Principles

"I don’t know how you feel, my brethren and sisters, but I’d rather be dead than to lose my liberty. I have no fear we’ll ever lose it because of invasion from the outside. But I do have fear that it may slip away from us because of our own indifference, our own negligence, as citizens of this land. And so I plead with you this morning that you take an active interest in matters pertaining to the future of this country." Ezra Taft Benson ( Source: “The LDS Church and Politics”, BYU Devotional, December 1, 1952 )

Each person has his or her agency.  This agency can be used in a number of different ways.  Today, I'm going to write a little about using it for voting.  We know as Latter-Day Saints that we have an obligation to our constitution. Oh wait, you didn't know that?  Let me back up.  As Latter-Day Saints we have an obligation to our constitution. :)

 

Not only that but we are also commanded to seek honest and wise men diligently.  We are to vote for HONEST and WISE men.  Anything LESS than this comes of evil. 

 

Maybe I should repeat that, Anything LESS than this comes of evil. Do you read any type of "except when..." in that statement?  Let me give you the direct scripture:

 

Doctrine and Covenants 98:

"And now, verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them.

And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.

Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;

And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.

I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.

Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn.

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.

And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God."

 

We are commanded by the Lord in the above scriptures to befriend the law of the land.  What is our law of the land?  It is the contitution.  It is our obligation to learn the constitution and find men who will uphold this.  We are to find men who believe in liberty the way our founding fathers believed in liberty.  We are told to forsake all evil and cleave unto all good.  ALL good.

 

I have heard so many people say "such and such has no chance of winning so I am going to vote for this person just because I HATE the other option."  WHY would we vote for someone whose platform we don't agree with???  Why do we continue to vote for people who are not honest?  And WHY do we vote for someone else just because the person we want to vote for has no chance of winning.  That is like saying because all my friends are voting for this person I have to also because the person I really support has no chance.  Of course that person has no chance if everyone won't stand behind him/her!  There is some metaphor with friends and jumping off a bridge that seems to fit well here.  (I didn't come up with that on my own--at LDS Liberty there is a new podcast in which it is mentioned and it fits too perfectly not to share!)

Liberty is a principle of the gospel.  The Book of Mormon teaches this and President Benson stated in a BYU Devotional in 1966 (this is in regards to Satan's Perverse Reasoning): "For example, he will argue, 'There is no need to get involved in the fight for freedom-all you need to do is live the gospel.' Of course this is a contratidiction, because we cannot fully live the gospel and not be involved in the fight for freedom."

 

We are fighting for freedom.  We should not be fighting against any one person or party.  We all need to be united in fighting against evil.  We need to prayerfully study our scriptures, latter-day revelation and the Book of Mormon to discover how it is the Lord wants us to govern ourselves.  We are a self-governing country.  The men we elect are acting in our name.  Do we want our name tarnished for something that they do on our behalf?  I am praying that everyone is taking the time to study the candidates and (probably more importantly) the community propositions that we will be voting on Tuesday.  The Book of Mormon teaches of liberty and of agency.  Does our voting reflect that of allowing others their agency or are we using unrighteous dominion and taking away the agency of others all because we think it is for the good of the people?  Satan had a very similar plan that is being perpetuated on earth.  Whose side are we on?  It is time to take a stand and choose the side we chose once before!

VOTE WITH PRINCIPLES.
VOTE FOR LIBERTY!