Extremism

In the LDS church, extremism and fanatisism are condemned. It's not right for anyone to take their beliefs so intensely as to force it on anyone else in any way. It's funny, though, I see a lot of extremism in the church, even in my own family.

Here are a couple of examples:

A few weeks ago, my sister forwarded an email from a guy who wrote an email to ABC complaining about a supposed implied political agenda in one of their shows. He sent it to the wrong address, and found its way to the inbox of a strongly liberal employee. This employee responded to the accusational email with equal and surpassing emnity, implying that this man's beliefs were stupid and false. This, of course, further enraged the man, and he began this petition to boycott ABC.

Now, I see why the man is upset, but does he truly believe that the entire corporation of ABC ought to pay for this one employee's outburst (the employee was fired, and a letter of apology was issued)? What is this man trying to prove? He doesn't agree with the beliefs of the characters/writers of a show he watched. So try to put them out of business?

I got another email from a relative today that noted that post offices in Texas had to take down posters that said "In God We Trust". Outrage! So to combat this embarrasing attack on Christianity, we're to write "In God We Trust" on all our envelopes. Kinda silly. Any good supposed to come of that? "You don't believe what I believe? Well let me flood you with it 'til you're convinced I'm right!"

Here's a question for you… what would these outraged people think if their job put up posters with a slogan like "In Science We Trust"? Do you see the problem? You're offended when people take down something that is meaningful to you, and offended when they put something up that's meaningful to someone else that you don't agree with.

I don't really understand why we typically feel that everyone must believe as we do. Why does it offend us that someone has a differeing opinion, or someone thinks we're wrong? Why must we accuse, hate, or belittle others' opinions when they're not our own? Is it ego? Is it that overbearing temptation of pride that makes us always have to be right? Maybe you are right… does that make the next man any less entitled to his opinion?

I find it interesting that LDS people can't fathom that other LDS members can possibly be democrats. How, they ask, could you be in favor of such issues as abortion, homosexuality, etc? And here's the answer: they're not. They believe the same as we do. The question, though, is whether others that don't believe as we do should have to live our morals when they don't share them? And that is a tough question to answer.

I personally am conservative politically because I agree more with their economic and financial strategies. And I have a fairly strong opinion on a few issues such as gay marriage. But I can definately see the other side of many of the political arguments, and I can't diagree with their opinions, because they aren't necessarily wrong. They just happen to believe differently than me. And that's supposed to be okay.