Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 4?

 

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                and in the Holy Ghost.

 

This is the fourth article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past few weeks, I discussed a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith in a lecture on faith titled “The Character of God.” Early in the lecture, he shared three things that are necessary to have faith in God strong enough to lead to salvation. The statement is important enough to repeat in this discussion. 

Let us here observe, that three things are necessary, in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.

First, The idea that he actually exists.

Secondly, A correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes.

Thirdly, An actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. — For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding, it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Two weeks ago, I discussed the personality of each member of the Godhead, or Trinity. Last week, I used the words of Elder James E. Talmage to share some of the divine attributes of the Godhead (The Articles of Faith [1890], pp. 42-44). This week, I will share the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 45-50) to discuss how God is or can be known to everyone.

1. God is known by instinct.

All men are spirit children of God the Eternal Father. In the premortal life we all dwelt in his presence, saw his face, and heard his voice. We were as well acquainted with him in that day as we are with our earthly fathers in this. The spirit within us is the offspring of God. Now housed in a tabernacle of clay, it is the intelligent, sentient, believing, knowing part of the human personality. The mind of man is in the spirit.

The probationary nature of our mortal estate calls for us to forget the life we lived and the experiences we had when we dwelt in the courts of the Eternal King. But it does not divest us of the spiritual and mental talents we acquired while in that eternal world. We are born into mortality with every innate capacity, every instinct to believe truth and cleave unto light, every faculty and ability with which we were then endowed.

Further, as part of life itself, all mortals are endowed with a heavenly gift called the light of Christ. This divine endowment manifests to us the difference between good and evil. We do not need to be taught what is right and wrong. This knowledge is bred in our bones; it is hereditary; it is innate, inborn, and intuitional in nature. Call it conscience, if you will, say that it is a divine inheritance from a Divine Parent; identify it as a spark of divinity sent by Deity to fire the soul with the flames of righteousness; call it the Spirit of Christ – it has many names. But what counts is that it is real. It is “the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (D&C 93:2.) Of it Mormon said: “The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil.” (Moroni 7:16.) In a revelation to Joseph Smith the Lord called it “the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world.” All receive a divine inheritance at birth. It is a free gift as far as any act performed in mortality is concerned….

2. God is known by reason.

Man’s instinctive belief in God and his inborn desire to worship a Supreme Being is strengthened by reason. The seeds of belief are watered from the wells of reason, and the tree of faith soon sprouts in the believing soul. And the more man learns about himself and all the mysteries and marvels of the human body; the more he knows about life in all its forms and varieties; the greater his knowledge becomes about the planets and suns that sweep through the starry heavens – the more he knows about all things, the clearer it becomes to him that there is a divine hand, an omnipotent power, a supreme person, a ruling law that first created and now governs all that is. Truly, all things attest that there is an Almighty God. “All things denote there is a God,” Alma said, “yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea and all the planets which move in their regular form do witness there is a Supreme Creator.” (Alma 30:44.)

But seeking God by reason alone and through intellectual processes without more is fraught with peril. It is easy for a rational mind to see order in the system of creation and to learn of the laws by which worlds and galaxies are controlled. There are evidences of design on every hand; cause and effect operate in the animal and vegetable kingdoms as well as with the rocks and the rains. The peril lies in assuming that the laws and powers are God, in worshipping and serving “the creature more than the Creator.” (Romans 1:25.)

Neither instinct nor reason, nor the two combined, sets forth the nature and kind of being whom men must worship to gain salvation. Both simply lay a foundation and chart a course leading to a knowledge of the true and living God. Every rational person knows there is some supreme power, some first great cause, some omnipotent force in the universe. The reasoning step that follows this recognition is that the design is not the designer, the contrivance is not the contriver, the law and power are not the being by whom these came. The existence of created things simply bears witness that there is a Creator….

3. God is known through history and tradition.

Because God created man in his own image and likeness and placed him on earth as an essential requirement for gaining salvation, because salvation is gained through a knowledge of God and an obedience to the laws of his gospel, and because eternal life itself consists of knowing the Father and the Son, it follows that God must in necessity reveal himself and his laws to man. This he did. Adam our father, the first man of all men, the primal parent of the human race, received a knowledge of God by revelation. God the Eternal Father walked and talked with him in the Garden of Eden; the Lord Jehovah appeared to him after the fall; and from angelic ministrants and by the gift of the Holy Ghost he learned the saving truths of the gospel. This was the beginning of the knowledge of the true God among man. “And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.” (Moses 5:12.)

Adam is the pattern. He stands as earth’s first prophet, and among his righteous descendants a host of prophets are numbered. At least eight generations of descendants lived to hear his teachings. Presiding high priests representing seven of these generations (Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah) were all with him at Adam-ondi-Ahman when the Lord Jehovah appeared and ministered among them. (D&C 107:53-55.) To see and commune with either the Father or the Son is to know them both, for hey are in the express image of each other and are one in all they do….

4. God is known by revelation.

Though every man in his inner being, by instinct and in the very marrow of his soul, knows there is a God; though logic and sense and reason, and the persuasive voice of nature, and the thunderous trumpet of creation, all bear witness that there is a God; though the voice of our fathers, carried to us by history and tradition, speaks the common consensus of all men that there is a God --- yet, in the final and supreme sense, there is only one way to know God. That way is by revelation. Where religion and divine beings are concerned, we are in the realm not of the mind and of the human senses, but of the Spirit. God stands revealed or he remains forever unknown. The Holy Ghost is a revelator. His mission is to reveal truth and to bear witness of the Father and the Son. There is no other way to gain knowledge of the true and living God; revelation alone is the source of that perfect wisdom….

“How do men obtain a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections and attributes?” the Prophet [Joseph Smith] asked. His answer: “By devoting themselves to his service, through prayer and supplication incessantly strengthening their faith in him, until, like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they obtain a manifestation of God to themselves.” (Lectures on Faith 2, Questions and Answers.) “Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am.” (D&C 93:1.)

What Will Democratic Socialists Do to the Political Picture?

Democratic Socialists are in the process of taking control of the Democratic Party. First, there were Senator Bernie Sanders and “the squad” in the US House of Representatives. Then Zohran Mamdani was elected to be the mayor of New York City. Last week, Colorado Democrats chose a Democratic Socialist to be the Democrat nominee for Congress. There is a definite movement towards Communism, which Michael Freund discusses in his article published in The Daily Signal. 

Every political movement eventually reveals what it truly believes. And when it does, voters have a choice to make.

For years, Americans were told that the radical Left was little more than a noisy fringe, loud on social media but marginal in real life. That claim is now hard to sustain. Candidates aligned with or inspired by the Democratic Socialists of America are winning elections, shaping debates, and pulling the Democratic Party further from the mainstream. As Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., recently warned, “There are many Mamdanis popping up,” in reference to New York City’s far-left mayor.

For Republicans, this is not only a warning sign. It is also an opportunity.

The rise of the DSA and the broader radical Left has created a widening gap between the Democratic Party’s activist base and many of its traditional voters. Millions of Americans who long considered themselves Democrats are discovering that the party is no longer the same as the one they joined.

Political realignments begin when voters feel that their old political homes no longer reflect their values, concerns, or common sense. That is how Reagan Democrats emerged in the 1980s. It is how many blue-collar voters drifted away from a Democratic Party that seemed more interested in elite cultural causes than working families. As Ronald Reagan himself once quipped, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.”

A similar opening may now be developing.

Many Jewish voters, for example, have supported Democrats for generations out of habit, conviction, and a belief that the party stood firmly against bigotry. But especially since the Hamas massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, many of them have watched with unease and horror as anti-Israel activism and outright antisemitism became more prominent in progressive politics. They have seen Jewish students harassed on campuses, anti-Zionist rhetoric treated as fashionable, and too many elected officials speak with moral ambiguity about Hamas when clarity was required.

For many American Jews, this has been a painful awakening.

Republicans should not assume that Jewish voters will abandon a century of voting patterns overnight. But they should recognize that a door has opened. The GOP can make the case that it is the party most committed to defending Israel, combating antisemitism, protecting religious liberty, and preserving the freedoms that have allowed Jewish life in America to flourish.

But Jewish voters are only one part of a much larger political story. Across the country, millions of moderate Democrats increasingly feel politically homeless.

They have never thought of themselves as conservatives, but they do believe in public safety. They want police to be supported, not vilified. They believe parents should have a meaningful voice in their children’s education. They want a strong economy, affordable energy, secure borders, and a government that lives within reasonable limits.

They do not wake up thinking about revolutionary politics. They just want normalcy, stability, opportunity, and a country they can proudly pass on to their children.

These voters are not unreachable. But they must be reached.

That requires persuasion.

Republicans need to speak to disaffected Democrats in a language that invites rather than alienates. Joining the GOP does not require having voted Republican one’s entire life. It does not require abandoning compassion, concern for the poor, or civic responsibility. It only requires recognizing that the supposedly good intentions of Democrats are no substitute for sound policy, and that a free society cannot survive if every institution is captured by ideology.

The GOP should become the natural home for Americans who believe in ordered liberty, economic opportunity, strong families, religious freedom, public safety, and patriotism without apology.

Reaching these people means showing up in communities Republicans have too often written off. It means speaking directly to Jewish voters and independents in New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and even California. It means addressing suburban parents ignored by school bureaucracies. It means talking to working-class Democrats who believe their party now cares more about academic slogans than grocery bills, crime, housing, and wages.

Most of all, it means offering a positive vision.

Voters rarely switch parties due to anger alone. They switch when they believe there is somewhere better to go.

Republicans should resist making this moment only about what the Left has become. They must also explain what the Right has to offer: a country where hard work is rewarded, children are taught to love America, religious communities are respected, streets are safe, allies are defended, and government serves the people.

When one party moves too far from the center of gravity of the American people, the other has a chance to build a new majority.

But that opportunity will not seize itself.

The rise of the DSA is bad for the Democratic Party and dangerous for the country. But it may also become the catalyst for a broader Republican coalition – one that brings together conservatives, Jews alarmed by antisemitism, moderates tired of extremism, parents fighting for their children, and traditional Democrats who still believe in the promise of America.

The radical left is pushing them away. Republicans should now act to welcome them in.

 

What Is the Connection Between Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence?

My VIP for this week is President Abraham Lincoln and his connection to the Declaration of Independence. According to Justin Collings in his article titled “Lincoln transformed the Declaration of Independence” published in the Deseret News, “Lincoln placed the Declaration’s ideals at the moral heart of America – and he was willing to defend them in the name of ‘all men.’” Collings wrote, “Abraham Lincoln arguably advanced the cause of the Declaration of Independence more than any other American – even the Declaration’s author.

The setting was as symbolic as the moment was tense.

On February 22, 1861, a crowd gathered in Philadelphia’s Independence Square for a flag-raising ceremony in honor of George Washington’s birthday. The speaker – tall and gangly, with a craggy visage and a high-pitched voice – was Abraham Lincoln, president-elect of the United States.

Over the previous nine weeks, seven Southern states had seeded from the Union. Many feared that more would follow. Before exiting the south entrance of Independence Hall for the ceremony, Lincoln spent a few reflective moments in the Assembly Room – the storied space where the Declaration of Independence had been signed and where the Constitution had been crafted.

Perhaps he thought of Thomas Jefferson, who had composed the declaration’s first draft, or of Washington, who had done more than any other to secure independence on the fields of battle and to establish the Constitution in the councils of state. Liberty and union – these were the high ideals that Lincoln had long championed.

These were the principles that secession imperiled.

Lincoln stood on a temporary wooden platform draped in bunting. As he looked out over the crowd, Independence Hall – the shrine of the founding – stood behind him. The future before him was profoundly uncertain; the prospect of national ruin was real. He spoke without notes.

The setting all but compelled Lincoln to speak about the Declaration of Independence. What surprised his audience was not the subject he chose, but the fervor with which he addressed it.

“I have never,” he intoned, “had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.” Rather than surrender the declaration’s core principles, he continued, “I would rather be assassinated on this spot.”

These were not idle words at a time when the risk of assassination was clear, present and pervasive. Lincoln summarized the declaration’s principles as an overarching commitment to “liberty for all.” The stakes of secession’s threat to those principles were colossal – almost cosmic.

Accordingly, Lincoln affirmed and extolled “that sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but I hope, to the world, for all future time. It was that which gave promise that in due time the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all men.”

Lincoln was not exaggerating when he said that the whole of his political thought derived from the Declaration of Independence. For Lincoln, the declaration was more than revolutionary.

To Lincoln, the declaration was the “apple of gold”; the Constitution and Union were the “picture of silver” framed around it. Lincoln’s life and thought present an extended commentary, in word and deed, on the declaration’s key clauses. It is the richest and most consequential commentary in our history.

The principle of liberty “clears the path for all; gives hope to all, and, by consequence, enterprise and industry to all.” – Abraham Lincoln

It is a commentary worth revisiting as we commemorate our national semiquincentennial – the declaration’s 250^th birthday. For Lincoln not only expounded the declaration; he transfigured it. When we celebrate the declaration this year, it is Lincoln’s declaration that we honor.

Lincoln’s understanding of the declaration evolved over time, finding its fullest formulation in his most canonical statements – the Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural speech.  Intriguingly, the textual arc of his understanding proceeded in reverse, emphasizing the declaration’s sonorous clauses in the opposite order from how they appear in the text….

  

Why Are Christian Roots Essential to Return America to Greatness?

The discussion for this Constitution Monday focuses on America’s 250^th birthday and restoring America to greatness. Americans and friends of America celebrated 250 years sine the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, America’s official birthday. However, the celebration will continue until the end of 2026. Many columns and posts are written about this birthday, including an interesting piece authored by Victor Joecks. 

The pages of tomorrow’s history are written by today’s decisions.

History is littered with failed republics and democracies. The Roman Republic became the Roman Empire. Democracy in ancient Greece turned into an aristocracy.

This didn’t just happen in ancient history. In 1961, a new constitution in Venezuela divided the government into three branches. But in 1999, Hugo Chavez swept to power and rewrote the country’s constitution. He eventually became a dictator.

The Founding Fathers were well aware of the fleeting nature of our form of government. In 1787, Elizabeth Willing Powell asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

For context, in Federalist 39, former President James Madison defined a republic as “a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people; and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.”

The term “democratic republic” references the role that popular elections play in selecting some of our leaders. But the Founding Fathers held a much dimmer view of democracy by itself. In Federalist 10, Madison observed that democracies “have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”

Even as America celebrates her 250^th birthday, there are plenty of reasons to wonder about the country’s future. America has abandoned her Christian heritage. Government0funded schools teach children to hate America and Western Civilization more broadly. Birth rates have generally been below replacement level for decades.

You can see the fruit of those trends. Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democrat congressional nominee from New York City, founded a group that seeks “the total eradication of Western Civilization.” Chants of “Death to America” have rung out on college campuses and the streets of New York City. Muslims are openly plotting to turn America into a Muslim country.

But concerning trends are not outcomes. Americans still have the freedom and ability to change course. The most important thing is for America to return to her Christian roots. Listen to our Founding Fathers, not the misinformation taught in most modern history classes.

“Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?” Thomas Jefferson wrote. A version of that quote is on the Jefferson Memorial.

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports,” George Washington said in his farewell address. “In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.”

You can’t force people to become Christians. But students should learn historical truths, not skewed leftist narratives. Institutions should also elevate and honor other pillars of America’s past – like the ideas of Western Civilization and the family.

Part of this requires political action. You can’t win the war of ideas when the government subsidizes the losing side. America needs leaders who will act vigorously to defend America’s values. That includes deporting immigrants who hate America.

But it also requires individual action. Pray for your country. Urge your friends to vote. Use whatever influence you have to advance these ideas. Send your grandchild a great work of literature and talk about a chapter a week. Revive the lost art of matchmaking to encourage one more marriage. Offer the practical help, like watching kids or helping buy a home, that could help a responsible young couple have one more child.

A few of those choices would make headlines. Most wouldn’t. But every one of them would help restore America’s greatness.

 

 

What Does “Still, Small Voice” Mean to You?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to 1 Kings 12-13; 17-22 and a lesson titled “If the Lord Be God, Follow Him.” The following information introduced the lesson. 

The house of Israel was in disarray. The kingdom had divided, with ten tribes forming the Northern Kingdom of Israel and two tribes forming the Southern Kingdom of Judah. But worse than their separations from each other was both kingdoms’ separation from their covenants. Wicked kings led the people away from the Lord, and many people wavered in their faith.

In this setting, the Lord called Elijah to be a prophet. His life shows that a person can have great faith in the Lord even in bad circumstances. Sometimes the Lord responds to such faith with impressive, public miracles, like fire falling from heaven. But He also works quiet, private miracles, like feeding a faithful widow and her son. And most often the Lord’s miracles are so individual that they are known only to one person – for example, when the Lord reveals Himself to you through “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).

The scripture blog teaches several principles, including (1) Christlike leaders serve the people they lead (1 Kings 12:1-20); (2) An invitation to sacrifice is an opportunity to exercise my faith in Jesus Christ (1 Kings 17:8-16; 19:19-21); (3) “If the Lord be God, follow him” (1 Kings 18);

(4) The Lord often speaks in quiet, simple ways (1 Kings 19:1-18). This essay will discuss principle #4 about how the Lord often speaks.

Elijah called down fire from heaven in a powerful miracle on Mount Carmel, but the miracle did not make Elijah’s mission any easier. In fact, his life was in danger, and he had to hide in a cave in the wilderness. There, struggling with loneliness and discouragement, he had an experience with the Lord that was very different from the experience on Mount Carmel. I will share the scripture block, but I ask you to consider the following question as you read it: What does Elijah’s experience in 1 Kings 19:1-18 teach you about how the Lord communicates with you in your times of need?

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 ¶ But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9 ¶ And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Did you ponder the times when you felt the Lord speaking to you? How do you describe the way He communicates with you? Why are the words “still” and “small” good ways to describe the voice of the Spirit? What do you need to do to receive the Lord’s guidance more often?

Modern revelation tells us how God communicates with His children. Doctrine and Covenants 8:2 tells us that God speaks to us in our mind (thoughts) and heart (feelings) by the power of the Holy Ghost. Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9 teach us how to prepare to receive revelation.

8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn [warm feeling] within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; …

We learn from these verses that the Lord expects us to use multiple senses to enhance our learning. He also expects/requires us to do some of the work – study it out in our minds. We should use the knowledge that we know to be true to gain more knowledge and understanding. Once we have an idea of what we should do, then we pray and ask God if that is a correct action.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the “still small voice” refers to the gentle, quiet guidance that comes from God through the Holy Ghost. Those individuals who want to hear the word of the Lord must make times of quiet in their lives – times when there is no social media blasting in our ears, times that shut out the world. We must remember that the Holy Ghost speaks in a still small voice, and we must be listening to hear His voice.

How Do We Teach Patriotism to the Rising Generation?

Families, communities, states, and nations are stronger when parents teach their children to be patriotic. As in most cases, this is the responsibility of the parents because teaching the rising generation to be patriotic starts in the home, according to Camille Smith at the Deseret News. Parents teach by their words and actions. 

Smith suggests that parents teach formally and informally. She writes about a formal teaching experience at a family reunion when her in-laws gathered their eight children with their eight spouses to teach them on several topics, including America’s 250^th anniversary celebration.

The discussion from the group centered on the importance of the Declaration of Independence, the enduring legacy of the Constitution and the sacrifices men, women and children all made to declare independence and fight for our freedoms.

Smith tells of her eighth-grade project on the initial battles of the American Revolution – the battles at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.

This gave me the opportunity to learn about the ins and outs of these historic battles and how integral they were in setting the stage for the revolution that followed. I learned about key figures – like Paul Revere, William Dawes and Capt. John Parker, who is known for his famous quote “Stand your ground.... Don’t fire unless fired upon. But, if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

The “shot heard ‘round the world” on April 19, 1775, changed not only the course of the American colonies, but also the future of the entire world. The only reasons we know what “the American dream” means is because of everything that came from the creation of our nation. In-hand as we left our family reunion was a children’s book my in-laws gifted everyone: “Heroes of 1776: The story of the Declaration of Independence” by Neil Gorsuch and Janie Nitzie. This weekend, I sat down with my 4-year-old to read it.

It’s not every day a children’s book will bring me to tears – I confess it is known to happen – but this was one of those days. It reminded me of the pride I felt in my country when I was studying the Lexington and Concord battles in eighth grade. I realized it is my job to teach my kids to be patriotic and feel proud to be an American.

With all the discord in politics today, it can be easy to forget what happened in the Philadelphia State House assembly room when the delegates for the Continental Congress gathered and voted for independence.

At the beginning of the children’s book there’s a quote from John Adams that reads: “You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it.”

Are we? Are we making “a good use of it”? I sure hope we are. I hope the Founding Fathers – who gave their money, time, intelligence, homes and their very lives for this cause – would look at us today with pride.

The signers of the declaration were asked – after losing everything – if they would change anything. Thomas Nelson Jr., one such signer, said, “I would do it all over again.”

The book’s poignant finish touches on the day Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died – July 4, 1826, just hours apart. On his last day, the 50^th anniversary of the nation, Adams “woke to the sound of bells ringing.”

He was later asked if there were words he wanted shared during the celebrations. The story concludes with Adams saying, “’I will give you: Independence forever.’ A few moments of silence passed. Someone present asked Adams if he might like to add anything. Adams’s eyes brightened. ‘Not a word.’”

So this week, I’ll be setting up my American flag, some stars and stripes around the house, gathering my collection of America-themed library books, and sitting down with my young kids to tell them a story about a group of people – patriots – who gave everything they had so we can be free. And we’ll thank them for giving us “independence forever.”

 

 

  

How Do We Protect Family and Church from the Currently Growing Culture?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns how to protect family and church from the negative influences in our culture. In his article “When the Culture’s View of Family Invades the Church,” Timothy Goeglein authored the following: 

The late James Q. Wilson, former professor of government at Harvard University, once said, “It is not money, but the family that is the foundation of public life. As it has become weaker, every structure built on that foundation has become weaker.”

Those words came to mind when I reviewed some sobering and disturbing statistics from Pew Research and others on the views of Christians when it comes to marriage and cohabitation – especially young Christians.

Prophets and apostles call the family the core unit of society. When families are strong, then the community and society are strong. When families fall apart, the community and society suffer.

It has been stated many times that the downfall of every great civilization, as well as institution, comes from within – not from aggressive external attacks but from moral compromises made along the way that slowly weaken its foundation.

As our society has debuckled itself from the institution of marriage, with catastrophic results, it seems now many churches are doing the same thing – choosing to conform to the culture rather than transforming it. As a result, the church’s voice in our culture becomes weaker – to the point of irrelevance – and our children are paying the price. This is evident in these statistics; especially when it comes to today’s young adults.

In 2019, Pew reported 58% of white evangelicals said cohabitation was acceptable as long as the couple eventually plans to marry.

Alarming as that statistic is, it is more sobering among young evangelicals. Nine years ago, a General Social Survey reported more than 40% of evangelicals between the ages of 20 and 29 thought cohabitation was acceptable even if they had no plans to marry.

In addition, a new survey from David Ayers at the Institute of Family Studies found nearly half of evangelical Protestants between the ages of 15 and 22 who are not presently cohabitating or married believe they will likely cohabit with a member of the opposite sex sometime in the future.

The study also found that 65% of evangelicals between the ages of 23 and 44 who had already cohabitated plan on doing so again. This not only impacts our church’s witness when it comes to marriage and family but also accelerates the continued fragmentation of the family unit – the stabilizing factor in all civilizations – regardless of faith.

Why has this happened? In the rush to be seen as “culturally relevant,” “tolerant,” and “nonjudgmental,” many Christians and churches have pushed aside the Biblical teachings regarding marriage and family. While it is commendable for churches to try to reach the unchurched, many have chosen to avoid so-called “hot topics” – especially when it comes to human sexuality – leaving a vacuum our culture is eager to fill.

A generation of young believers is learning more about sex and marriage from popular culture than from their churches. When the world – and not churches – is the main educator on these issues, these are the results.

Jim Daly, the president of Focus on the Family, has written, “It will be up to us to show a fraying culture that marriage is so much more than ‘just a piece of paper’ or an association of any two or more persons who profess to love each other. It is a sacred union of a man and a woman that confers myriad benefits on the spouses, their children, and society at large – benefits that cannot be replicated by any other relationship. I would go so far as to say a society cannot flourish, or even long survive, without stable marriages at its core.”

And I would add that when churches no longer view marriage as sacred, but just as another optional arrangement, churches themselves cannot flourish.

Why? Because when churches no longer treat marriage any differently than the culture – blindly accepting cohabitation as the “new normal” – they have lost their way – and their influence. They especially damage their credibility with rising generations of young Christians and other people of faith. Children still look to adults and institutions for guidance, and when those adults and institutions silently concede their rightful leadership, our children will do the same.

It is time for those of us who believe in the sanctity of marriage to no longer sit on the sidelines while our children learn about marriage from the Kardashians or “The Bachelor.” Instead, we must emphasize the beauty and sanctity of marriage; why it is spiritually, emotionally, and physically beneficial to not cohabit with someone of the opposite sex; and why waiting will be ultimately to their benefit.”

With this vision of marriage prioritized in our churches, we can once again not only have stable families but also a church possessing the moral authority to be a clear and convincing voice reestablishing a flourishing society and the dignity of love.

On September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley introduced a proclamation titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” at the General Relief Society Meeting. The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints authored the proclamation, which states the following: 

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children.

A few paragraphs later, the proclamation again taught the importance of marriage to God and explained the type of marriage that is acceptable to God.

The Family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to his eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ….

The proclamation closes with a warning and an urgent call to action sounded to all individuals and governments.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

 

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 3?

                                                             Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                                        and in the Holy Ghost. 

This is the third article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past two weeks, I discussed a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith in a lecture on faith titled “The Character of God.” Early in the lecture, he shared three things that are necessary to have faith in God strong enough to lead to salvation. The statement is important enough to repeat in this discussion. 

Let us here observe, that three things are necessary, in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.

First, The idea that he actually exists.

Secondly, A correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes.

Thirdly, An actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing, is according to his will.—For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding, it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Last week I discussed the personality of each member of the Godhead, or Trinity. This week I will use the words of Elder James E. Talmage about some of the divine attributes of the Godhead (Elder James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith [1890], pp. 42-44).

God is Omnipresent

There is no part of creation, however remote, into which God cannot penetrate; through the medium of the Spirit the Godhead is in direct communication with all things at all times. It has been said, therefore, that God is everywhere present; but this does not mean that the actual person of any one member of the Godhead can be physically present in more than one place at one time. The senses of each of the Trinity are of infinite power; His mind is of unlimited capacity; His powers of transferring Himself from place to place are infinite; plainly, however, His person cannot be in more than one place at any one time. Admitting the personality of God, we are compelled to accept the fact of His materiality; indeed, an “immaterial being,” under which meaningless name some have sought to designate the condition of God, cannot exist, for the very expression is a contradiction in terms. If God possesses a form, that form is of necessity of definite proportions and therefore of limited extension in space. It is impossible for Him to occupy at one time more than one space of such limits; and it is not surprising, therefore, to learn from the scriptures that He moves from place to place. Thus we read in connection with the account of the Tower of Babel, “And the Lord [i.e., Jehovah, the Son] came down to see the city and the tower” (Gen. 11:5). Again, God appeared to Abraham, and having declared Himself to be “the Almighty God,” He talked with the patriarch, and established a covenant with him; then we read “And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham” (Gen. 17:1, 22).

God is Omniscient

By Him matter has been organized and energy directed. He is therefore the Creator of all things that are created; and “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). His power and His wisdom are alike incomprehensible to man, for they are infinite. Being Himself eternal and perfect, His knowledge cannot be otherwise than infinite. To comprehend Himself, an infinite Being, He must possess an infinite mind. Through the agency of angels and ministering servants He is in continuous communication with all parts of creation, and may personally visit as He may determine.

God is Omnipotent

He is properly called the Almighty. Man can discern proofs of the divine omnipotence on every side, in the forces that control the elements of earth and guide the orbs of heaven in their prescribed courses. Whatever His wisdom indicates as necessary to be done God can and will do. The means through which He operates may not be of infinite capacity in themselves, but they are directed by an infinite power. A rational conception of His omnipotence is power to do all that He may will to do.

God is kind, benevolent, and loving – tender, considerate, and long-suffering, bearing patiently with the frailties of His children. He is just and merciful in judgment, yet combining with these gentler qualities firmness in avenging wrongs. He is jealous of His own power and the reverence paid to Him; that is to say, He is zealous for the principles of truth and purity, which are nowhere exemplified in a higher degree than in His personal attributes. This Being is the author of our existence, Him we are permitted to approach as Father. Our faith will increase in Him as we learn of Him.

What Lessons for 2026 Can We Learn from 1976?

America celebrated its Bicentennial in 1976. Lessons were learned, and Rebecca de Schweinitz at the Deseret News reminds her readers: “Recognizing the nation’s religious diversity and acknowledging its flaws are not at odds with a unifying commemoration.” 

As the country approaches the 250 anniversary of the Revolution, Americans are increasingly divided over what they are celebrating. Some advance a triumphalist narrative of a providential nation, virtually perfect at its founding and rooted in a singular religious identity, while others, who see value in confronting the country’s struggles, are case as at odds with the patriotic project. Fifty years ago, during the 1976 bicentennial, many American religious communities wrestled with similar tensions. They celebrated, but they also reflected, confessed and organized, treating the bicentennial less as an occasion for patriotic display than as an opportunity for democratic practice, grounded in diverse expressions of faith and lived out in families, congregations and communities. That moment offers no simple blueprint, but it points to ward practices – cooperation across difference, moral self-examination and active participation – that remain essential now.

Religious freedom as a shared stewardship

At the national level, religious leaders made clear that the bicentennial could not be claimed by any single tradition. Initiatives like Project FORWARD ’76 (“Freedom of Religion Will Advance Real Democracy”) brought together Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Latter-day Saint and other groups in a shared endeavor. Their goal was not a unified religious interpretation of America but something more foundational: a democracy strengthened by the moral vision of people.

The structure of such efforts mattered. Rather than competing for cultural influence, religious groups cooperated. They exchanged resources, sponsored research and encouraged congregations to explore how religious liberty and democratic life are intertwined. Religious diversity was treated as a strength to learn from and safeguard, not a problem to solve….

Gratitude and repentance in the work of patriotism

Some of the most meaningful Bicentennial work of Project FORWARD ’76 happened in local congregations. Churches did not simply drape sanctuaries in flags. Many reinterpreted national symbols through a moral and theological lens.

In one Lutheran resource, “Stars, Stripes, and Crosses,” the American flag became a framework for reflection. The stars pointed to aspiration, the ideals of liberty and equality. The stripes represented suffering and contradiction, the ways those ideals had been tested or betrayed. The cross stood as a moral measure, reminding believers that no nation, however, noble its founding, is beyond judgment.

This was neither spectacle nor cynicism. It was an effort to tell the truth. Patriotism meant loving one’s country enough to see it clearly and to work to improve it. That spirit shaped worship itself. Bicentennial services blended gratitude with introspection, patriotic hymns alongside prayers that named national failures like racism, inequality, exclusion and violence.

In doing so, faith communities practiced a form of moral speech linking faith to public responsibility. They affirmed that devotion to God does not require silence abut injustice, and that love of country can include a call to repentance.

Remembering in ways that widen belonging

Congregations also turned to history as a lived, shared experience rather than a distant narrative. Programming featured oral histories, archival work and intergenerational storytelling: Young people interviewed older members about migration, work, worship and community-building; families shared photographs and artifacts; “Do you remember?” evenings gathered neighbors to share memories.

These efforts connected individuals to a larger, generous story and invited them to see themselves within an ongoing national project shaped by religious commitments. They also strengthened relationships across generations and fostered belonging rooted in faith and community.

Importantly, these efforts did not simply reinforce exceptionalist narratives. Many congregations included Native American perspectives, inviting Indigenous speakers, integrating Native histories and confronting the consequences of colonization. The bicentennial became an occasion to ask how a nation founded on liberty could also be a site of dispossession.

This widened perspective did not weaken national identity. It made commemorations more honest, meaningful and demanding of people of faith.

Service as patriotic and covenant responsibility

For many religious communities, the most authentic way to mark the bicentennial was not ceremony but service. Congregations organized hunger walks, planted community gardens, supported food banks and engaged in tutoring programs, prison outreach and advocacy. Such efforts pushed people of faith to wrestle with harder questions about poverty, justice and what the nation’s ideals required in practice.

In this context, voluntarism became more than a civic virtue; it was a religious obligation tied to national purpose. To celebrate the nation’s founding was to take responsibility for its unfinished work….

Creating democracy together

Perhaps most strikingly, bicentennial programming treated democracy as something to be learned and practiced. Congregants of all ages and denominations studied their communities, listened to neighbors, engaged public officials, and contributed to local reform efforts.

Politics was not presented as distant or inherently corrupt, but as a domain where moral agency mattered – a place individuals could act on their values to serve the common good. Underlying this was a broader conviction that democracy depends on participation, on citizens willing to listen, learn, deliberate and act in alignment with their moral convictions.

Religious communities helped cultivate positive civic habits, serving as schools of moral and ethical citizenship where people practiced cooperation, developed empathy and linked principles with action.

A nation as shared work: Faith, humility and the more perfect union.

Looking back, the bicentennial era approach contrasts with contemporary currents that more tightly link religious and national identity in exclusionary ways. Where earlier efforts stressed pluralism and honest reflection, today’s rhetoric can narrow belonging, dismiss critique and favor symbolic affirmation over lived engagement. These differences are not merely political; they reflect deeper questions about how faith relates to democracy.

In 1976, many religious communities saw their role as strengthening democratic life through dialogue, accountability and bridge-building – work requiring humility and openness to complexity. It also required a particular understanding of belonging. The nation was not a possession to defend but a project to shape, a shared endeavor inviting both gratitude and responsibility.

Recovering that approach does not mean returning to the 1970s. That era had its own limitations. But the habits it cultivated remain relevant. It showed that commemoration can be more than celebration. It can be a time for reflection, learning and recommitment.

It showed that patriotism can include critique, and that such critique – grounded in love and responsibility – can strengthen the nation. Moreover, it underscored that religious communities can play a vital role in democratic life by fostering participation, cooperation, moral clarity and care for others.

As the United States approaches another anniversary, the question before us is not simply how to celebrate. It is how to do so in ways that sustain a healthy democracy.

The bicentennial offers one answer. It calls us to turn memory into action, widen the circle of voices and measure our national life not only by our ideals but also by how faithfully we live them.

If we take that lesson seriously, celebration itself can become an act of faith – one that binds us more closely to one another and to the enduring work of building a more perfect union.

Rebecca de Schweinitz claims that Americans need to act with faith. One of the ways that we can act with faith is to turn to the God of this land, even Jesus Christ.

As part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ observance of the America 250 commemoration, the First Presidency is holding a special unified fast on Sunday, July 5, 2026 – the day after the United States’ 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The purpose of the fast is to express gratitude for religious liberty as well as to pray for religious freedom to be strengthened throughout the world. Fasting is more than going without food; it is also praying to express gratitude for blessings as well as to ask for help. Everyone is encouraged to join Latter-day Saints in this special fast.

Who Is JD Vance?

My VIP for this week is Vice President JD Vance who visited with the ladies on “The View” and came out of the experience with his skin and soul intact. In fact, according to Christian Toto at The Blaze, the VP “gave ‘The View’ plenty to chew on last week [with] facts [and] knowledge.” He added that Vance’s arguments did not “require a tinfoil hat.” 

The Republican did something else during his trip to the far, far-left showcase. He gave the gals a ratings boost. The show’s 3.3 million viewers represented the highest “View” tally since 2024…. That makes sense, since the ABC showcase rarely offers opposing views from the right and Vance has a reputation for being a thoughtful guest.

Even “View” haters wanted to see what went down.

Why Does the Pledge of Allegiance Include the Words “Under God”?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns the addition of the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. Fred Lucas at The Daily Signal considered it to be “both a spiritual and strategic move” for President Dwight D. Eisenhower to sign this bill, on Flag Day, June 14, 1954. I was nine years old when this change took place, and I remember the change.

“From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty,” the president said upon signing the bill….

“To anyone who truly loves America, nothing could be more inspiring than to contemplate this rededication of our youth, on each school morning, to our country’s true meaning,” he continued.

This event was included in “The Soul of an American President: The Untold Story of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Faith,” written by Alliance Defending Freedom founder and former President Alan Sears and two co-authors, Craig Osten and Ryan Cole. It “details how faith was important to the 34^th president well before he entered the White House.

“In World War II, he saw the concentration camps and it shook him to his core,” Osten told the Daily Signal. “He was convinced this is where a godless society ends up. He also looked at what was happening in the Soviet Union and the destruction of their churches.”

During the bill-signing remarks, Eisenhower made a subtle reference to the Cold War. “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future. In this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons, which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace or in war,” Eisenhower said.

Critics of the bill have dismissed it as a geostrategic move to claim the moral high ground against the Soviets.

Osten stressed it was much more than that for Eisenhower.

“He looked at what was different about America. He believed the Soviet Union’s weak link was that it was an atheistic society,” Osten said. “it’s not that he was using religion as a weapon, but he did want to remind America of its spiritual roots.”

Osten added the president “wanted to make sure America didn’t drift the way Russia and Germany did.”

After the bill-signing ceremony, the former Supreme Allied commander met with an American Legion gathering at the Capitol, where he and the others recited the pledge with the newly added words “under God.”

As for the pledge itself, it had quite a journey before Eisenhower’s monumental act.

The first version of the pledge, which skipped from “… one nation indivisible …” was interestingly enough written by Baptist minister Francis Bellamy in 1892 to mark the 400^th anniversary of the discovery of North America by Christopher Columbus….

It was during World War II, on June 22, 1942, that President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially recognized the pledge in signing the U.S. Flag code.

It was well after the war, in 1951, that the Catholic group Knights of Columbus resolved to call on Congress to add the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. Rep. Louis Rabaut, D-Mich., introduced legislation adding the words to the pledge; the measure then passed both the House and Senate.

Though Catholics initiated the effort, Protestants weren’t far behind.

It was well after the war, in 1951, that the Catholic group Knights of Columbus resolved to call on Congress to add the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. Rep. Louis Rabaut, D-Mich., introduced legislation adding the words to the pledge; the measure then passed both the House and Senate.

Though Catholics initiated the effort, Protestants weren’t far behind….

Almost two months after the Flag Day bill signing, Eisenhower wrote a letter of gratitude to the Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart.

“And this year we are particularly thankful to you for your part in the movement to have the words ‘under God’ added to our Pledge of Allegiance,” Eisenhower wrote in the Aug. 6, 1954, letter. “These words will remind Americans that despite our great physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon which our way of life is founded.”