America IS Changing

The country we live in is changing. We were each born into a world in which America was synonymous with hope, freedom, and opportunity. America has been a beacon of freedom for over two centuries, and has been a greater force for good than any other nation that has ever existed. There is no claim that America has been perfect. It is a union of imperfect people. The plight of the early saints is just one example of imperfections in the history of our land. Nevertheless, America has been a light in a dark world since it first changed the course of human history by declaring independence, based upon the idea of human rights being a gift from God to man. This changed the paradigm of history. No longer did the so called “divine rights of kings” shape the political destiny of men. Rule by the elite was vanquished and government was established by the people, for the people and of the people. This was according to God’s divine plan.

It was no accident that a nation of political and religious freedom was established at the precise moment in history in which it was needed to prepare an apostate world for the light of the Gospel, soon to be restored. The founding of our nation was the great prologue to the establishment of God’s kingdom on Earth. There is abundant witness from ancient and modern prophets alike that the establishment of this nation was done under divine inspiration. The men who were chosen to serve as founding fathers of our republic were choice spirits raised up by God to do a particular work, and they were led in their efforts to produce a miracle never before experienced in the history of our planet. The Constitution these men created, under the guidance of divine providence, represents the greatest form of government ever devised for man. It is so because it is based on principles delivered to them by God.

It is precisely because the founding of our nation was based upon inspired principles that America has overcome many of her imperfections and been an unparalleled force for good in our world.

But the country we live in is changing. The fundamental principles that have characterized the strength of our nation are being eroded at every turn. This erosion has been epidemic in our society for the past several decades. The America that emerged from World War II is only vaguely reminiscent of the America our children are being born into today. Despite the efforts of many so-called “progressives” in the early 20th century, America survived the Great Depression. The American people rejected a concerted move toward collectivized government that was thrust upon them by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and others. All these challenges have been overcome because the core of the American way of life remained rooted on fundamental principles that were revealed by God to see us through troubled times. America has always been a country founded upon God. Christian values have served as our moral compass. Decency and civility have been considered virtuous, and the idea of selflessness and sacrifice were ingrained in our citizenry. Hard work, honesty, and personal accountability were the price of achieving the American dream. Were it not so, the land of liberty would have ceased to exist long-ago, for God has said concerning this land that "it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity." (Ether 2:9)

But the country we live in is changing. The 1960’s represented an epic shift in the fabric of our society. We have seen large portions of our society in a moral tailspin for the past 50 years. Whereas God had represented the basis of our society ever since it was founded under His divine inspiration, there has been an organized move to remove him from the public discourse. The words “In God We Trust” have been eschewed by those claiming to stand in defense of the Constitution, that He, Himself inspired. Highly funded and well-organized groups have systematically endeavored to remove any reference to divinity from the public square, using a variety of nefarious tactics. The courts have too often been complicit in this effort through activist legislation and liberal interpretation of the words of our Founding Fathers.

Decency in our society has dissolved into a never-ending parade of filthy images in magazines, on television, and in the movies. Video games celebrate crime, death and destruction, striving for more and more realism in the debauchery experienced vicariously on the screen. Pornography has become so available and abundant that it has become difficult to avoid even unintentional, casual exposure, which far too often leads to piqued interest and dangerous addiction.

The value of a hard day’s work has been replaced, to an alarming degree, with a sense of entitlement. Rather than working to enjoy the fruits of honest labor, far too many look for the government to provide them what they did not earn, yet still feel entitled to receive. The law of the harvest is replaced with a compulsion for people to reap where they did not sow. Selflessness is consequently subdued by the selfish impulse to take from others what they have rightly earned, under the guise of fairness and equal distribution.

The very sanctity of life is being undermined, cloaked in a thin disguise of expressing freedom of choice. How ironic that many of those so willing to impugn individual agency at almost every turn, insist that agency be preserved when it comes to ending the lives of the unborn. Contraception and abortion are inculcated as alternatives to chastity and family units are being subordinated to a myriad of public programs. Truly it does not take a village to raise our children, it takes a stable family.

The law delivered to Moses on Sinai began as the Ten Commandments, but then became the ten suggestions, then the ten inconveniences, and finally the ten relics of an outdated moral ideology.

Perhaps none have expressed the spiral of American society over the past decades as succinctly as eloquently, nor as alarmingly as President Gordon B. Hinkley.

"We, as a people and a nation have increasingly neglected and abandoned time-honored virtues that have been proven through the centuries to keep human beings individually, and therefore collectively, strong. . . The single most substantial factor in the degeneration of the values and morals of our society is that we as a nation are forsaking the Almighty, and I fear that He will begin to forsake us."

What I believe to be the most fundamental principle revealed by God to the founders of our republic is the agency of man. This was the first of all divine rights bestowed by God upon his children in the pre-mortal realm. It was the central issue of the great war in heaven and led directly to the expulsion of the adversary and his followers. Elder Ezra Taft Benson stated, “The right of choice—free agency— runs like a golden thread throughout the gospel plan of the Lord for the blessing of his children. . . the war in heaven over free agency is now being waged here on earth.”

As with the other fundamental principles upon which our country was founded, individual agency is under attack. There are those in society who feel that man is not smart enough, or not wise enough to choose for himself. If left to their own devices, they believe individuals will not choose properly and the collective will suffer. Therefore, the rights of individuals are subjected to what an elite group deems to be for the “greater good”. In this way individual liberty is lost while the government assumes the right of agency on behalf of her citizens. The new ruling class in government then exercises the rights stolen from individuals to further their own agendas and consolidate their power, moving society away from liberty and into the tyranny of ages past.

The country we live in is changing. It has been changing for some time, but the change has been gradual, and fundamental freedoms of our country have remained intact because the value-based principles of our nation have endured. But these principles are now on the verge of utter extinction in our society, replaced with popular, thinly rooted virtues such as fairness, tolerance, diversity, and progressivism. In the name of fairness natural consequences are being sidestepped. In the name of diversity destructive lifestyles are being celebrated. In the name of tolerance depravity is being embraced. In the name of progressivism freedoms are being surrendered. With the ever-increasing loss of our national values, how long before change overcomes us? How much longer do we have before the fears of President Hinckley are realized and God begins to abandon us?

The country we live in is changing. But we shouldn’t be surprised. We have elected a man to the highest office in the free world on a platform of change. He has not been secretive about the change he intends for our nation. He has stated that he wants to “re-make” America. His change is not a return to the principles of our Constitution. His change is not a reaffirmation of the values that led to the greatness of America. His change is simply a punctuation mark on the change that has been creeping over us for many years now.

The most pressing and urgent question of our lifetime is whether we will support this effort to re-cast America in a new mold, rooted in the counterfeit values of a morally corrupt society and power hungry leaders, or whether we will champion a return to the divine principles which God dictated for our land. When Barack Obama and his legions of fans chant “Yes We Can!” and tout “Change We Can Believe In”, will we join the crowd or stand up for the traditions of our forefathers? There are a great many who believe that the “new America” envisioned by some in our government represents the future. It is up to each of us to decide if we will join them. We face a choice of basing the future of our nation on our Constitution and the vision of our Founding Fathers, or upon the vision of those wishing to be the founding fathers of a new kind of America.

The country we live in is changing. As for me, I believe I’ve seen all of the change I can stand.

While it is given to us to choose for ourselves, we must never forget that the work of the Lord will not be frustrated. Just as in the war in heaven, we are free to choose which vision we will support, but the consequences of our choice will not be altered. The great hope which underlies the fear, frustration, and foreboding of our current circumstance is the promise that God is in control. There is a divine destiny for our republic, and no force can alter the decrees of our Father in Heaven. The destiny of our land was not fulfilled when General Washington achieved victory in the revolution. It was not fulfilled when the heavens opened to Joseph Smith. It was not fulfilled when the Gospel was restored, priesthood power conferred, and missionary efforts launched. The great destiny of America includes all of these marvelous events, but will not be fulfilled until the New Jerusalem is established and Christ returns to rule in righteousness in our midst. God holds America in His hands, and her destiny is fixed. Our choice is simply whether we will be part of fulfilling this destiny, or if we will fall, frustrated, with those who seek to change her character.

Yes, the country we live in is changing. We cannot be idle. Now is our moment of truth. Let us give heed to the words of a Prophet of God.

“No greater immediate responsibility rests upon members of the church, upon all citizens of this Republic and of neighboring republics than to protect the freedom vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States.” (President David O. McKay, General Conference April 1950)

A Call To Action

Please take 7 minutes and watch the following video, then take 2 more minutes and read the rest of this blog post.



This video clip sums up very well much of what many of us feel. President Benson is direct and clear about the freedom we enjoy, and the responsibilities that are ours if we want to preserve freedom for our children.

As an Apostle of Jesus Christ Elder Benson stated, referring to a statement made by President David O. McKay "we therefore command and encourage every person and every group who is sincerely seeking to understand constitutional principles and awaken a sleeping and apathetic people to the alarming conditions that are rapidly advancing about us. We wish all of our citizens throughout the land were participating in some type of organized self education, in order that they can better appreciate what is happening and know what they can do about it."

Later, as President of the Church, President Benson stated the following in the Saturday morning session of General Conference, 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?"

If you would like to get involved in helping others in your community learn more about constitutional principles and the fundamentals upon which our nation was founded, please visit http://freedomforumprovo.blogspot.com/

There will be a Freedom Forum meeting at our home on August 20th at 7:00pm. Those in the Utah Valley area are invited to join the group and attend on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. If you are located elsewhere in Utah, you are welcome to attend the meeting on August 20th, or any other session. There will be information and assistance in starting a neighborhood study group in your area. Please email me at defenseofliberty@yahoo.com for details and further information.

Consider the following statements by Latter-day Prophets:

“There never was a better constitution on the face of the earth than the constitution of the United States. There is nothing but the people of God could enjoy under it. But the Federal constitution is trodden under foot. All that I am afraid of is that the Elders of Israel will forget their God.”

- Brigham Young, JH [8 Jul 1849] 3
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“As we have progressed the mist has been removed, and in relation to these matters, the Elders of Israel begin to understand that they have something to do with the world politically as well as religiously, that it is as much their duty to study correct political principles as well as religious, and to seek to know and comprehend the social and political interests of man, and to learn and be able to teach that which would be best calculated to promote the interests of the world.”

- John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 9:340
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“Besides the preaching of the Gospel, we have another mission, namely, the perpetuation of the free agency of man and the maintenance of liberty, freedom, and the rights of man.”

- John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 23:63
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“you owe it to humanity everywhere; you owe it to that free and constitutional form of government, which has been bequeathed to you through the precious sacrifices of many of your forefathers—to do all in your power to maintain religious liberty and free, republican government in these mountains, and to preserve every constitutional right intact"

John Taylor, MFP 2:346
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"For the last few years, especially, the Constitution at times, has been looked upon as a matter of the smallest consequence. In some respects, however, it has been a blessing to us as a people, and it is to the whole nation, as far as it is carried out. But in order to fully receive its blessings we have to honor its precepts.”

- Wilford Woodruff, Journal of Discourses 12:275
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"I counsel you, I urge you, I plead with you, never, so far as you have voice or influence, permit any departure from the principles of government on which this nation was founded, or any disregard of the freedoms which, by the inspiration of God our Father, were written into the Constitution of the United States.”

- Heber J. Grant, Admonition and Blessing, p. 695
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"I say to you that our only hope, and the hope of the sons and daughters that God may bless us with, to enjoy peace and liberty in this land, is in standing by the Constitution that God has inspired to direct this government."

- George Albert Smith, Conference Report October 1911
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“When the Constitution of our country is assailed, openly or subtly, by those who have no understanding of the purpose of God regarding this great country, it behooves those who do understand to consider seriously and faithfully the benefits that will flow to us by honoring and sustaining the principles of government that were divinely established. . . .”

George Albert Smith, Perpetuating Liberty, p. 93-94
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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.”

- David O. McKay, Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, p. 112
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“I thought it would not be amiss or out of order to say something about the Constitution, to give a little history of it perhaps briefly; for I am convinced that the people generally of the United States have not studied it. Many of them have never read it, and some know nothing concerning what it is all about.”

- Joseph Fielding Smith, Founded in the Wisdom of God, p. 370
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"We urge members of the Church and all Americans to begin now to reflect more intently on the meaning and importance of the Constitution, and of adherence to its principles."

- Harold B. Lee, News of the Church, 90
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“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.”

- Spencer W. Kimball, Letter from the First Presidency, 6/29/79
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“Each priesthood holder should use his influence in the community to resist the erosion process which is taking place in our political and economic life. He should use the political party of his choice to express his evaluation of important issues. He should see that his party is working to preserve freedom, not destroy it. He should join responsible local groups interested in promoting freedom and free competitive enterprise, in studying political issues, appraising the voting records and proposed programs, and writing to members of Congress, promoting good men in public office, and scrutinizing local, state, and federal agencies to see that the will of the people is being carried out. He should not wait for the Lord's servants to give instruction for every detail once they have announced the direction in which the priesthood should go. Each member should exercise prayerful judgment and then act."

- Ezra Taft Benson, God, Family, Country, p. 356
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“How can men of conscience ignore the teachings of the Master in their daily affairs, in business, or in government? We stand by and wink at many things because we fear to do anything about them. We may be against crime or communism, but what do we do about it? We may be against corruption in government or against juvenile delinquency, but what do we do about it? . . . We need to push fear into the background and come forward with a definite, positive declaration, and assume responsibility”

- Howard W. Hunter, General Conference, October 1960
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Thanks,
Richard

The Price of Freedom

In one of the bleakest moments of the American Revolution, General Washington was in dire need of inspiring his ragged and dejected troops, many of whose enlistments were set to expire soon. The continental army had suffered a series of defeats in New York State and had been forced to retreat toward New Jersey. The prospect of the revolution surviving was in doubt. It was at this time that Washington resolved to embark on one of the most daring and crucial missions of the war. On Christmas night of 1776 he led his troops across the icy Delaware River and marched throughout the night to launch a surprise attack on Hessian forces stationed at Trenton, New Jersey. The victory at Trenton and subsequently at Princeton was key to reviving the revolution and convincing many that Washington's army could stand against the vastly superior British forces.

Washington crossing the Delaware

As General Washington was preparing for this historic campaign, he knew the troops needed to be reminded of the divine errand in which they were engaged. To do this, on December 23, 1776 he had an essay read to the men entitled THE AMERICAN CRISIS by Thomas Paine. It began with the words that have been repeated so often since that time,

“These are the times that try men souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

Paine’s words were stirring to the troops. The essay continued as follows.

“the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.”

These men were being called upon to pay the price the God of Heaven had put on freedom, and it was a high price indeed. As they heard these inspired words Washington’s soldiers rose to the occasion. The cost they paid was great, and the triumph they achieved was glorious.

Much has been said over the years about the stalwart men who stood up at their time in history to sign ‘their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor’ to the declaration of independence that has been bequeathed to us. Consider the price they were required to pay. Fifty-six men placed their signatures on that document in 1776. As cited by Ezra Taft Benson in his book THIS NATION SHALL ENDURE, at least nine of them died as a result of the war for independence or the hardships placed upon them incident to the war. One of these men was Caeser Rodney. Despite the warnings of his doctors and family, Rodney crawled from his sickbed where he was suffering from cancer and traveled throughout the night during a severe storm to arrive just in time to cast a deciding vote for his delegation in favor of declaring independence. This action led to Rodney’s death.

Fifteen of the signers of the Declaration of Independence lost their considerable fortunes as the cost of their stance for liberty.

All fifty-five signers of the declaration made a decision that committed them to a course. If the British had won the war, all of them would have been executed as traitors to the crown. However, knowing this could be the eventual outcome, every one of them placed their trust in God and in the knowledge that God intended men to be free. For this faith they were willing to put forward their very lives.


Today we enjoy the gift that was purchased at such a dear cost by those who went before us. What others paid the highest price to attain was passed down to us as a legacy with neither cost nor requirement. They undoubtedly knew the cost would be significant, but were willing to pay the price heaven had placed upon the most desirable of its goods.

John Adams, the second president of the United States and a man honored as one of the founding fathers of our nation summed up the position of these great men very eloquently. Referring to his decision to sign the Declaration of Independence, Adams said the following:

“Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote. It is true, indeed, that in the beginning we aimed not at independence. But there’s a Divinity which shapes our ends. . . . Why, then, should we defer the declaration? . . . . You and I, indeed may rue it. We may not live to see the time when this Declaration shall be made good. We may die; die colonists; die slaves; die, it may be, ignominiously and on the scaffold. Be it so. Be it so. If it be the pleasure of Heaven that my country shall require the poor offering on my life, the victim shall be ready. . . But while I do live, let me have a country, or at least the hope of a country, and that a free country.”

“But whatever may be our fate, be assured. . . that this Declaration will stand. It may cost treasure, and it may cost blood; but it will stand, and it will richly compensate for both. Through the thick gloom of the present, I see the brightness of the future, as the sun in heaven. We shall make this a glorious, an immortal day. When we are in our graves, our children will honor it. They will celebrate it with thanksgiving, with festivity, with bonfires and illuminations. On its annual return they will shed tears, copious gushing tears, not of subjection and slavery, not of agony and distress, but of exultation, of gratitude and of joy.”

“. . . . All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope, in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it.”

Those who paid the price for our liberty knew what was to be demanded of them. There can be no doubt of that fact. Yet they were willing to cover the cost.

In our day, as we stand on the stage of history with the rich legacy and heritage of freedom given to us at very little cost to ourselves, do we have the same conviction? Returning to the immortal words of Thomas Paine, “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.”

Now 233 years have passed since the Declaration of Independence was signed. The high costs have faded to the pages of history books. Freedom has become little more than a buzzword to many of our generation because we’ve not known its contradiction. If dearness only gives everything its value, do we hold freedom dear enough in our day to honor the price our fathers have paid? Thankfully, there are many who do.

Yet the true value of freedom today can only be understood through divine inspiration. As God speaks to the hearts of men in our day, many are beginning to understand that our freedoms cannot remain without a price being paid. While we were given the priceless gift of freedom from our forebears, we must stand up to pay the cost of preserving freedom and passing it on to our children. Threats to our freedom are all about us. While the freedom of man is at the foundation of God’s plan, the deprivation of man’s freedom is the plan of the adversary.

It is up to us to give life in our day to the words of John Adams. As he and others have gone to their graves, we must stand up to honor the freedom they have left to us. Each July fourth as we celebrate "with thanksgiving, with festivity, with bonfires and illuminations", may we remember that which we celebrate, and add to the celebrations our "copious, gushing tears of exultation, gratitude and of Joy".

We must stand up for freedom in our day. As forces combine to subvert the principles for which our founding fathers gave their lives, we must fight for a return to these principles. As leaders emerge claiming a need to “re-make” America, we must cleave to the inspired tenants of our Constitution. As the agendas of wicked minds are put forward to consolidate power and exercise dominion over our lives, we must raise our voices in defense of our liberty. It has been said that “we will answer each to Heaven for the way we spend our priceless liberty”. We know how countless men and women who have gone before us will be able to answer this question. Their lives serve as their answer. Our answer is not yet fully written. This is our moment in history to stand up for freedom and use our liberty to ensure it remains intact for our posterity.

Richard

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Resources:

The American Crisis; No. I, Thomas Paine, published 1776
http://libertyonline.hypermall.com/Paine/Crisis/Crisis-TOC.html

This Nation Shall Endure, Ezra Taft Benson, published 1977 (pp. 25-30)

The Making of America, W. Cleon Skousen, published 1985 (pp. 79-80)