In a world of shifting morality, there is an increasing need to discern right from wrong and take a stand for the truth to combat Satan’s brand of false happiness.
Photo by Eutah Mizushima
What if Satan had an advertising campaign? What would be his slogan? In a BYU devotional address, “A Banquet of Consequences: The Cumulative Result of All Choices,” Elder Quentin L. Cook poses this hypothetical situation to young adults. He notes that although Satan does not have a literal advertising campaign for wickedness, Satan has been successful in selling a paradigm shift that has distorted the world’s ability to recognize truth.
Satan has created this paradigm shift to make good seem evil and evil seem good. In the face of these lies, what can we do to combat the distortion of truth? Elder Cook suggests that we recognize Satan’s “advertising” as the false substitute for happiness that it is. He outlines some issues for which we must stand:
- The Word of Wisdom: No matter how boring the label “stone-cold sober school” may seem and how exciting the label “never-ending party school” may seem, lasting happiness comes as we keep our bodies and minds free from drugs and alcohol.
- The importance of family: Elder Cook notes that the number of children being born has decreased significantly over the last several years, a consequence of people putting off marriage and family in favor of other pursuits. We cannot place more importance on having an education or a career than we do on having children.
- Financial responsibility: The adversary wants us to focus our time and energy on accumulating wealth and costly items. However, living outside of our means only guarantees our unhappiness. Setting a budget for ourselves and spending less than we earn will ensure that we stay out of debt and keep ourselves from seeking the praise of the world.
As we take a stand for these true principles and live above Satan’s false advertising, we will be blessed when we meet God again and see that an ultimate banquet of consequences is laid out before us. And by taking a stand for the truth now, our banquet will certainly be glorious.
Read or listen to Elder Quentin L. Cook’s speech “A Banquet of Consequences: The Cumulative Result of All Choices” for suggestions on how to combat Satan’s paradigm shift.
Source: BYU Speeches
—Heather Randall, Mormon Insights
feature image by wil stewart
Find more insights
Read “Book of Mormon Principles: Earthly Choices, Eternal Consequences” by Elder D. Chad Richardson to discover the wonderful consequences of standing for the right.
Read “Push Back Against the World” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks to find more ways to combat Satan’s paradigm shift.
Read or listen to “Choices” by President James E. Faust to learn more about how choices affect our lives.