"The Doctrine of Liberty - Insights From the Book of Mormon

[lundbaek]

In my constant effort to better understand the principles of liberty I went the other day with a friend to the home of Arizona State Senator Andy Biggs to get copies of his new book, "The Doctrine of Liberty - Insights From the Book of Mormon" . I'm now into a second, more studious reading. I am delighted to report that this book addresses a major concern of mine that I have had for some years now. As stated on the back cover:
"The Doctrine of Liberty" was written to address the profound complacency within the Latter-day Saint community on all things political. The purpose of this book is to remind Latter-day Saints of the vital role freedom plays in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to give the reader an appreciation for the freedoms inherent in each of Heavenly Father's children."
The Book of Mormon was the only scriptorial reference used in writing "The Doctrine of Liberty". The Book of Mormon's instruction on freedom and our oblligation to fight against all who would take away liberty is clear. It teaches that comoplacency of the righteous in a evil world allows Satan to triumph."

I understand the book is obtainable from Amazon.

[jeanpierre]

The author clearly has little regard for the typical Latter Day Saint voter. I quite liked his suggestion that most Mormons vote in ignorance and it would be better if they did not vote at all.

[freedomforall]

As long as this post has been here, one would think there would be more interest in what Andy Biggs has to say. Complacency falls in every category, doesn't it?

Perhaps a few quotes from the book would help. I'm going to get one myself, as I just found this thread as to the book's reference.

[lundbaek]

These are the quotes I underlined in red. Many others I highlighted in yellow. Understand, this book was written by an LDS state senator in Arizona

"I perceive a widespread complacency within the Latter-day Saint community on all things political....There is a widespread acceptance of socialized government in the name of "charity"." (Pg. i)

"...the Book of Mormon...reveals the design and will of Heavenly Father concerning the political liberty of His children...we have a doctrinal imperative to preserve liberty." (Pg. ii)

"...many in the LDS community...confuse scriptural admonitions to be charitable as a license for the state to use its nearly unlimited powers to confiscate from some people and to distribute what is taken to others."

"Agency in necessary to allow mankind to individually make the choices that will allow him to return to Heavenly Father. Freedom, in that sense, and agency are the same." (Pg 39)

"Liberty is essential for each person to grow in temporal ways to further his capability and help the church complete its earthly mission." (Pg. 39)

"Mormon wanted latter-day readers to be aware of the importance of freedom and the consequences of neglecting personal liberty." (Pg. 40)

"Without liberty people cannot progress; their ability to worship is hindered which prevents development of personal righteousness." (Pg. 51)

"The transgressions that would lead to the destruction of the Church in Captain Moroni's time include the failure to stand up against the wicked men who were seeking to enslave the Nephites. He suggests that it is a sin to passively allow liberty to be taken away. Similarly, it is a sin today to allow our freedom to be disolved by wicked menand women." (Pg. 71)

"...many in the LDS community seem to have little regard for the freeom and agency of their fellows. They seem to give little thought when attempting to comopel their neighbors to do something." (Pg. 219)

[freedomforall]

These are the quotes I underlined in red. Many others I highlighted in yellow. Understand, this book was written by an LDS state senator in Arizona

"I perceive a widespread complacency within the Latter-day Saint community on all things political....There is a widespread acceptance of socialized government in the name of "charity"." (Pg. i)

"...the Book of Mormon...reveals the design and will of Heavenly Father concerning the political liberty of His children...we have a doctrinal imperative to preserve liberty." (Pg. ii)

"...many in the LDS community...confuse scriptural admonitions to be charitable as a license for the state to use its nearly unlimited powers to confiscate from some people and to distribute what is taken to others."

"Agency in necessary to allow mankind to individually make the choices that will allow him to return to Heavenly Father. Freedom, in that sense, and agency are the same." (Pg 39)

"Liberty is essential for each person to grow in temporal ways to further his capability and help the church complete its earthly mission." (Pg. 39)

"Mormon wanted latter-day readers to be aware of the importance of freedom and the consequences of neglecting personal liberty." (Pg. 40)

"Without liberty people cannot progress; their ability to worship is hindered which prevents development of personal righteousness." (Pg. 51)

"The transgressions that would lead to the destruction of the Church in Captain Moroni's time include the failure to stand up against the wicked men who were seeking to enslave the Nephites. He suggests that it is a sin to passively allow liberty to be taken away. Similarly, it is a sin today to allow our freedom to be disolved by wicked menand women." (Pg. 71)

"...many in the LDS community seem to have little regard for the freeom and agency of their fellows. They seem to give little thought when attempting to comopel their neighbors to do something." (Pg. 219)

What is it that is in the minds of LDS that holds them back from doing whatever they can to restore freedom? When I was asleep, it was ignorance that held me back, and not complacency. It was a lack of knowledge, not apathy. It was when I realized just what is going on that I got into the fight with both feet. I had read the BoM many times and had incorrectly presumed that the prophesied events we were to watch for was still in the distant future. However, all anyone has to do is look around; there are so many bad things going on...that the time to act is...NOW! Prophets have warned, admonished and pleaded for the Saints to wake up. They have told us to defend freedom by reading the constitution and familiarizing ourselves with it as we would all scriptures so we can discern every act of planned decay focused on the destruction of our Constitution. God has told us to befriend it, yet many of the saints can't see the forest for the trees. Now is the time to learn, to increase awareness and stand up for freedom. Many LDS are going to be held accountable for the continued ruination of the constitution. And many saints are going to rejoice because they stood up for its restoration...not having been compelled to do so.

God is the great champion of freedom. Satan, who seeks to destroy our souls, is the advocate of slavery through centralized, unrestrained power. Yet tragically, throughout the world’s history, it is Satan’s plan that has prevailed with respect to governments.
“I…make you free,” the Lord God tells us, “therefore ye are free indeed” (D&C 98:8). But because of pride and wickedness, and by choosing to follow Satan’s plan, people enslave one another. In the annals of world history a free people living under a government of limited powers has been the rare exception, not the rule.
Since so few people have been willing, or able, to implement by themselves God’s plan for freedom with respect to government, the Lord has had to reveal it through His servants, and create the conditions whereby some of His children could practice it. Tragically, in some cases, the people still chose the path that would lead to tyranny, even when His servants counseled otherwise.

Brethren, let us think about that, because I say unto you with all the soberness I can, that we stand in danger of losing our liberties, and that once lost, only blood will bring them back; and once lost, we of this Church will, in order to keep the Church going forward, have more sacrifices to make and more persecutions to endure than we have yet known, heavy as our sacrifices and grievous as our persecutions of the past have been. (April 1944, General Conference)

The devil knows that if the elders of Israel should ever wake up, they could step forth and help preserve freedom and extend the gospel. Therefore the devil has concentrated, and to a large extent successfully, in neutralizing much of the priesthood. He has reduced them to sleeping giants. His arguments are clever….
[Says the devil]: “Don’t do anything in the fight for freedom until the Church sets up its own specific program to save the Constitution.” This brings us right back to the scripture…to those slothful servants who will not do anything until they are “compelled in all things” [D&C 58:26]. Maybe the Lord will never set up a specific church program for the purpose of saving the Constitution. Perhaps if he set one up at this time it might split the Church asunder, and perhaps he does not want that to happen yet for not all the wheat and tares are fully ripe….
[H]ave we elders been warned? Yes, we have. And have we elders been given the guidelines? Yes indeed, we have. And besides, if the Church should ever inaugurate a program [to save the Constitution], who do you think would be in the forefront to get it moving? It would not be those who were sitting on the sidelines prior to that time or those who were appeasing the enemy. It would be those choice spirits who, not waiting to be “commanded in all things,” used their own free will, the counsel of the prophets, and the Spirit of the Lord as guidelines and who entered the battle “in a good cause” and brought to pass much righteousness in freedom’s cause….
Brethren, if we had done our homework and were faithful, we could step forward at this time and help save this country. The fact that most of us are unprepared to do it is an indictment we will have to bear. The longer we wait, the heavier the chains, the deeper the blood, the more the persecution, and the less we can carry out our God-given mandate and worldwide mission. The war in heaven is raging on the earth today. Are you being neutralized in the battle? (April 1965, General Conference)

[lundbaek]

I've been into this book again, and here are a few more statements I'd like to put out there:

More than 30 chapters in the records of Alma and Helaman focus on the wars and conflicts between the Nephites and Lamanites. Interestingly, these books chronicle the last 90 years before Christ's birth.

One should always reflect on why Mormon, or any of the other writers of the Book of Mormon included certain passages in the Book of Mormon. Upon serious reflection of the warring period, thoughtful readers will certainly come to the conclusion that Mormon wanted latter-day readers to be aware of the importance of freedom and the consequences of neglecting personal liberty.

At a Church Education System Symposium on the campus of Brigham Young University a lecturer admitted he was at a loss as to why Mormon, the compiler of ancient records, had bothered to include the Section from Alma 43 through Alma 62 in his abridgement. The presenter asserted that this was a disturbing account of wars that did not seem to have much relevance to the Gospel of peace. He believed that we should spend little time in these chapters when teaching the seminary students. Is it any wonder that the latest generation of Mormons, "good" men and women, struggle so with understanding liberty and its relevance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The preeminence of freedom as a fundamental principle of LDS doctrine is clearly revealed in the chapters Alma 43 through 3 Nephi 11.....There was constant warfare between those who would destroy the nation and those who would preserve the state; those who would enslave people and those who fight for liberty.

The battle to preserve freedom included two threats, one from outside the Nephite nation and the other from within. The conflict was with the external threat of the Lamanites and with the internal threat from people who wished to enslave the Nephites in order to obtain power for themselves.

We learn the necessity of fighting for liberty in the warring period of the Book of Mormon.....We can learn what freedom is and how the adversaries of freedom work by studying these Book of Mormon leaders.

Mormon must have felt the spirit constrain him to include the events of the Nephites and Captain Moroni as a warning and example to our generation.


The author, Andy Biggs, is now a first term member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

[Arenera]

Alma 43 to 63 are some of the best reading in the Book of Mormon.

What opens it up is seeing that it is symbolic of the fight against the adversary.

[JohnnyL]

The war chapters are rich in lots of things, including doctrine.

Then you have wars all throughout. Nephi ~ Omni are full of them, Mosiah, Alma <43 <63, Helaman, 3 Nephi, 4 Nephi, Mormon, Ether, and Moroni. Did anyone escape?

[lundbaek]

The author shows how the history of the wars, especially those described from Alma 43 thru Alma 63, really show the importance of political freedom, and how adversaries of freedom operate to gain control of government. He also explains that agency and liberty are "essential for each person to grow in temporal ways to further his capability and help the Church complete its earthly mission."

[JohnnyL]

Why is it that in all the Book of Mormon, the Nephites are happiest (up to that point) in the middle of a war?? Any CES lecturer got an answer to that?