Politics...

I do not intend to make this a primarily political blog... but the subject weighs on my mind especially with respect to the recent elections.

I am not happy with the result of the Presidential elections, although I would not have been happy had McCain won either. This election amounted to a choice between two members of one of the most unsuccessful congresses in American history. Neither one of these canidates has the power to fulfil all the promises that were made. I can only hope that the 'change' that Obama was referring to wasn't sending a judge to the Supreme Court that is inclined to legislate from the bench.

I suppose I should look on the bright side though. In California, a judge that chose to legislate from the bench determined that Proposition 22 (which had won the support of the people of California and defended that marriage be defined as only between a man and a woman) was unconstitutional and overturned it. Proposition 8 was a proposed ammendment to the California constitution to defend the will of the people against the court by re-establishing the definition that marriage only be permitted between a man and a woman. Fortunately, this proposition appears to have passed.

This issue was considered controversial, partly due to the controversial nature of gay marriage, and partly due to the involvement of religious groups in the support of this initiative. I do not wish to spend time discussing the nature of gay marriage, but rather the involvement of my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with respect to this issue. To my surprise, many members of my church have written letters and made statements indicating their disaproval of the leadership of the church supporting prop 8. Secular groups produced videos portraying missionaries entering the homes of homosexual couples to take away their 'rights.'

This issue, in my mind, is even more important than the contest between Obama and McCain. The presidential competition represented the conflict between two politicians, but the fight with prop 8 represented a much older, much more hateful conflict. It is a front in the war between good and evil. There are those that may think this conflict has no place in politics, but I would argue that this conflict is more important than global warming, saving spotted owls, or redistributing the wealth earned by Joe the plumber. It is more important than healthcare, than education, or than our foreign policy in Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan combined. It is the conflict between good and evil.

Though there are those that would say these are relative terms, or that these concepts have no place in government, I believe that good and evil are tied very closely to our nation's past, present, and future. This land is the promised land. When the waters of the flood receded from its surface, this land was set apart by God himself to be choice above all others. It was he that declared that the people that should possess it must either serve him, or be swept of in the day they are ripe with iniquity. These are not idle words either... the people of Jared, of Nephi, of Laman, they have all been met with terrible slaughter when they chose to defy their master. Those that arrogantly believe that we are somehow better than these ancient peoples are mistaken.

God has sent us a witness of these peoples, as a voice from the dust. The Book of Mormon is a powerful statement that God hopes we will learn from the mistakes of those that have gone before. Those that keep his commandments will help ensure victory and preserve the freedoms of this promised land; those that defy him will lead us down the path of defeat and destruction.

Abraham Lincoln was asked once "Mr.President, we trust during this time of trial in which the nation is engaged, God is on our side and will give us victory." His profound response is perhaps more pertinent in this issue than any other:

"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side. My great concern is to be on God's side. For God is always right!"