Anger is bad, right?

True or false: anger is a bad thing. Yes? No?

I'll answer that question later.

Your whole life you've probably been taught, "Don't get angry, don't get angry, don't get angry."

That's actually good advice. No one can feel angry for very long before they explode. The easiest way not to act in anger is not to feel angry in the first place.

The problem with being told not to get angry is that people often misunderstand it. Many people get angry, but they suppress it (on the surface it may look the same as someone who is genuinely not upset). That's not any wiser than being the grouch who goes on an angry rampage. Their suppressed anger becomes a time bomb that blows up eventually. How many times have you heard of a shooter on a killing spree whose acquaintances had thought he was peaceful? That's suppressed anger rearing its ugly head.

Most anger management techniques you've been taught deal with how to decrease the intensity of your feelings at the moment (i.e. take a breath, go for a walk, count to ten). But those techniques often don't deal with the real cause of your anger. So you're bound to get angry all over again next time.

Here's a story to illustrate: I used Orajel on my toothache, but it turns out I had a deep, severe problem: I needed my wisdom teeth removed! I could have ignored the pain or continued taking medicine so that I didn't feel the pain. But none of those would have solved the serious problem I had, nor would they have stopped worse consequences (i.e. the destruction of the surrounding teeth).

The root of my problem would never be solved until a professional went in an fixed it.

You may need a professional anger management specialist to discover the root of your anger and help you extract it. Even if the problem does not require special help, getting to the root of your anger is by far the best anger management technique.

Everyone gets angry (even God gets angry). Denying anger's existence is not the key to healthy anger management.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons people mismanage their anger is an incorrect religious understanding of anger.

There are  indeed passages in the Bible (i.e. Psalms 37:8) commanding us to not be angry. But as I stated before, not being angry is different than suppressing anger.

It should be noted that the Book of Mormon does not specifically command us to not be angry. (3 Nephi 11:30 explains that causing others to argue in anger is bad, but it does not condemn anger itself).

For more passages on anger, see: http://classic.scriptures.lds.org/en/tg/a/113

One misunderstood passage  is when Jesus warns that he who is angry with his brother is in danger of hellfire (Matthew 5:22). But this does not mean you shouldn't be angry.

First of all, being "in danger" does not mean that this punishment is automatically guaranteed for those who feel angry. Second of all, Jesus follows this statement with one of the best anger management techniques known to man: talking it out with the person who offended you (Matthew 5:23-25).

Even the philosophy of "turn the other cheek" does not mean ignore or suppress your rage. It simply offers an alternate reaction. (Matthew 5:39)

I've read literature on anger management (including "Anger," and "Anger Management for Dummies"). They all have some common themes:
When you're angry, acknowledge your anger. Don't call it by a euphemistic name.
Do something about your anger. The most important thing to do is:
Get to the bottom of what makes you angry.  Be honest with yourself.
Are you angry that you got cut off or are you scared that you'll die, or that you'll get fired if you're late? Are you angry that your child destroyed your electronic device, or are you afraid you won't be able to pay the bills and provide for the family?
Your value as a human being is constant no matter what you do or what you have to suffer at the hands of all those idiots.

You don't always have to change your way of thinking (for example, you should always have a healthy fear of death or injury behind the wheel). But an awareness of the cause of one's anger can help one to act rationally while responding to their anger.

However, the cause of most anger is an immature, self-centered, short-sighted worldview.

As I said before, the easiest way not to act in anger is not to feel angry in the first place. Not feeling angry is the result of a mindset that is mature and is aware of what matters and what doesn't. For example, your relationship with your family is important and truly lasts forever. Money vaporizes (at least for you) when you die.

Back to the first question: is anger bad? No, in and of itself it is not. How you handle your anger is what's good or bad.

Obtain a mature worldview so that you hardly get angry in the first place. When you get angry, do something constructive, such as getting to the root of your anger.

And don't forget to be kind!