America's Liberty is in Jeopardy:
Let me explain by going back in time to our great nation's creation. At the time of the Revolutionary War, eastern America was under British rule. There were taxes on almost everything. If you didn't follow what the government said, your property could be seized. Religious freedom was limited. To great men like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, this was not liberty. They viewed a free country as one in which the government existed solely to protect the "unalienable rights" with which "we have been endowed by our Creator" "among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They envisioned a country in which the government did not rule the people but, rather, in which the people ruled the government. They dreamed of an America in which the government placed restrictions on the people only if such restrictions were necessary to maintain other people's unalienable rights.
About a decade after the United States declared its independence from Great Britain, our Founding Fathers were inspired by God in the drafting of the United States Constitution. It was a document designed to make these men's ideas of how a government should operate a reality.
As I have come to better understand the United States Constitution, and the Founding Fathers' intent in writing it, I have come to the sad realization that our nation has been drifting away from sound constitutional principles. We've been losing our independence that has been won and so adamantly defended at an enormous cost.
Yes, we still have the freedom to vote for our political leaders, but America has once again turned into a country in which the government rules the people. Federal, state, and local bureaucracies, rather than elected officials, regulate such things as tax codes, environmental procedures, federal land use, healthcare, and so on. Taxes exist on almost everything and are continuing to raise. We never really own our property as government bureaucracies will seize it at its discretion. (See Note 1 below.) Religious freedom is suffering great persecution. (See Note 2 below.)
America's liberty is in jeopardy!
The holy scriptures teach us valuable lessons about how we can politically fix our nation. In the Doctrine and Covenants (a collection of revelations to modern-day prophets) the Lord teaches “the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established…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).”
God has approved the United States Constitution, so we need to defend and reverence this document.
How can we reverence the constitution? First, we need to read it and learn what it really means. Second, we need to elect political leaders that are going to abide by sound constitutional principles. Third, we need to invite others to do the same.
Political action can help in the process of saving America, but it may not be enough. A book of sacred scripture called the Book of Mormon teaches us something even more effective than politics. After Christ was resurrected and ascended into heaven, he visited a people called the Nephites that lived in the ancient Americas. For nearly a century afterward, the Nephites had the ideal society. The Book of Mormon record states “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land (Book of Mormon, 4 Nephi 1:15-18).”
Why were their no political problems in the land? It was "because of the love of God that did dwell in the hearts of the people." We need to help spread the love of God throughout this country if we want to save America. This will start with us. We need to develop our own love of God and let this love shine through us to others. We need to be proactive in serving others in need. We need to share the gospel of Christ with our family, friends, and acquaintances. As we defend the Constitution and help increase our nation's love of God, we will be doing our part in saving this great land of the free and home of the brave!
Note 1: For example, every time a freeway is built, the government seizes the property of each person that lives in the freeway's planned course.
Note 2: For example, in 2014 Jack Phillips declined to make Charlie Craig and David Mullins a cake for their same-sex wedding because doing anything to support a same-sex marriage was contrary to their religious beliefs. Charlie and David took Jack to court and won. In other words, LGBT rights was treated with higher regard than religious liberty.
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