Lost Causes

What a whirlwind these past few days have been. Unless you've been living in self-imposed exile in the Jundland Wastes of Tattooine, by now you've heard, no fewer than 10,000 times, that the United States Supreme Court issued its verdict June 26, and the inevitable has occurred. Gay marriage is now the law of the land.

I don't need to go over the details. You all know them by now. And I won't delve too deeply into the matter tonight except to share three brief thoughts.

First is simply this: I remember Elder Dallin H. Oaks's general conference talk about temporary judgments vs. final judgments. Ultimately, the final judgment remains in our all-knowing Heavenly Father's hands. Until then, I am grateful for the guidance of prophets, seers, and revelators who guide the Church in these latter days.

"Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments of man are not always just" (Mosiah 29:12). 

Secondly, the word love. This word has appeared all over the place on social media, in the form of hashtags such as #LoveIsLove and statements like "everyone is now free to marry the person they love."

Regarding love, the scripture has come to my mind, time and again:

"Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?" (John 21:15; emphasis added).

Love has been thrown around a lot, but love for the Savior, "more than these"—more than love for any other person or thing in this world—seems largely to be forgotten or ignored. And how do we show Him our love?

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).


Keeping the commandments remains one of the greatest tests of life for us all.

Thirdly, this quote from Jimmy Stewart's character, Jefferson Smith, in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington sums up just how I feel right now:

"I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr. Paine. All you people don't know about lost causes. Mr. Paine does. He said once they were the only causes worth fighting for and he fought for them once. For the only reason any man ever fights for them. Because of just one plain simple rule: Love thy neighbor. And in this world today of great hatred a man who knows that rule has a great trust. You know that rule, Mr. Paine, and I loved you for it, just as my father did. And you know that you fight harder for the lost causes than for any others. Yes, you'd even die for them. Like a man we both knew, Mr. Paine. You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if this room gets filled with lies like these. And the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place. Somebody will listen to me."

There are battles that remain to be fought. One of the most important is the one to preserve religious liberty, as outlined by the First Amendment to the Constitution.

The honorable junior senator from Utah, Mike Lee, whom I'm proud to say I voted for, has introduced the First Amendment Defense Act to ensure that people who are motivated by sincerely held religious beliefs are not punished nor retaliated against for holding fast to those beliefs by the federal and local government. It needs to be passed as soon as possible.

Other battles will be more subtle, such as turning the other cheek when we are called horrible, vile, inflammatory names for promoting those truths we are taught in the Church. Nevertheless, I'm grateful to stand with President Monson, the First Presidency, and the Twelve in this effort.

"Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad" (D&C 128:22).