Part of Me

Tonight I had yet another situation in which I was trying to explain to someone why I feel so strongly about politics. I never do a good job at this. And the frustrating thing is that tonight I really wanted this person to understand. I am passionate about politics. It is a part of  me. But people usually don't get that. So, because I want him to understand, I'm writing this post. I may or may not send it to him (a slightly edited version, of course) but even if I don't it will help me clear up my thoughts and be more prepared to answer in the future.

First I want to explain why I care:
~There are multiple instances in the scriptures where we learn a little of how much God cares about our liberties and freedoms. 
In the Book of Mormon, an entire city was threatened with destruction (and ended up being destroyed) because they were trying to destroy the freedom of the people. 

• "And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammoniha, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them. For behold, they do study at this time that they might destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people (Alma 8:16-17).

In the Doctrine and Covenants we are told that the constitution was inspired and that our rights should be maintained according to just and holy principles. 

• "According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood" (D&C 101:77-80).

In the Book of Mormon we are told about a man who loves liberty. Look at how much this description of him has to do with his willingness to fight for his freedoms. And this is the man who all men should be like, who could cause the very powers of hell to shake. 

• "And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery...Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood. Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary...And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land... and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men" (Alma 48: 11-17). 

~Modern-day prophets have spoken strongly about political principles and on our duty to uphold the constitution and be aware and educated and involved in the governments of our country. Many people talk about how we need to compromise, how we need to understand that many issues are personal preferences, that we cannot impose our opinions on others, that there are many good ways to govern a people. I agree with that somewhat. However, I very much believe that there is not as much room for differing opinion as many people think. One of our prophets stated, 

• "Next to worshiping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States." -David O. McKay

Some political ideologies are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not a personal opinion if it is right or wrong. 

• No true Latter-day Saint or true American can be a socialist or support programs leading in that direction. These evil philosophies are incompatible with Americanism, with Mormonism, and with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ." -Ezra T. Benson

~Finally, God has told us that one of the ways we will be judged is by the records which have been kept on earth. I believe that those records will contain our voting record and a record of who we did or did not support politically. 

• "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Revelation 20:12)

• "Write the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been. For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men" (3 Nephi 27: 24-25). 

I believe that I have a responsibility to be involved in the government and politics of my country. I believe that if I ignored it, or if I was too lazy to become informed, or if I voted against my beliefs I would be held accountable before God. I really believe that it is such a sacred duty we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A duty that we so very often take too lightly.


I also want to explain why I have the political beliefs that I do: 
I believe that we have certain, God-given rights. I agree with the Declaration of Independence:

• We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" (The Declaration of Independence, para 2). 

Frederic Bastiat, a French statesman, gave further clarity to this principle: 

• "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" (Fredric Bastiat, The Law, Life is a Gift from God). 

The underlined section of the Declaration could be considered the basis for my political beliefs. Governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed. Again quoting from The Law

• "Each of us has a natural right — from God — to defend his person, his liberty, and his property. These are the three basic requirements of life, and the preservation of any one of them is completely dependent upon the preservation of the other two. For what are our faculties but the extension of our individuality? And what is property but an extension of our faculties? If every person has the right to defend even by force — his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that a group of men have the right to organize and support a common force to protect these rights constantly. Thus the principle of collective right — its reason for existing, its lawfulness — is based on individual right. And the common force that protects this collective right cannot logically have any other purpose or any other mission than that for which it acts as a substitute. Thus, since an individual cannot lawfully use force against the person, liberty, or property of another individual, then the common force — for the same reason — cannot lawfully be used to destroy the person, liberty, or property of individuals or groups" (Frederic Bastiat, The Law). 

President Ezra Taft Benson used a story to illustrate this principle.

• Suppose pioneer “A” wants another horse for his wagon, He doesn’t have the money to buy one, but since pioneer “B” has an extra horse, he decides that he is entitled to share in his neighbor’s good fortune, Is he entitled to take his neighbor’s horse? Obviously not! If his neighbor wishes to give it or lend it, that is another question. But so long as pioneer “B” wishes to keep his property, pioneer “A” has no just claim to it. If “A” has no proper power to take “B’s” property, can he delegate any such power to the sheriff? No. Even if everyone in the community desires that “B” give his extra horse to “A”, they have no right individually or collectively to force him to do it. They cannot delegate a power they themselves do not have" (Ezra Taft Benson, The Proper Role of Government, p. 5-6). 

I know this analogy is very simple. But I love it! If we do not have an individual right to do something, we do not have the right to delegate that to government. And we only have the right to protect our life, liberty, and property. We don't have the right to force others to be charitable, we don't  have the right to tell someone who to fight for, we don't have the right to take over a country because we think we could run it better. We don't have the right to tax people for programs or institutions or projects that are not necessary to protect the individual rights of the population as a whole. 

This post is getting lengthy. But these are the principles upon which I believe politics should be based. Many people point out that they are unrealistic, that libertarian ideals are only ideas that can never be reached. But I disagree. 

And just because, here are two other good quotes. 

"The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just." -Abraham Lincoln

"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence--it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master!" -George Washington

Thoughts, anyone?