Contributed by: Ann Scriptures
D&C
58:21
21 Let no man break
the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws
of the land.
D&C 134:1
1 We believe that
governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men
accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering
them, for the good and safety of society.
Quotations
Quote 1
"The early
pioneers found that a great deal of their time and energy was being spent defending
themselves, their property, and their liberty. For man to prosper, he cannot afford to
spend his time constantly guarding his family, his fields, and his property against attack
and theft. When he joins together with his neighbors and hires a sheriff, government is
born. The individual citizens delegate to the sheriff their unquestionable right to
protect themselves. The sheriff now does for them only that which they had a right to do
for themselves—nothing more. …
"In general terms, therefore, the proper role of
government includes such defensive activities as maintaining national, military, and local
police forces for protection against loss of life, loss of property, and loss of liberty
at the hands of either foreign despots or domestic criminals" (Ezra Taft Benson, in
Conference Report, Oct. 1968, pp. 18-19; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1968, pp. 51-52).
Quote 2
President N. Eldon
Tanner emphasized this idea in the following quotation:
"All the laws of God and the laws of nature and the
laws of the land are made for the benefit of man, for his comfort, enjoyment, safety, and
well-being; and it is up to the individual to learn these laws and to determine whether or
not he will enjoy these benefits by obeying the law and by keeping the commandments. My
whole purpose … is to show that laws exist for our benefit and that to be happy and
successful we must obey the laws and regulations pertaining to our activities; and these
laws will function either to our joy and well-being or to our detriment and sorrow,
according to our actions" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1970, p. 62; or Improvement
Era, June 1970, p. 31).
Quote 3
"The Prophet
Joseph Smith … said, ‘Patriotism should be sought for and will be found in right
living.’ Isn’t that interesting? You can’t be really patriotic unless
you’re righteous. No man can be a good Latter-day Saint and not be true to the best
interests and welfare of his country" (Hartman Rector, Jr., "The Land Choice
Above All," in Speeches of the Year, 1974 [Provo: Brigham Young University Press,
1975], p. 423).
Quote 4
"Patriotism is
more than flag-waving and fireworks. It is how we respond to public issues. If we ask
only, ‘What’s in this proposal for me?—What do I get out of
it?’—we are not patriotic and we are not good citizens. But if we ask, ‘Is
this right?—is it good for the … people?—would it preserve and strengthen
our freedom?’—then we deserve to stand in the company of [great patriots].
Patriotism is trying always to give more to the Nation than we receive. It is selfless
service" (Ezra Taft Benson, The Red Carpet [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1962], p. 96).
Case Studies.
1. You are riding
with some older teenagers. The driver is exceeding the speed limit or offers to let you
drive the car even though you do not have a driver’s license.
2. A government official is addressing the student body of
your school. A group of students who object to his presentation are disrupting the
assembly by shouting and stomping their feet.
3. You are in a large department store. You notice one of
your friends slipping a blouse under her coat.
4. A young man on the street hands you a brochure that
criticizes the government of your country. You do not know if the criticism is valid.
Lesson
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