Our Modern-Day Swords of Justice

“Behold the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them.” (Alma 60: 33)

In today’s world, if Moroni had written such a missive to one of our government leaders, he would have found his house attacked by Secret Service agents and held in jail for making threats against a government official.  Given how our 1^st Amendment rights have been shredded bit by bit today, it’s very unlikely that the even 1^st Amendment would have  shielded him from strategic persecution at the hands of the government were he to state the following:,

“Behold I wait for assistance from you; and, except ye do administer unto our relief, behold, I come unto you, even in the land of Zarahemla, and smite you with the sword, insomuch that ye can have no more power to impeded the progress of this people in the cause of our freedom.”

But certainly there is something we can learn and apply for our lives today from his heartfelt letter to Pahoran. 

As countless prophets have taught us, as followers of Christ we are not to indulge in a dole system as established in our government.  There is very little that we are entitled to from our government. Their sole purpose is to protect and preserve our rights of freedom, life, and property. 

“We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man;”  (D&C 134:12)

It’s interesting to note that Moroni’s letter to Pahoran clearly assumes that he is 100% entitled to something from the government and that something is all of the necessary support he requires in order to preserve and protect the freedom of the people.  That same assumption is still valid today. 

Under the Constitution and in accordance to Gods law, we have every right to expect and even demand that our government protect our freedoms as they were laid out in the heavenly inspired document, the U.S. Constitution.  Moroni’s conviction of these rights were so firm, he unabashedly calls Pahoran out on what he fears is a dereliction of the duties of the Governor.  He questions whether or not Pahoran is a traitor to his country.  (Alma 60:18) He even questions whether or not Pahoran has become so comfortable in a life of luxury that he’s forgotten the struggle and sacrifice of the soldiers fighting on his behalf. (Alma 60: 19)  He blames the suffering of tens of thousands on the lack of response from Pahoran, who he suspects may simply suppose that the Lord will save the people while he sits back and waits. 

The good news is that if we act now while we still can, we still have some luxury to bask in while we make a difference in our government today.  Thus it’s unlikely that we are in a present state of needing to physically fight with a sword or other weapon to find true freedom. Even better news is that in this account, Pahoran turns out to not be a corrupt public official.  He truly has an earnest desire for righteousness, so much so that he’s not even offended by Moroni’s accusatory letter. But for the most part, we are not so fortunate today.

As Americans we have the right to expect our government to support, enforce, protect, and preserve the freedoms that are laid out in the U.S. Constitution.  Understanding that while they are laid out in this “heavenly banner” does not grant them unto us in entirety, for many of them are our rights inherently as humans, otherwise acknowledged as UNALIENABLE rights.  For example, I have a right to breathe whether the law states that I do or not. God himself created my body to function as such. And no other legislation can take that away from me.

If you have made yourself informed of the U.S. Constitution as well as the laws that have infringed upon the rights outlined in this document, you are aware that the time is NOT coming in which the Constitution WILL be hanging by a thread, but that time is already here.  As possessors of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the truthfulness of the Gospel, and the scriptures which are replete with examples to show us EXACTLY what we must do TODAY to ensure that the Constitution does not become completely destroyed, as did the law of the land in 3^rd Nephi, then we must follow Moroni’s example today.

Here’s just a sample of what jumped out at me as applicable for us now:

“We shall go up to battles against them.” Alma 60: 33

“I do not seek for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God and the freedom and welfare of my country.” Alma 60:36

“Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country,…” Alma 60:28

“Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?” Alma 60:21

“Can you think to sit upon your thrones in a state of thoughtless stupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of death around you? Yea, while they are murdering thousands of your brethren–” Alma 60:7

As you read Chapter 60 in Alma, there is a great deal to correlate with our times today, and more importantly with our solemn responsibility today. There is much that can be accomplished by the power of righteousness, prayer, revelation, and “make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us”—such as the internet, 24 hour news stations, abundance of informative resources, e-mail, fax, telephones, social groups, the justice system, our voices of testimony, our talents, and so much more—that we may wield our modern-day swords to bring justice and God’s law back to our nation that it may be preserved.

“Behold it is time, yea, the time is now at hand, that except ye do bestir yourselves in the defence of your country and your little ones, the sword of justice doth hang over you; yea, and it shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.” (Alma 60:29)

May we no longer sit in stupor, but study our situation and act in righteousness now.

Yours in Freedom,

Kellene Bishop

 

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The War in Heaven—Last Quarter

As I’m sure you’re all aware, the war in heaven took place for one primary reason. Satan proposed that we not be endowed with the ability to choose. He desired that we be forced to do all that we were “supposed” to do.  Satan was not innocent in proposing this plan. He wasn’t scolded merely for having a ridiculous brain storm idea. He was fully knowledgeable that this proposal was contrary to God’s will and wisdom. 
 

“Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused the he should be cast down;” Moses 4:3 (emphasis added)

I can picture Satan trying to share with us all of the risks involved if we didn’t go with his plan. 

“What if you fail? It’s hard down there!

“Do you really want to have to go through all of that challenge and strife?”

“Do you really want to leave this beautifully perfect place merely to prove yourselves once again.”

“Aren’t things perfect enough for you now?”  and so on…  His weapon then, as it is now, was force, fear, and doubt.

As you know, it wasn’t enough for us to simply “boo and hiss” him into a silent submission.  His proposal was so vile, so evil, that we had to be much more aggressive than that to fight his plan. We had to engage in an all out war.  Even though we had double the army fighting against him in his desire, he still did not back down.  And even though he clearly knows “how the story ends” he still will not back down.  And so the very same war continues here on earth.

Ironically, Satan’s proposal plays a significant reason as to why things are so very difficult for us here on earth. I’m sure that things were much more blissful in the pre-mortal existence, but clearly there was a very significant component to our eternal progression missing.  This component was so critical that our Savior, Jesus Christ, was willing to suffer incomprehensibly just so that we could have it… and that critical component was the experience of exercising Agency.  (I dare not call it “free” Agency, lest I forget the heavy price that was paid for it.)

Understanding that the ability to choose is the only way in which we have any semblance of any Agency TO exercise, is a step in the right direction towards understanding why the U.S. Constitution required the guiding hand of the Lord. He not only provided it for us, as he did the 10 Commandments to Moses, but He even went so far as to hand-pick the men who would draft this “heavenly banner”, hand-pick the land upon which it would be instituted, and even selected the men who would fight for it’s full ratification against all odds.    

You see, one of Lucifer’s primary strategies is to “restrict our agency through the power of earthly governments.” (David O. McKay, “The Constitution, A Heavenly Banner”)  He doesn’t need to necessarily tempt us with pornography, drugs, adultery, or other bold-face sins. He needs only to corrupt our government with evil men who will destroy our ability to choose and use that God-given agency. Then, as he lulls a perfectly free people into apathy, busy-ness, and naïveté, we will wake to find that our freedoms have disappeared from us all together. 

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them CAPTIVE at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.” Moses 4:4

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”  –Thomas Jefferson

The only reason why a government was ever created in this land is to ensure that such rights would not be infringed upon.  And to this end, the government was created by the people, to serve the people and to protect their unalienable rights from the likes of Lucifer who would aim to destroy these rights. 

If you can look at every proposed bill, every government action in this light, you will see things more clearly. Ask yourself, does this proposed bill or process infringe on the ability of freedom or the right to choose?  If it does, then it is not of God nor His plan. 

 

Obviously, our Heavenly Father teaches us agency as much as He does consequences of those choices.  While we are free to choose our behavior, we are not free to choose the consequences.  No governmental ruling or shell game will ever change that.  A government of any kind can establish a rule to thwart a choice here on earth, but it will not be binding in the eternities. 

The Constitution was created in an effort to ensure that we can make eternal decisions today.  We experience freedom in many aspects of our lives which enable us to choose an to be sealed in the temple for all eternity, raising our children in righteousness, growing our own crops that we may be healthy and prepared for emergencies, and to provide service to our fellowman with a full purpose of heart.  What is alarming however is that every single one of those freedoms that I just mentioned are threatened by the actions of men who are not guided by God.  For example, our ability to be sealed in the temple is threatened with the proposals of gay marriage. Our ability to raise our children in righteousness is threatened with proposals which would require unrighteous topics to be taught in our schools. Our ability to grow our own food in our own way and to store up such food is threatened already by certain Executive Orders which have already been made and by bills which are presently before our Congress, and yes, even our ability to serve in righteousness is threatened by two issue which have received overwhelming support by our politicians in D.C.  If I had an entire day I could not begin to share with you all that has already been put into place to deprive us of our inherent, divine rights.  But perhaps it is not for me to do for you. Perhaps there is more value in you using the eternal gift of Agency as your own guide as you review what’s going on in the world around you and discerning by the Spirit whether a freedom is enhanced or lost.  I for one did not fight in a war in heaven only to lose here on earth–especially when the ending has already been determined for us.  That’s like betting on a horse that you know is going to lose, or buying a car that you know is going to break down. I intend to continue the fight with just as much faith and action now as I did then. I hope that you’ll join me.

HR 1388

There may be many who you read that may seem “extreme” or “conspiratorial”. But please keep in mind that the evil of the adversary is as extreme and conspiratorial as one can get.  This is not a case of one crying wolf. This is critical that you take action on this now. 

Today I received a simple line on my Facebook wall from a new friend. The message listed a Washington DC phone number and a message saying “call your Rep act now before it becomes law hr 1388.”  Until today I had never heard of HR 1388 and yet I consider myself a Constitutional activist. To be honest, I’ve been quite busy writing my Women of Caliber blog message on women and guns, my Kellene Bishop blog on the injustice of using an unconstitutional tax as a weapon on AIG bonuses, and doing research for future writings.  When I saw this simple message on Facebook, I simply put it mentally on my list of things to do later this evening.  I had no idea just how vile this bill truly was, and that it might already be too late unless we take a much stronger stand.    As it turns out, while our nation has been distracted with other atrocities such as the AIG bail out and then subsequent gauche bonuses, there was something downright demonic being played out in Congress and the Senate. 

Many of you may be familiar with Hitler’s Nazi Youth Groups which consisted of youth ages 10-25.  They wore brown uniforms, participation was mandatory, and they were the source of many of Hitler’s initial troop drafts. In fact at one point in 1946, anti-aircraft batteries were officially manned solely by Hitler Youth boys. From 1940 to 1945, over 2.8 million German children were sent to these camps. There were separate Hitler Youth camps for boys and girls. About 5,000 camps were eventually in operation. Each camp was run by a Nazi approved teacher and a Hitler Youth squad leader. Reluctant parents were forced to send their children away to the camps.   Why am I telling you all of this? Because, our nation has just been accosted by a similarly unthinkable proposal, and it just passed the House.

Enter stage right HR 1388, otherwise known as The Give Act, which is dressed as a bill to promote service and volunteerism in an effort to change the apathetic face of Americans today. While this bill discusses in large part its focus on the youth of our nation, it is clear to include every American as it states the possibility “of all individuals in the United States are expected to perform national service or to perform a certain amount of national service.” What exactly is this bill including every American in, you may ask?  Mandatory volunteerism.  Yup. That’s not a misprint.  Here’s the scary part. When the 200 page bill was first drafted the word “Mandatory” was a part of it. Instead, the word “mandatory” was altered to read “involuntary servitude.”  Yup. Legalized slavery, folks.  This bill outlines a movement of volunteerism in which participation will be required, and it knows no boundaries on its reach of power. Funded with over $6 billion of our dollars, the outline of this program, aka legislation, also refers to “uniforms” that would be worn by the “volunteers” and the “need” for a “public service academy, a 4-year institution” to “focus on training”  of future “public sector leaders.” The training, apparently, would occur at “campuses.”  In the first draft the word “camp” was used instead of campuses.  This bill requires forced labor. Last I checked, mandatory community service was required only of criminals, not a free people!

Groups of such “volunteers” would, under the legislation, be “grouped together as appropriate in campuses for operational, support, and boarding purposes. The Corps campus for a unit shall be in a facility or central location established as the operational headquarters and boarding place for the unit. … There shall be a superintendent for each camp.”

Another portion of the bill talks about a “service learning” plan that will be “a mandatory part of the curriculum in all of the secondary schools served by the local educational agency.”

This frightening bill passed the House with the following stipulations.  Keep in mind as you read them that this “mandatory volunteerism” will prevent individuals from use of free speech, free will, and any religious affiliation while they are indentured servants. You’ll be able to satisfy volunteer requirements with Planned Parenthood or ACORN but not your church or a pro-life group.

Hr 1388 ‘‘SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.

‘‘(a) PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES.—A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities:

(1) Attempting to influence legislation.

(2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes.

(3) Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing.

(4) Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements.

(5) Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office.

(6) Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials.

(7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted

The ramifications of this law are ominous at best.  Can you just imagine having to tell your young daughter or son, “Sorry kids, you can’t go and do the service project at the senior center tonight because you’re required to volunteer for Obama’s Service Corp.”

As long as this is the United States of America, volunteerism is a charitable act. What makes it charitable is because it is voluntary.  Hmmmm… requiring individuals to do what’s right.  That sounds like a fairly familiar proposal I fought against fiercely in the pre-mortal existence.  And now it’s just been passed into law by the Congress! You see folks, Satan doesn’t have to tempt us simply with pornography, gambling, drugs, adultery.  He can simply tempt us with apathy while he conquers our government. Once he conquers the government with evil, then we are powerless to use our agency to actually make good or bad choices. (See 3 Nephi chapter 7). And yet Subsection 136 and section 120 indicates this “service” is mandatory. Section 1710 suggests a pilot program, electronic filing, and RFID chips.

 

The following amendment to the bill also invokes a chilling reminder of a Nazi ruled past.  “to create a National Service Reserve Corps and requires an annual service requirement of at least 10 hours and/or annual training. A member of the National Service Reserve Corps is one who has completed a term of national service, fulfilled training, and will respond to national disasters and other emergencies. These individuals will be listed in a national database for the ease of immediate deployment in case of emergency.”

Many are raising concerns that this program is actually an execution of what President Obama referred to during one of his speeches last year.  Click here and listen to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s   See if you don’t get chills listening to it as I did. His program which is intended to include 250,000 “volunteers,” is ominously like his “National Civilian Security Force” he described last year when he urged “creating an organization as big and well-funded as the U.S. military.” His own website altered the words of his speech after it was given and softened it a bit. However, it still does reference the mandatory service he proposes of 50 hours of service required of grade school students and100 hours of service for college students each year. His site also stated that he would “require” all middle school through college students to participate in community service programs. He has declined since then to elaborate.

I’ve never seen a bill rammed through this fast before. I’m shocked that so many “conservatives” voted for this bill.  It’s now before the Senate tonight as S 3577. Ring the phones all night folks. Ring them all day tomorrow. This is NOT a drill. This is critical! This is a battle which we must re-fight here on earth, right now! 

(To see how your Congressman voted, click here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2210006/posts )

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

What’s so special about the U.S. Constitution to the LDS faith?

No other government on the face of the earth has created a document which is designed to protect the free agency of mankind more than the U.S. Constitution.

The war in heaven occurred based on one particular issue, the ability to use agency freely.

The sole purpose of a government establishment in this nation is to enforce the existence of freedoms so that we may indeed use our agency.  Without a government properly established to protect our unalienable rights to choose, we would become nothing more than the third of the hosts of heaven who elected the alternative plan.  Our “lives, liberty and our possession of property” is what is most critically tied to our exercise of freedom.  Any government that would uphold our freedoms must be willing to uphold the freedoms in all 3 of these aspects.

If our property is forced to be taken from us and allocated to someone else, where is our choice for charity?  If we do not control property, which God has bestowed upon us, then we have nothing to govern here on earth and thus nothing to exert our freedom of choice upon. If we are forced as to what to believe, then we have no agency over what we do and say.  In order for there truly to be opposition in all things, both sides of an opposition must be effectively accessible. This does not occur if freedom of choice does not exist. 

However, given that a government is given a great deal of power, although bestowed such by a free people, there is still the tendency to abuse such power.  (See D&C 121:39) This is why the U.S. Constitution is so important not only to our nation, but to rest of the world and to our eternal lives.

The U.S. Constitution was much more than a brave act of a few men centuries ago.  It was an act that the Lord had a great hand in orchestrating. We are told that the Lord himself raised up these men for that particular time to create such a document, that the generations to follow may have true freedom to live His Gospel.  (See D&C 101:80)

Today we have the Constitution as a measure by which we can see for ourselves if an act of government is just or unjust.  What are we given such a measure for if we are not to proactively hold our government accountable in such a manner as to ensure that the Constitution is upheld as the benchmark of all government actions?

This land today would easily be at the mercy of a monarchy or a communistic ruler if it were not for the blood and sacrifice of our forefathers.  It would not foster the freedom to act that we now enjoy today. It’s ironic however, that the very freedoms the Constitution protects are the very ones we hesitate to use on our own behalf in order to ensure that this nation remains as the Lord would desire. 

Ezra Taft Benson is one of many prophets who reverences the U.S. Constitution. 

Let us understand, the freedom to choose is not a right bestowed upon us by a government. It is bestowed upon us eternally by a loving Heavenly Father.  He has only given us more ability to choose by providing us with this nation and has inspired the Constitution to come forth that our freedoms may not be held in bondage by any of the hosts of heaven who would fight for Satan’s plan.  However, when all is said and done, the Constitution amounts to nothing more than a piece of paper if our lives are not focused on protecting the freedoms that “heavenly banner” reinforce for us.  Just as the Book of Mormon fails to benefit our lives without our focus of it, so too does the U.S. Constitution become meaningless without our brave stands to hold it high.

There are countless injustices which have been performed by the hands of our government which threaten to usurp the wisdom of the U.S. Constitution.  These wrongs can only be righted if we are willing to raise our modern-day Titles of Liberty in the form of letters, e-mails, faxes, editorials, and every other conceivable proactive acts which will hold the government accountable to this inspired document.  Not having an understanding of the Constitution so that you are able to defend it, recognize its truths, and recognize when it’s been violated is just as much a transgression as other deadly sins of omission such as church and temple attendance, scripture reading, personal and family prayers, etc.  Sins of omission are not the lesser sins. In fact they tend to have the greater impact on the execution of sins of commission. 

As we read the Book of Mormon over and over again, and we see the same story unfold numerous times, do we not wonder why we were given these particular accounts to read? 

Why, in spite of the Jaredites being on this land so much longer than the Nephites, do we have so much more Nephite history than the Jaredites?  Could it be because the Nephite government better represented our own today—that of self-governing?  Why are these scenarios of government overthrow brought to our attention again and again?  If you read them from the perspective of how the government’s violation of the law of the land was the undoing of the prosperity of the people (both spiritually and materially) then perhaps you can appreciate just how important this aspect is to our salvation as well.  (See 3 Nephi chapters 1-7)

We have the truth of the Gospel. We have covenanted to build up His kingdom here on the earth.  We must be proponents of freedom in everything we do and not embrace one iota of socialism.  The Constitution in this land makes that possible as it allows us to follow eternal truths.  We must fully support both the Gospel, and the armor which helps protect the Gospel in order to bring the Gospel unto all. 

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Go and Do

Each of us has formed a “political” opinion about what is going on in the nation around us.  However, in Doctrine and Covenants 29:34 it reads “Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal.”   This scripture thus lays the foundation for us so that we should not be surprised when we receive the following guidance from the First Presidency. 

In a letter read during sacrament meetings throughout the U.S.  in January of 1998 the First Presidency encouraged the member of the Church to be “full participants in political, governmental and community affairs.” 

“We wish to reiterate the divine counsel that members ‘should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness,’ while using gospel principles as a guide and while cooperating with other like-minded individuals. (D&C 58:27)

            Through such wise participation as citizens, we are then in better compliance with this scripture:

            ‘Governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them.’ (D&C 134:1)

            Therefore, as in the past, we urge members of the Church to be full participants in political, governmental, and community affairs.  Members of the Church are under special obligations to seek out and then uphold those leaders who are ‘wise,’ good,’ and ‘honest.’ (See D&C 98:10)

            Thus we strongly urge men and women to be willing to serve on school boards, city and county councils and commissions, state legislatures, and other high offices of either election or appointment, including involvement in the political party of their choice.”

Given that the law of this land (a.k.a. the Constitution is held to be sacred by the Lord, and that those who lead us and our opinions are responsible for assisting us in upholding the freedoms and rights as noted in the Constitution, then is it not reasonable to believe that we must come to our political conclusions via a diligent study of the scriptures and the words of our modern-day prophets rather that forming such opinions solely on the words given to us by the media, misguided neighbors and friends?  Are we even aware that the Lord has given us explicit and clear instructions in the scriptures relating to our government today in His Holy scriptures, specifically the Book of Mormon? 

            “…They have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.

            Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (2 Ne. 28:14)

The very essence of this land is formed strictly upon a belief in God.  This land will tolerate no such beliefs if we do not uphold this “heavenly banner.” But how can we uphold this sacred Law which the Lord has seen fit to establish and protect over and over again that we might have the freedom to be joyful and to worship him appropriately, if we know not the Law is? 

The Law, as in the law which ensures our freedom, rights, liberties, and abilities to posses property is addressed over and over again in the Book of Mormon.  Is it any wonder then that the “whole church” is “under condemnation” which “condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them not only to say but to do according to that which I have written.”  (D&C 84: 55-57)

As I have read this passage of scripture over the years of seminary, church, a mission, being a teacher at the MTC, and church classroom teaching I have often wanted to know more of what is was that “the church as a whole” was doing so that the condemnation could be lifted.  I was anxious to find out more of what I could do so that my hands were at least clean in this regard.  I used to think that it was simply that we were not appreciating the Book of Mormon sufficiently in our lives and so I pressed on to read it more often.  But I was missing the boat…big time.  Now that I’ve come to actually read AND ponder AND study the Book of Mormon and allow myself to be taught by it and the Spirit, specifically about the state of the government and our dealings with such in order to ensure our freedoms, I have come to understand that the condemnation comes not simply from setting the Book of Mormon at naught, or a position not fitting of it’s importance in our lives, but more importantly the contents therein.  (I know. For those of you are more mature spiritually than myself, that may sound like a big fat DUH!)  Everything we are struggling with today with our government, the constitution and what we should do about it is clearly covered in the Book of Mormon with miraculous specificity for our day.  (Particularly 3 Nephi as a whole.) 

If you read 3 Nephi and substitute the Gadiantons as “the government” which we have today, you will discover with surprisingly clarity just how much the Lord knew of our time, our ways, the corruption of men, the perilous state of freedoms in the land, and exactly what we are to do about all of this.  I find the message and prophecies in 3 Nephi to be imploringly redundant in this matter, from a very loving Heavenly Father. “Prepare. Pray. Protect the Law.” This is especially clear in the dealings of the people of Lachoneus against the Gadiantons and their leaders, Giddianhi. (3 Nephi chapters 2 thru 7)

Referencing D&C 84: 57 again, I make a special note of the instructions that we “not only to say but to do…”  I hear many say “we must take our country back,” “we cant’ let them get away with this,” “I pray that He will save our country,” when all that really does is contribute to the “saying” and not the “go and do” contrary to the consistent example we have from Nephi the son of Lehi. 

This country is a great gift to all of us.  And it is indeed a massive ship to be built and cared for that we might all arrive to the Promise Land with as many of our brothers and sisters as is possible.  However, many of us must indeed “go and do” and pray for direction as to “how to build the ship” and indeed “he (will) nourish (us) and strengthen (us) and provide the means whereby (we) can accomplish the thing which He has commanded (us).  (1 Ne. 17 3)He will indeed be our light in these matters, however we must open the way for him to influence us even in matters which may appear to be political or temporal unto the rest of the world that we may form wise and true conclusions as to what is really going on around us and what we must truly do to overcome. 

Yours in Freedom,

Kellene

 

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The IRS (Illegal Revenue Service)

Whenever I speak ill of the Internal Revenue Service with my friends (members and non alike) I usually get this look like I’ve got 4 heads.  I admit, it does seem quite radical.  10 years ago I still thought my parents were some kind freak hippies to want to home school their children.  I also thought that firearms were only used by bad men, and I that FDA was always acting in the best interest of our nation.  Fortunately, I’ve come a long ways in the last decade.  And I’ve done so with getting real information and then acting on it. 

So today I’m going to provide you with some information that you have most likely just been too busy to garner.  Ultimately I’m going to request that you use your gift of conscience to determine if what I’m sharing with you is accurate or not.  If it is accurate, then you will obviously need to take action on it in order to ensure your support of the U.S. Constitution—Remember “when an individual of an unjust government measure and uses all of his influence against it, no blame should be attached.  Justice demands that each be held only for those acts which have his approval or support.”

There is this myth which states that the 16^th Amendment of our Constitution is what gives the authority of our government to tax us on our income.  Please note that the Supreme Court ruled on this issue already stating that “the 16^th Amendment does NOT give our government any additional authority or power to tax us” than did the 5^th Amendment already. The Constitution states that all direct taxes are required to be apportioned among the states according to population.  The federal income tax is a direct tax that is NOT apportioned, and thus illegal. Additionally, we are told that the 16^th Amendment was ratified in 1913 by 3/4ths of the states. This is also incorrect.  If you go to the state house records directly you will see that UT, CT, RI, FL, and NH did not support the 16^th Amendment.  VA and PA were never heard from. VT and MA later did ratify after the declaration, but did so without following their own state constitution procedures.  And KY, OK, TX, TN, MI, OH, AR, MN, NM, WV, IN, NV, NC, ND, CO, CA, and IL all violated their own constitutional procedures to attempt to ratify the Amendment and thus their ratifications cannot be counted.  This brings us to only 20 states which legally ratified the 16^th Amendment.  Not anywhere near the required three-fourths majority.

The ratification of the 16^th Amendment was not simply an error. It was a bold faced fraud on the American people perpetuated by Secretary of State Philander Knox.  (See the following link for more details.  http://www.givemeliberty.org/features/taxes/notratified.htm)

Do we truly have freedom in this nation if the whistle blowers have the peace and sanctity of their lives threatened simply for asking serious questions? With so much power held by this one agency which refuses to allow legally permissible discovery and questioning,(and gets away with it) do we believe that our  judges are safe to make just decisions behind the bench?  Is it possible that the livelihood of these judges, their career, their home and their family can be seriously threatened and at risk by the “untouchable” IRS?  The only people who should have anything to fear in this nation are those who break the law. Simply asking repeatedly for the IRS to produce the law by which they believe they are acting fairly should not merit a threat of life and livelihood.  And yet it occurs frequently.  Using one’s free speech to encourage and enlighten other law abiding citizens to stand up to this atrocity should not result in fear of indefensible retribution. And yet as I write this, I realize that I may now be audited mercilessly, or can even be thrown into jail without charge as an enemy combatant of the U.S., when in fact it is the majority of our government leaders who are traitors to this nation. 

Not only is this particular tax illegal, it is also IMMORAL.  It is the government who takes from one to give to another such as those who have not justly handled their own finances, or those who got in over their heads with credit card and mortgage debt, or those who struggle with getting a job because they have not learned our language and have come here illegally. 

President Ezra Taft Benson said: We have accepted a frightening degree of socialism in our country.  The question is, how much?  The amount of freedom depends upon the amount of federal control and spending.  A good measurement is to determine the amount, or percentage of income of people that is taken over and spent by the state…They now advocate throughout our economy that we ‘redistribute wealth and income’, a good definition of socialism.” 

These men and women in who act with unrighteous dominion and power, which we have given to them freely, not only steal this levy of money, but they also have burdened us beyond our ability to ever being relieved of this debt through these enormous sums of bail out monies and “stimulus” monies. We fought an entire revolution over taxation without representation.  And yet this stimulus bill was passed without representation because it was not even READ by those who voted on it.  That’s not only a lack or representation of “we the people,” but an abandonment of even their own conscience since they acted in willful ignorance.

Do you realize that even if we were all taxed at over 50% we would still never pay off this debt just from the interest alone?  Do you realize that the federal income taxes that we DO pay do not go towards anything else but the INTEREST on the money we have received from the Federal Reserve?  No. Your monies do not go towards the repair of highways.  Your gasoline tax pays for that, and yet now you’ve been double taxed by the “stimulus” packaged adding an earmark to the stimulus package for highway repairs and expansion.  Your property taxes pay for education and yet we’ve now been double taxed because the stimulus package has been earmarked with money to go towards this cause as well. I could go on and on with this, but I think you get my point.  With yet another proposal for more of this illegally gained money to be spent, it’s clear that our government has no respect of the sanctity of this nation or its freedoms.  Reread what President Harold B. Lee stated about us partaking of government subsidies.  Perhaps you are hurting financially right now and the prospect of having some money spent in this manner is appealing to you so that you can have some relief. But it is clearly IMMORAL for us to TAKE from one person to give to another.  That’s not charity folks. That’s theft.

Well there you have it.  I’ve attached some other links to this topic for your perusal for additional information.  You can read of the IRS Whistleblowers and what their life has been like in doing so. http://www.irs-armory.com/read/wistleblowers.htm

 You can also read of one instance in which a former IRS agent actually WON his case which the IRS brought against him to decimate him and his livelihood.  http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44956

You can also read of the doctor who was assaulted in his office and put into jail immediately for not paying a small sum of taxes.  http://newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd25.htm

I’m wondering if Wesley Snipes was actually legal in his tax actions, but the judges were under threat from the IRS if they ruled in his favor since he was such a high profile figure??

 

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Are We Accessories to a Crime?

(In the interest of full disclosure, for today’s topic I have drawn heavily from the scriptures, H. Verlan Anderson’s book “Many Are Called, Few Are Chosen” and President Benson’s talk, “The Constitution—A Heavenly Banner.”)

In Doctrine and Covenants 104: 17 it reads “For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea I prepared all things, and have given unto children of men to be agents unto themselves.”

There is so much in this one verse that is relevant to many of the policies and laws that we are seeing today.  And as they relate to the Constitution I felt that it was important to discuss. 

The elements of freedom which we must possess in order to accomplish our purposes are 1) life, 2) liberty, 3) property and 4) knowledge.

Wealth, or organized raw materials, is an essential ingredient of freedom: First, because our very survival depends upon access to such things as food, clothing, and shelter; secondly, because the right and control of property permits us to increase our physical and mental powers almost without limit. By utilizing tools, machinery, equipment, and harnessing electrical, nuclear, and other forms of energy, our ability to achieve our purposes is raised to the ‘nth’ power. 

If you deny a person access to the necessities of life, of course he will die.  If you deny him these necessities unless he does what you say, you can make him your slave because most of us will obey nearly any command to remain alive.  As Alexander Hamilton has said:  “A power over a man’s subsistence amounts to a power of his will.” –Federalist Papers No. 79

The Lord makes it clear that we have plenty on this earth for ALL and even some to spare. Considering that our Creator loves us more than we can ever fathom, has unfathomable mansions and kingdoms prepared for us, and desires us to be happy, stating that He has enough for us ALL and them some is not to be taken lightly.  It is clear that the right to and the control of property is a basic element of freedom and is vital as life and liberty, neither of which are of any value without it. 

When we deprive another of this element by stealing, destroying, or otherwise denying him the right to control what he owns, we have to this same extent diminished his freedom and violated the laws of God and man.  On the other hand, when we use the strength of our minds and bodies to organize wealth and provide ourselves and others with the necessities of life, or the means of achieving life’s goals, we are obeying God’s commandments to work and be charitable with what we produce. 

So, do WE as members of the Church of Jesus Christ deprive another of one of the most basic elements of freedom, that of the control of that which he owns?  As stated in my post this past Monday, the prophets have made clear that we cannot be neutral with regards to the behavior of our government.  If we can elect our leaders then we are responsible for their actions which protect and endorse freedom or destroy it.  As such, if there are actions which we do not endorse, we must use “all our influence” to wash our hands clean of such actions.  So, as long as our government is not stealing, destroying, or otherwise denying our citizens the right to control and protect what he owns, we’re innocent.  The problem, such actions are being perpetuated by our elected officials, and unless each and every one of us has made it perfectly clear with all our influence that we do not endorse such actions, then the sin is upon our individual heads.  In fact freedom IS the power and opportunity to affect the freedom of others.

I realize that this is indeed an inconvenient truth for us to embrace.  There is so much that we would rather be doing other than “babysitting” our government.  But who will contend that the Lord uses one moral law when the individual acts alone and still a different law when he acts jointly with other whether in a gang, a mob, OR a government.

Doctrine and Covenants 134: 2 reads: “We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.”

Property is derived from labor.  Moral man has always recognized that the wealth produced by a person belonged to him. (At least that’s what Apostle Verlan Anderson says, but I’m afraid that there are very few government leaders who truly believe that now.) Theft, robbery, arson and all other forms of TAKING or DESTROYING another’s property have always been regarded as both evil and criminal. If government uses force to accomplish the immoral purposes of depriving another of his property, and we do not stand up to promote an act to the contrary, then our hands are not clean before our Lord.

While I had intended to explore some examples of our government leaders stealing and plundering, I found that each instance required an entire synopsis on it’s own.  Thus it was far too lengthy to be a “part” of this exploration.  Instead I have chosen to provide you with the fundamental counsel from our prophets and simply allow you to connect the dots.  As you do so, consider this…  If there is an instance in which the lawful possession and protection of property of any kind is being compromised, then it is indeed a criminal act.  So consider certain taxes, threats to eliminate possession of guns or any other like property, actions of The Federal Reserve, funds allocation for “bail outs,” not protecting our borders from incoming criminals which would rob us of our safety, property or lives, etc.  Decide what you need to voice your opposition or support on an issue and then “go and do” in order that your hands may be clean. 

The right and duty of self-government provides a rare opportunity to labor for the cause of freedom, to learn firsthand the operation of the law of retribution and to cooperate with the Lord in enforcing it. 

If the Lord is going to hold each of us morally accountable for every coercive act of government of which we approve, it is of the utmost important the we be able to accurately discern the good from the evil in government action. We accomplish this through a test of conscience. 

On of the most approved and righteous of all callings is to INCREASE freedom by disseminating truth, thereby increasing men’s ability to reach their goals.  Are you willing to accept such a calling?

Yours In Freedom,

Kellene

 

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.