Doctrine & Covenants Lesson # 44
Being Good
Citizens
Introduction
When our manual was written, Mormons
in government was not a hot topic. Since that time we have had a presidential
nominee, an opposition leader, and several senators and congressmen, some of
whom head up committees, not to mention governors outside of Utah. I personally
believe it takes a very brave person to enter politics in this age where libel
and slander are commonplace and apparently no longer actionable. But I am
grateful for those who do.
I woke up pretty early this morning so
spent some time with the additional material for this lesson. If you get time,
please click on some if not all of the links. I promise you some interesting
information and insights that the brethren have put together for us.
Some time ago I had an editing project
that involved defining religious freedom and collating talks on the subject.
Although it wasn’t for the Church per se, most of that material can be found
here:
Elder Oaks especially has given many
talks on this subject, well in advance of the dangers faced today.
1. Participating in government
One of the things I learned from the
additional material was that Section 134, a pivotal section on government, was
not a direct revelation, but put together by members of the Church and adopted
by a unanimous vote. Now it says that in the headnote, but apparently I never
read it properly. This is a sobering section, and I will do my best not to
refer to current trends, but just look at how different things are from what
they ought to be, but also how close in most cases.
We learn from section 134 what the
differing purposes of government should be. Here is a list from this section,
there are more:
- “For the good and safety of society” (D&C 134:1).
- “For the protection of the innocent and the
punishment of the guilty” (D&C 134:6).
- “For the protection of all citizens in the free
exercise of their religious belief” (D&C 134:7).
- “For redress of all wrongs and grievances” (D&C 134:11).
When I went to my standby for good
quotes, scriptures.byu.edu, I was surprised to find a dearth of specific
references which told me that I should keep politics out of this. However, the
lesson manual does talk about President Benson, who was Secretary of
Agriculture, and he gave a stirring talk on “Our Divine Constitution” which I recommend
to you.[1]
Each year we have a general election, the First Presidency sends out a letter
encouraging us to participate in local government and to vote our conscience. When
caucuses are held, Church activities do not compete. There is a reason for
this.
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum
of the Twelve: “As Church members, we live under the banner of many different
flags. How important it is that we understand our place and our position in the
lands in which we live! We should be familiar with the history, heritage, and
laws of the lands that govern us. In those countries that allow us the right to
participate in the affairs of government, we should use our free agency and be
actively engaged in supporting and defending the principles of truth, right,
and freedom” (Ensign, Nov. 1987, 72).
That being said, we must remember:
“The Church is politically neutral. It
does not endorse political parties, platforms, or candidates. Candidates should
not imply that they are endorsed by the Church or its leaders. Church leaders
and members should avoid any statements or conduct that might be interpreted as
Church endorsement of political parties or candidates” (Church Handbook of
Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders [1998], 325).
2. Obeying the laws of the land
There is no question that modern scripture
instructs us to obey the laws of the land, as does Article of Faith 1:12. Elder
Packer tells us:
Because the laws of man, by and large,
do not raise moral issues, we are taught to honor, sustain, and obey the law
(see A
of F 1:12), and that “he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break
the laws of the land” (D&C
58:21).[2]
Again D&C 134 helps us in what the
relationship between religion and government should be (vv. 3–9).
3. Strengthening the community
The Handbook of Instructions relates:
“Members should do their civic duty by
supporting measures that strengthen society morally, economically, and
culturally. Members are urged to be actively engaged in worthy causes to
improve their communities and make them wholesome places in which to live and
rear families” (Book 2, page 325).
We are in the middle of the Church’s
annual #LightTheWorld campaign—how can we apply this lesson to fulfilling our
desire to take part and Light the World?
The lesson manual has this wonderful
quote from Elder Ballard that certainly made me think:
“In the Church, we often state the
couplet, ‘Be in the world but not of the world.’ … Perhaps we should state the
couplet … as two separate admonitions. First, ‘Be in the world.’ Be involved;
be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity.
Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement.
Second, ‘Be not of the world.’ Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate
or accept what is not right. …Members of the Church need to influence more than
we are influenced. We should work to stem the tide of sin and evil instead of
passively being swept along by it. We each need to help solve the problem
rather than avoid or ignore it” (Ensign, May 1989, 80).
Additional resources for this lesson
- “Of
Governments and Laws”: This article gives context for the
revelation now known as Doctrine and Covenants 134.
- “Housewife
in a Foreign War Zone”: This presentation tells the story of Carol
Gray’s commitment to working with others to promote peace in her region.
- “Teachings
of Ezra Taft Benson: Patriotism and Love of Country”: This
one-minute video highlights President Benson’s service to his country.
- John
Taylor sermon, October 10, 1852: This sermon’s section “Reflections on
War and Power” acknowledges some of the shortcomings of governments even
as Church members try to contribute positively to society.
- “Religious
Freedom”: This page from the Joseph Smith Papers website contains
writings and statements from Joseph Smith on religious freedom and
includes links to the original sources.
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