Articles Of Faith 12

[boloki]

Do we sustain the laws of the land and expect other members to do the same to be worthy to enter the House Of The Lord and is this something we should all be concerned with? Or is Articles 12 going the way of the dinossaur?

[utcowboy]

As long as you use your right to vote and then follow the laws, then yes we sustain the Law and follow the 12th Article of Faith

No its not going the way of the dinosuars.

[Doctor Steuss]

As long as the kings, presidents, rulers, magistrates, or laws don't conflict with Mark 12 : 29-30 (or other such directives), then I'd say that it still is in full effect.

[a-train]

Helmuth Hübener, a German LDS youth, was arrested by the NAZI gestapo in 1942 and convicted by the so-called Volksgerichtshof (People's Court) of 'conspiracy to commit high treason and treasonous furthering of the enemy's cause' for his work of illegally listening to BBC radio with a home-made radio receiver and disseminating information from those broadcasts in anti-fascist, anti-war leaflets. The leaflets made mention of lies put forth by NAZI leaders, the true nature of NAZI crimes, and the fact that Germany was losing and would ultimately lose the war.

In order to put off accusations of an LDS conspiracy or involvement in Hübener's efforts, he was excommunicated by local leadership two days after his arrest. After his conviction, he was beheaded.

In 1946, Salt Lake leadership reinstated Hübener's membership noting that he had been excommunicated 'by mistake'.

We indeed 'believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.' (12th Article of Faith) 'But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce [us] under absolute Despotism, it is [our] right, it is [our] duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for [our] future security.' (Preamble to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776)

We can see many acts of civil disobedience in the works of the prophets and apostles, from Daniel who prayed three times daily, to Abinadi whose 'crimes' were almost the same as Hübener, to even the God of Israel Himself who healed men on the Sabbath and whose disciples plucked ears of corn also on the Sabbath.

It has long been the work of true priesthood holding prophets of the Almighty God to stand and testify of the sins of their generation and warn the people of the impending damages of those iniquities. The prophet and priesthood holder Helmuth Hübener was NO different.

Helmuth Hübener stood valiant in his testimony and sealed it with his own blood as did our LORD. And like Abinadi, his death was a prophecy of the coming doom of his murderers.

We often look to the First Presidency as if they and they alone have power to testify of the world's iniquities and call Babylon to repentance. But if we will examine our scriptures we will find that a great many of the hero prophets which we adore and praise were never members of the First Presidency.

'The priest’s duty is to preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament, And visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties.' (D&C 20:46-47)

Could Hübener have done these things without breaking the NAZI 'laws'? What is it that our priests much preach, teach, and expound? Lies? What is to be their exhortation? Tyranny, war, robbery, murder, hatred, and fear? Hübener testified of the truth, he taught peace, honesty, integrity, love, and uprightness before God. When these things are a crime, know that it is not much longer that the Almighty God will make bare His arm in pestilence, disease, death, and horror. And just as Hübener testified, the LORD did.

With wisdom, the Spirit, and in order, we are to uphold the rule of law in our respective lands, but we must seek to uphold those laws that are just, honest, and which promote integrity and freedom. We cannot turn a blind eye to the spirit of the law, and uphold only the letter and expect to fulfill our obligation of obedience and uprightness before God.

We of all people know that obedience is not only in physical work, but it is in the spirit of obedience that true righteousness is performed. For, 'they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth.' (John 4:23-24)

Can we uphold and obey a 'law' that in and of itself is a crime and pretend we do righteousness before God?

We must not be blind subjects of kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates who take the people into iniquity and disaster, but we must uphold those who uphold truth and righteousness. We must be wise as serpents as were our predecessors who valiantly went before us.

-a-train

[Traveler]

Do we sustain the laws of the land and expect other members to do the same to be worthy to enter the House Of The Lord and is this something we should all be concerned with? Or is Articles 12 going the way of the dinossaur?

If you are referring to illegal immegration - you may find 2Nephi chapter 1 interesting.

The Traveler

[tubaloth]

Then there is the rest of what the Article of Faith 12 is saying

Doctrine and Covenants 134