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Orson Scott Card: Parable: Acting part results in reflection
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PS: Is it a true story or did Orson Scott Card write it?
When I was a newlywed, living in the same stake as my rather deaf grandfather, we went to a stake priesthood meeting back in early 1973. The stake president read a message from the First Presidency over the pulpit. He read it twice, so that it could not be misunderstood. He said that we were not to bar any young man from administering the Sacrament based on the length of his hair. This had been an issue in my own ward, where the bishop was also the local barber.
Well, my grandfather heard the announcement, turned to me and said, "I'm glad the Brethren have finally put their foot down to stop those long haired kids from passing the sacrament."
Isaiah and the Savior spoke of spiritual deafness and blindness. May we really see and know our neighbors, as the Savior does.
However, my experience, and I dare say the experience of many others, has taught me that sudden, unexpected changes in appearance that are well outside the norm, are indicators that something has also changed internally or at least, attitudinaly. And when evasiveness about those changes accompany them, caution will often dictate withdrawal as an appropriate response at least until more information is forthcoming. So frankly, I don't think it would be inappropriate, given the circumstances in this story, for an individual to cautiously withdraw. Of course, shutting off contact completely is unwarranted. However, with the prevalance of substance abuse, pornography addiction and the terrible things that often accompany such addictions, I wouldn't blame an individual at all for withdrawing somewhat from this man. True, one may well be wrong as in this case, but again, with the presence of such evasiveness about the issue, can you really blame them?
I have long thought that if our indiscretions (read sins) were visible on the outside, or if they carried a distinctive odor (like tobacco), many more of us would find much less acceptance in church. I'm sorry to say that I think we, as a people (not individually), are much too judgmental-- too quick to assume that we know what makes people tick and why they do (or don't do) what they do. We have a dual injunction as Saints-- judge not (in most cases), and, when we have a particular mantle, to "judge righteous judgment." Both of those acts--not judging and judging righteously--require a thorough-going familiarity with the language of the Spirit.
Mr. Card calls for us to be more anxiously engaged in language lessons of that type--of the spirit.
Well done, Mr. Card. Thank you.
*For the record, if such a film exists (and I don't think it does), please let us know how to see it.
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