. I know that the gospel is true because my Father in heaven has answered my prayers and borne witness to me by the power of the Holy Ghost. I no longer view myself as a victim. Elder Dallin H. Oaks Opposition in All Things . It will refrain from declaring that a person has forfeited all opportunity for exaltation or even all opportunity for a useful role in the work of the Lord. [The Journey to Healing,Ensign,September 1997, p. 19]. Check out our dallin h oaks selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. I turn now to the obligations of truth and tolerance in our personal relations with associates who use profanity in our presence, who live with a partner out of wedlock, or who do not observe the Sabbath day appropriately. He has been an officer or member of the board of many business, educational, and charitable organizations. Some personal decisions must be made before we have access to all of the facts. This is not a call for doctrinal compromises, President Oaks said. Some Christians look on this as the time when individuals are assigned to heaven or hell. It is well to worry about our moral foundation. . The Law of The Big Mo (#16) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Coronavirus: la Chiesa di Ges Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni Sta Aiutando Top 40 Best Quotes from The Gift of Imperfection by Bren Brown. Conference talk by President Oaks cheers Latter-day Saints backing Alwi Shihab, Building Bridges to Harmony Through Understanding, BYU forum address, 10 October 2006); http://speeches-dev.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=11324. In one of the monthly General Authority fast and testimony meetings, I heard President James E. Faust say, The older I get, the less judgmental I become. That wise observation gives us a standard to live by in the matter of judgments. From these we magnify a mood into a character and an episode into a life. Dallin H. Oaks was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was given at BYU on 1 March 1998. Believers can be less cautious in seeking government action that would serve principles broader than merely facilitating the practice of their beliefs, such as laws concerning public health, safety, and morals. As a Apostle with a unique legal background Elder Oaks has on occasion spoken both for the Church and to the Church. . I have found that observance of the Sabbath is almost obsolete. [Mosiah 26:29, 32]. May 3: Dallin H. Oaks is ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 320.). When we understand our relationship to God, we also understand our relationship to one another. . We have not sufficient wisdom, our minds are not filled with the knowledge and power of God. If given in the right way and for the right reasons, that service will reward us beyond anything we have given. If a particular person has been arrested for child sexual abuse and is free on bail awaiting trial on his guilt or innocence, will you trust him to tend your children while you take a weekend trip? 11819]. . So it was that, at the conclusion of His ministry, Jesus prayed to the Father, Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (John 17:15). Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution - The Church of Jesus . We must stand up for truth, even while we practice tolerance and respect for beliefs and ideas different from our own and for the people who hold them. . Ensign, Nov. 1998, 70-72 Dallin H. Oaks, "Priesthood Authority in the Family and the Church," Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 24-27 Richard G. Scott, "To Heal the Shattering Consequences of Abuse," Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 40-43 LDS Family Services courses Strengthening Marriage and Strengthening the Family We frequently update our Latter-day Saint history content related to Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, the Book of Mormon, and Come Follow Me 2023. Thus, the Lord said to Alma: Whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. . We should seek the guidance of the Spirit in our decisions. Last months widespread rioting and pillaging in Britain and the scandalous, widespread cheating by teachers on state-mandated tests in elementary and middle schools in Atlanta, Georgia, have caused many to wonder whether we are losing the moral foundation Western countries have received from their Judeo-Christian heritage.3. . We give thanks for commandments. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. Dallin Harris Oaks (born August 12, 1932) is an American religious leader and former jurist and academic who since 2018 has been the first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Most of us do not face decisions of giant proportions, like leaving our homes to pioneer an unknown land. Speaking to an audience of institute students three years ago, he said: The wordtolerancedoes not stand alone. For example, even though religious beliefs are behind many criminal laws, and some family laws, such laws have a long-standing history of appropriateness in democratic societies. Provo, Utah 84602. Our obligation to tolerance means that none of these behaviorsor others we consider deviations from the truthshould ever cause us to react with hateful communications or unkind actions. How Did Freemasons Influence the Temple Ceremony? We can all pray for desire to help with this vital part of the work of salvation. . We sing: Tho the heavens depart and the earths fountains burst,Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,Eternal, unchanged, evermore.1. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) In all of this we should not presume to judge our neighbors or associates on the ultimate effect of their behaviors. As the Book of Mormon teaches: All things which are good cometh of God. For example, we must all deplore murder or other terrorist behavior, even when done by extremists in the name of religion. Third,believers should not be deterred by the familiar charge that they are trying to legislate morality. Elder Dallin H. Oaks Opposition in All Things. What he did say is difficult to bear, but perhaps somewhat less difficult if we examine its context. Our duty to truth requires us to seek relief from some behavior that is wrong. 8, 11). Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives. You whom I address shun evil and seek truth. I just reread it and appreciate the good counsel he gave. Satan says we are not. Letter to Dallin H. Oaks, 14 May 1998. There is a doctrine underlying the subject of gospel judging. I love that truth that although I need to evaluate situations . Search for biographies: Dallin H. Oaks As young adults, you may wonder why I am speaking to you about the principles we should follow when we seek government action, such as by the legislature. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. I have been puzzled that some scriptures command us not to judge and others instruct us that we should . As was wisely taught in a BYU devotional, The Lord does not grade on a curve. He will judge us in terms of qualities, not quotas (in Janet G. Lee, The Lord Doesnt Grade on a Curve,BYU 199495 Devotional and Fireside Speeches[Provo: Brigham Young University, 1995], pp. In our eternal journey, the resurrection is the mighty milepost that signifies the end of mortality and the beginning of immortality. . This greater exposure to diversity both enriches our lives and complicates them. President Dallin H. Oaks: 'The Need for a Church' A loving Heavenly Father gives us those feelings to impel us to help His children. Then, even as the parents take protective measures pertaining to a regrettable situation, they need to maintain loving relations and encourage improved conduct by the precious person. The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense. The fundamental scripture on the whole subject of not judging contains this warning: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again (Matthew 7:2; see also 3 Nephi 14:2). A leavenyeastis hidden away in the larger mass until the whole is leavened, which means raised by its influence. We should trust in the Lord and be positive about this nations future. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Beyond that, we should remember the Saviors teaching that we should avoid contention (see 3 Nephi 11:2930) and that our example and our preaching should be the warning voice, every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness (D&C 38:41). We make better choices and decisions if we look at the alternatives and ponder where they will lead. Ideas to Teach "How Can the Savior Help Me Overcome My Fears?" (March Learn how your comment data is processed. April 2022. S2:E2 "Jesus Christ is the Strengt. Whether or how we might seek to obtain laws that would compel or influence behavior that we deem desirable because of our belief in God and His commandments is too large a subject for adequate treatment in the concluding few minutes of my talk. kristen meredith mcmain oaks age - nautilusva.com The Savior taught, Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37). [Lord, I Would Follow Thee,Hymns,1985, no. This is the age of snap judgments. A fourth principle of a righteous intermediate judgment of a person is that we should, if possible, refrain from judging until we have adequate knowledge of the facts. During class discussion a member asked, What if you see an unworthy person partaking of the sacrament? Dallin H. Oaks - Wikipedia Persuaded by this philosophy, many of the rising generationyouth and young adultsare caught up in self-serving pleasures, pagan painting and piercing of body parts, foul language, revealing attire, pornography, dishonesty, and degrading sexual indulgence. I have felt impressed to speak this evening about another set of twins, the twin ideas of Truth and Tolerance. This wise author also treats the importance of forgiveness. Here I remember a conversation with an LDS newspaperwoman who described what happened when she reported that the Prophet Joseph Smith received the golden plates in 1826a mistake of one year from the actual date of 1827. The effect of one mortals attempting to pass final judgment on another mortal is analogous to the effect on athletes and observers if we could proclaim the outcome of an athletic contest with certainty while it was still underway. . This interpretation is confirmed by what he then said to the Pharisees: Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man (John 8:15). In other words, are we responsible to look after the well-being of our neighbors as we seek to earn our daily bread? And whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people. Boyd K. Packer, Be Not Afraid (address at the Ogden Institute of Religion, 16 November 2008), 5; see also Bruce D. Porter, Defending the Family in a Troubled World,Ensign,June 2011, 1218. . We are to beinthe world, but notofthe world. I used the principle of forgiveness to strengthen me.[Journey to Healing, p. 22]. This is that future occasion in which all of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according to our works (see 1 Nephi 15:33, 3 Nephi 27:15, Mormon 3:20, D&C 19:3). We should be ruled by the demands of truth. He has given 87 general conference talksincluding 18 addresses as a member of the First Presidency. . Dallin H. Oaks quotes cover more than 30 years. We all remember how a prophet reacted from a hospital bed when an operating room attendant stumbled and cursed in his presence. The Lord acknowledges Marthas care: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things (v. 41). First: Truth. President Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was invited to speak at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit on July 20. Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ. Are we our brothers keepers? . Why was last week's speech on LGBTQ rights 'the most difficult' of LDS . bid her therefore that she help me. Giving to those in need the poor and distressed is a principle in all Abrahamic religions, and in others as well. to judge the world; if it were, we would ruin everything. Sustaining of General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers. God inspires many organizations and individuals to do much good, and more Church members should recognize and support the good done by others. . We all make judgments in choosing our friends, in choosing how we will spend our time and our money, and, of course, in choosing an eternal companion. King Benjamin taught: Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. President Gordon B. Hinckley expressed this idea for Latter-day Saints: Each of us [from various religious denominations] believes in the fatherhood of God, although we may differ in our interpretations of Him. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. Conference on-the Go: Dallin H. Oaks, Helping the Poor and Distressed, One Minute Scripture Study: A Come Follow Me Podcast. Apparently he was content to let her serve him however she cared to, until she judged another persons service: Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Our Master, whom we seek to serve, is, as the scriptures say, a God of love (2 Corinthians 13:11). You cannot possess or use the coin of tolerance without being conscious of both sides. In another essay, William George Jordan wrote: There is but one quality necessary for the perfect understanding of character, one quality that, if[a]man have it, he maydare to judgethat is, omniscience. But that is our role. He talked about "good, better and best " choices. My Savior knows what happened. There was a conference talk by Elder Dallin H Oaks a few years back about making good choices. If you're aware of any talks available online that aren't listed here, please let me know. President Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was invited to speak at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit on July 20. . We believe in absolute truth, including the existence of God and the right and wrong established by His commandments. In any event, as defenders of the faith, believers can and must seek laws that will preserve religious freedom. Our civilization is based on morality and cannot exist without it. . . We need to find ways to learn from one another and to reinforce the common commitments that hold us together and promote stable pluralistic societies.. . Church leaders are specifically commanded to judge. [vv. Last update: May 2022. Dallin H Oaks - Etsy Two experiences illustrate the importance of caution in judging. Opposition permits us to grow toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become. He was president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. As I have observed the judgments of presidents of the Church in matters of Church discipline, I have marveled at the care they have exercised to assure that justice is balanced with mercy, with loving concern for the consequences to innocent family membersborn and unbornas well as to the transgressors themselves. As to less extreme behaviors, where even believers disagree on whether or not they are wrong, the nature and extent of what we should tolerate is much more difficult to define. As described by an attorney supporting a Lutheran school in a case now before the United States Supreme Court, the big concern is the ability of people of all faiths to work out their relationship with God and one another without the government looking over their shoulder.10That is why we need understanding and supportincludingyourunderstanding and supportwhen we must contend for religious freedom.