Anybody can become angry, that's
easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right
time, for the right purpose, and in the right way, that's not within everybody's
power. That's not easy.
-Aristotle
"Some say, 'I feel as though I must boil over, and I
must talk to relieve myself.' All hell is boiling over; but does that make it
any better? No. If you let your tongue run, and it scatters the poison that is
in you, it sets the whole being on fire. The Apostle James says, 'And the tongue
is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue among our members that it
defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set
on fire of hell.' And again, 'But the tongue can no man tame: it is an unruly
evil, full of deadly poison.' Are you aware of this, sisters and brethren? If
you keep silent, you can master your feelings, can subdue your passions, and
ultimately become masters of them and banish them from you. If you give way to
your unbridled tongues, you increase anger within you, and the first you know
your blood is boiling with wrath. That is what the Apostle meant when he wrote,
'It setteth on fire the whole course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell.'
It is hell that sets it going. If you find that you cannot keep your tongue
still, get some India-rubber and chew it with all your might." — Brigham Young,
"Journal of Discourses," Vol.6, p.74 - 75
"He is a weak man who will curse or condemn some
loved one because of a little accident. What good does it do him? He would be a
man if he would develop his spirit and control that anger, control his tongue. A
little thing? Trace it, and you will find that not yielding and not controlling
it bring many an unhappy hour in your home." — David O. McKay, "Gospel Ideals,"
p.490
"It is not the macho thing. It is an indication of weakness. Anger
is not an expression of strength. It is an indication of one's inability to
control his thoughts, words, his emotions. Of course it is easy to get angry.
When the weakness of anger takes over, the strength of reason leaves. Cultivate
within yourselves the mighty power of self-discipline." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "Our
Solemn Responsibilities," General Conference, October 1991
"Uncontrolled anger distorts reason
and cancels out wisdom. All of us are susceptible to rising anger, but before we
act we can put ourselves under control." — Wm. Grant Bangerter, "It's a Two-Way
Street", "BYU Speeches of the Year 1984-85," August 4, 1985
"I speak to fathers and mothers everywhere with a
plea to put harshness behind us, to bridle our anger, to lower our voices, and
to deal with mercy and love and respect one toward another in our homes." —
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Blessed
Are The Merciful," General Conference, April 1990
"If
your neighbor suffers his cattle or his children to trespass upon your property,
never retaliate or speak an angry reply, for this will engender a spirit of
anger in him. Consider well before you suffer your minds to be irritated in the
least. Suffer them not to be agitated until your blood is boiling with rage
before you are aware; but stop and reflect, coolly consider, and quietly reason
with the person or persons who have trespassed upon you, and show them the
nature of their transgression against you. If they continue in the same course
of conduct, reason the stronger with them, without quarrelling. Thus bring your
passions down into subjection to your will, and cultivate an even unruffled
temper, until you can perfectly control yourselves at all times, in all places,
and under all circumstances. Then our affections and feelings would become
congenial to those of the Angels of God, and we should continue to increase in
that Holy Spirit which would prepare us for the society of holy beings. This is
our school, and a profitable one it is to the Elders of Israel." — Brigham
Young, "Journal of Discourses," Vol.6, p.316