The Book of Mormon and Freedom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOOonUiGOjs
It is a record of ancient America. It is the scripture of the new world as certainly as the Bible is the scripture of the old. Each speaks of the other.
Each carries with it the spirit of inspiration, the power to convince and to convert. Together they become two witnesses, hand in hand, that Jesus is the Christ, the resurrected and living son of the living God.
Its narrative is a chronicle of nations long since gone but in its descriptions of today’s society it is as current as the daily newspaper and much more definitive, inspired, and inspiring concerning the solutions of those problems.
– Gordon B Hinckley
Now the scriptures tell us about the war in heaven over free agency, similar to the war we’re going through now, where the devil’s program was guaranteed security as opposed to the Lord’s program of letting each choose for himself, even if he makes the wrong choice.
Once you understand these scriptures, you’ll understand why the presidents of the church have opposed communism, socialism, and the welfare state. And you’ll see why you must oppose them too, if you are in harmony with the word of the Lord.
The scriptures also tell about our inspired Constitution. If you accept these scriptures, you’ll automatically reject the counsel of others who depreciate our Constitution. If you use the scriptures as a guide, you know what the Book of Mormon has to say regarding murderous conspiracies in the last days and how we are to awake to the awful situation today.
I find certain elements in the church do not like to see the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants so much. It has too much to say about freedom.
– Ezra Taft Benson
I know of no other writing which sets forth with such clarity the tragic consequences to societies who follow courses contrary to the commandments of God.
Its pages trace the stories of two distinct civilizations that flourished on this western hemisphere. They began small, their people walking in the fear of the Lord. but with prosperity came growing evils. The people succumbed to the wiles of ambitious and scheming leaders who oppressed them with burdensome taxes, who lulled them with hollow promises, who countenanced and even encouraged loose and lascivious living, who led them into terrible wars that resulted in the death of millions and the final and total extinction of two great civilizations in two eras.
– Gordon B. Hinckley
Now the question arises: What can we do to preserve our constitution? And how can we avoid being misled into doing those things that will actually help to destroy it? During last October conference I spoke on the subject “Be not deceived.” I said there were three keys one could use to avoid deception. First, the Scriptures. Second, the words of the prophets, especially the prophet, the president of the church and particularly the living one. And third, the Holy Ghost.
– Ezra Taft Benson
Now we have not bean using the Book of Mormon as we should. Our homes are not as strong unless we are using it to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be corrupted by the worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to combat the falsehoods in socialism. Our church classes are not as spirit-filled unless we hold it up as a standard. And our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations.
– Ezra Taft Benson
General Moroni, one of the great men of the Book of Mormon, raised the title of liberty and on it he inscribed these words: In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children. Why didn’t he write upon it, “Just live your religion. There is no need to concern yourselves about your freedom, your peace, your wives, or your children.” The reason he didn’t was because all these things were a part of his religion as they are of ours. Listen to what the Book of Mormon had to say about the man who raised the title of liberty: “And Moroni was a strong and mighty man. He was a man of perfect of 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.”
Then Moroni is paid this high tribute: “Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, if all men had been and were and ever would be like unto Moroni, behold, the powers of hell would have been shaken forever, Yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.”
Now part of the reason why we do not have sufficient priesthood bearers to save the Constitution, let alone to shake the powers of hell, is, I fear, because unlike Moroni, our souls do not joy in keeping our country free and we are not firm in the faith of Christ. Nor have we sworn with an oath to defend our rights.
– Ezra Taft Benson
No other written testament so clearly illustrates the fact that when men and nations walk in the fear of God and in obedience to his commandments they prosper and grow. But when they disregard him and his word, there comes a decay that unless otherwise arrested by righteousness leads to impotence and death. The Book of Mormon is an affirmation of the Old Testament proverb, “Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.”
– Gordon B. Hinckley (7:35)
The Book of Mormon has declared over and over again: The blessings of Heaven are contingent upon the righteousness of its people. In fact, this teaching has been attested to in almost every age. Remember in 1831, when the famous French historian said, “I sought for the greatness and genius of America, in her comodious harbors, in her ample rivers, and it was not there, in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there, in her rich mines, in her vast world of commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America, and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness, did I understand her genius and power. America is great because she is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.