Political Ramblings

I learned when I was very young not to discuss politics with just about anyone.

So...why am I choosing now to ramble about them...I don't know...boredom...it's all over the news.....A few blogs ago I briefly blogged about Sarah Palin....without really blogging...just a quote. So, now why an entire political blog....well...comments that have been made....the daily bombardment of the news...can't think of anything else to ramble on about....you pick!

So...with Nov. 4th looming our way....not only do I have national political stuff to deal with, but I have state and city as well.

Uncle Arnold wants to increase taxes by a penny! I don't even know if that's on the ballot...I just know it was on the news today. My city wants to increase my taxes by a penny! Quite franlky. I don't think either deserve my two-cents worth!!!!

It's time for a Boston tea party if you asked me. We are taxed to death and what do we have to show for it? Sure...things could be worse....we might find out just how worse in a few weeks.

If you remember a few months ago I got a few hours notice to teach Sunday School. The lesson was Alma 13-16. I thought it was a very timely lesson. It describes our day, especially here in California. If you go back to Alma 8 and keep reading you get the whole story. The people of Ammonihah were very wicked. They rejected Alma, so he left. An angel told him to go back and to find Amulek, a righteous man, who would feed him and assist him in the work. The people wouldn't listen to Alma or Amulek. Amulek told them: "...O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the foundations of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God. ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter destruction of this people." Alma 10:17-18 Amulek goes onto remind the people of the counsel that King Mosiah had given them when the kingdom was about to be governed by we the people "...yea, well did he say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall inot transgression, they would be ripe for destruction. And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people by the voice of his angels:...I will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my hands. Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood,...but it would be by famine, and by pestilence, and the sword. But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine, and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand except ye repent." Alma 10:19- 23

"And now behold I say unto you, that the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges." Alma 10:27

That is what's going on in California at this very time. As the story goes on, the bulk of the people revile against Alma and Amulek, the people that do believe on their words and repent, are thrown into a fire and burned...with their scriptures. You might think, that something like that could never happen in this day and age...but just watch and see.

California's Proposition 8 contains 14 words..."Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." The same 14 words that 61% of "we the people" of California already voted on in November 2000, but 4 Judges decided they know better than "we the people." If those 14 words do not become part of the California Constitution, the foundation for destruction will be in place and news commentators can mock all they want. They already have. The day same sex marriages became legal in the state, news commentators sarcastically noted, that California hadn't fallen into the ocean! (side note: While serving my mission in PA, people would find out I was from CA and seriously tell me CA was going to fall into the ocean! maybe they were right?)

At the end of that Sunday School lesson I read the first and the last paragraph from,

The Family a Proclamation to the World

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....

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."

This was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley back in September 1995; thirteen short years ago. Just like the people of Ammonihah...the world has been warned by a Prophet of God. Will we continue to ignore him? Will we stand for truth and righteousness or will we bow to the pressures of an unrighteous society? I am far from perfect, but when a prophet speaks, I hope I will listen and go and do what I'm being asked to do.

There was a quote from that Sunday School lesson I gave from President Ezra Taft Benson, "God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the second coming of the Lord. … God has saved for the [final days] some of His strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly. That is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God. …
“In all ages prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day. Billions of the deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes on us. Make no mistake about it—you are a marked generation. There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time than there is of us” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 104–5).

If the voices that rage, are silenced on November 4th, I believe it will only be for a short season. If they are not silenced for a season, then they will continue to grow and fill the land......the judges will have succeeded in laying the foundation for our destruction, and like the righteous of Ammonihah we will be silenced, maybe even by fire! Can you take the heat?

The time has come to let our voices be heard! As Hilary Clinton so eloquently said in her Democratic convention address, "government must be about "We the people" not "We the favored few."" So...on November 4th go out and vote, whatever your party may be, whatever stand you choose to take, so that "We the People" are heard!

God Bless you and May God Bless America!

(I really need to stop watching TV!)