It is by the light of Christ, said Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve, that all mankind "may know good from evil."

"Freedom and light have never been easy to attain or maintain," he declared at the Saturday afternoon session of conference. "Since the war in heaven the forces of evil have used every means possible to destroy agency and extinguish light. The assault on moral principles and religious freedom has never been stronger."

Latter-day Saints must do their best to preserve light and protect their families and communities from this assault on morality and religious freedom.

Elder Cook said an ever-present danger to the family is the onslaught of evil forces coming from every direction. "While our primary effort must be to seek light and truth, we would be wise to black out from our homes the lethal bombs that destroy spiritual development and growth. Pornography, in particular, is a weapon of mass moral destruction. Its impact is at the forefront in eroding moral values. Some TV programs and Internet sites are equally lethal. These evil forces remove light and hope from the world."

Religious observance in the home must also increase, he added. Weekly family home evening, daily family prayer and scripture study are essential. The home must be a holy place that shelters families from evil.

The faithful must also be a source of light in protecting communities. The majority of people in the world are respectful of basic moral values, he noted, and then added, "But make no mistake, there are also people who are determined to both destroy faith and reject any religious influence in society. Other evil people exploit, manipulate, and tear down society with drugs, pornography, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, robbery and dishonest business practices. The power and influences of these people is very large even if they are relatively small in number."

In an increasingly unrighteous world, he added, it is essential that values based on religious belief be part of the public discourse. "Religious faith is a store of light, knowledge, and wisdom and benefits society in a dramatic way when adherents engage in moral conduct because they feel accountable to God."

Honest conduct, he declared, is motivated by accountability to God. "Think about the impact on society if youth didn't cheat in school, adults were honest in the work place and were faithful to their marriage vows. For us, the concept of basic honesty is grounded in the life and teachings of the Savior."

A second example of how religious faith benefits society and contributes light to the world is the role of religion in treating all of God's children as brothers and sisters. Elder Cook explained that the evil practice of slavery in Great Britain and the United States was outlawed, in large part, because religious people were committed to the doctrine of treating all people as sons and daughters of God.

"We should both participate ourselves and support people of character and integrity to help reestablish moral values that will bless the entire community," he said.

The moral foundation of gospel doctrine can be a beacon of light to the world and a unifying force for both morality and faith in Jesus Christ.

"We need to protect our families and be at the forefront together with all people of good will in doing everything we can to preserve light, hope and morality in our communities," said Elder Cook. — Jason Swensen