It's not about guns...

...and it's not about Muslims vs. Christians, or Gay vs. Straight, or us vs. them. It's about hate and pride and selfishness.

The Book of Mormon tells of two separate civilizations which destroyed themselves down to the last man, woman and child. They did it with bows and arrows, swords, and rocks and slings. No guns. Just hate and selfishness and pride.

Guns aren't the problem. People are the problem. Take away all the deadly weapons - guns, knives, tanks, bombs, etc. and people will still find a way to kill one another. Until we change our hearts, the violence will not end.

It's not about guns. It's about a way of thinking:  "My lifestyle is better than yours. My religion is better than yours. The color of my skin (black, white, red, yellow, or brown) makes me just a little more special than yours because yours is different. You are different...you look at the world in a strange way that I don't understand - therefore you are not as good as I am. You love your spouse or significant other in a way I don't agree with, so you deserve bad things. You are not my gender (male or female) so you don't deserve the same things that I do." I could go on and on...all you have to do is look at the world around you. For that matter, look at the news-feed on your Facebook page.

God made us unique and different. He gave us the ability to choose our own path in life. He allows us to find our own way in life based on those choices. Just because someone makes a choice you may not agree with does not excuse or justify hatred or unkindness.

"But..." you say, "Annette, I don't believe in God. I don't believe in religion." That's ok. Belief in God and having a Faith are not exclusive clubs for goodness, kindness, and charity. Human decency is something we can each strive for.

My beloved family and friends. My fellow travelers in this journey we call life...we can end this cycle of evil, hatred, pride, envy, selfishness and violence. One by one, a little at a time, we can make a difference. Drop by drop of random acts of kindness can spread until we flood the earth with it and wash away all this intolerance. It's not difficult. Even a child can do it.

All it takes is thinking beyond ourselves. Get out of your own head and comfort-zone. See with better eyes and look around you. There are opportunities for doing good everywhere. Slow down and let the car next to you go merge ahead on the freeway. Let someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store. Say something kind to the mom struggling with her fussy baby. Give someone a smile and say hello. Post something positive and happy on Facebook. It works, I promise!

"But," you say, "Annette, how can these little things possibly work?" I once heard a talk about the contribution of each honeybee in a hive of bees. Each bee only contributes a 12th of a teaspoon of honey to the entire hive. That doesn't seem like much until you multiply it by thousands of bees. I believe that if each of us would try to do one kind act a day - to think of others before ourselves, AT LEAST one time a day (I'd hope for more, but start with one...lol); we could make a significant difference in this world. Think of how much happier we'd all be.

The Book of Mormon also tells of a group of people who did just what I am talking about. They took care of each other. They gave to those in need and loved and served one another. The result was peace and happiness. It says;  "And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness, and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God."

It's not about guns. It's about changing hearts. Let's each start with our own - let go of hate, resentment, envy and malice. Look for the good in those around you, and soon you won't see the bad. We can be the change that makes us the happiest people among all the people who have been created by the hand of God.

Who's with me???