If God's message is so important, why doesn't he do more to attract attention?

It is difficult to go through a day anymore without being bombarded by attempts to capture attention.  

In briefly checking my email, the number of iPads that I have supposedly won far exceeds the number of iPads that I own, single girls in my area want to chat with me, and several people with ties to Nigerian Royalty have chosen to ask me for help transferring a large sum of money into the United States.

Carefully positioned billboards line the freeway, reminding me how desperately I crave an In-N-Out Double Double, or that the closest emergency room has a 13 minute wait, or that some famous singer will be performing soon.

With the internet, there are websites dedicated to practically anything imaginable.  Videos of people having surgery are intermingled with videos of people cooking food.  Pictures of beautiful natural wonders are mixed with the latest renders of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Having such a variety of things that actively seek attention, and seeing how successful some of them can be, could make a Christian wonder why God doesn't do more to attract attention to his message.  If a little creative advertising can make people brave long lines to purchase the latest tech products, why couldn't God do something similar with his messages?  If people get excited to attend conventions to meet sci-fi and fantasy celebrities, why doesn't God have a "miracle-con" where he lets people have photo ops with angels, cures terminal diseases, and offers personal and accurate prophesies about the future?  Wouldn't that get people excited about God's message?  Wouldn't a bit of positive PR ultimately help his children?

As though Jesus knew that this question might be asked, he told the following parable:

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said... I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send [Lazarus] to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

 "Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31, emphasis added)

How could he be so confident that additional attention would not work?  Certainly we have seen amazing corporate success from carefully executed marketing strategies that capture the attention and imagination of the public...

Of course, he knew because he lived it.  In spite of the miracles that he personally wrought, his enemies actively sought opportunity to kill him.  He fed thousands with a few scraps, he healed the lame, the blind, the deaf, the afflicted, and even brought the dead back to life.  While he garnered some attention, there were many who rejected his message.

Additionally, his prophets have performed great feats to no avail.  The ten plagues were not enough to convince Pharaoh to let Moses go, nor did the parting of the Red Sea prevent many of the Hebrew children from proclaiming that a newly created pair of golden calves were responsible for their deliverance.

The worship of Baal was not immediately stopped even after the dramatic demonstration of Elijah the Tishbite on Mount Carmel, and the goods of Naaman the Syrian were more precious to Gehazi than being honest with Elisha the son of Shaphat.

Perhaps one of the saddest examples is that of Jeremiah.  He stood by the gates of Jerusalem and preached to everyone he could (Jeremiah 17).  He presented unusual object lessons such as burying a belt by the Euphrates river, and retrieving it after it had rotted away to show how the people were not doing their job (Jeremiah 13).  He predicted accurately the result of attempted rebellions, and ultimately was ignored (Jeremiah 43).

In the end, God does not need a better advertising campaign.  He needs people to choose him over other sources.  He does not need a constant stream of miracles to keep the people coming to him... he needs people to develop the faith necessary so that they can see miracles.  He does not need to produce exciting new demonstrations of his power, these demonstrations did not convince everyone anyway.

Perhaps the question that a Christian should ask is, if God didn't do anything new to get my attention, would I still believe?  What if he didn't heal anyone else?  What if he didn't help me be successful?  What if I didn't have everything I needed?  What if the people in his church were sometimes unpleasant?  What if his scriptures were written with archaic language constructs, and some of his prophets had slow monotonous voices?  What if I had nothing more than what he had already given me... would I still believe?  Would that be enough for me?

With a bit of reflection, the honest man should be able to examine his life and realize that God has been present in diverse ways and at different times, and that he has done many things to try to get our attention.  He has done things to help and guide us.  This was the realization that came to the men who walked the road to Emmaus after Christ was resurrected:

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32)

Wise is the man who is able to hear that still small voice that comes from God.  (1 Kings 19:12-13)  Though it may not always be exciting, and it may not grab our attention the way other things do, it carries with it the divine promise of Jesus Christ himself:

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:18)

Peaceful feelings of total destruction

After the books of Nephi and the book of Jacob, there are a number of short books in the Book of Mormon.  It can be easy to overlook these books... and while many latter day saints remember the story about Enos praying all day and night, few recall the details of Jarom, or the numerous individuals in the book of Omni.

Of course, the prayer of Enos is significant.  The determination he had in persistently seeking an answer from God, and that faith he had in believing the answers when they came represent important lessons in communicating with our Father in Heaven.  The fact that his guilt was swept away is moving for those that have experienced the miracle of Christ's power, and the mercy of his forgiveness.  His beneficence is demonstrated in how he immediately prayed for the salvation of his people, the Nephites.  It is notable to realize that he spent effort on behalf of the Lamanites, who continually sought to kill his people.  It is important that he hoped for the welfare of the records of his people, so that, in time, the Lamanites might have knowledge of and peace through Jesus Christ.

Having had what he described as "rest" (Enos 1:17), he went to his people to persuade them to believe in Christ.  After having a spiritual experience as he had, where he obtained peace, confidence, and joy... one might imagine the means by which he taught his people would be expressed in a similar tone.  It would not be unreasonable to think he would emphasize the love and mercy of God to all those who would come to him.

Instead, he records the following:

"And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction." (Enos 1:23)

Certainly there are few things that inspire feelings of peace, love, and harmony more than threatening of "wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity..."  (Sarcasm... in case that was unclear.)

To the saints in the latter days... this may seem odd.  When I attend conference and hear the words of modern day apostles and prophets, I come away with the idea that they do not use the same approach Enos did.  In fact, it is frequently that these men plead with us to be a little bit better, to try a little harder, and to be a little kinder.  While the call to repentance is not absent from their messages, it is always accompanied by descriptions of the love and mercy of the Son of God.

Perhaps even adding to the contrast is the fact that in the latter days, there are numerous prophecies that indicate the increased danger and destruction that will prevail in the last days.  Consider these examples:

• "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:1-7)
• "And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (Revelation 13:6-7)
• "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matthew 24:7-12)

With great perils in the last days, more so than in any other time, it can seem confusing as to why the strategy of Enos is not employed more frequently.  Why do we hear so little about the threats of "wars, and contentions, and destructions?"  Why are we not continually reminded of death and the duration of eternity?

I suggest that we are given these reminders, but indirectly.  We are asked to read the scriptures.  We are asked to study the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  We are taught that the messages of these ancient prophets (especially those in the Book of Mormon) are specifically intended for us in modern times.

It becomes everyone who reads these scriptures not to skim over the short books or the minor prophets.  There are messages in many of them (both the Bible and the Book of Mormon) that warn us of the dangers that come from not heeding the counsel of the Lord.  There are promises and examples that demonstrate the power and peace available to those that do follow him.  These messages blend well with the teachings of modern prophets and apostles that remind us of the great love that Christ has for us... such that it becomes easy to see that God is actively trying not only to grant us incredible blessings, but also that he is trying to save us from terrible harm.

Perhaps being aware of what awful destruction awaits those that fend for themselves rather than come to Christ can provide a feeling of peace and confidence.

The famous Confederate General Stonewall Jackson is quoted as saying this:
"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. Captain, that is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave." (The Oxford Dictionary of Civil War Quotations, 2006)