From media inquiries about same-sex marriage to blogs about whether Mormons are Christians, we can stay on message, keep it simple, and avoid contention.
Stay on Message
When the youth of one stake donated many hours of community service to beautify public areas, a leader responded to a reporter’s query: “As members of the Mormon Church we believe in serving others.”
Though accurate, the response wasted an opportunity to promote our central message: We do what we do because we love Jesus. Because we love Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, we love our neighbors and serve our fellowman.
Said one Book of Mormon prophet, “…when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).
Whether sharing the gospel online or across the street, the scriptures and “Preach My Gospel” are foundational. With purity, prayer and practice, we can share the simple truths of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Lord promises to “go before your face” and send “angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).
A good starting point for sharing the gospel online is Mormon.org. There, we can post our profiles and testimonies and link them to our social networks. Mormonmessages.org is great for sharing gospel videos. Another resource is lds.org under Service in the Church/Other/Public Affairs/Guidelines and Helps for Latter-day Saints Participating in Online Conversations About the Church.
For other online resources, including Facebook, Google these recent articles: “The Church on Facebook” and “Why We Blog: Using LDS Church online resources.”
A little-known resource is the stake public affairs director. That person is trained to promote our central message to the media within the geographical boundaries of each stake, and to build bridges of understanding with persons of influence in the local community.
Keep it Simple
Suppose a friend expresses concern about polygamy. You launch into a 10-minute dissertation about the 1890 Manifesto. Wrong! Your neighbor may be asking something else, like “Won’t I feel ostracized if I join a church that teaches controversial things?”
By identifying the real concern, you can emphasize simple truths such as our love for Jesus Christ, eternal families and the Plan of Happiness. Keep it simple. Love and simplicity trump the scriptorian every time.
Avoid Contention
It is human nature to defend oneself. But as seasoned missionaries know, debating theology is fruitless, especially when contention is afoot. The harder we defend insults, the easier it is to chase the Spirit from the conversation.
We needn’t get sucked into anti-LDS debate, whether chatting with neighbors or sharing online. Well-meaning members sometimes charge into contentious chat rooms, then stray from the central message about Jesus Christ, eternal families, the Restoration and the Plan of Happiness.
The Lord counseled, “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
Avoid the knee-jerk contentions so prevalent in this instant-messaging, respond-without-reflecting world.
A Word of Caution
The open and unregulated nature of the Internet doesn’t always promote fact-checking, attribution or accuracy. Like the child’s game of whispering a phrase in succession to a long line of kids, the message can be unrecognizable at the end of the blogosphere line. Blog debate may be reported in mainstream media as fact when it is not.
Individual members of the Church should avoid purporting to speak for the Church as an “official” spokesperson.
The Church welcomes honest debate. Elder Quentin L. Cook said, “In our increasingly unrighteous world, it is essential that values based on religious belief be part of the public discourse. Moral positions informed by a religious conscience must be accorded equal access to the public square” (Quentin L. Cook, “Let There Be Light!,” Ensign, November, 2010).
In any public debate affecting the Church as a whole there is an order of things. The Lord governs His Church through keys and councils. Area and General Public Affairs Councils are responsible for responding to media requests about proposed legislation affecting religious freedoms or attempts to erode core religious values.
By accessing keys through authorized priesthood councils, we assure clarity and unity of response, and we honor the Lord.
Preach the Gospel Always
Elder Marion D. Hanks used to say, “Preach the gospel always. Use words only when necessary.” Righteousness is our best sermon, but never discount the power of inspired words. By staying on message, keeping it simple and avoiding contention, our words will be thoughtful and our influence unlimited.
