The Object of Proper Laws

Having established the eternal reality that God sanctions proper government and holds men accountable for the laws established and administered by government, the prophetic word from D&C 134 that Elder Benson has used to introduce his treatment on the proper role of government then proceeds to outline the only conditions under which laws will lead to the perpetuation of peace and prosperity.

"[I] believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life. . ."

A critical review of this brief statement establishes some important concepts.

First, a government cannot exist in peace if it does not establish laws that meet the criteria God set forth. This declaration is one of pro-action. Peace cannot exist unless such laws are enacted.Threfore, the absence of such laws will lead to loss of peace. This establishes a mandate and a responsibility of those involved in government to ensure such laws are established. It is likewise the responsibility of the people to ensure their representatives in government comply with this charge. At times, to our great misfortune, our government has failed to live up to this heavenly duty. And why is a failure to establish such laws so dangerous? Why does the absence of such laws lead to conflict? Because, as outlined in the Book of Mormon, "the natural man is an enemy to God." When men are left to act unrestrained by proper laws, anarchy prevails and the natural inclination of humankind leads to man abusing the rights of other men. Laws are needed to protect the rights of men from being trampled upon by others.

Additionally, when a government fails to enact righteous laws, the government itself can not persist in peace because the inherent desire for freedom swells and the government is overthrown in order to establish one that does protect individual rights. For this very reason many have been led to declare, along with President J. Reuben Clark, that the price of freedom has always been human blood. And so we can see that when government fails in this sacred responsibility, it results in conditions that lead to misery, violence, death and destruction. That is not what God wants for His children. If mankind would but believe and adhere to the word of God pertaining to this matter, much of the misery that has existed in our world could have been avoided.

Of even greater concern is the situation in which government not only fails to enact proper laws, but the laws that are established actually operate in opposition to the purposes God has established. God has declared that laws are to "secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life". What happens when the laws established by government actually undermine or destroy these principles? How precarious is our state when we allow such things to occur in our government.

If government does live up to its charge and establish laws as required by God, the verse then states that we, as a people, must hold these laws inviolate. What good does it do to establish a law if government fails to enforce the law, or if the people fail to obey the law? A law is not a guideline, suggestion, or recommendation. When laws are properly established, we must honor and sustain them. Only through obedience to law, and enforcement of the law for those who refuse to comply, can we consider that the laws are held inviolate. When laws are not enforced justly, or when the majority of people fail to comply, it likewise results in the loss of peace. One of the most Godless manifestions of failure to hold a law inviolate occurs when lawmakers seek to exempt themselves from the obligation to comply with expectations imposed upon the citizenry. Very recently the Congress of the United States passed new healthcare legislation that established guidelines, requirements, and obligations for individuals and organizations. However, a provision of the law exempted members of Congress from being subject to the new program. Such flagrant disregard for the rule of law is in direct opposition to God's command to hold laws inviolate.

There can be no misunderstanding. God requires that government establish laws which comply with the conditions he has set forth, and that the nation holds these laws inviolate. Anything more or less than these leads to the loss of peace and prosperity.

Let's take a closer look at what God requires of proper laws.

Free Exercise of Conscience

It is worth taking a moment to consider what is meant by freedom of conscience. Conscience is universally known as, essentially, the inherent sense of what is considered right and wrong. Greg Peter's of the University of New Brunswick explains it this way. "The defining characteristic of conscience in a democratic society is the freedom to have, hold and act upon (or not ) one’s conscientiously-held beliefs. No action, legislative or otherwise, can be taken against the conscience of an individual."

Men are free to believe as they choose. They are also free to act or not act upon their beliefs, so long as their action or inaction does not infringe upon the rights of others. Government exists to protect this freedom. If government fails to do this, men are deprived of the most fundamental of rights, the freedom to believe as they choose.

The precedent for this is outlined in the Book of Mormon. In fact, through Book of Mormon teaching we find that this freedom is such an important and fundamental part of the condition of man, that even when the wicked use it as a shield behind which they attempt to accomplish evil ends, righteous societies still hold it inviolate. We learn through the unfortunate account of Nehor that those who followed his path of priestcraft ". . . durst not lie, if it were known, for fear of the law, for liars were punished; therefore they pretended to preach according to their belief; and now the law could have no power on any man for his belief." (Alma 1:17)

Later, when Korihor became a primary antagonist to the church, the same principle was affirmed. "Now there was no law against a man's belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds. For thus saith the scripture; Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve. Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him. But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he robbed he was also punished; and if he committed adultery he was also punished; yea, for all this wickedness they were punished.For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man's belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds." (Alma 30:7-11)

The teachings of latter-day prophets have likewise upheld this essential principle of freedom. President Wilford Woodruff said the following in 1883. "There is one thing I wish to say to the congregation, and I would say the same to the whole world if I had the power-it is this: I have heard the Prophet Joseph Smith say on several occasions when speaking on the agency of man, and the liberty and rights of men, that if he were emperor of the earth, having control of the whole human family, he would give every man, woman and child the right to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience, leaving them to be responsible alone to their Creator for their individual acts. These are my sentiments, and they are the sentiments of this people today, and have been from the beginning of the organization of this Church and I trust will be to the end of time. And this we believe to be a principle emanating from heaven; and while we accord this right to our fellow men, and while we declare it to be a heaven-born right guaranteed unto all American citizens through the same Constitution of our country, we claim the exercise of the same right ourselves; and we claim it by the laws of God to man. . . . You may wish to know why I make these remarks. I will tell you. Because God himself grants this right to every human being upon the earth irrespective of race or color; it is part of the divine economy not to force any man to heaven, not to coerce the mind, but to leave it free to act for itself." (JD 23:76)

In light of the words of scripture and the revelations of latter-day prophets, we must conclude that the freedom of conscience is essential to proper government. When government fails to protect this divine right, or passes laws that deprive citizens of this right, there can be no peace among nations.

Right and Control of Property

There are few American institutions that have come under greater attack in our day than the right to own and control property. This was a foundational concept with the fathers of our Constitution, but many in our day have failed to see its true value and meaning. In a gospel sense, the right and control of property is central and inextricable to the law of stewardship. Man cannot be stewards unless they have something over which to exercise stewardship. It is what men choose to do with their property that defines him and ultimately reflects the degree to which he has come to be like our Savior.

The prophetic word on the essential nature of private property has been abundant.

David O. McKay taught very succintly in these words:

"The right of private property is sacred and inviolable." (General Conference Oct 1961)

Howard W. Hunter expanded on the heavenly principle of private property and delivered important teachings relative to this truth and the role it plays in our eventual salvation.

"The right to own and control private property is not only a human right; it is a divine right. We will largely be judged, if I understand the Savior's teachings correctly, by how we use our property voluntarily for the blessings and benefit of our Fathers other children. . . If you deprive a man of his right to fail in the righteous use of his property, you also deprive him of his right to succeed. If you remove from a man his right to 'go to hell,' you likewise remove his free agency to go to heaven." (BYU Devotional Address March 1966)

A host of social and political philosophies have arisen over centuries past that claim the abolition of private property as one of their central tenets. Socialism and Communism both adhere to centralized control of property as key to their platform. The wisdom of men asserts that the selfish drive of mankind to accumulate more and more property, and the consequent failure of men to use their acquired property to serve others, renders private ownership undesirable and evil. This is fallacy. Yet, even among faithful members of the church, the ownership of private property is considered a vice and deplored. From the early days of the latter-day church there have been those among the membership who have mistakenly believed that the United Order is a system of collective ownership of property, and individual property rights will be suspended when this order is finally ushered in. This, likewise, is fallacy. Private control of property is actually a central tenet of the United Order. Under this heaven inspired structure, each man will be given a stewardship over property, and will then use that property to benefit himself and others. The efficacy of the United Order in bringing about prosperity for all is not because property is held in common and all are given according to their needs, but rather because men have arrived at such a state of righteousness that they choose of their own free will to impart of their substance in a manner that lifts his neighbor. Of equal importance in the United Order is the condition in which men attain to such a state of righteousness that the tendency to be idle is eradicated and men are industrious and seek to multiply the stewardship they have been given.

The right and control of property is not the instigator of social inequity, poverty, or misery as men such as Karl Marx and his followers would have us believe. In fact, we are taught in Section 134, and subsequently  Elder Benson that the absence of private property will actually lead to such miserable conditions. This has been demonstrated over and over throughout history. Socialism has never been successful in any land. Communism has led to unprecedented violence, death and misery.

Laws must exist to guarantee the right and control of property to her citizens. Otherwise, whether due to the failure to enact laws that support this aim, or the passage of laws designed to purposely deprive men of this right, it will result in peace and prosperity being lost.

The Protection of Life

The right to live is the most basic of all rights we enjoy in a temporal sense. Though this is given as a gift from our Father in heaven, it is one we earned through obedience and faith in our pre-mortal existence. Since we kept our first estate, we were endowed by our Father with the right to take a mortal body and live on this earth to further our progression toward exaltation. Since God has bestowed this right upon us, no one has the authority to deprive us of it. As such, government must, as its most fundamental function, pass laws that protect life. This was established as a legal imperative from the beginning, and has been universally codified by the Lord through Moses when we were given the Ten Commandments.

All civilized societies acknowledge the illegality of murder and establish punishment for those who are guilty of such a crime. But in all too many instances throughout history, governments have usurped control over life and death, and have presumed to make murder a right of the state. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Saddam Hussein, and countless others have not only failed in their charge to pass laws to protect life, but have used the instrument of government to carry out murder on a massive scale. There can be no peace in society when government either fails to protect the sanctity of life of the citizenry, or when government itself deprives men of their right to life.

In modern times the protection of life as a function of government and an object of proper laws has taken on much greater significance. With the advances in medical science that have occurred in the past century, the insidious practice of abortion has become prevalent. How far have we fallen in society when it is considered by many as a virtue to end the life of humans in embryo? They believe that the function of the law is to protect people in their rights to destroy life. This is done in the most diabolic of manners, through citing the protection of freedom of choice as justification for depriving others of the most basic right to live.

This aspect of the role of government in the protection of life is undoubtedly controversial, but we would do well to consider whether our nation is abiding by God's charge to pass laws that protect life when we have legally protected, and in some instances, encouraged and enabled the destruction of countless lives before they've even had a chance to take their first breath.

Elder Benson has laid a solid foundation for discussing the proper role of government by using scriptural truths to express the fundamental object of government's charge to create laws that protect the peace and prosperity of society. If we are to understand the role of government envisioned by our founders and sanctioned by our God, we must acknowledge the importance of government establishing righteous laws, and the divine charge to sustain these laws. At the most basic level, certain laws must exist if peace is to maintained. These essential laws involve the protection of freedom of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.

Governments Are Instituted of God

In laying the foundation for the Proper Role of Government, Elder Benson explained the neccesity of building upon true and correct principles. He then proceeded to explain some of the fundamental principles he believed are essential for good government.

"I should like to outline in clear, concise, and straight-forward terms the political principals to which I subscribe. These are the guidelines which determine, now and in the future, my attitudes and actions toward all domestic proposals and projects of government. These are the principles which, in my opinion, proclaim the proper role of government in the domestic affairs of the nation." (p. 2)

What a singular blessing it is for us to have an Apostle of Jesus Christ, one who the Lord upheld and sustained in his lifetime and held in reserve to eventually occupy the role of Prophet to the world, to declare with such boldness the principles to which we may cleave for effective government. It is little wonder that such a man would define, as the first of these principles, a firm belief that proper government is instituted of God, not of men.

And where did Elder Benson derive this first among all the principles of good government? True to the divine calling he held, he has based his convictions on the revealed word as transmitted by God through His prophet.

"[I] believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society." - D&C 134:1 (p. 2)

What is the significance of this statement? It is obviously important. It was delivered by God to the Prophet Joseph Smith and considered of such a nature that it should be included in the Doctrine and Covenants. Then it was deemed so important that Elder Benson listed it first among the principles of good government. Perhaps we can dissect this statement to better understand what it means to us in our day.

First, this verse acknowledges that governments are instituted of God. There are some simple and basic truths that can be derived from this pronouncement. For example, we learn from these words that God advocates the presence of government.It is not God's will that chaos or anarchy reign on earth. It is in accordance with God's will that governments exist to regulate in the affairs of men.

However, we are also taught in this statement that government should not be the product of man. History is replete with examples of men instituting governments after their own designs and in pursuit of their own interests. Without exception, attempts by men to institute government without the guidance of heaven have resulted in brutal and oppressive tyranny. The vast majority of men and women who have occupied this planet have lived in subjection to those who ruled over them. This is not because God willed it to be so. Rather, it is because men have attempted to set up their own systems of government, separate and apart from the directions of the Almighty. Because men are imperfect and prone to selfishness, pride, and abuse, governments instituted of man eventually become nothing more than a reflection of those human vices. In the absence of overcoming the natural man, it is "the disposition of almost all men" to exercise dominion over others. (See D&C 121:39)

Because of this unfortunate, but nevertheless real aspect of human nature, government exists to place restraints on the unfettered abuse that men, without the aid of the Spirit, naturally gravitate toward. In the Federalist Paper Number 51, James Madison demonstrated that the Founding Fathers clearly understood this.

"But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."

This is the philosophy that emerges when men seek the guidance of God in the establishment of government. Power is restrained and used as a tool to benefit the people. To the contrary, when government is designed to benefit those who will wield its power, it will invariably result in oppression. This is what George Washington referred to when he stated the following.

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."

To the great misfortune of many, governments instituted of men have been much more prevalent on this earth than governments instituted of God. This has unfortunately been true even among those who were blessed with heaven inspired systems of government. In ancient days, the Israelites, despite living in freedom as ordained by God, wanted to a have King. Moses warned against this course, but eventually, the will of the natural man prevailed and Kings were appointed to rule the people. When the kings followed the will of God and cleaved to the words of the Prophets, Israel prospered. But, as is always the case, this led eventually to evil and bondage.

In the Book of Mormon we see many examples of governments that were not instituted of God leading to great wickedness and oppression. King Noah is a notable example of what this condition led to. In the days of King Mosiah, he revealed to the people the form of government that God would have them institute The democratic based system of judges was to replace the birthright of kings. Yet, after his death, some of the people continued to desire a king to rule over them. And what was the purpose of those who so desired? It was to be given power over their fellowmen. This led to contention, war, and death.

When governments are instituted of God, freedom abounds. When governments are set up according to the designs of men, opression reigns.

Second, we learn from this principle that government exists for the benefit of man. This is such a gloriously simple, but deeply profound statement. Government does not exist to benefit the ruling class, the monarch, or the dictator. If this statement were better understood throughout history, so many of the abuses that have existed among men would have been prevented. Government exists for man, not man for government.

Third, God will hold men accountable for their actions incident to government. The making and enforcing of laws are to be for the good of society. If this is abused, if laws are passed to subjugate men, promote wickedness, weaken the fabric of society, deprive men of their rights, or engage in other forms of abuse, those responsible will be held accountable in the day of judgement. Would it be too much to say that not only those who sought to establish oppressive government will be held accountable, but also those who knew better but did not stand forth to defend the government God intended?

The last phrase of the principle found in verse 1 is often times misunderstood, because what constitutes good for society is not always fully appreciated. For example, there are a great many in our world who would subordinate the rights of men for what they consider to be in the interest of society's "greater good."  In this, again, when men seek to fulfill interests that are not instituted by God, they twist the idea of benefitting society into erroneous philosophies such as collectivism or statism. Yet others, in sincere attempts to use government to benefit society, end up causing severe, and sometimes irreperable damage. For example, in an attempt to eradicate class distinctions and achieve a nebulous objective of "social justice", rights are deprived, initiative is stolen, and dependency, a pernicious form of bondage, is propagated.

This scriptural pronouncement made by Elder Benson as the first of the divine principles upon which correct government must be established, is indeed inspired and essential to the preservation of our freedom. Government must be instituted of God, it must exist to benefit man, not seek to use man for its own means, and must include righteous laws that are made and enforced to benefit society as set forth by God.

As we continue with our analysis of Elder Benson's teachings on the Proper Role of Government, we will learn how God has set forth additional principles that fit together with this to define in what ways government is intended to benefit society, and in what ways it is not.

Based Upon Sound Principles

Elder Benson begins his treatment of the proper role of government by first establishing the fundamental that good government should be based on a foundation of principles. He decries the unfortunate reality that most men in political office have a tendency to base their position relative to government programs and political issues on the popularity of the issue, rather than on a firm foundation of true priciples.

"Seldom are men willing to oppose a popular program if they, themselves, wish to be popular – especially if they seek public office."

Elder Benson warns that when men base their positions on the fleeting basis of popular opinion, it can only lead to "public confusion and legislative chaos." This is the situation that seems to prevail in the political climate of today. If Elder Benson is right, and I believe that he is, then one of the remedies to the confusion that abounds in our country at this time is a return to a foundation of time honored and true principles.

An Explanation of Correct Principles

The dictionary definition of a principle is "an important underlying law or assumption required in a system of belief." A principle is a foundation upon which a system of belief can be established and conclusions are derived that guide our thoughts and actions. If a principle is correct, the beliefs that are built upon it and the conclusions that are ultimately drawn will likewise be correct. If, however, a principle is erroneous or unsound, the conclusions based upon that principle will be unreliable. One may accept the old refrain "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" as a basic principle upon which they base their life. That person may eat an apple every morning for breakfast, year after year, then be completely astounded when they contract a serious disease and are forced to either see a doctor or die. Even though this person may claim a principle centered life, the fundamental error in the principle led to an incorrect belief and unreliable actions.

An Example of a Correct Principle
 Those with religious faith in a loving God accept as a fundamental principle of life that we are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us and is concerned with our welfare. If we recognize this as a true principle, it is much easier to find the meaning when tragedies strike and hardships are endured in life. We can correctly conclude that God blesses us with difficulties to strengthen us, test us, and refine us, all in preparation for our eventual exaltation. If, however, this basic principle is not understood and believed, when the storms of life blow and challenges threaten to overcome us, it is natural to become embittered and incorrectly conclude that God does not exist, does not love us, or does not care.

Following the monumental tragedy that occurred on September 11, 2001, when evil men perpetrated a vicious and hateful attack on innocent men, women, and children, many became disillusioned, asking how God could let such a dreadful thing happen. Because they were not anchored to this simple yet immutable principle, many have lost faith and drifted away from God. Many others, however, despite immeasurable grief and loss that occurred on that fateful day, have cleaved to the Spirit and found comfort and meaning in their faith and trust in God. And this because they were anchored to the true principle that God loves His children.

Why True Principles are so Important

We live in a world that is filled with confusion and deception. In this day we see the fulfillment of the prophecy made long ago by the Prophet Isaiah in which he stated that in the latter-days the Lord would be unhappy with those that “call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness.”[i] The intensity of the confusion is so great in our world that the Lord warned us that even some among the very elect will be deceived. The deceptions that abound in our world are due largely to the inability of mankind to understand and cleave to true and everlasting principles.
[i] See Isaiah 5:20

There are few areas of the human experience that generate more confusion, difference of opinion, and opposing philosophies than the question of the proper role of government in society. From the dawn of time the conflicting ideologies of freedom and tyranny, individual liberty versus centralization, and rights as a divine endowment or as a gift from government, have generated conflict and disagreement. So deep and pervasive are the varying thoughts of men on this topic, only through becoming familiar with and cleaving to correct principles will we be able to avoid being deceived.

True principles are a measuring stick to assess whether we should or should not lend our support to ideas and proposals. If proposals, ideas, or programs align with true principles as revealed by God, we are safe in supporting them. If, however, those things we encounter in the world today run counter to true principles, we must avoid them and oppose them.

The Correct Principles of Proper Government

God has blessed our nation with a Constitution based upon eternal principles. He affirmed this when, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, He stated “the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles.”[ii]
[ii] D&C 101:77

Elder Benson on an earlier occasion spoke of the essential nature of correct principles as a foundation for our government. In his book, God, Family, Country Benson is recorded as saying the following:

"In these sacred documents are embodied eternal principles that no man, group of men, or nation has the right to withhold from others. Here is our basis for freedom of individual achievement. Our Constitution with its Bill of Rights guarantees to all our people the greatest freedom ever enjoyed by the people of any great nation. This system guarantees freedom of individual enterprise, freedom to own property, freedom to start one's own business and to operate it according to one's own judgment so long as the enterprise is honorable.”[iii]
[iii] God, Family, Country, p. 305

It was most certainly by design that Elder Benson began this monumental discourse with a discussion on the necessity of basing sound government on true and eternal principles. If we wish to understand the approved course for our government, as outlined by God, we must seek to identify and understand correct principles. And how can we do this? Elder Benson answered this question for us as well. In the October 1963 General Conference Elder Benson delivered the following guidance to the members of the church.

"May I suggest three short tests to avoid being deceived, both pertaining to this freedom struggle and all other matters.

First, what do the standard works have to say about it? . . . We must diligently study the scriptures. Of special importance to us are the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.
The second guide is, what do the Latter-day Presidents of the Church have to say on the subject--particularly the living President? There is only one man on the earth today who speaks for the church. . . When speaking under the influence of the Holy Ghost his words are scripture.

The third and final test is the Holy Ghost--the test of the spirit. By the spirit we 'may know the truth of all thing.' This test can only be fully effective if one's channels of communication with God are clean and virtuous and uncluttered with sin. . .

. . . Now, Brothers and Sisters, in this great struggle for free agency justh think what apower for good we could be in this world if we were united. . .

Let us not be deceived in the sifting days ahead. Let us rally together on principle behind the prophet as guided by the prompting of the Spirit."

This is the reason Elder Benson led with this concept to begin his discussion on the proper role of government. May we learn of and cleave to true principles so as to not be deceived and return our nation to a more sure foundation.

In the next post we will look at the specific principles Benson outlined in the Proper Role of Government.