Personal Values

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are frequently associated with having unusually high moral, ethical and physical standards that they live by. The Reason we do this is because we believe that we are literally the spirit children of God. We believe this because we are taught this throughout the scriptures. For example in Romans 8:16-17 it reads

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I love the logic that this scripture follows. For if we are literally the spirit children of God, than we are also his heirs, and yes, even "Joint-heirs with Christ". What a wonderful thought.

We all know that everything we do defines us and who we are and that person we will someday become. So if we are children of God and we want to "grow up" to be like Him, how can we expect to be like him unless we begin now to make those decisions and choices that will help us to become like him. Those choices will determine who we are and what we do with our lives and our bodies (physical bodies and spiritual bodies)?

While our church teaches and encourages these principals, we recognize that people have their free agency and are allowed to choose for themselves. That goes also for everyone, and Yes, even members of our church. So because of this free agency, you will find that some members of our church, for various reasons don't live these principals. As members of the church, we are taught not to judge anyone, because we all have different circumstances, strengths and weaknesses, of which we cannot begin to understand. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge of all mankind, and we happily leave the judging of people in his hands. Thus, as a church, we are fully accepting of, and readily welcome anyone and everyone regardless of their adherence to any of these teachings.

Physical Standards

Our bodies are magnificent creations and are a wonderful gift to us from God. It is very disrespectful and a slap-in-the-face to God it we abused this precious gift. Because of this we must do all we can to take care of it. Thus we have high physical standards regarding what we take into our bodies, such as food and drink.

In 1833, Joseph Smith, who was the prophet and also the president of our church, received a revelation that we refer to as the "Word of Wisdom" (Doctrine and Covenants Section 89). It teaches that we shouldn't drink or consume in any form; alcohol, liqueur, coffee, teas, tobacco in any form or anything that could harm the body. We are also taught by more recent prophets that we shouldn't drink caffeinated drinks, or use recreational drugs in any form including any and all other habit forming drugs. Also we're taught to exercise our bodies and minds, and that too much of anything isn't healthy and that we should have a variety of those things that are good for us.

Moral Standards

Following the same principal as outlined above in Physical Standards, we believe that moral standards effect both our physical body as well as our spirit. We are taught throughout the scriptures that we should have no sexual relationships outside of marriage. Exodus 20:14 reads, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Note that it doesn't give an expiration time for this commandment when it will eventually be ok and acceptable to God. We interpret that statement "thou shalt not" to mean thou shalt not - EVER, so we as a church teach that also.

It is again important to recognize that all people have their free agency and are allowed to choose for themselves. However it is even more important to recognize that church is not for those that are perfect (it would be very empty). Church is for sinners that are trying to follow the teachings of the Savior. Our church is no different; everyone is welcome.

Now if the commandment says that we shouldn't commit adultery, does that mean that we should push the line and get as close to that sin as we can without doing it? Of course not, that would be silly. As such, believe is that we should stay as far away as possible from the edge of that pit, because we all have the potential to fall into it if we aren’t careful and get too close to that edge. There are many standards taught that help members of all ages that council us to stay as far away from this edge as possible. Some of those standards include topics on dating, pornography in all its forms (audio, video, internet, magazines, etc.), speech, personal dress, etc. The savior himself taught in Matthew 5:27-28,

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

Imagine for a moment, what could possibly be more beautiful than a marriage between a man and a woman who are both morally clean and pure before God. Having kept all of his commandments, knowing that they are each given only to the other. And that they don't have and never will have that heavy, burdensome and oft times destructive baggage that comes with infidelity and other moral transgressions.

If you can picture the pure setting I just described, you will be able to better understand why it is we teach these principals and have so many of our membership that enjoys just such blessings of purity in themselves and their marriage.

Ethical Standards

Throughout the world, there’s a considerable amount of leniency with what is and isn't acceptable in regards of honesty, integrity, trust, morals and just ethics in general. All too frequently we refer to someone who lies, cheats and takes advantage of others, as just a tough or shrewd business person. Having been personally involved in business people like this at the highest levels for many years, I can tell you that I've never once seen a situation where behavior like this was in any way justifiable. In fact in every case that I've personally witnessed, it's always had an adverse effect on all parties including, especially the individual who was dishonest or cruel. Going back to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:15-17, it reads:

15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Others may interpret this differently, but as I understand this, it doesn't say anything about any acceptable circumstances in which it will ever be ok to steal, bear false witness, or covet anything of thy neighbor's. This pretty much covers Lying, cheating and any other form of bending the rules. I would not want to be in the shoes of some of these individuals at judgment day, who have made their millions or billions here on the earth at the expense of others, not to mention their own soul.

Our Free Agency to Choose

During this life we are given commandments and instructions and then we are given our free agency to see what our choices will be. Will we be obedient, or not? If we are obedient with what we have been taught, then we are taught some more, and again tested to see if we will be obedient with that additional insight and information that we were given. This is how we grow. This is what Isaiah was talking about in Isaiah 28:10:

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

We are also taught in Doctrine and Covenants 93:11 (NOTE: the "Doctrine and Covenants" is a recognized book of scripture in our Church, and is a compilation of revelations revealed to Joseph Smith and others.)

11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;