Dear family and friends,
I have copied and shared here what a friend of ours posted on Facebook. We first met the Clawsons in South Dakota when she was working at the clinic in Martin. They have served several missions, including service missions in third-world areas of the world. They have witnessed socialism and what it has done in these countries.
I hope you take the time to read what he has written and I have shared here, and I recommend you share this with others who might be misled by what they are hearing in our current political arena.
C O P Y:
Do Not Vote for Socialism
The popularity of socialist ideas that many government leaders are now promoting scares me to death. For those who are enticed by the ‘free’ social programs that are being offered by some asking for your vote, and are therefore leaning towards voting for leaders who would implement these programs, I would ask you to do some simple research into the meaning and history of Socialism.
Socialism is the most evil form of government ever created in the history of mankind. Please, read for yourself the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx (where most modern socialist ideas began), and then just briefly review the history of socialism in the 20th century. It should bring fear to the heart of anyone who loves their freedom and liberty.
Some may get confused when reading the Manifesto, as the terminology, written in the 1800s is foreign. An easy way to remember who they are talking about in the Manifesto: when they speak of the ‘bourgeois’ they are talking about the rich and middle class—anyone who owns property; when they speak of the ‘proletariat’ they are speaking about blue-collar workers and people who make minimum wages.
Here are just a few quotes from the Manifesto.
[My personal comments are in brackets]
“In one word, you reproach us with intending to do away with your property. Precisely so; that is just what we intend”.
[The first, and most important goal of socialism is to outlaw all private property. Rarely does this happen all at once—it happens in degrees. For those who think this cannot happen in the United States…this is exactly what those supporting socialist ideas are proposing to do! If the government takes over health care, it will wipe out private insurance companies. This is nothing more or less than the government taking ownership of or destroying someones private business and property. Once this happens, who is next? Will the government take over the oil industry, like they did in Mexico and Venezuela? Once the government is permitted to take over ANY section of society, once run by a private business, it gives them both the incentive and power to take over any other business—they just have to come up with a reason why the takeover is for the ‘common good.’]
“Abolition of the family! Even the most radical flare up at this infamous proposal of the Communists. The bourgeois family will vanish as a matter of course when its complement vanishes, and both will vanish with the vanishing of capital.
“Our bourgeois, not content with having the wives and daughters of their proletarians at their disposal, not to speak of common prostitutes, take the greatest pleasure in seducing each other's wives. Bourgeois marriage is in reality a system of wives in common and thus, at the most, what the Communists might possibly be reproached with, is that they desire to introduce, in substitution for a hypocritically concealed, an openly legalized community of women. For the rest, it is self-evident that the abolition of the present system of production must bring with it the abolition of the community of women springing from that system, i.e., of prostitution both public and private.”
[I know it is hard to believe, but it is true. One of the objectives of the socialist model is the destruction of the nuclear family. When they say they will abolish ‘private’ prostitution, they mean marriage, the nuclear family.
For example, activists often point to historical, legal and social inequalities of wedding, family life and divorce in their criticism of marriage. Sheila Cronan claimed that the freedom for women "cannot be won without the abolition of marriage." "The institution of marriage – wrote Marlene Dixon of the Democratic Workers Party – is the chief vehicle for the perpetuation of the oppression of women; it is through the role of wife that the subjugation of women is maintained”. Andrea Dworkin said that marriage as an institution, developed from rape, as a practice.
In a democracy, parents have rights. In a socialist society parents have no rights. The State can force anyone to do anything, regardless of the desires and/or beliefs of the parents.]
“Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish countries and nationality.”
[Nationalism is like liberty and freedom—it is the right for a country to choose how it will live and govern itself. Most socialist countries fight the idea of nationalism because they believe in the socialist ideal of someday creating a one-world government, or State, where everyone in the world will be subject to the State.]
"There are, besides, eternal truths, such as Freedom, Justice, etc. that are common to all states of society. But Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis; it therefore acts in contradiction to all past historical experience."
[Once again, hard to believe, but true. One of the main goals of socialism is to abolish all religion. The reason that this is necessary is that in general religion promotes freedom and justice.
As a side note: The very first democracy was NOT created in Greece, but was revealed to Moses by God and lived by the ancient Jews in Israel. In fact, there are good sources that can show that the original ideas for democracy were brought to Greece by the Jews when the Ten Tribes were scattered. Ancient Israel (and ancient America, as written about in the Book of Mormon) was governed by judges (remember the Book of Judges in the Old Testament, and the system of Judges created by Mosiah in the Book of Mormon?). These judges were elected by the common consent of the people. The only judge not freely elected was the chief judge, or High Priest, who was the final arbiter of any dispute brought by the people.
In every socialist and communist country the persecution of religious organizations and ideas has been prevalent. Just read your daily paper—this continues today.]
“We have seen above, that the first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling as to win the battle of democracy. The proletariat will use its political supremacy to wrest, by degrees, all capital from the bourgeoisie, to centralise all instruments of production in the hands of the State.”
[The way socialism gradually takes over a country is by getting the working class to hate anyone who is rich or owns property. When there are enough of those who are poor who hate the rich, they can be persuaded to vote for policies that literally take private property from the rich and give it to the State (through taxes or, as in Health Care, through government takeover of an entire industry). It is the Robin Hood idea: take from the rich and give to the poor. Only in this case, property is taken from the rich and given to the government. Of course the government, or State, promises to use all of the money and property they have taken from the rich to help the poor…but history has proven that this is NOT what ends up happening! Socialism simply makes everyone poor!
Think about it for a minute: when all the money is taken from the rich to pay for all of the programs the government has promised the poor…it destroys the wealth of the rich—there will be no more rich people. So…if all of the money has been taken from the rich… where is the government going to get the money to continue to pay for all of the programs they promised the people?
In the US there are about 621 billionaires and 18 million millionaires— those who they claim will pay for all of their socialist programs. The problem is that those programs will cost up to 30 Trillion dollars. The total net worth of ALL the billionaires and millionaires combined is only about 4 trillion dollars. Do the math: Even if you took every dollar of every billionaire AND millionaire in the United States, every year, you could not pay for the programs Bernie and other Democrats have promised to implement! Which means only one thing—the rest of the money to pay for these programs must come from raising the taxes on ALL Americans…and not just a little increase in taxes either. All taxes would have to go up to almost 50% of your income—just like it is in the socialist countries of Europe.]
“Nevertheless in the most advanced countries, the following [plan of action] will be pretty generally applicable.
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c., &c.”
[These ten items are the original socialist plan to overtake a modern democracy. Notice how many of these steps have already been introduced into the United States! #2 We already have a progressive income tax. #3 In many states there is a ‘death tax’ where up to 1/2 of any inheritance is taken by the government. #10 We have State run education, where children can be indoctrinated, and parents have little say in what is taught. If you look at many of the programs now being promoted to get your vote, they can only be accomplished by moving through other of the steps toward the total take-over of the State.]
“The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!”
[This is the hidden truth behind socialism: the only way socialism can exist is by force. The only way socialism can continue to exist is by force. The history of socialism is a history of the State forcing its will upon the people. There have literally been millions of people killed in the effort to overthrow democracy to establish a socialist society, or to maintain that society once it has been established. Let me just give you a few examples (I hope you will look them up for yourself!):
In Cambodia, the Pol Pot regime killed an estimated 2 million people in an attempt to create a socialist utopia. The first thing the government did was step #1: they abolished all property rights. Anyone who owned property (the middle class and rich), were forcibly thrown out of their homes and businesses and forced to go to the country to work on farms. If they refused, they were killed. At the same time they instituted step #9: they forced everyone from the cities to move to the country to become farmers. Since few city dwellers knew how to farm…there was mass starvation. Terri and I visited Cambodia on one of our missions. They were still suffering from the consequences of socialism. Since the ‘rich’ were usually the highly educated, all of the educated class was killed. If you were a teacher, a businessman, a highly skilled/educated worker—you were killed. Decades after socialism was thrown out of the country, they were struggling to get back to a normal society with electricity, running water, etc. Since they killed off everyone who knew how to do anything…all of the things we would consider modern conveniences were lost—no one knew how to build or fix anything anymore.
In Russia the same thing happened. They forced rich and middle-class people living in the city to move to farms. Mass starvation occurred. Some might remember what it was like in the 60’s when Kruschev came to visit Pres. Kennedy: the Russians were astonished at our grocery stores! We had so much food and variety of items! In Russia there were lines just to get bread. Russia’s own paper estimated that 20 million Russians died over the years, enforcing socialism on its people.
In China, they had had several ‘revolutions’ in an attempt to reach a socialist utopia. It is estimated that 30-40 million people were killed, just during the Mao regime. No one knows how many have been killed since then. And China continues to persecute religious factions today—such as the Uighers.
More recently, in Venezuela, we see the same results of socialism. Venezuela was once one of the richest countries in South America. It has some of the largest deposits of gas and oil in the world. However, they voted in a socialist leader. That changed everything. One of the first things he did was to take over the oil and gas industry—the cash cow of the country. The State took over all property and oil production, throwing out all of the companies that had previously owned and ran the oil industry. The problem was that the State did not know how to run a company, and had no experts that knew how to build or fix things. So within a few years oil and gas production began to fail. They couldn’t even fix the cranes on the docks that brought goods into the country! And just like Russia—bread lines. The introduction of socialism started with their hatred of the rich. They got what they wanted: they have no more rich people…now all they have is the poor.
I ask this again: What happens after the government has taken all the money from the ‘rich’ to pay for all of the programs they promise to give the people for free? Where does the money come from to continue to pay for all those ‘free’ programs then?
And for those convinced that countries such as England have it so much better than we do because they have socialized health care: please, please, just take one week and read one of the daily papers in England. You will get a whole new outlook and just how ‘good’ they have it there! Every day there are articles in local papers about the horrible conditions within the English health care system. Hundreds die every year due to lack of proper health care. The hospitals are so full, patients lay on the floors in the halls waiting to be seen. People with serious conditions are put on a wait list, and wait for months, even years, to get treated. And why? Because the government does not have enough money to pay for all of the sick that come to be treated.
The math does not lie. It is why many who are promoting socialist programs will NOT give people a straight answer when asked: How much will your programs cost? and How will you pay for all of these programs? The most they will say is that they are going to make the ‘rich’ pay for it. But the math does not lie. Even if you take 100% of all the money from both billionaires and millionaires, it still would not come close to paying for these programs!
And if simple math, or the lessons of recent history are not enough to persuade people to vote against socialism…perhaps the words and warnings of modern Prophets will help:
ALL of the Prophets and Apostles have preached against the evils of Socialism. Here is just a taste of what has been said:
Marion G Romney wrote:
“Notwithstanding my abhorrence of it, I am persuaded that socialism is the wave of the present and of the foreseeable future. It has already taken over or is contending for control in most nations.
At the end of the year [1965] parties affiliated with the [Socialist] International were in control of the governments of Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Israel, and the Malagasy Republic. They had representatives in coalition cabinets in Austria, Belgium, Iceland, Italy, Luxemborg, and Switzerland; constituted the chief opposition in France, India, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and West Germany; and were significant political forces in numerous other countries. Many parties dominant in governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America announced that their aim was a socialist society (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1965 Book of the Year, p. 736).
“We here in the United States, in converting our government into a social welfare state, have ourselves adopted much of socialism. Specifically, we have to an alarming degree adopted the use of the power of the state in the control and distribution of the fruits of industry. We are on notice, according to the words of the president, that we are going much farther, for he is quoted as saying:
We're going to take all the money we think is unnecessarily being spent and take it from the "haves" and give it to the "have nots" (Congressional Record, March 24, 1964).
“That is the spirit of socialism: "We're going to take." It isn't the spirit of "We're going to give."
“We have also gone a long way on the road to public ownership and management of the vital means of production. In both of these areas the free agency of Americans has been greatly abridged. Some argue that we have voluntarily surrendered this power to government. Be this as it may, the fact remains that the loss of freedom with the consent of the enslaved, or even at their request, is nonetheless slavery.
“As to the fruits of socialism, we all have our own opinions. I myself have watched its growth in our own country and observed it in operation in many other lands. But I have yet to see or hear of its freeing the hearts of men of selfishness and greed or of its bringing peace, plenty, or freedom. These things it will never bring, nor will it do away with idleness and promote "industry, thrift, and self-respect," for it is founded in theory and in practice on the principles of the evil one.
And now in line with these remarks, for three things I pray:
1. That the Lord will somehow quicken our understanding of the differences between socialism and the United Order and give us a vivid awareness of the awful portent of those differences.
2. That we will develop the understanding, the desire, and the courage, born of the Spirit, to eschew socialism and support and sustain, in the manner revealed and as interpreted by the Lord, those just and holy principles embodied in the Constitution of the United States for the protection of all flesh in the exercise of their God-given agency.
3. That through faithful observance of the principles of tithing, the fast, and the welfare program, we will prepare ourselves to redeem Zion and ultimately live the United Order.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (Marion G Romney)
Ezra Taft Benson wrote:
“What is the official position of the Church on communism? In 1936 the First Presidency made an official declaration on communism which has never been abrogated. I quote the concluding paragraph: "We call upon all Church members completely to eschew communism. The safety of our divinely inspired constitutional government and the welfare of our Church imperatively demand that communism shall have no place in America." (Improvement Era, vol. 39 [1936], p. 488.)
“We must ever keep in mind that collectivized socialism is part of the communist strategy. Communism is fundamentally socialism. We will never win our fight against communism by making concessions to socialism. Communism and socialism, closely related, must be defeated on principle.
“It is significant that the Prophet Joseph Smith, after attending lectures on socialism, made this official entry in Church history: "I said I did not believe the doctrine." (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 33.)
“No true Latter-day Saint and no true American can be a socialist or a communist or support programs leading in that direction. These evil philosophies are incompatible with Mormonism, the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
“What can priesthood holders do? There are many things we can do to meet the challenge of the adversary in our day.
“First, we should become informed about communism, about socialism, and about Americanism. What better way can one become informed than by first studying the inspired words of the prophets and using that as a foundation against which to test all other material? This is in keeping with the Prophet Joseph Smith's motto, "When the Lord commands, do it." (DHC, vol. 2, p. 170.)
“Second, we should accept the command of the Lord and treat socialistic communism as the tool of Satan. We should follow the counsel of the President of the Church and resist the influence and policies of the socialist-communist conspiracy wherever they are found—in the schools, in the churches, in governments, in unions, in businesses, in agriculture.
“Third, we should help those who have been deceived or who are misinformed to find the truth. unless each person who knows the truth will "stand up and speak up," it is difficult for the deceived or confused citizen to find his way back.
“Fourth, we should not make the mistake of calling people "communist" just because they happen to be helping the communist cause. Thousands of patriotic Americans, including a few Latter-day Saints, have helped the communists without realizing it. Others have knowingly helped without joining the party. The remedy is to avoid name-calling, but point out clearly and persuasively how they are helping the communists.
“Fifth, each priesthood holder should use his influence in the community to resist the erosion process which is taking place in our political and economic life. He should use the political party of his choice to express his evaluation of important issues. He should see that his party is working to preserve freedom, not destroy it. He should join responsible local groups interested in promoting freedom and free competitive enterprise, in studying political issues, appraising the voting records and proposed programs, and writing to members of Congress, promoting good men in public office, and scrutinizing local, state, and federal agencies to see that the will of the people is being carried out. He should not wait for the Lord's servants to give instruction for every detail once they have announced the direction in which the priesthood should go. Each member should exercise prayerful judgment and then act.
“Sixth, and most important of all, each member of the priesthood should set his own house in order.
“May God give us the wisdom to recognize the threat to our freedom and the strength to meet this danger courageously. Yes, perilous times are ahead, but if we do our duty in all things, God will give us inner peace and overrule all things for our good. God grant it may be so. (Ezra Taft Benson)
Bruce R McConkie in Mormon Doctrine wrote:
Communism
See CHURCH OF THE DEVIL, SECRET COMBINATIONS.
Basically and chiefly, communism is a form of false religion; it is one of the major divisions of the church of the devil. It denies God and Christ; belittles Christianity; runs counter to the moral and ethical standards of religion and decency; denies men their agency; wrenches from them their inalienable rights; and swallows the individual and his well-being up in the formless mass of the state.
Communism is also a political movement, one that fosters and promotes world revolution, and has as its aim the subjugation of all free peoples and nations. It necessarily is a dictatorship of the severest and most ruthless type.
David O McKay and the First Presidency wrote:
"With great regret we learn from credible sources, governmental and others, that a few Church members are joining, directly or indirectly, the communists and are taking part in their activities.
"The Church does not interfere, and has no intention of trying to interfere, with the fullest and freest exercise of the political franchise of its members, under and within our Constitution which the Lord declared: 'I established . . . by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose," (D. & C. 101:80) and which, as to the principles thereof, the Prophet dedicating the Kirtland Temple, prayed should be 'established forever.'
"But communism is not a political party nor a political plan under the Constitution; it is a system of government that is the opposite of our Constitutional government, and it would be necessary to destroy our government before communism could be set up in the United States.
"Since communism, established, would destroy our American Constitutional government, to support communism is treasonable to our free institutions, and no patriotic American citizen may become either a communist or supporter of communism.
"To our Church members we say: Communism is not the United Order, and bears only the most superficial resemblance thereto; communism is based upon intolerance and force, the United Order upon love and freedom of conscience and action; communism involves forceful despoliation and confiscation, the United Order voluntary consecration and sacrifice.
"Communists cannot establish the United Order, nor will communism bring it about. The United Order will be established by the Lord in his own due time and in accordance with the regular prescribed order of the Church.
"Furthermore, it is charged by universal report, which is not successfully contradicted or disproved, that communism undertakes to control, if not indeed to proscribe the religious life of the people living within its jurisdiction, and that it even reaches its hand into the sanctity of the family circle itself, disrupting the normal relationship of parent and child, all in a manner unknown and unsanctioned under the Constitutional guarantees under which we in America live. Such interference would be contrary to the fundamental precepts of the gospel and to the teachings and order of the Church.
"Communism being thus hostile to loyal American citizenship and incompatible with true Church membership, of necessity no loyal American citizen and no faithful Church member can be a communist.
"We call upon all Church members completely to eschew communism. The safety of our divinely inspired Constitutional government and the welfare of our Church imperatively demand that communism shall have no place in America." (Improvement Era, vol. 39, p. 488.)
Some may excuse their support for socialism by saying it is not communism. But there is little difference between Socialism and Communism, it is just a matter of degrees—Communism is simply the logical end result of socialist policies. Here are some definitions from the internet:
"Communism and socialism are umbrella terms referring to two left-wing schools of economic thought; both oppose capitalism."
“Socialism is a social theory. It theorizes that a collective cooperation of citizens will make all governmental institutions public. For example, no one will receive a healthcare bill when going to the doctor because they, and everyone else, have paid a hefty amount in government taxes. That’s where the collective cooperation comes in.
"Communism, on the other hand, is a branch of socialism. It’s similar in that it’s still founded on the idea of collective cooperation, but differs in that communists believe that cooperation should be run by a totalitarian government made up of one and only one government.
“Both socialism and communism are essentially economic philosophies advocating public rather than private ownership, especially of the means of production, distribution and exchange of goods (i.e., making money) in a society. Both aim to fix the problems they see as created by a free-market capitalist system, including the exploitation of workers and a widening gulf between rich and poor.
“Under communism, there is no such thing as private property. All property is communally owned, and each person receives a portion based on what they need. A strong central government—the state—controls all aspects of economic production, and provides citizens with their basic necessities, including food, housing, medical care and education.
“By contrast, under socialism, individuals can still own property. But industrial production, or the chief means of generating wealth, is communally owned and managed by a democratically elected government.
“Another key difference between socialism and communism is the means of achieving them. In communism, a violent revolution in which the workers rise up against the middle and upper classes is seen as an inevitable part of achieving a pure communist state. Socialism is a less rigid, more flexible ideology. Its adherents seek change and reform, but insist on making these changes through democratic processes within the existing social and political structure, not overthrowing that structure.
My hope is that people will reject the temptation of socialist programs and will not vote for those who try to introduce socialism into our government. My fear is that people will be lured by the false promises of ‘free health care’, or ‘free education’, or the government paying off all student debt (or any number of promises that have been made recently), and end up voting for a socialist President. If this happens, it would be a clarion bell signaling the end of America as we know it.
(End of COPY)
I have copied and shared here what a friend of ours posted on Facebook. We first met the Clawsons in South Dakota when she was working at the clinic in Martin. They have served several missions, including service missions in third-world areas of the world. They have witnessed socialism and what it has done in these countries.
I hope you take the time to read what he has written and I have shared here, and I recommend you share this with others who might be misled by what they are hearing in our current political arena.
C O P Y:
Do Not Vote for Socialism
The popularity of socialist ideas that many government leaders are now promoting scares me to death. For those who are enticed by the ‘free’ social programs that are being offered by some asking for your vote, and are therefore leaning towards voting for leaders who would implement these programs, I would ask you to do some simple research into the meaning and history of Socialism.
Socialism is the most evil form of government ever created in the history of mankind. Please, read for yourself the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx (where most modern socialist ideas began), and then just briefly review the history of socialism in the 20th century. It should bring fear to the heart of anyone who loves their freedom and liberty.
Some may get confused when reading the Manifesto, as the terminology, written in the 1800s is foreign. An easy way to remember who they are talking about in the Manifesto: when they speak of the ‘bourgeois’ they are talking about the rich and middle class—anyone who owns property; when they speak of the ‘proletariat’ they are speaking about blue-collar workers and people who make minimum wages.
Here are just a few quotes from the Manifesto.
[My personal comments are in brackets]
“In one word, you reproach us with intending to do away with your property. Precisely so; that is just what we intend”.
[The first, and most important goal of socialism is to outlaw all private property. Rarely does this happen all at once—it happens in degrees. For those who think this cannot happen in the United States…this is exactly what those supporting socialist ideas are proposing to do! If the government takes over health care, it will wipe out private insurance companies. This is nothing more or less than the government taking ownership of or destroying someones private business and property. Once this happens, who is next? Will the government take over the oil industry, like they did in Mexico and Venezuela? Once the government is permitted to take over ANY section of society, once run by a private business, it gives them both the incentive and power to take over any other business—they just have to come up with a reason why the takeover is for the ‘common good.’]
“Abolition of the family! Even the most radical flare up at this infamous proposal of the Communists. The bourgeois family will vanish as a matter of course when its complement vanishes, and both will vanish with the vanishing of capital.
“Our bourgeois, not content with having the wives and daughters of their proletarians at their disposal, not to speak of common prostitutes, take the greatest pleasure in seducing each other's wives. Bourgeois marriage is in reality a system of wives in common and thus, at the most, what the Communists might possibly be reproached with, is that they desire to introduce, in substitution for a hypocritically concealed, an openly legalized community of women. For the rest, it is self-evident that the abolition of the present system of production must bring with it the abolition of the community of women springing from that system, i.e., of prostitution both public and private.”
[I know it is hard to believe, but it is true. One of the objectives of the socialist model is the destruction of the nuclear family. When they say they will abolish ‘private’ prostitution, they mean marriage, the nuclear family.
For example, activists often point to historical, legal and social inequalities of wedding, family life and divorce in their criticism of marriage. Sheila Cronan claimed that the freedom for women "cannot be won without the abolition of marriage." "The institution of marriage – wrote Marlene Dixon of the Democratic Workers Party – is the chief vehicle for the perpetuation of the oppression of women; it is through the role of wife that the subjugation of women is maintained”. Andrea Dworkin said that marriage as an institution, developed from rape, as a practice.
In a democracy, parents have rights. In a socialist society parents have no rights. The State can force anyone to do anything, regardless of the desires and/or beliefs of the parents.]
“Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish countries and nationality.”
[Nationalism is like liberty and freedom—it is the right for a country to choose how it will live and govern itself. Most socialist countries fight the idea of nationalism because they believe in the socialist ideal of someday creating a one-world government, or State, where everyone in the world will be subject to the State.]
"There are, besides, eternal truths, such as Freedom, Justice, etc. that are common to all states of society. But Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis; it therefore acts in contradiction to all past historical experience."
[Once again, hard to believe, but true. One of the main goals of socialism is to abolish all religion. The reason that this is necessary is that in general religion promotes freedom and justice.
As a side note: The very first democracy was NOT created in Greece, but was revealed to Moses by God and lived by the ancient Jews in Israel. In fact, there are good sources that can show that the original ideas for democracy were brought to Greece by the Jews when the Ten Tribes were scattered. Ancient Israel (and ancient America, as written about in the Book of Mormon) was governed by judges (remember the Book of Judges in the Old Testament, and the system of Judges created by Mosiah in the Book of Mormon?). These judges were elected by the common consent of the people. The only judge not freely elected was the chief judge, or High Priest, who was the final arbiter of any dispute brought by the people.
In every socialist and communist country the persecution of religious organizations and ideas has been prevalent. Just read your daily paper—this continues today.]
“We have seen above, that the first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling as to win the battle of democracy. The proletariat will use its political supremacy to wrest, by degrees, all capital from the bourgeoisie, to centralise all instruments of production in the hands of the State.”
[The way socialism gradually takes over a country is by getting the working class to hate anyone who is rich or owns property. When there are enough of those who are poor who hate the rich, they can be persuaded to vote for policies that literally take private property from the rich and give it to the State (through taxes or, as in Health Care, through government takeover of an entire industry). It is the Robin Hood idea: take from the rich and give to the poor. Only in this case, property is taken from the rich and given to the government. Of course the government, or State, promises to use all of the money and property they have taken from the rich to help the poor…but history has proven that this is NOT what ends up happening! Socialism simply makes everyone poor!
Think about it for a minute: when all the money is taken from the rich to pay for all of the programs the government has promised the poor…it destroys the wealth of the rich—there will be no more rich people. So…if all of the money has been taken from the rich… where is the government going to get the money to continue to pay for all of the programs they promised the people?
In the US there are about 621 billionaires and 18 million millionaires— those who they claim will pay for all of their socialist programs. The problem is that those programs will cost up to 30 Trillion dollars. The total net worth of ALL the billionaires and millionaires combined is only about 4 trillion dollars. Do the math: Even if you took every dollar of every billionaire AND millionaire in the United States, every year, you could not pay for the programs Bernie and other Democrats have promised to implement! Which means only one thing—the rest of the money to pay for these programs must come from raising the taxes on ALL Americans…and not just a little increase in taxes either. All taxes would have to go up to almost 50% of your income—just like it is in the socialist countries of Europe.]
“Nevertheless in the most advanced countries, the following [plan of action] will be pretty generally applicable.
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c., &c.”
[These ten items are the original socialist plan to overtake a modern democracy. Notice how many of these steps have already been introduced into the United States! #2 We already have a progressive income tax. #3 In many states there is a ‘death tax’ where up to 1/2 of any inheritance is taken by the government. #10 We have State run education, where children can be indoctrinated, and parents have little say in what is taught. If you look at many of the programs now being promoted to get your vote, they can only be accomplished by moving through other of the steps toward the total take-over of the State.]
“The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!”
[This is the hidden truth behind socialism: the only way socialism can exist is by force. The only way socialism can continue to exist is by force. The history of socialism is a history of the State forcing its will upon the people. There have literally been millions of people killed in the effort to overthrow democracy to establish a socialist society, or to maintain that society once it has been established. Let me just give you a few examples (I hope you will look them up for yourself!):
In Cambodia, the Pol Pot regime killed an estimated 2 million people in an attempt to create a socialist utopia. The first thing the government did was step #1: they abolished all property rights. Anyone who owned property (the middle class and rich), were forcibly thrown out of their homes and businesses and forced to go to the country to work on farms. If they refused, they were killed. At the same time they instituted step #9: they forced everyone from the cities to move to the country to become farmers. Since few city dwellers knew how to farm…there was mass starvation. Terri and I visited Cambodia on one of our missions. They were still suffering from the consequences of socialism. Since the ‘rich’ were usually the highly educated, all of the educated class was killed. If you were a teacher, a businessman, a highly skilled/educated worker—you were killed. Decades after socialism was thrown out of the country, they were struggling to get back to a normal society with electricity, running water, etc. Since they killed off everyone who knew how to do anything…all of the things we would consider modern conveniences were lost—no one knew how to build or fix anything anymore.
In Russia the same thing happened. They forced rich and middle-class people living in the city to move to farms. Mass starvation occurred. Some might remember what it was like in the 60’s when Kruschev came to visit Pres. Kennedy: the Russians were astonished at our grocery stores! We had so much food and variety of items! In Russia there were lines just to get bread. Russia’s own paper estimated that 20 million Russians died over the years, enforcing socialism on its people.
In China, they had had several ‘revolutions’ in an attempt to reach a socialist utopia. It is estimated that 30-40 million people were killed, just during the Mao regime. No one knows how many have been killed since then. And China continues to persecute religious factions today—such as the Uighers.
More recently, in Venezuela, we see the same results of socialism. Venezuela was once one of the richest countries in South America. It has some of the largest deposits of gas and oil in the world. However, they voted in a socialist leader. That changed everything. One of the first things he did was to take over the oil and gas industry—the cash cow of the country. The State took over all property and oil production, throwing out all of the companies that had previously owned and ran the oil industry. The problem was that the State did not know how to run a company, and had no experts that knew how to build or fix things. So within a few years oil and gas production began to fail. They couldn’t even fix the cranes on the docks that brought goods into the country! And just like Russia—bread lines. The introduction of socialism started with their hatred of the rich. They got what they wanted: they have no more rich people…now all they have is the poor.
I ask this again: What happens after the government has taken all the money from the ‘rich’ to pay for all of the programs they promise to give the people for free? Where does the money come from to continue to pay for all those ‘free’ programs then?
And for those convinced that countries such as England have it so much better than we do because they have socialized health care: please, please, just take one week and read one of the daily papers in England. You will get a whole new outlook and just how ‘good’ they have it there! Every day there are articles in local papers about the horrible conditions within the English health care system. Hundreds die every year due to lack of proper health care. The hospitals are so full, patients lay on the floors in the halls waiting to be seen. People with serious conditions are put on a wait list, and wait for months, even years, to get treated. And why? Because the government does not have enough money to pay for all of the sick that come to be treated.
The math does not lie. It is why many who are promoting socialist programs will NOT give people a straight answer when asked: How much will your programs cost? and How will you pay for all of these programs? The most they will say is that they are going to make the ‘rich’ pay for it. But the math does not lie. Even if you take 100% of all the money from both billionaires and millionaires, it still would not come close to paying for these programs!
And if simple math, or the lessons of recent history are not enough to persuade people to vote against socialism…perhaps the words and warnings of modern Prophets will help:
ALL of the Prophets and Apostles have preached against the evils of Socialism. Here is just a taste of what has been said:
Marion G Romney wrote:
“Notwithstanding my abhorrence of it, I am persuaded that socialism is the wave of the present and of the foreseeable future. It has already taken over or is contending for control in most nations.
At the end of the year [1965] parties affiliated with the [Socialist] International were in control of the governments of Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Israel, and the Malagasy Republic. They had representatives in coalition cabinets in Austria, Belgium, Iceland, Italy, Luxemborg, and Switzerland; constituted the chief opposition in France, India, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and West Germany; and were significant political forces in numerous other countries. Many parties dominant in governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America announced that their aim was a socialist society (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1965 Book of the Year, p. 736).
“We here in the United States, in converting our government into a social welfare state, have ourselves adopted much of socialism. Specifically, we have to an alarming degree adopted the use of the power of the state in the control and distribution of the fruits of industry. We are on notice, according to the words of the president, that we are going much farther, for he is quoted as saying:
We're going to take all the money we think is unnecessarily being spent and take it from the "haves" and give it to the "have nots" (Congressional Record, March 24, 1964).
“That is the spirit of socialism: "We're going to take." It isn't the spirit of "We're going to give."
“We have also gone a long way on the road to public ownership and management of the vital means of production. In both of these areas the free agency of Americans has been greatly abridged. Some argue that we have voluntarily surrendered this power to government. Be this as it may, the fact remains that the loss of freedom with the consent of the enslaved, or even at their request, is nonetheless slavery.
“As to the fruits of socialism, we all have our own opinions. I myself have watched its growth in our own country and observed it in operation in many other lands. But I have yet to see or hear of its freeing the hearts of men of selfishness and greed or of its bringing peace, plenty, or freedom. These things it will never bring, nor will it do away with idleness and promote "industry, thrift, and self-respect," for it is founded in theory and in practice on the principles of the evil one.
And now in line with these remarks, for three things I pray:
1. That the Lord will somehow quicken our understanding of the differences between socialism and the United Order and give us a vivid awareness of the awful portent of those differences.
2. That we will develop the understanding, the desire, and the courage, born of the Spirit, to eschew socialism and support and sustain, in the manner revealed and as interpreted by the Lord, those just and holy principles embodied in the Constitution of the United States for the protection of all flesh in the exercise of their God-given agency.
3. That through faithful observance of the principles of tithing, the fast, and the welfare program, we will prepare ourselves to redeem Zion and ultimately live the United Order.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (Marion G Romney)
Ezra Taft Benson wrote:
“What is the official position of the Church on communism? In 1936 the First Presidency made an official declaration on communism which has never been abrogated. I quote the concluding paragraph: "We call upon all Church members completely to eschew communism. The safety of our divinely inspired constitutional government and the welfare of our Church imperatively demand that communism shall have no place in America." (Improvement Era, vol. 39 [1936], p. 488.)
“We must ever keep in mind that collectivized socialism is part of the communist strategy. Communism is fundamentally socialism. We will never win our fight against communism by making concessions to socialism. Communism and socialism, closely related, must be defeated on principle.
“It is significant that the Prophet Joseph Smith, after attending lectures on socialism, made this official entry in Church history: "I said I did not believe the doctrine." (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 33.)
“No true Latter-day Saint and no true American can be a socialist or a communist or support programs leading in that direction. These evil philosophies are incompatible with Mormonism, the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
“What can priesthood holders do? There are many things we can do to meet the challenge of the adversary in our day.
“First, we should become informed about communism, about socialism, and about Americanism. What better way can one become informed than by first studying the inspired words of the prophets and using that as a foundation against which to test all other material? This is in keeping with the Prophet Joseph Smith's motto, "When the Lord commands, do it." (DHC, vol. 2, p. 170.)
“Second, we should accept the command of the Lord and treat socialistic communism as the tool of Satan. We should follow the counsel of the President of the Church and resist the influence and policies of the socialist-communist conspiracy wherever they are found—in the schools, in the churches, in governments, in unions, in businesses, in agriculture.
“Third, we should help those who have been deceived or who are misinformed to find the truth. unless each person who knows the truth will "stand up and speak up," it is difficult for the deceived or confused citizen to find his way back.
“Fourth, we should not make the mistake of calling people "communist" just because they happen to be helping the communist cause. Thousands of patriotic Americans, including a few Latter-day Saints, have helped the communists without realizing it. Others have knowingly helped without joining the party. The remedy is to avoid name-calling, but point out clearly and persuasively how they are helping the communists.
“Fifth, each priesthood holder should use his influence in the community to resist the erosion process which is taking place in our political and economic life. He should use the political party of his choice to express his evaluation of important issues. He should see that his party is working to preserve freedom, not destroy it. He should join responsible local groups interested in promoting freedom and free competitive enterprise, in studying political issues, appraising the voting records and proposed programs, and writing to members of Congress, promoting good men in public office, and scrutinizing local, state, and federal agencies to see that the will of the people is being carried out. He should not wait for the Lord's servants to give instruction for every detail once they have announced the direction in which the priesthood should go. Each member should exercise prayerful judgment and then act.
“Sixth, and most important of all, each member of the priesthood should set his own house in order.
“May God give us the wisdom to recognize the threat to our freedom and the strength to meet this danger courageously. Yes, perilous times are ahead, but if we do our duty in all things, God will give us inner peace and overrule all things for our good. God grant it may be so. (Ezra Taft Benson)
Bruce R McConkie in Mormon Doctrine wrote:
Communism
See CHURCH OF THE DEVIL, SECRET COMBINATIONS.
Basically and chiefly, communism is a form of false religion; it is one of the major divisions of the church of the devil. It denies God and Christ; belittles Christianity; runs counter to the moral and ethical standards of religion and decency; denies men their agency; wrenches from them their inalienable rights; and swallows the individual and his well-being up in the formless mass of the state.
Communism is also a political movement, one that fosters and promotes world revolution, and has as its aim the subjugation of all free peoples and nations. It necessarily is a dictatorship of the severest and most ruthless type.
David O McKay and the First Presidency wrote:
"With great regret we learn from credible sources, governmental and others, that a few Church members are joining, directly or indirectly, the communists and are taking part in their activities.
"The Church does not interfere, and has no intention of trying to interfere, with the fullest and freest exercise of the political franchise of its members, under and within our Constitution which the Lord declared: 'I established . . . by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose," (D. & C. 101:80) and which, as to the principles thereof, the Prophet dedicating the Kirtland Temple, prayed should be 'established forever.'
"But communism is not a political party nor a political plan under the Constitution; it is a system of government that is the opposite of our Constitutional government, and it would be necessary to destroy our government before communism could be set up in the United States.
"Since communism, established, would destroy our American Constitutional government, to support communism is treasonable to our free institutions, and no patriotic American citizen may become either a communist or supporter of communism.
"To our Church members we say: Communism is not the United Order, and bears only the most superficial resemblance thereto; communism is based upon intolerance and force, the United Order upon love and freedom of conscience and action; communism involves forceful despoliation and confiscation, the United Order voluntary consecration and sacrifice.
"Communists cannot establish the United Order, nor will communism bring it about. The United Order will be established by the Lord in his own due time and in accordance with the regular prescribed order of the Church.
"Furthermore, it is charged by universal report, which is not successfully contradicted or disproved, that communism undertakes to control, if not indeed to proscribe the religious life of the people living within its jurisdiction, and that it even reaches its hand into the sanctity of the family circle itself, disrupting the normal relationship of parent and child, all in a manner unknown and unsanctioned under the Constitutional guarantees under which we in America live. Such interference would be contrary to the fundamental precepts of the gospel and to the teachings and order of the Church.
"Communism being thus hostile to loyal American citizenship and incompatible with true Church membership, of necessity no loyal American citizen and no faithful Church member can be a communist.
"We call upon all Church members completely to eschew communism. The safety of our divinely inspired Constitutional government and the welfare of our Church imperatively demand that communism shall have no place in America." (Improvement Era, vol. 39, p. 488.)
Some may excuse their support for socialism by saying it is not communism. But there is little difference between Socialism and Communism, it is just a matter of degrees—Communism is simply the logical end result of socialist policies. Here are some definitions from the internet:
"Communism and socialism are umbrella terms referring to two left-wing schools of economic thought; both oppose capitalism."
“Socialism is a social theory. It theorizes that a collective cooperation of citizens will make all governmental institutions public. For example, no one will receive a healthcare bill when going to the doctor because they, and everyone else, have paid a hefty amount in government taxes. That’s where the collective cooperation comes in.
"Communism, on the other hand, is a branch of socialism. It’s similar in that it’s still founded on the idea of collective cooperation, but differs in that communists believe that cooperation should be run by a totalitarian government made up of one and only one government.
“Both socialism and communism are essentially economic philosophies advocating public rather than private ownership, especially of the means of production, distribution and exchange of goods (i.e., making money) in a society. Both aim to fix the problems they see as created by a free-market capitalist system, including the exploitation of workers and a widening gulf between rich and poor.
“Under communism, there is no such thing as private property. All property is communally owned, and each person receives a portion based on what they need. A strong central government—the state—controls all aspects of economic production, and provides citizens with their basic necessities, including food, housing, medical care and education.
“By contrast, under socialism, individuals can still own property. But industrial production, or the chief means of generating wealth, is communally owned and managed by a democratically elected government.
“Another key difference between socialism and communism is the means of achieving them. In communism, a violent revolution in which the workers rise up against the middle and upper classes is seen as an inevitable part of achieving a pure communist state. Socialism is a less rigid, more flexible ideology. Its adherents seek change and reform, but insist on making these changes through democratic processes within the existing social and political structure, not overthrowing that structure.
My hope is that people will reject the temptation of socialist programs and will not vote for those who try to introduce socialism into our government. My fear is that people will be lured by the false promises of ‘free health care’, or ‘free education’, or the government paying off all student debt (or any number of promises that have been made recently), and end up voting for a socialist President. If this happens, it would be a clarion bell signaling the end of America as we know it.
(End of COPY)
