Christ's teaching could solve many social woes

Other comparisons could be made. In each case, society generally centers on the results, while Christ focused on the causes. Again, both are necessary, but the former usually gets all the attention, while the latter should be emphasized.

A few catches exist in Christ's approach. It won't get big headlines. It won't become a campaign platform. It is a longer and harder process because individual lives must be changed.

Nevertheless, Christ's approach is designed to revolutionize society and soothe the troubles of mankind.

So why don't legislatures, courts, Congress and presidents change national and state policies to implement Christ's approach? That would be impossible. It can't be legislated from above. Each individual must implement it within himself; it must be applied heart by heart, family by family, neighborhood by neighborhood.

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Republican LaVarr Webb was policy deputy to Gov. Mike Leavitt and Deseret News managing editor. He now is a political consultant and lobbyist. E-mail: lwebb@exoro.com. Democrat Frank Pignanelli is a Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser. A former candidate for Salt Lake mayor, Pignanelli served 10 years in the Utah House of Representatives, six years as House minority leader. Pignanelli's spouse, D'Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, is executive director of the state Department of Administrative Services in the Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. administration. E-mail: frankp@xmission.com.