We teach that agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and 'to act for [ourselves] and not to be acted upon.' Agency is to act with accountability and responsibility for our actions. Our agency is essential to the plan of salvation. (Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life, Oct. 2010)
Regarding
government programs, particularly welfare, and how they relate to LDS
doctrine, the principle of agency should guide our actions and ideas,
and by extension, that which we promote and support.
Here
are six truths about agency and welfare that, when considered as a
whole, show us how to properly fulfill the commandment to love our
neighbor, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked.
1.
Agency, a precious gift
Agency
is an eternal principle over which the war in heaven was fought. As
such, we should treasure it over any earthly posession, human idea,
or man made program.
How supernally precious freedom is; how consummately valuable is the agency of man. (Boyd K. Packer, Atonement, Agency, Accountability, Apr. 1998)
When we came to the earth, we brought with us that great gift from God—even our agency. In thousands of ways we are privileged to choose for ourselves. Here we learn from the hard taskmaster of experience. We discern between good and evil. We differentiate as to the bitter and the sweet. We learn that decisions determine destiny. (Thomas S. Monson, Ponder the Path of Thy Feet, Oct. 2014)
...remember that God so loved that he would not shield us from the perils of freedom, from the right and responsibility to choose. So deep is his love and so precious that principle that he, who was conscious of the consequences, required that we choose. Lucifer ... argued for forced salvation, for imposed survival, for an agencyless round trip to the earth and back again. None would be lost, he insisted. (Marion D. Hanks, Agency and Love, Oct. 1983)
...a blessing co-existent with man's creation. I refer to the fundamental principle of the Gospel, Free Agency. References in the Scriptures show that this principle is (1) essential to man's salvation; and, (2) may become a measuring rod by which the actions of men, of organizations, of nations may be judged. (David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1940)
2.
Welfare is personal
We
are commanded to love God, and love our brothers as ourselves. As we
do, we will voluntarily impart of our substance for the support of
those in need.
Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. (D&C 58:27-28)
And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, (Mosiah 18:28)
Finally, remember our agency is not only for us. We have the responsibility to use it in behalf of others, to lift and strengthen others in their trials and tribulations. (Robert D. Hales, To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency, Apr. 2006)
As we obey the counsel to avoid and get out of debt now, we use our agency and obtain the liberty to use our disposable income for helping and blessing others. (Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life, Oct. 2010)
It is no more a part of God’s plan to compel men to work righteousness than it is his purpose to permit evil powers to force his children into sin. (James E. Talmage, The Great Apostasy, Deseret Book Co., 1958, pp. 34–35.)
3.
Satan's plan
We
are not forced to love God or our neigbors, and we should not attempt
to force others. God endowed Adam and his posterity with agency.
Satan has, from then until now, sought to substitute agency with
force.
After Heavenly Father presented His plan, Lucifer stepped forward, saying, “Send me, … and I will redeem all mankind, that [not even] one soul shall … be lost … ; wherefore give me thine honor.” This plan was rejected by our Father, for it would have denied us our agency. Indeed, it was a plan of rebellion. (Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life, Oct. 2010)
If we do not really love and really believe in free agency, we may be inclined to impose our will on others for what we think is their best good. If we love enough, we will not do that, even at the risk of failure.
It is my deep conviction that any act or program or rule planned or performed without love at its heart, love as the spirit of it, or which curtails the agency of our Heavenly Father’s children, is not worthy of God’s kingdom or of his leaders or people. (Marion D. Hanks, Agency and Love, Oct. 1983)
4.
Misuse of Agency
We
have been given the gift of agency, yet we can loose, and cause
others to loose, that agency through its misuse. Particularly in the
choices we make regarding the type of Government and Government
programs we desire.
We have a classic example of the loss of economic freedom by the misuse of free agency in the book of Genesis. The Egyptians, instead of exercising their agency to provide for themselves against a day of need, depended upon the government. As a result, when the famine came they were forced to purchase food from the government. First they used their money. When that was gone, they gave their livestock, then their lands; and finally they were compelled to sell themselves into slavery, that they might eat.
We ourselves have gone a long way down this road during the last century. My counsel is that we beware of the doctrine which encourages us to seek government-supported security rather than to put faith in our own industry. (Marion G. Romney, The Perfect Law of Liberty, Oct. 1981)
5.
Laws should uphold Freedom
We
have been instructed and warned by the Lord & his prophets to
safeguard our freedoms.
We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life. (D&C 134:2)
Speaking
on religious liberties, and agency, Elder Hales said this;
As we face increased pressure to bow to secular standards, forfeit our religious liberties, and compromise our agency, consider what the Book of Mormon teaches about our responsibilities. In the book of Alma we read of Amlici, “a very cunning” and “wicked man” who sought to be king over the people and “deprive them of their rights and privileges,” which “was alarming to the people of the church.” They were taught by King Mosiah to raise their voices for what they felt was right. (Robert D. Hales, Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom, Apr. 2015)
Man's Free Agency is an eternal principle of progress, and any form of government that curtails or inhibits its free exercise is wrong -- Satan's plan in the beginning was one of coercion, and it was rejected, because he sought to destroy the agency of man which God had given him. When a man uses this God-given right to encroach upon the rights of another, he commits a wrong. (David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1940)
Unwise legislation, too often prompted by political expediency, if enacted, will seductively undermine man's right of free agency, rob him of his rightful liberties, and make him but a cog in the crushing wheel of regimentation. (David O. McKay, Conference Report, October 1965)
6.
Agency & (Government) Welfare
We
have also been instructed and warned many times about the right and
the wrong system of government. And when measured against agency it
is easy to judge when any system exceeds its bounds.
Agency is an essential ingredient of being human... This principle helps explain the Church's strong position against political systems and addictive practices that inhibit the free exercise of agency. (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, AGENCY)
I suggest we consider what has happened to our agency with respect to contributing to the means used by the bureaucracy in administering government welfare services.In order to obtain these means, one head of state is quoted as saying, "We’re going to take all the money we think is unnecessarily being spent and take it from the ‘haves’ and give to the ‘have nots’ that need it so much."
The difference between having the means with which to administer welfare assistance taken from us and voluntarily contributing it out of our love of God and fellowman is the difference between freedom and slavery. (Marion G. Romney, Church Welfare Services' Basic Principles, Apr. 1976)
Since
1976, this idea of redistributing wealth has only gained traction and
popularity. It is wrong! Even when parroted as being the means to
bring security and help to the masses.
In the war in heaven the devil advocated absolute eternal security at the sacrifice of our freedom. Although there is nothing more desirable to a Latter-day Saint than eternal security in God's presence, and although God knew, as did we, that some of us would not achieve this security if we were allowed our freedom -- yet the very God of heaven, who has more mercy than us all, still decreed no guaranteed security except by a man's own freedom of choice and individual initiative.
Today the devil as a wolf in a supposedly new suit of sheep's clothing is enticing some men, both in and out of the Church, to parrot his line by advocating planned government guaranteed security programs at the expense of our liberties. Latter-day Saints should be reminded how and why they voted as they did in heaven. If some have decided to change their vote they should repent -- throw their support on the side of freedom -- and cease promoting this subversion. (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, October 1961)
As
we navigate todays turbulent political arena, and discuss ways to
feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, ask yourself this;
Who's
plan am I supporting?
