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I am a fan of the movies, and recently rewatched the classic western “Shane.” One of the memorable quotes from that movie says that “a gun is a tool. . .no better or no worse than any other tool; an axe, a shovel, or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it.” With my background in media studies among the Mormon community in Utah, I have spent a lot of time in discussion about that same concept applied to movies, music, television, radio, and the internet.

All of these media are tools as well, and no better or worse than the person who creates the episode or website. The negative influence of the media is often lamented over the pulpit and in Sunday School classes, but the culprits are those misusing a neutral tool, not the tool itself. After all, the Church uses all these same media in an official capacity to build up the kingdom of God. Movies are shown in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (as well as most temples), television and radio broadcast General Conference, as well as the Tabernacle Choir, and the Church has begun to use the internet as a missionary tool with mormon.org.

Of course, this last area is where the More Good Foundation is concerned. The fact that individual Church units should not create or sponsor websites of their own was addressed in the previous newsletter, but it was clarified that personal websites are no different from any personal communications. The possibilities of media as a missionary tool are incredible, however, few of us have resources, time, or know-how to create movies, radio or television programs, or compose music to share the restored gospel. But the nature of the internet has the potential to give every individual an equal voice. If you have a computer, you can talk to the world. We can share the gospel with power and reverance online just as we would in conversation, but reach more people.

Unfortunately, those who wish to misrepresent and tear down our faith seem to have flocked to the internet. Search nearly any combination of Mormon-related keywords and the results are regrettable. But “[b]e strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the [negative websites], nor for all the multitute that is with [them]: for there be more with us than with [them]” (2 Chronicles 32:7). The Church’s detractors are vocal more than anything else, but we can drown them out with our numbers if we refuse to abandon the internet as a cyber-den of iniquity and put it to good use, flooding the cyber-world with the Book of Mormon and its message.

I have been delighted to work with the More Good Foundation. This is certainly a good cause we should all be anxiously engaged in. In addition to a missionary tool, the promise of the internet as an online community is exciting. While the Church is ever-expanding, the internet has the potential to keep us united in constant communication, and a serve as a viable, positive resource for Church members. Those searching for slander, lies, and sensationalism will always find it, but the sincere investigator of Mormonism will recognize and prefer the honest words of a member to a mean-spirited attack. It is up to each one of us to make our words available to them and to each other.