Monday, March 11, 2013

Be true - don't wear a mask!

Elder Quentin Cook, an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, spoke last year about how the pressure a lot of us face to act out of character—even to wear a mask—and become someone who doesn’t really reflect either who we are or who we want to be.  Here's a section of the article (this devotional was given at BYU-I on March 4 2012):

An Example from U.S. History

In 2011, Elder L. Tom Perry and I met with Abraham Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League. Its mission is to stop the defamation of the Jewish people.
In our meeting with Mr. Foxman, I asked him what counsel he would have for us in connection with our responsibilities in public affairs for the Church. He pondered for a moment and then explained the importance of encouraging people to not wear masks. He described the Ku Klux Klan. It was an organization that was very influential and quite frightening to most Americans in the first part of the 20th century. Wearing identical robes and masks that made it impossible to identify the participants, they burned crosses on the lawns of those they targeted and appointed themselves as so-called moral watchdogs. Among those most targeted were African Americans, but Catholics, Jews, and immigrants were as well. The most militant of the Klan members were involved in whippings, physical abuse, and even murders. Mr. Foxman pointed out that the majority of the Klan, without the masks, were usually normal people, including businessmen and churchgoers. He noted that hiding their identity and wearing a mask enabled them to participate in activities that they would normally have avoided. Their conduct had a terrible impact on American society.
Mr. Foxman’s counsel was to stress the importance of people avoiding masks that hide their true identity.1 
Elder Cook also mentioned the mob who murdered the prophet Joseph Smith.  They hid their identities by painting their faces black.  For many pornography users, a false identity is assumed online.  
It may seem tough to do the right thing, the kind thing, but it shows our strength and our integrity.  I think that if you make that first choice to avoid whatever it is, you will gain strength.  If you feel you need to wear the "mask of anonymity,"  thats a sign of danger.  Don't!  Sometimes I think back to a family rule we  had growing up:  CTRA.  It was something my Dad said a lot - choose the right always.  Of course we are gonna mess up.  But wearing a mask, purposefully choosing that path, is not a just a mistake.  You've lost respect and the strength that comes from following Christ.  It makes choosing the wrong path easier and easier each time.  So be true to who you are and who you want to be.   :)

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