One must be chosen as they both cannot be traveled. One seem safer.....more well trodden. Surely there is wisdom in that path, as many have taken it. The other seems less so. With no other reason than just that the traveler seeks the less used, seemingly lesser path.
As in life, aren't we faced with this place everyday? We have a choice, everyday to select our path for that day. Then when the day is over, we can review and consider what the consequences have been of that choice. We either learn or we don't and are faced with a new set of decisions every next day.
Aren't we all just two shades of grey away on either side from being our very best selves or succumbing to our worst tendencies? Maybe the road less traveled isn't the best one. It might seem the most interesting, but may not suit us in the end. Exploration and discovery are grand aren't they? Yes, when it comes to new geography, culture, the fine arts or ideas. When is comes to the seductive slopes of relative morality, maybe not so much. Maybe they are just grand illusions -- or better yet, delusions of grandeur. But, what is so difficult is that what used to be so clear about morality isn't anymore. Morality is being redefined with each person's own experience. It's flexible and we tend to like to bend it towards what feels good.
I have found myself at this place, wondering which might be better. It is shocking to see that just 1 or 2 degrees of difference can lead to wildly different experiences, trajectories and consequences on either side. What if there really aren't two paths, but just one? How would we know which to choose? Is there such thing as a wrong or right one? What if there are more paths than we can even number? Is that better?
I think this fundamental question is at the heart of many of society's ills today.
I have shared my concern about the world seeming totally crazy right now in a previous post. I think there is more to say....
Has there ever been in a time in your lifetime where right seemed wrong, and wrong right? Everything seems upside down. Never did I dream that in so few years how pervasive philosophies and ideologies of men would overtake common sense. Gender confusion, intolerance of those learning to be more tolerant, extreme ideas that stoke anger and hate, the seduction of deeper mysteries and fringe beliefs amongst my own faith are just a few. What is particularly difficult for me is to know that there cannot even be conversations about issues with different views any longer. There is little to no tolerance for debate, rhetoric and reason not only in politics and our educations systems, but increasingly with our own friends and family. It is starting to creep into work too....CEO's are faced with being more political in their stance than ever before. And it seems that they cannot stay in the middle, they have to take one side or the other... what is most interesting is that if they lean to the right they will almost always be wrong! So much for tolerance....
Some may argue that if the definition of truth which is, “Knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.” (D&C 93:24.) is subject to interpretation.
There are clearly those that would rewrite the knowledge of things as they were. They would like us to believe things that did happen never did happen. Such as the idea that the holocaust never happened and that man never touched foot on the moon are just two examples.
These same voices would also say that knowledge of things as they are, are totally relative to individual experience. This is called moral relativism, which suggests that there isn’t one truth because there are an infinite number of valid systems of morality defined by every individual. So not one truth, but many. They would have us believe there are no standards for right and wrong because the premise is that nobody is right or wrong. This philosophy suggests that there are not absolute rules to determine whether something is right or wrong. This means that everyone ought be tolerate the behavior of others even when considerably large disagreements about the morality of particular things exist. Without a code of what is right and wrong that unites us, there is allowance and justification for actions that are immoral like slavery, or genocide because they can be framed as cultural values. Children can choose their gender because gender isn't biological or even spiritual, rather gender is a social construct. If there is no right or wrong, then there is no need for God, or for the Devil.....right?
The Book of Mormon teaches us a profound lesson about the adversary and his role as it relates to our earthly mortal existence:
“And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.” 2 Nephi 19 – 22
Interesting.... So compelling this point of view. It is entirely confusing then......How do we know what is true? How do we separate our own experience from that which is spiritually discerned or established to be "true".
As we grow in our own knowledge and gain experience through our routines and trials do we not become increasingly more at risk of being duped by our own thoughts, our own understanding or the so called sophisticated and progressive thinking of men and women in our modern society with agendas. Agendas that speak of equality but disguised by their subversive agenda of power and control. They want everyone to be the same, to have equal outcomes regardless of the equality of opportunity which is at the heart of agency and will.
One road in the yellow wood says it guarantees you a particular outcome no matter what your circumstance or choice. In essence, a forced ideology of group identity, not actually individual expression and differentiation which they pretend to espouse. Everything goes and therefor everything is right because there really is no wrong.....as long as it feels right.......Sounds pretty seductive.... It is. I think it is dangerous too.
The other road, now the one less traveled by, is fraught with failure, mistake, error and ambiguity. One of missteps, pain and suffering for sure. But one that leans on faith based in a fixed state of morality of what right and wrong means. This idea that all societies should accept each other’s differing moral values, given that there are no universal moral principles is often challenged by most philosophers. For example, just because bribery is okay in some cultures doesn’t mean that other cultures cannot rightfully condemn it.
In my search and experience I have found comfort, safety and confidence in a pattern that God has laid out at least in the faith that I subscribe to. I don't know if it is for everyone. Some have tried and have forsaken for the other road. Just because it works for me doesn't automatically mean it will work for you. It isn't the easiest by far.....But, because it has worked for me repeatedly, I share it in case it is helpful....
THE PATTERN ( The road less traveled)
There is good news. God would never leave his children depressed or forsaken. He has established a pattern. He shares with us a formula in the Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.
I have sought this pattern many times in my life and while I make tons of mistakes, when I have really paid attention this formula has always guided me correctly.
Is this not a beautiful pattern? To be promised sure guidance with the only ask of that being wanting to know if something is right or not.... to spend a bit of time really reflecting first and then making a choice and then asking if that choice is right. The answer comes through feelings of the the heart mostly. Sometimes it can come directly to your mind as pure intelligence as well. It differs with each person.
He isn't going to just tell us which road to take. That isn't His job. It's ours to really think through, and then with real intent make a decision based upon our own discernment and judgment, yes, even spiritually because we are spiritual beings just happening to have a mortal existence.... Then we take that decision to Him and tell him why we have chosen and then we hope and have faith that an answer will come, most likely through our feelings via the Holy Ghost to our hearts.
I have come to appreciate the fact that people are asking good questions. Really hard ones, about our church history, doctrine and beliefs. The Lord has asked us to study things out in our minds and then inquire of him the answers. If the answers were easy we wouldn't grow. It is good to see the sides of issues, to have empathy for others' views. At the end of the day, a side must be taken, a choice is made and consequences always follow. We are free agents ultimately. God will never mess with that gift.
Often when we have problems or questions, we turn to family or friends to seek their advice. This is ok, in fact a great place to start as part of the process of studying things out. But sometimes I wonder if we forget to inquire of the Lord. And when others approach us for counsel, we maybe tempted to draw upon our own knowledge and experience and forget to point them to the One who knows all things.
Are we seeking truth from the correct sources of truth? If I am serious about choosing the right path and getting answers to guide my actions and choices wouldn't I seek God, Buddha, Shiva or Muhammed vs man? Maybe we aren't being honest in what we actually want.... Sometimes I know I have sought answers from other sources, like my own experience, so that I could feel better about my choices.
It is perfectly understandable that if we do not like the answers from one source that we would look in other places until we did find some we were comfortable with. There isn't anything wrong with looking in multiple places, but if we are seeking spiritual things and we don't include God as at least one of them then we are very likely to follow our own understanding and twisting things to fit the narrative we want to hear.
I love how the Lord teaches us. His pattern is simple and easy. The answers may not be what we want to hear, and if not careful, they too can feel “hard” like many who have chosen a different path when it got tough or inconvenient.
Has there ever been a time when we needed to know truly what is right and what is wrong more than today? Not in my lifetime. Do you secretly hope that wrong is right or that right is wrong? I know I have entertained thoughts like that in certain times. I have been found wrong every single time. I for one don't want my beliefs to evolve with the social trends. I want and need more certainty, not more confusion....
Yes, two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I have intentionally taken the one less traveled by...... and so far,
it has made all the difference.
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