Why Satan Loves a Latter-day Saint Who Tries to Avoid Conflict

There is a growing trend that I am seeing, not only online but in person, within the Church. The trend is to avoid conflict at all costs, including at the cost of not keeping our covenants. When we entered the waters of baptism we covenanted with the Lord to always be willing to stand as a witness of God “at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9). But a carefully crafted lie by Satan is that it is nobler to avoid conflict than to keep our covenants. Satan wants us to think that if we speak out and speak up in defense of gospel principles that are controversial then we will cause contention, and that is evil, so we should avoid speaking up.

There is a lot to unpack in this lie, but it is a very prevalent lie, and a dangerous lie too. I will attempt to outline three aspects of this misinformation campaign of Satan.

Lie #1: We should strive for unity over truth.

Any time I post about something that is controversial (gay marriage, abortion, how socialism/communism are counterfeits of the United Order, following the prophet even when we don’t want to, etc.) I get bombarded with messages like “This is not creating unity!!!” or “All you are doing is dividing people!” These claims rest on the notion that unity is the highest virtue. But in reality, Satan loves it when Saints are unified in disobedience. Satan loves it when Saints are unified in sin. Satan loves it when Saints are unified in defending unity at the expense of truth! The reason Satan wants us to avoid the truth in the name of ‘unity’ is so that his lies can propagate.

The Lord does not want us to capitulate on the gospel truths. Even for the sake of unity. The unity that is righteous and desirable comes as we value and strive for “discipleship of the Savior above all else.” in the words of Elder Dale G. Renlund. The unity we should strive for is unity with God and His immutable truths. Regardless of one’s nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, as we consecrate our wills and desires to God, we, like Jesus Christ, can become one with Heavenly Father. This oneness comes from complete unity in purpose, truth, goal, and desires with God. This is the unity of the gospel! This unity requires we “place our discipleship to Jesus Christ above personal interests and viewpoints” as Elder Dale G. Renlund put it.

To put it bluntly. When we allow Satan to distort unity we give him a major victory. The unity of the gospel requires complete consecration of ourselves. We must yield up every aspect of the natural man and the world to God.

Lie #2: It is intolerant to stand for truth.

Those teaching truth in a world of lies and errors are often called intolerant. When I post about the Law of Chastity I am called all sorts of nasty names. Many are paralyzed by the fear of being labeled as intolerant/homophobic/transphobic etc. etc. etc. The solution that Satan offers is to avoid those topics. He tricks the Saints into thinking that by avoiding the backlash of the world, they can get the approbation of heaven. But, if we are motivated by love and a desire to help all of Heavenly Father’s Children, teaching truth even if it creates conflict is actually the most loving and Christlike thing we can do!

Prophetic and true is the warning that Elder Neal A. Maxwell gave about tolerance and evil: “Evil is never tolerant of righteousness, it never has been and never will be, any more than the father of evil, Lucifer, is tolerant. He was, and is, a poor loser!” President Thomas S. Monson also warned that Satan will seek to grow evil under the guise of tolerance: “The philosophies of men surround us. The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived”

Lie #3. The gospel is something to be ashamed about.

The third lie about avoiding conflict is more nefarious than the others. Namely, the gospel or Church History is something that you should be ashamed of. This lie is far more prevalent among my generation than prior generations. Often testimonies, if even borne, include a disclaimer about the questionable character of the early prophets, “I know Joseph was not perfect… But…” or they include disclaimers about the doctrines of the gospel. “I am not homophobic but… I support the law of chastity.” Satan loves those who avoid testifying or add disclaimers.

Now, I am not trying to whitewash Church history, but it is important that we do not allow Satan or his earthly followers to shame us for standing up for the gospel, the Lord, or His prophets. Neal A. Maxwell boldly declared this when he taught that “not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ!” And when he said, “Some have little faith which then fails, because they can’t stand the peer pressure, the shame, and scorn heaped upon them by the world. They simply cannot learn to ‘despise the shame of the world’ (see 2 Nephi 9:18), and they let go of the iron rod and slip away.”

We should follow the example of Paul who declared, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16). Despite what Satan says, you should not be ashamed of the Lord, His gospel, or His prophets!

Conflict is an inevitable aspect of discipleship.

The idea that one can be a follower of Christ and avoid conflict flies in the very face of Christ Himself. Jesus Christ was perfect, yet He was surrounded by conflict. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorft taught this recently when he said: “Our Lord Jesus Christ—our model of ­perfection—did not live a life free of conflict. He was opposed throughout His ministry, and in His final hours He was betrayed by a friend, accused by false witnesses, slandered, beaten, bloodied, and crucified.” If Christ Himself was in the middle of so much conflict, how can we expect to follow him while avoiding such conflict? We cannot. The very fact that standing with Christ pits us against Satan will cause conflict. The only way to avoid conflict with Satan is to not stand with Christ.

True followers of Christ do not seek conflict, nor do they avoid it. And if we could see the eternal plan of our Loving Father, we would realize that conflict gives us opportunities to follow the example of Christ. This notion of avoiding conflict reminds me of one of my all-time favorite quotes from Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, ‘Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!'”

Conflict does not justify contention!

Because conflict is inevitable some justify that contention is as well. But Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorft taught that whereas “Conflict is inevitable, contention is a choice.” Not only is it a choice, but contention is also of the devil. So few topics have been addressed so thoroughly and denounced so often as contention. There is zero gray room when it comes to contention. Jesus Christ Himself thoroughly denounced it when he declared:

“He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me [saith the Lord], but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

“Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.”

(3 Ne. 11:29–30.)

When conflict arises and others become contentious we can choose to follow Christ and our Father in Heaven and reject the temptation from the father of contention. We can choose to trust in the Lord and seek His help resolving contention rather than engaging in it. Is this hard? Yes, but to quote Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorft again, “To refrain from contending with those who contend requires great discipline. But that’s what it means to be a disciple.”

Therefore what?

How do you apply these principles? Simple, recommit today to live your covenants. Cast out fear of conflict and trust in the Lord and lean not to your own understanding. Trust in a God that will provide. Trust in a God who will fight your battles for you! Strive to love God enough that others will be touched when they feel your testimony. Stand up and be counted as you have covenanted to do! But do not do so with the spirit of contention, anger, or bitterness! Rather, stand up as Christ did! Be calm, be bold, be unyielding, but most of all, be full of Charity towards all men.

I cannot put it better than Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who said: “Lesson number one for the establishment of Zion in the 21st century: You never check your religion at the door. That kind of discipleship cannot be—it is not discipleship at all. As the prophet Alma taught, we are “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in” (Mosiah 18:9)—not just some of the time, in a few places, or when our team has a big lead. Whatever the situation or provocation or problem, no true disciple of Christ can check his or her religion at the door.” (Emphasis added).