“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.“ (KJV 2 Cor. 3:17)
Freedom is simply being able to do what you believe to be right as long as it doesn’t infringing upon this same freedom for others. Freedom is not about figuring out what is right and then forcing it upon others. Even when the view is truly correct, the compulsion upon others is what violates their freedom. In a free society, all are allowed to discover truth for themselves and to freely act accordingly, not by compulsory means.
Freedom itself must be defended or it will be destroyed. Freedom is never to be an aggressor or forced upon others but requires self defense. Acts of aggression or refusing to allow self defense are offenses against liberty.
When people are compelled to action that is not according to what they believe to be right, the growth of the society is limited. More is restrained than immediate behavior. The ideas that people are willing to entertain and pursue are limited. Freedom promotes growth and prosperity. The fruits of a free society can be plentiful, which can become the envy of nations. The fruits of freedom can become a distraction from freedom itself. When more care and attention is given to the fruits of freedom, rather than appreciating and protecting freedom itself, society is being setup for corruption.
Protecting freedom should be the focus of government. “[T]he civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.” (LDS D&C 134:4). Politics becomes a toxic subject when it begins to involve enforcing other views, even when a majority think it is right, upon faithful members of society who think differently. Protecting freedom is not about forcing conformity to what a majority believes is right. Freedom is the right of all, not just the majority. Much of the toxicity of politics could be done away if governments were limited to protecting the freedom of all and not forcing views or agendas upon its people.
The voice of the people ought to be used to choose among ways to protect the freedom of all within their society and not imposing the will of any group upon another. Voting can be a method of obtaining the voice of the people if it is carried out judiciously in an honest effort to understand the will of the people.
Voting by itself does not necessarily mean that a society is free. The vote must genuinely reflect the voice of the people, however that can reliably be obtained. Tyrants and those driven with ambition can use voting to appear to respect the voice of the people and give the illusion of freedom, while rewarding themselves and never having their power seriously threatened.
Gentile kingdoms may take many forms but invariably end up with masters and slaves, aristocrats and peasants, lords and serfs, royalty and commoners. Jesus warned that there would always be poor among the Gentiles (see KJV John 12:8, Matthew 26:11, Mark 14:7). Even when the stated goal is equality, it never actually happens in practice. The big and powerful leverage the work of many of the poor and weak to accelerate the growth of their own power. It ends up being a game about who gets to rule and reign and exercise power over others. This game inevitably leads to contention, strife and wars.
The kingdom of God will come. It is available and manifests when God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. When it manifests, it will not look like any of the Gentile kingdoms. It will be a free society where true equality is established. No rich or poor, bond or free because all will be free. For that to happen, simply changing outward circumstances will not be enough. The tyrannical tendencies within each one of us must be addressed and willingly put down. You can’t get rid of slavery and bondage without doing away with managers and masters. One who is truly better at something can teach one with less that they may become equal. The greater can serve the lesser, instead of taking advantage and using the lesser for his own purposes. Until that day, various forms of Gentile governance will reign. The change needs to begin by reforming within.
God is not a tyrant. He is the author of freedom.
A poem was written shortly after states in America declared their independence. These words were later put to music as a hymn. It captures the spirit of freedom in this way:
”Know this, that ev’ry soul is free
To choose his life and what he’ll be;
For this eternal truth is giv’n:
That God will force no man to heav’n.
He’ll call, persuade, direct aright,
And bless with wisdom, love, and light,
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind.
Freedom and reason make us men;
Take these away, what are we then?
Mere animals, and just as well
The beasts may think of heav’n or hell.
May we no more our pow’rs abuse,
But ways of truth and goodness choose;
Our God is pleased when we improve
His grace and seek his perfect love.”
(Text: Anon., ca. 1805, Boston. Included in the first LDS hymnbook, 1835.)
The freedom of the soul is and always has been under attack by forces which seek to destroy the agency of man and make them slaves. Against such forces, there is this warning:
“Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up. For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.” (LDS Ether 8:24-25)
An ember of freedom has been on the earth for a time, but is under pressure to be extinguished. If the spirit of freedom and liberty does not prevail in the hearts and minds of the people, it will not be many years before the prevailing rule will even more cast out, physically abuse and murder righteous men and women.
A chance exists to turn to God and turn away from our wicked ways. It may not happen on a grand scale, so don’t wait around for that. But it can begin in the heart and mind of one.
God will keep his promises. Zion will come.