Traditions

In the Book of Mormon, almost every time traditions are mentioned, the speaker is referring to the wicked traditions of some people's fathers, which, we are usually reminded, are not correct. Yet, we know from experience that there are also traditions that are good, that draw people closer to God. There are probably also some neutral traditions that are neither good nor bad.

I think that the concept of traditions is mostly a neutral one. Traditions, like habits, can be good or bad, depending on what the traditions are. Of course, it's not always wise to do something just because that's what you've always done. Even with our best traditions (or habits), we should occasionally re-evaluate them to make sure that they are still things that we would consciously choose to do, without the tradition (or habit) automatically making the decision for us. Still, good traditions can help us regularly make good decisions. As with many things, traditions are tools; we should use them wisely.

In general (pun intended), I think that having traditions is a good idea. I think that it's wise to establish good traditions and to re-evaluate them periodically. Good traditions can be of great benefit to us, but following traditions unthinkingly can be dangerous. Traditions themselves, then, are slightly dangerous, just like any other powerful tool. We should take care when we establish and follow traditions, but if we use them wisely, they can serve us well.