Hinckley Wrong About Responsibility

April 7, 2003

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, President Hinckley told the LDS General Conference April 6: "God will not hold men and women in uniform responsible 'as agents of their government in carrying forward that which they are legally obligated to do.' "

Compare that to the words of King Mosiah in the Book of Mormon that one of the primary elements of freedom was: "that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be answered upon their own heads. For behold I say unto you , the sins of many people have been caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings."

Then, after King Mosiah's monumental speech, the people "relinquished their desire for a king, ...and every man expressed a willingness to answer for his own sins."

That is one of the primary components of agency. The right to choose, and the accompanying responsibility to answer for those choices made.

I find it extremely disturbing that the man who is revered so fondly in the Mormon Church as the 'living prophet' and president of the Church does not have a better understanding of freedom.

He is encouraging a 'just following orders' mentality, and Hitler's Germany is a recent history example of where that leads.

Choose freedom. Choose responsibility.

Sincerely,

Sterling D. Allan
Ephraim, UT

p.s. "Just Following Orders" is no worse spiritually than "just follow the prophet."  How about taking some responsibility for our actions?

Feedback

God Holds Man Responsible

From: **
To: <sterlingda@greaterthings.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 8:27 AM
Subject: Re: Editorial: Hinckley Wrong About Responsibility

I was also disturbed by the talk. The scriptures that immediately came to my mind were DC 134:1..

1 We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.

The fact that he supported the war in Iraq was also disturbing to me because I didn't see how you can reconcile the US actions with DC 98:23 to the end.

Give us a King

Greatest Evil of All

[...]

Geneva Convention Even Knows Better

From: "Dean J Mansfield" <mansfielddj@hotmail.com>
To: <sterlingda@greaterthings.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 11:42 AM
Subject: Re: Editorial: Hinckley Wrong About Responsibility

Dear Sterling,

Ol' man Hinkley is really behind the "power curve" on this one. I am a veteran (Vietnam) and retired Army noncomissioned officer. U.S. soldiers are constantly given classes on the Geneva Convention and the required humane ways to treat prisoners and civilians. No soldier is required to follow any order that would violate these strict laws. In fact, it is the individual soldier's responsibility not to follow an unlawful order, whether from a NCO or commissioned officer. So Hinckley's remarks are meaningless in regards to soldiers in the U.S. military. The U.S. military is way ahead of whatever he may be referring to. Also--I don't think it is known by many--the Air Force includes their Chief of Chaplains when considering targets to bomb. This is to make sure all humane considerations are given concerning noncombatants when plans are made.

There's no way the leadership of the LDS church can claim to be "prophets, seers and revelators." They are regular guys, like any of us, often if not always absurd in their pretensions. The sooner the LDS realize this, the better. Take care & Shalom. Dean.

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