Given the missionary nature of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – we do seek to share the light we have and blessings we enjoy – some may wonder about whether there is a hidden agenda behind the launch of this podcast program featuring an interfaith theme. So, let me be upfront in answering that question.Do I hope that through this podcast program people will get to know more about my church and the blessings its members enjoy as a result of walking the covenant path it teaches? Yes.
Do I hope the same can be said of learning more about the churches and religions of guests who join with me in sharing the stories of their faith journeys and the blessings from God they enjoy? Yes.
I see that as a win-win proposition, not a zero-sum game in which no one wins except at the expense of someone else losing.
The more people understand that God is real and the blessings of communing with God and doing God’s work are real, then the more people will be drawn to religion-based life, embrace godly values, live happy and fruitful lives, and be drawn closer to God, which is the overarching purpose of this program.
There is no single viable path to God, although as we get closer and closer to God those paths come closer and closer to each other and begin to merge, at least into parallel lanes heading to God and eternal life with God.
That said, there are far more paths that lead away from God than toward and to God.
So, rather than compete over which path is best or best suited to particular people – an issue ultimately to be decided only by each individual –it makes a lot more sense for people of faith who have experienced the goodness of God to unite their voices in sharing that good news.
Does that mean it doesn’t matter what church people join or what religion they embrace? Not at all. What it does mean is that it is important for people to be able to make informed choices for themselves about the church or religion they embrace, and that they choose a God-centered religious path rather than a path leading them away from God.
I was impressed by the answer of a Muslim imam at the interfaith conference in Lucknow, India, to which I made reference in my previous blog post, when in answer to a question about this subject he responded, “The most important thing is for people to choose a religion, and then live it religiously.”
The next question some may ask is whether this view is shared by leaders of my church. In answer, I refer you to the recent talk by President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of our church in our October 2021 General Conference, a talk entitled, “The Need for a Church.” President Oaks said:
“Today, my message concerns such good and religious-minded people who have stopped attending or participating in their churches. When I say “churches,” I include synagogues, mosques, or other religious organizations. We are concerned that attendance in all of these is down significantly, nationwide. If we cease valuing our churches for any reason, we threaten our personal spiritual life, and significant numbers separating themselves from God reduce His blessings to our nations.
“Attendance and activity in a church help us become better people and better influences on the lives of others. In church we are taught how to apply religious principles. We learn from one another. A persuasive example is more powerful than a sermon. We are strengthened by associating with others of like minds. In church attendance and participation, our hearts are, as the Bible says, ‘knit together in love.'”
The bottom line is we are all in this together, facing many of the same challenges across the religious spectrum, so we would all be far better off uniting in spiritual harmony in our religious diversity than contending with one another.
I will emphasize that point with a clear message recorded in the Book of Mormon, which we in my church regard as revelatory. In the chapter recording the highlight of that book – the visit of Jesus Christ to the ancient inhabitants of the American continent shortly after his resurrection – we read that Christ said:
“[H]e that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Nephi 11:29-30)
Regardless of whether you regard the book in which those words were recorded as revelatory, I am confident that the spirit of God will confirm to you the truth of that message.
The spirit of contention is of the devil. The spirit of God unites.
The world today is full of the former and needs far more of the latter.That is why the God Unites podcast program was launched.
And that is the spirit behind its slogan:
“Spiritual Unity in Religious Diversity”
