Walter Matthews (priest)

Transcription

>>WHAT A THRILLING LIFE AWAITS YOU. >>THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE IS A SACRED ACTIVITY. >>A TRULY EDUCATED MAN NEVER CEASES TO LEARN. >>THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS. THE OUTCOME IS UP TO YOU. >>THIS BYU DEVOTIONAL ADDRESS WITH KRISTIN MATTHEWS WAS GIVEN ON AUGUST 6, 2013. GOOD MORNING, BROTHERS AND SISTERS. MY NAME IS SANDRA ROGERS, AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO CONDUCT TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL. THIS MORNING WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF HEARING FROM KRISTIN MATTHEWS, A PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH. WE EXTEND A SPECIAL WELCOME TO SISTER MATTHEWS' FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE JOINED US. KRISTIN L. MATTHEWS IS A PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND IS THE AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM COORDINATOR, TEACHING COURSES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE. PROFESSOR MATTHEWS RECEIVED HER BACHELORS DEGREE IN ENGLISH FROM BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY AND EARNED A PHD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON IN AMERICAN LITERATURE. PROFESSOR MATTHEWS SPECIALIZES IN TWENTIETH CENTURY LITERATURE AND CULTURE, PARTICULARLY COLD WAR FICTION AND FILM, WHILE HER SUB-SPECIALTY IS TWENTIETH CENTURY AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE. HER WORK HAS APPEARED IN A NUMBER OF JOURNALS, AND SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON A BOOK PROJECT EXAMINING THE POLITICS OF READING IN COLD WAR AMERICAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE. PROFESSOR MATTHEWS HAS RECEIVED THE AMERICAN STUDIES PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR AWARD, THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT TEACHING AWARD, AN ALBERT J. COLTON FELLOWSHIP FROM THE UTAH HUMANITIES COUNCIL, AND AN ALCUIN FELLOWSHIP FROM BYU. WHEN NOT AT WORK, SISTER MATTHEWS CAN BE FOUND READING A BOOK, CHEERING ON THE GREEN BAY PACKERS, HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS, PLAYING THE PIANO, OR SINGING WITH A JAZZ COMBO. NOW WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF HEARING FROM SISTER KRISTIN MATTHEWS. GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO ITALY FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHILE THERE, I SAW ART CREATED BY THE GREAT MASTERS: MICHELANGELO, BOTTICELLI, FRA ANGELICA, AND MANY OTHERS. IN MILAN, I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE FAMED LAST SUPPER OF LEONARDO DA VINCI. THIS MURAL IS IN THE REFECTORY OF THE CONVENT OF SANTA MARIA DELLA GRAZIE, AND TO SEE IT, ONE MUST PURCHASE TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME AND WAIT FOR ONE'S FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH THE PAINTING. WHEN MY TIME DREW NEAR, I AND 24 OTHERS WERE CORRALLED INTO A WAITING AREA, GUIDED THROUGH TWO AIR-LOCKED CHAMBERS, AND FINALLY ALLOWED IN FRONT OF THE PAINTING FOR OUR 15 MINUTES OF COMMUNION. AS I SAT THERE, I CONTEMPLATED THE PAINTING AND WHY IT IS CONSIDERED PRICELESS, THE VALUE OF WHICH IS BEYOND MEASURE. IS IT BECAUSE THIS PAINTING IS OLD, CREATED IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY? IS IT BECAUSE OF WHERE IT IS LOCATED, IN MILAN? IS IT BECAUSE ACCESS IS LIMITED, FEW PEOPLE CAN SEE IT, SO IT IS MORE VALUABLE THAN PAINTINGS JUST ANYONE COULD SEE? IT IS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN THREATENED IN THE PAST, LIKE WHEN NAPOLEON USED THE CONVENT AS AN ARMORY, PRISON, AND STABLE, OR WHEN IT WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED BY BOMBS DURING WWII? IS IT BECAUSE IT WAS PAINTED IN AN UNCONVENTIONAL STYLE, PAINTED ON A DRY WALL VERSUS IN THE WET PLASTER, MAKING IT IS MORE FRAGILE AND RARE? IS IT BECAUSE OF WHO PAINTED IT, THE GREAT MASTER DA VINCI? IS IT BECAUSE OF ITS SUBJECT? THESE QUESTIONS AND OTHERS I CHEWED ON WHILE SITTING AND LOOKING AT THIS PAINTING. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I CAME UP WITH PROFOUND ANSWERS THAT SHOOK ME TO MY CORE, BUT INSTEAD I CAME UP WITH MORE QUESTIONS. HOW IS IT THAT WE MEASURE VALUE? WHAT MAKES SOMETHING, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SOMEONE OF WORTH? AS A PROFESSOR OF LITERATURE AND CULTURE, IT IS MY JOB TO LOOK AT SYSTEMS OF MEANING AND VALUE, LANGUAGE BEING THE FIRST AND FOREMOST. IF WE GO TO THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY, THE FIFTH STANDARD WORK FOR ALL ENGLISH MAJORS, THE ENTRY FOR THE WORD VALUE READS, WORTH OR QUALITY AS MEASURED BY A STANDARD OF EQUIVALENCE, A STANDARD OF ESTIMATION OR EXCHANGE, SOMETHING WORTH HAVING, MATERIAL OR MONETARY WORTH OF SOMETHING, AN APPRAISEMENT, RELATIVE RANK OR IMPORTANCE, WORTH BASED ON ESTEEM, ESTIMATION BASED ON REAL OR SUPPOSED DESIRABILITY OR UTILITY. OPINION OF OR LIKING FOR A PERSON OR THING, WORTH OR WORTHINESS IN RESPECT TO RANK. ACCORDING TO THESE DEFINITIONS, A THING'S VALUE IS CONTINGENT ON IDEAS OF ESTIMATION, DESIRABILITY, LIKEABILITY, AND WORTHINESS. IT IS AT THE CENTER OF THE WORD EVALUATE, TO ANALYZE, YET, OFTEN WE DO NOT ASK THE QUESTION, WHO DETERMINES THE SYSTEM OF VALUE BY WHICH WE ARE CONSIDERING, CLASSIFYING, AND RANKING PEOPLE OR THINGS? WHO DETERMINES THE MECHANISM OF EVALUATION AND THE INDICES OF WHAT IS EVALUATED? WHO SETS THE STANDARD OF EQUIVALENCE THAT SAYS SOME THINGS HAVE GREATER WORTH THAN OTHERS? AS HUMAN BEINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO UNDERSTAND OUR WORLD IS TO CREATE SYSTEMS OF MEANING THAT HELP US TO ORGANIZE THE SENSATIONS, EXPERIENCES, AND OBJECTS WE ENCOUNTER. I THINK OF A TIME I WAS READING WITH MY OLDEST NEPHEW CONNOR AS HE WAS LEARNING DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF ANIMALS, HOW A DOG IS NOT A COW AND A COW IS NOT A ZEBRA. WHAT THE ANIMAL LOOKED LIKE, HOW IT SOUNDED, AND WHAT IT ATE ALL FACTORED IN AS HE LEARNED HOW TO IDENTIFY THESE DIFFERENT SPECIES. SIMILARLY, WE HAVE CREATED CATEGORIES LIKE NATIONALITY, RACE, ETHNICITY, SEX, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION, POLITICAL PARTY, MARITAL STATUS, AND SO ON TO ORGANIZE AND MAKE SENSE OF HUMANKIND'S DIVERSITY. HOWEVER, OFTENTIMES WE USE THESE SEEMINGLY DESCRIPTIVE SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE THE WORTH OF OTHERS. THESE HUMAN-MADE HIERARCHIES OF VALUE CAN CAUSE DIVISION, CONTENTION, AND SKEWED UNDERSTANDINGS OF SELF-WORTH. CONVERSELY, GOD'S SYSTEM OF VALUING US PROMOTES CONNECTION, COMPASSION, AND LOVE. WE ARE HIS CHILDREN. HE LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY, ETERNALLY, AND UNCHANGINGLY. OUR WORTH IS INFINITE AS WE ARE HIS DAUGHTERS AND SONS. NO ONE SPIRIT IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THE OTHER. SO THEN, WHY DO WE FALL SHORT OF LOVING AND MEASURING RIGHT GOD'S CHILDREN? WE READ IN THE DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:10 THAT THE WORTH OF SOULS IS GREAT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, BUT DO WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT? OR DO WE BOOKMARK THAT SCRIPTURE IN OUR MINDS AS ONLY FOR MISSIONARY PURPOSES? TODAY, I'D LIKE TO REFLECT UPON HOW WE MIGHT BETTER ALIGN HOW WE VALUE OTHERS WITH HOW THE LORD VALUES HIS CHILDREN SO THAT WE MAY BE TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. SO WHAT ARE YOU WORTH? THIS IS A QUESTION I OVERHEARD AS I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EAVESDROPPING ON A RECENT FLIGHT. IN MY DEFENSE, IT IS HARD NOT TO HEAR EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND YOU ON A PLANE. IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION, THE PETITIONED GENTLEMAN CITED PORTFOLIO FIGURES, PROPERTY HOLDINGS, AND HIS NET FINANCIAL WEALTH. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, HOLY COW! I HOPE NOBODY MEASURES MY WORTH BY WHAT'S IN MY SAVINGS ACCOUNT, OTHERWISE I'M IN TROUBLE. BUT THEN I SAT AND THOUGHT MORE ABOUT HOW EXTERNALITIES LIKE WEALTH ARE USED TO ASCRIBE VALUE TO INDIVIDUALS. IT REMINDED ME OF EDITH WHARTON'S NOVEL, THE AGE OF INNOCENCE. IN THAT TEXT, WHARTON SATIRIZES THE INTRICATE SET OF CODES THAT THE VERY WEALTHY USED TO DICTATE BEHAVIOR AND MEASURE WORTH IN GILDED AGE NEW YORK. PEOPLE WHO ABIDED BY THESE STRICT CODES WERE ACCEPTED INTO HIGH SOCIETY AS A VALUED MEMBER. THOSE WHO DID OR COULD NOT ABIDE BY THESE CODES WERE DISMISSED AS VULGAR, LOW CLASS, AND THE WORST OF ALL DESIGNATIONS, UNPLEASANT. 0 MY STUDENTS HAVE NO TROUBLE LAUGHING AT THESE CHARACTERS AND THEIR SHALLOWNESS. BUT WE AS EARLY TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOLK TOO HAVE CODES THAT SEPARATE THE HOTS FROM THE NOTS, TO QUOTE A FB PAGE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS RECENTLY. AS A CLASS, WE STARTED TO IDENTIFY VARIOUS MARKERS OR CODES THAT COULD BE USED TO RANK OTHERS AND CAME UP WITH A LIST: WHAT PEOPLE WEAR, WHAT CELL PHONE THEY HAVE, WHAT LAPTOP THEY USE, WHAT CAR THEY DRIVE, WHAT BANDS THEY LISTEN TO, WHAT SIZE THEIR JEANS ARE, WHAT STATUS THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS IN, WHAT APARTMENT COMPLEX THEY LIVE IN, WHAT FILMS THEY WATCH, WHAT FACIAL HAIR THEY GROW, AND SO ON. MY STUDENTS FOUND THAT THESE THINGS THAT SEEMINGLY DESCRIBE ACTUALLY PRESCRIBE CERTAIN BEHAVIORS AND BELIEFS DEEMED IMPORTANT TO ACCEPTANCE AND WORTH. OFTENTIMES WE ARE UNAWARE THAT WE ARE ASCRIBING WORTH TO PEOPLE IN WAYS THAT CONTRADICT OR CHALLENGE OUR PROFESSED BELIEFS AS CHRISTIANS. WEALTH, PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, EDUCATION, RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER, SEXUALITY, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION, AND POLITICAL PARTY ARE JUST SOME CATEGORIES THAT CAN BE USED TO LIFT SOME FOLK UP AND TO BRING OTHERS DOWN. WHETHER WE LIKE TO ADMIT IT OR NOT, IT IS HUMAN TO RANK AND ASCRIBE VALUE TO OTHERS, AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE ASCRIBE HIGHER VALUE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE US THAN TO THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT. IT IS NOW CLICHÉ TO SAY THIS, BUT WE FEAR WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, SO DIFFERENCE IS MADE SUSPECT OR BAD, WHEREAS FAMILIARITY BREEDS COMFORT, SO SAMENESS BECOMES MORE VALUABLE. IN ADDITION, FEAR OF COMING UP SHORT OR FEAR OF NOT BEING ENOUGH OFTEN PROPELS THESE NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS. BECAUSE WE FEAR WE ARE LESS SOMEHOW, WE SEEK TO ELEVATE OURSELVES OVER OTHERS TO CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT WE ARE VALUABLE. WHERE DO THESE SYSTEMS THAT EVALUATE WORTH COME FROM? THESE SYSTEMS ARE NEITHER ETERNAL NOR TRANSCENDENT, BUT ARE HUMAN CREATIONS THAT ARE BASED IN PLACE AND TIME, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, BENEFITTING THOSE IN POSITIONS OF POWER WHO HAVE CREATED THOSE SYSTEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC IDEAS OF RACIAL SUPERIORITY ELEVATING ANGLO-SAXONS ABOVE ALL OTHERS WERE PERPETUATED FOR CENTURIES IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY DEVALUING AND DEHUMANIZING PERSONS OF COLOR SO THAT THEIR LAND MIGHT BE SEIZED AND THEIR BODIES USED AS SLAVES OR SUBJECTS. UNTIL RECENTLY, SOCIAL NARRATIVES SAID THAT HUMANS IN POSSESSION OF AN XX CHROMOSOME WERE INTELLECTUALLY INFERIOR, PREDISPOSED TO EMOTIONAL IRRATIONALITY, AND INCAPABLE OF GOVERNING OTHERS, LET ALONE GOVERNING THEMSELVES. THIS VALUATION BARRED WOMEN FROM HOLDING PROPERTY, GAINING AN EDUCATION, VOTING IN ELECTIONS, AND PARTICIPATING IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE. THESE HUMAN SYSTEMS BY WHICH HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN EVALUATED, CATEGORIZED, AND RANKED HAVE CHANGED WITH TIME AND PLACE. OBVIOUSLY, THESE SYSTEMS THAT ELEVATE SOME AND DENIGRATE OTHERS ARE DESTRUCTIVE AND HAVE CAUSED WARS, ENSLAVEMENT, AND DISCRIMINATION, VIOLENCE OF A SOCIAL AND GLOBAL SCALE. THESE FALSE SYSTEMS OF VALUE ALSO HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON A SMALLER SCALE, ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND HIS/HER SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY. BEING TOLD THAT YOU ARE LESS, THAT YOU'LL NEVER FIT IN OR ADD UP, OR THAT YOU'LL BE ACCEPTED ONLY WHEN YOU CHANGE WHO YOU ARE IS DESTRUCTIVE EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, AND AT TIMES, PHYSICALLY. ONE SYSTEM OF VALUATION THAT HAS NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR FEELINGS OF INDIVIDUAL WORTH IS BEAUTY. HUMAN BEINGS GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ACHIEVE SOME IDEAL BEAUTY, EXTREME WORK OUTS, PLASTIC SURGERY, EATING DISORDERS, ELABORATE MAKE UP RITUALS, EXTENSIVE HAIR AND NAIL TREATMENT, COMPULSIVE SHOPPING, ALL OF THESE BEHAVIORS STEM FROM THE DESIRE TO BE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE WE ARE TAUGHT TO BELIEVE THAT BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN OTHERS. WE HERE IN UTAH ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THIS TREND. IN NOVEMBER 2007, FORBES MAGAZINE NAMED SALT LAKE CITY THE VAINEST CITY IN AMERICA BECAUSE IT HAD MORE PLASTIC SURGEONS AND USED MORE BEAUTY PRODUCTS PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES. DRIVE DOWN I-15 AND YOU'LL SEE SIGN AFTER SIGN OFFERING TO FIX HOW YOU LOOK TO MAKE A BETTER YOU. SCROLL THROUGH A FB FEED OR WATCH ONE COMMERCIAL BREAK DURING PRIME TIME TELEVISION VIEWING HOURS AND YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL EXAMPLES IN WHICH BODIES ARE OBJECTIFIED, SHAMED, AND TIED TO ONE'S INDIVIDUAL WORTH. OR, IF WE ARE PRISONERS IN THE WASTELAND THAT IS REALITY TV, WE ARE SUBJECTED TO SCORES OF PLASTIC SURGERY SHOWS, MAKE OVER SHOWS, DATING SHOWS, AND DANGEROUS WEIGHT LOSS COMPETITIONS INUNDATING US WITH THE MESSAGE THAT ONE CAN NEVER BE BEAUTIFUL ENOUGH AND THAT HAPPINESS IS PREDICATED UPON ONE'S SKIN, TEETH, HAIR, WEIGHT, SHAPE, AND WARDROBE. WE READ IN 1 SAMUEL 16:7 THAT MAN LOOKETH ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART, AND OUR MODERN CULTURE'S OBSESSION WITH BEAUTY INDEED CONFIRMS THAT. THIS OBSESSION IS NOT WITHOUT ITS COSTS. IN HIS OCTOBER 2005 GENERAL CONFERENCE TALK, ELDER JEFFREY HOLLAND REMARKED ON THIS FALSE SYSTEM OF VALUE AND ITS DESTRUCTIVE NATURE, PLEADING WITH WOMEN YOUNG AND OLD. AS ELDER HOLLAND SAYS, THIS PREOCCUPATION WITH APPEARANCE AND THIS SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED IDEA OF BEAUTY AS THAT BY WHICH WE FIND WORTH OR VALUE, IS PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY DESTRUCTIVE, AND IT ISN'T JUST LIMITED TO WOMEN, MEN TOO HAVE TO NEGOTIATE PRESSURES OF APPEARANCE, AND EATING DISORDERS, EXERCISE BULIMIA, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TROUBLES ASSOCIATED WITH ACHIEVING BEAUTY ARE ON THE RISE AMONG MEN. ARE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE BETTER PEOPLE? DOES GOD LOVE THEM MORE? I AM SURE WE WOULD ALL SAY A RESOUNDING NO, HOWEVER, DO YOU SAY NO WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND CRITICIZE YOURSELF? OR WHEN YOU CRITICIZE OTHERS FOR THEIR APPEARANCE? DO WE BELIEVE WHAT WE SAY? REMEMBER: THE IDEAL BEAUTY IS A CONSTRUCTION OF THIS WORLD. WE CAN POINT TO THE USUAL SUSPECTS FOR THIS FALSE SYSTEM OF VALUE, FASHION INDUSTRY, ADVERTISING, TELEVISION, AND SO ON. AND YES, WE ARE BOMBARDED WITH IMAGES THAT SAY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. IF YOU ARE THIS, YOU WILL BE POPULAR, YOU WILL BE IMPORTANT, YOU WILL BE DATABLE, YOU WILL BE MARRIAGEABLE, YOU WILL BE WORTH LOVING. AND WHILE WE KNOW THIS TO BE FALSE, THE RATES OF TUCKING AND NIPPING AND IMPLANTING AND REMODELING AS ELDER HOLLAND SAID, THE RATES OF EATING DISORDERS AND DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS ON THIS CAMPUS AND OTHERS TELL US THAT THIS IS VERY REAL. ONE OF MY FAVORITE WORKS OF LITERATURE IS LORRAINE HANSBERRY'S PLAY A RAISIN IN THE SUN. THIS PLAY EXAMINES THE WAYS THAT SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED CATEGORIES OF WORTH CAN GRIND DOWN INDIVIDUALS AND OFFERS A CORRECTIVE. THE YOUNGER FAMILY IS POOR, BLACK, AND LIVING IN SOUTHSIDE CHICAGO AFTER WWII. THE DEGRADATIONS OF RACIST HOUSING AND HIRING PRACTICES HAVE WORN THEM OUT, EATING AWAY AT FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND DRAINING EACH INDIVIDUAL OF HOPE. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD ACT, THE YOUNGER FAMILY IS REELING FROM THE NEWS THAT WALTER LEE'S ACTIONS HAVE LOST THE SMALL INHERITANCE THAT COULD HAVE HELPED THEM BETTER THEIR SITUATION. HIS SISTER BENEATHA TURNS ON HIM, SAYING HE IS NO LONGER A MAN, BUT A TOOTHLESS RAT. HER MOTHER CORRECTS HER, REMINDING HER THAT SHE TAUGHT HER TO LOVE HIM, TO WHICH BENEATHA REPLIES, LOVE HIM? THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO LOVE. INDEED, THE OPPRESSIVE WEIGHT OF RACISM HAS TOLD THE YOUNGERS THAT THEY ARE WORTH NOTHING SO MANY TIMES THAT THEY ARE STARTING TO BELIEVE IT. YET, MAMA RIGHTLY SAYS IN THIS MEMORABLE SPEECH: THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING LEFT TO LOVE. CHILD, WHEN DO YOU THINK IS THE TIME TO LOVE SOMEBODY THE MOST? WHEN THEY DONE GOOD AND MADE THINGS EASY FOR EVERYBODY? WELL THEN, YOU AIN'T THROUGH LEARNING, BECAUSE THAT AIN'T THE TIME AT ALL. IT'S WHEN HE'S AT HIS LOWEST AND CAN'T BELIEVE IN HISSELF 'CAUSE THE WORLD DONE WHIPPED HIM SO! WHEN YOU STARTS MEASURING SOMEBODY, MEASURE HIM RIGHT, CHILD, MEASURE HIM RIGHT. MAKE SURE YOU DONE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT HILLS AND VALLEYS HE COME THROUGH BEFORE HE GOT TO WHEREVER HE IS. MAMA REMINDS BENEATHA THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE OF WORTH, THAT THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LOVE, AND THAT WE MUST RETHINK HOW WE MEASURE EACH OTHER. ULTIMATELY, SHE ARGUES THAT CORRECT MEASUREMENT IS NOT CONTINGENT ON EXTERNAL FACTORS, BUT INSTEAD IS BASED UPON ONE'S IMMUTABLE WORTH AS A HUMAN BEING. AND FOR MAMA, A PRACTICING CHRISTIAN, THERE'S MORE: WORTH CANNOT BE DIMINISHED AND THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LOVE BECAUSE ALL ARE CHILDREN OF GOD. NOW, HEAVENLY FATHER KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE TROUBLE WITH THIS. INDEED, THE SCRIPTURES ARE FULL OF COMMANDS TO RESIST THE HUMAN IMPULSE TO RANK PEOPLE AND INSTEAD TO SEE THEM AS GOD DOES. FOR EXAMPLE, LEVITICUS CONTAINS SEVERAL INJUNCTIONS TO THE ISRAELITES TO ACCEPT AND LOVE ALL THOSE AMONG THEM. IN LEVITICUS 19:34 WE READ, AND IF A STRANGER SOJOURN WITH THEE IN YOUR LAND, YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM. BUT THE STRANGER THAT DWELLETH WITH YOU SHALL BE UNTO YOU AS ONE BORN AMONG YOU, AND THOU SHALT LOVE HIM AS THYSELF, FOR YE WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. HERE GOD COMMANDS THE ISRAELITES TO LOOK PAST HUMAN-MADE CONSTRUCTIONS OF NATIONALITY OR RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND TO SEE AND LOVE THESE STRANGERS AS ONE BORN AMONG YOU. HE COMMANDS THAT WE NOT VEX OTHERS WE PERCEIVE AS DIFFERENT. HE ASKS THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT US/THEM DIVISIONS ARE ARTIFICIAL BECAUSE ALL ARE GOD'S CHILDREN. HE ALSO REMINDS THE ISRAELITES THAT THEY TOO WERE STRANGERS AND THAT WE ALL ARE STRANGERS AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER IN OUR LIVES. IF GOD DID AND COULD SHOW MERCY TO THEM, HIS CHILDREN, THEN SO SHOULD THEY TO OTHERS. EARLIER, LEVITICUS 19:18 COMMANDS THE ISRAELITES TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF: I AM LORD. THERE ARE NO CAVEATS HERE: LOVE THY NEIGHBOR UNLESS HE IS X, Y, OR Z, BUT A COMMAND FOR TOTAL INCLUSION. THE FINAL STATEMENT, I AM LORD UNDERSCORES WHO IS SPEAKING AND DISTINGUISHES THE DIVINE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE INCLUSIVELY FROM THE HUMAN TENDENCY TO DISTINGUISH, EVALUATE, DISCRIMINATE, AND TOLERATE. IN FACT, ONE OF MY LEAST FAVORITE WORDS IS TOLERATE BECAUSE ITS POPULAR USAGE ASSIGNS A SUPERIORITY TO THE SPEAKER AND AN INFERIORITY TO THE OBJECT OF THEIR SPEECH. YOU TOLERATE SOMEBODY ELSE'S PERSON, BELIEFS, OR ACTIONS, WHICH IMPLIES THAT YOUR OWN PERSON, BELIEFS, OR ACTIONS ARE SUPERIOR. YET, THIS IS NOT THE LORD'S WAY, AND OUR LEADERS HAVE POINTED THIS OUT TO US. IN THE FEBRUARY 2013 ISSUE OF THE LIAHONA, TOLERANCE IS DEFINED AS A FRIENDLY AND FAIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS UNFAMILIAR OR DIFFERENT OPINIONS OR PRACTICES OR TOWARDS PEOPLE WHO HOLD OR PRACTICE THEM. NOTE THE WORDS FRIENDLY AND FAIR IN THIS DEFINITION. SIMILARLY, IN A SEPTEMBER 2011 CES DEVOTIONAL, ELDER OAKES ASKS US TO BE MORE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE NATURE OF TOLERANCE, STRESSING THAT ALL ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN GOD, AND AS SUCH, DESERVE RESPECT. MUTUAL RESPECT IS THE TERM THAT ELDER NELSON USED IN HIS APRIL 1994 GENERAL CONFERENCE TALK ON TOLERANCE, CITING A RECENT STATEMENT BY THE QUORUM OF THE 12 THAT READ, WE SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE ONE ANOTHER WITH CONSIDERATION AND COMPASSION WE WILL DISCOVER THAT WE CAN ALL PEACEFULLY COEXIST DESPITE OUR DEEPEST DIFFERENCES. CONSIDERATION AND COMPASSION, NOT CONDESCENSION, ARE THE ATTRIBUTES OUR LEADERS INVITE US TO MAGNIFY. AS PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF SAID IN HIS 2010 ADDRESS, YOU ARE MY HANDS, THE CONNOTATION OF TOLERATE THAT SUGGESTS JUDGMENT, CONDESCENSION, AND DISTASTE DOES NOT WORK WITH THE LORD'S EXAMPLE OF TALKING WITH VERSUS DOWN TO PEOPLE AND HIS INJUNCTION TO LOVE ALL LIBERALLY, WITHHOLDING NOTHING. AS HE AND OUR LEADERS HAVE TAUGHT, COMPASSION, RESPECT, FAIRNESS, FRIENDLINESS, AND THOUGHTFULNESS MARK HOW WE SHOULD LOOK UPON DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, BELIEFS, AND POSITION IN LIFE, FOR AS ELDER OAKS SAID, ALL ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF AND IN GOD. INDEED, CHRIST REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE DISTINCTIONS OF CLASS, NATIONALITY, RACE, GENDER, POLITICS, OR FAITH AMONG PEOPLE, BUT INSTEAD SAW EACH INDIVIDUAL AS A CHILD OF GOD WORTHY OF HIS TIME, HIS SERVICE, HIS TEACHINGS, AND HIS LOVE. WHEN A DISEASED WOMAN WHO WAS SHUNNED BY ALL OTHERS APPROACHED HIM FOR HELP AND TOOK HOLD OF HIS GARMENT, HE NEITHER CONDEMNED NOR DISMISSED HER, BUT BLESSED HER. WHEN A FALLEN WOMAN APPROACHED HIM TO WASH HIS FEET, CHRIST DIDN'T CONDEMN HER, BUT INSTEAD ACCEPTED HER ACT OF CHARITY. WHEN THE PHARISEES CRITICIZED HIM FOR DINING WITH A PUBLICAN, A MAN WHO REPRESENTED THE WRONG PROFESSION, THE WRONG POLITICS, AND AN ALIEN, OCCUPYING NATION, CHRIST REBUKED THEM SAYING THAT HIS WORD AND LOVE WAS FOR ALL. FINALLY, WHEN JESUS SAW THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL, HE DID NOT SHUN HER AS TABOO WOULD DEMAND FOR BEING A WOMAN AND A SAMARITAN, BUT SPOKE TO HER, TAUGHT HER, AND LOVED HER. LIKEWISE, HIS PARABLES TAUGHT THAT WE NEED TO SEE BEYOND THESE HUMAN-CREATED DIVISIONS THAT CLASSIFY AND EVALUATE PEOPLE TO SEE THEM FOR WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE: CHILDREN OF GOD. THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN LUKE 10 IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS. WE ALL KNOW THE STORY: BEFORE THE SAMARITAN CAME ALONG, A PRIEST AND A LEVITE PASSED THE INJURED MAN BY. ALONG COMES A SAMARITAN. THIS ALLEGED ENEMY OF ISRAEL COULD HAVE SAID, O, THIS GUY IS A FOREIGNER, THIS GUY IS MY ENEMY, THIS GUY IS FROM ANOTHER CHURCH, SOMEBODY ELSE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF HIM BECAUSE HE IS NOT MY PROBLEM OR WORTH MY TIME. INSTEAD OF SEEING THESE DIFFERENCES AND DIVISIONS, HE SAW THIS MAN AS A HUMAN BEING OF WORTH AND ACTED ON THAT VISION. IT WAS THIS MAN FROM THE OUTSIDE, THIS STRANGER WHO HAD COMPASSION ON THE ROBBED MAN, BINDING UP HIS WOUNDS AND PROVIDING FOR HIS SHELTER AND FURTHER CARE. WITH THIS PARABLE, CHRIST TEACHES THAT WE NEED TO LOVE AND CARE FOR ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST THOSE LIKE US, BECAUSE ALL ARE OF WORTH TO HIM. FURTHERMORE, SINCE HE IS SHARING THIS LESSON WITH HIS DISCIPLES, HE IS TEACHING THAT A MEASURE OF OUR DISCIPLESHIP TO HIM IS HOW WE TREAT ALL OTHERS. DO WE PASS JUDGMENT ON AND PASS OVER OTHERS? OR DO WE STOP TO AID AND MINISTER UNTO THEM? THIS REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHER SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR WROTE: ONE'S LIFE HAS VALUE SO LONG AS ONE ATTRIBUTES VALUE TO THE LIFE OF OTHERS, BY MEANS OF LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, INDIGNATION, AND COMPASSION. NOW, I WOULD ARGUE THAT ALL LIVES HAVE VALUE, BUT THAT OUR VALUE AS DISCIPLES OF CHRIST DEPENDS UPON HOW WE ATTRIBUTE VALUE TO THE LIFE OF OTHERS. IF WE DEVALUE, DEMEAN, DENIGRATE, OR DISMISS OTHERS, WE DIMINISH OUR DISCIPLESHIP AND DESTROY THAT WHICH MAKES US HUMAN, COMPASSION. BUT WHEN WE VALUE OTHERS, WE NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATE THE BEST THAT HUMANITY IS, BUT WE ALSO MAGNIFY OUR DISCIPLESHIP. TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN THE SCRIPTURES, PROPHETS, APOSTLES, AND THE LORD HIMSELF CALL US TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE. HERE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES. AS READ EARLIER, LEVITICUS 19:18 TELLS US TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF, A COMMAND REITERATED IN MATTHEW 19:19. IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 13:34-35, WE READ THE WORDS THAT HAVE BECOME A BELOVED HYMN IN THE LDS COMMUNITY: A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER. NOW, THE DIRECT OCCASION FOR THIS COMMAND IS CHRIST COUNSELING HIS DISCIPLES AND PREPARING THEM FOR THE PROSELYTIZING WORK THEY ARE TO DO. YET, THIS COMMAND ALSO EXTENDS TO US, HIS DISCIPLES IN THE LATTER-DAYS. IF WE BELIEVE IN HIM, WE MUST EXTEND LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER, AND NOT JUST TO THOSE WITHIN THE BODY OF THE LDS CHURCH, BUT TO ALL OF HIS CHILDREN ON THIS EARTH. IF WE BELIEVE IN HIM, WE WILL DO AS NEPHI ASKS IN 2 NEPHI 31:20: WE WILL PRESS FORWARD WITH A STEADFASTNESS IN CHRIST, HAVING A PERFECT BRIGHTNESS OF HOPE, AND A LOVE OF GOD AND OF ALL MEN AND WOMEN. IF WE BELIEVE IN HIM, WE WILL DO AS THE PEOPLE OF KING BENJAMIN DID, AND WILL GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD THEIR GOD. AND WILL REJOICE AND BE FILLED WITH LOVE TOWARDS GOD AND ALL MEN THE SCRIPTURES REPEATEDLY TELL US THAT DISCIPLESHIP MEANS LOVING ONE ANOTHER. AGAIN, THERE IS NO QUALIFICATION HERE: IT DOES NOT SAY, LOVE GOD AND ALL MEN AND WOMEN, EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE OR DO X. NO, WE ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE ALL MEN AND WOMEN IF WE ARE TO BE COUNTED AMONG CHRIST'S DISCIPLES. IN HIS INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, CHRISTIAN REFORMER JOHN CALVIN SPEAKS OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP AND ITS REQUIREMENT TO RECOGNIZE ALL HUMANS AS CHILDREN OF GOD WORTHY OF LOVE. CALVIN TAKES ON VARIOUS ARGUMENTS PROPPING UP FALSE SYSTEMS OF VALUATION, DISARMING THEM WITH THE GOSPEL OF LOVE. HE WRITES, WHAT CALVIN REPEATS OVER AND OVER IS THAT THE IMAGE AND GRACE OF GOD IS FOUND IN ALL THOSE WHOM WE WOULD DISMISS OR DENIGRATE. HE ALSO STRESSES THAT WE ARE ALL CONNECTED AND NONE IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER. AND BECAUSE ALL HUMANS ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, ALL DESERVE OUR AFFECTION AND OFFICES OF LOVE. OR, TO COME BACK TO PRESIDENT UTCHDORF'S TALK, BECAUSE ALL HAVE GOD'S IMAGE ENGRAVED UPON THEIR COUNTENANCE AND CHRIST'S SACRIFICE INSCRIBED UPON THEIR SOUL, ALL ARE CALLED TO BE THEIR HANDS, TO SERVE, TO EMBRACE, TO WELCOME, TO FELLOWSHIP, TO COMFORT, AND TO LIFT UP OTHERS. AS MORONI SAYS IN 8:16, PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT ALL FEAR. LOVE OF GOD AND OUR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN DISPELS OUR FEAR OF DIFFERENCE AND OF NOT MEASURING UP. IT SANCTIFIES US, GIVING US EVEN GREATER CAPACITY TO LOVE. THIS IS THE MESSAGE OF MY FAVORITE BOOK OF SCRIPTURE, 1 JOHN 4. IN THIS EPISTLE, THE AUTHOR MAPS OUT THE NATURE OF GOD'S LOVE AND THE LOVE THAT IS TRUE DISCIPLESHIP: GOD LOVES US BECAUSE WE GOD LOVES US BECAUSE WE ARE HIS CHILDREN AND WE ARE OF INFINITE WORTH. BECAUSE HE LOVES US AND HAS BLESSED US WITH HIS GRACE, WE ARE COMMANDED TO SEE ALL OTHERS AS CHILDREN OF GOD AND TO LOVE THEM, TO LOVE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THE EPISTLE CALLS US OUT FOR OUR HYPOCRISY. IF WE SAY WE LOVE GOD BUT THEN DEMEAN OTHERS, THEN WE DO NOT REALLY LOVE GOD BECAUSE SUCH LOVE WOULD BANISH ILL WILL FROM OUR HEARTS. AS WE READ IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 3:16, FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, NOT PARTS OF THE WORLD OR CERTAIN PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS WORLD, BUT THE WHOLE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE US HIS SON, A HUGE SACRIFICE ON HIS PART. AND IN RETURN, HE ASKS THAT WE SACRIFICE OUR PETTY DIVISIONS, TOXIC SECTARIANISM, AND FALSE HIERARCHIES OF VALUE TO RECOGNIZE THE WORTH OF EACH HUMAN BEING AND CHILD OF GOD. THE WHY OF LOVING IS CLEAR, THE HOW IS SOMETIMES LESS SO. LOVING ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN REQUIRES HUMILITY AND A DESIRE TO DO SO. IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO SHIFT HOW WE LOOK AT OTHERS SO THAT WE NO LONGER SEE PEOPLE AS DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT AS CHILDREN OF GOD. THIS DOES NOT COME EASILY OR RIGHT AWAY, BUT REQUIRES PERSISTENCE AND HARD WORK. SOMETIMES WE MAY FAIL, BUT IF WE DO, WE MUST FORGIVE OURSELVES AND TRY AGAIN AS WE STRIVE TO BECOME BETTER DISCIPLES. SO, WHAT ARE YOU WORTH? I HOPE THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND THOSE FALSE MEASURES OF WORTH THAT WE HUMANS HAVE CREATED. YOU HAVE AN INFINITE VALUE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT YOUR PORTFOLIO CONTAINS, WHAT SIZE YOU WEAR, WHAT PARTY YOU VOTE, WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN IS, WHAT YOUR GENDER IS, AND SO ON. WHY? FIRST, BECAUSE YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING AND ALL HUMAN BEINGS HAVE VALUE. SECOND, BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHILD OF HEAVENLY PARENTS WHO LOVE YOU AND SEE YOU FOR THE VALUABLE PERSON THAT YOU ARE. IT IS MY TESTIMONY THAT GOD IS LOVE, THAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS A GOSPEL OF LOVE, AND THAT TRUE DISCIPLESHIP REQUIRES SHARING THAT LOVE WITH ALL PEOPLE. IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AND REJECT THOSE FALSE SYSTEMS OF VALUE THAT DEMEAN AND DIVIDE, AND INSTEAD, EMBRACE THE LOVE THAT IS TRUE DISCIPLESHIP. I SAY THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.