Calumny may defame

Many of you know about the whole "Big Love" controversy and the airing of a reenactment of the sacred temple ceremony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It really is quite sad that HBO chose to do this, and many are upset that the sacredness of the temple has been shown to even more people who have not been prepared to receive it. I will admit, I have felt very unsettled about the whole issue. However, this morning, I was reminded of something:

"The Standard of Truth has been erected. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent until it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, until the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." ~Joseph Smith

I felt the Spirit so much as I read those words. How true they are! I looked up calumny, since it's a word we don't use anymore. It means " a misrepresentation intended to harm another's reputation." And defame: " to harm the reputation of by libel or slander." That sounds a lot like what's been happening here. But you know what? It doesn't matter! As the Prophet Joseph said, "No unhallowed had can stop the work from progressing...[T]he truth of God will go forth." That, to me, is an amazing promise. Don't worry about what the world may do--let them make a mockery of things that are sacred to us, let them combine against us and persecute us for standing up for true marriage, let them scream and rage that we aren't true Christians. It doesn't matter. They're no match for the God that leads and directs this work. Remember, He is on our side--or rather, we are on His side. And we all know which side will win in the end.