LDS Freedom Forum

Why We Need Religion
By Josh Duvall - Provo, UT

Life can be confusing. The world can be confusing. People can be confused. Why things have to be the way they are can be confusing. Many of the seemingly simple questions in life, such as those that define the fundamental nature of life seem to confuse so many. Our world is filled with information, information that surrounds us day after day, pervades our fundamental perceptions, and can decide our identities. All of it can be confusing, what can appear to be right is wrong, and what can appear wrong is right. They tell us God exists, that there is no God, there is right and wrong, that there is no right and wrong. They tell us that immorality is okay, that one drink, one smoke, one of this or that can't hurt us. They tell us there is no reason to live, our existence has no purpose. They tell us that God created the universe, and all that is in it. In my 9th grade science class, our textbooks told us the idea that life originated billions of years ago when lightning struck a pool of liquid on the ancient earth, and that by some freak accident, created a cell and therefore life. They tell us slavery is freedom, that lies are truth, that ignorance is intelligence, and that love is hate (from George Orwell's 1984). Brothers and Sisters, we are witnessing in our world a great information war, between what is right and what is wrong. There is an evil force in our world that battles with such extreme force for one thing above all other, that one thing that matters and defines who we are. It battles for our minds and our souls.

This evil force is hijacking every facet of human society: our culture, our governments, the media, and twisting otherwise simple truths into deceptive lies which can destroy the human soul. That influence tries to inject itself into everything good, such as our relationships with each other, and tries to destroy it. Our world is filled with confusion and deception. But we are gathered here today in the chapel of the restored church. Our church reminds us of the truth, and reminds us there is no confusion when you know the truth.

Nevertheless, many of our brother and sister spirits out in the world are still confused while we are gathered here today. They are wondering about or misunderstand the fundamental questions whose answers we might take for granted. What is the purpose of life? Why am I here? Where am I going? Who am I? Do I matter? Is there a reason to existence? These are simple questions. The general understanding of them in society reveals something ironically and starkly different however. We in our church are among the few upon the earth who know the answers to these fundamental questions. We know the fundamental principles. These answers to these questions answer the fundamental questions of the gospel, the fundamental questions that practically everything in the gospel is based upon. If you know the answers to these fundamental questions, the foundations that construct the reality of the world around us, and everything in it begins to have definition. We know there is a God. We know there is a reason to life. We know where we came from. We know where we are going, and that we matter. We know God loves each and every one of us who has ever lived. He loves everybody that ever lived, knows who they are by name. He knows about us more than we do. Yet our brothers and sisters are being told by the world that there is no purpose to life. They are being told that life was a freak accident of nature. They are being told immorality brings you happiness, that slavery is freedom. They are being told that their soul is worthless. They are being told that religion is a irrational fantasy only gullible people believe in. Many of them are innately good people who have become prey and sadly enslaved by a system of evil, corruption, and lies. We know that what is quote irrational is the only thing that teaches what brings actual true happiness in life, and brings meaning to life after death. Does the truth matter? Does it matter to care about the truth? Doe the gospel matter? Or should our own personal desires take precedent over the truth? Should our own personal desires take precedent over the gospel?

Can you imagine how reality would be understood from what the world is telling our brothers and sisters who don't know the truth? Imagine a universe, a world with no God. Imagine a universe with no creator, an existence with no justice, no morals, no judgment, no purpose, no good or evil, no mediator, one that is all a coincidence, with no pre-existence, or with no opportunity to be like our heavenly father. A universe with no God is a universe of chaos. Is a skewed understanding the understanding our brothers and sisters deserve?

The truth will set our brothers and sisters free. Does the truth stop within the members of our church, the fourteen or so million members among practically seven billion upon the earth now? Of course not. The truth should be spread throughout the earth with a fervor that this gospel truth deserves, a fever the lost deserve. People who care enough for the truth deserve to know our gospel. It is our responsibility as members of this church to give it to them. We are the only children of heavenly father upon the earth who know the true gospel in it's fullness, the only ones who can testify of it's truthfulness. That's where missionary work comes into play. It's role in our gospel was iterated when the savior said "As I have loved you, love one another". If we know truth, do we love our brothers and sisters enough to proclaim it to them?

In second Nephi it says "men are that they might have joy". I think in a certain regard that sums up our existence. Happiness is fundamentally intertwined with human existence, our experience, irrespective of culture, society, time, morals, beliefs, etc.. We desire it all the time. It is a constant and ceaseless search that dictates our decisions. We are told the reason we have the gospel, the reason we are supposed to be obedient to heavenly father is so that we might have joy. Our gospel teaches obedience to heavenly father in precedence over our personal desires is what gives us happiness. Can you imagine a search for happiness with no morals, a skewed understanding of the truth, and without religion? A search for happiness without regard for obedience to heavenly father is what brings unhappiness.

We know about the plan of salvation, that we may one day live again with our heavenly father, and that we may someday become like him. We know how we may achieve happiness, it is the plan of happiness. So many of our brothers and sisters out in the world, however, remain confused about the truth, and search for happiness aimlessly. They search for happiness in things, in worldly success, in getting power over others, and in deceptive immorality. These people overlook what really matters in life in their pursuits. While materials may bring about great good when used in the right ways, materials themselves bring no true happiness. Nevertheless, many people become lost, and find themselves obsessed about the car they're driving, how big their house is, how big their TV is, how much bigger it is than their neighbor's, and overlook the simple things that bring them true joy in life.

So why missionary work is so important? Can you imagine being immersed in an information war with no compass, no spirit to guide? Can you imagine a world view that misunderstands the fundamental questions? Can you imagine believing there is no purpose to life, no good or evil, or morals, that there is no God, believing there is no justice, no judgment? Can you imagine believing there is no life after death?

Our church's message is a glorious message to the world. It is the restored church, and with it brings the restored truths, the plan of happiness. We knew our brothers and sisters before we came to the earth. They too knew the plan of happiness. They knew as we did that we could become deceived on the earth. Our brothers and sisters now on this earth need to be reawakened to our glad message, a message of truth, of hope, of fulfillment, of love, of happiness. It is the great mantle in our church to share our message with our brothers and sisters who have fallen to become slaves to deception and confusion. To those whom much is given, much is required. Missionary work is an essential and very important element of our church.

Our church brings the restored truths of the gospel to the earth. Our church breaks the chains of sorrow, deception, and all other unhappiness with the power of God, the power of the priesthood, a power which transcends all earthly things. My message to you, brothers and sisters, is to hold fast to the iron rod, and to remind our brothers and sisters we knew and loved in the pre-existence how to find the iron rod. Never forget who you are, where you came from, where you are going, who our savior is, what the purpose of life is, and that the Lord's plan is a plan of happiness, the only plan for happiness. Never forget the truth. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, our savior, amen.