I was
recently preparing for the Ezra Taft Benson lesson #3, "Freedom of Choice,
an Eternal Principle." I read through the lesson and then I read 3 of the
referenced talks from the lesson notes (The Ensign article from a BYU
devotional address: The Constitutions-A Glorious Standard, Sept. 1987; Not
Commanded in All Things, April 1965; and Protecting Freedom—An Immediate
Responsibility, Oct. 1966). Instead of being able to go to Relief Society and
share the lessons I learned I was asked to substitute in primary (by 2
different teachers, so I know I was supposed to be in primary last week!). I
learned so much though that I wanted to share my thoughts here!:) Maybe they
will be of benefit to someone!!:)
My first
thought actually comes from the book. Ezra Taft Benson shares the scripture
from D&C 58, "he that is compelled in all things, the same is a
slothful and not a wise servant." God feels our agency is so important
that he won't tell us everything that we are supposed to do. So why do we feel
that we need to micromanage everyone else around us? I see this happening in
HOAs. I know of 2 HOAs, one in Lehi and one in Herriman. With a big desire to
make sure their house value doesn't go down, they "compel" everyone
in the neighborhood to be the same...you must have so many small, medium, and
large bushes in your front yard...you can't have fruit trees (because fruit
falls on the ground)...etc. and if you don't we are going to fine you. Another
one is common core. Everyone must learn the same thing at the same time. These
feel very similar to Satan's plan to me. "Wherefore, because that Satan
rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord
God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by
the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;"
(Moses 4:3) Ezra Taft Benson later said, "Those spiritually alert look at
the objectives, check the guidelines laid down by the Lord and his prophets,
and then prayerfully act—without having to be commanded “in all things.” This
attitude prepares men for godhood."
So often we think we have all the answers and know what is best for
everyone, when really we know what is best for our family.
I love
this quote from the BYU devotional address: "If we accept the premise that
human rights are granted by government, then we must be willing to accept the
corollary that they can be denied by government. I, for one, shall never accept
that premise. We must ever keep in mind the inspired words of Thomas Jefferson,
as found in 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 inalienable 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.” How scary is
that, if we allow the government to give us our basic rights, we also allow
them to take away those rights...life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness...
As I
watch the laws being put into effect in our country I think how far we are
staying from the Constitution: "The powers the people granted to the three
branches of government were specifically limited. The Founding Fathers well
understood human nature and its tendency to exercise unrighteous dominion when
given authority. A Constitution was therefore designed to limit government to
certain enumerated functions, beyond which was tyranny." I see conditions similar to Pre WW2 in the
United States and I wonder if we too will accept a Hitler figure by
degrees.
Ezra
Taft Benson then asks if we have held true to the principles contained in the
Constitution and declares that we have not.
He says if we want to save the Constitution we must do 4 things: 1 -We
must be righteous and moral. 2-We must learn the principles of the Constitution
and then abide by its precepts. 3- We must become involved in civic affairs.
4-We must make our influence felt by our vote, our letters, and our
advice. I know that I definitely have
some work to do on these instructions.
From
his talk in 1965: "The devil knows that if the elders of Israel should
ever wake up, they could step forth and help preserve freedom and extend the
gospel. Therefore the devil has concentrated, and to a large extent
successfully, in neutralizing much of the priesthood. He has reduced them to
sleeping giants." What a wake up
call for me that was. How am I standing
up for my freedoms? Am I just leaving it
to other people? Am I allowing my
freedoms to be taken bit by bit because I am too scared or busy to stand up for
truth?
From his
talk in 1966: "Efforts are being made to deprive man of his free agency,
to steal from the individual his liberty . . . There has been an alarming
increase in the abandoning of the ideals that constitute the foundation of the
Constitution of the United States"
Remember this was given back in 1966.
If our freedoms were being robbed back then they are even more so now.
How are
we standing up for our freedoms? I know
I need to be better. I need to write to
my senators/representatives and tell them how I feel. I need to be more educated on exactly what
our freedoms should be. The constitution
was an inspired document (if you don't believe me read, "Plain, Honest
Men: The Making of the American Constitution") we need to adhere to the
principles that were fought for.
