My Beliefs (Parts 17-20)

These are the last questions on the quiz. The answers, and why I chose them, follow.

Question #17
Social betterment programs (e.g., equality, anti-poverty, education) should be fundamental.
-Agree
-Disagree
-Not applicable

Most definitely. "Do unto others", right?

Question #18
Nonviolence (e.g., pacifism, conscientious objector) should be fundamental.
-Agree
-Disagree
-Not applicable

I don't know what to say beyond I agree.

Question #19
Prayer, meditation, or spiritual healing practices shoud be favored to the exclusion of conventional health treatment (for all serious conditions or serious types of conditions).
-Agree
-Disagree
-Not applicable

I'm all for trying prayer or other spiritual healing practices (we're big on the laying on of hands), but there are certain instances where simply meditating away a broken leg won't cut it. The phrase, "God helps those who help themselves" comes to mind. Go ahead and say a prayer, but a trip to the emergency room won't hurt.

Question #20
Revering nature or the environment should be fundamental.
-Agree
-Disagree
-Not applicable.

The earth can't take care of us if we don't take care of it. Simple enough.
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Well, that's it for my What I Believe series. Thanks for hanging on for the ride!

For some reason, I was doing laundry, and a scene from a somewhat famous LDS movie popped in my head. If you grew up in the LDS church in the 90s, you have most likely seen the movie Saturday's Warrior at least once. I could recite most of the movie by heart, I'm sure. I loved that movie, and the ending has always made me cry. I thought for sure the man I was going to marry was my sweetheart in the pre-existence, and we would be looking for each other on earth. I'm sure it wasn't quite like that, but I like to think I was supposed to marry the man I did.

Anyway, that's not important, and it's not the reason I wanted to post tonight. There's a scene early in the movie in the pre-existence where people are getting ready to be born, including two men that will end up being mission companions on earth, and twin siblings that will be the start of a family of eight. There's a matron character who makes sure that the spirits leave on time for them to be born and sends them to Earth. Besides making sure that the spirits leave on time, she often gives pieces of advice to the Earth-bound spirits.

Then the thought struck me. What if that's part of Heavenly Mother's job? I can see Her now, sitting with people who are preparing for their time on Earth, giving them bits of advice, sending them off with a hug and a kiss for luck; like a mom getting her kids ready for their first day of school. It's a nice thought.