The purpose of this earth life is to learn to distinguish between good and evil. Some people in the world are working hard at blurring our view of what is right and what is wrong. There are moral absolutes. Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil (see 2 Nephi 28:20). Examples include the following: marriage is unnecessary; homosexual marriage is acceptable; premarital and extramarital sex are admissible; movies and magazines glamorize infidelity; and abortion is justified and condoned (“pro-choice” advocates presume to do noble service in protecting and preserving women’s rights). So much of what we call enlightenment is really the opposite—darkness. Much of our sophistication is really degradation
On a very personal level, this verse is a stark warning. God knows what we know. He knows what is in our hearts, our intentions. Baptized members of the Church cannot rationalize wrong behavior on the grounds of ignorance or political correctness. President Spencer W. Kimball said, “I challenge any normal baptized person who says he did not know he was doing wrong.” 41