Re: World Domination

If the world will not hear the Book of Mormon, what makes you think that they will hear you?

Unless I'm mistaken, you did...My kids do, and several of my co-workers do too. I've had numerous conversations with people in my Ward and think I have had an influence for good. If everyone who understands the importance and application of these principles did the same thing, how big an effect would we have?

As for a world-wide conspiracy, I don't know. I respect Cleon Skousen and don't think he was a paranoid raving lunatic, but frankly, if we can bring our country back into adherence with Constitutional principles, they can form all the conspiracies they want. True Constitutional government is so limited in its power to adversely affect the lives of the people that the conspirators would find it largely useless as a mechanism to carry out their plans. I believe this fact, more than any other explains why the Constitution has been under constant attack.

That's just one of the reasons it's important for us to teach and persuade those around us.

The current state of our country is exactly analogous to what the Lord told Joseph Smith about the state of Christendom: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." Today our political leaders give lip service to our Constitution, but in their hearts they despise its principles.

When talking about these things though, there is a difficult balancing act one has to perform. You have to be direct enough to shock people out of their complacency. This is pretty difficult to do because if you talk of general principles of liberty, agency, accountability most people nod their heads in agreement, and completely fail to see how those principles are under assault by the people that they vote for and the issues that they support. But it doesn't do any good to spread pessimism. Pessimists don't work to improve things, they just sit around complaining. We need to be optimistic but we can't afford to be Pollyanna's who don't see the evil around us. We should be kind and charitable, but we also need to be firm in our determination to stand for righteousness to the point of joining the fray when necessary. "Be wise as serpents and gentle as doves" is the challenge. We need to work toward incremental improvements without compromising or mediating our commitment to fundamental principles.

As for what you or I can accomplish and what kind of an effect we can have, who knows? I really do believe that God has awakened in me this awareness, and I trust that he is at work in the hearts of many others.

Maybe there is something more to do, frankly I hope so, but I just don't know what that is right now. I hope and trust that as I do what I can NOW, more will be revealed to me.