America's Founding

This post is the first in a series of posts that will discuss the founding of the current US government.  I wanted to write about this because I wanted to learn more and think more about the founding.  I was watching one of the news stations and was appalled by the bickering between a Democrat and a Republican.

I think that we can do better than our current system of government.  But not in the sense that I think our system is broken but that our the way in which most party members approach the system and their respective interpretations of the founding documents.

As an example, the current discussion about the "Fiscal Cliff" brings a lot of contention.  Both parties see that there is a fiscal problem in our country.  The economy is performing poorly, and we don't have enough revenue to cover our expenses.  Instead of cooperation, there is a positional bargaining negotiation taking place between the parties in power.  This is how the system is broken.  At the same time there are fundamental differences between the principles each party uses in configuring a solution.

What I hope to accomplish through this series of posts is to formulate my own opinion, independent of what any media or outside source is telling me, about how the system should work and an interpretation of the founding principles.

As well, I will try to reconcile the conflicts between those founding principles.  An example of this might be "what role does morality have in deciding constitutionality of laws?"  The main example of this is my mind right now is based on the question of homosexual marriage.  The issue is not as simple as everyone makes it sound. Many against it justify their position based solely as a moral issue.  Many in favor of it justify their position based solely on their interpretation of constitutional equality.  The conflict for me is how a Christian should answer this question.

But answers to these types of issues will come only after a deeper analysis at the founding documents.  So that is where I will start, with the Declaration of Independence.

I Believe in Christ!

This morning I was reading about the destruction that occurred on the American continent at the time of Jesus' death.  After the destruction stopped, Christ spoke to the people and explained that the wicked had been destroyed and that they had been spared, not because they were righteous, but because they were more righteous than those that had been destroyed.

Christ's call to the remainder of the people was this: "Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."

I want all to know that I do believe in Christ.  I have accepted His call.  I follow His commandments.  I strive to obtain the eternal life that He has promised.  I know that Christ is merciful because He tells us that this salvation is for all; for everyone who repents and comes unto Him.

Lessons Learned from Lachoneus

Who is Lachoneus you ask?  Lachoneus was a government leader of the Nephites here in America at the time Christ was alive in Jerusalem.

I am writing about him because of what the United States is going through right now.  After the presidential election in November, I saw a lot of posts on Facebook about how the end was coming because Obama was voted to be president again.  There were plenty of other posts urging the first posters to calm down because Obama was the right choice.  Still others, taking a step back, discussed the way the system works in the US and how damage can be reversed even if Obama's policies were bad for the nation, or that the Republicans still ran the House and could act as a check.

I don't presume to know what will happen with the US because of anything.  I really don't have a good grasp of what drives Americans and how any of our policies truly affect the macro economy or the world around us in political ways.  I am, of course, driven by my own biases on which principles are better.

Luckily for you and for me, I'm not going to talk about them now.  As I was reading in 3 Nephi this morning, I was reminded of the above mentioned events because of the story of Lachoneus.  Again, Lachoneus was a Nehpite leader (political) at a time when there was a band of robbers known as the Gadianton Robbers.  These robbers were known to loot, steal, murder, etc. and yet their numbers were still growing because of dissenters from the Nephite and Lamanite nations.  Those Lamanites who were converted to believe in Christ became Nephites.  Those now known as Nephites were invited by Giddianhi, the leader of the robbers, to join them.  He threatened that if they did not join, his band of robbers would attack them and kill them.  This really isn't the point of the story though.

What is important is Lachoneus' response.  Without saying our government is wicked or that we really are at the point of national destruction, for those who believe that is where we are, the response is important to you.  His response was "he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them."  After causing the people to gather together, building fortifications around the entire population, and setting up guards around them, he said unto them "As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers."

This is the point, no matter who our leaders are, no matter who our enemies are, the way to deliverance is through faith on Christ, repentance, and obedience to his laws.  The Nephites lived under these conditions for years, but eventually they beat the robbers.  The righteous may again suffer, but in the end, Christ will deliver them.

So my invitation to you is have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, and follow Him.  Then have hope that He will deliver you.