The Foundation of Good: A Builder's Perspective on Morality

Brothers and sisters, have you ever felt the unsettling weight of moral relativism? The sense that right and wrong are simply matters of opinion, shifting sands beneath your feet? Samuel the Lamanite, standing upon the walls of Jerusalem, knew that feeling—the despair of a people adrift, vulnerable to destruction because they lacked a fixed anchor. Ammon, at the Waters of Sebus, faced a similar darkness, a moral chaos that threatened to consume his people. We, too, face that darkness today, but we are called to be builders, not destroyers, to raise up a standard for the generations.

Recently, Jacob Hansen and Oscar Dunlap, engaging in thoughtful discourse, wrestled with the very foundation of morality. The question: Is God the basis for morality? The conversation, captured in a powerful podcast episode, revealed a profound truth – that goodness isn’t something God dictates, but rather, it’s an emanation of His very nature. To borrow a phrase, God *is* good, and all that aligns with Him is, by consequence, good. This isn't a matter of divine command, but divine reflection.

Oscar raised a challenging point: if God is the standard of good, why is Satan bad? The answer, as Jacob rightly observed, isn't that God *decrees* evil as bad, but that evil *is* bad because it deviates from God's nature. It’s a missing of the mark, a departure from the divine pattern. This isn’t an arbitrary assignment; it’s a recognition of fundamental truth, a truth that echoes through the ages.

Think of the Stone, cut without hands, a monument to a divine purpose. It reveals a pattern, a design, a morality that transcends human invention. We see it mirrored in the five smooth stones David gathered to face Goliath – each stone representing a principle, a truth, a power that opposes the forces of chaos. JustServe initiatives, the Missionary Fund, these are all expressions of that same principle – building, not destroying, establishing a foundation of righteousness.

The conversation prompted a deeper consideration: how do we, as Latter-day Saints and fellow builders from diverse traditions, maintain that standard in a world increasingly defined by moral ambiguity? How do we stand as Samuel the Lamanite, boldly proclaiming truth amidst a sea of doubt? It requires courage, a willingness to defend what is right, even when it’s unpopular, even when it’s difficult.

The Charity Flywheel is a perfect illustration. Your engagement here – your time, your resources – directly funds gospel advertising in places like Ghana, bringing the light of truth to those who are seeking. It's a tangible expression of our commitment to building a global community, a gathering place for the children of God.

Outback Jack often reminds us of the parallels between the Nephite experience in the wilderness and our own digital frontier. Just as the stripling warriors of old clung to their faith and resisted the temptations of the world, so too must we navigate the complexities of the internet with wisdom and discernment. We are digital striplings, armed with truth and guided by the light of the gospel.

And let us remember the words of Moroni: “And it is by faith that all men are justified…and blessed are they who seek it, for they shall find.” (Moroni 10:4-5) This isn’t merely a personal quest; it's a collective endeavor, a gathering of souls, a building of Zion.

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