http://www.students4family.org The Official Website of the BYU Stand for the Family Club Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:38:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.students4family.org/qa/comment-page-1#comment-4 Daniel Derricott Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:38:08 +0000 http://www.students4family.org/?page_id=5#comment-4 Nicole, in answer to your question and comment about institutions in society: In 2007, Elder Neil L. Andersen gave a talk at a CES Devotional wherein he showed a picture of some people in a boat on a calm lake simply enjoying the day. Nothing seemed amiss. However, he showed another picture taken from a wider or more areal vantage point. Just beyond the scope of the first picture but shown in the 2nd, one could see that the happy little boat of people would shortly be going for a fun ride over Niagara Falls! The point: one cannot stick their head in the mud like an Ostrich and pretend there will be no consequences, for good or for ill, in the future for ones actions. Major issues relating to the family unit must be looked at from a vantage point that takes into consideration more than just the near future. Institutions give us a rallying point, a solid standard which we can trust. They often teach us what people come to view as being right and what are good values to adopt. For many, religion serves as their institution by which their standard is raised. For most, things taught or learned in their families contribute to what they perceive as good or right. Our world is increasingly adopting a stance of moral relativism. When all things become relative, there is no standard to rally around, nothing sure for individuals and families to hold on to. The institution of the family must be one such rallying point because the strength of any nation is measured by the strength of its families. Another thought: In a technology class I took in jr. high we studied about the structure of bridges. We watched a video which showed some bridges that withstood the storms they went through while others did not. I was always amazed at one particular bridge. It appeared to be a strong bridge but then some very heavy wind and rain came. The bridge literally began to sway up and down like large waves coming in from the ocean. I couldn't believe that it could sway like that nor could I believe it didn't immediately fall apart! Eventually it did fall apart though. To my mind comes a picture of the institutions of the world having to compete with moral relativism such that there becomes no solid standard to steady the institutions. Eventually they begin to sway like the bridge and with enough force placed in opposition to the standard, they collapse and all the good they did collapses with them. The family institution is strong and it will take a great deal of swaying to cause it to collapse, but the winds are gradually blowing harder and harder. One must see the panoramic view to realize where the family began, where it is now, and where it is going in order to realize just how strong the wind is currently blowing. Measures that are calculated to alter the strength of standards should be carefully scrutinized with a long term perspective (looking into the past as well as the future) in order to see the consequences of proposed actions. Even with the growing stance of moral relativism and the blowing of the wind on important institutions, there is one standard that will never fall. That standard is that there will always be consequences for any action taken, for good or for ill. Nicole, in answer to your question and comment about institutions in society: In 2007, Elder Neil L. Andersen gave a talk at a CES Devotional wherein he showed a picture of some people in a boat on a calm lake simply enjoying the day. Nothing seemed amiss. However, he showed another picture taken from a wider or more areal vantage point. Just beyond the scope of the first picture but shown in the 2nd, one could see that the happy little boat of people would shortly be going for a fun ride over Niagara Falls! The point: one cannot stick their head in the mud like an Ostrich and pretend there will be no consequences, for good or for ill, in the future for ones actions. Major issues relating to the family unit must be looked at from a vantage point that takes into consideration more than just the near future.
Institutions give us a rallying point, a solid standard which we can trust. They often teach us what people come to view as being right and what are good values to adopt. For many, religion serves as their institution by which their standard is raised. For most, things taught or learned in their families contribute to what they perceive as good or right.
Our world is increasingly adopting a stance of moral relativism. When all things become relative, there is no standard to rally around, nothing sure for individuals and families to hold on to. The institution of the family must be one such rallying point because the strength of any nation is measured by the strength of its families.
Another thought: In a technology class I took in jr. high we studied about the structure of bridges. We watched a video which showed some bridges that withstood the storms they went through while others did not. I was always amazed at one particular bridge. It appeared to be a strong bridge but then some very heavy wind and rain came. The bridge literally began to sway up and down like large waves coming in from the ocean. I couldn’t believe that it could sway like that nor could I believe it didn’t immediately fall apart! Eventually it did fall apart though. To my mind comes a picture of the institutions of the world having to compete with moral relativism such that there becomes no solid standard to steady the institutions. Eventually they begin to sway like the bridge and with enough force placed in opposition to the standard, they collapse and all the good they did collapses with them. The family institution is strong and it will take a great deal of swaying to cause it to collapse, but the winds are gradually blowing harder and harder. One must see the panoramic view to realize where the family began, where it is now, and where it is going in order to realize just how strong the wind is currently blowing.
Measures that are calculated to alter the strength of standards should be carefully scrutinized with a long term perspective (looking into the past as well as the future) in order to see the consequences of proposed actions.
Even with the growing stance of moral relativism and the blowing of the wind on important institutions, there is one standard that will never fall. That standard is that there will always be consequences for any action taken, for good or for ill.

]]> http://www.students4family.org/qa/comment-page-1#comment-2 Nicole Kay Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:14:50 +0000 http://www.students4family.org/?page_id=5#comment-2 I'm wondering if anyone has any simple analogies for why institutions are important to society? How can we help individuals, concerned with individual rights, understand the need for societal institutions, such as marriage? This seems to be at the root of the argument, "If my neighbor is practicing a gay marriage lifestyle, it doesn't harm my marriage or family any. To each his own". I’m wondering if anyone has any simple analogies for why institutions are important to society? How can we help individuals, concerned with individual rights, understand the need for societal institutions, such as marriage? This seems to be at the root of the argument, “If my neighbor is practicing a gay marriage lifestyle, it doesn’t harm my marriage or family any. To each his own”.

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