Fairness Is for Everybody/Mormon Insights/page 1

[Title] Fairness Is for Everybody

[Kicker] The Lord needs us to join conversations about fairness and religious freedom, and we
should participate with kindness and respect.
[Highlights of the source article]
Many people today go to great lengths to end discrimination on the basis of age, gender, race, or
sexual orientation. But these same people are not always as accommodating towards those who
openly live their religious beliefs.
In a Facebook postinspiring BYU devotional address [https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ronald-arasband_religious-freedom-and-fairness-for-all/], Elder Ronald A. Rasband taught that we should
value and defend religious freedom in the same way that we value and defend other forms of
freedom.
An especially important aspect of religious freedom is freedom of consciencethe freedom to
act on our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, even if they arent popular. The Church has always
advocated for the right to live ones conscience as long as it does not infringe on the rights and
safety of others. (See Article of Faith 11 [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1.11?
lang=eng].)
This January, the Church spoke out on promoting rights and protections
[http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/publicstatement-on-religious-freedom-andnondiscrimination] for members of the LGBT community and people of faith. Subsequent
legislation was passed in Utah to safeguard the rights of all people, regardless of their sexual
orientation or religious beliefs.
Fairness isnt just a matter of lawmaking though. Elder Rasband shared three ways that we can
stand for fairness in our everyday lives:
1. View others through a lens of fairness.
Remember that every person is a child of our Father in Heaven who loves us all equally.
Pray to be filled with charity, and try to handle challenging situations the way the Savior
would.
2. Treat others fairly.
Study the Saviors examplehe reached out to others with perfect kindness, yet never
compromised truth and righteousness.
3. Stand up for fairness.
Dont let others treat someone unfairly. Protect the rights of everyone around you, and
expect others to respect your rights too.
[Link to the source article] Read or watch Elder Rasbands address, Religious Freedom and
Fairness for All, [https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ronald-a-rasband_religious-freedom-andfairness-for-all/] for examples of how the issue of religious freedom can affect our lives.

Fairness Is for Everybody/Mormon Insights/page 2

Source: speeches.byu.edu [https://speeches.byu.edu]

[Byline] Alicia Stanton, Mormon Insights
Find more insights
Learn about the five key beliefs [http://mormoninsights.byu.edu/lds-church-religious-freedomfive-key-beliefs/] that underpin the Churchs stance on religious freedom and LGBT rights.
Read practical advice on defending religious freedom [https://www.lds.org/newera/2012/10/how-to-defend-religious-freedom?lang=eng] from Elder Quentin L. Cook.
[Info for the Web Team]
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