The American people has spoken and chosen a new president. The race was close, but a majority of the people has made their choice.

Was that a good choice? I have my personal belief, and I was hoping that Mitt Romney would win, but since this is a democracy, people have the right to decide.

However, this decision is so influenced by the media and other factors, like money, that I am not sure most people really understand what they are choosing. Voters are buying a product, and the best advertising campaign is the one that is going to win, not necessarily the best product.

Unfortunately, some choices have long lasting consequences, and many of them cannot be reversed easily.

More than with the choice of the new (old) president, I am probably more concerned with the choices made in several state ballots, choices that seems progressive and open-minded to many.

A democracy is the best form of government that men have been able to come up with, but there are problems with it. For example, a democracy is not the most efficient political system.

However, a democracy has a great quality, and this is the tendency to preserve the rights and freedom of the people.

The Book of Mormon in two verses gives a great overview of why a democracy is a good form of government, but also admonishes us about what may happen in a democracy when the majority of the people does not choose the right.

Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law--to do your business by the voice of the people.

And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land (Mosiah 29:26)

A democracy preserves freedom and justice better than any other political systems because in most cases the majority of the people chooses what is right. However, if the time comes that the voice of the people does choose iniquity, then this is the time that the judgments of God will come upon the nation.

To choose Obama instead than Romney is a sign of a people who prefers iniquity to righteousness? Not necessarily. Many prefer his political platform for a variety of reasons, and some may be good reasons.

However, certain results in state ballots, and the general trend of society is troubling. there are signs of moral decline all over the places.

Hopefully we are not yet arrived at the point when the “judgements of God will come”, even because there are still so many good people in the country, but the trend needs to be reversed.  Hopefully Barack Obama will help reverse this trend, instead than moving the nation even faster in that direction. We will see in the next four years.

In the mean time, I am grateful to know that the true prophets of God are not elected, and especially that the principles and commandments of the Gospel are not modified by state ballots! We really cannot build anything long lasting and eternal on the shaky ground of people’s preferences and choices.

 

 


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