Topic: Freedom, Religious, Matches 16 quotes.

The people of that land [Russia] had good reason to rise up against such conditions and all sympathy should be extended to them in their struggle for liberty; but no sooner have they liberated themselves from this condition of thralldom till the Soviet seeks to plunge them into the still more deadly slavery of atheism. These Soviet masters are still greater oppressors and tyrants than any who have ever preceded them, for they have even undertaken to prevent them from serving God in any form whatever, and when men cease to serve God, at that moment they begin to serve the devil, which means slavery. Such rulers have no conception of human rights. What they need is a Thomas Jefferson to write into their constitution a provision like this: The Soviet shall make no law respecting the establishment of any religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof. They have surely broken down the establishment of a state religion, but they have also undertaken to prevent the free exercise of any religion—to deprive their people of their inherent rights. Tread lightly, ye powers that be, for this is holy ground. Even in our own land there are some who seem to think that our Constitution is unfriendly to religion. On the contrary, it is intended to encourage and protect all religions. It simply means “equal rights to all, but special privileges to none,”—no state religion, but no interference with any. This is holy ground. To congress it says “hands off.”

Source: Elder Rulon S. Wells
General Conference, April 1930

Topics: Freedom, Religious

Ours is a land of liberty and freedom, especially a land of religious freedom. Its motto, “In God we trust,” might well have come from that remarkable picture—that scene of which we all have read—Jesus the Son of God, in the Garden of Gethsemane upon his knees. That is the spirit which has characterized leading people of the United States in the entire history of our nation.

Source: Elder Richard R. Lyman
General Conference, April 1929

Topics: Freedom, Religious

Our Constitution has rightly been called the “bond of our union, the shield of our defense, and the source of our prosperity.” While the name of Deity is not mentioned in the Constitution, yet, in a sense, ours is a Christian government and country. Religious liberty is guaranteed in that Congress can make no law respecting the establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. At the time of the adoption of the Constitution such a thing as a written constitution was scarcely known; certainly nothing of the nature of the one devised. England had a constitution but it was an unwritten one, embodied in the laws and practices of more than a dozen centuries of time. It was to be found in such documents as Magna Charta, The Petition of Rights, The Bill of Rights, the Habeas Corpus Act, Act of Settlement, and other great enactments. The idea of a written constitution was soo taken up by France, spreading to most of the European countries; also to other continents and to the islands of the sea. While this wonderful document can be read through in less than an hour, there are already many thousands of references to distinct points decided by the Supreme Court construing the Constitution.

Source: Elder Charles H. Hart
General Conference, October 1928

Topics: Freedom, Religious

Conflict the Result of Ignorance of Law

I have frequently, in view of recent events, asked myself this question: Have we, modern people, who live in the most enlightened and progressive period of the world’s history, with the experience of the past to guide us, and knowledge of the future, as it has been outlined by the prophets who have lived before, overcome this needless, unjustifiable, erroneous conception of the proper relationship which exists, or should exist, between the church and the state? Do we properly differentiate between our obligation of obedience to civil law, in the administration of temporal affairs, and our obligation to the church, which represents divine law, given for the purpose of preparing men for future glory and exaltation in the kingdom of heaven? Where conflict exists between the two, it is clearly the result of either ignorance, or wilful misinterpretation of both civil and ecclesiastical law.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, April 1923

Topics: Freedom, Religious

Close Relationship Between Man and the Earth, the Church and the Nation

In speaking of the purpose of our Lord, the plan of salvation, the fall of man and of the earth, I desire to bring to your attention, my friends and brethren and sisters, the close relationship existing between man and this earth. When man, through his disobedience, was cast out, the earth also was cursed for his sake, so that instead of bringing forth, spontaneously, fruits, flowers, grains, grasses, etc., which were necessary to sustain the life of man and animals, it brought forth thorns and thistles, briars and obnoxious weeds, and it was only by the sweat of the face of man that those needful things were produced. I believe, brethren and sisters, that there is a similar nearness existing between the Church of Christ, and the state, or the law of the land and the law of God, particularly as regards to the United States and the government thereof. I do not think that the Church should undertake to control, or to dictate in state affairs, or vice versa, but I do think that the Church and the State alike, should strive to make the people, the citizens of the nation, and the membership of the Church, an industrious, prosperous, law abiding, peaceable, and righteous people. The Church needs the protection which the state or the government affords, and the government needs the influence of the Church upon the lives and conduct of its citizens.

Source: Elder George F. Richards
General Conference, October 1922

Topics: Freedom, Religious

True, the Latter-day Saints have been persecuted under the Stars and Stripes in various States of the Union; but, we must not make the mistake of supposing that it was because of the Flag, or of the Constitution, or of the genius of the American government, that these deplorable happenings took place. No; it was not because, but in spite of them. Those persecutions were inflicted by lawless force, by mob violence, ever to be execrated and condemned by every true patriot. Let us credit our noble Nation with what it has done in the direction of filling its God-given mission. In no other land—in no other nation upon this land, would the Lord’s people have been treated with the same degree of consideration. In no other country on earth would this work have been permitted to come forth. This nation was founded purposely, that the Church and Kingdom of God might be established and all nations bask in its light and share in its blessings.

Source: Elder Orson F. Whitney
General Conference, April 1921

Topics: America, Heritage; Freedom, Religious

Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man’s and trouble none with mine; nor is it given to us in this life to know whether yours or mine, our friend’s or our foe’s, are exactly the right.

Source: Thomas Jefferson

Topics: Freedom, Religious

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