The "Civil" War

Hello everyone! I apologize for my absence from the "game" for an extended period of time. I have been busy and well to tell the truth was lacking in deep thoughts to write about. Granted blogging should be about more than deep thoughts. It is about thinking in general and thus I digress.

I was reading one of my history textbooks today and basking in the unadulterated knowledge as it permeated my mind and I had a thought. Not shocking in this regard because I often have thoughts while studying History. I was reading about the Civil War and the anti-black sentiment in North. Many refused to fight once they heard the Emancipation proclamation, especially among the lower class who would have to compete with Blacks for low paying jobs.

We think, oh well how silly and unjust, we might even think how "un-American", But think about it. We understand racism is bad, but why? I will answer, because we were taught that it was. I will even go so far as to say that there is a drive within all of us to be just and good. We are sons and daughters of a God. A God who is just and right and we came out of his presence more or less with those attributes. Our personality is a shadow of that. So if what I am saying about God and about ourselves, why is there injustice, racism and bigotry in the world? Because we have been taught.

Those Men in the south thought that they were fighting for the right cause every bit as much as those in the North did. They both had mothers and unlike our day, the vast majority had fathers as well. They were taught honor, courage, and to serve God and Country. They also were taught the inferiority of the Black man. They were TAUGHT this. It wasn't something they were born with. At age 1 they didn't think themselves better than those different then them. They wouldn't have even know the difference!

In the musical "South Pacific" there is a song that Joe Cable sings called, "You Have to be Carefully Taught." This is what I want to get at. There are few in this day and age who would openly denounce those of a different race as inferior but what are the crisis' of today that are facing us? I believe the largest threat to our country, larger than Terrorism, larger than Drugs, larger than Pornography, and yes larger than the Extreme-Left, is that of moral disintegration in the Home.

For you that are LDS, prophets have been talking about this for more than half a century, and for those of you who are not, you can see the effects of this moral degradation all around you. The problem with the world today on the largest scale starts in the smallest and most personal places.

For starters one can look at the divorce rate. I have so many friends who have parents that have split up. As a child I didn't understand why everyone seemed to be engaging in this practice. It seemed silly to me. Why would you get married if you weren't sure they were the right one? My parents never once talked of splitting up as long as I can remember. It was never an option to them. They had made a commitment and they were aware even in the hardest times that there was more than the hard times. Now I don't say this to say how silly all of those parents are who have gotten divorced. It isn't my place to judge or correct, but I can see the effects of broken homes on the world.

Who was the mother of these terrorists? Where are there fathers? Where they taught to love their neighbor and to share with those around them? Or were they taught in the education of the world. An eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth. We are "justified in committing a little sin; yea lie a little, take advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is not harm in this; and do all these things..." Doesn't that sound like our day? There is no harm is speaking ill of others; in dragging others to their knees. To quote the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "In a society in which 'anything goes' its member will learn too late that everything goes." (Deseret Book; Maxwell, Neal A., "The Smallest Part" 1973)

I would submit that the reason terrorism is in the world is because of a failure in a home. The reason drugs are everywhere, the reason there is so much murder and immorality, so much poverty and selfishness, is because not that parents aren't in the home, but that the proper principles aren't taught. Perhaps it isn't my place but if I can use my small voice to affect even one life it will be far more than worth it.

I will admit that I have a probably impractical idea that I can effect change, effect change for good. I want to have influence, I will admit it but I can see that it will do me no good to have even the slightest influence if I can't help the world by having it. Perhaps I have a complex that ties me to the world, that I have hope that humanity isn't completely lost. I do have influence in this world no matter how small in my home, in my community. I don't know why I feel this so acutely and so strongly at this moment but I know it is right.

I guess my challenge to all of you with in the circle of my influence (not that you will all or even most of you will listen to me) that you would make an effort to be honest, to be kind, and to strengthen, not demean those around you. The Civil War ended almost 142 years ago (it will be 142 years next April) but the a new "Civil" war is now raging. The war in our homes that will ultimately affect the future of our country as well as that of world.