In 1847 a friend
and coworker died from an infection after cutting himself with a scalpel used
to autopsy a patient who had died from what appeared to be the same
infection. There was no doubt the cut
itself was the origin of the infection.
It occurred to him that the scalpel had somehow transferred the
infection, and if so, hands could also be a medium for transferring infection. The one difference between the two wards he
had not considered or changed was that student doctors did dissections on
deceased patients as part of their medical training. He had those student doctors wash their hands
with a solution with similar properties to our chlorine bleach prior to tending
to the patients in the maternity ward.
Mortality rates immediately dropped to below 2% and, as long as the
washing procedure was followed, did not rise.
Of course,
Semmelweis was excited to share his discovery- just think of all the patients
that could be saved! But, despite the
evidence, the idea that there were “corpse particles” too small to be seen on
unwashed hands was considered ludicrous by the medical community. He wrote letters asking doctors to just try
hand washing and telling them they were, in fact, murderers if they insisted on
ignoring his findings. Semmelweis’s
frustrated insistence and the derision it drew, eventually led him to breakdown
and his wife and contemporaries committed him to an asylum where he died,
ironically, from an infection. After his
death, others, including Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister were deeply influenced
by his work. But despite the fact that
everyone who experimented on what Semmelweis’s conclusions found them to be
accurate, it was well over half a century before the medical community in
general accepted that their hands could indeed be the cause in transmitting
infection. Which brings me to another
important concept, rhetoric.
Rhetoric is effectively
using language to persuade. It can be an
effective tool for sharing discoveries and truth, but it can be just as
effective in spreading lies or fighting against the acceptance of an unexpected
or unwanted truth. For instance, there
have been several philosophers over the years that have written quite
persuasively that if a person seeks their own happiness above all else society
will prosper. People who aren't
restricted by duty and commitment are free to be creative and that creativity
will mean a vibrant, increasingly powerful society. Interestingly, most of these philosophers
lived in what anthropologists call declining societies and they overwhelmingly blame
the decline on traditionalists who stifle, or hold back, the society and cause
conflict – in today’s rhetoric they are less evolved. Perhaps one of the most interesting
individuals to espouse this type of theory was an English anthropologist by the
name of Joseph Daniel Unwin. Prior to
1935, he espoused, very persuasively, that marriage was an antiquated social
construct that at best was irrelevant, and at worst harmful to the building a
truly powerful and vibrant society.
Being an anthropologist he decided to use evidence from past
civilizations to prove his point. He
studied 86 civilizations and when he stood before the British Psychological
Society to present his findings he said,
“The evidence is such as to demand a complete
revision of my personal philosophy; for the relationship between the factors
(man/women marriage with complete monogamy and cultural prosperity) seemed to
be so close, that if we know the sexual regulations a society has adopted, we
can prophesy accurately the pattern of its cultural behavior...This type of
marriage has been adopted by different societies, in different places, and at
different times. Thousands of years and
thousands of miles separate the events; and there is no apparent connection
between them. In human records, there is
no case of an absolutely monogamous society failing to display great (cultural)
energy.
I do not know of a case on which great energy has been
displayed by a society that has not been absolutely monogamous….If during or
just after a period of (cultural) expansion, a society modifies its sexual
regulation, and a new generation is born into a less rigorous tradition, its
energy decreases…If it comes into contact with a more vigorous society, it is
deprived of its sovereignty, and possibly conquered in its turn.” (Sexual Regulations and Cultural Behavior, Joseph Daniel Unwin, Ph.D., in
and address given to the Medical Section of the British Psychological
Society. Library of Congress No.
HQ12.U52)
What I found most
fascinating when I read Dr. Unwin findings was that I was well aware of the type
of theory he wanted to prove- I had read it as “proven” with great rhetoric in
academic writings, taken for granted in sitcoms and dramas, and praised as a
sign of our society being evolutionarily advanced. What surprised me was to
realize how far back there was truly credible, empirical evidence that it wasn’t
a new, untried theory and that in every case it had proven false. The first time I saw Dr. Unwin mentioned, it
was to credit him with being one of the European liberal thinkers who helped
start the cultural and sexual revolutions in Europe. He wrote two books in an attempt to make his
findings more widely known. But, if not
for groups who have formed to present a unified defense of the traditional
family, what is contained in those books would be unknown. However, the persuasive rhetoric he
originally, freely espoused before and during his study- that was so appealing
to what the scriptures call the “natural” of “fallen” man that it flourished- just
like it flourished in many of those “less advanced” societies, until shortly
after the third generation (roughly 75-100 years), when a combination of
internal economic and social turmoil and outside pressure led to what
historian’s refer to as the “fall” of a civilization. However, Dr. Unwin also noted that the
reverse would also be true- three generations of a “return to virtue” could
bring vibrancy back to a civilization. (See "A Return to Virtue," Elaine S. Dalton, Ensign, November 2008) 
For instance, did
you notice the amount of time that passed between Dr. Semmelwies findings and
the medical community accepting what he had discovered as truth? The established elite of the medical
community shunned and ridiculed him. But
he had student doctors, who had participated in his study, and they quietly
adopted the practice of hand washing in their practices. Other young doctors paid more attention to
his study, and some, like Joseph Lister, were able to use social influence to
weather the abuse of the establishment when they became convinced he was right. It helped that those, like Lister, who did
try Semmelwies’s methods didn’t have as many patients die. After all, patients prefer a doctor with a
low mortality rate. The next generation
heard lectures and read academic works by these untraditional, but successful
doctors and – well truth prevailed.
And God is truth
and he is the same yesterday, today and forever. He knows what builds and destroys both
individuals and societies. He also knows
perfectly what deadly spiritual infections are highly contagious and exactly
how we can purify ourselves so that we don’t become instruments in spreading
them to others. Helping us understand
and act on truth is why he calls prophets.
It is a main reason we have the words of Isaiah. Like many prophets, Isaiah teaches us what
actions we need to take (the cause) to obtain joy, hope, and knowledge in this
life and eternal life in the world to come (the effect). He uses a mixture of historical examples
(which anyone can verify with the basic 5 senses) and prophetic promises (which
do require humble inquiry of the Lord in order to receive spiritual
confirmation of their truth.) Isaiah 2-4, if looked at as one “conference
talk,” is a perfect illustration. It
opens and closes with a hopeful true glimpse of the most vibrant and successful
society possible- Zion. (Isaiah 2:1-5,
Isaiah 4:2-6) One of the most important
“plain and precious” insights from the Book of Mormon on this topic is found in
Nephi’s commentary on Isaiah in 1 Nephi 22:26:
And because of the
righteousness of his people Satan has no power;
wherefore he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power
over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy
One of Israel reigneth.
Did you get that? The effect is the Satan has no power and the
cause is the righteousness of his people.
That is why Zion in not just a place or a people, but it is also an
individual state. The scriptures do give
us a couple of tantalizing glimpses into civilizations that, at least
temporarily, reached this state, but the Book of Mormon also gives us several
examples of individuals who lived through war, civil strife, and persecution
because of their faith in Christ – in short, times when the choices of the
others around them meant Zion as a nation they were not! But such circumstances didn’t prevent one
such individual, Moroni, from becoming such a man the“if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni,
behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the
hearts of the children of men.” (Alma 48:17)
I feel such a deep
conviction that the example of Moroni, as well as those “no less serviceable
unto the people,” are meant by the Lord to be considered, no devoured and
deeply internalized, in conjunction with verses like Isaiah 3:10- Say unto the righteous, that it shall be
well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” (Alma 48:18)
The rest of the
material in Isaiah’s “talk” lists the causes (the wicked choices of the people)
and the increasingly growing evidence of the effects of those choices. As, I wrote a few weeks ago, Isaiah 2 is all
about “Jacob” delighting in worshiping “his” own wisdom, the work of his hands,
riches, and those more sensually pleasing gods next door. The first two words in the King James Version
of Isaiah 3:1 read, “For Behold.” In
other translations it is translated as “Even, now” or “See, now.” In other words: you don’t have to wait until
“the day of the Lord” to experience the effects of these choices; (but everyone who intentionally chooses evil
will feel the full effects then) you are even now experiencing the chaotic
effects of evil choices.
First, they lose “stay and staff.” The “stay,” as it illustrates in verse 1 are
the most basic necessities of life- food (bread) and water. Weather (yea, they did tell the Lord to keep
enough distance they could party in the groves like a Philistine and when he
withdraws so does the organizing power that brings the rains, which in turn affects
the harvest), war and pure greed on the part of the “upper class” has combined
to rob many in the population of any temporal security.
Next, the choice of previous generations to encourage
a “less rigorous tradition” as far as
what was considered moral and obedient
to the commands of Jehovah, meant there are no Moroni’s to rise to the occasion
and serve their people. Moroni is
described as “a strong and a mighty man
of perfect understanding; yea, a man who didn’t delight in bloodshed; a man
whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren
from bondage and slavery…a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and
safety of his people.” (Alma 48:11-12)
Those are the type of individuals who are described as the “staff”
(symbol of legal, righteous power and authority) that is also being taken
away. (Isaiah2:3) Instead positions of political, legal,
military, and religious leadership are held by childish and selfish men. They use their authority to “eat up the
vineyard” or use the resources of the nation for their own selfish ends, which
includes “grinding on the face of the poor.”(Isaiah 3:5,9,14-15) Things are getting so bad that someone with a
decent set of clothes is begged to take on leadership, but he refuses, stating
he can hardly take care of his own house.
(Isaiah 6-7)
Nor is it just the men.
After all, women are generally half of the population and, as Ghandi
noted “when you educate a women you educate a nation.” Nor is he alone in noting this. Brigham Young was once asked if he could only
educate boys or girls, whom would he choose.
His reply was, in essence, that he would choose the girls because they
would be the mothers and teachers of the next generation and then only one
generation would suffer the effects of lacking education. But, that only holds
true if that education, both temporal and spiritual, runs hand in hand with
motherhood, whether they marry and have biological children of their own or not,
being a worthwhile and honorable goal for women.
No wonder Isaiah spends almost half the verses in Isaiah
3 talking about how women valuing being proud (stretched out necks), sexy,(wanton
eyes) and beautiful (Isaiah 3:17-18 are a list of beauty and fashion accessories)
as primary life goals is an equally contributing cause in the collapse of their
society. Historically speaking, Isaiah is
pinpointing the primary effects of that collapse on the women. More men than women will die in both civil
war and foreign invasion (Isaiah 3:25).
More women will become captives and slaves, with all that it can entail-
including their fine clothes being ripped away to be replaced with slaves
clothing and the customary shaving of the head.
(Not only was glorious hair a great source of pride, so shaving a
captured slave humiliated them, but it was also practical because a bald head
doesn’t make a good home for lice. )
Isaiah 4:1 is a continuation of this list. It deals with those not taken in
slavery. Those who survive now do desperately
want to focus on building a family, but there is a dearth of men. They promise
to take care of all the responsibilities of raising a family if a man will just
give them his name (give them a standing in society so they are not considered
low or base) and take away their reproach (this refers to being
childless). Isaiah uses that phrase “in
that day” at the beginning of this verse and again at the beginning of verse
2. This is the signal that he has
presented the “case studies” so to speak and we now can apply it to our day. A few weeks ago I heard two statistics on the
evening news that made me think of this verse and think of these effects and
how they are already showing up in our society.
The first was that over 40% of women under 40 in our nation have never
been married. Women interviewed in
connection with this story commented that not marrying is now a choice with no
stigma attached and that there is a dearth of acceptable marriage
partners. The second one was that over
50% of children born in our country last year were to unmarried women. (Also see M. Russell Ballard,"That the Lost May Be Found," Ensign, November 2012, p.98)
These stories, stuck with me because I grew up the oldest
daughter in a family of 10. I loved books
and learning and had some resentful feeling about being called away from my
books to help with family responsibilities.
I found much of the rhetoric that has influenced these trends in our
society inviting. In fact I know I was
very clear with my young women leaders and parents that I had better things to
do with my life than change diapers and wipe snotty noses. In
short, I know if I hadn’t grown up surrounded by the gospel, and if others in
my life hadn’t made the choices they did- especially the incredible man I
married and some very special "sisters" – I have no doubt I wouldn’t have the joy in the gospel and my family I
do now. I have watched the same miracle
happen in lives of women from a variety of backgrounds. And I begin to see what Isaiah meant when he
taught of the Lord “wash(ing) away the filth of the daughters of Zion.” (Isaiah
4:4) To me it means a conviction that
has grown bone deep that, as President Gordan B. Hinckley declared “mothers
can do more than any other group to reverse todays sobering trends.” (As quoted
in “Are We Not All Mothers,” No One Can Take Your Place, Sherri Dew,
Deseret Book 2004)
And, as Sister Dew, an educated, successful business
woman who has never married or had children, wrote, I too am sure:
As mothers in Israel, we are
the Lord’s secret weapon. Our influence
comes from a divine endowment that has been in place from the beginning. In the premortal world, when our Father
described our role, I wonder if we didn’t stand in wide-eyed wonder that He
would bless us with a sacred trust so central to His plan and that He would endow us with
gifts so vital to the loving and leading of His children. I wonder if we shouted for joy (see Job 38:7)
at least in part because of the ennobling stature He gave us in His
kingdom. The world won’t tell you that,
but the Spirit will.
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