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Watching the early audition videos at the beginning of an American Idol season can be strangely fascinating. The auditions draw all kinds of singers: the seasoned pros who want to bring their career to a higher level, the closet singers who hope to be "discovered" as the next big talent, and even those who are not serious about singing but thought it would be fun to try out.

There are a couple of themes that emerge throughout the auditions of those who don't make the cut. One you see repeatedly is the singers who perform poorly and then try to explain to the judges that they were just "too nervous."

The excuse of nerves really doesn't help any, yet auditioners continually try to use it. When the judges kindly tell them that they aren't what they're looking for, the contestants somehow think that they can change the minds of the judges by explaining their poor performance. "You have to understand I'm very nervous," one contestant plead.

Why do people think that making excuses can justify poor performances? To take this example further, what would happen if "Johnny Q" did manage to convince the judges that he should be sent to Hollywood to continue in the competition? Why does Johnny Q think he will be any less nervous onstage under a thousand glaring lights and in front of television cameras covering him from all angles, broadcasting his image to millions of viewers? If his nerves prevented him from performing well during his initial audition, how can it be any different if he's allowed to continue? If he can't overcome his nerves then, can he just explain to the audience that he was just too nervous to sing well, and expect that to fix everything?

Since this is LDSBlogs.com, you know there has to be a spiritual tie-in here. Well, excuse-making is something people do in "real life" as well. Sometimes we make excuses for our behavior in an attempt to keep others from thinking less of us. And sometimes we make excuses to ourselves, trying to escape feelings of guilt over our wrongdoings or failure to live up to the things we know we should be doing.

But excuses don't solve problems. Sometimes they may hide them for a while, but they don't solve them. Sometimes I think we fool ourselves into believing that "someday" circumstances will be different, our temperaments and abilities will have magically changed, and we'll be ready to make those changes in our lives that we keep putting off.

Amulek puts this into perspective for us in the Book of Mormon:

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. (Alma 34:33-34)

Changes in our lives don't come without conscious effort. Sometimes making these changes can be difficult work, and even painful to go through. But we cannot afford to live in complacency while making excuses for our wrong behavior and telling ourselves that we'll be ready to change "someday." As Amulek tells us, "someday" doesn't come. But our day of accountability will.

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons"), has said:

The scriptures make the danger of delay clear. It is that we may discover that we have run out of time. The God who gives us each day as a treasure will require an accounting. We will weep, and He will weep, if we have intended to repent and to serve Him in tomorrows which never came or have dreamt of yesterdays where the opportunity to act was past. This day is a precious gift of God. The thought "Someday I will" can be a thief of the opportunities of time and the blessings of eternity. (“This Day,” Ensign, May 2007, 89–91)

There are great blessings that we can enjoy today as we make each day count, striving to overcome our weaknesses instead of making excuses for them. And just as auditioners on American Idol can learn to perform well in spite of their nervousness, we can learn to perform well in spite of our own weaknesses.

The word “secular” is defined in Webster’s dictionary as describing something that is not overtly religious, or something that is of a temporal rather than a religious concern. As residents of the planet Earth, we obviously have needs and concerns that may not seem directly related to religion. We have to earn livings, go to school, shop at the store, and interact with people regularly over matters that do not involve church.

The word “secularism,” however, is defined by Webster as “indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations.” (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.) This definition sounds more ominous in terms of the exclusion of religion. It not only describes activities that do not directly involve religion, but also those that downright reject them.

Keith B. McMullin of the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “the Mormons”) addressed the rampant secularism in the world today in a fireside he gave at Brigham Young University on November 5, 2006. (The Presiding Bishop and his counselors are general authorities of the Church, with duties of overseeing the temporal affairs of the Church.) Describing today’s secularism, Bishop McMullin said:

Much of the world today views secularism as vital to a balanced, just, and ordered government. Hence, religious expression is discouraged in public forums, civil rights are dependent on the courts and legislative processes, and men and women readily seek solutions and redress through litigious means. In the extreme, society’s secularism overlooks the concept of eternal life, places all things in the context of the natural world, and consequently is prone to works without faith. (“Faith and works in a secular world,” Bishop Keith B. McMullin, CES Fireside for Young Adults, November 5, 2006)

But Bishop McMullin pointed out that those things that may seem to us to be secular, or not directly related to religion, can actually have deep connections to the spiritual.

For example, the members of his audience at Brigham Young University and those watching the broadcast of his talk through the Church Educational System were largely students pursuing their educations. These educations, essential to finding employment and professional success in the world, could be considered secular. However, as Bishop McMullin explained: “Secular learning of the highest level blossoms in an atmosphere of virtue, moral responsibility, spiritual truth, and faith.”

Secularism with the exclusion of faith carries other hazards as well. In fact, a host of problems in the world today could be traced back to this, according to Bishop McMullin:

Unchecked by faith in Christ as the Redeemer of mankind, this secular or natural world produces men and women who are “proud, obsessed with self, overly competitive, reactionary, fiercely independent, driven by desires, appetites, [and] worldly acclaim. . . . In general, the natural man is an unredeemed creature, a being who walks . . . in the light of his own fire . . . [see 2 Nephi 7:10–11]. Such a one is acclimated to the nature of things about him, taking his cues and bearings from a fallen world.”
(“Faith and works in a secular world,” Bishop Keith B. McMullin, CES Fireside for Young Adults, November 5, 2006)

What is the antidote for these ills in society? One answer lies in the passage quoted above: “Unchecked by faith in Christ…” Exercising faith in Christ helps put worldly knowledge and desires into perspective. Following the words and example of Christ, rather than “cues from a fallen world,” would put an end to selfish behaviors. The ensuing desire to serve Christ, rather than self, would bring about a world of change.

During the Christmas holidays in particular, it’s easy for our hearts and minds to be drawn to material possessions. Advertisements everywhere lure us to believe that we need this gadget or that car or this house or that lifestyle in order to be happy. But are these things really necessary for happiness? Here’s what Karl R. Green said in the December 24, 2007 issue of Newsweek magazine:

My 1999 car shows the wear and tear of 105,000 miles. But it is still dependable. My apartment is modest, but quiet and relaxing. My clothes are well suited to my work, which is primarily outdoors. My minimal computer needs can be met at the library.

In spite of what I don’t have, I don’t feel poor. Why? I’ve enjoyed exceptionally good health for 53 years. It’s not just that I’ve been illness-free, it’s that I feel vigorous and spirited…I also cherish the gift of creativity. When I write a beautiful line of poetry, or fabricate a joke that tickles someone, I feel rich inside. (Newsweek, December 24, 2007, p. 19)

As his essay continues, one conclusion he reaches is that the only thing he really misses in his lack of material goods is the connection with the rest of society that either has or craves them. But, he says: “I’m happy to live without one (a high-end TV). In fact, not being focused on material goods feels quite natural to me.”

A rich young man asked Jesus Christ personally what he should do in order to have eternal life. The Savior named some of the great commandments: Thou shalt not kill, nor commit adultery, nor steal, nor bear false witness. The young man must have seemed to accept all this, for the Savior went on: Thou shalt honor thy parents. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The young man said he’d been doing all of these things from his youth. What was left for him to do? Jesus said unto him: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)

And here the young man did an interesting thing. Matthew records that “he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19:22). This young man, wealthy in worldly goods, was willing to do all that the Savior asked of him – as long as He didn’t ask too much. He was willing to live a generally moral life, but he was not willing to part with his material wealth. (We can guess that he didn’t even own a high-end TV.)

Where does that leave him today? We can be pretty sure that he must have passed away approximately 2000 years ago. He sought happiness from his material possessions, but those cannot help him now.

As the Lord told the prophet Joseph Smith, recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants (a book of scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as “the Mormons”), “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.” (D&C 6:7)

I like the example of Karl Green (to my knowledge, not a Latter-day Saint), who wrote the Newsweek essay. He lists many things in his life that make him rich – not in the ways of the world, but in ways that really matter.

Mormons have long been known to have fewer incidents of heart disease than the general public. One reason commonly attributed to this is their keeping of a law called "The Word of Wisdom." Received by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1833, it prescribes a code for healthy living, including abstinence from tobacco and alcohol. It can be found in section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

While doctors have already suspected that abstinence from smoking must play a role in the healthier hearts of Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) in general, new research is showing that there may also be other factors involved.

A study in Utah states that Mormons - or anyone who chooses to do so - who fast once a month have about 40 percent fewer incidents of coronary artery disease than those who do not fast regularly.

According to an Associated Press release, the study consisted of a survey of 515 people. 67 percent of those who did not fast regularly were diagnosed with heart disease, while only 59 percent of those who do fast regularly were diagnosed. While those involved with the study acknowledge that these results are far from conclusive, experts believe it is worth pursuing the idea further.

"I think it's worth looking at again. There's a lot we don't know about fasting," Dr. Tim Johnson said on "Good Morning America." "[There are] very few good medical studies. We know it's a widely used religious practice. . . What we don't know obviously is whether it's the fasting itself or I think, more likely, fasting was a marker for people who lived healthy lifestyles in terms of nutrition and exercise in general."

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are asked to fast for 24 hours (2 consecutive meals) once a month, but not because of health benefits. According to www.lds.org, "Fasting combined with sincere prayer can strengthen us spiritually, bring us closer to God, and help us prepare ourselves and others to receive His blessings."

We fast because the Lord has asked us to. The act of fasting is an act of putting aside natural desires and striving to align our wills with what the Lord wants us to do.

The Church designates one Sunday each month as "fast Sunday." However, we may fast at any time we may feel a need to do so. We are counseled not to fast excessively, but we may draw on the powers of heaven at any time through fasting that we see fit. Fasting and praying for someone who is seriously ill is something that many Latter-day Saints have done. Other times we might fast could include: seeking the Lord's help in overcoming a problem, seeking the Lord's help in gaining a testimony of the gospel or in knowing what the Lord wants us to do, or seeking the Lord's help in preparation for carrying out a difficult task.

An added benefit of the fast for Mormons is that we have the opportunity to make fast offerings in conjunction with fasting. We give the monetary value of the meals that we miss (or more, if we're able) to the Church to be distributed to those in need. In this simple way we are able to care for the needs of the poor.

We may not understand all of the Lord's reasons for asking us to fast, but we can trust in His wisdom that the act of fasting is something good that will bring us closer to Him. The Word of Wisdom was revealed to Joseph Smith long before smoking was shown scientifically to be harmful to one's health. Perhaps science is beginning to uncover physical benefits of fasting as well.

Whether there are physical benefits to fasting or not, it is something that the Lord has asked of us. And ultimately, that is why we fast.

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story about an ongoing debate by churchgoers in general about tithing. The traditional definition of tithing is the practice of giving ten percent of your income to your church. But some folks are questioning this practice.

One of the questions that has come up is whether tithing is actually set in the Bible at ten percent. Some say that it is, and others say that they are misinterpreting the scriptures and that the amount is not actually set.

Another question is what the people are supposed to gain as a result of paying their tithing. Some have seen it as a kind of investment, and expect to see a financial return on their tithe paying. Some wonder if they are being told that they need to pay this money to "buy" their way into heaven - which certainly doesn't seem right to them. Others simply balk at a church telling them they need to pay a certain amount of money that they see as rightfully theirs.

The policies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the "Mormons") regarding tithing have been made clear. First, the percentage of tithing is ten percent of one's increase. This was specifically revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith and he recorded it in the Doctrine and Covenants:

3 And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.

4 And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord. (D&C 119:4)

Now beyond these guidelines, exactly what constitutes ten percent of your income is between you and the Lord. The bishop of your local congregation can help you if you have questions. But if you know in your heart that you are paying ten percent of your income, you know you're obeying the law of tithing.

The LDS Church uses tithing money to build the kingdom of God. Meetinghouses, temples, and Church educational programs are among those that are financed by sacred tithing funds. But the purpose behind tithing is not to fund the activities of the Church.

As President Heber J. Grant, seventh prophet and president of the Church, once said, "The Lord does not need your money or mine. Compliance with the law of tithing and donations for ward meetinghouses, stake houses, academies, temples, missionary work and these various needs, are all for our good. . . The very lessons of a financial nature that are given us are the same as lessons that are given in a school to a boy or a girl; they are for the benefit of the boy; they are for the benefit of the girl, for their advancement, for their joy and happiness in after life; because of all the knowledge and information we acquire, and in the improvement that we make, we ourselves are the ones who are benefited." (Chapter 13: "Principles of Financial Security," Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, 119)

So we see that it's not that the Lord wants our money. He wants us to develop the faith, discipline, integrity, obedience, joy, and so many other blessings that come from paying it. And those things that are financed through the funds are actually for our benefits as well.

President Grant continued:

There is a satisfaction that comes into the heart of the man who is absolutely honest with the Lord, in contributing of his means to the building up of the Church of Christ, and into the heart of every true, full tithe payer. Each and every blessing that you and I enjoy comes from God. We are under obligations to Him for the very breath of life, and He gives us everything that we have. He asks us to show our appreciation and acknowledge to Him His goodness, by returning to the Church for its benefit and for the spreading of the gospel at home and abroad, one-tenth of that which we receive, all of which comes from Him.

A Sunday School teacher once told a class I was in, "Think of everything the Lord has given you - our bodies, our families, the beautiful world we live in, the food we eat ... All of these things we have because He gave them to us. And He is only asking for ten percent of it back. Couldn't you do that for Him?"

Now about those blessings. Many of us are familiar with the scripture in Malachi that reads: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)

I used to love this scripture as a child, because I was excited at all the material "blessings" I might get someday from paying my tithing. But I love it now as an adult because it represents a promise from the Lord. The Lord is telling us that we can even test Him on this one: "Prove me now herewith." If you aren't sure about tithing, give it a try. The Lord Himself has promised that He will open up the windows of heaven for you.

The blessings may not all be monetary or material. But they are what the Lord sees is best for us. I can testify that as my husband and I have paid our tithing, we have always had what we needed. We haven't always had material wealth, but we've always had what we needed. Jobs, extra paychecks, or even just some budgeting guidance have always come through for us when we've needed them. And the blessings of faith and knowing that we can rely on the Lord in this thing are priceless.

The recent release of a game touted as "the most violent video game ever" has again opened up the question of whether such violent entertainment really has an effect on viewers and participants.

Many people would intuitively answer "yes" to that question, and there are studies out there that indicate just that. "Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practicing aggressive solutions to conflict situations," said Dr. Craig A. Anderson in the American Psychological Association's (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in April 2000. "In the short run, playing a violent video game appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts. Longer-term effects are likely to be longer lasting as well, as the player learns and practices new aggression-related scripts that can become more and more accessible for use when real-life conflict situations arise."

Yet there are also studies out there that show that such violence has little or no effect on the players. One national news broadcast recently stated that a scientific correlation between video game violence and violent behavior has not yet been found.

But is waiting for scientific proof the only way to know for sure if something is harmful? Certainly not. First off, sometimes common sense and your gut feelings are all you need. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that all people are born with the "light of Christ" that helps us know right from wrong. Sometimes we as humans successfully ignore this innate understanding, but this is a gift from our Heavenly Father that we should pay attention to.

In addition, our Church leaders have told us repeatedly to avoid such violence. For the Strength of Youth, a booklet given to all youth in the Church to refer to for guidelines on moral living, says, "Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. They contradict the Savior's message of love for one another." (19)

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles expressed it well when he said: "I believe the entertainment industry cannot portray on film people gunned down in cold blood, in living color, and not have it affect the attitudes and thoughts of some of the people who see it. ... I believe that the desensitizing effect of such media abuses on the hearts and souls of those who are exposed to them results in a partial fulfillment of the Savior's statement that 'because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.' " (" 'When Shall These Things Be?' "Ensign, Dec. 1996, 58.)

Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1915-94) said: "A diet of violence or pornography dulls the senses, and future exposures need to be rougher and more extreme. Soon the person is desensitized and is unable to react in a sensitive, caring, responsible manner, especially to those in his own home and family. Good people can become infested with this material and it can have terrifying, destructive consequences." ("Rated A," Ensign, Nov. 1977, 71)

Notice that there is a theme to this counsel. While the possibility of people acting out aggressively after viewing violent material is a real concern, that isn't the only danger present. Each of these leaders or sources discusses the problem of becoming desensitized to this violence and to spiritual and emotional feelings in general - affecting day-to-day relationships and responsibilities.

That's a huge danger right there. Does the world really need more ways to create problems in relationships and responsible living?

So while the world may be waiting for direct scientific links between violent video games and violent behavior, know that the Lord's servants have already spoken on the matter. We would do well to follow their counsel.

A movie billed as a children's fantasy currently has a lot of controversy surrounding its alarming premise.

The Golden Compass, based on the first novel of Philip Pullman's series "His Dark Materials" is set for wide release on December 7. On first glance at the trailer, it appears to be another fantasy tale -- albeit a rather dark one-- of kids saving the world against evil.

But as those who have read the books can tell you, the story carries an anti-religious agenda. According to one reader, the series revolves around "a battle for control of heaven waged by humans against certain angels." According to another, the series operates under the premise that God (or rather, the "God" of the world in the books) should have lost the war in heaven.

Fox News reports: "The anti-religious themes get progressively stronger with each book in the trilogy; in the final installment, the characters succeed in killing a character called God - who turns out to be a phony, and not God after all."

The movie, however, is expected not to be as anti-religious as the books. References to Catholicism are absent from the movie; instead, the evil religious establishment is known as "the Magisterium."

We know the whole thing is fiction. And for some folks, this is enough. After all, we watch movies about Harry Potter performing magic and Jedi knights using the Force, and we know that's not real. But it makes a good story. And since this particular series of books has sold over 15 million copies, mostly in the United Kingdom, a lot of people think this is a good story also.

But I'm still also very concerned about how anti-Christian the attitudes portrayed in this series really are. Throughout my research on this particular book and series, I've seen many indications of characters and actions that speak against the church -- not evil forces, but the church. For example, one character says, "Every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling." Here, the church is the source of the evil forces.

Some minds might find this an interesting idea to play with. But the minds of young impressionable children are something different. They're pure, they're innocent, and they absorb much of what they hear -- especially those things that their parents bring to them. Despite the young characters, this is not a movie for kids.

The Catholic League called for a boycott of The Golden Compass in October. Although the producers of the movie version claim that they have removed many of the anti-religious and anti-Catholic elements of the film, they believe that the movie will still encourage children to read the books, where the anti-religious elements are stronger.

Bill Donohoe, president of The Catholic League, told interviewer John Gibson on 9 October 2007 why he believes Christians should stay away from the film:

Look, the movie is based on the least offensive of the three books. And they have dumbed down the worst elements in the movie because they don't want to make Christians angry and they want to make money. Our concern is this, unsuspecting Christian parents may want to take their kid to the movie, it opens up December 7th and say, this wasn't troubling, then we'll buy the books. So the movie is the bait for the books which are profoundly anti-Catholic and at the same time selling atheism.

In the interest of objectivity, there are other ways to interpret the film besides as anti-religious. Director Chris Weitz shared Pullman's own ideas in an interview in 2004 for Bridge to the Stars. "(Pullman's) feeling, and I say this with absolute certainty that I am not unfairly paraphrasing him, is that the 'Authority' in question could represent any arbitrary establishment that curtails the freedom of the individual, whether it be religious, political, totalitarian, fundamentalist, communist, what have you."

The commentary at snopes.com suggests that "Pullman's criticisms of organized religion come across as anti-authoritarian and anti-ascetic rather than anti-doctrinal," although this may change with an upcoming sequel.

Here's another possible way to view the movie: "It undoubtedly makes people question, but inspires them to look harder for more authentic religion," Craig Detweiler suggested to Fox News. "Pullman takes license in pointing out the scary, false gods and destructive idols we've created. In that sense, I think he's doing a great service."

For all of these examples intended in part to prevent the alienation of Christian moviegoers, there are plenty of anti-religious quotes already on the record as well. For example, many atheists are thrilled for a series of books and a movie to address their belief system, rather than a religious one. And they feel their kids will be able to relate to them as well. While I can sympathize with wanting to teach one's values to one's children and provide them with entertainment they can relate to, this concerns me. If atheists are so excited about their children seeing this because it reflects their values, should I be excited about my Christian children seeing it?

Pullman himself has had some rather scathing quotations attributed to him in the past. He himself is an avowed atheist who said in a 2003 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald that "My books are about killing God."

For people who'd just like to take their kids to see a movie about good triumphing over evil, it all makes the decision pretty confusing. As always, the choice is up to the individual. But I'd like to bring up a few words of caution to all readers and moviegoers. While some of our Church leaders have counseled us not to view R-rated movies, this is not the only defining factor for inappropriate entertainment. The current edition of For the Strength of Youth tells us:

Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord ... Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable. (17)

So we teach our children to stay away from movies that portray graphic sex or violence. But what about other forms of immorality? Might films with "dark" attitudes, or those that fight against God or His institutions, be at least as destructive to our minds and spirits as those that glorify unchastity or violence?

This is something that all will have to choose for themselves. But please, parents, be aware of what your children are reading and watching. Don't just familiarize yourself with the plot, or even just the violence level or language used. Try to understand the agendas and attitudes that children are taking into their minds. As we can see here, not all children's novels are morally uplifting reading.

Here I've tried to present thoughts from both sides to help readers make an informed choice. Personally, I am wary of information blindly passed along by people who haven't researched the topic themselves. I'm also concerned about quotations from Pullman himself being taken out of context and making the attitudes behind the books and the film sound more vicious than they actually are. Yet another concern I have over the boycott is that it has brought a great deal of publicity to this movie, and I'm sure it's made a lot of people curious about it who might not have cared otherwise.

But the fact remains that people need to be informed about those things they are considering reading or watching, and especially that which they plan to expose their children to. So both now and in the future, it's important to remain watchful of these things. Don't assume that the absence of an R-rating means that a movie will contain attitudes you want your children to absorb. Don't assume that such a movie won't offend the Spirit just because it didn't get an R-rating.