Why standards are important to me ....

So those who know me know i'm a bit of a nazi for standards. Dress particularly, but also the music and things we watch etc. Lets start by saying I'm not about to be translated for living a perfect existance, i'm struggling just as much as the next. This is purely just a thought i had and quite frankly i'm a little tired of hearing that standards are not important. That your not going to go the hell if your wearing a singlet or watch a movie with some dodgy scene's in it. So here's my spin on things as to why standards ARE important, well to me at least.

We're familiar with the plan of salvation... if not then people please find your way to www.lds.org read about it, pray about it, and then live your live according to it. So then what is the purpose of this life? This is a primary question and lets all give it a primary answer.... to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the eternities. And now for the Sunday School answer. We know that there are three seperate kingdoms in which we will be appointed after judgement. And if we want to reside with our HF and Christ then we will need to be in the Celestial Kingdom.... infact the HIGHEST DEGREE of the Celestial Kingdom. This is point 1

Point 2. We as a people believe in and are governed by laws. The law of the land is in place to offer protection and offers a basic moral code to its citizens. God is no different, he is bound by laws as are we. And lets just clarify God's laws are perfect. Generally the laws of the land are for protection and mostly fair.... not always. Why? because they are made, enforced and changed by man. God's laws are always fair, and even when we deem them "unfair" the assumption is made by a mortal with no knowledge of the "bigger picture." God's laws are also for our protection and for a moral code in to which we live our lives. Standards also fall into this catagory. They are for our protection. We also know that they're are higher and lower laws. For example the law of consecration... a higher law. Remember what happened with the 10 Commandments...

Point 3. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that, as a parent, i want the best for my children and its petrifying trying to raise my children in this world. In this day in age where good has been called evil and vice versa. We ask ourselves as parents and individuals, how do we protect and ensure happiness for our children? What tools or weapons can we use to fight the battle? We have many tools or weapsons in our arsenal just waiting for us to use them. Knowledge is one of them. "Teach a man correct principles and let him govern himself." Already mentioned above but worth mentioning again, we also have laws, commandments, standards. We have ordinances which are coupled with covenants which are purpose built for saving and exalting. There is also the power of the atonement with its purifying and saving abilities. Not to mention prayer and the scriptures. I'm sure i've missed something out but a pretty big arsenal if you ask me.

So now to culminate my above 3 points and try and verbalize my notion. Let me list the important statements thus far...

*I'm not going to hell if i wear a bikini or watch a seedy movie.... In answer, your probably right, however i seriously doubt that you'll be in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. I would think (and lets not get carried away with the "Alicia your judging me" comments, hear me out) that in order to be deserving of obtaining exaltation and live with God in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom that we would be living to the best of our ability the higher laws. Especially to those who have received their Endowments. When we know better, we do better seems about right.

*Standards are not important... In answer, they are tools for our protection and we are able to choose if we want to use them. I have many friends with different standards to me. I love them dearly and they in turn (hopefully) are forgiving of me and my strong opinions.

My point is I CHOOSE to use standards for my protection. Put simply, i don't want to have trouble controling my thoughts so i don't want to watch crappy tv shows that in their light entertaining ways, lull us into passivity in regards to fidelity in marriage, honesty, the sacredness of sex, the importance of family and having to make sacrifices for it. Look there is more but I'll leave it at that.

I don't want my body to been seen to all the world. Look I'm pretty overweight atm so NO ONE wants to see my body, but the attitude that "if you've got it flaunt it" is wrong wrong wrong. Modesty in dress shows respect, it allows people to feel comfortable and displays to people who we are and how we feel about ourselves. So sure, go ahead and go swimming but you can still have fun in a modest bathing suit. Our world has almost if not already succeeded in completley sexualizing the female body. And in part everytime we "under dress" it is a sad cry for "LOOK AT ME." Women want to be beautiful and don't think thats at all possible if they "look" a certain way. I've met and befriended many a person that the world would not of labeled "beautiful," however their intelligence, or kindness, their very souls make a stunning sunset look dull. "The Lord look not on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh upon the heart."

I want music to uplift me, to give me motivation and to illustrate beauty and instill gratitude in my soul. I can enjoy sex without an unwanted pregnancy, guilt, a STD or anything negative because i chose one person who i married and had a commitment from to share that part of me with. I see the differance living standards makes in my life... Gosh its so much easier! I can make that distinction now after struggling to live some standards earlier in my life. Standards are not the enemy here. I refuse to allow Satan preach the lie that they are not important! If they're not important, if they don't matter then why did God reveal them to us?

If you choose not to live them, fine. But i will not have it said that they're don't matter and that they're not important.

I think that's all i have to say about that.