A Sure Defense

1. A Sure Defense www.kevinhinckley.com

2. Slogans A teacher was giving a lecture on advertising and was asking his students if they were familiar with certain slogans. "Joe," he asked, "which company has the slogan, ‘you are now free to fly around the country'?“ Joe answered with, “Southwest!”. "Brenda, can you tell me which company has the slogan, "Don't leave home without it? Brenda answered “American Express!” with no difficulty. "Now John, Tell me which company bears the slogan, 'Just do it'?“ And John answered, “That’s easy. Mom!"

3. Tale of Two Cities Babylon Zion ? One heart, one mind

4. Elder Nelson My concern is that contention is becoming accepted as a way of life. From what we see and hear in the media, the classroom, and the workplace, all are now infected to some degree with contention. How easy it is, yet how wrong it is, to allow habits of contention to pervade matters of spiritual significance, because contention is forbidden by divine decree: "The Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another." (2 Ne. 26:32.) "The Canker of Contention," in Peace, 86. 

5. Helaman 1 And now behold, it came to pass in the commencement of the fortieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there began to be a serious difficulty among the people of the Nephites. For behold, Pahoran had died… therefore there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the judgment-seat among the brethren, who were the sons of Pahoran. Now these are their names who did contend for the judgment-seat, who did also cause the people to contend: Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni. Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoran was appointed by the voice of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi. But behold, Paanchi, and that part of the people that were desirous that he should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth; therefore, he was about to flatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their brethren. And it came to pass as he was about to do this, behold, he was taken, and was tried according to the voice of the people, and condemned unto death; for he had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy the liberty of the people. (Who does this sound like?) Now when those people who were desirous that he should be their governor saw that he was condemned unto death, therefore they were angry, and behold, they sent forth one Kishkumen, even to the judgment-seat of Pahoran, and murdered Pahoran as he sat upon the judgment-seat.

6. Helaman 1 And it came to pass in the forty and first year of the reign of the judges, that the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of men… And they came down again that they might pitch battle against the Nephites. And they were led by a man whose name was Coriantumr; and he was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was a dissenter from among the Nephites; and he was a large and a mighty man. Therefore, the king of the Lamanites, whose name was Tubaloth, who was the son of Ammoron, supposing that Coriantumr, being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites, with his strength and also with his great wisdom, insomuch that by sending him forth he should gain power over the Nephites— Therefore he did stir them up to anger, and he did gather together his armies, and he did appoint Coriantumr to be their leader, and did cause that they should march down to the land of Zarahemla to battle against the Nephites. Mulekite Tribe of Judah “Kingman”

7. And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla. Marvin J. Ashton: Contention never was and never will be an ally of progress. Our loyalty will never be measured by our participation in controversy. Some misunderstand the realm, scope, and dangers of contention. Too many of us are inclined to declare, “Who, me? I am not contentious, and I’ll fight anyone who says I am.” There are still those among us who would rather lose a friend than an argument. How important it is to know how to disagree without being disagreeable. It behooves all of us to be in the position to involve ourselves in factual discussions and meaningful study, but never in bitter arguments and contention. Church attendance Callings Prayer Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and did march forth with his whole army into the city, and they did slay every one who did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city. Scriptures Zarahemla FHE Lucifer’s Testimony Busters Land Of Nephi Geneology

8. Elder Oaks In my personal life and even in my church work, I have sometimes been guilty of crossing over the boundary between the permissible range of reasoned discussion and the forbidden arena of contention. For example, as a law student, newly schooled in the adversary system of the courtroom, I sought to use adversary techniques to present the gospel subjects I was teaching an elders group. I sometimes encouraged debate and controversy, and I occasionally played the role of the devil's advocate (justly so named). Each of these techniques verged on or invited contention. I recall these immature mistakes whenever I observe others using the techniques of controversy to attempt to teach gospel subjects. This is not the Lord's way. (Lord's Way, 138)

9. Elder Ashton Whether accusations, innuendoes, aspersions, or falsehoods are whispered or blatantly shouted, the gospel of Jesus Christ reminds us that we are not to retaliate nor contend. . . . Never will peace and hatred be able to abide in the same soul. Permanent peace will elude those individuals or groups whose objective is to condemn, discredit, rail at, or tear down those whose beliefs are different from their own. These people live by hatred and would destroy others insofar as it is in their power to do so. True Christians have no time for contention. Lasting peace cannot be built while we are reviling or hating others. Those who preach hate, ridicule, and untruths cannot be classified as peacemakers. Until they repent they will reap the harvest to which those engaged in the business of hatred are entitled. Feelings of enmity and malice can never be compatible with feelings of peace.“ Be of Good Cheer (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1987), 88.

10. Finally Twin girls, Brielle and Kyrie [Larson]…were born prematurely. "They were placed in separate incubators to reduce the risk of infection. Kyrie, the larger sister at two pounds three ounces, quickly began gaining weight and calmly slept. But Brielle, who weighed only two pounds at birth, could not keep up with her." Sister Larsen said Brielle's condition became critical as her oxygen intake plummeted and her heart rate soared. "Then the nurse remembered a procedure she had heard about. The parents consented, and the nurse slipped the squirming baby into the incubator with the bigger sister. No sooner had the door of the incubator closed than Brielle snuggled up to Kyrie and calmed right down. Within minutes Brielle's blood-oxygen readings were the best they had been since she was born. As she dozed, Kyrie wrapped her tiny arm around her smaller sibling." ["Protect Families from Anger, Strife," Church News, 4 April 1998, p. 5]