This fall, I have a new book coming out, published by Cedar Fort, entitled "Be Ye Wise as Serpents". In Matthew 10:16, Jesus was sending His apostles out on missions. He warned, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” The point of my book, as you might conclude from the title, is that we need to be more serpent-like in dealing with today’s world. This podcast is not meant to be a commercial for the book. However, I had an insight the other day that I wish to share. I really wish I’d thought of this earlier so it could’ve been included in the book. So, please let me give you a quick preview of the book – and a new example of why we need to be both doves and serpents to understand the Gospel.
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S3E10 - Doves vs. Serpents
This is the podcast Science and Scriptures - Discerning Truth from Error, Season 3, Episode 10, or “Doves vs. Serpents.”
Hello everyone. This is Scott Frazer of the podcast Science and Scriptures. I have an announcement to make. This fall, I will have a new book coming out, published by Cedar Fort, entitled Be Ye Wise as Serpents. You may recognize this title as one of the sayings of the Savior. In Matthew 10:16, Jesus was sending His apostles out on missions.He warned, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” The point of my book, as you might conclude from the title, is that we need to be more serpent-like in dealing with today’s world. We are often taught that the word Christ-like means being dove-like.I beg to differ - and can give you numerous examples in the New Testament when the Savior was NOT dove-like at all. Think of Jesus whipping the money changers in the temple or what He had to say about Pharisees and lawyers.
Now, I realize that serpents got a bad reputation in Genesis. Of all the creatures with which Moses could have compared Satan, he chose the serpent.Part of the reason, I think, is that men and women have a natural aversion to snakes. I jump if I see one. If my wife sees one, she freaks out a bit. In Genesis 3:15, the Lord puts enmity between Satan and, by association, serpents. Whatever the case, many men or women will kill a snake if they chance upon one.Thus, snakes have had to learn to be cunning, cautious, and very practical. This is probably the reason the Savior uses the snake as His simile that the apostles be as wise as serpents. He was telling them to not to be too trusting, naïve, or careless.If a snake is trusting and naïve, it will likely be killed. I think the Savior used the serpent metaphor because he didn’t want the same thing to happen to His missionaries.
This podcast is not meant to be a commercial for the book.However, I had an insight the other day that I wish to share. I really wish I’d thought of this earlier so it could’ve been included in the book.So, please let me give you a quick preview of the book – and a new example of why we need to be both doves and serpents to understand the Gospel.
To define our terms, I want to give you a quote that is in my book from Dr. Martin Luther King. Equating serpent-like qualities as being tough-minded, and dove-like personalities as being tender-hearted, Dr. King gave a talk entitled “A Tough Mind and a Tender Heart”. Drawing his sermon from the book’s signature verse, “Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”, Dr. King warns us to not be either softminded or hardhearted.” He states,
“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.” “Our minds are constantly being invaded by legions of half-truths, prejudices, and false facts. One of the great needs of mankind is to be lifted above the morass of false propaganda. “
“But we must not stop with the cultivation of a tough mind. The gospel also demands a tender heart… The hardhearted individual lacks the capacity for genuine compassion.” “Jesus reminds us that the good life combines the toughness of the serpent and the tenderness of the dove. To have serpent-like qualities devoid of dovelike qualities is to be passionless, mean, and selfish. To have dovelike without serpent-like qualities is to be sentimental, anemic, and aimless.” (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Strength to Love, Fortress Press (2010) Minneapolis, pg. 1-9.)
Not to give any spoiler alerts, but the book goes ahead and suggests that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be more serpent minded. In my experience, rarely do church members have a hard time being dove-like. By nature I think, we are taught to be kind and love one another. But I have observed many church members who are very naïve about the workings of the world, not wanting to accept the hard facts of our time. For example, I believe that church members should be aware of the present-day criticisms against the church and God. Lots of podcasts are dedicated to making such criticisms. Even more important, members should know the responses to those attacks, not necessarily for the enlightenment of the attackers, but for the education of our youth and less educated disciples.
Let me relate the event that inspired me to write this book.It occurred, somewhat surprisingly, at a stake conference. I am simply going to read this from the introduction to Be Ye Wise as Serpents.
“A few months ago, I attended a Saturday evening session of our stake conference. Our area representative, mission president, and temple president were all in attendance. The area rep led a discussion about “How to Make our Homes into Missionary Training Centers” to prepare our young men and women for missions. Soon we had a couple dozen answers on the white board – play church music in the home, have family prayer, read the scriptures together, and discuss the workings of the Spirit. All very sweet – and very dove-like – answers.
Then the mission president raised his hand. His comment went something like this, “The top things I have to worry about with new missionaries is their anxiety, their depression, masturbation, and viewing pornography. I think parents need to have more serious and difficult conversations with their sons before their missions. Don’t be afraid to check the viewing history on their phones – because we will do so when they’re in the mission field”.
There was a shocked silence in the chapel for several seconds. Were parents worried about playing church music in their homes and not about their son’s mental health and possible pornography addiction? We had just been exposed to a very disturbing and serpent-like reality. Many of us had no idea that things had gotten this bad.
The area authority then changed the discussion topic to “Preparing our Youth for the Temple.” Again, the white board was soon filled with many of the same suggestions as before – make your home like the temple, play Tabernacle Choir music, discuss the meaning of covenants, etc.
Then the temple president interjected something like the following. “Parents, you need to tell your sons and daughters exactly what to expect in their first temple visit. Explain the initiatory washing, anointing, and clothing ordinances and the meaning of each item of the temple clothing. Review the endowment. We have far too many people coming out of their first temple visit visibly shaken and disturbed.” In support of this statement, the area authority then read a quote by Elder David Bednar which gave the very short list of what aspects of the temple should not be discussed outside of the temple.
For the second time that evening the congregation was momentarily silenced by a serpent-like reality. Temple ordinances are challenging to understand. Our youth have been told by social media that church members make strange, cult-like promises in the temple. One’s first temple visit can be so strange that young adults may come to believe what they have read on the Internet.
Parents should no longer assume that their children “will be just fine” in their first temple experience. Our young people need to be taught step-by-step what will happen in the temple and what each step symbolizes before they enter it. In conclusion, the dove-like attitude that our sons and daughters are sufficiently prepared for their missions and temple ordinances without needing to have difficult discussions with their parents is not true today. The world has changed. There is so much misinformation being distributed by so many outlets, that parents must bolster their communication and oversight.
You know, past generations were able to enjoy the luxury of being doves most of the time. In those simpler times, our society still supported a belief in God and weekly church attendance. Today, such beliefs are the exception, not the rule. As church members, we need to apply our serpent sides to facing our problems – directly, unflinchingly, and with brutal honesty. There are very good reasons why the Savior told us to be wise as serpents, and even better reasons why we must heed that advice today.
So, now that I have set the stage, please let me tell you about an insight I had a couple weeks ago that would have been a great addition to the book - had I thought of it earlier.
This epiphany occurred because I heard a sacrament talk by a sweet, somewhat emotional sister from our ward. She was speaking about the need for church members to be One in the Gospel. To illustrate that people could live as One, she quoted 4 Nephi 1-2. This verse is used frequently to demonstrate that people really can live the law of consecration. She read,
“And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.
And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.”
No verse could be more dovelike. We might think, “How truly inspiring that a people could be so united and righteous!”. Later, we read that this society continued for 200 years, impressing us even more.What hard truth could be attached to such a society? Maybe this is only a dove’s story of peace and unity, and the serpent has no influence?
Then, I asked myself, “How did the Nephites and Lamanites achieve such a wonderful society?” It is the only place we find in the Book of Mormon where the Nephites and Lamanites lived in such peaceful coexistence for so long. If you are thinking ahead, you know the answer is difficult to consider. However, understanding the Gospel often requires thinking like a serpent – honest, practical, and willing to face difficult truths. The answer to my question is found in 3 Nephi 8. These rather significant events occurred only two years previously to the peaceful, just, society just described in 4th Nephi. This quote is a bit long, but please bear with me. We read,
“And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land.
And the city of Zarahemla did take fire.
And the city of Moroni did sink into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof were drowned.
And the earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah, that in the place of the city there became a great mountain.
And there was a great and terrible destruction in the land southward.
But behold, there was a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward; for behold, the whole face of the land was changed, because of the tempest and the whirlwinds, and the thunderings and the lightnings, and the exceedingly great quaking of the whole earth;
And many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the places were left desolate.
And there were some cities which remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many in them who were slain.
Just two years before this Christ-like society existed, the most wicked cities in the Nephite civilization were burned, covered by ocean, buried, or blown away by whirlwinds. These are not coincidental events. The Christ-like society established by the Nephites (which appeals to doves) happened because the worst elements of their people were destroyed (which is logical to serpents).
Some members may object that it was Christ’s teachings that changed the people. But this righteous society existed for 200 years. Figuring a generation is 20 years, that’s 10 generations, and teachings of righteous men rarely last beyond three generations. However, if you take out the worst elements of a society – in this case, destroy the cities of the most unrighteous – it appears the benefits to a society can last for a couple of centuries. It’s a bit disturbing, but it should be understood.
Jesus explained this concept by comparing doves and serpents. In China, this same relationship is defined by the complementary forces of Yin and Yang. Yin is portrayed as negative and dark. Yang is portrayed as positive and light.
The concept of separation of the righteous from the wicked is found throughout the scriptures. Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family were removed from Sodom and Gomorrah before those two cities were destroyed. Noah and his family were put on an ark to save them from the floods that swept the land. In Moses 7:19, we read that Enoch “built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion.” Then he populated it with those who wished to join him in being righteous. Let’s be clear as to why he did that. In verse 20, the Lord explains, “But the Lord said unto Enoch: Zion have I blessed, but the residue of the people have I cursed.”These cursed people were those who would soon be drowned in Noah’s Flood. The Lord had removed the righteous people from the Earth so those who were left could be destroyed.
We look forward to the Second Coming of the Lord, such that we may live in a Christ-like society similar to that described in 4th Nephi. But why is such a society going to be possible? Because there will be a great destruction similar to that which occurred when Christ visited the Nephites. Cities will be burned. Earthquakes will destroy. Sadly, but surely, the unrighteous of the earth will be swept away so the Lord can start again with a cleansed earth and a righteous people.
We should be prepared for some very serpent-like realities in the afterlife. I believe and suggest to you that the Celestial Kingdom can only exist because the Terrestrial & Telestial Kingdoms exist. In more general Christian terms, heaven could not exist without a hell. Bluntly, you need a place to put those people who cannot lead a celestial life.
Let me give you an example of my reasoning. I have heard church members lament that we are not living the Law of Consecration, where we would all care for one another and there would be no poor among us. However, in such a society, what percentage of citizens NOT living the law of consecration would bring down the whole system? 5% ? 10% ? Certainly if 20% of a population did not live the law of consecration, it would fall apart. The church can never live the Law of Consecration until it can remove those who will not live it honestly. That cannot happen in this life.
Facing hard questions of life is disturbing and difficult, and we must be both wise as serpents and harmless as doves. For example, if a young family has very undisciplined and very loud children in a sacrament meeting, should the bishop ask the parents to remove their children from the chapel? A very Dove-like response would be to say no, that we want all members, especially children, to feel welcome in Sacrament Meeting. The Serpent-like response is that this one family is ruining the worship service for over 200 people. How many of those people will go inactive because they never have spiritual experiences at their church services?
As in this example, for perpetually dove-like members, the solutions of the serpent to hard problems seem… mean and uncaring.To more serpent-like members, the solutions of the doves seem naïve and short-sighted. Such arguments occur in church wards all the time. If we can recognize that a debate is between a dove and a serpent, we can look at the compromise suggested by the Savior in Matthew 10:16. Be both serpent and dove. Be kind, but don’t trust untrustworthy people. Be helpful, but insist that needy people be responsible to fix their own problems. Don’t stifle the serpents or the doves from leadership callings. You need them both.
Obviously, I believe it takes both the serpent and dove to compromise. However, from my experiences, I think the doves in the church are predominating. I suggest that we be more willing to be serpents, especially in these latter days. Parents should no longer think that their children will be “just fine” and not review the temptations of the world with their children to discuss how well they are handling them. These are very difficult conversations. Your child may object and plead that you become a trusting dove again. Likewise, youth leaders can’t sugar-coat difficult doctrine and realities. Whereas a purely dove-like approach to being a member of the church worked in days past, it won’t work well in today’s world. As the world becomes a more unrighteous and dangerous place, the serpent must take more of a role in church member decisions, despite the discomfort.
I believe this to be an important issue for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I feel it is so important that I took a year out of my life to write a book about it.
So, for now at least, that is all I have for you today. As always, thanks for listening to my podcast. And, as always, if you have a friend who might benefit from this topic, please share this episode with them. This is Scott Frazer from the podcast Science and Scriptures.Take care, have a good week, and may God bless.