Elder Oaks at Y-daho

A most significant talk was given yesterday at BYU Idaho.   Brian was in attendance.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks, apostle of the LDS Church, spoke about Religious Freedom and the Constitution.  While I already posted it on my OTHER blog, I felt the need to post it as well here.  I studied this this morning and feel its deep meaning to our world right now.  There are SO many significant passages, a few which I have highlighted below.  Do NOT let that dissuade you from reading it in its entirety.  It is prophetic and I believe matters now more than ever before.   Why else would he say these things?  He doesn't mess around, ya know?

Elder Oaks:

I invite you to march with me as I speak about religious freedom under the United States Constitution. There is a battle over the meaning of that freedom. The contest is of eternal importance, and it is your generation that must understand the issues and make the efforts to prevail. 

Along with many other religious people, we affirm that God is the ultimate source of power and that, under Him, it is the people’s inherent right to decide their form of government. Sovereign power is not inherent in a state or nation just because its leaders have the power that comes from force of arms. And sovereign power does not come from the divine right of a king, who grants his subjects such power as he pleases or is forced to concede, as in Magna Carta. As the preamble to our constitution states: “We the People of the United States . . . do ordain and establish this Constitution.”  

The inherent conflict between the precious religious freedom of the people and the legitimate regulatory responsibilities of the government is the central issue of religious freedom. Here are just a few examples of current controversial public issues that involve this conflict: laws governing marriage and adoption; laws regulating the activities of church-related organizations like BYU-Idaho in furtherance of their religious missions — activities such as who they will serve or employ; and laws prohibiting discrimination in employment or work conditions against persons with unpopular religious beliefs or practices. 

As I address this audience of young adults, I invite your careful attention to what I say on these subjects, because I am describing conditions you will face and challenges you must confront.

And now, in conclusion, I offer five points of counsel on how Latter-day Saints should conduct themselves to enhance religious freedom in this period of turmoil and challenge. 

I"m not putting those 5 points here - go and read the article!  

This address is important on every level.  I beleive each Latter-Day Saint should study it out and pray about its significance.  I hope my friends and family now see why I am so passionate about what is going on in our country right now.  It is written all over this article.  

I consider it a sacred privelege to be a mom of two warriors who will fight in the causes that Elder Oaks addresses.  I am sure that you feel the same about yours.