Will the Battle-Ready Mormons Please Stand Up?
There is a battle raging. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The stakes are higher than we can possibly imagine. “The war is for the souls of men. The battle lines have been drawn since Adam: evil versus righteousness. In this the final dispensation and in preparation for the Millennium, the forces of evil have intensified and united under the powerful influences of Satan.”
It is a battle of voices. We have a message of peace and joy and hope for the world, and we need to be louder.
Anti-Mormon efforts are extremely real
Too often we think of Satan and his followers as invisible influences of evil. That’s true, but his influence extends far beyond the intangible. The internet is replete with men and women of every race, class and age that dedicate time and money to destroying the faith of any member they can set between their sites. You can see it in the forums, in the news, in the eyes of the young Priest who stops coming to church and assuredly in the comments section of this very article on Facebook.
Many of these people are disgruntled individuals that have left the Church. They feel slighted and deceived by the Church and understandably use that as justification for their efforts to get others to leave as well.
Christ’s mandate to love our enemies and to bless those that curse us makes the battle all the more crucial. In this war of words our commander has instructed us to attempt to save those who try to destroy us. It’s a rescue mission for active enemy troops.
Christ is right (as per usual). We should sincerely and unconditionally love those that try and destroy our faith. It is possible to love the attacker (who is undoubtedly also hurting) and defend our faith at the same time, but too many of our own troops are shying away from battle.
Why do we stay silent?
In a world of so much confusion (as prophesied by Isaiah), why do we stand by idly while friends and family are falling to our left and right?
Perhaps we’re afraid we ourselves might fall
Perhaps our testimonies are not quite as strong as they used to be. Perhaps we’re not as invincible as we once thought. Perhaps we don’t stand up and advance on the battlefield because we ourselves are internally fighting as hard as we can just to stand our own ground.
To those men and women I echo President Gordon B. Hinckley’s statement, “Stand your ground and hold your place, and you will be triumphant. As the years pass, you will look back with satisfaction upon the battles you have won in your individual lives.”
The battle for your own soul takes priority first. You’re not weak and should not be ashamed for having to fight this one. Every member must fight it at some point. It’s common to fight it many times throughout our lives. Take courage, sharpen your sword and enlist help. Once you’ve won your personal battle, join the public fray. You’re needed.
Perhaps we don’t know how or where to begin
This is a legitimate, practical concern. In this digital age, much of the war is taking place online. Becoming tech-savvy can be difficult. It takes practice and time. How can we share our convictions if we can’t even find the “share” button? The Church is privy of these challenges and has provided valuable resources to help those that need it. Start here: Sharing the Gospel Online.
If you’re of the elder generation, don’t be afraid to ask your kids and grand kids for help with the technical stuff—whether they’re members or not. You’re needed.
Perhaps we’re afraid of the backlash
This is a real fear that most all of us experience at some point or another. If I share my faith or defend it when challenged, what will happen? Will I have answers for the tough questions? Will I lose friends or even family? These are legitimate questions.
Seek the guidance of the Spirit to know how to proceed, but proceed. We must be careful to never be “ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Find an appropriate medium to make your voice heard and then go for it.
Perhaps we’re content where we are
When we are complacent, so is Satan. As Elder Holland says, “[Satan’s] effort to stop the work will be reasonably well served if he can just bind the tongue of the faithful.” A troop that sits at home is no threat to the enemy. Indeed, when Satan can’t get us to sin, his next-best option is to get us to simply do nothing. Nothing good thrives in stagnant water (maybe that’s why Christ is often referred to as a fountain of living water). Shake the dust off your shoulders and join the ranks. You’re needed.
Will the battle-ready Mormons please stand up
“Faithful” in this context definitely does not mean “perfect.” If you’re a member of the Church and you’re trying to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ, you’re a faithful Mormon. We want you. We want you with the cuts and bruises and muddied feet that you come with. Don’t worry about injuries past or present, we’ve got a medic.
We call on Mormons everywhere to stand up and declare which side you fight for. We as the membership has been too passive in this fight for too long and it’s time to turn the tide. It’s time to share the light, aggressively.
Share a picture of you and your scriptures online, remind the youth in your ward how awesome the gospel is, post your testimony of the gospel on Facebook, start to consistently read the scriptures with your family every single day. Respectfully correct misinformation. Spread the light of the gospel. That’s the only way to overcome the darkness.
