You Are What You Read

          My Home Teacher(should that be capitalized?) came over yesterday and talked about an article in this month's Ensign about things we let influence us. Here's the quote that really hit home for me:  
        
"As with so much in life, what we consume is a choice, so if you spend much of your time consuming one kind of message, don’t be surprised that you become influenced by it... When we choose to consume the attitudes and opinions of the mass media, we find our own values and viewpoints following suit. We tell ourselves we’re not being affected by these messages, but that is not possible." We need to be aware that many of today’s messages in the media can cause us to doubt our faith, compromise our convictions, and view the world through cynical eyes." (Opening Our Hearts to Revelation By Elder Patrick Kearon)

         It's interesting because I've actually been experiencing this since I've started the Mormon Dad blog and YouTube channel. Searching for various articles criticizing the Church felt heavy and dark. I'm sure there are people that can handle more or less exposure before they're affected.
        It reminds me of the Bruce R. McConkie quote:

 "I have read from time to time, but primarily for amusement or diversion, what somebody has said in a critical vein about the Church or what some Protestant professor of religion has said about the tenets of Christianity." (How to Get Personal Revelation by Elder Bruce R. McConkie)

       Even Bruce R. would only allow himself to be exposed to such things "from time to time". This experience has given me new insight on the importance of reading scriptures, the Word of God, which is filled with truth and righteous role models. Now I see why the Lord commands us to have daily scripture study.  And not just a casual, quick read, but a "feast".
      Chris Rock once said in an interview, "If you read good stuff, you'll [create] good stuff." In other words, you are what you read.

 “Satan need not get everyone to be like Cain or Judas … ,” said Elder Neal A. Maxwell. “He needs only to get able men … to see themselves as sophisticated neutrals.” (Neal A. Maxwell, Deposition of a Disciple (1976), 88.)