WHY?WHY?Principles Principles Behind the Behind the PracticesPractices

Would you throw beautiful Would you throw beautiful baby baby

out the window?out the window?

Recently there was a family Recently there was a family who did throw their baby who did throw their baby

out the window.out the window.

WhyWhy would they do such would they do such a thing?a thing?

Because their house was Because their house was on fire!on fire!

There was a good reason There was a good reason whywhy. .

Do we know the “why”Do we know the “why”

• • Why shouldn’t I just “try” alcohol, just Why shouldn’t I just “try” alcohol, just so I can see what it tastes like?so I can see what it tastes like?

• • Why is wearing two pairs of earrings Why is wearing two pairs of earrings such a big deal? Or is it?such a big deal? Or is it?

• • Why is it wrong to steady date Why is it wrong to steady date someone if we both have high someone if we both have high standards?standards?

• • Why is pornography a big deal if it Why is pornography a big deal if it doesn’t hurt anybody?doesn’t hurt anybody?

• • Why shouldn’t I wear flip-flops to Why shouldn’t I wear flip-flops to Church?Church?

• • Why do some people who pay tithing Why do some people who pay tithing still not have a lot of money?still not have a lot of money?

• • Why should I talk to the bishop Why should I talk to the bishop about certain sins? about certain sins?

Elder David A. Bednar, Elder David A. Bednar, “Teach them to “Teach them to Understand” Understand”

http://web.byui.edu/presentahttp://web.byui.edu/presenta

tionstions“It concerns me as I see young people in our Church who know all the correct things they should do and do not have a clue as to why…Do we understand why? If we do not understand the why, then the power available to us through the doctrine of Christ will not be evident in our lives.”

WHY?WHY?Many individuals in the Many individuals in the scriptures also asked “why?” scriptures also asked “why?” Our first parent Adam asked, Our first parent Adam asked, ““WhyWhy is it that men must is it that men must repent and be baptized in repent and be baptized in water?” (Moses 6:53). The water?” (Moses 6:53). The great Moses wanted to know great Moses wanted to know ““Why Why these things are so?” these things are so?” (Moses 1:30). Even the (Moses 1:30). Even the greatest of us all, our Lord greatest of us all, our Lord and Savior, asked in His most and Savior, asked in His most trying hour, “My God, my God, trying hour, “My God, my God, whywhy hast thou forsaken me?” hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46).(Matt 27:46).

The word WHY

appears 366 times in the scriptu

res

We believe that when it comes to the We believe that when it comes to the standards of the church we have been standards of the church we have been given good reasons given good reasons why why we should we should follow them. These reasons are follow them. These reasons are spiritual, logical, and practical. When spiritual, logical, and practical. When we understand the we understand the why why we will be we will be more likely to obey. more likely to obey.

Elder Glen L. PaceElder Glen L. Pacehttp://byui.edu/presentahttp://byui.edu/presentationstions

24 September 1991 24 September 1991““I’ve always been one that I’ve always been one that wants to know ‘why’…On the wants to know ‘why’…On the wall of our kitchen is a picture wall of our kitchen is a picture of a hen talking to her chicks of a hen talking to her chicks with the caption, ‘Because I’m with the caption, ‘Because I’m the mommy, that’s why.’…the mommy, that’s why.’…However, we have been However, we have been given good, logical, and given good, logical, and spiritual reasons to the vast spiritual reasons to the vast majority of things we are majority of things we are asked or commanded to doasked or commanded to do””