Old Fashioned Values

This morning in a Church women's group meeting (Relief Society) about 50 ladies spent forty-five minutes discussing honesty. After numerous stories were told and comments were shared it became quite obvious that honesty may have become optional for a better part of society.



Some of the stories told were as basic as the dishonesty of theft from retail outlets, plagarism and cheating on university papers or exams and even the small or significant lies people present to one another that range from incomplete truths to money-making deceitfulness that we hear about on the evening news.



The conversation included business realities. One business woman stated that between $10,000 and $20,000 annually was lost from their family business due to theft. We all know insurance fraud raises our coverage rates and our economy has been spinning as banks failed as unscrupulous investment practices have become the norm.



Moses was the first prophet  to clearly state the need for practices of honesty such as, "Thou shalt not steal." We may think he just meant stealing another's money or possessions, but with any consideration for the complete list Moses provided we might include - stealing a person's reputation, "Thou shalt not bear false witness."

We could also consider the theft of precious relationships by Moses declaration, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Yet, does adultery, today, have more facets than we realize? A plague of pornography is raging, and a taste for it can become very destructive. Initially it tintilates and eventually it can rob the recipient of a more loving nature in trade for satisfying lust.

When Moses said to "honour thy father and thy mother," society, both the young and the old may see the recommendation as passe. The young may believe parents to be old fashioned, out of touch, or lacking understanding. The more mature adult may find it hard to make aging parents a priority, or they may be discomforted by quieted eyes or a tilted head as their parents question conduct or choices (like living beyond one's means). All the distances between parents and their children might be considered as a form of theft. As distances and differences rob family members of the love, caring and support we can bring to one another, the theft can leave us bereft.



Good old fashioned values are so simple. They've stood the test of time.

While we might imagine they can be exchanged for values of lesser demand upon us,

are we cheating ourselves?