In the April 1961 General Conference, Elder Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated, “when socialism is understood, we will realize that many of the programs advocated, and some of those already adopted in the United States, fall clearly within the category of socialism” The next year in an address given at BYU Elder Benson stated, “our opponent is socialism—the welfare state—and the penalty of failure is enslavement.”
If a prophet of God made these statements almost 50 years ago, we would do well to consider whether the warning is still valid. Since our society and nation cannot remain stationary, we have either continued on the path toward socialization that Elder Benson warned against, or we have changed course to one that runs in concert with the principles of individual freedom upon which our nation was first founded, and upon which God’s plan of happiness for his children was built.
There are two fundamental questions members of the church in America should ask themselves.
1) What have the prophets said about socialism?
2) Is the United States of America currently on a path that will lead to socialism?
Honest answers to these two questions should define our course and dictate our actions. There are only two ultimate destinations to which government can lead, liberty or tyranny. Which of these two destinations is our nation approaching?
If a prophet of God made these statements almost 50 years ago, we would do well to consider whether the warning is still valid. Since our society and nation cannot remain stationary, we have either continued on the path toward socialization that Elder Benson warned against, or we have changed course to one that runs in concert with the principles of individual freedom upon which our nation was first founded, and upon which God’s plan of happiness for his children was built.
There are two fundamental questions members of the church in America should ask themselves.
1) What have the prophets said about socialism?
2) Is the United States of America currently on a path that will lead to socialism?
Honest answers to these two questions should define our course and dictate our actions. There are only two ultimate destinations to which government can lead, liberty or tyranny. Which of these two destinations is our nation approaching?
In this first of four installments exploring the road to socialism as it applies to our nation today, we will review what the prophets have said regarding socialism. Let us consider a small sampling of their words.
“The plain and simple issue now facing us in America is freedom or slavery. . . Our real enemies are communism and its running mate, socialism. . . The paths we are following, if we move forward thereon, will lead us to socialism or communism, and these two are as like as two peas in a pod in their ultimate effect upon our liberties.”
- J. Rueben Clark, First Presidency
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“Let us never forget that today we are in the biggest battle ever staged. Our opponent is socialism—the welfare state –and the penalty of failure is enslavement.”
- Elder Ezra Taft Benson, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“The plain and simple issue now facing us in America is freedom or slavery. . . Our real enemies are communism and its running mate, socialism. . . The paths we are following, if we move forward thereon, will lead us to socialism or communism, and these two are as like as two peas in a pod in their ultimate effect upon our liberties.”
- J. Rueben Clark, First Presidency
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“Let us never forget that today we are in the biggest battle ever staged. Our opponent is socialism—the welfare state –and the penalty of failure is enslavement.”
- Elder Ezra Taft Benson, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“We are discarding, even in this great nation of freedom-loving people, a God-given constitution of freedom, inspired for free men that they might worship according to the dictates of their own conscience, for the doctrines of collectivism produced to enslave mankind and rob them of all freedom and make them puppets of dictators rather than children of our Heavenly Father, living in freedom, at liberty to exercise their God-given agency.”
- Elder Henry D. Moyle, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“One of the moving forces in the civilized nations of the world . . . goes by the name of socialism. . . In other words, there is to be a general confiscation, or, as viewed by many minds, a wholesale robbery in the name of law, and the establishment of a tyranny greater than any form of oppression ever known to the world.”
- Elder Charles W. Penrose, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“We must not let complacency blind our eyes to the real dangers threatening to destroy us. . . our government is facing the greatest crisis in its history. . . we have traveled far into the soul-destroying land of socialism.”
- President David O McKay, President of the Church
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“There is no such thing as getting something for nothing. That cannot be done. The individual may seem to obtain gratuities out of the treasury without giving anything in return. But that is a delusion. In the first place, somebody had to work to accumulate the taxable property and earn the income from which the money is taken in the form of taxation and put into the treasury. There is no other way for it to get there. It is the fruit of someone’s toil.
“But besides and beyond this, the individual or state or municipality which takes anything from the Federal Treasury always finds certain conditions attached. The government demands as a condition of the gift certain supervisory rights, or the right to prescribe enabling conditions. Thus, the recipient gives, if not money, something which may be infinitely more precious. He has been compelled to exchange some freedom of action, to part with a degree of independence, and to recognize a degree of direction from another never before owed.”
- Elder Albert E. Bowen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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“No Latter Day Saint and no true American can be a socialist or a communist or support programs leading in that direction. These evil philosophies are incompatible with Mormonism, the true gospel of Jesus Christ.”
- Elder Ezra Taft Benson, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“I preached on the stand about one hour on the 2nd chapter of Acts, designing to show the folly of common stock [holding property in common]. In Nauvoo, everyone is steward over his own.”
- Prophet Joseph Smith
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“. . . no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, [and] the right and control of property.”
- D&C 134:2
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“The united order is nonpolitical. It is therefore totally unlike the various forms of socialism, which are political, both in theory and in practice. They are thus exposed to, and riddled by, the corruption which plagues and finally destroys all political governments which undertake to abridge man’s agency.”
- Elder Marion G. Romney, Council of Twelve Apostles
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“Our homes are not as strong unless we are using [the Book of Mormon] to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism. . .”
- President Ezra Taft Benson, President of the Church
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“I preached on the stand about one hour on the 2nd chapter of Acts, designing to show the folly of common stock [holding property in common]. In Nauvoo, everyone is steward over his own.”
- Prophet Joseph Smith
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“. . . no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, [and] the right and control of property.”
- D&C 134:2
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“The united order is nonpolitical. It is therefore totally unlike the various forms of socialism, which are political, both in theory and in practice. They are thus exposed to, and riddled by, the corruption which plagues and finally destroys all political governments which undertake to abridge man’s agency.”
- Elder Marion G. Romney, Council of Twelve Apostles
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“Our homes are not as strong unless we are using [the Book of Mormon] to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism. . .”
- President Ezra Taft Benson, President of the Church
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“As our modern societies follow the course which led to the fall of Rome and other civilizations which succumbed to the deceptive lure of the welfare state and socialism, I think it not inappropriate for me to emphasize again the Lord’s plan for the temporal salvation of His mortal children.”
- Elder Marion G Romney, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“We heard Brother Taylor's exposition of what is called Socialism this morning. What can they do? Live on each other and beg. It is a poor, unwise and very imbecile people who cannot take care of themselves.”
- Brigham Young, President of the Church
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I attended a second lecture on Socialism, by Mr. Finch; and after he got through, . . . I said I did not believe the doctrine.”
- Prophet Joseph Smith
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“As bearers of the priesthood, we have been placed on earth in troubled times. We live in a complex world with currents of conflict everywhere to be found. Political machinations ruin the stability of nations, despots grasp for power, and segments of society seem forever downtrodden, deprived of opportunity, and left with a feeling of failure.”
- Thomas S. Monson, First Presidency
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“The Book of Mormon narrative is a chronicle of nations long since gone. But in its descriptions of the problems of today's society, it is as current as the morning newspaper and much more definitive, inspired, and inspiring concerning the solutions of those problems. I know of no other writing which sets forth with such clarity the tragic consequences to societies that follow courses contrary to the commandments of God. Its pages trace the stories of two distinct civilizations that flourished on the Western Hemisphere. Each began as a small nation, its people walking in the fear of the Lord. But with prosperity came growing evils. The people succumbed to the wiles of ambitious and scheming leaders who oppressed them with burdensome taxes, who lulled them with hollow promises, who countenanced and even encouraged loose and lascivious living. These evil schemers led the people into terrible wars that resulted in the death of millions”
- President Gordon B. Hinkley, President of the Church
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“From my own experience in business and as a lawyer and church worker, and from my firsthand observations in this country and other countries of the world, there appears to me to be a trend to shift responsibility for life and its processes from the individual to the state. In this shift there is a basic violation of the law of the harvest, or the law of justice. The attitude of "something for nothing" is encouraged. The government is often looked to as the source of wealth. There is a feeling that the government should step in and take care of one's needs, one's emergencies, and one's future. Just as my friend actually became a slave to his own ignorance and bad habits by refusing to accept the responsibility for his own education and moral growth, so, also, can an entire people be imperceptibly transferred from individuals, families, and communities to the federal government.”
- Elder Howard W. Hunter, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“What is the real cause of this trend toward the welfare state, toward more socialism? In the last analysis, in my judgment, it is personal unrighteousness. When people do not use their freedoms responsibly and righteously, they will gradually lose these freedoms. . . .”
- Elder Howard W. Hunter, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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"Our anxiety has been increased when we have listened to the attempts of men in high stations to stir up class hatreds that contradict the age-old constitutional guarantee of free enterprise."
- Elder Harold B. Lee, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“Now I tell you it is time the people of the United States were waking up with the understanding that if they don't save the Constitution from the dangers that threaten it, we will have a change of government.”
- Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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“In the United States of America, the Constitution vouchsafes individual freedom, and let us pray also that the Lord will frustrate the plans of the Communists who would deprive us of freedom.”
- President David O. McKay
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“Be true to the Constitution of the United States, to the Bill of Rights. Do not let any theories of immigrants or misguided politicians induce you to do anything that will deprive us of our liberties as vouchsafed by that immortal document.”
- President David O. McKay
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“We believe it is the duty of the members of the Church to see that this Republic is not subverted either by any sudden or constant erosion of those principles which gave this Nation its birth. In these days when there is a special trend among certain groups, including members of faculties of universities, to challenge the principles upon which our country has been founded and the philosophy of our Founding Fathers, I hope that Brigham Young University will stand as a bulwark in support of the principles of government as vouchsafed to us by our Constitutional Fathers.”
- President David O. Mckay
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“I hope that the membership of this Church will not be deceived into thinking that other plans, other forms of government, other systems of direction whatsoever, are desirable. I want to say to you without any hesitation that no form of government in the world can be compared favorably with the government God gave to us. This is his plan.”
“I hope that the membership of this Church will not be deceived into thinking that other plans, other forms of government, other systems of direction whatsoever, are desirable. I want to say to you without any hesitation that no form of government in the world can be compared favorably with the government God gave to us. This is his plan.”
- President George Albert Smith
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“Yet, we have people who would like to change that and bring some of those forms of government that have failed absolutely to make peace and happiness and comfort any other place in the world, and exchange what God has given to us—the fullness of the earth and the riches of liberty and happiness. Yet, there are those who go around whispering and talking and saying, "Let us change this thing." I am saying to you that to me the Constitution of the United States of America is just as much from my Heavenly Father as the Ten Commandments. When that is my feeling, I am not going to go very far away from the Constitution, and I am going to try to keep it where the Lord started it, and not let anti-Christs come into this country that began because people wanted to serve God.”
- President George Albert Smith
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“However, there are many people, many men and women in this land, some of whom may be friends or relatives who are misguided by the idea that the Constitution of the United States isn't as fine a system of government as they have in Russia or Germany or Italy or some other part of the world [note that Russia, Germany and Italy all had collectivist (socialistic) forms of government. Communism in Russia, Nazism (national socialism) in Germany, and fascism in Italy], notwithstanding the fact that the Lord himself said that he raised up the very men who framed the Constitution of the United States and directed that the membership of this Church should pray for and sustain those who represented the Constitution of this land.”
- President George Albert Smith
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“But Communism [it should be remembered that several prophets and apostles, including David O McKay, J Rueben Clark, and Ezra Taft Benson have compared communism and socialism as being essentially the same, only with different methods or reaching the same end] is not a political party, nor a political plan under the Constitution; it is a system of government that is the opposite of our Constitutional government, and it would be necessary to destroy our government before Communism could be set up in the United States. Communism undertakes to control, if not indeed to proscribe the religious life of the people living within its jurisdiction, and that it even reaches its hand into the sanctity of the family circle itself, disrupting the normal relationship of parent and child, all in a manner unknown and unsanctioned under the Constitutional guarantees under which we in America live. Such interference would be contrary to the fundamental precepts of the Gospel and to the teachings and order of the Church.”
- President Heber J. Grant
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“We again warn our people in America of the constantly increasing threat against our inspired Constitution and our free institutions set up under it. The same political tenets and philosophies that have brought war and terror in other parts of the world are at work amongst us in America. The proponents thereof are seeking to undermine our own form of government and to set up instead one of the forms of dictatorships now flourishing in other lands. . . .
. . . Communism and all other similar isms bear no relationship whatever to the United Order. They are merely the clumsy counterfeits which Satan always devises of the gospel plan. . . . Latter-day Saints cannot be true to their faith and lend aid, encouragement, or sympathy to any of these false philosophies. They will prove snares to their feet.”
. . . Communism and all other similar isms bear no relationship whatever to the United Order. They are merely the clumsy counterfeits which Satan always devises of the gospel plan. . . . Latter-day Saints cannot be true to their faith and lend aid, encouragement, or sympathy to any of these false philosophies. They will prove snares to their feet.”
- President Heber J. Grant
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“I think the administrators are apostatizing very fast from the principles that the fathers of this nation instituted." It has become quite a question now-a-days, whether men can be preserved in their rights or not, whether men can worship God according to the dictates of their conscience or not, or whether we are living in a land of freedom or not.”
- President John Taylor
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“With numerous others, I am greatly disturbed at the rapid move of our government to socialism and what seems to be an approach toward dictatorship; with a controlled Supreme Court, the administration continues to impose more and more demands upon the people…Taxes are becoming back-breaking, expenditure and waste are alarming. The Church must remain independent and furnish its own funds for all its own adventures and projects. The government seems too anxious to give, give, give to the poor, to the aged, to the schools, to everyone, and blinded people feel they are getting something, whereas they pay it to the government so that the government can after great overhead expense return a part of it to the people. And every time a gift returns to the people–a so-called gift–it comes with fetters binding and tying and enslaving. For every block of funds given to the people, they lose a bigger block of liberty.”
- Elder Spencer W. Kimball, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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Now that we’ve clearly seen the view of prophets and apostles regarding socialism and the danger it poses to freedom and individual liberties, it becomes even more urgent that we determine whether it poses a legitimate threat to our country today. There is an abundance of warnings circulating on the airwaves, in print, and on the Internet regarding the increasingly rapid move toward socialism we are experiencing today. In light of the warnings of the prophets in this dispensation, it is vital that we determine whether these claims are worthy of our attention, or if they are nothing more than exaggerated propaganda.
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The next installment will review the methods that have been outlined by the fathers of socialism to turn a free countrly into a socialistic state.
For further information on the view of prophets on this topic, refer to these two monumental addresses.
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FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE
Ezra Taft Benson, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
Hear in Elder Benson's own words:
Or read the text:
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IS SOCIALISM THE UNITED ORDER?
Marion G. Romney, Quorum of Twelve Apostles
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- Richard Parke
3 comments:
Very good idea here. Thank you for doing this blog!
Thanks Richard and Natalie for doing this!
Very informative and complete! Great job.
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