Faith Based Warnings Against the Tyranny of Man

We go to great lengths to separate church and state, for good reason. Some religions throughout history have been the greatest source of tyranny, oppression, and unrighteous dominion. Freedom of religion is one of our most fundamental rights and to be governed by a religious influence would destroy that basic right of agency. But, that does not mean we should separate the integrity and ethics taught by our various forms of faith from matters of state. The reason most people are drawn to religion is a fundamental human hunger for decency, a moral code, to treat each other, and to be treated by others, fairly and with goodness. Religion based in righteousness and decency can help eliminate the darker human hunger for control, oppression, and domination of fellow man. There are great lessons to be learned from many religions about the fallibility and injustice of men, and the essential need to treat each with decency.

These are references that mean a great deal to me and very much influence my view on how I want to be governed:

• "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12
  • This "Golden Rule" is the most universal principle of human decency and righteous governance. Every religion or creed of peace has a version of this fundamental rule. If every elected official truly embraced this, there would be no unrighteous dominion. But to truly do this requires empathy, sincerely seeking to understand the plight of the person who's life, liberty, and property they control. It requires kindness, restraint, and humility. This is the essence of the quote "The chains with which we bind our neighbor will someday bind us." It is so easy to carelessly cause harm to another through oppressive governance. But, if the roles were reversed, imagine how you would not want to be treated that way.
• "Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments of man are not always just." Mosiah 29:12
  • Know and beware the fallibility of men. Consider the harm you my cause before you judge unjustly.
• "13 Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people—I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you. 16 Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you. " Mosiah 29:13, 16
  • Kings represent the idea of one person having total control, total dominion over a people. This scripture points out that if a king could be trusted to be pure, righteous, and absolutely just and fair, having a king wouldn't be so bad. But, it also points out the fundamental truth that no man or woman can be trusted to remain pure, just, and fair. As such, we should never vest too much control in one person or one governing body since it is inevitable that they will fail to be pure, just, and fair and ultimately rob us of freedom, dignity, and happiness. Simply put, limit government, keep it in check, always.
• "For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!" Mosiah 29:17
  • Elected officials who adopt an inflated sense of authority and dominion move toward the "king complex" believing their authority is more than it really is, their judgment is wiser than it really is, and their opinion matters more than it really does. Unwise kings and council members can do grave harm.
• "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion." D&C 121:39 (Unrighteous Dominion)
• "Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil." D&C 98:9-10
• "I seek not for power but to pull it down." Captain Moroni, Alma 60:36
• "...how blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over them!" Mosiah 8:20
  • We get what choose, so I suppose that means we get what we deserve. Across the millenia of history, it is a rare gift that our generations have to have that choice. Why then would we choose the foolishness or bondage that so many other generations would have paid any price to be liberated from?
• "Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." Genesis 4:8.
  • The desire to have power over another, or to take from another goes back to the beginning of mankind. Cain killed Abel so he could take his stuff and increase his power among men.
• "Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;"Moses 4:3.
  • The "Agency of Man" is one of the most fundamental and sacred principles of God's Plan for His children. In God's infinite wisdom, the greatest act of love toward us was to give us agency, choice, and freedom. Satan's rebellion against God was his desire to rob us all of that agency and forcibly control our every choice. This was perhaps the most evil act of all eternity and for that, and for his greed for power even equal to the power of God, Satan was cast out. Tragically, one third of God's children sided with Satan's plan and were cast out with him, never to come to this earth and enjoy the freedom we all now enjoy. They wanted to be controlled and told what to do rather than be free to choose. The other two thirds chose God's plan of agency, choice, and freedom. However, having been given this greatest of all gifts of freedom, some still seem to squander it away, almost as if they hearken back and wonder if they would have liked Satan's plan better. Every time we hunger for power, seek to control others, to rob people of their agency, to exercise unrighteous dominion, we squander that gift and rebel against God's love for us. Every time we willingly forfeit our freedom by looking to someone else, such as the government, to tell us what to do, we squander that gift and rebel against God's love for us. To stand on the side of righteousness, we must defend our freedom, "The Agency of Man," and fight against those who would rob us of it.