In my Faith at the age of about 8, I received my first CTR Ring. CTR stands for Choose the Right. It was a reminder to us as we became members of the Faith to do what is right, to be the best version of ourselves possible, a tangible and visible reminder of a commitment we made even if we didn't fully understand its scope and implications. Back then, it was fun, but because I was a minority religion in school, it also made me an anomaly, but that had its purpose too. Now that I'm wiser and older, I understand some of these purposes better, and it's the only piece of jewelry besides my fitbit that I wear. Ever. It's cheap- $0.25US (back then), but its value is great. After I starting teaching Microbiology I learned of some other ways in which it protects you, and although I'm not sure if the leaders of the Faith knew this and did it intentionally, it adds a certain nuance. Now before you jump the shark and take credit for these thoughts, please know that I already told both my congregational leader and my Sunday School class these same things, so they can vouch for the fact that you didn't come up with it. The ring's presence and contents constitute its protective power. The metals of which it's comprised steel your mettle against the literal corruption of the flesh by organisms that would harm you or destroy you, and the symbols on its face remind you to steel yourself against influences of the spirit that would lead you away to harm or destruction. In essence, this is quite literally provided to young people in my faith as a shield and a protection against the power of the destroyer, literally and figuratively speaking.
The outside of the ring is made shiny by virtue of a zinc plating, a common technique to protect other metals from degrading (galvanization). Zinc is ironically essential for your survival in some cases and prevents the growth of viral strains that would otherwise corrupt your genome. Many genes in humans have "zinc fingers", which is a region of DNA where zinc ions bind that tell your cells where a gene starts so that you can use your DNA more efficiently. Viral genomes, which are MUCH smaller, when they bind zinc, are prevented from other associations with other molecules because the zinc outcompetes other molecules for room to dock. The purpose of the teachings of my Faith are designed to prevent other idealogies from gaining a foothold and reproducing themselves in you, and they are integral to show you what is really important and necessary for you to do in your life just like zinc fingers tell your body what parts of your genetics are important and useful. Galvanized against the powers that might otherwise degrade your mettle, the ring sits on the outside and provides you a reminder of what you ought to do and serves as a protection against influences that might direct your efforts to some other reactions. Like the galvanized outer metal layer, on your finger the ring resists forces that get at your core, that would change your principles, behaviors, attitudes and norms. The metal plating on the outside resists organisms that would establish themselves as part of your DNA and corrupt your ability to be the best version of yourself possible.
Most of the ring is made from copper, which also has a literal protective benefit. Copper ions provide protection from fungus. I have known this for years, ever since I went to the doctor when I was like 10 for a growth on my neck and the flight surgeon proscribed that I shower using selson blue shampoo, which is blue because it has copper in it, and the copper prevents the maturation of fungus, ergo the spread thereof. You are most likely to encounter fungus as a challenge to your health. That's because we use fungus in dairy products, bread, and alcohol as a means to actually prepare the final edible versions. So, if you have ever had any of those in your house, and if your house is too humid, there is fungus there making you miserable. In addition to that, there are some fungal strains that actually attack you- athlete's foot, jock itch, feminine itch, etc., and so the copper in the ring helps to prevent fungus from establishing a foothold and making you struggle even if you aren't actually "sick". That's one of the purposes of living a Christian life- so that you prevent the adversary from establishing a foothold in your life and creating problems you could otherwise avoid if he's not allowed to set up camp. Not everything evil encourages makes you evil; sometimes it keeps you from doing better things. Murder is no better of a temptation than cards if cards will do the trick.
Ultimately, the ring serves as a symbol of what we believe and the promises we make as Christians to live as He would have us. I know some people ask what would Jesus do, but more importantly, the ring asks us to consider what Jesus would have ME do. Simply put- the gospel of Jesus Christ is to love God, love your neighbor, and then live like you mean that, to choose what is right, what is best, and then trust in God's grace, love, and timing. We see the simple anagram and know what it means, and if you actually look at it, it reminds us that God ever always achieves great things by small and simple means. The benefit is not just subconscious and subtle. As the ring degrades and the metal grows exposed, the ring leaves a stain on the hand. As if the glaring green letters weren't enough, eventually there's a ring around the finger even if you remove the ring from the metals dissolving in the acids from your hand and entering the body. Both of these draw attention to your finger. Mostly, I think it bothers the wearer, because the ion ring on your finger is unsightly and because the green lettering and shield look almost cartoonish. This forces you to notice the ring, notice the ring's literal effects on your body and think about your CTR ring, reminding you to choose the right. It also sometimes draws the attention of others. That is I think one of the unsung and untouted effects- it affords you an opportunity to share your beliefs with your peers in an environment where it rarely surfaces and is regularly discouraged. My CTR ring affords me both the opportunity to remember my Savior as well as sometimes discuss Him with other people who are curious about what gaudy jewelry I wear and why. I don't really think God cares too much that we mostly stop wearing the ring after a few years, but I think He would smile to see the stain on your hand beneath it and know that you Honor the promise to remember Him always and benefit from the tangible and philosophical benefits this simple symbol affords.
I do not know if the church leaders even know or care about this, and I don't think it was their intent when they introduced these rings to be oblique and introduce layers of subtle symbolism, but I found it. Within a week of mentioning this in Sunday school, four members of my class started wearing theirs again, which is why my bishop asked me about it, since he noticed some High School Seniors wearing their old rings. So I told him essentially what I just told you. I think it's probably for most people a happy accident, but for someone like me, with an eye to see and a mind to comprehend, I don't think it was a coincidence that the ring provides literal as well as figurative protection. I live much better when I wear it. I feel much better (even if it's the placebo effect) when I wear it. Maybe I'm still not perfect, but it helps, and I don't get sick as much as other people seem to, and I'm not misled by fallacies like many people I encounter. The metals in the ring protect you from physical microbes, and the symbolic nature of the ring provides a shield against the attacks of the adversary. Sometimes, I find myself twirling it on my finger because the prongs are exposed, thinking about it subconsciously as I sit at my desk. Hopefully this shows in my actions. Essentially, there is no better way you could spend 25 cents to protect yourself from the fiery darts of the wicked and from the degradation of mortality than to buy and wear this ring. It's very small, but sometimes an inch of mettle is all that separates the hero from the craven, the Judas from Simon Peter. God loves us. He wants us to be successful, and He provides things to this end in our lives even if it takes us 30 years to understand the subtle nuances of His actions in our lives.
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