with strident comments? Some bloggers are pretty effective at it, but I have noted that there is a talent to it, and I often feel woefully untalented in this skill.
And finally, how do you put your deep feelings and experiences out for anyone in the world to access without ‘casting your pearls before swine’? Not that anyone that thinks differently should be classed as swine, but a few definitely demonstrate swine-like characteristics.
Comment by Reach Upward — July 15, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
Great observations, Reach Upward, I appreciate them. Yes, I agree that voicing very personal beliefs online is very challenging. I think doing it effectively requires lots of practice and patience. Still, I’m afraid that if we don’t face these challenges, then others will try to define who we are as we sit silently. I guess we just have to give it our best shot.
Comment by Matthew C. Piccolo — July 15, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
Yes, I believe we should all be more involved in what goes on in our societies and let our voices be heard. I also share the belief that we have the responsibility to stand up for what is right and true. I think we can all do better at raising our voices against those things that do not edify and be willing to do more to spread light and truth and virtue in a darkening world. It’s true that it’s not always popular to do what is right, lovely, and of good report, but we have the responsibility to do it anyway, regardless of what others may say or do. We can also do better at giving praise and encouragement to those who are already putting forth an effort to do their part. No matter who we are or how little we may know, we can all do our small part.
Comment by Alex — July 16, 2008 @ 1:30 am
Yes, I agree that the difficulty of the challenge does not justify inactivity. I also appreciate Alex’s suggestion to praise others that are doing well.
Comment by Reach Upward — July 16, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
I have written a few things regarding my faith on my blog, and have had a decent response. I most often don’t garner any comments at all, but those I have gotten to date have been good. I even had a request for a Book of Mormon once.
I have come across doctrinal falsehoods on other sites as well, and have taken that opportunity to correct them. It’s actually fairly simple. For instance, I came across a comment on a national blog that said LDS don’t believe in Jesus. I humbly stated that that was incorrect, and linked to the Church’s amazing new website on the Savior. I tend to be doubtful of changing that particular commenter’s mind on anything, but there are others that will read so it’s nice to have the truth out there.
Comment by Cameron — July 31, 2008 @ 10:26 pm