I encourage forum members to read this essay. It is very well written. It is an essay on the responsible exercise of Christian liberty. I have posted another essay in another post on this thread.


Handle with Care

I should have introduced it. Here is a summary quote:

"The apostle Paul, likewise, argues that it’s possible to use the right thing in the wrong way. He applies this adage to Christian liberty. Previously, in Rom 14:1-12 Paul stated that we are absolutely free to decide for ourselves on non-essential issues like eating, drinking, dancing, music, and movies. We learned to “be slow to judge others; be quick to judge yourself.” Now in 14:13-23 Paul presents the “other side of the coin” in our Christian liberty. Those who are free to enjoy their liberty are responsible for not having an adverse effect on other believer"

The article is about exercising liberty responsibly so that we do not injure the faith of others and even more importantly that we do not injure our own testimony.

The second is very important. I see a lot of young LDS who feel like the choices are either stay faithful or reject the faith. They have invented restrictions to rebel against. We must not invent choices that are either the church or...fill in the blank. Certainly there are some absolutes but they can be summarized in a page or even these two sentences.

Do everything possible to include Christ in your relationships and conduct yourself in his example. Do nothing to exclude Christ from your relationships.

Of course including Christ means receiving his servants.

But let's face it. Every day we make choices about how to keep the sabbath, how to perform our duties, how to teach our children, how to live the word of wisdom, how to calculate tithing, etc. etc.

Our choices are not the gospel that we lay down for others.

On the other hand there are others who lay down a stricter choice than we would make. We should not injure their faith by rebuking them nor should we flaunt our choices before them. They need love to.

Ps The article is written by a non-LDS so it does not reflect all of the range of choices we would consider.

Just so I am clear: I think that is very important, even necessary, for the saints to claim and exercise their liberty in Christ. But we must do it responsibly.

The author just offered his list as examples. Alcohol and tobacco are pretty non controversial but decaffeinated coffee and tea could be seen as wrong by some and okay by others. I think we could come up with a list of controversial items for LDS that could spark a row in Sunday school.

How about one that is particular to members of this forum?

Is it okay to remove all clothing for strenuous recreation and swimming?

I think most of us would say yes but I, for one, would never assert it in Sunday school even though I think that it is just fine (if it isn't done in the presence of others who would be offended or where it is legally prohibited).

Some of us may have the caveat that it's okay to be nude for such recreation but not around the opposite sex. I am not one of them but I respect their reservation but ask them not to judge me because I think that it is okay.

As you read the linked articles it is clear that the motivation for our choices must come from a conviction that they fit within the exercise of Christian liberty and are not intended to be transgressive or rebellious or just a willful expression of one's individuality. It cannot be done with a spirit of "look at me, I can do what I want".