Friday, January 30, 2009

Even if you're not a Mormon

Anyone who has conversed with me about the current state of our union has likely heard me say something along the lines that "maybe the United States has served its purpose" For those who are not LDS let me clarify...We believe that the United States is the only place on the earth that Christ's church (which we believe is our church...hence the name, the organization, the claim to Priesthood authority, etc.) could be restored. However we also believe that the United States Constitution will hang by a thread, as this has been prophesied of over the past 175 or so years by the men we sustain as latter-day prophets and apostles.

You don't need to be a Mormon to see that the true principles whereon this country was founded are scarcely found in the government we have today. We have lost many liberties and are sure to continue to lose them as long as we lack the virtue needed to uphold good and wise men as our leaders. We are in the midst of an economic crises, a dollar crisis, undeclared wars abroad kill our boys, and innocent citizens of foreign lands and are paid for with the plundered funds of honest, hardworking people. It is difficult to see how we will recover from this, and this is kind of my point. What if we don't, what if in God's plan we don't need to? This is really just me brainstorming no one knows what's going to happen...but I'm not the first one to have that thought.





We also believe that the Book of Mormon, which is a record of civilizations which have preceded us on this continent, is a type and shadow of what will happen in the latter days.

3 Nephi 7: 2; 6-7 states:

"And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.

"And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.

"And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them."

I realize that the combination of being a Mormon and loving liberty is not a popular position to be in. I have been made fun of all my life for my religion but it doesn't change the fact that it is true. Just as being made a fool for the cause of liberty and freedom is worth it, because they are principles whereon God would have us live (it all comes down to agency). My experience has nearly always been that the less popular something is the more likely that thing is to be right, good and true. Which is why I find it so important to stand and be counted as one who loves the freedoms I have and wish to God I could be a hundred times more free.

4 comments:

Carrie said...

i REALLY liked this post. it makes a pretty big impact when it's all laid before you like that, and you see it happening right before your eyes.

Anonymous said...

Pres Bensen made some interesting commments and told of 4 steps we need to do. the 4th is important. Not only to members but to all americans




First: We must return to worship the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ. He has promised that the righteous will be preserved by His power (see 1 Ne. 22:17). But we must keep the commandments of God. We must pay our tithes and offerings, keep the Sabbath day a holy day, stay morally clean, be honest in all our dealings, and have our family and personal prayers. We must live the gospel.

Second: We must awaken to “a sense of [our] awful situation, because of this secret combination which [is] among [us]” (Ether 8:24). We must not tolerate accommodation with or appeasement toward the false system of Communism. We must demand of our elected officials that we not only resist Communism, but that we will take every measure to prevent its intrusion into this hemisphere. It is vital that we invoke the Monroe Doctrine.

Then we must put our trust in Him who has promised us His protection—and pray that He will intervene to preserve our freedom just as He intervened in our obtaining it in the first place.

Third: We must do as the Lord commanded us by revelation in 1833: “Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil” (D&C 98:10).

Men who are wise, good, and honest, who will uphold the Constitution of the United States in the tradition of the Founding Fathers, must be sought for diligently. This is our hope to restore government to its rightful role.

Last: We must study the inspired Constitution and become involved in the political process ourselves. I quote the First Presidency statement that was read in sacrament meetings on Sunday, 1 July 1979: “We encourage all members, as citizens of the nation, to be actively involved in the political process, and to support those measures which will strengthen the community, state, and nation—morally, economically, and culturally” (Letter from the First Presidency, 29 June 1979).

I fully believe that we can turn things around in America if we have the determination, the morality, the patriotism, and the spirituality to do so.

My single-minded concern is for the freedom and welfare of my countrymen and my posterity, the freedom of all men.


Thanks for the thoughts
Dad

ryan and danielle said...

another good post eric! thanks for more information and speaking your mind! Keep standing up for what you believe in even if you get made fun of for it....it will only make you stronger!

AmyJ said...

{{{{{goosebumps}}}}}

Good point, E!! You DON'T have to be LDS to see what is going on! The scriptures are such an important guide in our lives, and we can see that especially now! Thanks so much for this post!