Not too Close!

I enjoy hearing stories from military personnel who are retired.  It is great to hear their stories and the sacrifices they made for us.  One story came from someone who worked with nuclear weapons in the Navy.  He told me about the Uranium they used and how it was transported.  They carried it in heavy lead cylinders with an iron frame.  The containers were nicknamed "Bird Cages".  These Bird Cages had to be kept a certain distance from each other.  If any of these boxes got too close, and if there was a crack or leak in any of them , a blue arch would jump in between the two containers.  Anyone unfortunate to be in this blue arch would experience hair loss, radiation sickness, and sometimes death.  Survivors were terminated from the military.

We all know what power Nuclear Energy has.  It can be very dangerous, but despite the danger, it has many uses.  Sometimes that power is abused.  Great care must be taken when handling this power.  Like Nuclear energy, we have a special power given to us by God.  That is the power to pro-create, to have children.  However, people who are negligent or misuse this power suffer serious consequences.  Like all dangerous substances, there are laws made for the protection of the handlers.  There may not be any physical dangers, but there are mental or spiritual dangers.  The Law governing this power is called "The Law of Chastity."  This law is not a restriction but a protection for your well being.  God gave us this law so that we could be happy, and still enjoy life.  Every law God creates is not for his own good, but for ours.  The Law of Chastity is:

• staying away from any sexual intercourse/activity outside of marriage
• being pure in thought and action
• Faithfulness to spouse after marriage
• avoiding the plague of Pornography
• Modesty in dress and speech
• No homo-sexual relationships

Now there will be activities that would seem "fun" that would go against everything I put on this list.  Doing the exact opposite of what God wants us to does not bring us happiness (Alma 41:10).  Activities we should participate in, especially when dating, should show respect to the opposite sex and ourselves.
Certain feelings that are felt with the human body are natural, but that doesn't mean we must follow every urge we experience. Elder Jeffery R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, "Love comes with open hands and open heart. Lust comes only with an open appetite."  Lust will lead us to breaks the law of Chastity and will get us to do things that will bring a lot of pain.  Don't rationalize that what you might be doing is okay.  What may seem as an innocent activity eventually, and often quickly, becomes a big mistake.  The Lord appreciates it when we are chaste.  Being chaste shows the Lord that we care and that we are willing to do as he says to obtain our promised happiness.

Gen. 2:24 & Jacob 3:5-7

Now that I've listed all the bad let me show you the benefits of obeying this law.  When we obey the Law of Chastity we will experience a lot of joy.  We will feel greater love towards our spouse once we are married.  We will have peace of mind, knowing we saved ourselves for our spouse.  The best reward for this is companionship from the Holy Ghost.  Since the Holy Ghost is part of the God head, we are driving it away when we get involved with activities that go against what God has asked of us.  God knows what is good for us and what isn't.  Just like handling uranium without the proper procedures can result in death.  Breaking the law of chastity results in a Spiritual death.  So please be wise when around members of the opposite sex.  There are safety protocols there too.  And they are for your growth and benefit. I can promise you that.



For the youth who want more info on the subject see what the strength of youth pamphlet says on said subjects: Chastity, and Dating.