The Palm of His Hands

Fear Not, Doubt Not

My views on Current Politics and Religion

My thoughts today are on politics and religion; the two topics that you should never post about fearing that you will offend someone. If you will be offended by either politics or religion you might not want to read on. Hopefully you will read on and add your comments to the discussion.

I used to joke that I wanted to make a bumper sticker that read “Mormons for Hillary – Bring on the Millennium Now!” Now with Trump being the presumptive Republican nominee some Utahan’s are saying they would rather vote for Hillary than Trump so the state of Utah, one of the most Republican states in the U.S., might vote for a democrat for the first time since 1964.

Why are so many lifelong republicans willing to cross party lines and vote for a democrat? Because they can’t bring themselves to vote for Donald Trump. They see him as a spoiled child that if he doesn’t get his way he takes his ball and goes home. Not only goes home, but then demeans, cries foul and throws a temper tantrum until the veins in his face almost burst. His insults and condescending attitude are repulsive to many.

His supporters feel that because he is not a career politian and does not take money from special interests that no one can buy him. They like that he stands up to those who disagree with him, they like him because he is a businessman and knows how to fix things that are not running well or making a profit.

What do I think? I do think he is a great businessman and that experience would be beneficial to our government. I think he is an actor. He knows how and what to say to give him the headlines. Why pay for advertising when the newspapers and reporters will give it to him for free if he just stirs the pot a little – well maybe a lot. I think having Trump as the president would be like taking the school bully and making him the poster boy for the anti-bully campaign because he has experienced bullying.

I have often said that I would be willing to vote for a democrat if that person agreed with my philosophy on the purpose of our government, that they are willing to follow God’s commandments and promote laws that promote Christian values, and honor and uphold the constitution as our founding fathers established it. The only problem is I have never found a democrat that has these values and we certainly don’t have one in Hillary Clinton.

Secretary Clinton has lied so many times that she does not know when she is ling. Her involvement in the Bengasi tragedy, the email scandal, the list goes on and on. I truly believe that if she were anyone else she would have been arrested and put in prison. I cannot see any good coming from her being President of the United States. The rest of the world leaders would have less respect for her than they do for our current president.

One of my sons asked who I would vote for if it came down to a choice between Clinton and Trump? I responded that I would vote for Trump because there is no way I would ever vote for Clinton. He said what about the other party candidates? I responded that I could not vote for a third party candidate because that would be splitting the Republican vote and assure a Clinton victory. He reminded me of what President Ezra Taft Benson supposedly said about voting for the lesser of two evils:

If you vote for the lesser of two evils you are still voting for evil and you will be judged for it. You should always vote for the best possible candidate, whether they have a chance of winning or not, and then, even if the worst possible candidate wins, the Lord will bless our country more because more people were willing to stand up for what is right.

That made me think about my last statement. Does my vote matter if I am only casting it for the person I think can win even if that candidate does not agree with my principles? Maybe I should not vote at all – as a protest against the lack of decent candidates? The scriptures tell us that we are to seek for honest and wise men to govern us (D&C 98:10).

I believe that the Constitution of the United States was and still is an inspired document. God, our Heavenly Father, raised up those men to do that work and establish this country and we have a responsibility to support and sustain that inspired document. (see D&C 101:80)

Elder Bryan R. Larsen, our Area Seventy, spoke in our married student ward today. He said that President Dieter F. Uchtodorf, in the April General Authority training made the statement that we did not need to fear about politics and the coming election, he said: “the Lord has a plan and that plan will be carried out no matter what happens in the next election.” What a comforting thought. The politicians will continue to promote their agendas and sin and wickedness may reign for a time but in the end the Lord will prevail and righteousness will win. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord promised:

Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.

Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sinno more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen. (D&C 6:33-37)

That is our answer. We must not fear or doubt that if we trying to do good, to keep the commandments we will be blessed and the Lord will prevail. In the end it really does not matter who the president is of the U.S. or any other country. We are to choose God and look for those that do the same to lead us. If that does not happen then the Lord will be victorious and we shall be blessed for our righteous efforts.

Your comments and questions are welcome.