Church leaders statements against obeying laws blindly.

[Fiannan]

Hey there. I was wondering if people have access to quotes from LDS leaders that make a distinction between following laws based on righteous principles and not following laws based on man-made philosophies that are counter to the scriptures. Where I used to live I had access to a wonderful institute library with lots of books containing such information (i.e. John Taylor's quote that if given the choice of obeying God and obeying man he would follow God) but unfortunantely now I only have the internet and that makes it more difficult to search down quotes. So if anyone has any examples I would really appreciate responses.

[pam]

Good topic. Can't wait for the responses. Unfortunately I don't know of any right now.

[WillowTheWhisp]

All I can think of is the Articles of Faith:

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honouring and sustaining the law.

That doesn't seem to indicate that there is room for not obeying the law.

[Palerider]

I am not aware of any .....I only remember how Pres Hinckley always encouraging us to obey all the traffic laws on our return home from conference etc...

It makes me wonder if there any from Elder Oaks....I only mention him because of his background.

[Fiannan]

During his last public sermon John Taylor stated:

"I would like to obey and place myself in subjection to every law of man. What then? Am I to disobey the law of God? Has any man a right to control my conscience, or your conscience? ... No man has a right to do it".

Journal of Discourses 26, page 152.

That is one of the quotes from John Taylor. I know there are many other statements to this effect by him and otehr leaders but...

[goofball]

This website may have what you are looking for after a little searching

Religious Studies Center

[bytor2112]

A bit off topic....but how much credence do we give to Journal of Discourses? Is it considedered authorative? Our critics love to quote from it.

[Moksha]

Fiannan, here is a thread of related quotes by Church leaders:

Guy's, I need these quotes! - Beliefnet Forums

[Hemidakota]

Shall I add links here and call it information overload?

SCRIPTURES LINK

[The Book of Nephi, the Son of Nephi, Which Was the Son of Helaman]

... equity and justice. And now there was nothing in all the land, to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall..., until after their death. Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that any man should be put to death, 3 Nephi 6

... and justice. 5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall ... until after their death. 24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that any man should be put to death ... The Book of Ruth 1

... her sojournment, with both her daughters in law: and being now in the way to return into...again: Orpha kissed her mother in law, and returned: Ruth stuck close...came with Ruth, the Moabitess, her daughter in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned... Doctrine and Covenants 98

... do all things whatsoever I command them. 5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in...mine ancient prophets and apostles. 33 And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients, that they should not ... more...Genesis 47

... pasture for their flocks ; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan : now therefore, we pray ... 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day , that Pharaoh ... . 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years : so the whole... JST Genesis 47

...pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan; now therefore, we pray...26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh...exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole... more...Genesis 47

... his father and his brethren in Egypt, in the best place of the land, in Ramesses, as Pharao had commanded. 12 And he ... fifth part is paid to the kings, and it is become as a law, except the land of the priests, which was free from this covenant. 27 So ...Genesis 47

[Hemidakota]

LDS.ORG LINK

A Standard of Freedom for This Dispensation

in Jay M. Todd, Ensign, 1987, Sept.

... all things whatsoever I command them. “And the law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of ... of constitutional liberty shall be maintained upon this land, blessings will attend the nation.” ( The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff...

“I, the Lord God, Make You Free”

in Shirley D. Christensen, Ensign, 2006, Feb.

... verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should ... covenants (see D&C 101:1–2, 6–7 ). Uphold the law ... Congress or the [King or] Queen and the Parliament of the land of their citizenship.” 3 President N....

Peace Within

in H. Dean Garrett, Ensign, 1988, Sept.

... Report, Apr. 1942, p. 72.) The Law Given to the Ancients Mormon states that in defending...25–31 .) The Lord compares this to the law given to Nephi, Abraham, and other...no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no...

The Constitution— A Glorious Standard

in Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, 1987, Sept.

... Joseph Smith, the Savior declared, “I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto... several miscellaneous items, including a definition of the supreme law of the land, namely, the Constitution itself. Article 7,...

News of the Church

in , Ensign, 1974, Oct.

... a goal of “dotting the countryside” of these four lands with stakes. —To the priesthood leaders, in a never-to-be-forgotten early-morning Sabbath... deplores all actions which are in violation of the laws of the land, and reaffirms its basic teachings of...

"A Meaningful Celebration"

in L. Tom Perry, Ensign, 1987, Nov.

...’s specific legislation concerned the inalienability of Israel’s land titles. It required the reversion of all hereditary property to ...! We should be familiar with the history, heritage, and laws of the lands that govern us. In those countries that allow us...

Deep Roots

in Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, 1994, Nov.

... themselves into believing they could ignore or violate this law of health with impunity. I believe the Lord inspired President Heber...attacking the core foundations of this land. The Lord’s law for this land is declared in the Book of Mormon, where we read ...

Teach the Gospel of Salvation

in Harold B. Lee, Ensign, 1973, Jan.

...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. “Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he... against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And ... more...

Guidelines to Carry Forth the Work of God in Cleanliness

in Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 1974, May

... said: “And now, verily I say unto you concerning the law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in ... vote a “Declaration of Belief regarding Governments and Laws in general,” in which it said: “We believe that all ...

Major Jewish Groups in the New Testament

in Victor L. Ludlow, Ensign, 1975, Jan.

... of Judah (Judas) the Galilean, who believed theocracy should be the law of the land and Jews should not pay tribute to ... with more advanced ideas. The Pharisees became scholars of the law, fostering the synagogue as a place of study, worship, and prayer. (... Mormon Colonies: Beacon Light in Mexico

in E. LeRoy Hatch, Ensign, 1972, Sept.

... Saints. They were finally granted permission to purchase lands in Mexico on the Piedras Verdes River in northwest Chihuahua, ... with Mormon tradition to honor, obey, and respect the law of the land, as well as sustain its authorities, the Saints invited the...

First Presidency Message Dependability

in N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, 1974, Apr.

...land worse than breaking the laws of God? Though we believe in “obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law,” many keep the laws of the land in order to be free from punishment which..., but we should keep his laws and commandments because of his love and...

"Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged"

in N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, 1972, July

... should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” ( Matt. 7:12 .) Instead, we ...not neglect, but they must give righteous judgment according to the law of the land and of the Church. This being election year, there will be ...

I Have a Question

in , Ensign, 1991, July

...Stake. Clearly not. Ideally, court systems and the laws of the land are established for the regulation and protection of ... in connection with the Savior’s denunciation of the then-honored law of retaliation—an “eye for an eye.” By measuring his actions ...

News of the Church

in , Ensign, 2004, Aug.

... in stake centers throughout the British Isles, returning to the land where he served as a missionary more than 70 years ... and more secure. They will be better citizens who honor the laws of the land, who are more charitable, more peaceful and prosperous,” ...

Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Resource Guides

in , Ensign, 2007, May

...2, 5, and 6. Lesson 31: The Law of the Land Russell M. Nelson, “Blessed Are...no. 5. Lesson 27: The Lord’s Law of Health Thomas S. Monson, “True to... Church. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Prophets in the Land Again,” Liahona and Ensign, ...

President Ezra Taft Benson Ordained Thirteenth President of the Church

in Don L. Searle, Ensign, 1985, Dec.

...permit it. We urge our members everywhere to respect the laws of the lands in which we live. “We shall continue to...American Institute of Cooperation, an organization of farm cooperatives and land grant colleges. His call to the Council of the Twelve...

Looking to the Savior

in Adney Y. Komatsu, Ensign, 1987, May

...importance. We must always be examples to the world as members of the Lord’s kingdom and keep the laws of the land and the laws of God. The Lord said in ... willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days” ( D&C 64:...

Latter-day Saint Voices

in , Ensign, 2008, Jan.

... Rather than drive, I knew that I must obey the law of the land (see D&C 58:21 ), even if doing so meant missing church....in Venezuela, my testimony of the importance of obeying the law of the land—even when inconvenient—was strengthened. I also obtained...

[Hemidakota]

BYU SPEECHES LINK

Patriotism Is of God (4 March 1973)

in John H. Vandenberg, BYU Speeches 1973

...do all things whatsoever I command them. And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom... It comes in the sustaining of local governments, the sustaining of law enforcement. You need government. You need government...

The Constitution--A Heavenly Banner (16 September 1986)

in Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Speeches 1986

... Joseph Smith, the Savior declared, "I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto... several miscellaneous items, including a definition of the supreme law of the land, namely, the Constitution itself. Article 7,...

The Care and Keeping of BYU's Human Resources (26 June 2007)

in Delora Bertelsen, BYU Speeches 2007

... they may be. In the Equal Opportunity Office we work with the laws of the land, particularly Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and its amendments. These laws established certain protected categories of people who must be treated ...

"Unto All People" (25 September 1979)

in Robert L. Simpson, BYU Speeches 1979

..., and who have radiated the spirit of this Church and this great land of America. Now, my wonderful young people, earlier this ... meeting every week. None had been baptized; it was against the laws of the land to baptize in that country. But oh, how he ...

Come Unto Christ (29 October 1989)

in Henry B. Eyring, BYU Speeches 1989

...all those ways, and more. A Future Home One of my early memories is reading the scriptures in a school room. The law of the land did not yet forbid it, so the Princeton, New Jersey, public schools began each school day with a...

[Fiannan]

Fiannan, here is a thread of related quotes by Church leaders:

Guy's, I need these quotes! - Beliefnet Forums

Great quotes against following church leaders blindly such as:

George Q. Cannon, Counselor to three Church Presidents, expressed it thus:

"Do not, brethren, put your trust in man though he be a bishop, an apostle, or a president .

If you do, they will fail you at some time or place; they will do wrong or seem to, and your support be gone;"

(Millennial Star 53:658-59, quoted in "Gospel Truth", 1:319)

I am looking for more examples of either civil disobedience or endouraging civil disobedience. You know, just sitting here I just remembered Daniel who had a king who made public prayer to any diety but the king illegal. Daniel openly defied the law and God delivered him.

I also just remembered that most veterans of WW2 violated the law. You see, according to the Marshall studies most front-line soldiers couldn't bring themselves to take the life of an enemy combattant. So they either did not shoot or shot over the enemy's heads. Only about 15% of soldiers dutifully obeyed their commanding officers who were under orders of the US Government to kill enemy soldiers. Guess movies like "Saving Private Ryan" are mere fiction if compared to research.

[Hemidakota]

Finnan, your quote is from President Cannon discourse he gave in Manti, on the Evening of Feb. 15, 1891.

[Hemidakota]

Civil Disobedience...

Elder Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1968, Second Day—Morning Meeting

"However, there is a stronger, truer bill of indictment which may be drawn against those who have invited the bloody blackmail of America by permitting, even encouraging, mounting civil disobedience.

Elder Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, April 1968, Second Day—Morning Meeting

The statement continues, but I will not read further. These words point up the solemn obligation of government and the solemn obligation of those who owe allegiance. This is a day when civil disobedience seems to be prevalent and even advocated from some pulpits, but the position of this Church and its teachings is clear.

President David O. Mckay, Conference Report, October 1967, First Day—Morning Meeting

One of our U. S. senators just recently called attention to conditions existing in our country today. He said: "America has been afflicted over the past three or four years by an epidemic of acts of so-called civil disobedience. Municipal ordinances and state statutes have been wilfully and intentionally disobeyed by individuals and groups. Private property has been subject to deliberate trespass.

President David O. Mckay, Conference Report, October 1967, First Day—Morning Meeting

"Mobs have taken to the streets, interfering with commerce, creating public disorder, and breaching the peace. Civil disobedience has at times been advocated from some of the pulpits throughout the land and encouraged, upon occasion, by ill-advised statements of public officials. Mobs have frequently been so large that the police were helpless to make arrests.

President David O. Mckay, Conference Report, October 1967, First Day—Morning Meeting

"In such an atmosphere of permissiveness, civil disobedience and disrespect for civil law, the seeds of crime have taken deeper root and the nation is now reaping the harvest." (Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, Deseret News, August 7, 1967.)

Bishop H. David Burton, And That’s the Way It Is, Ensign (CR), May 2003

My young friends, rules are important, even critical. In life there are also penalties, perhaps even disqualification, if rules are broken. Our participation in life’s important events may be jeopardized if we fail to follow the rules contained in our Father in Heaven’s commands. Involvement in sexual sin, illegal drugs, civil disobedience, or abuse could keep us on the sidelines at key times. You would do well to view rules as safety restraints, not as chains that bin..

Elder Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, October 1969, Third Day—Morning Meeting

Not long ago one of our national publications reported an extensive study of some conditions plaguing our modern society, conditions which give us great concern. Crimes of violence are increasing at an alarming rate. There is disrespect for law and order, civil disobedience, expanded use of drugs and barbiturates, increase in venereal diseases, and an accelerating divorce rate. The upward trend in petty thefts, burglary, gambling, riots on school campuses, and protests against

Howard W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J. Williams

We have a solemn obligation to God and our country.

These words point up the solemn obligation of government and the solemn obligation of those who owe allegiance. This is a day when civil disobedience seems to be prevalent and even advocated from some pulpits, but the position of this Church and its teachings is clear.

Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle

He speaks of the "erotic revolution." Such sex revolutionists would make their own rules and would require acceptance of their erroneous way of life by society, without interference or controls. He leads a school of thought that would give contraceptive devices or birth control pills to everyone who asked for them regardless of age, and would offer free abortions. It is advocated that there be a "switching of wives on weekend parties." He is quoted as saying that the young people are the most...

Howard W. Hunter, That We Might Have Joy

Not long ago one of our national publications reported an extensive study of some conditions plaguing our modern society, conditions that give us great concern. Crimes of violence are increasing at an alarming rate. There is disrespect for law and order, civil disobedience, expanded use of drugs and barbiturates, increase in venereal diseases, and an accelerating divorce rate. The upward trend in crimes of violence, petty thefts, burglary, gambling, and protests against standards...

Ezra Taft Benson, God, Family, Country: Our Three Great Loyalties

This government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way. For government is an expedient by which men would fain succeed in letting one another alone; and, as has been said, when it...

Bruce C. Hafen and Marie K. Hafen, The Belonging: The Atonement and Relationships with God and Family Heart

Experience in the field of education illustrates the same point. The student protests on American college campuses during the 1960s and 1970s played a key role in establishing an intense anti-establishment mentality that still heavily influences many academic disciplines and American culture generally. The first such anti-university protest began at Berkeley in 1964 as a "free speech" movement. Oddly, general student attitudes on that campus only weeks before the movement began indicated high...

Lloyd D. Newell, May Peace Be with You

Henry David Thoreau, Walden and Civil Disobedience, edited by John Seelye (New York: Penguin Books, 1983), p. 135.

Spencer J. Condie, In Perfect Balance

Within nearly every family there will be occasions when one or both parents and some of the children will stray from the script. Invariably, when one or the other is extremely tired, or feeling ill, orunder considerable stress, there is bound to be some overreaction to the spilt milk of an innocent child. There may also be teenagers who wish to assert their independence through various forms of civil disobedience or passive resistance. Parents and children would do well to ...

A. Lynn Scoresby, Bringing Up Moral Children

Many police departments now have a public relations program called "Officer Friendly." Representatives present programs at public schools about police activities, hoping that children will develop positive attitudes about police officers and the work they do. These programs were begun in the 1970s after the country went through a period of civil disobedience that was aimed at abuses of authority by many enforcement agencies. As might be expected, much of the disobedience ...

Hoyt W. Brewster, Jr., Behold, I Come Quickly: The Last Days and Beyond

There has been some speculation that civil disobedience or disasters may precede the future building of the City of Zion, or the New Jerusalem. Most, if not all, of this is based on two sources: first, a reported prophecy of Joseph Smith to General Alexander Doniphan, his friend and attorney in Missouri; and second, an alleged prophecy by President Heber C. Kimball, counselor in the First Presidency to Brigham Young.

LDS Authors , LDS Women, Anderson Dawn Hall , Women Steadfast in Christ (D. Anderson), Choosing the Good Part , Old Testament Insights: Women Wit Wisdom

Among the Old Testament women are some who were initiators of action and decisions that blessed Israel and bless us, their spiritual descendants. Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus are known to us by their names and also by their occupation. The Egyptian king, fearing a slave revolution, ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill all male babies at birth, "but the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive." (Exodus 1:17.) When confronted by the...

Encyclopedia of Latter-Day Saint History

Allen, James B. "'Good Guys' vs. 'Good Guys': Rudger Clawson, John Sharp, and Civil Disobedience in Nineteenth-Century Utah." Utah Historical Quarterly 48 (Spring 1980): 148-74.

James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard, The Story of the Latter-day Saints, 2nd ed., rev.

For the impact on individuals, see Larson's, "An Industrial Home for Polygamous Wives," Utah Historical Quarterly 38 (Summer 1970): 263-75; William C. Seifrit, "The Prison Experience of Abraham H. Cannon," ibid., 53 (Summer 1985): 222-36; James B. Allen, "'Good Guys' vs. 'Good Guys': Rudger Clawson, John Sharp, and Civil Disobedience in Nineteenth-century Utah," ibid., 48 (Spring 1980): 148-74; Kimberly Jensen James, "'Between Two Fires': Women on the 'Underground' of Mormon ...

James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard, The Story of the Latter-day Saints, 2nd ed., rev.

Significantly, however, in choosing to defy the law, the Latter-day Saints were actually following in an American tradition of civil disobedience. On various previous occasions, including the years before the Revolutionary War, Americans had found certain laws offensive to their fundamental values and had decided openly to violate them. One of the most famous was Henry David Thoreau who, in 1846, willingly went to jail rather than pay taxes in support of the War with Mexico, ...

Francis M. Gibbons, Harold B. Lee: Man of Vision, Prophet of God

On October 10, five days before the park closed, the party drove south three hundred miles to Durban on the coast of the Indian Ocean, which is the commercial center and the largest city of Natal and the third largest city and chief eastern seaport of the Republic. Here Elder Lee found the largest concentration of Asiatics in South Africa, mostly Indians, whose ancestors had migrated as indentured labor beginning almost a century before Elder Lee's visit and continuing for many decades ...

Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., Joseph Smith: The Prophet, The Man

In terms of influence on human lives, there is no question that Joseph's teachings are still important, especially when compared to the ideas of his own contemporaries. Few Americans of the first half of the nineteenth century have had greater influence on the conduct of life or the organization of human affairs than Joseph Smith. Ralph Waldo Emerson is widely read and admired, but not many people govern their lives by his mysterious epigrams. Thoreau's principle of civil disobedience...

James E. Faust and James P. Bell, In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE HAS become fashionable for a few with strongly held political agendas. Even when causes are meritorious, if civil disobedience were to be practiced by everyone with a cause our democracy would unravel and be destroyed. Civil disobedience is an abuse of political process in a democracy. "No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise," as Winston Churchill once said. "Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form...

James E. Faust and James P. Bell, In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust

Recently I heard a new convert to our Church urge that the Church resort to civil disobedience and violence because of the moral wrongness of abortion. The position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opposing abortion is longstanding and well-known. I told him that it was our belief that even though we disagreed with the law, and even though we counseled our people strongly against abortion, and even though we bring into question the membership of those involved ...

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992),

In the 1870s and 1880s, mass rallies throughout the United States protesting the Church's practice of plural marriage were adding impetus to the federal government's increasingly stern antipolygamy crusade. Rather than submit to what they considered unjust laws, President Taylor and his counselors chose civil disobedience. Joseph spent much of 1883 and 1884 in seclusion, and in 1885, when a warrant was issued for the arrest of the members of the First Presidency, he went into hi...

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

Thus, when Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence he brought into national prominence the embryonic natural rights tradition (a world-maintaining nomos) that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This Calvinistic-premised and Lockean-inspired pronouncement repudiated the notion of an all-encompassing nomos. It followed English radical Whig history of the seventeent...

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

If the state's infringement of rights becomes persistent, then those whose creative nomos suffers as a result are faced with various prudential alternatives. The Founding Fathers, taking Locke, English constitutional history, and Enlightenment reasoning as their guide, justified revolution as a legitimate moral reaction to any state's systematic deprivation of inalienable rights. Where the state accommodates most of the rights of its citizens, on the other hand, isolated infringements of spec...

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

Rawls also identifies conscientious refusal as morally acceptable in those instances where the law requires an act that offends one's conscience. Simply refusing to comply is different from civil disobedience in that it need not be addressed to the public for the purpose of causing change.

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

(5) Whenever the state presumes to hold basic human rights in abeyance, moral obligations to obey its laws diminish, raising the moral possibility of civil disobedience, conscientious refusal, and perhaps revolution.

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

Calvinists, historically troubled over this dilemma, eventually justified consensual government under the hands of visible saints. These "elect" individuals were to act as responsible lesser magistrates as a matter of religious calling on the reasoning that by multiplying the sources of responsibility individual depravity could better be held in check. Where, on the other hand, man's salvation is partially dependent on obedience to God's laws, natural rights, especially religious liberty, bec...

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

The polygamy era provides an example of the priority given by Mormons to God's laws over civil obligation. Many polygamists went to prison rather than abandon their commitment to the practice of polygamy. At the same time, the Saints continued to claim that anti-polygamy statutes were immoral and unconstitutional. Elder Nicholson, for example, speaking "for himself" in 1881, succinctly stated the orthodox Mormon view: "I lay it down as a proposition that any law that infringes

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

Although the Church eventually capitulated, the principle remains the same: religious obligations that respect the rights of others and yet are made illegal are the proper subject of civil disobedience or conscientious refusal.

Mormonism, Philosophical Liberalism, and the Constitution by R. Collin Mangrum , BYU Studies, vol. 27 (1987), Number 3 - Summer 1987

Thus, Mormon theological views of the rights of man follow the tradition of radical Protestantism, track quite closely the tenets of philosophical liberalism, and are supportive of American constitutionalism. Man is entitled to basic human rights that cannot be overridden by the public interest of society. Preeminent among these are the rights pertaining to religious freedom. While not absolute, religious liberty ought to be circumscribed only by the equal rights of others. After taking car...

[Hemidakota]

Following blindly

When Thou Art Converted

Our English word disciple comes from the Latin discipulus; it means "to learn or to know." Many people think that being a disciple means simply to follow, with an unfortunate connotation of following blindly. Becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ is nothing of the sort! It requires us to learn and to know Jesus Christ, to study the principles of truth for ourselves and to receive answers; in other words, to receive knowledge through personal revelation. Once we have knowledge...

Midgley's Review of Smith: Religion, Feminism, and Freedom of Conscience…, FARMS Review of Books, vol. 7, no. 1 (1995),

Some of the more alienated on the fringes of the Mormon academic community-among whom are several recruited by George Smith as part of his "dialogue" with humanists-seem to insist that we have a choice between following blindly the dictates of irrational leaders or being dissident, contentious, and critical. They want us to believe that faith and the obedience to God that flows from it are merely emotional or sentimental, as they set themselves up as the proponents of rational...

The Road To Carthage Led West by Kenneth W. Godfrey , BYU Studies, vol. 8 (1967-1968), Number 2 - Winter 1968

A large number of people believed the charges leveled against the Prophet by former members of the Mormon hierarchy and seemed to have become convinced that the Saints were a group of unlearned, licentious dupes, unable to think for themselves, following blindly a religious dictator who violated the separation of church and state, religious liberty, economic freedom, private property, and the sacred structure of society itself--the family. It is almost impossible to lay too mu...

Thoreau, Henry David, Walden

I thus found that the student who wishes for a shelter can obtain one for a lifetime at an expense not greater than the rent which he now pays annually. If I seem to boast more than is becoming, my excuse is that I brag for humanity rather than for myself; and my shortcomings and inconsistencies do not affect the truth of my statement. Notwithstanding much cant and hypocrisy-chaff which I find it difficult to separate from my wheat, but for which I am as sorry as any man-I will breathe freely...

Improvement Era 1925

I suppose that none of us common doughboys had any idea where we were nor where we were going, and some, I fear, had become so accustomed to following blindly and were so indifferent to our location, that on occasion it might have proved our undoing.

[JohnBirchSociety]

All I can think of is the Articles of Faith:

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honouring and sustaining the law.

That doesn't seem to indicate that there is room for not obeying the law.

The question, really, is, what is "law"?

Define "law", and you'll get the answer.

[JohnBirchSociety]

LDS.ORG LINK

A Standard of Freedom for This Dispensation

in Jay M. Todd, Ensign, 1987, Sept.

... all things whatsoever I command them. “And the law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of ... of constitutional liberty shall be maintained upon this land, blessings will attend the nation.” ( The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff...

“I, the Lord God, Make You Free”

in Shirley D. Christensen, Ensign, 2006, Feb.

... verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should ... covenants (see D&C 101:1–2, 6–7 ). Uphold the law ... Congress or the [King or] Queen and the Parliament of the land of their citizenship.” 3 President N....

Peace Within

in H. Dean Garrett, Ensign, 1988, Sept.

... Report, Apr. 1942, p. 72.) The Law Given to the Ancients Mormon states that in defending...25–31 .) The Lord compares this to the law given to Nephi, Abraham, and other...no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no...

The Constitution— A Glorious Standard

in Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, 1987, Sept.

... Joseph Smith, the Savior declared, “I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto... several miscellaneous items, including a definition of the supreme law of the land, namely, the Constitution itself. Article 7,...

News of the Church

in , Ensign, 1974, Oct.

... a goal of “dotting the countryside” of these four lands with stakes. —To the priesthood leaders, in a never-to-be-forgotten early-morning Sabbath... deplores all actions which are in violation of the laws of the land, and reaffirms its basic teachings of...

"A Meaningful Celebration"

in L. Tom Perry, Ensign, 1987, Nov.

...’s specific legislation concerned the inalienability of Israel’s land titles. It required the reversion of all hereditary property to ...! We should be familiar with the history, heritage, and laws of the lands that govern us. In those countries that allow us...

Deep Roots

in Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, 1994, Nov.

... themselves into believing they could ignore or violate this law of health with impunity. I believe the Lord inspired President Heber...attacking the core foundations of this land. The Lord’s law for this land is declared in the Book of Mormon, where we read ...

Teach the Gospel of Salvation

in Harold B. Lee, Ensign, 1973, Jan.

...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. “Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he... against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And ... more...

Guidelines to Carry Forth the Work of God in Cleanliness

in Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 1974, May

... said: “And now, verily I say unto you concerning the law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in ... vote a “Declaration of Belief regarding Governments and Laws in general,” in which it said: “We believe that all ...

Major Jewish Groups in the New Testament

in Victor L. Ludlow, Ensign, 1975, Jan.

... of Judah (Judas) the Galilean, who believed theocracy should be the law of the land and Jews should not pay tribute to ... with more advanced ideas. The Pharisees became scholars of the law, fostering the synagogue as a place of study, worship, and prayer. (... Mormon Colonies: Beacon Light in Mexico

in E. LeRoy Hatch, Ensign, 1972, Sept.

... Saints. They were finally granted permission to purchase lands in Mexico on the Piedras Verdes River in northwest Chihuahua, ... with Mormon tradition to honor, obey, and respect the law of the land, as well as sustain its authorities, the Saints invited the...

First Presidency Message Dependability

in N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, 1974, Apr.

...land worse than breaking the laws of God? Though we believe in “obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law,” many keep the laws of the land in order to be free from punishment which..., but we should keep his laws and commandments because of his love and...

"Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged"

in N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, 1972, July

... should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” ( Matt. 7:12 .) Instead, we ...not neglect, but they must give righteous judgment according to the law of the land and of the Church. This being election year, there will be ...

I Have a Question

in , Ensign, 1991, July

...Stake. Clearly not. Ideally, court systems and the laws of the land are established for the regulation and protection of ... in connection with the Savior’s denunciation of the then-honored law of retaliation—an “eye for an eye.” By measuring his actions ...

News of the Church

in , Ensign, 2004, Aug.

... in stake centers throughout the British Isles, returning to the land where he served as a missionary more than 70 years ... and more secure. They will be better citizens who honor the laws of the land, who are more charitable, more peaceful and prosperous,” ...

Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Resource Guides

in , Ensign, 2007, May

...2, 5, and 6. Lesson 31: The Law of the Land Russell M. Nelson, “Blessed Are...no. 5. Lesson 27: The Lord’s Law of Health Thomas S. Monson, “True to... Church. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Prophets in the Land Again,” Liahona and Ensign, ...

President Ezra Taft Benson Ordained Thirteenth President of the Church

in Don L. Searle, Ensign, 1985, Dec.

...permit it. We urge our members everywhere to respect the laws of the lands in which we live. “We shall continue to...American Institute of Cooperation, an organization of farm cooperatives and land grant colleges. His call to the Council of the Twelve...

Looking to the Savior

in Adney Y. Komatsu, Ensign, 1987, May

...importance. We must always be examples to the world as members of the Lord’s kingdom and keep the laws of the land and the laws of God. The Lord said in ... willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days” ( D&C 64:...

Latter-day Saint Voices

in , Ensign, 2008, Jan.

... Rather than drive, I knew that I must obey the law of the land (see D&C 58:21 ), even if doing so meant missing church....in Venezuela, my testimony of the importance of obeying the law of the land—even when inconvenient—was strengthened. I also obtained...

So again, what is law?

[Hemidakota]

According to the gospel of Wiki, Law is a system of rules usually enforced through a set of institutions. It affects politics, economics and society in numerous ways. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus ticket to trading swaptions on a derivatives market. ..

[NeuroTypical]

Here you go:

------

I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 9, p. 150

-----

Latter-day Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of God. We are the sons and daughters of God, willing followers, disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and "under this head are [we] made free." (Mosiah 5: 8 )

Those who talk of blind obedience may appear to know many things, but they do not understand the doctrines of the gospel. There is an obedience that comes from a knowledge of the truth that transcends any external form of control. We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see.

Boyd K. Packer, "Agency and Control," Ensign, May 1983, 66

-----

Concerning the question of blind obedience. Not a man in this Church, since the Prophet Joseph Smith down to the present day, has ever asked any man to do as he was told blindly. No Prophet of God, no Apostle, no President of a Stake, no Bishop, who has had the spirit of his office and calling resting upon him, has ever asked a soul to do anything that they might not know was right and the proper thing to do. We do not ask you to do anything that you may not know it is your duty to do, or that you may not know will be a blessing for you to do.

If we give you counsel, we do not ask you to obey that counsel without you know[ing] that it is right to do so. But how shall we know that it is right? By getting the Spirit of God in our hearts, by which our minds may be opened and enlightened, that we may know the doctrine for ourselves, and be able to divide truth from error, light from darkness and good from evil

Josehp F. Smith, Collected Discourses, ed. Brian H. Stuy, Vol. 3 (Burbank, B.H.S. Publishing, 1987-1992)

-----

It is a mistaken idea, prevalent in the world, that the perpetuity of this work depends upon the authorities keeping the masses of the people in ignorance. The truth is the direct reverse, else why have we all these auxiliary organizations and quorums of priesthood in the church, for the education of the rising generation. Their being established in the faith depends upon their knowledge of the Gospel. Our greatest fear concerning our children in Zion is the possibility of their growing up in ignorance of the everlasting Gospel...As a matter of intelligent obedience--not blind obedience--we should observe to keep the word of wisdom. For the same reason we should observe to keep holy the Sabbath day, and the name of our Father in Heaven, and His Son Jesus Christ, and intelligently yield obedience to every requirement that is made at our hands

George F. Richards, Conference Report, April 1907, Afternoon Session, 15-17

-----

Then there is the famous "When the prophet speaks, the thinking has been done" quote. Here is the original context:

Ward Teaching

CONDUCTED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PRESIDING BISHOPRIC. EDITED BY LEE A. PALMER.

WARD TEACHERS

The teacher's duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them;

And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking;

And see that the church meet together often, and also see that all the members do their duty. (D. & C. 20:53-55.)

Ward Teachers' Message for June, 1945

"SUSTAINING THE GENERAL AUTHORITIES OF THE CHURCH"

NO Latter-day Saint is compelled to sustain the General Authorities of the Church. When given the opportunity to vote on the proposition in any of the several conferences held throughout the Church, he may indicate his willingness to sustain them by raising his right hand; he may manifest his opposition in like manner; or he may ignore the opportunity entirely. There is no element of coercion or force in this or any other Church procedure.

However, there is the principle of honor involved in the member's choice. When a person raises his hand to sustain Church leaders as "prophets, seers, and revelators," it is the same as a promise and a covenant to follow their leadership and to abide by their counsel as the living oracles of God. Consequently, any subsequent act or word of mouth which is at variance with the will of the Lord as taught by the leaders of the Church places the sincerity of such person in serious doubt. One could scarcely have claim upon complete integrity, if he raises his hand to sustain the Authorities of the Church and then proceeds in opposition to their counsel.

Any Latter-day Saint who denounces or opposes, whether actively or otherwise, any plan or doctrine advocated by the "prophets, seers, and revelators" of the Church is cultivating the spirit of apostasy. One cannot speak evil of the Lord's anointed and retain the Holy Spirit in his heart.

It should be remembered that Lucifer has a very cunning way of convincing unsuspecting souls that the General Authorities of the Church are as likely to be wrong as they are to be right. This sort of game is Satan's favorite pastime, and he has practiced it on believing souls since Adam. He wins a great victory when he can get members of the Church to speak against their leaders and to "do their own thinking." He specializes in suggesting that our leaders are in error while he plays the blinding rays of apostasy in the eyes of those whom he thus beguiles. What cunning! And to think that some of our members are deceived by this trickery.

The following words of the Prophet Joseph Smith should be memorized by every Latter-day Saint and repeated often enough to insure their never being forgotten:

I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has existed with God from all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 156-157.)

When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan--it is God's plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy. God works in no other way. To think otherwise, without immediate repentance, may cost one his faith, may destroy his testimony, and leave him a stranger to the kingdom of God.

The appearance of this message caused much concern among many inside and outside of the Church. Dr. J. Raymond Cope, the leader of the First Unitarian Society in Salt Lake City, was one of those concerned. He decided to express his concerns about the impact of this message in a letter to President George Albert Smith in November of the same year. The letter was cordial, and expressed the feeling that such a message was "doing inestimable harm to many who have no other reason to question the integrity of the Church leaders... this cannot be the position of the true leaders."

President Smith responded to Dr. Cope with a letter of his own, designed to clarify the point, at the first of December. The letter, reproduced in full below, should lay to rest any misconception about whether the Church or its leaders expect blind obedience in any degree. (Items that are underlined are underlined in the original.)

---

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Office of the First Presidency

Salt Lake City, Utah

December 7, 1945

Dr. J. Raymond Cope

First Unitarian Society

13th East at 6th South Street

Salt Lake City, Utah

My dear Dr. Cope:

I have read with interest and deep concern your letter of November 16, 1945, in which you make special comment on "a short religious editorial prepared by one of your (our) leaders entitled "Sustaining the General Authorities of the Church'". You say that you read the message with amazement, and that you have since been disturbed because of its effect upon members of the Church.

I am gratified with the spirit of friendliness that pervades your letter, and thank you for having taken the time to write to me.

The leaflet to which you refer, and from which you quote in your letter, was not "prepared" by "one of our leaders." However, one or more of them inadvertently permitted the paragraph to pass uncensored. By their so doing, not a few members of the Church have been upset in their feelings, and General Authorities have been embarrassed.

I am pleased to assure you that you are right in your attitude that the passage quoted does not express the true position of the Church. Even to imply that members of the Church are not to do their own thinking is grossly to misrepresent the true ideal of the Church, which is that every individual must obtain for himself a testimony of the truth of the Gospel, must, through the redemption of Jesus Christ, work out his own salvation, and is personally responsible to His Maker for his individual acts. The Lord Himself does not attempt coercion in His desire and effort to give peace and salvation to His children. He gives the principles of life and true progress, but leaves every person free to choose or to reject His teachings. This plan the Authorities of the Church try to follow.

The Prophet Joseph Smith once said: "I want liberty of thinking and believing as I please." This liberty he and his successors in the leadership of the Church have granted to every other member thereof.

On one occasion in answer to the question by a prominent visitor how he governed his people, the Prophet answered: "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves."

Again, as recorded in the History of the Church (Volume 5, page 498 [499] Joseph Smith said further: "If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way."

I cite these few quotations, from many that might be given, merely to confirm your good and true opinion that the Church gives to every man his free agency, and admonishes him always to use the reason and good judgment with which God has blessed him.

In the advocacy of this principle leaders of the Church not only join congregations in singing but quote frequently the following:

"Know this, that every soul is free

To choose his life and what he'll be,

For this eternal truth is given

That God will force no man to heaven."

Again I thank you for your manifest friendliness and for your expressed willingness to cooperate in every way to establish good will and harmony among the people with whom we are jointly laboring to bring brotherhood and tolerance.

Faithfully yours,

Geo. Albert Smith [signed]

---

This letter can be found in the George A. Smith Papers (Manuscript no. 36, Box 63-8A), Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. More detailed information on this topic can be found in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 19:1 (Spring 1986), 35-39.