dallin h oaks constitution

“Our loyalty is to the Constitution and its principles and processes, not to any office holder,” President Oaks said. It does require that we exercise our influence civilly and peacefully within the framework of our constitutions and applicable laws. And according to the same principle, it is wrong for citizens to have no voice in the selection of their rulers or the making of their laws. United States Constitution, amendment 10. Each scenario leaves a stain on the document that guides the country. 71-72 [National Congress on Church-related Colleges and … We also see divine inspiration in the First Amendment’s freedoms of speech and press and in the personal protections in other amendments, such as for criminal prosecutions. Accountability, pp. What Rice Does to Human Body. That notion came clearly into view on Sunday when President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke of the principles that underpin the U.S. Constitution, reminding a global church that fidelity to the supreme law of the land — not to personalities, parties or purity tests — is what grants a moral people their freedom to choose and fosters equality among all people. For two hours in the preceding session of the Church of Jesus Christ’s general conference, speakers and musicians emphasized the worldwide nature of the faith. Hopefully that inspired you to learn and do more. I speak from my 15 years as a professor of law and my 3½ years as a justice on the Utah Supreme Court. Excerpt [minus footnotes] from his address, “ Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution,” delivered during the Saturday Morning Session of the 191 Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then members should seek inspiration on how to exercise their influence according to their individual priorities. Source: President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Copies of a speech on the U.S. Constitution given by LDS apostle Dallin H. Oaks are being distributed throughout the country to college professors, journalists and other "opinion leaders." This is part of our article of faith. 3. Neither is the federal government amassing powers once held by the states, the legislative branch relinquishing its authority to the White House or the freedom of speech faltering before academic speech codes. Are children ‘dying like dogs’ in effort to build better batteries? See, generally, Noel B. Reynolds, “The Doctrine of an Inspired Constitution,” in By the Hands of Wise Men, 1–28. First is the principle that the source of government power is the people. God has given His children moral agency—the power to decide and to act. Elder Dallin H. Oaks: Constitution’s principles and freedoms must be protected (LDS Caucus) Deseret News ^ | September 17th, 2010 | Scott Taylor Posted on 09/18/2010 6:41:03 AM PDT by Ripliancum. Skip to comments. International inclusion, Easter messages, 20 new temples mark historic conference, President Dallin H. Oaks: ‘Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution’, New biography of President Dallin H. Oaks shows the man behind the talks, What will unify the Republican Party? We break it down. In the April, 2021 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pres. ”Sovereign power in the people does not mean that mobs or other groups of people can intervene to intimidate or force government action,” Oaks stated. In his many talks on the Constitution, he always praised three fundamentals: (a) the separation of powers into three independent branches of government in a federal system; (b) the essential freedoms of speech, press, and religion embodied in the Bill of Rights; and (c) the equality of all men before the law. We also insist, and we ask our local leaders to insist, that political choices and affiliations not be the subject of teachings or advocacy in any of our Church meetings. Of the five constitutional principles enumerated by President Oaks, none have escaped recent years without wounds. Sovereign power in the people does not mean that mobs or other groups of people can intervene to intimidate or force government action. • Dallin H. Oaks expounded on the U.S. Constitution and reminded members to “refrain from judging one another in political matters.” “We should never assert that a faithful Latter-day Saint cannot belong to a particular party or vote for a particular candidate,” said the former justice. Copyright © 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company. Sustaining of General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers, Bishops—Shepherds over the Lord’s Flock, What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget, Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains, Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution. Our belief in divine inspiration gives Latter-day Saints a unique responsibility to uphold and defend the United States Constitution and principles of constitutionalism. Such independent actions will sometimes require voters to support candidates or political parties or platforms whose other positions they cannot approve.9 That is one reason we encourage our members to refrain from judging one another in political matters. Borrowing the prescription from Berry, it will take a good deal of compassion, magnanimity, courtesy and a sense of mutual obligation — forgotten virtues of our body politic. 4 (2015), 7–23. What has Jesus Christ done for each of us? That equality and the significance of the Constitution diminish when we warp the motivation for its origin, President Oaks said. Patching up a broken country may well begin by reclaiming respect for its governing document. See United States Constitution, article 6. Dallin H. Oaks. I Am a God of Miracles” Talk #3: Timothy J. Dyches “Light Cleaveth unto Light” Talk #4: D. Todd Christofferon “Why the Covenant Path” Talk #5: Alan R. … Source: President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. See David B. Magleby, “The Necessity of Political Parties and the Importance of Compromise,” BYU Studies, vol. Excerpt [minus footnotes] from his address, “ Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution,” delivered during the Sunday Morning Session of the 191 Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk entitled: Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution. Important subjects of lawmaking, such as some laws governing family relationships, have been taken from the states by the federal government. By President Dallin H. Oaks First Counselor in the First Presidency Our belief in divine inspiration gives Latter-day Saints a unique responsibility to uphold and defend the United States Constitution and principles of constitutionalism. Suppression of that newspaper led “directly to the arrest and murder of Joseph Smith,” President Oaks said. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 359). -- The division of delegated power between the nation and its subsidiary states. Cole Durham, Jr., and Dallin H. Oaks, "Constitutional Protections for Independent Higher Education: Limited Powers and Institutional Rights," in Church and College: a Vital Partnership. May 4, 2021 April 27, 2021 EAAGB1. Our belief in divine inspiration gives Latter-day Saints a unique responsibility to uphold and defend the United States Constitution and principles of constitutionalism wherever we live. Here the inspiration was in the practical implementation of principles pioneered in England, beginning with the Magna Carta. Brigham Young held a similar developmental view of the Constitution, teaching that the framers “laid the foundation, and it was for aftergenerations to rear the superstructure upon it” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. Already, more than 1 in 3 Americans live in states where it’s legal to smoke marijuana recreationally. I admit I was surprised when President Oaks, formerly an esteemed professor of law and a member of the Utah Supreme Court, introduced his topic. This obviously means that human slavery is wrong. So too when the document is either neglected by leaders or worshiped as a political slogan. Earlier in his career he had taught at the University of Utah College of Law. 10. In our federal system, this unprecedented principle has sometimes been altered by inspired amendments, such as those abolishing slavery and extending voting rights to women, mentioned earlier. Each citizen must therefore decide which issues are most important to him or her at any particular time. We are to be governed by law and not by individuals, and our loyalty is to the Constitution and its principles and processes, not to any office holder. “In this way, all persons are to be equal before the law.”. Professor G. Homer Durham, later a Church historian, referred to this action as “the great Mormon mistake.” President Oaks’ interest in this subject was sparked in 1958 with inspiration to exami… Significantly, the United States Constitution limits the national government to the exercise of powers granted expressly or by implication, and it reserves all other government powers “to the States respectively, or to the people.”5. How do the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies match up? The First Amendment guarantee of free speech has sometimes been diluted by suppression of unpopular speech. See Mark Tushnet, “Constitution,” in Michel Rosenfeld and András Sajó, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law (2012), 222. That idea was the essence of leaving behind a monarchy for a constitutional republic, but it seems we’ve supplanted the law in some cases with our personal kings. We must pray for the Lord to guide and bless all nations and their leaders. This article was coauthored by Anthony Jackson. It may require changing party support or candidate choices, even from election to election. There are other duties that are part of upholding the inspired Constitution. “On the contrary,” he explained, “we believe it must grow and develop to meet the changing needs of an advancing world.”3 For example, inspired amendments abolished slavery and gave women the right to vote. “The idea of equality is a good one,” he reminds us, “so long as it means ‘equality before the law.’”. I speak for the United States Constitution, which I have studied for more than 60 years. What was God’s purpose in establishing the United States Constitution? The most desirable condition for the exercise of that agency is maximum freedom for men and women to act according to their individual choices. Not long after I began to teach law, an older professor asked me a challenging question about Latter-day Saints’ belief in the United States Constitution. No other human system of government, affording equal protection for human life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, has yet been devised or vouchsafed to man. This Constitution is of special importance to our members in the United States, but it is also a common heritage of constitutions around the world. What else are faithful Latter-day Saints to do? Despite the divinely inspired principles of the United States Constitution, when exercised by imperfect mortals their intended effects have not always been achieved. In this troubled time, I have felt to speak about the inspired Constitution of the United States. Philosophers had advocated this, but the United States Constitution was the first to apply it. Church News - Notable quotes: “We should trust in the Lord and be positive about this nation’s future.” “Independent actions will sometimes require voters to support … We should learn and advocate the inspired principles of the Constitution. wise words from Elder Dallin H. Oaks on The Divinely Inspired Constitution: ... A constitution must therefore give government the power to withstand the cries of a majority of the people in the short run, though it must obviously be subject to their direction in the long run. However, we do not see inspiration in every Supreme Court decision interpreting the Constitution. All Rights Reserved, The U.S. Constitution is a document filled with principles for the world to emulate, Doctors are seeing patients with COVID-19 symptoms — but it’s not COVID-19. Our belief that the United States Constitution was divinely inspired does not mean that divine revelation dictated every word and phrase, such as the provisions allocating the number of representatives from each state or the minimum age of each.2 The Constitution was not “a fully grown document,” said President J. Reuben Clark. Berry correctly suggests that equality — our activist battle cry du jour — won’t bring about its intended purposes if it stays divorced from the lifeblood that ought to sustain it. Whether or how its principles should be applied in other nations of the world is for them to decide. He elaborated by pointing out five divinely inspired principles. In 2010, Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke at a Constitution Day Celebration and warned about the importance of preserving the US Constitution. In 1992, author and activist Wendell Berry penned a sentence that is no less relevant when read today: “If we have equality and nothing else — no compassion, no magnanimity, no courtesy, no sense of mutual obligation and dependence, no imagination — then power and wealth will have their way; brutality will rule.”. We teach correct principles and leave our members to choose how to prioritize and apply those principles on the issues presented from time to time. Without a Bill of Rights, America could not have served as the host nation for the Restoration of the gospel, which began just three decades later. In the United States and in other democracies, political influence is exercised by running for office (which we encourage), by voting, by financial support, by membership and service in political parties, and by ongoing communications to officials, parties, and candidates. Our belief in divine inspiration gives Latter-day Saints a unique responsibility to uphold and defend the United States Constitution and principles of constitutionalism wherever we live. So dedicating an address to tenets of the U.S. Constitution left me with a sense of anticipation — how does this apply to a global church audience? He said, “We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies. As I listened, I understood the brilliance of it: The universality of the Constitution’s principles similarly transcend cultures and partisanship for the “rights and protection of all flesh,” as the scriptures put it. Though originally adopted by only a small number of colonies, it soon became a model worldwide. Ezra Taft Benson, The Constitution, a Heavenly Banner, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1986, p. 6. It provides structure and limits for the exercise of government powers. The stature of the Constitution is diminished by efforts to substitute current societal trends as the reason for its founding, instead of liberty and self-government. It will require citizens to surrender their loyalties when they conflict with inspired principles. Pastors and pot: The influence of religious leaders on marijuana legislation. We should trust in the Lord and be positive about this nation’s future. The vacuum of principle left behind is filled, as Berry observed, with wealth, power and brutality. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will, of course, exercise its right to endorse or oppose specific legislative proposals that we believe will impact the free exercise of religion or the essential interests of Church organizations. In the Saturday morning session of this weekend’s General Conference, President Dallin H. Oaks gave an incisive address on some of the issues that divide the United States and indeed, many people around the world. Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution: Dallin H. Oaks May 9, 2021 April 27, 2021 EAAGB1 I testify of the divinely inspired Constitution of the United States and pray that we who recognize the Divine Being who inspired it will always uphold and defend its great principles. Making a career move: How a former NFLer is tackling life at Amazon. To function well, a democracy needs all of these, but a conscientious citizen does not need to provide all of them. Mob rule (violent protests and the attack on the Capitol come to mind) isn’t compatible with the Constitution. J. Reuben Clark Jr., “Constitutional Government: Our Birthright Threatened,” Vital Speeches of the Day, Jan. 1, 1939, 177, quoted in Martin B. Hickman, “J. Reuben Clark, Jr.: The Constitution and the Great Fundamentals,” in Ray C. Hillam, ed., By the Hands of Wise Men: Essays on the U.S. Constitution (1979), 53. A constitution is the foundation of government. We see it in the doctrine of moral agency. https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dallin-h-oaks/racism-other-challenges A bill of rights, the third great fundamental of the United States Constitution, came by … ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Sunday that Mitchell won’t play for the Jazz. Most likely because we’ve ignored President Oaks’ fifth principle — that we are to be governed by law and not by individuals. “We should trust in the Lord and be positive about this nation’s future,” President Oaks reflected. The dignity and force of the Constitution is reduced by those who refer to it like a loyalty test or a political slogan, instead of its lofty status as a source of authorization for and limits on government authority. Everyone — American or otherwise — benefits when the Constitution is respected. The Constitution, as approved by the Lord, is still the same great vanguard of liberty and freedom in human government that it was the day it was written. Source: Elder Dallin H. Oaks The Divinely Inspired Constitution From an address given 5 July 1987, at the Freedom Festival. President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke of the principles that underpin the U.S. Constitution, reminding a global church that fidelity to the supreme law of the land — not to personalities, parties or purity tests — is what grants a moral people their freedom to choose and fosters equality among all people. In this way, all persons are to be equal before the law. Topics: Bill of Rights; US Constitution I believe the United States Constitution contains at least five divinely inspired principles.4. The principle of separation of powers has always been under pressure with the ebb and flow of one branch of government exercising or inhibiting the powers delegated to another. Watch later. The urgency of our moment requires us to rediscover those principles — for ourselves and for the world. In these unfortunate circumstances, God revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith eternal truths about His doctrine. “Therefore,” the Lord revealed, “it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:79). Fifth and finally, I see divine inspiration in the vital purpose of the entire Constitution. The Constitution gives ultimate power to the people, for example, which was a divinely inspired yet radical idea. Partly this was because of their opposition to the human slavery then existing in the United States. On contested issues, we should seek to moderate and unify. That is no small feat. These five are similar but not identical to those suggested in J. Reuben Clark Jr., Stand Fast by Our Constitution (1973), 7; Ezra Taft Benson, “Our Divine Constitution,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 4–7; and Ezra Taft Benson, “The Constitution—A Glorious Standard,” Ensign, Sept. 1987, 6–11. These principles block the autocratic ambitions that have corrupted democracy in some countries. “we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. President Dallin H. Oaks: ‘Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution’ Of the First Presidency President Dallin H. Oaks speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 191st Annual General Conference on Sunday, April 4, 2021. A fourth inspired principle is in the cluster of vital guarantees of individual rights and specific limits on government authority in the Bill of Rights, adopted by amendment just three years after the Constitution went into force. Probably the Democrats, Mayor Jenny Wilson: Getting vaccinated now is the path to a better summer, The For the People Act is really just the opposite, No matter your stance on Israel, antisemitic attacks are vile, Live coverage: Utah Jazz trying to mount comeback against Memphis Grizzlies in 4th quarter of Game 1, The tense relationship between mountain lions and humans is only going to get worse, How Latter-day Saint staffers stay connected on Capitol Hill. The three countries with unwritten codified constitutions are the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Israel. We should never assert that a faithful Latter-day Saint cannot belong to a particular party or vote for a particular candidate. Well over a century before our 1787 Constitutional Convention, the English Parliament pioneered the separation of legislative and executive authority when they wrested certain powers from the king. First, the source of government power is the people, he said. A second inspired principle is the division of delegated power between the nation and its subsidiary states. Larry Carr is all-in on determining if the infrared light brain therapy being tested at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City that helped him can help countless others. Our Constitution was made only for … I speak from my experience as a law clerk to the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. Then, the revelation explains, “every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:78). I testify of the divinely inspired Constitution of the United States and pray that we who recognize the Divine Being who inspired it will always uphold and defend its great principles. Here’s everything you need to know from the schedule to storylines, from players to watch to the strength and weaknesses of both teams. by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve. A Bill of Rights was not new. Oaks noted five divinely inspired principles in the Constitution. In the first decade of the restored Church, its members on the western frontier were suffering private and public persecution. How did we get here? He has done everything that is essential for our journey through mortality toward the destiny outlined in the plan of our Heavenly Father. “Significantly, the United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the oldest written constitution still in force today. Utahns celebrated Constitution Day Friday night in Salt Lake's Tabernacle, where they were addressed by former Utah Supreme Court justice and current LDS apostle Elder Dallin H. Oaks. -- The source of government power is the people. The writers of the Constitution were familiar with these because some of the colonial charters had such guarantees. There are many political issues, and no party, platform, or individual candidate can satisfy all personal preferences. Vol. Now, some have twisted that principle to fit their own narratives. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, speaks about the U.S. Constitution and the moral agency of voters during the Sunday afternoon session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ 191st Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 4, 2021. Today, every nation except three have adopted written constitutions.1. It demands of us that we see others as equal under the law and work within the confines of the Constitution to fix what inequalities do exist. Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution | Dallin H. Oaks | April 2021 - YouTube. The Constitution established a constitutional democratic republic, where the people exercise their power through their elected representatives. When Joseph Smith was serving as mayor of Nauvoo, the Nauvoo City Council destroyed the press, scattered the type and burned copies of the Nauvoo Expositor, a newspaper that opposed the Church. Each of these has strong traditions of constitutionalism, though the governing provisions are not collected in a single document. See United States Constitution, article 1, section 2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, taught members about the Constitution of the United States and how its principles apply to members around the world. Latest from Sunday’s LDS General Conference: Nelson announces new temples, Oaks expounds on Constitution Dallin Oaks says no political party aligns with all the church’s teachings. Dallin H. Oaks Djamila Grossman | The Salt Lake Tribune Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gives a speech on the Constitution at the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, September 17, 2010. There are other threats that undermine the inspired principles of the United States Constitution. How a BYU teammate’s suicide put urgency in this man’s effort to treat CTE. “The Divinely Inspired Constitution,” Ensign, Feb. 1992, 68. Decision to sit Donovan Mitchell for Game 1 against Grizzlies came after Sunday shootaround. That is why this constitution is of special concern for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world. The inspiration in the American convention was to delegate independent executive, legislative, and judicial powers so these three branches could exercise checks upon one another. From January through April of 1970, Dallin H. Oaks, who was then a member of the law faculty at the University of Chicago Law School, served as Legal Advisor to the Bill of Rights Committee of the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention. To summarize, I see divine inspiration in these [five] great fundamentals of the U.S. Constitution: the separation of powers in the three branches of government; the Bill of Rights; the division of powers between the states and the federal government; … the application of popular sovereignty; [and], the rule of law and not of men. 54, no. The United States Constitution is unique because God revealed that He “established” it “for the rights and protection of all flesh” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:77; see also verse 80). Dallin H. Oaks. Being subject to presidents or rulers7 of course poses no obstacle to our opposing individual laws or policies. Bill of Rights. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. The authority of the Constitution is trivialized when candidates or officials ignore its principles. Most important, I speak from 37 years as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, responsible to study the meaning of the divinely inspired United States Constitution to the work of His restored Church. There was divine inspiration in the original provision that there should be no religious test for public office,6 but the addition of the religious freedom and antiestablishment guarantees in the First Amendment was vital. We should seek out and support wise and good persons who will support those principles in their public actions.8 We should be knowledgeable citizens who are active in making our influence felt in civic affairs. The optics were powerful: Faith in Christ transcends cultures and languages, and all are equal under him. Indeed, the United States is remarkable not because of its flaws but because it has successfully allowed principles to govern its people in spite of their flaws. This process will not be easy. Doctors explain why there are more people with COVID-19 symptoms ... even if it’s not the novel coronavirus. In a time when sovereign power was universally assumed to come from the divine right of kings or from military power, attributing sovereign power to the people was revolutionary. Another inspired principle is the separation of powers. Members from every corner of the globe shared music and the spoken word. They also mean that none of the three branches of government should be dominant over the others or prevent the others from performing their proper constitutional functions to check one another. Talk #1: Dallin H. Oaks, “Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution” Talk #2: Ronald A. Rasband, “Behold! In these remarks I do not speak for any political party or other group. But respect for it is becoming harder to come by.

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