I have though a lot about how I would approach this first posting. First of all, this weblog is not going to be in any particular order. You may find some of the principles, concepts, and ideas to have more or less meaning to you than to some others or to myself. Please try to participate even if it is a simple sentence of additional insight, etc. I will post based on what I happen to be studying at the time, or until I receive specific suggestions from you. I've found that it is nearly impossible for me to write a short essay after all - they always end up too lengthy. And so, I will try just a few sentences introducing the topic and several quotations from scripture and from General Authorities of the Church and leave it to you to research (if you'd like) and respond in the discussion area.
Here we go:
It seems a confusing thing for me as I observe the varying opinions of the Latter-Day Saints on government's proper role. Especially with American Saints, and our unique and sacred perspective concerning the United States Constitution and the inspiration of the Founding Fathers. The leaders of the Church seem very clear on these subjects. Latter-Day Saints should not support and perpetuate systems of law or government programs that redistribute the wealth of the people (entitlement programs). The principles of individual responsibility, freedom, moral agency, one's right to own and control property, basic honesty and integrity, personal honor, thrift, self-reliance, industry, accountability, and benevolence are all violated by a system of taking from one or many and giving the spoils to another. Unfortunately these systems do exist; my feeling, however, is that the Latter-Day Saints should limit their participation in receiving from or being subsidized by these programs, and with their voices and their votes, work to eliminate these systems - and especially as they exist on the federal level.
Here are some quotations from our Church leaders on the subject:
- "Citizens should also be practitioners of civic virtue in their conduct toward government. They should be ever willing to fulfill the duties of citizenship. This includes...the numerous voluntary actions they must take if they are to preserve the principle of limited government through citizen self-reliance."
(Dallin H. Oaks, “The Divinely Inspired Constitution,” Ensign, Feb 1992, 68) - "The practice of coveting and receiving unearned benefits has now become so fixed in our society that even men of wealth, possessing the means to produce more wealth, are expecting the government to guarantee them a profit. Elections often turn on what the candidates promise to do for voters from government funds. This practice, if universally accepted and implemented in any society, will make slaves of its citizens.
"We cannot afford to become wards of the government, even if we have a legal right to do so. It requires too great a sacrifice of self-respect and in political, temporal, and spiritual independence.
"In some countries it is extremely difficult to separate earned from unearned benefits. However, the principle is the same in all countries: We should strive to become self-reliant and not depend on others for our existence.
"Governments are not the only guilty parties. We fear many parents are making “gullible gulls” out of their children with their permissiveness and their doling out of family resources. In fact, the actions of parents in this area can be more devastating than any government program."
(Marion G. Romney, “The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance,” Tambuli, Oct 1984, 1 -- entire talk should be read!) - "In this last dispensation, the Lord has again spoken plainly on the subject. “Thou shalt not be idle,” he said. “For he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer.” (D&C 42:42.) “And the idler shall not have place in the Church, except he repent and mend his ways.” (D&C 75:29.)
"In light of these scriptures, no member should desire or seek to voluntarily shift the responsibility for his own maintenance to another. Rather, each member, through work, should seek to find great satisfaction in personal achievement; and thus, he will be entitled to the fruits of his labors—both temporal and spiritual."
(President Marion G. Romney, “Principles of Temporal Salvation,” Ensign, Apr 1981, 3 -- again, entire article should be read!) - “Our primary purpose was to set up, insofar as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves. Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership.” (President Heber J. Grant, In Conference Report, Oct. 1936, p. 3.)
- "Individuals and families may need to alter their standards of living in doing all they can to meet their own needs. A church dole would be worse than a government dole because it would fail in the face of greater light. Church practices portray more honorable aims, more glorious potential.
(President Thomas S. Monson, “Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare,” Ensign, Sep 1986, 3) - "President Stephen L Richards gave an inspired appeal as he rallied members with these sentiments: “How can sons and daughters who owe everything they have—their education, their ideals of life, their capacity to acquire independent means to live and their characters—to parents who have worked, sacrificed, prayed, wept, and striven for them to the exhaustion of their bodies and their energies agree to a scheme which would make their fathers and mothers the objects of public organizations that help the poor and cast the burden of their support on the community and stigmatize them with the loss of independence and self-respect. …
“I think my food would choke me if I knew that while I could procure bread my aged father or mother or close relatives were living on government or public assistance.” (In General Conference, Oct. 1944.)
(President Thomas S. Monson, “Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare,” Tambuli, Feb 1987, 2) - "I would respectfully urge you to live by the fundamental principles of work, thrift, and self-reliance and to teach your children by your example.
It was never intended in God’s divine plan that man should live off the labor of someone else. Live within your own earnings. Put a portion of those earnings regularly into savings. Avoid unnecessary debt. Be wise by not trying to expand too rapidly. Learn to manage well what you have before you think of expanding further. This is the kind of advice would give my own, and is, in my opinion, the key to sound home, business, and government management.
I would further counsel you to pay your honest tithes and contribute generously to the support of the poor and needy through the fast offerings. Then store at least a year’s supply of basic food, clothing, and fuel. Then you will find these blessings will accrue:
You will not be confronted with the danger of losing all you have because of inflation or depression.
You will have security that no government can provide, savings and supplies for emergencies.
You can ask God’s blessings and his protecting care on you and your family.
You are contributing to the solution of our country’s ills, rather than contributing to its problems.
(President Ezra Taft Benson, “America at the Crossroads,” New Era, Jul 1978, 36)
Many more could be added to this list. There are many aspects to this topic, which I hope will help the discussion. Socialism versus the United Order, the relationship between justice and mercy, God-given rights, agency, the inspired Constitution, etc.
(Please leave your comments and insights by clicking the "discussion comments" link just below.)
Posts
