16th Principle of Freedom

The Government Should be Separated into Three Branches - Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

I don't know what to write about this principle. What I was surprised to read is that many of the founding fathers were against separated government at the federal level, even though many of them used it at the state level. It seems to me that the best way to prevent a monarchy is to separate each government process (legislating, executing law, and judging law) into three separate bodies (President, Congress, Courts). I do know that many fear an aristocracy more than a monarchy, one tyrant is better than 500.

Do you think three branches are better for Federal Government? Would it be better if legislating and judging the law were left to the States and executing those laws was reserved for a president at the federal level? Would it give the States more control over Federal Government? And would that be a good thing?

15th Principle of Freedom

The Highest Level of Prosperity Occurs when there is a Free-market Economy and a Minimum of Government Regulations.

I only have one topic I would like to cover concerning this principle. Preventing "debauchery of the cultural standards and moral fiber of society by commercial exploitation of vice - pornography, obscenity, drugs, liquor, prostitution, [and] commercial gambling" is listed as an area "of legitimate responsibility which properly [belongs] to the government." (The 5000 Year Leap pg. 181) This is one of the few areas that the government is to be allowed to regulate commerce.

In a colloquium on the Declaration of Independence I held my ground that government should not legislate against pornography, that it would open a floodgate of legislation allowing the government to hinder any type of business they would like. Through study of 'The 500o Year Leap' and internal pondering, I realize I was wrong. I do think that it could possibly open such a floodgate, but that is because the moral fiber of the people has gone down the tubes, and few know anything about Natural Law, or how to tell what is natural law and what is not. Individuals have forgotten to listen to the Spirit of God within them, revealing truth. If we, as the general public were to turn back to natural law, then we would elect those who understand natural law and then they would legislate according to natural law. This can only be achieved through education, self-education...You, Not Them.

PS. I do have a question for anyone that would like to comment. The US Constitution states that Congress has power "To coin money, regulate the value therof..." (Article I, Section IIX). Instead they have delegated that responsibility to a private bank, the Federal Reserve. Would Congress do a better job than the Federal Reserve? Why?

14th Principle of Freedom

Life and Liberty are Secure Only so Long as the Right to Property is Secure.

I tried and tried to write a blog on this principle, but I found myself simply summarizing this chapter. So, because I think this chapter was so great, I must refer you to the text rather than write a lengthy discourse (The 5000 Year Leap, pp. 169-177). I can't even find one or two things that really stuck out to me because I would then commence summarizing the entire chapter again.

13th Principle of Freedom

A Constitution Should be Structured to Permanently Protect the People from the Human Frailties of their Rulers.

As a boy scout I was taught to make a fire break around my campfire. All flammables were to be removed in a 10 foot ring around the fire, some sort of fire ring, such as large stones should be erected. A campfire should have a limited amount of fuel to produce the heat needed for heating and cooking. Compare this to a fire started in the midst of a heavy forest with large amounts of fuel. Imagine the devastation this would cause for anyone in the surround area. "Government...like fire...is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." (George Washington quoted in The 5000 Year Leap pg. 165)

Government is like fire. It provides a very useful service to mankind but if not restricted to it's proper place, with limited amounts of fuel, the devastation is very great indeed. We must always be wary of those in power while respecting them as individuals.

I know myself enough to know that everyone should distrust my motives from time to time. I am a child of God with a fallen nature. As such I am subject to moments of greatness and moments of 'worseness', or wickedness. We should be wary of ourselves and constantly work to produce the 'child of God' within us rather than manifesting our fallen nature. Then we will have leaders worth electing, they might be you.

12th Principle of Freedom

The United States of America Shall be a Republic.

Skousen lays out why a Republic guards freedom better than a Democracy. The most obvious to me is that a true republic consisting of 300,000,000 Americans as a legislative body would be very unwieldy. I could see the general public texting their vote on each piece of legislation just like they do for candidates on American Idol. Because each of us have lives to live, we wouldn't be able to focus on each issue and would choose according to the best information we had at the time, which might be only our mood at the moment. This is not the best way. Unfortunately, too many of our legislators currently have the same attitude when it comes to legislating.

Neal A. Maxwell, a religious leader, shared in his biography his experience working for a member of congress. He explains that one day the congress member rushed in at the last minute before a vote on a certain measure and asked, "How am I voting on this again?" before rushing off to cast it. This is appalling to me. This obviously is a problem with the majority of the American people. If the best are not being voted into office, it is because people are not at their best. As was pointed out to me in a comment from Jody Tate, "...we have precious few citizens who are virtuous or moral, let alone political leaders. 'But neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.' (Samuel Adams, quoted in The 5000 Year Leap, p 59)"

Our Republic has guaranteed our liberties for a long time, but people are becoming corrupt, forgetting everything, and everyone, but themselves. This is the day of MYspace, I-phones, I-pods, me, me, me, me. I think we can save our Republic if we begin to adopt the motto, "God, Family, Republic", instead of Me, Mine, My.

11th Principle of Freedom

The Majority of the People May Alter or Abolish a Government Which has Become Tyrannical.

"...whenever the legislators endeavour to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they [the officials of government] put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience..." (John Locke quoted in The 5000 Year Leap, pg. 148)

"...when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their RIGHT, it is their DUTY, to throw off such government and to provide new guards for their future security." (Declaration of Independence Emphasis Added)

Though our 'right' and 'duty' may be to 'throw off' a tyrannical government, though we may be 'absolved from any further obedience' to such government in our opinion, because we have agreed to be citizens, along with our fellow-citizens, we must do all things in wisdom. It is not in accordance with principles for the minority to rise up in revolt without consent of the majority. Our responsibility, as a minority, lies then in educating the majority until the majority see the 'long train of abuses and usurpations'.

Though revolt of the minority is not a right, does not feel right, I do believe that the minority has the right to remove themselves from a tyrannical situation. This is in accordance to 'Natural Law', or according to inspiration from the Spirit of God which bears witness with my spirit. So, we have our options. I choose to keep educating the majority.

10th Principle of Freedom

The God-given Right to Govern is Vested in the Sovereign Authority of the Whole People.

How often do we say, or feel, "You can't tell me what to do!" or "You have no right?" This is because this is a principle, a 'Natural Law' and as such comes from inside of us naturally.

William Wallace (of Braveheart fame) claimed that he was no traitor to the English King because he had never pledged allegience to him. His allegience was always with Scotland (In Freedom's Cause by George Alfred Henty). He led a valiant attempt to free Scotland from the rule of a usurper. He was executed by the king, but his cause continued after his death with Sir Archibald Forbes, and Robert the Bruce who later became the rightful king of Scotland (I think...I haven't finished the book yet.) Forbes also claimed, when brought before the king, that he could not be called a traitor because he had never sworn allegience to the English crown. He had the fortune to escape his imprisonment after King Edward's death. Both of these freedom fighters were putting forth this correct principle, that the right to govern comes from the people, and the people of Scotland hadn't given that right to the English.

If the people have determined how someone is to be appointed to positions of honor and authority to 'rule' over them, and a person gets into power in violation of what the people have determined, then the people are under no obligation to follow that person. Not only must the majority of a people consent to an individual retaining power over them, that person must do it in accordance with the 'supreme law' of the land, which comes from the people. If someone takes power in violation of the supreme law, or does not meet the requirements of the supreme law set up by the people, that person has no right to be called the President, or the King, or whatever the position of leadership is titled. That person is entitled to no title until the people both consent to their leadership AND alter/abolish their form of government so that their form of government allows such and such person.

9th Principle of Freedom

To Protect Man's Rights, God has Revealed Certain Principles of Divine Law.

God's law is the supreme law of the land, of the world. Any law enacted contrary to His laws are inappropriate and are of no force. Now they can be enforced by those in power, but they are still not law when they are in direct violation of a higher law. The US Constitution was to be only one check on government and is referred to within itself as "the supreme law of the land". All laws enacted that are in agreement with the Constitution are also to be the supreme law of the land. These statements, taken together with the principle of "the laws of nature and of nature's God" as stated in the Declaration of Independence, are another check on the wanton legislation of government and guarantee in writing that any law in violation of these 'supreme laws' has no effect.

Naturally we must be wise and determine whether the cost of running against an illegitimate government and it's laws is worth it, or if our families, associates, and the human race in general would be better served if we patiently endure what we must put up with now so that we can work for a better future. To me there are some things worth fighting for, others worth dying for, and others are not worth either, especially if I can save the time and energy for more effective and productive pursuits. I can break myself trying to stop the wave, or I can ride the waves that come while working on a levee that will keep the waves at bay in the future. I'll leave it to you to decide which is more effective.

8th Principle of Freedom

Men are Endowed by Their Creator with Certain Unalienable Rights.

I've had several conversations with a co-worker about 'Unalienable rights', especially about a right to 'alter or abolish' forms of government when they begin to endanger our god given rights. He has used the argument on more than one occasion that there are not 'unalienable' rights, that those rights are taken from people all the time. Here's my answer to that.

Men ARE endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights. It is true that the exercise of our rights may be restricted by others, but it doesn't mean we don't still have a right to them. They will be our rights in the eternities (if we don't give them up through sin) and those who attempt to restrict the free exercise of those rights will have given up certain of their rights when they stand before God at the judgement.

Someone may take my life. It does NOT mean that I don't still have a right to it. That is unless I'VE murdered someone, or prevented the exercise of their right to life, then I've given up MY right to life, for "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed..." (Genesis 9:6) I suppose in the same way, we can give up our rights to just about anything through improper use of our freedom to choose. We must respect and strive to protect everyone's rights, and the exercising of their rights. In so doing, we will be protecting our rights.

7th Principle of Freedom

The Proper Role of Government is to Protect Equal Rights, Not Provide Equal Things.

At our 6/19/09 Colloquium, one of the discussions we had was about Denali Kid Care, Medicaid, and other government programs and whether it is acceptable, or wise, to use them or not. After reading the chapter on this principle in The 5000 Year Leap, I have one thing to add to our conversation. Let me say that, if facing the birth of a child, and I had no, or limited, health insurance, I would not walk around to my neighbors and take $10 from each of them without asking. I wouldn't steal a barrel of oil from BP to help finance that birth. I might ask for help, I might beg, but I would NOT take without asking. When I accept any government assistance, I have to face the fact that I am doing this indirectly. Is this hard to swallow? Absolutely. Does this mean that I won't take the 'Earned Income Credit' or the 'Additional Child Tax Credit' on my taxes, (which can result in getting more tax money back than I paid) when I qualify? Does it mean I refuse government money, taken from the people, to finance mine or my child's education? I don't know. I need to discuss it with God. I need to look inside me. I hope you do too.

6th Principle of Freedom

All Men are Created Equal

We feel it a 'self-evident' truth, a principle, that all men are created equal, but we know that everyone is born different and everyone stays that way. So what does 'created equal' mean? If we focus on the word 'created', which denotes there is a 'Creator', then we can look to this Creator for His meaning of 'equal'.

An Apostle of this Creator, Simon Peter, stated, "...God is no respecter of persons:" (Acts 10:34) showing that God has no respect as to our lineage or circumstances, but he further elaborates, "But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." (Acts 10:35) So to the extent that we respect the Creator and do his will, we are accepted. If we don't fear Him, and we work unrighteousness, then we are not accepted. Thus, due to our own choices, we are not necessarily equals before God, and we can't be equals with men, but we can be equal in receiving equal rewards and penalties for our actions. Skousen, in The 5000 Year Leap states that we can be TREATED as equals in (1) the sight of God, in (2) the sight of the law, and in (3) the protection of our rights (pg. 103).

The 'Creator' Himself, Jesus Christ, said, "...begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Luke 3:8) Paul elaborated on this, "...they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham...And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:9, 29) God made a covenant with Abraham and his seed forever. Yet he was just and fair, and didn't limit our blessings and opportunities depending on our lineage. Instead he arranged a way for everyone to be 'adopted', to become the seed of Abraham, thus being able to share in the covenant and blessings reserved for Abraham's children.

We could all take a lesson from our Creator, since we are created in His image, and as such share His attributes. We ought to recognize the differences in individuals, embrace those differences, see them as 'created' sons and daughters of the 'Creator' and treat everyone 'equally'.

5th Principle of Freedom

All Things Were Created by God, Therefore upon Him All Mankind are Equally Dependent, and to Him They are Equally Responsible.

Believe it or not, I am writing this on my laptop computer that does not have a manufacturing date, for one simple reason, it wasn’t manufactured. That’s right, my laptop started as a single byte in the silicon valley and through the miracles of nature it became two bytes, then four and then evolved to become a hard drive with 80 gigabytes, then added a monitor, and finished off with a keyboard all on it’s own with no intervention at all. I know this sounds impossible, but I have a certain magic that makes it all possible. You’ve heard of this magic I think, it is most often referred to in your textbooks as ‘millions of years’. I didn’t believe it at first either, but since I have never seen the individuals that others testify have manufactured my laptop, then the only reasonable explanation is that it just suddenly came into being over millions of years. Absurd? Yes. If millions of years won’t produce a computer, how can anyone possibly believe anything other than that we were created and as such, there must be a Creator. And more so, if we simply look inside ourselves, we know there is a God. All things testify there is a God, and so do I.

Malfunction

I had scheduled my posts for the 3rd and 4th Principles of Freedom to post automatically the morning of 6/23/09 but something went wrong and they didn't post. My apologies to those who expected to see these posts this morning. I am going to schedule the 5th and 6th Principles of Freedom to automatically post the morning of 6/24. I apologize in advance if it doesn't work again.

4th Principle of Freedom

Without Religion the Government of a Free People Cannot be Maintained.

It is foolish for groups and individuals to maintain that morals can be maintained without religion, or that morality is ‘old-fashioned’, ‘out-of-date’, or not needed anymore. We’ve seen the result of decades of this loss of morality and religion, how can people maintain that we’re better without it?

If the “Five points of fundamental religious belief” (see page 78, The 5000 Year Leap) were taught in our schools, people would be happy, there would be a purpose to life and a purpose to maintaining a government that grants liberty instead of captivity. If religion is not taught in your child’s school, you have two choices… you can change your child’s school, or you can change your child’s school. Meaning that you can attempt to influence the school board to encourage religious or at least moral instruction (which won’t happen as long as they are addicted to federal funds) or you can remove your child and place them in a different school (like a home school).

“The whole power over the subject of religion is left exclusively to the state governments…” (Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story as quoted in The 5000 Year Leap) There is not the impenetrable ‘wall’ between church and state at the State or local levels. The tenth amendment to the US Constitution states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it (the constitution) to the States is left to the States respectively or to the people.” The constitution specifically states two things concerning religion, “…no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” (Article Six, US Constitution) and “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” (1^st Amendment, US Constitution) So according to the tenth amendment, since there is nothing in the constitution ‘prohibiting’ States from making a law respecting an establishment of religion, and nothing is ‘delegated’ to Congress to make such laws, then it is left to the States or the people to be able to make laws respecting establishments of religion. Thus it is appropriate and legal for state and county courthouses to display the ten commandments if they choose, it is appropriate and legal for schools to have the Pledge of Allegience and state that this is a “Nation under God”, it is appropriate and legal for schools to have a day of prayer or a moment of silence if they so choose. The US Constitution specifically prohibits the federal government from getting involved in such things and prohibiting such things. Obviously it is best that no one religion gets any preference under law, even state or local laws, but it is also best that God gets preference under law, as David was inspired to write, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalms 9:17)

3rd Principle of Freedom

The Most Promising Method of Securing a Virtuous and Morally Stable People is to Elect Virtuous Leaders.

Where are the virtuous leaders? Where can they be found? Instead of leading the people in the cause of liberty, in government, they are business leaders, education leaders, religious leaders, etc. Why? Skousen makes the point that elected positions that are posts of honor or power AND posts of profit lead to the most corrupt, scheming individuals to seek those positions. It is not that good men don’t seek these positions as well, but the wicked men pull out all stops, they hit below the belt, so to speak, to ensure their victory. They are tireless in their own selfishness and self-aggrandizing. An honest and virtuous man, on the other hand does not resort to such tactics and unfortunately, if the people aren’t careful and don’t educate themselves, they will tend to seek the dishonest man because he is not made out to be so dishonest by his opponent.

By the way, here is what I would propose to fix this problem if I had some power to do so. Instead of allowing congress to set their own salaries, perhaps a good idea might be to amend the constitution to state that the salaries for all elected government officials will be equal to the median national income, or the average income in their respective states. An amendment like this of course would never come through congress as it sits currently, but 2/3 of the several states can, according to Article Five of the US Constitution, call a convention to amend the constitution without congress. This would not fix all problems, there are many state and local officials that are overpaid, but a similar amendment in state constitutions and local charters would bring about the same effect. Just an idea.

Samuel Adams is quoted in The 5000 Year Leap as saying “…the truest friend to…liberty…so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man.” It is no longer OK for us to choose the lesser of two evils. It is time for us to seek out the best men and women to be our rulers (a ruler should literally be a ruler, someone for everyone to measure themselves against, the best of the best). We may have to look outside of the mainstream. The criteria is set by the Lord, “…thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers…” (Exodus 18:21) and “…He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” (2 Samuel 23:3)

2nd Principle of Freedom

A Free People Cannot Survive Under a Republican Constitution Unless They Remain Virtuous and Morally Strong.

I don’t have much time to elaborate on my studies of this principle considering the inordinate amount of time I spent on the last post. But I will share one thing. Benjamin Franklin is quoted in ‘The 5000 Year Leap’ as saying, “…that general virtue is more probably to be expected and obtained from the education of youth, than from the exhortations of adult persons; bad habits and vices of the mind being, like diseases of the body, more easily prevented [in youth] than cured [in adults]. (pg. 55) If we are going to affect change, we will need to start with the youth, just like the opposition (this is my term for socialists, communists, progressives, liberals) did early in the 20^th century which has brought about our current state of affairs. If we focus our efforts in trying to change and “win-over” adults (like our legislators), we will change very little.

Benjamin Franklin is further quoted as saying, “…that talents for the education of youth are the gift of God; and that he on whom they are bestowed, whenever a way is opened for the use of them, is as strongly called as if he heard a voice from heaven…” (pg. 55) We are the experts in our own home, and I believe God has given us the specific talents we need to raise and educate our children. He is calling us as if with a voice from heaven to do good with this raising and educating. We must teach Virtue and Morality, we must teach good vs. bad, true vs. false, right vs. wrong. We cannot depend on others to do so.

1st Principle of Freedom

“The Only Reliable Basis for Sound Government and Just Human Relations is Natural Law.”

I will not be reiterating or saying in my own words the points Skousen makes because his words can be easily found and read in your very own copy of ‘The 5000 Year Leap’, instead I will be sharing my own thoughts and feelings and at times those may drift from exactly what is being said in the book. That said, the only way most of this will make sense is if you’re reading the principles in the book along with these pitiful blogs of mine.

If we know there is a Supreme Creator, then it naturally follows that the only wise thing to do would be to align our laws with the Creator’s laws, or Natural Law. Skousen gives a list of examples of Natural Law, or concepts and rights that are based in Natural Law, they are:

The concept of UNALIENABLE RIGHTS

The concept of UNALIENABLE DUTIES

The concept of HABEAS CORPUS

The concept of LIMITED GOVERNMENT

The concept of SEPARATION OF POWERS

The concept of CHECKS AND BALANCES to correct abuses by peaceful means

The right of SELF-PRESERVATION

The right to CONTRACT

Laws protecting the FAMILY and the institution of MARRIAGE

The concept of JUSTICE BY REPARATION or paying for damages

The right to BEAR ARMS

The principle of NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

After reading these concepts, rights, laws and principles that are all based in Natural Law, I had to consider what was meant by Natural Law. I couldn’t think of a clear example in scripture concerning several of these concepts such as “No taxation without representation” or the concept of “Limited Government” (perhaps because of my lack of scriptural literacy.) So what is Natural Law and how do I know Natural Law when I see it? I believe that Natural Law is simply… NATURAL, meaning that it is a part of all of us, it is ‘self-evident’. When I think of the examples above, I see that they are self-evident. I naturally believe I have a right to ‘self-preservation’, to protect myself, to keep myself alive and well. I naturally believe that when someone destroys something of mine, they should pay for it…”Justice by Reparation”. I feel inside that if someone comes at me with a baseball bat to injure me, I have a right to wield a baseball bat or a greater weapon in defense of myself or others…”Right to Bear Arms”. I believe it’s wrong for my neighbor to walk in my house and take my food, but I might get together with my neighborhood and agree to help this neighbor by donating 10% of my food to him…’No Taxation without Representation’. When I really sit down and think about this list, I know that they are based in Natural Law.

Now there is a small problem, or opportunity for confusion, in calling it Natural Law and claiming it naturally comes from within, at least there was for me. That problem is that the Lord says, “…the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth…” (Genesis 8:21) and the Book of Mormon says, “…the natural man is an enemy to God…” (Mosiah 3:19) so our “natural” tendencies are evil according to these verses. The problem is calling it “Natural” Law; I might actually call it “Spiritual” Law because it is discerned by our spirits from the Spirit of God. The Apostle Paul says, “…the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God…But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:11, 14) And Peter describes the “natural man” as “…chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness…these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not…” (2 Peter 2:10, 12) Natural Law IS natural in us as seen in the gentiles as explained by Paul “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.” (Romans 2:14) But though it is “natural” in us, it is because “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit…” (Romans 8:16) And when we go against this “Natural” law which is given to us by the Spirit of God, and “…walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness…” (2 Peter 2:10) then we become ‘natural man’ and “…shall utterly perish in [our] own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness…” (2 Peter 2:12-13) Thus, the Spirit of God gives Natural Law to our spirits and we can discern it spiritually. Those of us who have not utterly corrupted ourselves can discern between desires of the flesh and spiritual desires, thus, without any textbook whatsoever, simply by looking within ourselves, we know what Natural Law is, the same way we know right and wrong, good and bad. It helps us clarify and prove what we know inside when we find outside evidence, like when we have a book that lays out the 28 principles of freedom, but it is already within us as the Lord says, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…” (Jeremiah 31:33)

The 5000 Year Leap

At our June 2009 ‘Leadership Education Colloquium” in North Pole, Alaska we discussed Part I of ‘The 5000 Year Leap’ by Cleon Skousen and the US Constitution. We had a warm (read semi-heated) and friendly discussion on many topics not limited to either Skousen’s book or the Constitution. For our July colloquium we will be discussing Part II of “The 5000 Year Leap” which is composed of “the 28 principles of Freedom our Founding Fathers said must be understood and perpetuated by every people who desire peace, prosperity, and freedom.” (back cover, The 5000 Year Leap)

I will add two posts each weekday morning (we’ll see if I can actually keep up) from 22 June through 9 July about each of these principles. Hopefully it will be as enlightening and informational for you as it will be for me to study and write about it.