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ME: Thank you. You mentioned the words “tolerance” and
“neighborliness,” two words that I think can be used in a political context
as well. There has been much said in the church about the Constitution of the
United States being a divinely inspired document and how it paved the way for
the Restoration of the Gospel. The modern church embraces democratic ideals,
such as freedom of speech, worship, the press, and the separation of church and
state. In fact, President Hinckley, you told Larry King, “the Church does not
become involved in politics. We don’t favor any candidate. We don’t permit
our buildings to be used for political purposes. We don’t favor any party.”[87]
While we may be officially neutral in our allegiances, we do emphasize the need
for involvement in the political process. Along with that comes the message that
we must show respect for those holding public office, even if we disagree with
them. Elder Oaks, you have had experience with the law before you were called as
a general authority. What would you have us know about the role of respect in
the world of politics?
ME: What does that
say about how Latter-Day Saints should act toward their public officials? DHO:
They
should be law-abiding citizens, supportive of national, state, and local
governments. The twelfth Article of Faith declares: “We
believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in
obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”…
Citizens should also be practitioners of civic virtue in their conduct toward
government.
Citizens should also be practitioners of civic virtue in their conduct toward
government.[89] ME: President Hinckley, as you know, political debate can
be very heated, especially when two incompatible ideologies are battling one
another… GBH: Political differences never justify hatred or ill
will.[90] ME: President Young, the early Mormons experienced much
persecution and got little, if any, relief from government at all levels. Still,
Joseph Smith was preparing to run for the presidency of the United States in
1844. What are your feelings about the office and our government in general? BY: Who goes to the White House these days?... A gambler
and a drunkard. And the Vice-President is the same. And no man can get either
office unless he is a gambler and a drunkard, or a thief. And who goes to
Congress? You may hunt clear through the Senate and House, and if you can find
any men that are not liars, thieves, whoremongers, gamblers, and drunkards, I
tell you they are mighty few, for no other kind of men can get in there.[91] ME: It sounds like the frustration runs a little deeper
than I thought… BY: Joseph Smith escaped many conspiracies against his
life…. But the Lord said – ‘Now let my servant seal up his testimony with
his blood;’ and that sealed up the damnation of the United States, not of
individuals, but of the nation…. I am prophet enough to prophesy the downfall
of the government that has driven us out…. Wo to the United States! I see them
going to death and destruction.[92] ME: Entirely? Constitution and all?
ME: So the Latter-Day Saints will save the constitution,
but what of the rest of the people of the United States? BY: I hope and pray that the wicked will kill one another
& save us the trouble of doing it.[94] ME: You say you hope this happens… will it happen, and if
so, when? BY: How long will it be before the words of the prophet
Joseph will be fulfilled?... It will not be many years before these words come
to pass.[95] ME: Are you prepared to tell us specifically when? BY: …twenty-six years will not pass away before the
Elders of this Church will be as much thought of as the kings on their thrones.[96] ME: Really? Elder
Kimball, do you subscribe to President Young’s vision of the future? HCK: The Church and kingdom to which we belong will become
the kingdom of our God and his Christ, and brother Brigham Young will become
President of the United States.[97] ME: Now that’s quite a prediction! President Young, I can
clearly see that you are upset with the government, but isn’t some of the
mutual animosity due to the fact that the early saints in Utah stubbornly clung
to polygamy, a practice that was made illegal three times over by Congress
before the Manifesto in 1890? BY: If I had forty wives in the United States, they did not
know it, and could not substantiate it, neither did I ask any lawyer, judge, or
magistrate for them. I live above the law, and so do this people.[98] ME: President Taylor… your thoughts? JT: The people of the rest of the country are our
enemies… When the government conflicts with heaven, we will be ranged under
the banner of heaven and against the Government…. I defy the United States. I
will obey God.[99] ME: But this seems to contradict the Twelfth Article of
Faith. Is it not possible to embrace both the law of God and the law of the
land… or as the Lord said, rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto
God that which is God’s? Do you not support the idea of the separation of
church and state? JT: We used to have a difference between Church and State,
but it is all one now. Thank God, we
have no more temporal and spiritual! We have got Church and State
together.[100] ME: Elder Kimball, just a moment ago you boldly predicted
that Brigham Young would become president. What are your thoughts about your
current president? HCK: …he will die an untimely death, and God Almighty will
curse him; and He will also curse
his successor, if he takes the same stand... God Almighty will curse
them, and I curse them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to
my calling; and if there is any virtue in my calling, they shall be cursed,
every man that lifts his heel against us from this day forth.[101] ME: I’m not sure what to say… HCK: I curse him,
in the name of Israel's God, and by the Priesthood and authority of Jesus
Christ; and the disease that is in him shall sap and dry up the fountain of life
and eat him up. Some of you may think that he has not the disease I allude to;
but he is full of pox from the crown of his head to the point of its beginning.
That is the curse of that man; it shall be so, and all Israel shall say, Amen.[102] ME: Elder Kimball,
If I may… HCK:
May
God Almighty curse such men, ... and every damned thing there is upon the earth
that opposes this people. I tell you I feel to curse them to-day…[103] ME: Elder Kimb… HCK: There are men and women in this congregation of
that stamp. I wish I had some stones; I want to pelt your cursed heads, for you
lie like hell...[104]
ME: Excuse me…
ME: Elder…please, please… Elder Kimball… if you
wouldn’t mind… HCK: I feel, in the name and by the authority of Jesus
Christ and my calling, to curse that man that lifts his heel against my God....
The President of the United States and his coadjutors [sic] that have caused
this thing shall never rest again, for they shall go to hell.[106] ME: Elder Kimball, please… are you finished...? Yes...? Thank you… I believe you’ve answered the question!
[87] Gordon B. Hinckley, Larry King Live, television program, Sept 8. 1998. [88] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Language of Prayer,” Ensign, May 1993, 15. [89] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Divinely Inspired Constitution,” Ensign, Feb 1992, 68. [90] Gordon B. Hinckley, “War and Peace,” Ensign, May 2003, p. 78. [91] Brigham Young, in Hirshon, The Lion of the Lord: A Biography of the Mormon Leader, Brigham Young, 1969, pp. 278-279. [92] Brigham Young, in William S. Harwell, ed., Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1847-1850, 1997, pp. 221, 238 [93] Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 7, p. 15, July 4, 1854. [94] Brigham Young, in “Journal of Heber C. Kimball,” January 2, 1846; see Abanes, One Nation Under Gods, p. 216. [95] Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 12, p. 204. [96] Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p. 40. [97] Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 5, page 219. [98] Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 361. [99] John Taylor, Salt Lake Tribune, January 6, 1880, quoted in Samuel W. Taylor, Rocky Mountain Empire, 1978, p. 29. [100] John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 266. [101] Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p.133. [102] Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p.32. [103] Ibid. [104] Ibid. [105] Ibid. p. 95. [106] Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.38.
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DHO: In my legal training I became familiar with the formal
language lawyers use to address judges during court proceedings. After
graduation I worked for a year as a law clerk to the chief justice of the United
States. We always used the formal title of his office, Chief Justice. Similarly,
communications to our most senior government leaders should be addressed in a
particular way, such as Mr. President, Your Excellency, or Your Majesty. The use
of titles signifies respect for office and authority…
BY: Will the Constitution be destroyed? No: it will be held
inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, ‘The time will come when
the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical
juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened
destruction.’ It will be so.
HCK: I feel to 