Spiritual "Hand-Washing"

[DancingCarrot]

Now the spiritual application:
"What is the spiritual equivalent for "wash your hands"? The universal spiritual principle that everyone should practice to ensure spiritual health and well-being?

Do your best and make sure you're honoring your inner conscience.

Other than that, I'm not that interested in having a cure-all for spiritual health and well-being, mostly because I don't believe there is one, especially not one that applies to everyone equally and in all circumstances.

Also, it's worth noting that hand washing doesn't ensure health and well-being. It prevents one mode of infection transmission. It is not a substitute for healthy eating, physical movement/exercise, proper medication, appropriate surgery, access to clean water, meaningful relationships, etc. If I go to an emergency room with appendicitis and the surgeon tells me the most important thing for her to do is to wash her hands, I'm going to ask for a different surgeon. Similarly in church, if I have an appendicitis-like question and someone tells me the spiritual equivalent of making sure my hands are washed, then I'm going to find someone else to talk with.

Lastly, it also amuses and baffles me when people expect healthcare workers to suddenly stop being human due to their profession. Healthcare workers don't have 100% hand washing practices because they're focused on other things, and they are human. They're not purposefully malevolent.

[Curt Sunshine]

Live according to the dictates of your own conscience and allow everyone the same privilege.

I like that spiritual principle - with all my heart.

[Roy]

ok! Now that I got all that snark out of my system I am ready answer the question.

Now the spiritual application:
"What is the spiritual equivalent for "wash your hands"? The universal spiritual principle that everyone should practice to ensure spiritual health and well-being?

The best answer I can think of is as follows...

Even if people view many things differently, the core Gospel principles (LOVE; belief in the unseen but hoped; self-reflective change; symbolic cleansing; striving to recognize the will of the divine; never giving up) are universal.

[SilentDawning]

VERY interesting question.

For me, the spiritual hand washing involves "cleansing" my attitudes and beliefs about the LDS Church when interacting with orthodox company. And that includes my family. I don't consider my beliefs "dirty" -- they actually have made me happier and more immune to church and leadership abuse than in the past. Almost like having a bit of a virus or bacterial infection injected into you makes you immune from the full-blown disease. In Uchdorfts analogy, the doctors carried the disease, but didn't get sick from it. They were simply exposed and apparently had the immune strength to not succumb to the disease's onset. But they could pass it onto others who were vulnerable.

But to people without such past exposure to the viral, grisly side of the church, my attitudes can infect them spiritually and could lead to apostasy on their part. Fortunately, I have managed to stay active in spite of my exposure to church toxicity, but there is no guarantee that others will react as I have -- with a middle way.

So, when I interact with orthodox Mormons, I need to filter and purge the very virus that has made me "immune" to the aspects of the church that in the past, made me sick and nearly killed me spiritually, but after recovery increased my immunity. I have no desire to pass the remnants of this virus to others, who may not have the constitution to accept it.

And even if they hear my ideas, and don't experience a loss of faith, their exposure could hurt my reputation, cruising range, ability to do what I want in the church. Just as inattention to hand washing can spawn lawsuits and loss of reputation of the doctors or their hospitals.

By the way, I have described myself as "immune" . But I'm not. I could get sick at any time, I believe. You have to say that or life will intentionally teach you humility...