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Social Justice Book Mormon - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 6th Mar, 2011 - 12:43am
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Mormon Socialism
Post Date: 27th Mar, 2010 - 11:08am / Post ID: #
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Social Justice In The Book Of Mormon
Social justice in the Book of Mormon
Liberal political philosopher Rawls was a leading proponent of social justice. Chris Henrichsen, who teaches political science at BYU and is a self-described "Rawlsian," discussed several places where he thinks the economic and social teachings of Mormon scripture line up with Rawls' liberal secular philosophy. Ref. Source 8
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Mormon Book The Justice Social
From what I can see in the article, Mr. Henrichsen is really stretching to equate social justice with what is in the Book of Mormon. I find it chilling he does.
QUOTE In the Grand Council, the issue is agency. In Rawls' imaginary "original position" meeting, the issue is different.
"(Rawls) argues that in the conditions of the original position, within the veil of ignorance, we would chose basic liberty - equality, ... As well as a certain form of economic equality," Henrichsen said.
"(Rawls) argues that in the conditions of the original position, within the veil of ignorance, we would chose basic liberty - equality, ... As well as a certain form of economic equality," Henrichsen said.
"Basic liberty" = equality? That is in the Book of Mormon? Yes, everyone is equal in the eyes of God. But what other ways does the Book of Mormon talk about equality?
QUOTE Henrichsen sees Mormonism as a balance between the individual and the community.
"Do Mormons believe in social justice?" he asked. "Essentially, I think the way we have to answer that question is 'yes.'"
"Do Mormons believe in social justice?" he asked. "Essentially, I think the way we have to answer that question is 'yes.'"
He tries to obfuscate it a little bit, but the foundation of what he is talking about is socialism, which all of the Prophets have condemned. That is, government confiscation of wealth (primarily through confiscation of income) to distribute, based on government standards, to those who do not have wealth.
Yes, he uses the Mormon belief in a Grand Council to try to make it sound all noble and godly. But he clearly is talking about government interference in personal liberty in order to create social liberty - equality. It is obvious to me that he is not talking about equality of opportunity or equality before the law, but rather equality of "stuff", possessions, wealth, results. This is completely opposite the concept of stewardship.
The scriptures, as I understand them, tell us to care for the widowed and fatherless. We are to take care of the sick, the orphans, the elderly. I have yet to see a single example anywhere in the scriptures that tells us we should form governments and give them power to confiscate our goods, restrict our actions, and act as "savior" to the world. We are EACH told to do good works. Yet social justice is talking about the government doing the good works for us, so we don't have to. Does the government act of taking our goods and distributing it to the "poor" make each of us more charitable? Does it make us more Christlike? Does it move us towards the Celestial Kingdom?
Social justice is NOT compatible with the teachings of the Book of Mormon. It is part of the Marxist/Leninist/Progressive philosophy.
Social Justice In The Book Of Mormon Studies Doctrine Mormon
Guess that's why he is considered a "liberal political philosopher" and not prophet, so if you want to be a "Rawlsian" then we know its all just an angle on something with a bit of religion. Kind of reminds me of mingling scripture with the words of men.
Mormon Book The Justice Social
ChicaSUD, what is social justice, in your view?
In the common political discourse, social justice is the government taking money from those who work and give it to those who do not deserve it. It includes reparations for things done to distant ancestors over 100 years ago. It includes "collective salvation" as described here: (Source 1, source 2
QUOTE This new collective spirituality leads people into a socialistic community where rituals, practices, and social justice become a means of salvation, but not the salvation you think of in a personal sense of being born-again through Jesus Christ. This is a collective salvation [1] that includes whole cultures and communities who follow the way of someone referred to as Jesus.
Here is another little quote that applies: (see source 1 above)
QUOTE . . .Most church attendees have no idea of what's actually going on behind the scenes in their particular denominations. There's a certain comfort in knowing that you are worshiping in the same faith tradition as your parents and grandparents. Unfortunately, the only intact part of that traditional faith may be the denominational name. Few Christian parishioners have any idea where the money they donate actually ends up. Here's a clue:
The money sent to ministries sponsored by the NCC go to support a variety of Social Justice values - many of which are clearly Marxist/socialistic values: communal salvation (as opposed to individual salvation), open borders, sanctuary for illegal aliens, an immediate end to the war in Iraq, and eradicating America's Whiteness (White Privilege) once and for all. Warfare conducted by a nation (bad) is not viewed in the same light as a revolution (good). Social Justice, born of Marxist Liberation Theology, promotes the view that Jesus was a revolutionary leader and any revolution by an oppressed people against the established order is considered a Christian duty. Need I go on? . . .
The money sent to ministries sponsored by the NCC go to support a variety of Social Justice values - many of which are clearly Marxist/socialistic values: communal salvation (as opposed to individual salvation), open borders, sanctuary for illegal aliens, an immediate end to the war in Iraq, and eradicating America's Whiteness (White Privilege) once and for all. Warfare conducted by a nation (bad) is not viewed in the same light as a revolution (good). Social Justice, born of Marxist Liberation Theology, promotes the view that Jesus was a revolutionary leader and any revolution by an oppressed people against the established order is considered a Christian duty. Need I go on? . . .
So, the reason I ask what you mean by social justice is that I certainly hope that you have a different definition than those given above. The definitions and descriptions above are what the liberal (nominal) Christian churches mean. I find these ideas to be completely opposite what is taught in the Book of Mormon, as well as all of the teachings of all the Prophets up to President Benson.
We believe in loving our neighbors, helping them, providing assistance to the poor and fatherless. Social justice is the idea of government taking the money away from you and me, paying lots of unproductive people to set up all sorts of rules and regulations, then give it to people who may, or may not, need it, in order to change the social structure. It puts the power of temporal salvation into the hands of uncaring bureaucrats, and takes it out of the hands of the individual.
As I understand things, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about us becoming more like the Lord. We do that by doing His work. Social justice takes those acts away from us and supposedly does those works "in our names". We do not develop spiritual power by empowering the government to do our good deeds.
So, what do you mean by social justice? And how does the scriptures support it?
Post Date: 1st Mar, 2011 - 1:49am / Post ID: #
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Social Justice In The Book Of Mormon
The case for Book of Mormon socialism
Whether one accepts the historical or theological claims of the Book of Mormon, one theme in it is obvious: At their most righteous, the Nephites presented in the book were benevolent socialists; at their most depraved, they were greedy free-market capitalists. Ref. Source 5
Social Justice The Book Mormon
I read through the article referenced above, and found quite a few problems with it. Those problems lie mostly in the assumptions the author made about Jesus' teachings, Joseph Smith's teachings, what the Book of Mormon teaches, and what people such as Mitt Romney and Glenn Beck say about capitalism. The author takes a classic liberal socialist viewpoint and attempts to twist LDS beliefs to fit.
I am sure he is correct when saying that he met many Mormon socialists in England. The problem is the differences between socialism and Zion.
Start with one of his opening statements.
QUOTE At their most righteous, the Nephites presented in the book were benevolent socialists; at their most depraved, they were greedy free-market capitalists.
Were they socialists? Did they advocate that the government take away all the means of production and a group of bureaucrats decide who got the spoils? Or did they espouse the doctrines of Zion wherein each individual made the choice to share his or her goods with others?
What did Joseph Smith say about it? He proclaimed that Socialism is NOT of God. This happened after attending a meeting where socialism was explained to him.
I am currently reading a book by Hyrum Andrus entitled Liberalism, Conservatism, Mormonism. This was written in the mid-1960s, and is possibly even more appropriate to today's political world.
The author, in this book, explains that:
QUOTE Ordinarily, individual freedom and social union are opposing ideals that cannot be reconciled in a social relationship. This is also true of individual freedom and social authority. They are antithetical. They stand in opposite corners of society and make war on each other. To foster one is to destroy the other. And yet, in their proper expression, they are all worthy ideals; and they must all be given their rightful expression in a true society.
He further explains:
QUOTE To organize and regulate a free society so as to establish peace and prosperity and social justice, Joseph Smith said, requires "the wisdom of God, the intelligence of God, and the power of God." 1 Only by the influence of divine truth and power can man be regenerated, sanctified, and raised to a spiritual plane that makes possible the establishment of true brotherhood and social authority, without infringing upon individual freedom.
Later chapters show the vast difference between the principles and activities of Zion, which protect and defend individual freedom, and Socialism that seeks to regiment society at the expense of individual freedom.
This is where the above mentioned article misses the point, as do most people who embrace Socialism (modern Liberalism) as well as Conservatism. The Nephites did NOT live as benevolent socialists. They lived in a Zion community.
Now, to bring this clearly into the present discussion about "social justice".
QUOTE The mission of the Latter-day Saints is to establish freedom, develop brotherhood and maintain social authority under the gospel plan, so as to raise the society of Zion to be an ensign of religious, social, economic, and political truth to the world. This they must do to fulfil the responsibility that God has placed upon them to build up Zion in these latter days.
To accomplish these purposes they must first hold fast to the fundamental principles of freedom that are guaranteed to us in the Constitution of the United States. Second, within this framework of freedom and justice they must build up the free, united, and inspired social and economic order of Zion. Finally, they must gather all known truth to Zion and integrate it into the core of gospel truth and power. In pursuing the latter effort, they should not merely gather some of the truths of the gospel into a given man-made discipline or field of thought without changing the assumptions upon which it rests, for this is the reverse of that which is intended by the divine plan. The building of Zion requires, instead, the establishment of a new synthesis; and that synthesis must be the revealed truths of the restored gospel.
The integration of other areas of truth into the divine principles and powers of the gospel will then elevate all things to a higher spiritual plane and make possible new arrangements of thought more consistent with eternal reality, as well as new social relationships that are otherwise unattainable among men. Only then will all things yield free obedience to the truth and the authority of Jesus Christ. This is social authority in its highest ideal.
In the writer's opinion, modern liberalism militates against the achievement of this ideal, because it is almost wholly intellectual in its approach to the problem of achieving social justice, instead of being first spiritual and then intellectual in its approach. It proposes, for example, that man-made devices, including the welfare state, be the essential means of achieving social justice. Such a course lays the foundation for defeat instead of success in the quest for social justice, for man must first be elevated to the proper spiritual plane before he can achieve this objective.
To accomplish these purposes they must first hold fast to the fundamental principles of freedom that are guaranteed to us in the Constitution of the United States. Second, within this framework of freedom and justice they must build up the free, united, and inspired social and economic order of Zion. Finally, they must gather all known truth to Zion and integrate it into the core of gospel truth and power. In pursuing the latter effort, they should not merely gather some of the truths of the gospel into a given man-made discipline or field of thought without changing the assumptions upon which it rests, for this is the reverse of that which is intended by the divine plan. The building of Zion requires, instead, the establishment of a new synthesis; and that synthesis must be the revealed truths of the restored gospel.
The integration of other areas of truth into the divine principles and powers of the gospel will then elevate all things to a higher spiritual plane and make possible new arrangements of thought more consistent with eternal reality, as well as new social relationships that are otherwise unattainable among men. Only then will all things yield free obedience to the truth and the authority of Jesus Christ. This is social authority in its highest ideal.
In the writer's opinion, modern liberalism militates against the achievement of this ideal, because it is almost wholly intellectual in its approach to the problem of achieving social justice, instead of being first spiritual and then intellectual in its approach. It proposes, for example, that man-made devices, including the welfare state, be the essential means of achieving social justice. Such a course lays the foundation for defeat instead of success in the quest for social justice, for man must first be elevated to the proper spiritual plane before he can achieve this objective.
The second chapter of the book compares Plato's REPUBLIC with Zion and shows how Plato explained that a society filled with social justice would be highly regulated and leave individuals with very little liberty to make their own choices. This sounds exactly like Russian and Chinese communism, and even more like National Socialism (Nazism).
He does not advocate Conservatism either, although he does note that Conservatism is somewhat closer to Zion it still attempts to resolve social issues in defiance of God's will.
So, back to the article. The author of the article obviously does not listen to Glenn Beck, nor does he know anything at all about Mitt Romney. Glenn Beck talks about preparedness, both temporal and spiritual, turning to God in prayer, and personal liberty and responsibility. Mitt Romney pushed through the biggest social program in the United States before Obamacare. Neither one advocates "unbridled capitalism".
I advocate learning more about what people who push for "social justice" are really trying to sell. Even if they say that they are Mormon, is certainly is not what the Book of Mormon teaches.
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One last point before I post this.
QUOTE At their most righteous, the Nephites presented in the book were benevolent socialists; at their most depraved, they were greedy free-market capitalists.
Free-market capitalism has improved more lives, and provided more opportunity than any other system in the history of the world - bar one. That one, of course, was the Nephites immediately following the ascension of the Lord - when they lived in a state of Zion.
TOPIC: Social Justice In The Book Of Mormon