Past material advances have been the fruit of our freedom—our free enterprise system—our American way of life—our God-given freedom of choice. The progress of the future must stem from this same basic freedom. Because our forefathers fought for the ideal of freedom; because our fathers preserved that ideal through our free enterprise system under our God-given free agency; because they were willing to make religion the vital force of daily living, all of us have climbed through the years to new heights of well-being and inner strength.

Source: Elder Ezra Taft Benson
General Conference, October 1958

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I cannot understand why we do not learn a lesson from the history of other great civilizations of Babylonia, Greece, and Rome, and realize that the cycle of civilization begins with abject slavery or bondage and moves upward to a spiritual faith, from a spiritual faith to moral courage, from moral courage to freedom, from freedom to abundance, and begins to descend from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to apathy, from apathy to dependency and from dependency back to the point of beginning.

You can calculate our own position in this cycle today, as we are in a period of selfishness and apathy which is rapidly phasing into dependence. The only thing that will stop us from returning to the point of beginning will be a renewal of spiritual faith and moral courage, that we may regain our freedom and abundance.

Source: The Honorable James B. Utt
U.S. Representative from the 28th District of California.
This item is from his Washington Report, August 7, 1958.

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He that will not work, shall not eat, for the labours of 30 or 40 honest and industrious men shall not be consumed to maintain 150 idle loiters... When our people were fed out of the common store and labored jointly, glad was he could slip from his labours or slumber—neither cared they for the increase—presuming that howsoever the harvest prospered, the general store must maintain them—so that we reaped not so much corne from 30 men as now 3 or 4 doe provide for themselves.

Source: Captain John Smith
(1580-1631)—of the Jamestown settlement

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Under Guise of Taxation

I do not believe that government should seek social legislation under the guise of taxation. If we are to adopt socialism, it should be presented to the people of the country as socialism, and not under the guise of a law to collect revenue.

Source: Calvin Coolidge

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“Would you let them starve? .... Do you think people ought to live in slums? .... Would you let them die for want of medical care? .... Aren’t all children entitled to an education? .... Shouldn’t old people be comfortable after retirement?”

Those who believe that the State should do more for the people never tire of hurling the above questions at those who believe the powers and functions of government should be reduced and the area expanded in which free initiative and self-reliance may be exercised.

Let it be understood that it is precisely because the libertarian wants less hunger, better housing, better education, improved medical care, more comfort in retirement and a higher scale of living all the way round, that he advocates less government, sound money, self-reliance, observance of the moral law, and freedom in the market places.

Less suffering, abolition of poverty, better living, and improved opportunity for cultural and spiritual development is as much the goal of the libertarian as it is of the advocate of the Welfare State. How to reach the desired objective is the question that divides these two groups.

Source: Howard E. Kershner, L.H.D.
From a release of the Christian Freedom Foundation, October 28, 1957.

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The next thing we must know about is the major enemy to our way of life—Socialistic Communism. In October Conference, 1959, President McKay admonished us to read what he called an excellent book, The Naked Communist. I agree with the President of the Church. Probably no man in America knows the internal Communist threat better than J. Edgar Hoover—his two books on Communism should be must reading. They are Masters of Deceit, and A Study of Communism. You Can Trust the Communists, by Dr. Fred Schwarz, whom President McKay called a true friend of freedom, is also an enlightening book. The House Committee on Un-American Activities and the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee have both put out instructive information. A list of their publications is available free of charge from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D.C.

Once you get the facts about our American Constitutional Republic and the threats to it—then you are going to want to do something. Certainly those who are organized and have a plan and are dedicated, though they be few, will always defeat the many who are not organized and have no plan or dedication. The Communists have proved this and the fighters for freedom must realize it too. If, then, you want to have impact through an organization, make sure that organization squares with the scriptures and the prophets and the spirit. Then move forward and use your free agency to accomplish that which is virtuous and praiseworthy and let the devil and his agents and dupes howl.

Yes, the Fabian Socialists are as busy as bees rolling out the red carpet which leads inevitably to Communism. Faced with this situation our first duty is that of education. Starting with ourselves we must become familiar with the broad outlines of our movement toward destruction. We must, as President McKay has urged, become alerted and informed. After becoming informed ourselves, we must carry the word to all within hearing or seeing range, so that they, too, can become awakened. Take every opportunity to pass sound literature and books around so that your neighbors and their neighbors will awaken before it is too late. We are literally in a race against time and we must take every opportunity to spread the word.

Source: Ezra Taft Benson
BYU Speeches, December 10, 1963, p.18-19

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I regret exceedingly that in political controversies men seem to lack that courtesy and that respect for their opponents that I believe all Latter-day Saints ought to have. I have never yet heard a Democrat make a political speech that I felt was fair to the Republicans. Being a Democrat, I shall not say anything about what I think of the speeches of Republicans regarding Democrats. It is a strange thing—but they say that “Love is blind,” and some people have added, “and can’t smell.” I have sometimes thought that both statements were true. From my own personal contact with dear and near friends, Republicans and Democrats, I have not been able to discover the exercise of what you might call charity, if you like, for the opinions of others who oppose them politically at least not as much charity as should exist among our people. I am a thorough convert myself to the idea that it is not possible for all men to see alike. You know the remark made by a man once: “It is a splendid thing that we do not all see alike, because if we did, everybody would want to marry my Sally Ann;” and the other man remarked, “Yes, thank the Lord. If everybody saw your Sally Ann as I see her, nobody on earth would have her, and she would die an old maid.” (Laughter.)

Source: President Heber J. Grant
General Conference, October 1919

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Among the lessons we learn from the Book of Mormon are the cause and effect of war and under what conditions it is justified. It tells of evils and dangers of secret combinations, which are built up to get power and gain over the people. It tells of the reality of Satan and gives an indication of some of the methods he uses. It advises us on the proper use of wealth. It tells us of the plain and precious truths of the gospel and the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for all mankind. It informs us of the gathering of the house of Israel in the last days. It tells us of the purpose and principles of missionary work. It warns us against pride, indifference, procrastination, the dangers of false traditions, hypocrisy, and unchastity.

Source: Elder L. Tom Perry
General Conference, October 2005

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Freedom of speech, freedom of action within boundaries that do not infringe upon the liberty of others are . . . divine gifts “essential to human dignity and human happiness.“16

Source: David O. McKay
Pathways to Happiness, comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1957), 166.

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