50 Shades of... Tolerance?

I'm not sure where I really want this post to go. On one hand, I thought about writing a blog post about my disgust for the 50 Shades of Grey movie trailer, the book, and all it entails. I thought about talking about how it is against my religion, why I won't be seeing it, and how it truly is pornographic. I wanted to stand up for what I believe, and tell the world that I will never stand behind a story that doesn't teach women what healthy relationships are.

But after posting a link to THIS BLOG POST by Fight The New Drug, I started a controversy. A small one, but a controversial conversation nonetheless. It was mostly civil. And I was glad to see it was.

Something that has been on my mind lately is inclusion, tolerance and love. I've been trying to picture Christ in every situation of my life, and thinking, "What would he do if he were here?" And in this situation, I knew he would NEVER be okay with media such as 50 Shades of Grey. He wouldn't watch it and he would probably have encouraged his friends and family to avoid it as well.

But he wouldn't attack those who went to see it would he? He wouldn't tell them they were awful, or horrid or disgusting right? Would he warn them though? Would he tell them it was poison? That the influence of such could truly ruin sexual relationships? And in turn eventually ruin marriages and families? Or give young men and women the wrong ideas about intimacy and marriage?

Bible prophets foretold a time when men would be "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3:4) And it's easy to see that that time foretold is now. But we've also been taught to "live peaceably with all men." (Romans 12:18) So how do we do that when we disagree? When we KNOW someone else is wrong?

The current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Thomas S. Monson, has taught: “The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness, and pain. … If your so-called friends urge you to do anything you know to be wrong, you be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone." 

And in a talk by Dallin H. Oaks he said, "Our obligation to tolerance means that none of these behaviors—or others we consider deviations from the truth—should ever cause us to react with hateful communications or unkind actions."

We don't have to read the book or see the movie to stand against it, but we also don't have to spread hate to those who are fans. We can each prayerfully decide how to respond to those who love Mr. Christian Grey. Or what to say if someone says, "It's just a story." And we don't have to clutter our minds with the words, thoughts and feelings that the book and movie will most certainly bring. 

We can be tolerant, loving, and patient without being submissive. I stand against the concept of 50 Shades of Gray, but I have friends that LOVE it. I can still be their friends. We don't have to argue about it, but we are EACH entitled to our own opinion. Agency anyone? 

These words of President Hinckley have never rung more true...

“Let us reach out to those in our community who are not of our faith. Let us be good neighbors, kind and generous and gracious. Let us be involved in good community causes. There may be situations where, with serious moral issues involved, we cannot bend on matters of principle. But in such instances we can politely disagree without being disagreeable. We can acknowledge the sincerity of those whose positions we cannot accept. We can speak of principles rather than personalities.”

Principles rather than personalities. Beliefs don't make a person good or bad. We can choose to love as the Savior would, it may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

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If you feel that other's could benefit from this message, PLEASE share.

To read more of my thoughts....
Balancing Truth and Tolerance
50 Shades of Grey: Why We're Not Cool With It
50 Shades of Confusion