As the first post to resurrect this blog, I want to lay a foundation for all that I hope to discuss and cover here.
I have spent many years in law enforcement and was tutored by the best in the business. I have also spent considerable time and energy in study, thought, and even prayer to learn the things most vital to know about our diminishing Republic.
And, while I maintain the right to continued education and enlightenment, I want to begin with what I call the Pillars of Liberty and the basis of almost all upcoming political commentary you will see here.
TRUTH
First, is the simple declaration of the Savior that the "truth shall make you free." It's a simple statement, but far-reaching and comprehensive.
AGENCY
Second, Bruce R. McConkie, a brilliant legal and religious thinker set forth this list of requirements for the operation of "agency," or the ability to exercise our liberty in a spiritual or religious sense:
"Four great principles must be in force if there is to be agency: 1. Laws must exist, laws ordained by an Omnipotent power, laws which can be obeyed or disobeyed; 2. Opposites must exist — good and evil, virtue and vice, right and wrong — that is, there must be an opposition, one force pulling one way and another pulling the other; 3. A knowledge of good and evil must be had by those who are to enjoy the agency, that is, they must know the difference between the opposites; and 4. An unfettered power of choice must prevail." (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd edition (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), p. 26.)
I feel that this directly applies to our political and societal situation as well:
1.) Laws must exist, laws ordained by Constitutional Authority derived from the consent of the governed;
2.) Opposition must exist--diverse ideas and free and open debate pulling in whatever direction they may.
3.) Knowledge must exist--TRUTH must be in the knowledge, requiring honest study, sincere interrogation and inspection of claims in the news, educational materials, etc.
4.) An unfettered power of choice must exist, meaning integrity of election processes and laws, TOTAL removal of all forms of coercion at the ballot box and absolute preservation of the Bill of Rights in every respect--including protecting the right of any individual to be wrong!
It is both part of my religious faith and my political philosophy that, ultimately, there have been, are, and always will be two choices before us in our lives: liberty or bondage. Now, whether you believe in God or not, whether you share my faith or not, I hope to demonstrate in future posts that there are tendencies and forces in our universe that tend toward one or the other.
Our Founders, religious men, struck off the most remarkable political notions and documents in the history of mankind and, I believe, the above principles are at the heart of the system they gave us and entirely relevant to every debate we face today.
Check back often to see how.
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