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| ©Darrell Wyatt |
I remember when I was younger, probably about 11 or 12, my parents rented a movie that was pretty popular at the time. If my memory serves, and it usually doesn't, mom and dad were watching the movie after we went to bed. As all children do, I came downstairs to get a drink or use the bathroom and saw just a tiny clip of the movie, which I judged to be inappropriate. I wasted no time in telling my parents that I was disappointed that they would watch such a movie. I'm sure that they were pretty amused at my pre-teen self-righteousness, but they turned off the movie and told me that I was probably right. For all I know, they turned it back on and finished it as soon as I was upstairs. I don't tell this story to "rat" on my parents for watching an inappropriate movie (especially since it turns out it wasn't inappropriate), but to illustrate a point about myself. The funny thing is, I have always been hesitant to even watch that particular movie because of the feeling that was planted in my mind that night. I watched it for the very first time a few weeks ago, and to my great surprise, I didn't find it inappropriate in the slightest. It was a fun movie, and I really enjoyed it. So what changed? It certainly wasn't the movie.
I was reading this morning more of the story of Amalickiah. This is quite a story, and I would suggest that anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to read it or has forgotten it take the time to read it. The entirety of the story is found in Alma, chapters 46 through 52. The portion that I read this morning, though, talked of Amalickiah's plan to overthrow the king of the Lamanites. And oh what a plan it was! He had cunningly positioned himself to become the second in command of a sort of opposition army that wasn't willing to join the king's army to defeat the Nephites. The first in command was named Lehonti.
Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief leader. And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died. Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed Amlickiah to be their leader and their chief commander. (Alma 47:17-19)
Poison by degrees. Instead of just poisoning Lehonti all at once, which would have aroused suspicion among his troops, the servant poisoned him a little bit at a time. The scriptures don't say how long this took, but I imagine it was days or even weeks. Amalickiah was patient in order to obtain his desired result - being promoted to first in command.
Back to the story of me and the "inappropriate movie". Why is it that a movie that would leave such an impression on me as to make me wait 25 years to watch it could end up being so harmless and enjoyable? I'm sure some of that could be attributed to my life experiences. I was a naive adolescent when I saw that infamous clip all those years ago. I have matured and grown much. And really, the part that I saw as a child was taken completely out of context and blown up in my mind. But is it possible, even probable, that all these years I have been being poisoned by degrees? My senses being dulled, little by little, until what I once thought inappropriate could now be considered entertaining? I believe it is a combination of both, but I find the latter to be somewhat alarming.
This morning, I have been thinking about the kinds of things that I have become desensitized to over the years. Things that even just a few years ago, I would have found disgusting at worst and distasteful at best, are now not only allowed in my home but sometimes sought after. The adversary is patiently biding his time until he gets his desired result - my spiritual death. The scary thing is that not only have I allowed myself to be poisoned, I am poisoning my kids.
So what to do? What is the antidote for this kind of poison? I don't believe it's just a matter of removing the poison from my home, although that's a good start, because the poison is all around them at school and everywhere we go. No. I must take a proactive stance by replacing the poison with good things - prayer, scripture study, Family Home Evening, and even just one on one conversation.
Back to the story of me and the "inappropriate movie". Why is it that a movie that would leave such an impression on me as to make me wait 25 years to watch it could end up being so harmless and enjoyable? I'm sure some of that could be attributed to my life experiences. I was a naive adolescent when I saw that infamous clip all those years ago. I have matured and grown much. And really, the part that I saw as a child was taken completely out of context and blown up in my mind. But is it possible, even probable, that all these years I have been being poisoned by degrees? My senses being dulled, little by little, until what I once thought inappropriate could now be considered entertaining? I believe it is a combination of both, but I find the latter to be somewhat alarming.
This morning, I have been thinking about the kinds of things that I have become desensitized to over the years. Things that even just a few years ago, I would have found disgusting at worst and distasteful at best, are now not only allowed in my home but sometimes sought after. The adversary is patiently biding his time until he gets his desired result - my spiritual death. The scary thing is that not only have I allowed myself to be poisoned, I am poisoning my kids.
So what to do? What is the antidote for this kind of poison? I don't believe it's just a matter of removing the poison from my home, although that's a good start, because the poison is all around them at school and everywhere we go. No. I must take a proactive stance by replacing the poison with good things - prayer, scripture study, Family Home Evening, and even just one on one conversation.
Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world. The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home.(Elder L. Tom Perry, General Conference April 2010)
So what is the antidote to poisoning by degrees? Me. So I'd better start making sure that I have cleansed myself of the poisons that I've allowed to build up over all of these years. Otherwise, I won't be a very effective antidote at all.
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