Secret Combinations

                The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday is the simple fact that secret combinations fight against those who oppose them and those who try to expose them in order to hold on to power, wealth, and glory. I discovered this principle – again – while preparing a new Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ for one of my grandsons. I marveled at how this principle describes progressives of our day, including Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. Those who oppose or seek to expose Bill or Hillary Clinton end up committing “suicide.”

                I make no secret of the fact that I believe secret combinations have control of the government of the United States. Secret combinations are responsible for destroying governments. They rely on murder (think of all the “friends” of the Clintons that suddenly end up dead) and plundering to gain power, glory, and wealth. The only reason that Hilary Clinton is not in prison for her email scandal, particularly the sending/receiving classified materials, is the power of Bill Clinton with his friendly visit to the current Attorney General on the tarmac.

                In Helaman 6:37-40 discusses how two different groups handled secret combinations among them. The Lamanites hunted the band of robbers and put them in prison. Then they preached the word of God to the robbers and were able to totally destroy the power of the secret combinations. The Nephites supported the secret combinations and built them up until the robbers covered the land and controlled the government. American voters support secret combinations when they vote for people such as Hilary Clinton.

                The government for the Nephite nation was a series of judges – lower and higher judges. In Helaman 8 we read that the judges “belonged to the secret band of Gadianton” (verse 1).  What about our judges and members of Congress? Are they part of secret combinations seeking to destroy the government?   

   

                Prophets and apostles issue warnings about secret combinations, such as this one by Elder M. Russell Ballard:  “The Book of Mormon teaches that secret combinations engaged in crime present a serious challenge, not just to individuals and families but to entire civilizations. Among today’s secret combinations are gangs, drug cartels, and organized crime families. The secret combinations of our day function much like the Gadianton robbers of the Book of Mormon times…. Among their purposes are to `murder, and plunder, and steal, and commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God’ [Helaman 6:23].

                “If we are not careful, today’s secret combinations can obtain power and influence just as quickly and just as completely as they did in Book of Mormon times. Do you remember the pattern? The secret combinations began among the `more wicked part’ of society, but eventually `seduced the more part of the righteous’ until the whole society was polluted.” (See “Standing for Truth and Right,” Ensign, Nov. 1997, 38.) 

                For more information about secret combinations, the Mormon Chronicle has an interesting and informative article about them. After stating, “Secret combinations existed both in the Old and New World in ancient times,” the site listed thirty “things we learn from the scriptures concerning the nature, purpose and methods of these secret combinations.” You may be surprised by what you learn from the site.

                Have you been “seduced” by a secret combination? You should answer “Yes” if you voted for Barack Obama or will vote for Hilary Clinton! You may be interested in a second principle I found in my study: “If we seek to gain the riches and praise of the world, we become vulnerable to the temptations of the devil. When we repent and follow the will of God, we receive His greatest blessings.”

                Just as in the days of the Nephites, the solution for dealing with secret combinations is to repent of our sins and turn our hearts to Jesus Christ. We can assist in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and preaching the gospel to the “robbers” in our midst. The Lamanites destroyed the secret combinations among them by preaching the gospel of Christ. I believe we would have the same result if we would just try the solution they used.