We started this blog in order to facilitate a discussion with friends and family about the economic and political environment in the United States today. We believe that there are certain principles that all people of our nation should understand in order to "form a more perfect union". We also believe you don't have to be an expert to understand these principles. We hope to discuss them with you here.
Okay, now that we've explored morality and the need for free agency, how can we decipher the balance of morality, free agency and the role of government? We know that first, we must uphold our own personal values if we expect to live in a society with any kind of value system. Morality must take root as individuals, by our own choice. So where does government fit in? In our constitution, we learn that government should be the defender of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In other words, that is what we as privileged citizens of such a country should be defenders of. Yet with all of the decisions that we are accountable to participate in as a citizen, it is difficult to sift through the information and what our actions should be. I was directed to this video/recording by a friend, and found it extremely enlightening in how to judge my duties. In the recording, we are given a simple test to determine the appropriateness of all of our votes, voices, and debates. It is beautiful, it is simple, it is true. You will see the sensibility in it:
“Do I, as an individual, have a right to use force upon my neighbor to accomplish this goal?If I do, then I may delegate that power to my government to exercise it in my behalf.If I do not have that right, I cannot delegate it.”
-Ezra Taft Benson
I encourage you to listen to the following recording in full. It is so applicable to current events, and wonderfully enlightening.
