Evil only exists when and where good men do nothing.....
Clinton LingrenSeptember 6, 2015
With respect to the question of what can be done? The federal government is a monopoly. All federal programs are monopolies. Most federal programs espouse proper principles but by their very nature cannot function properly. All things done improperly by the federal government and that were not authorized in the Constituion could be done properly by the states. Many of the 50 states might put together poor programs, but all 50 states are competing with each other. As with free enterprise, competing government programs will ultimately find what is proper and works. Poor programs will cause peple and tax payers to move to other states. Following proper principles gives simple solutions. Good government leads to acknowledgement of God.
Clinton LingrenSeptember 6, 2015
I find Gary's article very interesting. The change to the Constiution providing that the Senators be popularly elected rather than chosen by the state legislatures is especially interesting. Many, if not most of our current ills are derived from that change. Lobbyists can in many ways control the election of senators but have much less effect on Congressmen because people are able to know the local congressmen. Therefore Lobbyists in many ways control the Senate. Senators also sell favors to get elected rather than protect the rights of their state. Our welfare system that is indeed broken would be much different if Senators were not popularly elected. Also the recent power grabs of the administtration would not have passed if the Senators had their allegiance to their states and had to satisfy their state legislatures in order to be re-elected.
HumbertoSeptember 5, 2015
Joe, Jeremiah, I appreciate your comments, and I'll admit to a bit of hyperbole in my comment that could lead someone to interpret my stance as one of "all is well" But to conclude that I believe in standing idol means that you had to walk around my statement about voting and supporting my nation, and pretend it wasn't there. Let me restate, with less hyperbole: Vigilance is great and needed. Doom and gloom and pessimism is not. My main beef is that, in my perception, the article all but supports a call for imminent rebellion, and I believe those implications are way over the top. I still believe what Pres. Hinckley said in the fall of 2001 is true: "I am optimistic. I do not believe the time is here when an all-consuming calamity will overtake us."
JeremiahSeptember 4, 2015
Humberto and those who think like he does.
II Nephi 28 :21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
JoeSeptember 4, 2015
I agree with this article and have stated personally that we do need a restoration of the Constitution.
Let's not be impertinent and say this restoration means we want things like counting Blacks as 3/5 of a person for voting purposes; obviously that is not what the Lawrence is advocating. Besides, we claim the Constitution is inspired with freedom, but do not claim it is perfect.
I disagree with the notion Humberto gave that we cannot think we are going in the wrong direction until we see dead children on our shores. The point is the DIRECTION we are going. That direction will lead to where Humberto fears. We have to do something NOW to avoid that horrible fate. That is the point of seeing where ones behavior will lead. Why wait to act until you see such abhorrent acts to do something? That didn't work out too well for the Germans in the 1930's did it. That is being a very foolish steward, don't you think?
Great article and thanks for posting!
HumbertoSeptember 3, 2015
While I find the comparison between the apostasy and the ever changing governmental landscape of the US a bit nonsensical, that's not the most troubling part of this write-up. The points of the article, culminating in item number 17, clearly insinuate that we're on our way to societal breakdown and ultimate revolution. The author even seems to hint at, but not outright advocate a support for rebellion. I don't believe the hypothesis. I saw a picture in the news today of a dead 3-year old Syrian child, washed up on a beach. It was heartbreaking. He and his family were attempting to escape a country that is truly in the grips of evil. The US is nowhere near that state. It is a nation full of good people trying to do good things, and that includes the majority of politicians. Even advocates of gay marriage are driven by ideals of respect for others. Believers in the scriptures may find them misguided, but it's a hard sell to claim that the push for equal treatment is born of evil. When Mexicans quit dying in Arizona deserts, and instead American babies start washing up on the shores of Baja California as their families attempt to escape the US, I'll believe that we've gone in the wrong direction. Until then, I'll continue to vote and support the nation that has left me free to pursue my own happiness.
herm olsenSeptember 3, 2015
Do you only post comments which agree with the author? I posted a comment advising him that the constitution is indeed a divinely inspired document, but that it doesn't need revolting against, doesn't need re-inventing, but a slow and careful amendment process has worked well for 225+ years. You didn't post that.
Earl ChantrillSeptember 2, 2015
Very good analysis, Gary. A minor point of disagreement: I disagree that government is the religion. Leftism or Socialism or Materialism (it is sold under various names) is the religion. Government is merely the church through which Socialism is being pushed onto the people who do not understand the government God gave us through the Constitution, and who are therefore willing to give up their liberty in exchange for baubles that corrupted government is holding out to them.
Mary-Theresa DameronSeptember 2, 2015
This article covers a situation that has sadly developed in the United States; disrespect for our Constitution and the Republic the Founders formed.
Too many people are trying to ignore it, including all 3 branches of Government.
Dick MSeptember 2, 2015
I also agree with the premise of this article. The major thrust to this problem is that God is in Charge. Since we can't force people to change from evil to righteousness, there is little help for us but to go through the destruction of this great nation and the rest of the earth. and bring forth the great destruction to bring forth thousand years of peace. We will be able to maintain OUR TEMPLES AND GET ALL OF THE TEMPLE WORK DONE for those that die with out their work being done in the Temples. When they start building the Temples in Jackson county look out. Or maybe it will be to late to look out and just Thank our God that we survived the Cleansing. before the Thousand years.
Rich WhaleySeptember 2, 2015
Good article!! Sadly the majority of our schools do not teach about the Constitution or civics. We need to return to the basic principles upon which the Founders wrote the Constitution; and that requires a strong return to those religious principles.
Bob PowelsonSeptember 2, 2015
It is time for the LDS and other Christians to begin Civil Disobedience actions. Like the county clerk in Kentucky we should simply refuse to act, even at personal risk in doing so.
We LDS have done so before, over polygamy and other persecutions.
Our duty of obedience to government must have limits and in the D&C section on government some limits are stated. Our duty to obey ends when the government demands that we support evil.
The US government is rapidly turning from a servant of the people to its master.
David BaileySeptember 2, 2015
Someplace in my studies I recall John Adams telling us about the Constitution, that it was written for a moral people and was entirely unsuited for any other. Gary Lawrence has, in this article, provided almost 17 testimonies of a sure apostasy from morality. If our American departure from morality (Gospel and Constitution) is as prevalent as Gary has given us, and I believe he is correct, I am puzzled by what means we could ever expect to restore that which the great majority of the people of our nation have, in ignorance or by design, allowed to be so completely trashed as to be almost invisible in legal circles. My suggestion, from all that I have read, leads me to believe our Constitution cannot and will not be restored. Is there a righteous and moral element spread among our citizens, absolutely yes, but their numbers and influence are insufficient for a God of righteousness to bless us as a Nation as required by the Sinai Covenant, but my readings in the Book of Mormon, and particularly in Isaiah, assure me that our God has a plan of survival for His righteous from the destruction of the wicked as seen in vision by our Prophets. Our challenge is to be informed of that plan so that when it is implemented, we will recognize it as the Lord's plan and not be deceived by any other that Satan might use for deception. I find that D&C 52: 14 to be a sure guide: "And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations." Let us not be deceived.
DavidDSeptember 2, 2015
I'm always a little confused by calls to "restore" our God-given Constitution. Does that mean the original Constitution - you know, the one that denied women the right to vote and counted blacks as 3/5 of a person? The Constitution and our Constitutional form of government evolves and is intended to evolve, just as our LDS doctrine does. We may not agree with the direction of Constitutional evolution, but that does not mean that the parallel is to apostasy, any more than we may think that giving blacks the Priesthood is apostasy.
MarySeptember 2, 2015
The author of this article has given a comprehensive offering of where we are today. It amazes me how people can't see what our president is doing to our country. I must add, he is not alone in high-jacking our nation! He has had many minions helping him. I think we are all waiting for "someone" to step up and lead us out of this morass of evil!!!
Calvin GarvinSeptember 2, 2015
Excellent write.
Vicki Jo AndersonSeptember 2, 2015
Hear, hear, this article states our present situation with the Constitution with such clarity and brevity that even the most uninformed cannot help but understand what is happening. Using the analogy of an apostasy helps paint a very clear picture in the mind of the reader. It was a new thought for me to not only think in terms of an apostasy, but also in terms of a restoration. I found it all very helpful. I have been wondering about all the prophets and leading brethern's prophecies regarding the Constitution and how all that will play out.
Comments | Return to Story
MichaelSeptember 7, 2015
Evil only exists when and where good men do nothing.....
Clinton LingrenSeptember 6, 2015
With respect to the question of what can be done? The federal government is a monopoly. All federal programs are monopolies. Most federal programs espouse proper principles but by their very nature cannot function properly. All things done improperly by the federal government and that were not authorized in the Constituion could be done properly by the states. Many of the 50 states might put together poor programs, but all 50 states are competing with each other. As with free enterprise, competing government programs will ultimately find what is proper and works. Poor programs will cause peple and tax payers to move to other states. Following proper principles gives simple solutions. Good government leads to acknowledgement of God.
Clinton LingrenSeptember 6, 2015
I find Gary's article very interesting. The change to the Constiution providing that the Senators be popularly elected rather than chosen by the state legislatures is especially interesting. Many, if not most of our current ills are derived from that change. Lobbyists can in many ways control the election of senators but have much less effect on Congressmen because people are able to know the local congressmen. Therefore Lobbyists in many ways control the Senate. Senators also sell favors to get elected rather than protect the rights of their state. Our welfare system that is indeed broken would be much different if Senators were not popularly elected. Also the recent power grabs of the administtration would not have passed if the Senators had their allegiance to their states and had to satisfy their state legislatures in order to be re-elected.
HumbertoSeptember 5, 2015
Joe, Jeremiah, I appreciate your comments, and I'll admit to a bit of hyperbole in my comment that could lead someone to interpret my stance as one of "all is well" But to conclude that I believe in standing idol means that you had to walk around my statement about voting and supporting my nation, and pretend it wasn't there. Let me restate, with less hyperbole: Vigilance is great and needed. Doom and gloom and pessimism is not. My main beef is that, in my perception, the article all but supports a call for imminent rebellion, and I believe those implications are way over the top. I still believe what Pres. Hinckley said in the fall of 2001 is true: "I am optimistic. I do not believe the time is here when an all-consuming calamity will overtake us."
JeremiahSeptember 4, 2015
Humberto and those who think like he does. II Nephi 28 :21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
JoeSeptember 4, 2015
I agree with this article and have stated personally that we do need a restoration of the Constitution. Let's not be impertinent and say this restoration means we want things like counting Blacks as 3/5 of a person for voting purposes; obviously that is not what the Lawrence is advocating. Besides, we claim the Constitution is inspired with freedom, but do not claim it is perfect. I disagree with the notion Humberto gave that we cannot think we are going in the wrong direction until we see dead children on our shores. The point is the DIRECTION we are going. That direction will lead to where Humberto fears. We have to do something NOW to avoid that horrible fate. That is the point of seeing where ones behavior will lead. Why wait to act until you see such abhorrent acts to do something? That didn't work out too well for the Germans in the 1930's did it. That is being a very foolish steward, don't you think? Great article and thanks for posting!
HumbertoSeptember 3, 2015
While I find the comparison between the apostasy and the ever changing governmental landscape of the US a bit nonsensical, that's not the most troubling part of this write-up. The points of the article, culminating in item number 17, clearly insinuate that we're on our way to societal breakdown and ultimate revolution. The author even seems to hint at, but not outright advocate a support for rebellion. I don't believe the hypothesis. I saw a picture in the news today of a dead 3-year old Syrian child, washed up on a beach. It was heartbreaking. He and his family were attempting to escape a country that is truly in the grips of evil. The US is nowhere near that state. It is a nation full of good people trying to do good things, and that includes the majority of politicians. Even advocates of gay marriage are driven by ideals of respect for others. Believers in the scriptures may find them misguided, but it's a hard sell to claim that the push for equal treatment is born of evil. When Mexicans quit dying in Arizona deserts, and instead American babies start washing up on the shores of Baja California as their families attempt to escape the US, I'll believe that we've gone in the wrong direction. Until then, I'll continue to vote and support the nation that has left me free to pursue my own happiness.
herm olsenSeptember 3, 2015
Do you only post comments which agree with the author? I posted a comment advising him that the constitution is indeed a divinely inspired document, but that it doesn't need revolting against, doesn't need re-inventing, but a slow and careful amendment process has worked well for 225+ years. You didn't post that.
Earl ChantrillSeptember 2, 2015
Very good analysis, Gary. A minor point of disagreement: I disagree that government is the religion. Leftism or Socialism or Materialism (it is sold under various names) is the religion. Government is merely the church through which Socialism is being pushed onto the people who do not understand the government God gave us through the Constitution, and who are therefore willing to give up their liberty in exchange for baubles that corrupted government is holding out to them.
Mary-Theresa DameronSeptember 2, 2015
This article covers a situation that has sadly developed in the United States; disrespect for our Constitution and the Republic the Founders formed. Too many people are trying to ignore it, including all 3 branches of Government.
Dick MSeptember 2, 2015
I also agree with the premise of this article. The major thrust to this problem is that God is in Charge. Since we can't force people to change from evil to righteousness, there is little help for us but to go through the destruction of this great nation and the rest of the earth. and bring forth the great destruction to bring forth thousand years of peace. We will be able to maintain OUR TEMPLES AND GET ALL OF THE TEMPLE WORK DONE for those that die with out their work being done in the Temples. When they start building the Temples in Jackson county look out. Or maybe it will be to late to look out and just Thank our God that we survived the Cleansing. before the Thousand years.
Rich WhaleySeptember 2, 2015
Good article!! Sadly the majority of our schools do not teach about the Constitution or civics. We need to return to the basic principles upon which the Founders wrote the Constitution; and that requires a strong return to those religious principles.
Bob PowelsonSeptember 2, 2015
It is time for the LDS and other Christians to begin Civil Disobedience actions. Like the county clerk in Kentucky we should simply refuse to act, even at personal risk in doing so. We LDS have done so before, over polygamy and other persecutions. Our duty of obedience to government must have limits and in the D&C section on government some limits are stated. Our duty to obey ends when the government demands that we support evil. The US government is rapidly turning from a servant of the people to its master.
David BaileySeptember 2, 2015
Someplace in my studies I recall John Adams telling us about the Constitution, that it was written for a moral people and was entirely unsuited for any other. Gary Lawrence has, in this article, provided almost 17 testimonies of a sure apostasy from morality. If our American departure from morality (Gospel and Constitution) is as prevalent as Gary has given us, and I believe he is correct, I am puzzled by what means we could ever expect to restore that which the great majority of the people of our nation have, in ignorance or by design, allowed to be so completely trashed as to be almost invisible in legal circles. My suggestion, from all that I have read, leads me to believe our Constitution cannot and will not be restored. Is there a righteous and moral element spread among our citizens, absolutely yes, but their numbers and influence are insufficient for a God of righteousness to bless us as a Nation as required by the Sinai Covenant, but my readings in the Book of Mormon, and particularly in Isaiah, assure me that our God has a plan of survival for His righteous from the destruction of the wicked as seen in vision by our Prophets. Our challenge is to be informed of that plan so that when it is implemented, we will recognize it as the Lord's plan and not be deceived by any other that Satan might use for deception. I find that D&C 52: 14 to be a sure guide: "And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations." Let us not be deceived.
DavidDSeptember 2, 2015
I'm always a little confused by calls to "restore" our God-given Constitution. Does that mean the original Constitution - you know, the one that denied women the right to vote and counted blacks as 3/5 of a person? The Constitution and our Constitutional form of government evolves and is intended to evolve, just as our LDS doctrine does. We may not agree with the direction of Constitutional evolution, but that does not mean that the parallel is to apostasy, any more than we may think that giving blacks the Priesthood is apostasy.
MarySeptember 2, 2015
The author of this article has given a comprehensive offering of where we are today. It amazes me how people can't see what our president is doing to our country. I must add, he is not alone in high-jacking our nation! He has had many minions helping him. I think we are all waiting for "someone" to step up and lead us out of this morass of evil!!!
Calvin GarvinSeptember 2, 2015
Excellent write.
Vicki Jo AndersonSeptember 2, 2015
Hear, hear, this article states our present situation with the Constitution with such clarity and brevity that even the most uninformed cannot help but understand what is happening. Using the analogy of an apostasy helps paint a very clear picture in the mind of the reader. It was a new thought for me to not only think in terms of an apostasy, but also in terms of a restoration. I found it all very helpful. I have been wondering about all the prophets and leading brethern's prophecies regarding the Constitution and how all that will play out.
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