Agreement Through Spirit

Any true doctrine or principal can be used for evil, oppression and excess.  To rightly give measure to the matter in your own life you must be guided by the Spirit of the matter, not the mere letter of the doctrine. Each life is different. Each of us have our own responsibilities to our families, neighbors and communities. A true principal in operation in your life may look very different from its operation in mine.

Truth may be absolute, but lives are variegated and are lived in context. Hence the absolute requirement for individual revelation to guide each of us. And as a result we are all pathetically situated to judge one another, but ideally situated to show one another compassion.

We are only authorized to rebuke "when moved upon by the Holy Ghost" and then "showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved." (D&C 121: 43.) Given how little we should want to rebuke others, it should be a profound spiritual moment when it is required of us by the Lord. Though, in truth, even then we should take little delight in dispensing rebukes.