As I have thought and pondered about what I should say or not say, I feel I can no longer stay silent on this one thought: We are being played by Satan and his angels. Satan wants to take away our agency. He will use anything, including people of like mind and government. He is using the tactic of crusades of who is right. If you are right then someone is wrong and we bully our thoughts and feelings onto others. It makes us temporarily feel better. This behavior is wrong and it teaches our kids the wrong message. Kindness is not just the words you say but how you say it and when you say it. We must learn to gracefully agree to disagree. Just because I may not agree with you on one thing or another does not mean my testimony is failing, I’m stupid, or selfish. It simply means I am learning, growing, and have a different life experience than you. I’m human.
I cannot tolerate any more hate or malice because my views differ from yours. We must surely be as Christ was; hate the sin, not the Sinner. He also became friends with the lowest of the low, the sinners, and he still loved them. He taught them. He didn’t say you’re an awful person because you believed this or that. Instead, he chose to love. He allowed them their agency. We are taught in Moses 7:32, “The Lord said unto Enoch Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of my own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency.” Also 2 Nephi 2:26, 27, “And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the Law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.”
One more thing: We are commanded to love one another. We are each other’s neighbors and we must seek understanding over who is right and serve without trying to make someone else understand us. Your way is not necessarily wrong, and neither is mine. It is just different. Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Galatians 5:13-15 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Stop the name-calling. Stop the hate. Stop trying to guilt others. It serves no purpose other than to put a wedge between God’s children.