Lessons from a Book

When I was just graduated college, I decided that I was going to read the classics. I chose to read the unabridged versions, too- mostly just so I could say I had.  I read quite a few of them, too.  Most of them I really liked.  However, one of the ones I read was Moby Dick, and I HATED it. 

As I read Moby Dick, I wondered why on earth it was a famous classic.  It was long and boring, and a lot of the book had nothing to do with the story. (There was an entire chapter on the history of whales, their anatomy, and a lot about whaling.  The only thing it had to do with the story was that it had to do with whales.)  I came to the conclusion that it had to be famous strictly based on how it was received when it was originally written and the impact it had on future works of literature.  It could not possibly be the actual story.

Why? Because there really wasn't a story.  Let me tell you the story.  They chase a whale.  They all die.  The end.  1800 pages, and that was all that happened.  And the main guy- the only one to survive?  He doesn't have a name. People ask what his name is and the answer is always, "Ishmael."  WRONG.  He starts out the book, "CALL me Ishmael."  He is never addressed by name in the book.  Ishmael is a biblical reference that means wanderer- it isn't actually his name.  (Captain Ahab is also named after a bad guy in the bible, if anyone wants to look it up.)

My point?  I can say that I have read the unabridged version of Moby Dick.  And just because history books and literature courses told me I should love the book because it was awesome, I did not agree.  I hear a lot of marketing schemes that say things like, "Ten million Americans can't be wrong."  You know what, yes they can.

There are a lot of moral issues facing our country today.  And you know what, just because the majority of America says one thing, it doesn't make them right.  Yes, ten million Americans CAN be wrong.  I thought about this the other day while watching a tv show that talked about immorality, as if it was 'weird' or 'backward' to wait until marriage for intimacy.  Just because immorality has become common place does not make it right.  God's law is clear, about this and many other things.  We still have the Ten Commandments, the scriptures, and the teachings of the Savior to follow. 

Just because righteousness isn't cool anymore doesn't mean we don't need to do our best to keep the Commandments.  Just a thought.