“Love Your Enemies (excerpts),” New Era, November 2020, 10–11.
Love Your Enemies (excerpts)
We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies. …
… We will always have differences over proposed candidates 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. …
Loving our enemies and our adversaries is not easy. …
… The devil is the father of contention, and it is he who tempts men to contend with anger. He promotes enmity and hateful relationships among individuals and within groups. President Thomas S. Monson taught … , “No one can make us angry. It is our choice” [Thomas S. Monson, “School Thy Feelings, O My Brother,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 68]. …
An essential part of loving our enemies is … keeping the laws of our various countries. Though Jesus’s teachings were revolutionary, He did not teach revolution or lawbreaking. …
This does not mean that we agree with all that is done with the force of law. It means that we obey the current law and use peaceful means to change it. It also means that we peacefully accept the results of elections. We will not participate in the violence threatened by those disappointed with the outcome. …
Knowing that we are all children of God gives us a divine vision of the worth of all others and the will and ability to rise above prejudice and racism.