"Part of the contempt of the world comes because the worldly do not understand the things of the Spirit and regard such as foolishness and stupidity. . . The adversary has done well in persuading many people that those who are religious are naive, ineffectual, or insincere. . .
Religious values and experience are bound to shape one's views concerning the issues of the day, a reality for which there need be no apology. Others may freely choose not to attach weight to those views, but to dismiss them out of hand is hardly the characteristic that ought to prevail in a true democracy.
President Joseph F. Smith warned that the gospel causes disturbances, for "we get in the way of purely human affairs and disturb the current of life in many ways and in many places. People who are comfortably located and well provided for do not like to be disturbed... We have our particular mission to perform; and that we may perform it in consonance with divine purposes, we are running counter to the ways of man. We are made unpopular. The contempt of the world is on us, and we are the unloved child among the peoples of the earth." (Gospel Doctrine, pp. 118-19.)
Elder Maxwell continued, "But those who have gospel hope are willing to endure their often misunderstood as well as misrepresented role in the world and, at the same time, to let their hope work within them. Hope is both a developmental virtue and a virtue to be developed. Therefore, we should not be surprised if it involves some pain, especially in the difficult circumstances noted above."
I don't know about you, but I for one was surprised at the pain it involves! :) Before I decided to be vocal about my support of Prop 8, I turned to the scriptures and happened to open directly to this:
2 Nephi 2 "thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. . . And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed. . . Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh. . . " (And the rest of the chapter is very applicable, as well).
I have lost friends and offended many people who simply do not understand where I'm coming from and do not want to understand. But because I indeed have beheld his glory in my youth, I have a responsibility to share the knowledge of Him and His gospel, whether the world recognizes that or not.
Treasures in heaven!
