A Flawed System?

Recently I have had some interesting discussions with friends and acquaintances regarding corruption in our federal government. My frustration with the lack of conversation on religion and politics, as described in my previous post, resulted in a minor outburst on my part. I decided to see if I could drum up some talk by sending a shotgun email out to just about everybody in my contact list. I included everyone from old bosses to college friends I haven't spoken to in years. In the email I asked simple questions about the recipients' views on corruption in our government. In all I sent the email to 94 people and got 15 responses.

There were two main themes in the discussions which ensued, which I think are probably fairly accurate indicators of how most people are feeling.

One common thread was that we have a flawed system. The idea that any time you have individuals in positions of power, greed and pride will enter in and prevent true representation. Even if good people get in, they will ultimately do whatever it takes to get reelected and become corrupt.

With the proposition that our system is not perfect, I agree. We know that until Christ reigns there will be no perfect system. However, I believe it is worth taking a closer look at the flaws in the system and what it is that is going to make Christ's kingdom perfect. That said, I reject the proposal that our flawed system is what got us here. The responsibility for that lies with we the people.

Truly, "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion." (D&C 121:39) But leadership does not create the problems. The granting and exercising of authority prevent things from working as they should.

Evidence of this is found in the amazing men who established this nation. They had a moment of opportunity unlike any other. In the process of founding a government they could have granted themselves power, but they chose to spread it out. George Washington refused to serve a third presidential term of his own accord. He and the others exemplified the principles demonstrated by Mosiah and his sons. "Neither would Aaron take upon him the kingdom, neither were any of the sons of Mosiah willing to take upon them the kingdom." For they knew that "if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God...then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you." "For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!" (Mosiah 29)

I suppose then that the "flaw" is that "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." (John Adams) Yes, it is unfortunate that the founding fathers could not put something together that would prevent a wicked and adulterous nation from destroying itself. If the weakness of our Constitution is that unrighteous people can prevent it from working, then Christ's system is equally "flawed", is it not? Zionlike nations can only be founded and maintained by righteous individuals. This doesn't make the system of Zion weak, it actually makes it perfect. "The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness." (Moses 7:18)

No, the Constitutional system does not provide an excuse for corruption just because it cannot accommodate pride and sin. No societal organization, which allows for any degree agency, will ever really work until each individual dwelling therein is living righteous principles.

I thank the four people who read my last post. Though I don't really write for your sake, I find it motivating. I still don't know how three of you found out about it, but thank you for the kind comments.

The next post will contain the second common thread from my shotgun email.

Religion and Politics

Saturday I went for a run with a few neighbors. The conversation at the beginning was about some of the movies that were favorites of those present. Lines were repeated and jokes were made, you know that enjoyable discussion. I felt a little out of place as I did not have much to contribute, I don't think I had seen one of the many movies they were talking about. After about ten minutes, one of the guys prodded me to speak up as I am sure my silence was annoying them. "I guess I don't watch enough movies" I said. "Well, what do you want to talk about?" I thought about what it is I felt most like discussing, and honestly, it was politics. I tried stimulating an exchange about health care and stuff, but it really went nowhere. Looking back, my attempt was not very conducive to discussion so I don't blame the guys for immediately changing the subject.

You know how they say that religion and politics are impolite conversation, unfortunately, that is what I spend 90% of my free time thinking about. I am beginning to realize that this makes me somewhat of an anti-social. It is strange, even among members of my own church there is sometimes an awkwardness about discussing religion outside of the church building. And I have rarely been able to successfully bring up what is going on with our nation's government without feeling completely out of place. Why is this?

I felt like starting to document my thoughts and feelings about what is going on in the world because I don't get to talk about them enough with those around me. My guess is that many people feel like talking about certain events and issues but shy away from it because they are afraid of being judged as a conspiracy theorist weirdo. I confess, some of the thoughts I have had make me wonder if I am going off the deep end, however, I find comfort in realizing by that standard, the scriptures are already over the edge. We are in good company when we are in the company of prophets and apostles.

There are things written in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, that if you said them out loud in a public forum would sound crazy and very politically incorrect. Thankfully those who wrote these books felt it more important to tell the truth than to please the people.

A passage from the Book of Ether recently struck me with magnified importance. Chapter 8 verses 23 through 26 discuss the gentiles in the latter days and the secret combinations that will exist around them.

"O ye Gentiles, it is wisom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain-and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be."

"Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you..."

"For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies..."

"Wherefore, I, Moroni, and commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men..."

No one in this world would deny whether or not there are people in this world seeking for power and to overthrow freedom. But for some reason, they may be hesitant to claim that there are people in our government seeking for such. If not in our government, then where? I believe those who are seeking for power and gain through political means are, whether they know it or not, by default seeking to overthrow the freedom of others, and ultimately, great destruction will follow.

Our objective then is to do as the Lord commands, awake to a sense of our awful situation, repent, and prevent these things from getting above us. Can a blog help accomplish this?