The liberty
principle for this Freedom Friday concerns our freedom to choose liberty or
slavery. There is much fear in the world
and in our nation about ISIS since their attack on Paris. We have reason to be fearful of them because
they desire to destroy us and our way of life.
I believe that an even greater danger comes from progressives who are
attempting to move our nation closer and closer to socialism and then
communism.
Elder Ezra Taft Benson served as
President of the European Mission at the close of World War II, eight years as
the US Secretary of Agriculture during the Eisenhower administration, and later
as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He saw the “godless evil of the socialist-communist
conspiracy on both sides of the iron curtain.”
“I have talked face-to-face with
the godless communist leaders. It may
surprise you to learn that I was host to Mr. Khrushchev [First Secretary of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1953-1964] for a half day when he visited
the United States. Not that I’m proud of
it – I opposed his coming then and I still feel it was a mistake to welcome
this atheistic murderer as a state visitor.
But according to President Eisenhower, Khrushchev had expressed a desire
to learn something of American agriculture, and after seeing Russian agriculture
I can understand why.
“As we talked face-to-face, he
indicated that my grandchildren would live under communism. After assuring him that I expected to do all
in my power to assure that his and all other grandchildren will live under
freedom, he arrogantly declared in substance:
“`You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept communism overnight, but
we’ll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you’ll finally wake up
and find you already have communism. We
won’t have to fight you. We’ll so weaken
your economy until you’ll fall like over-ripe fruit into our hands.’
“And they are ahead of schedule
in their devilish scheme” (An Enemy Hath
Done This, [1969], p. 320).
Whether it is progressives,
ISIS, or communism that threatens us, it does not really matter. They all build their beliefs and programs on the
foundation of Satan, who hates freedom and enslaves as many people as he can. Our only safety from Satan and those who follow
him is to turn to the God of this land, even Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Heavenly Father gave us agency to give us the
opportunity to freely choose who we would follow. Satan offers us slavery, and God offers us
freedom to grow, develop, and finally reach our full potential. Freedom is very important to God; He wants
all His children to be free to choose for themselves. He will never force anyone to follow Him, but
He does try to persuade us to do so. As
a nation, we must choose to turn our hearts to God. I know that true freedom comes no other way
than by following Jesus Christ!
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