Topic: Responsibility, Matches 82 quotes.

Joseph Smith on Politics

Relative to politics the epistle urged that inasmuch as none of the candidates who were before the public for the high office of president of the United States had “manifested any disposition or intention to redress wrong and restore liberty, and law,” the saints were advised to stand aloof from corrupt men and measures, “and wait at least till a man is found, who, if elected, will carry out the enlarged principles, universal freedom and equal rights and protection, expressed in the views of our beloved Prophet and martyr.” “We do not, however,” said the epistle, “offer this political advice as binding on the consciences of others; we are perfectly willing that every member of this church should use his own freedom in all political matters; but we give it as our own rule of action, and for the benefit of those who may choose to profit by it.” (Joseph Smith’s full letter was printed in Times and Seasons, vol. v, p. 620. The presidential election year was 1844.)

Source: B.H. Roberts
A Comprehensive History of the Church
Volume Two, p. 448

Topics: Citizenship; Responsibility; Statesmanship

Mission of the Elders

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.

Source: John Taylor
Journal of Discourses, Vol.23, p.63 - p.64, April 9th, 1882

Topics: Responsibility

Peace at Any Price?

There are those, however, who act as though they do not believe in eternity or a resurrection. They cower at the thought of nuclear war, and to save their own bodies they would have peace at any price.

Yet the best assurance of peace and life is to be strong morally and militarily. But they want life at the sacrifice of principles. Rather than choose liberty or death, they prefer life with slavery. But they overlook a crucial scripture “. . . fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28.)

The Lord could, I suppose, have avoided the war in heaven over free agency. All he needed to do was to compromise with the devil, but had he done so he would have ceased to be God.

While it is more difficult to live the truth, such as standing for free agency, some of us may in the not-too-distant future be required to die for the truth. But the best preparation for eternal life is to be prepared at all times to die—fully prepared by a valiant fight for right.

Let us act like men, men who are sons of God, men with a sure knowledge that there will be a resurrection and a final judgment.

Source: Ezra Taft Benson
Conference Report, April 1964, p.120

Topics: Peace; Responsibility

Lukewarm?

Our civilization and our people are seemingly afraid to be revolutionary. We are too ‘broadminded’ to challenge what we do not believe in. We are afraid of being thought intolerant, uncouth, ungentlemanly. We have become lukewarm in our beliefs. And for that we perhaps merit the bitter condemnation stated in Revelation 3:16: “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

This is a sad commentary on a civilization which has given to mankind the greatest achievements and progress ever known. But it is an even sadder commentary on those of us who call ourselves Christians, who thus betray the ideals given to us by the Son of God himself.

Source: Ezra Taft Benson
Conference Report, October 1960

Topics: Citizenship; Responsibility

“God Governs in the Affairs of Men”

This country has enjoyed the blessings that it does, because of reliance upon the Lord. Only a year later—1787—our great Constitution was drafted. I wonder how many in this congregation have read the Constitution in the last ten years? I want to tell you, brethren and sisters, it is the charter that stands between us and slavery, and it would be well for us to think upon that. May I read what Benjamin Franklin said about it. He said this at the time when debate was acrimonious, and there was dissension in the Congress:

“I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men. Arid if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?

“We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a by-word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

“I, therefore, beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.”

Source: Elder Joseph F. Smith
General Conference, April 1946

Topics: Citizenship; Responsibility

The prospect now before us in America ought . . . to engage the attention of every man of learning to matters of power and of right, that we may be neither led nor driven blindfolded to irretrievable destruction.

Source: John Adams
1765, A Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law

Topics: Responsibility

I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.

Source: Thomas Jefferson to William C. Jarvis, 1820. ME 15:278

Topics: Citizenship; Responsibility

Convinced that the people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, and that they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree, I have looked on our present state of liberty as a short-lived possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.”

Source: Thomas Jefferson to Littleton Waller Tazewell, 1805.

Topics: Government, Loss of Freedom; Responsibility

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government;... whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.

Source: Thomas Jefferson to Richard Price, 1789. ME 7:253

Topics: Responsibility

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