Tolerance as a Vice, Agency, and Experience

From President Boyd K. Packer's talk, These Things I Know, which is worth listening to if you haven't already (and worth listening to again if you have). I feel every conference like President Packer may not be around for the next, but he continues to surprise me, and I'm glad he's still here.

"Tolerance is a virtue, but like all virtues, when exaggerated, it transforms itself into a vice. We need to be careful of the “tolerance trap” so that we are not swallowed up in it. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immorality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequence that is the result of the violation of God’s law of chastity."

The recent information coming out about the abortion clinics and the pure evil that has been done at some of them, all in the name of "helping" people, is absolutely horrific. It's another form of the "tolerance trap", where in trying to take the middle road and allow others to live and let live, we have traveled far down a slippery slope. As someone that lost a baby at seven months of pregnancy (my wife did, but it was my child), I can't even fathom a mother going in and willingly having a baby killed. The things people tell themselves to make it all "okay" simply fly in the face of reason.

I'm not saying we can logistically outlaw all abortions or that we even should, but while the women getting abortions are free to make that choice and the workers involved in carrying out the procedures are able to choose to do so, they are not free from the consequences. Again, from President Packer's talk: "We are free to choose what we will and to pick and choose our acts, but we are not free to choose the consequences. They come as they will come."

My heart goes out to anyone that has made that sort of decision and now regrets it. I know many wonderful people that would have loved to adopt a child that wait, year after year  for the opportunity. Likewise, I know I have made many wrong decisions that I regret. Thankfully we have the Savior and the Atonement, and all the things we've gone through in life get us to where we are. I hope that when I reach a ripe old age like President Packer, I too can say:

"If I could now turn back the years,
If that were mine to choose,
I would not barter age for youth,
I’d have too much to lose.
I am quite content to move ahead,
To yield my youth, however grand.
The thing I’d lose if I went back
Is what I understand."