How tragic it is that so many mortals are mercenaries for the adversary . . . and are . . . bought off at such low prices. A little status, a little money, a little praise, a little fleeting fame, and they are willing to do the bidding of him who can offer all sorts of transitory “rewards,” but who has no celestial currency.
Elder Neil A. Maxwell, "Things As They Really Are", Deseret Book, 1978
We are seeing this in society, more than ever, more than I ever have seen anyway. Many people, lovers of their own selves. Many people, hopping on board the band wagon. Many people, saying and doing those things that they know the rest of band wagoneers want to hear, so that they are popular or accepted.
We don't see people standing up for truth (they're out there, we just don't see them - the media doesn't show them). We don't see people defending freedoms or liberty, or even America. Again, they're there but the media won't show them.
Instead we see the supporters of freedom, and liberty, the supporters of family values, the supporters of the lives of unborn children.....we see those people being mocked, being ridiculed, and even being killed. That's what the media shows us. Who's influence is that, I ask facetiously??
We see darkness for light and light for darkness.... Everywhere. We see the adversary’s influence telling us that following rules and laws is restricting. We see killing unborn children as a right, not murder. We see drinking and partying as fun. We see divorce rates skyrocket because marriage restricts oats from being sown, or even, marriage is old fashioned and is treated as serious now as just regular dating, with divorces as common as breaking up with a girlfriend. We see many, many utterly evil practices today as "good"....and the majority is falling for it.
Do not be deceived by cunning words, words that "make sense" so we tend to follow. Do not be seduced by lavish or easy ways of life. Do not be forced to follow the crowds because it's not PC or popular if you don't. Do not be swayed just because the majority of others goes one way. So what if we stand alone, or travel alone down the straight and narrow.
Know this....we are NEVER alone.