Cidoa.org

I struggle with keeping up on politics. I want to be better. I try daily to be better, but there just seems to be so many things pulling me in different directions. But I think now, more than ever, it's irresponsible to not know what's going on in our world. We need to be informed. But where do you get your information? There are so many sources, but it seems everyone has a bias or a slant. Who to trust?

A few weeks ago, a friend of ours decided to start an organization called Citizens in Defense of America. He started a website that you can visit HERE. He has 14 founders, that will make regular blog posts about information they are finding and feel it's important to share. Travis is one of those founders. There is a page with conservative and liberal news feeds. There is a page that directs you to your local and national leader's addresses so you can write to them. I finally feel connected to other's that are as concerned about our country as I am. Or at least other's that I know I trust. I know I will learn more than I contribute, but at least it's a start.

Sometimes it's scary to start digging. I feel like the more I learn, the more anxious I become. Either that, or angry. I may have a glimpse at how brothers fought against brothers in the Civil War. When you feel that passionately about something, you will do anything to protect it.

As I'm learning and forming opinions, I try to reconcile my political beliefs with my religious beliefs. The church hasn't come out in support of any party or affiliation, but urges us to be informed and make our own decisions in line with our values. That's why I found the following clip so interesting. Please watch it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuY5uOsWUz0

If there is anyone I trust, it's our prophets. Ezra Taft Benson was the former Secretary of Agriculture of Dwight D. Eisenhower. When I watched this I hoped he would be direct and not mince words. Well I got my wish. He talks first about truth. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Then he moves on to socialism.

"WE ARE MOVING RAPIDLY DOWN THE SOUL DESTROYING ROAD OF SOCIALISM. THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR. THE CENTRALIZATION OF POWER IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON D.C. IS REDUCING OUR LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS TO VIRTUAL FEDERAL FIELD OFFICES WHILE WEAKENING INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE, ENTERPRISE AND CHARACTER. WITH THE CRASS, UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNSURPTION OF POWER.... THE DAYS AHEAD ARE OMINOUSLY FRIGHTENING. ... IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE BECOME INFORMED..... NO AMERICAN IS WORTHY OF CITIZENSHIP IN THIS GREAT LAND WHO REFUSES TO TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS."

When do you think he gave this address?
 1966.
If he thought we were in trouble then, we're in a world of hurt now. It wasn't the only time he spoke out against socialism. I've found a plethora of quotes by him that warn against it.

I have read about an analogy that I think sums up what our government is trying to do, very well.

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed and entire class.

That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in the class on Obama's plan."

All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive and A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.

The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.

The second test average was a D!

No one was happy.

When the the third test rolled around, the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effor to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

I don't know if this situation actually happened, but that's not the point. The analogy smacks you in the head with truth! I was reading in Glenn Beck's book when a quote from the Economist jumped out at me.

"(France has)... an archaic socialism that fails to understand, or at least to explain, that wealth needs to be created before it can be shared."

I grew up in a family where my dad worked his tail off every day to succeed. Without capitalism and the free market, he'd still be spinning his wheels in square one. And I am SO SICK of hearing all of the Obama voters crying out about how he's going to take care of them. Take care of your own D*@# self! This country didn't fight for indepence so it's citizen's could give up their independence to it's own national government which is sizing up to be worse than the one they were running from. Ya see the anger I was talking about?! I just am finding that I feel very passionately about what's going on right now.

I was reading in 1 Nephi the other night when Nephi is being shown the future by an angel of the Lord. He is shown Columbus crossing the ocean and the pilgrims following. He sees the Revolutionary War.... Chapter 13, verse 18: "And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle". We are told explicitly that God was with the Americans. Why? Because he needed a free land for the Book of Mormon to come forth and the gospel to be restored. America is the Land of Promise! But there is a warning.... verses 6-7, "Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God. For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other- either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken."

Now ask yourself if you think the majority of Americans have hardened their hearts against the Lamb of God. Not a tuffy.

When I was at BYU and took the class, American Heritage, I began to understand why this country is so blessed. I literally gained a testimony of our founding fathers and the Constitution. I wish it was a mandatory credit for all college students. Now I see the Constitution being ignored right along with all those tea party goers. TIME magazine did an issue on 2009 "In Pictures." Nothing on the tea parties. Hmmm. A Republican was just voted into {Red State}Massachusettes. Hmmm. I could go on and on.

My dad used to always tell me, "With great privilege comes great responsibility". If we Americans can call ourselves anything, it's privileged. Too many lives have been lost giving us our rights and privileges. If you're not already taking an active interest in our country, please join me now in doing so.