Are "We the people" doing our job???
"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
And so, these are the words with which our country was founded and the document was signed by 56...What many do not take into consideration is that THIS country was founded by "law breakers". All the law systems except one state in this union is established upon English common law. (Ironically, the same law system as our Founding Fathers fought to gain liberty from, so go figure.)
Many comments have been made about plural marriage and yes, it is against the law PRESENTLY. There have also been comments made from the "moral Christian majority" and America as a society that they will pray for the polygamists (meaning law breakers) while "we" sit in jail. Hummmm, our Founding Fathers were also considered "law breakers".
Let's be sensible here. Yes, laws are in place to keep peace, public safety, insure that the innocent are not harmed, etc. Which is a necessity BUT, how much liberty and freedom are "We the people" willing to give up to the government?
My point is simply this...
Our Founding Fathers created the Declaration of Independence stating that "We the people" have a responsibility to keep the government and laws "in check". Are "We the people" doing this???
We the people are not doing
We the people are not doing our due diligence in protecting our rights nor protecting or respecting the rights of our neighbors.
I believe it comes from a lack of faith in God. If we believe in, trust in and ask God to protect us what does he do? He gives us directions to protect ourselves as a people; teach your children, honor your parents, love your neighbor, work hard, pray often. He even gives us directions individually; don't go here, go do this, be ready for this etc...
When we stop praying and/or start losing faith in God we stop believing that he can and will protect us. (Also death and tragedy become something terrible to be avoided at all costs instead of part of a loving father's plan to help us become more like him.) If we don't have God to protect us and we don't believe (because of fear) that we can protect ourselves than we look to the government to protect us. The more that we rely on government, or other people, and the less we trust in God the more complacent, lazy, and idolatrous we become. We become willing to give up freedoms in hope that others can not use those same freedoms to do us harm.
My wife (non polygamist LDS) asked at dinner the other night. We've been counseled to have a supply of food. When things get bad and there is no food and people are starving what will keep the government from coming in and taking the food from those who have prepared?
(Now I don't think that it will come to that for LDS members who have a food storage. From what I've seen in other disasters the LDS church will ask/direct its members with food storage to bring it to a central location and then it will be distributed to everyone on an as need basis.)
The answer to my wife's question though; What will keep the government from coming in to our homes and taking what they deem needed by the people is our guns. When I said this my nine year old son said but the government is trying to take away our guns.
I do not think that the government is trying to take away our guns or other freedoms. We as a people are giving the government our guns and other freedoms and asking them to take guns away from others because we are afraid of what those others might do with those guns.
I believe that we are all in some state of laziness, and compliance and that the best way to break this cycle of freedom to tyranny is to strengthen our selves, our families, and our neighbors to have faith in and trust in God. As we as a people gain that strength then we will rely less on the government we will not be as fearful of tragedies that might happen and we will become more loving to our neighbors and value our freedoms more.