Friday, February 9, 2007

LDS Articles of Faith: 12

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

I consider myself a law abiding citizen. If something is illegal, I don't do it. That fact is sometimes a decision making factor for me. I admit, I do drive a little bit too fast sometimes, and there's been a couple orange lights I've gone through. But that is the extent of my illegal activities, unless I've been breaking some of those weird laws that are still on the books.

3 comments:

Mormon(s) of another kind said...

I agree with your post. However, that article always made me feel a bit uneasy. It's alright for you and me living in the free world. What about Mormons during Hitler's years in Germany. What if the government are against our very existence? Early Mormons fought back, ransacked Gentile houses outside Nauvoo and had the idea that God's law was higher than man's law: A view still kept alive by the FLDS Church. Enjoy your blog, will come back!

Bob Dixon said...

This article of faith was hypocritical at the time it was given, considering polygamy and other secrets of the early church.

I know before the Iron Curtain fell branches conducted illegal meetings, sometimes as "yoga classes".

The idea of taking the law into your own hands in the name of God is obviously a bad idea, but what about a person to takes Christ's teachings about anger and turning the other cheek to heart and refuses compulsory military service?

kaycei said...

I've thought a bit about both these comments. I think that if you are willing to accept the consequences of breaking a law, that could mean you are being subject to the laws of the land.
Its definately one of the Articles of Faith being followed more in the US now, than it was in the early days.
There's been so many instances in the scriptures and Mormon lore of people who decided to follow the higher law, and they are typically praised.
I wonder if this was one of the early Church's attempts at good PR....