"Love Your [Political] Enemies"

The core of President Dallin H. Oaks's message at the end of the Saturday Morning Session of this last General Conference is embedded in it's title: "Love Your Enemies." However, I might go a bit more specific than that. More to the heart of President Oaks's message is the adjuration to "Love Your [Political] Enemies."

He said that "We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies. ... However, as followers of Christ we must forgo the anger and hatred with which political choices are debated or denounced in many settings." As we discuss our differences of political preference and opinion, we must never fall into the trap of anger or lose sight of the inherent humanity of all people, ever the worst of our political opponents. No matter whom we vote for our against, no matter which policies we support or oppose, we are all children of God, and God want His children to try to get along.

Of course, we can still disagree. In fact, such disagreements may be unavoidable. President Oaks said that "In a democratic government we will always have differences over proposed candidates and policies" (emphasis added). Such differences help create the diversity [of opinion] that helps us recognize many different perspectives and opinions and helps us develop greater sympathy and more robust problem-solving. When we work with each other, instead of against each other, we can do great things and make the world and better place.

We know that we can love other people, despite our physical (and mostly cosmetic) differences. Right now, we need to learn that we can love each other, despite our political differences as well.