Do Politics Play a Part in Religion?
Politics have been hard at work around the globe for much of 2020.
Sometimes, laws are made or passed that seem unfair. Some seem
outlandish. Sometimes those laws seem to cross the line of acceptable.
Are politics really necessary? In a perfect world, we would need only one
lawmaker and the people would follow His counsel.
One of the titles of the Savior is “Lawgiver”. Isaiah 33:22 teaches,
“For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he
will save us.” In Doctrine & Covenants 38:22, the Lord Himself recorded,
“Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a free people,
and ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come, for I am your lawgiver,
and what can stay my hand?”
Until the Lord comes again, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue
confess (Mosiah 27:31), we do need to have leaders in place to help us
keep the peace and maintain our rights. A great example of this is the
communication between Pahoran the governor and Captain Moroni.
Moroni, the incredibly intelligent military leader supports the need for
defending the rights of worship and the right to liberty. When he believed
the government to be negligent in supporting such a cause, he threatened
those in the government first. Pahoran, however, had been forced out of
the judgment seat. He responded to Moroni saying, “And now, in your
epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do
rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power,
save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the
liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God
hath made us free.” (Alma 61:9)
This example in the scriptures shows me that we need leaders who speak
up for righteousness and who protect the laws of God. It is our
responsibility to elect righteous leaders.
President Spencer W. Kimball spoke of the importance of the Lord’s plan in
the world. “History unfolded and the world powers came and went after
ruling the world for a little season, but in the early nineteenth century the
day had come. The new world of America had been discovered and
colonized and was being settled. Independence had been gained and a
constitution approved, and freedom given to men, and people were now
enlightened to permit truth to be established and to reign.”1
We needed politics to play a part in the history of the world that the gospel
would have a place where it could be restored. Now, as the world continues
to move closer to the return of the Savior and the voice of the people seem
to call for wickedness over righteousness, we need God-fearing citizens to
call on the government to protect those essential rights.
In a recent address at the annual religious freedom event held at BYU,
Elder David A. Bednar said, “While believers and their religious
organizations must be good citizens in a time of crisis, never again can we
allow government officials to treat the exercise of religion as simply
nonessential. Never again must the fundamental right to worship God be
trivialized below the ability to buy gasoline.” 2
Politics do play a role in religion. Without protective legal measures, there
will be a threat to the freedom of worship. The Lord’s plan requires men
and women to be able to receive the gospel. Our enemy knows that and is
doing everything he can to destroy that plan. We need politicians now more
than ever who will support the principles of the constitution and protect our
fundamental rights that the work of God may go on to fill the earth.
1. “The Stone Cut Without Hands,” President Spencer W. Kimball, General
Conference, April 1976
2. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/bednar-covid-19-
pandemic-religious-freedom