A Few Things I Want My Children To Know

There is very little disagreement that the most sacred and important responsibility we have in life is to teach our children. What they become depends in large part on how we teach them and what principles and values we instill in them. In this day and age there are so many voices influencing what our children think and feel, it is no small feat for them to determine what is real. As adults, it is increasingly more difficult to know what is right and what is true. Evil is celebrated and considered virtuous in this day and age. Even the most grounded people with experience and discretion must be careful to not slowly diverge from the truth. That is why listening to the Spirit and following the living prophet represent the only hope any of us have to survive the world in which we now live. If it is difficult for adults, imagine the challenge our children face and the enormous obstacles they will have to overcome to not be misled or deceived.

Because of our immense responsibility to our children, and to the world and society that they will inherit, we do what we can to raise them well. We take them to church. We hold family home evening. We have family scripture study. We do all we can to help them develop faith and gain a firm testimony of the Gospel. These are the most important things we can do for our children, and for our world. With God's help we will be successful in this most important endeavor. Nothing is more critical!

Lately I have felt that while my wife and I continue to work to teach the Gospel to our children and accomplish all those things outlined above, there are a few other things that I want to impart to my children. Particularly, there are some fundamental principles relative to government and political freedom that I want them to know. There is so much that has been said by so many. I want my children to read and study and learn for themselves, but I also want to help ensure they don't get lost in the labyrinth of ideas that are based on faulty principles and distorted values that are becoming so prevalent in society. While I feel we should encourage our children to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions, I want them to know what their dad believes. It is very important to me that my children understand what I think about important issues, and why.

To accomplish this I have started to write some of my fundamental beliefs about government and freedom. These are basic principles that I believe should shape the decisions and policies made by our elected representatives, and upon which our country should remain grounded.
These are not unique ideas that I came up with. They have been expounded by wise men and women for many years. They are the basis of our Constitution and represent what I believe to be timeless pillars to which our society must adhere. Although these principles have been outlined by men who are much wiser and articulate than I, it is important to me that my children hear these things in my words, from my pen (or word processor as they case may be).

Following are eighteen principles I want my children to know. This is not a complete list, as I will add to it as time passes, but it is a start. I will be writing an explanation for each of these principles that I can compile and leave for my children to read and contemplate as they get older. I would love to hear what others of you think of the list and if there are additional principles you feel are important.

Here's the list:

1. The Constitution of the United States (and the Bill of Rights) is divinely inspired and represents the truest and most exalted form of government ever enjoyed by mankind.
   
2. Individual rights are of supreme importance. The war in heaven was largely fought over the concept of individual freedom. Government cannot and should not deprive citizens of individual rights under the guise of collective rights. The collectivist plans are wrong (socialism, statism, communism, etc). In fact, Lucifer’s plan was a collectivist plan. Individual rights, however, must be checked when they begin to intrude on the individual rights of others. This is why we justly have laws in a civil society. Key individual rights include life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness.
   
3. Individual rights come from God, and government exists only to protect and preserve those rights. There are no rights that are granted by the government.
   
4. Moral absolutes do exist. Right and wrong exist eternally regardless of time, place, popular opinion, or society. Philosophies of moral relativism have become more and more common and pervasive. These philosophies are incorrect and counter to the truth revealed by God. God is the only authority on what is defined as morally right or wrong. The Ten Commandments represent the most common expression of moral absolutes and provide a foundation for man to make moral decisions.
   
5. The basic and fundamental unit of society is the family. It is not the state, in whatever form the “state” may assume (city, county state, country, world order, labor union, societal organization, etc.). Government must never interfere with the family and should actively preserve conditions in which the family can remain strong.
   
6. The separation of church and state as often referred to in our day is nothing more than a safeguard against establishing a state-sponsored religion. It does not in any way suggest that God, faith, and religion should be stripped out of public discourse. In fact, our country cannot survive unless these are present and strong in our society. This is emphasized repeatedly in the Book of Mormon. Organizations that seek to drive God out of the public square, whether under the premise of fairness, civil liberties, diversity, or anything else, are evil.
   
7. Do not place blind trust in political parties. Party platforms change and politicians are too often fixed on populist opinion. Adhere to correct principles and support candidates who stand for these principles. Good people are found both within and outside of both major parties.
   
8. I consider myself politically conservative. I adhere to the basic tenets of a conservative political philosophy socially, fiscally, and in areas of national defense and the role of government. The founding fathers of our nation would today be considered conservatives, or what was known in the past as classical liberals. Above all else conservatism is a position of individual rights, limited government, and personal responsibility.
   
9. The right to private property is a divine right upon which government or other authority must not infringe. Individuals are entitled to the fruit of their efforts.
   
10. While there are inalienable rights that no authority or government should take from us, there has never been a guarantee of equal results. Government must not confiscate the fruit of one person’s efforts to give to another. This is in violation of God’s principles. The government should not sponsor any program that is designed to subvert natural consequences, either good or bad. This includes programs that remove accountability for choices made by an individual, such as discouraging industry, thrift and the drive for success by taking away the naturally occurring fruits of labor, or encouraging laziness, dependency, or entitlement by providing reward where it was not sought for and properly earned. This is most dangerous when these two factors are joined together by taking away from the industrious and giving to the idle in order to achieve equality of results.
    
11. The best government is limited government. This is how the founding fathers intended our republic to function. It is not the role of government to become the caretaker of individuals. Government should protect the system in which men can freely pursue happiness, but attainment of happiness is the sole responsibility of the individual. Government should not be intrusive, obstructionist, or get in the way of the free exercise of personal liberty.
    
12. Government should be performed at the level closest to the people. Local government should be responsible for most functions, because people have the greatest input at that level. The further government moves from the people, the smaller the role should be. The federal government is not the overlord of the state, but should only perform the functions the state or local government cannot do efficiently (ie national defense, foreign policy, international trade, interstate commerce, etc.).
    
13. Freedom cannot exist without a strong sense of personal accountability in the society.
    
14. Separation of powers, with checks and balances is key to the preservation of freedom. Without it, tyranny will inevitably result. Remember D&C 121. It is the nature of man when they get a little power to exercise unrighteous dominion. There must be safeguards against the natural man in government or it will lead to tyranny.
    
15. We have an obligation to posterity. Government should not do what benefits the current generation at the expense of a future generation.
    
16. The economics of prosperity include free markets in a capitalist system. Competition is a key driver of innovation and progress, and should not be constrained by government. Regulation should be minimal and only where necessary to ensure the common safety of society, and never to benefit individual groups over others.
    
17. Study, know, and gain a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Anything that supports the Gospel should be championed. Anything that does not support the Gospel must be vigorously and actively opposed.
    
18. Above all else, follow the living prophet! While it is not the practice of church leadership to advocate political positions, parties or candidates, always adhere to those positions or candidates consistent with the principles taught by the prophet. NEVER accept or subscribe to any notion, position, or proposal that conflicts with the teachings of the prophets. We have been warned that in your generation even the very elect would be deceived. The only sure way not to fall prey to deception is to follow the living prophet.
    

So that's the list as it exists today. If my children can understand these 18 principles, I believe they will be better prepared to evaluate what is happening in the world around them, and effectively determine whether what they observe is right or wrong as it pertains to the governance of men and the preservation of freedom.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and additions to this list of core principles.

Thanks,

Richard

America's Road to Socialism--Fact of Fiction? (Installment 4)

Thanks to those of you that have stuck with this series, even though the posts are bit long and tedious. I think that it is clear that there is a real danger facing our nation today. We have seen that latter-day prophets and apostles have raised a warning voice to us concerning the threat of socialism to our American way of life. There has been much more than a few isolated comments by church leaders, but a pattern of warning from God's anointed over the past 150 years. The question we must answer then, is will we heed prophetic warning and stand up in defense of our liberty?

We have also seen the purposes and intent of avowed socialists, as well as the techniques formulated to bring about their objectives. From it's very begining, through the drafting of the Communist Manifesto, which both popularized and radicalized socialist thought, to the present day, the end socialist engineers have in sight has always been the subjugation of individual freedom to the collectivist designs of statists who believe that government is the supreme authority, from whom all rights are granted, and who must be relied upon to save the masses from themselves. As stated by J. Rueben Clark, "Reduced to its lowest terms, the great struggle which now rocks the whole earth more and more takes on the character of a struggle of the individual versus the state. Does the individual exist for the benefit of the state, or does the state exist for the benefit of the individual?" (1938, Vital Speeches 5:174)

Finally, we have reviewed many of the recent developments within our country that represent a concerted move toward socialism. There were 50 examples provided of stories reported by the media that reflect a socialistic trend. This is only a sampling. The true extent to which we have moved away from the fundamentals envisioned by our founding fathers and toward statist/socialistic governance is seen not just in what the legislative, judicial, and executive branches are doing, but the attitude with which they do it. There is a blatant and pervasive disregard for the good of the country or the voice of the people. Extravagant bills that change the very fabric of our nation are passed without even being read. Legislators continue to play childish games (i.e. hiring a speed reader to make light of the fact that pending legislation is not read before being brought to a vote) while the executive branch continually over-reaches and usurps power not granted by the constitution (i.e. hiring czars to carry out executive edicts with no congressional oversight). In the meantime special interest groups continue to create an atmosphere of the few ruling the many. Groups such as ACORN and the SEIU use corruption and taxpayer money to accomplish their stated goal of bringing down the system that exists today. Corrupt leaders protect one another from investigation and criminal prosecution. How reminiscent is our day to the Nephite nation described in 3 Nephi Chapter 6?

Even with all that we have reviewed about the threat that socialism represents, and the overwhelming evidence of the quickening pace with which our country is moving in that direction, there are no doubt many who remain skeptical of both the risks and the reality of America's current road to socialism. To those I will recommend the words of living socialist leaders today. Sam Webb, the leader of the Communist Party USA delivered a speech entitled "A Springtime of Possibility" in November of 2008. He hails the progress and pending changes reflected in the election of Barak Obama as President. In his words, "a sea of change occurred on November 4th". He continued by stating that, "a new era of progressive change is waiting to become a reality". The jubilation of communist leadership in America should be eye-opening for all those who adhere to the founding principles of our nation. You can view Webb's entire speech at http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/994/1/154/ . It is interesting to read how the communists' view of Obama's platform and policies have energized their base.

John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO and leading member of the Democratic Socialist Party of America stated, "The political pendulum is swinging back toward sanity. . . Barack Obama brings new hope to America's working families, and our increased majority in the Senate means we can translate that hope into reality." What is the hope of an admitted and ardent socialist? http://www.aflcio.org/mediacenter/prsptm/pr11042008.cfm

But this is not about Barack Obama, though he does represent a powerful vehicle for moving America further into the "soul destroying land of socialism" (David O. McKay, Church News 3/12/52). Neither is it about Democrats or Republicans. David O. McKay also stated, "Teachings and ideologies subversive to the fundamental principles of this great Republic, which are contrary to the Constitution of the United States, or which are detrimental to the progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be condemned, whether advocated by Republicans or Democrats." (”Closing Address” 952).

This is about the future of our nation, our freedoms, and those who wish to recast America in a new and different mode, somehow thinking that the inspired principles upon which our nation was founded no longer matter. That they've discovered a better way. That the individual is nothing more than a cog in the machinery of the state.

There is a better way, and that better way is returning to the inspired fundamentals of our constitution!

So the urgent question that remains is what can we do to preserve our nation, our freedom, and our way of life?

The question is not an easy one to answer, but neither is it impossible. Stay tuned to this blog for thoughts on how this question is to be answered. Here's one initial recommendation:

Learn all you can about the principles upon which our nation was founded. Understand what you stand for, then help those around you to understand. We can never defend nor sustain that which we don't know. President Ezra Taft Benson stated in the Saturday morning session of General Conference in October of 1987, "Have we read the Federalist papers? Are we reading the Constitution and pondering it? Are we aware of its principles? Are we abiding by these principles and teaching them to others? Could we defend the Constitution? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? Do we know what the prophets have said about the Constitution and the threats to it?"

This is a great place to begin doing something. If you are not familiar with these principles, learn them. If you are familiar with these principles, share them. If some time has passed since you've studied our heritage of freedom, become reacquainted with it. Don't forget the timeless quote by Edmund Burke "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing!"

Let's begin where we are, and do what we can!

Thanks,
Richard