So, Gaz... Do you personally believe what you referenced in your OP from the JoD?
Do you think that Brigham Young is right, and it is a matter of time before the Church takes over the government?
That's actually what my Dad believes, which is why I'm curious as to where you fall.
I don't see the church taking over the government until Christ comes again. I also don't see that as being what Brigham is referencing. The American Nation as such - with all its freedoms, rights, and constitutional guarantees - came into being and continues to exist so that a proper religious climate would prevail for the restoration and spread of the gospel. (See 3 Nephi 21
That the Mormon community has such strong ties to the republican party is not what is important to notice in the census. The republican party at one time represented a core set of values that many Mormons embraced, but has since shown itself to be no friend of freedom. During the Bush years the republicans had all the power they wanted to set things right, but instead chose to do nothing. Also with their anti-terrorism plan they have stripped away many freedoms and rights that are essential to a democracy. Even so they are still a better choice than democrats who seek to strengthen the abuse of freedom. I don't think either of the parties want to crush freedom, both simply have different views on what freedoms should be and represent. I think its more a question of values.
Mormons have a strong tie to family that is inherent in their belief system of a God that is a Father, not simply a creator. Liberalism sees no need for a family as a central base on which to base a democracy, not understanding that family values are critical in building up a community. A family instills a sense of identity and purpose in youth, who then grow up to carry on traditions and defend what is valuable to the social structure.
Also liberalism and the so called "democratic" party at at their hearts socialists. Why is socialism incompatible with man’s liberty? Socialism cannot work except through an all-powerful state. The state has to be supreme in everything. When individuals begin to exert their God-given rights, the state has to suppress that freedom. So belief in God must be suppressed, and with that gone freedom of conscience and religion must also go. Those are the first of our liberties mentioned in the Bill of Rights.
A democrat could be compared to the Kingman in the Book of Mormon that Captain Moroni struggled so hard to contend against. They seek to surrender their liberty so that a great King can rule over and with tyranny support their abuses of freedom. This is all well and good when the tyrant is on your side, but not when the wind blows against you when the weather changes.
Ezra Taft Benson spoke out against a strong federal government. he stated:
It is a firm principle that the smallest or lowest level that can possibly undertake the task is the one that should do so. First, the community or city. If the city cannot handle it, then the county. Next, the state; and only if no smaller unit can possible do the job should the federal government be considered. This is merely the application to the field of politics of that wise and time-tested principle of never asking a larger gr a larger group to do that which can be done by a smaller group. And so far as government is concerned the smaller the unit and the closer it is to the people, the easier it is to guide it, to keep it solvent and to keep our freedom.....It is well to remember that the states of this republic created the Federal Government. The Federal Government did not create the states.
source: Link
It is the churchs view that all things should be set up to create strong and self sufficient individuals. We believe that every man in his nation has a God given right to defend his person, his liberty, and his property. We need government mainly to control the element of crime that springs up. People generally do very well for themselves when left alone.
The reason that so many people want to embrace a system that wants to steal from the rich to give to the poor is the same reason so many embrace fad diets and crazy health foods. Its a quick fix that requires no forethought. No real lifestyle change. Everyone knows that eating right and exercising really is what solves bad waistlines, but why go that route when you can just use a miracle cure?
As our country slides further into a bohemian liberal mindset our constitution that supports individual freedoms will come more and more under attack, and it will be those who support the old standard of individual freedoms without the interference of big government that will have to stand up and defend it. Those who have a real view of the purpose behind the Plan of Salvation and mans eventual destiny will feel the strongest about these issues. And from the graph above it seems readily apparent as to who those people will be.
I would urge all who are interested in these things to read Ezra Taft Bensons talk provided in the link above.
