1. Religious
freedom is the sacred privilege to believe and act as we choose—to define
ourselves and then live in the way our consciences dictate—while at the same
time respecting others’ rights (D&C 134:4). I
3. Dallin H. Oaks, “Balancing Truth and Tolerance, ”Ensign, Feb.
2013.
5. “An Introduction to Religious
Freedom,”mormonnewsroom.org/article/introduction-religious-freedom.
6. “The central issue in that premortal council was: Shall the children
of God have untrammeled agency to choose the course they should follow, whether
good or evil, or shall they be coerced and forced to be obedient? Christ and
all who followed Him stood for the former proposition—freedom of choice; Satan
stood for the latter—coercion and force” “The scriptures make clear that there
was a great war in heaven, a struggle over the principle of freedom, the right
of choice” “The war that began in heaven over this issue is not yet over. The
conflict continues on the battlefield of mortality” (TPC: ETBenson, 61).
7. “Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct
that life is God’s greatest gift to man” (TPC : David O. McKay [2003], 208).
10. “Religious freedom, or freedom of conscience, is critical to
the health of a diverse society. It allows different faiths and beliefs to
flourish. Religious freedom protects the rights of all groups and individuals,
including the most vulnerable, whether religious or not” (#5)
11. “There are four cornerstones of religious freedom that we as
Latter-day Saints must rely upon and protect. “The first is freedom to
believe. …“The second cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to
share our faith and our beliefs with others. …“The third cornerstone of
religious liberty is the freedom to form a religious organization, a church, to
worship peacefully with others. …“The fourth cornerstone of religious
liberty is the freedom to live our faith—free exercise of faith not just in the
home and chapel but also in public places” (RDHales).
12. Freedom to believe, share, organize, and live. - How would the
restriction of any of these four cornerstones inhibit opportunities for
spiritual growth?
13. Alma 2:1-5, 12, 27-28- Amlici
18. In the Book of Mormon, religious freedom was often threatened
through persecution and war. How do individuals and groups threaten religious
freedom today?
19. “Challenges to religious freedom are emerging from many
sources. Emerging advocacy for gay rights threatens to abridge religious
freedom in a number of ways. Changes in health care threaten the rights of
those who hold certain moral convictions about human life. These and other
developments are producing conflict and beginning to impose on religious
organizations and people of conscience. They are threatening … to restrict how
religious organizations can manage their employment and their property. They
are bringing about the coercion of religiously-affiliated universities, schools
and social-service entities. … In these and in many other circumstances, we see
how religious freedom and freedom of conscience are being subtly but steadily
eroded” (#5)
21. “If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to
die for a ‘Mormon,’ I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready
to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of
any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the
rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman
Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to
defend themselves. “It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul—civil and
religious liberty to the whole of the human race” (TPC, Smith [2007], 345).
22. “Brothers and sisters, we are responsible to safeguard these
sacred freedoms and rights for ourselves and our posterity. What can you and I
do? “First, we can become informed. Be aware of issues in your community that
could have an impact on religious liberty. “Second, in your individual
capacity, join with others who share our commitment to religious freedom. Work
side by side to protect religious freedom. “Third, live your life to be a
good example of what you believe—in word and deed. How we live our religion is
far more important than what we may say about our religion” (Hales).
23. mormonnewsroom.org.
topics Religious Freedom
24. Humbly and gratefully I take as my theme for these brief
remarks the following words from the inspiring opening address by President
David O. McKay at the Friday morning session of this great conference.
"Efforts are being made to deprive man of his free agency, to steal from
the individual his liberty . . . There has been an alarming increase in the
abandoning of the ideals that constitute the foundation of the Constitution of
the United States" I therefore speak on the subject: "Protecting
Freedom—An Immediate Responsibility."
The scriptures make clear that there was a great war in heaven, a
struggle over the principle of freedom the right of choice (see Rev. 12:7-9 D&C 29:36-38 D&C
76:25-27 Moses 4:1-4
History, both sacred and secular, clearly records that the
struggle to preserve and safeguard freedom has been a continuous one. Prophets
of God as watchmen on the towers, have proclaimed liberty. Holy men of God have
led the fight against anarchy and tyranny. Moses was commanded to
"proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants
thereof" Lev.
25:10
A year ago in a great general conference address on freedom and
how it is threatened today, our beloved President warned us, saying, "I do
not know that there was ever a time in the history of mankind when the Evil One
seemed so determined to take from man his freedom." He went on to explain that
"pernicious efforts and sinister schemes are cunningly and stealthily
being fostered to deprive man of his individual freedom and have him revert to
the life of the jungle."("Man's Free
Agency," The Improvement Era, Dec. 1965, pp. 1073, 1099.)
Still earlier the First Presidency warned the Saints that
"Satan is making war against all the wisdom that has come to men through
their ages of experience. He is seeking to overturn and destroy the very
foundations upon which society, government, and religion rest. He aims to have
men adopt theories and practices which he induced their forefathers, over the
ages, to adopt and try, only to be discarded by them when found unsound,
impractical, and ruinous. He plans to destroy liberty and freedom—economic,
political, and religious, and to set up in place thereof the greatest, most
widespread, and most complete tyranny that has ever oppressed man. He is
working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or
his methods . . . Without their knowing it; the people are being urged down
paths that lead only to destruction. Satan never before had so firm a grip on
this generation as he has now." ("Message of the First
Presidency," The Improvement Era, Nov. 1942, p. 761.)
In spite of the scriptural evidence and the counsel of modern-day
prophets during the past more than 100 years, there are still some who seem to
feel we have no responsibility to safeguard and strengthen our precious
God-given freedom. There are some who apparently feel that the fight for
freedom is separate from the gospel. They express it in several ways, but it
generally boils down to this: Just live the gospel; there's no need to get
involved in trying to save freedom and the Constitution or to stop Communism.
Of course, this is dangerous reasoning, because in reality you
cannot fully live the gospel without working to save freedom and the
Constitution, and to stop Communism.
In the war in heaven, what would have been your reaction if
someone had told you just to do what is right—there's no need to get involved
in the fight for freedom?
Of course, the war in heaven over free agency is now being waged
here on earth, and there are those today who are saying "Look, don't get
involved in the fight for freedom. Just live the gospel." That counsel is
dangerous, self-contradictory, unsound.
Alma
48:11-17
Should we counsel people, "Just live your religion. There's
no need to get involved in the fight for freedom"? No, we should not,
because our stand for freedom is a most basic part of our religion; this stand
helped get us to this earth, and our reaction to freedom in this life will have
eternal consequences. Man has many duties, but he has no excuse that can
compensate for his loss of liberty.
"Next to being one in worshiping God, there is nothing in
this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and
defending the Constitution of the United States." (The Instructor,
Feb. 1956, p. 34.)
I have personally witnessed the heart-rending results of the loss
of freedom. I have been close to the godless evil of the socialist-communist
conspiracy on both sides of the iron curtain, especially during my service as
European Mission president at the close of the war and today, and also during
eight years in the Cabinet.
In fact, freedom-loving people have been brought under Communist
bondage at the average rate of 6,000 per hour, 144,000 per day, 52 million per
year since the end of World War II.
But here in America, the Lord's base of operations—so designated
by the Lord himself, through his holy prophets—we of the priesthood, members of
his restored Church, might well provide the balance of power to save our
freedom. Indeed we might, if we go forward as General Moroni of old and raise
the standard of liberty throughout the land.
Today our Prophet and President has said: "No greater
immediate responsibility rests upon members of the Church, upon all citizens of
this Republic and of neighboring Republics than to protect the freedom
vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States." Is this plain enough?
In view of this solemn warning, how can any member of the Church fail to act to
help save our freedom? We must not be lulled away into a false security. (ETB,
Oct. 1966)
25. Elder
Dallin H. Oaks made the
comment during an address to the second annual Sacramento Court/Clergy
Conference at Congregation B’nai Israel in Sacramento, California.
“There should be no belligerence between religion and government,
Governments and their laws can provide the essential protections for believers
and religious organizations and their activities. Believers and religious
organizations should recognize this and refrain from labeling governments
and laws and officials as if they were inevitable enemies.”
Those skeptical of or hostile to believers and their organizations
“should recognize the reality—borne out by experience—that religious principles
and teachings and their organizations are here to stay and can help create
the conditions in which public laws and government institutions and their
citizens can flourish.”
“Office holders remain free to draw upon their personal beliefs
and motivations and advocate their positions in the public square. But when
acting as public officials they are not free to apply personal convictions —
religious or other — in place of the defined responsibilities of their public
offices,” he said. “A county clerk’s recent invoking of religious reasons to
justify refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-gender couples violates this
principle.”
