In my study and summary of the Myths of Christianity that the Book of Mormon Refutes (see myth #1 here, myth #2 here, myth #3 here, myth #4 here, myth #5 here, myth #6 here) I covered many myths that have arisen from misinterpretations of scripture or the doctrines of men that have woven their way into the teachings of Christian sects. The next myth the Book of Mormon boldly refutes, that a person can find happiness living in sin, is a myth that has wormed its way into the attitudes of Christian people from the antithetical teaching of moral relativism which had its birth in the secular world and is a doctrine of atheism. This false philosophy teaches people that that “each person is free to choose for him or herself what is right and wrong” (Truth and Tolerance by Dallin H. Oaks) and that there are no absolute truths and that happiness is not achieved by adherence to those truths, but rather, happiness is a fluid concept that is relative to the individual’s desires. It is expressed in the idea that each individual path to happiness is different and there are no definable characteristics for how happiness is achieved.
Moral relativism is the predominate among secular people who reject the moral absolutes of Christian teaching, but Christians have injected this myth with a peculiar adaptation. Instead of an outright rejection of moral law some Christian simply believe that the Lord’s mercy is such that there is no need to askew sin. The contemporary teaching, I explored in myth #6 that teaches that we are saved by grace alone regardless of our personal choices, beyond the only one choice that matter, the choice to believe. This false teaching release believers from demands of repentance and obedience to the law, and though the method of release is different than moral relativism, it non-the-less leads to the misconception that one can find happiness in sin.
The tragedy of all such false teachings is that they are contrary to our Father in Heaven, for no man “can serve two masters.” (Luke 16:13) In a similar couplet, the Book of Mormon teaches that “wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) Therefore, as we continue to sin we will continue to suffer regardless of whether or not we believe obedience to the law is necessary for salvation. The Book of Mormon prophet, Samuel the Lamanite, warned against putting off the struggle against sin and observed that the people in his time had “sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” (Helaman 13:38) In other words, they could never be happy if they didn’t seek happiness through righteousness.
This principle taught boldly in the Book of Mormon, this eternal and absolute truth that happiness in this life, and in the next, can never be separate from righteous living through continual repentance and striving for exact obedience to the commandments of Christ, dispels the myths of moral relativism as well as it’s peculiar counterpart that is spreading in the modern Christendom. It’s not surprising that is quite popular to teach people that God will justify us in committing a little sin. The Book of Mormon exposes this myth in 2 Nephi 28:7-9, Nephi warns thus:
“Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.”
Americans have a long standing religious relationship with the idea that the individual pursuit of happiness is intrinsic to our nature and the purpose of life but notwithstanding our elevated founding ideals, modern Americans are pursuing happiness in doing inequity which thing can never be. The most prevalent example of this is how sexual immorality persists as the plaguing sin in our generation. In addition to being one of the most widespread and destructive sins of our time, it is by far the one that is most celebrated in our culture as a healthy expression of human sexuality. The artifice used to naturalize sexual sin in our society has beguiled good and sincere people to offer affirmation and support for premarital sex, pornography, cohabitation, adultery, homosexual relations, and other impure sexual behaviors as acceptable choices. It has become increasingly common to hear people excuse sexual sin as a personal matter of happiness.
In God’s sight sexual sin is an extremely serious sin that is an abuse of the power to create life and causes great injury to ourselves, our sexual partners, and children impacted by our abuse of this sacred power. (Alma 39:5) It is astonishing how this “class of sin” is discussed in our culture today. No other sin is justified as a matter of personal happiness. For example, you won’t hear people excuse those guilt of assault, those who beat their wives and children, or those who murder. You won’t hear people speaking tolerantly of lying, cheating, or theft, but in most choices related to sexuality society today treats sexual immorality as part of the noble and sacred individual pursuit of happiness, a matter of basic human right and self-determination. Tragically, people often engage in sexual sin with an underlying belief that their sinful choices are justifiable as an expression of their personal pursuit of happiness. The culture in general has begun to view sexual sin as acceptable and it is celebrated in our entertainment and politics.
(Sexual sin is clearly defined in scripture in three basic categories. Fornication: sex before marriage (Corinthians 6:18), adultery: sexual affairs during marriage (Genesis 39:9), and sodomy: unnatural sexual acts that dishonor the body and depart from the natural use of the body (Romans 1:24-27, Leviticus 18:22-23))
An increasing number of Christians have convinced themselves that living in sin can be a path to happiness. Even traditional Americans are embracing the idea that cohabitation before marriage facilitates happier more stable marriages. Never has the Christian world needed a clearer injunction against sin in scripture then it does now, and the Book of Mormon provides the kind of clarity the world hungers for. Alma boldly teaches that “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven,” (Alma 11:37) and “wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) Two concepts that when taken together and in the context of the full body of scriptural texts, both Bible and Book of Mormon, calls all Christians to live lives of purity and obedience and promise that this life of discipleship is the only sure road to lasting happiness.
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