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

Tyranny at Once?

Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of the day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period, and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematical plan of reducing us to slavery.

Source: Thomas Jefferson

Topics: Freedom, Loss of; Slavery

Dictatorships in America?

We do not need to go to Europe or to Russia to find absolute dictators. We have them here in America. Probably not as mayors and governors and presidents, but we do have them in organizations in which members have no voice in their own affairs, for fear of reprisals, and in which taxes are levied and dues collected on a compulsory basis.

Each one of us must see to it that we do not become a party to setting up any dictatorships in America, in business or labor or politics or education or in any other walk of life.

Our destiny is to be free. Our religion teaches us to be free. Dictatorships wipe out freedom.

Source: Mark E. Peterson
Church News, 5/9/59

Topics: Dictatorships

Are we Serfs?

We shall abide all constitutional law, as we always have done; but while we are Godfearing and law-abiding, and respect all honorable men and officers, we are no craven serfs, and have not learned to lick the feet of oppressors, nor to bow in base submission to unreasoning clamor. We will contend, inch by inch, legally and constitutionally, for our rights as American citizens, and for the universal rights of universal man. We stand proudly erect in the consciousness of our rights as American citizens, and plant ourselves firmly on the sacred guarantees of the Constitution; and that instrument, while it defines the powers and privileges of the President, Congress and the judiciary, also directly provides that “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people.

Source: John Taylor
Journal of Discourses, Vol.23, p.67

Topics: Freedom, Loss of; Rights

Plain and Simple Issue

The plain and simple issue now facing us in America is freedom or slavery.

Our real enemies are communism and its running mate, socialism....

And never forget for one moment that communism and socialism are state slavery.

...the paths we are following, if we move forward thereon, will inevitably lead us to socialism or communism, and these two are as like as two peas in a pod in their ultimate effect upon our liberties....

This country faces ahead enough trouble to bring us to our knees in humble honest prayer to God for the help which He alone can give to save us....

Do not think that all these usurpations, intimidations, and impositions are being done to us through inadvertency or mistake, the whole course is deliberately planned and carried out; its purpose is to destroy the Constitution and our Constitutional government...

We have largely lost the conflict so far waged. But there is time to win the final victory, if we can sense our danger, and fight.

Source: J. Reuben Clark
Deseret News, “Church Section,” Sept. 25, 1949, pp. 2, 15.
As quoted in General Conference, April 1963

Topics: Communism; Freedom, Loss of; Socialism

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

Free Education is Great?

I am opposed to free education as much as I am opposed to taking property from one man and giving it to another who knows not how to take care of it.

I now pay the school fee of a number of children who are either orphans or sons and daughters of poor people. But in aiding and blessing the poor I do not believe in allowing my charities to go through the hands of a set of robbers who pocket nine-tenths themselves, and give one-tenth to the poor. Therein is the difference between us.

I am for the real act of doing and not saying. Would I encourage free schools by taxation? No!

Source: Brigham Young
Journal of Discourses, Vol.18, p.357

Topics: Education

The Beginning of an Epoch

We are living in what may well prove to be the most epoch-making period of all time. There is ample evidence on every hand that we are witnessing one of those tidal waves of human thought and emotion which periodically sweep over the world and change the direction of human endeavor. It is a time that demands clear thinking and sound judgment. Whether we are willing to admit it or not, this is a revolutionary period.

There is social and political upheaval. “Thoroughly tested, well-tried principles are being thrown into discard. Long accepted social theories,” writes Charles Foster Kent, “have suddenly been rejected, and new ones are being adopted. Many of the moral standards of our fathers are being set aside in theory as well as practice. Religious dogmas long regarded as the cornerstones of religion and the church are being disproved or supplanted by the discoveries of modern science.”

Source: David O. McKay
Gospel Ideals, p.268

Topics: Government, Threats to

Life Is a Gift from God

We hold from God the gift which includes all others. This gift is life—physical, intellectual, and moral life.

But life cannot maintain itself alone. The Creator of life has entrusted us with the responsibility of preserving, developing, and perfecting it. In order that we may accomplish this, He has provided us with a collection of marvelous faculties. And He has put us in the midst of a variety of natural resources. By the application of our faculties to these natural resources we convert them into products, and use them. This process is necessary in order that life may run its appointed course.

Life, faculties, production—in other words, individuality, liberty, property—this is man. And in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all human legislation, and are superior to it. Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.

Source: Frederic Bastiat
The Law

Topics: Life; Rights

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