President Benson passed away in 1994, but in my dream, it was 2020 and he was sent on assignment to oversee the work that was being done. President Benson who was the prophet during my youth, was known for his strong and vocal stance against socialism, Marxism, and communism as well as sounding the alarm on conspiracy truth. President Benson had good reason to do so, because of his political background he was well educated on the workings inside our nation. Also, as one of the Lord’s Twelve Apostles, he was an advocate for the voice of the Lord; later becoming ordained as the 13th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Benson served two terms under U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, while being member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In 1968 the John Birch Society made an effort to nominate Benson as a presidential candidate to which he declined, and he was also invited to run as Vice President to a Democrat nominee, to which he also declined.
Since having this dream, I’ve seen President Benson’s words and talks popping up all over the place. Last weekend, this particular talk stood out to me. President Benson gave this address in 1967. During this time in American history, dangerous left political groups such as the Ku Klux Klan attacked both black and white Republicans who were for civil rights (1). It was during this time that Christian minister, Dr. Martin Luther King led the movement for civil rights in a divided part of the country where blue southern-state Democrat governors, were fighting to keep segregation. Six months later during the week of the next general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a U.S. presidential election year, Dr. King would be assassinated.
The 1968 election year was tumultuous; it was marked by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and subsequent riots across the nation, the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, and widespread opposition to the Vietnam War across university campuses.
Though President Benson was speaking about the current issues of 1967, it is clearly a voice from the past speaking to us in our day. Just like the election year of 1968, we have seen the division of left and right intensify and we have heard the same shout of “racism” and “protesting for justice” spike across our nation every four years – always during an election year. Fifty-three years ago, President Benson shed light on this matter. Here are some excerpts from his 1967 conference address.
“Prophesying of our day, Nephi said, ‘. . . they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.’ (2 Ne. 28:14.)”
“…it is the precepts of men versus the principles of God. The more we follow the word of God, the less we are deceived, while those who follow the wisdom of men are deceived the most.”
“The world largely ignores the first and great commandment—to love God—but talks a lot about loving their brother. They worship at the altar of man. Would Nephi have slain Laban if he had put the love of neighbor above the love of God? Would Abraham have taken Isaac up for a sacrifice if he had put the second commandment first?”
“That's why the Church, under the inspiration of the Lord, encourages its members to first look to themselves, then their family, then the Church and if need be to other voluntary agencies to help solve the problems of poverty, unemployment, hunger, sickness, and distress. Those who are not moved by that same inspiration turn instead to government. Such man-made course of action does little good compared to the Lord's approach and often results in doing great harm to our Father's children, even though the intentions may seem to have been noble.”
“Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the most, then you must put the first commandment first.”
“…the same masters of deceit are showing the same false solicitude for the unfortunate in the name of civil rights. Now there is nothing wrong with civil rights; it is what's being done in the name of civil rights that is alarming.”
“As far back as 1928, the Communists declared that the cultural, economic, and social differences between the races in America could be exploited by them to create the animosity, fear, and hatred between large segments of our people that would be necessary beginning ingredients for their revolution. Three-fold attack. Briefly, the three broad objectives were and are as follows: 1) Create hatred, 2) Trigger violence, 3) Overthrow established government”
“First, create hatred. Use any means to agitate blacks into hating whites and whites into hating blacks. Work both sides of the split. Play up and exaggerate real grievances. If necessary, don't hesitate to manufacture false stories and rumors about injustices and brutality. Create martyrs for both sides. Play upon mass emotions until they smolder with resentment and hatred.”
“Second, trigger violence. Put the emotional masses into the streets in the form of large mobs, the larger the better. It makes no difference if the mob is told to demonstrate ‘peacefully’ so long as it is brought into direct confrontation with the antagonist. Merely bringing the two emotionally charged groups together is like mixing oxygen and hydrogen. All that is needed is one tiny spark. If the spark is not forthcoming from purely spontaneous causes, create it.”
“Third, overthrow established government. Once mob violence becomes widespread and commonplace, condition those who are emotionally involved to accept violence as the only way to "settle the score" once and for all. Provide leadership and training for guerilla warfare. Institute discipline and terrorism to insure at least passive support from the larger, inactive segment of the population. Train and battle-harden leadership through sporadic riots and battles with police. Finally, at the appointed time, launch an all-out simultaneous offensive in every major city.”
“This plan is as follows: Using unidentified Communist agents and non-Communist sympathizers in key positions in government, in communications media, and in mass organizations, such as labor unions and civil rights groups, demand more and more government power as the solution to all civil rights problems.Total government is the objective of Communism.”
“Without calling it by name, build Communism piece by piece through mass pressures for presidential decrees, court orders, and legislation that appear to be aimed at improving civil rights and other social reforms. If there is social, economic, or educational discrimination, then advocate more government programs and control.”
“And what if riots come? Then more government housing, government welfare, government job training, and, finally, federal control over police. Thus, the essential economic and political structure of Communism can be built entirely "legally" and in apparent response to the wishes of the people who have clamored for some kind of solution to the problems played-up, aggravated, or created outright by Communists for just that purpose.”
“After the machinery of Communism is firmly established, then allow the hidden Communists one by one to make their identities known. Liquidate first the anti-Communists and then the non- Communist sympathizers who are no longer needed in government. The total state mechanism can now openly and "peacefully" be transferred into the hands of Communists. Such is the so-called proletarian revolution. Such has happened in other, once free, countries. It has already started here.”
“We must support our local police in their difficult task of keeping law and order in these trying times. Police should not be encumbered by civilian review boards or asked to be social workers. They have their hands full just trying to keep the peace. Recent soft-on-crime decisions of the Supreme Court, which hamper the police in protecting the innocent and bringing the criminal to justice, should be reversed. Persistent cries of "police brutality" should be recognized for what they are—attempts to discredit our police and discourage them from doing their job to the best of their ability.”
“Salaries should be adequate to hold on to and attract the very finest men available for police work. But, in questions of money, great care should be taken not to accept grants from the federal government. Along with federal money, inevitably there will come federal controls and guidelines that not only may get local police embroiled in national politics but may even lead to the eventual creation of a national police force. Every despotism requires a national police force to hold the people in line. Communism is no exception. Our local police should remain free from federal control.”
“The solution to most, if not all, of the current problems involving civil rights is less government, not more.”
“individual citizens must stand up and assume more than their share of the responsibility. The speaker's platform, hand distribution of literature, study clubs, home discussions—all must be pressed into service.”
“The success or failure of Americans of all races to meet this challenge may well determine the fate of our country. If we fail, we will all lose our civil rights, black man and white man together, for we will live under perfect Communist equality—the equality of slaves.”
“As President McKay has stated, ‘The position of this Church on the subject of Communism has never changed. We consider it the greatest satanical threat to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God's work among men that exists on the face of the earth.’”
“He has also counseled that ‘next to being one in worshiping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States’”.
“May we unite behind the Prophet in opposing the Communist conspiracy and preserving our freedom and our divine constitution, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” (2)
It's so important that we stand up to injustice when we see it happen. We are all God's children and we must protect our brothers and sisters of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, genders, and faiths. At the same time while doing so, we must all use our best judgment in discerning groups and movements promoting these causes, as to who are the sheep and who are the wolves dressed as sheep. We can support a principle without having to join an organization or group. Rather than basing our decisions on whether or not we will be liked or unpopular, we should be basing our decisions on truth, led by the Spirit, and supported by the word of God. We must always stand up for God and defend His laws. Let us put the Lord first in all that we do, and He will support us in our efforts to love and protect our fellow man. Let us defend His laws over the precepts of men. ❤️
References:
(1) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_rights_movement
(2) - https://sites.google.com/site/heavenlybanner/crtool?fbclid=IwAR0V-LPyBFuRV06pXp3TsgKs4bGUBnkEF-dRhoQNwaMANNGX_IRkJRcZIfk
Starting with a personal dream always gets my attention.
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