Saturday, January 31, 2009

The True Meaning of what Virtue is

Virtue is not as well understood as it needs to be. And it desperately need to be understood better.

Consider this:

In North America, 40% of members are single adults.

Of these 18-29, the activity ratio for men to women is 89:100.

While for those over 30, is 19:100.

16% of these women are single parents.

62% of single members 30 and up have never married at all.

And these statistics are several years old! Don't think it has gotten any better.

That is a crisis. And it doesn't take talking to many singles to realize that remaining faithful in today's sex-crazed culture takes a special level of devotion. I don't know if Brigham ever actually said that bachelors over 25 are a menace to society, but it is most likely repeated because there is a more than a bit of truth (as well as humor and notoriety) in that statement.

Whenever singles discuss sex, and why to keep the law of Chastity, the Standard has been (of course) Scriptures and a seminal talk by Elder Holland; Souls, Symbols and Sacraments. This talk comes up over and over again, even more than Elder Oaks multiple talks on dating. There is nothing as widely quoted or referenced when singles discuss reasons for chastity. It is in a similar vein, that I am sharing a the parts of "The Meaning of Virtue". If I can accomplish a tenth of what that one talk has done, I will have really accomplished something.

You are welcome to use and copy anything here, for strictly non-commercial purposes only.

Enjoy. Please feel free to comment comment.

2 comments:

  1. Your statistics made me think:

    "Maybe there is a reason to reinstates polygamy"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just a educated guess of mine.... it will happen when the WOMEN demand it, and not the men. Just a guess.

    ReplyDelete