Is There a Latter-day Saint Case For Socialism?

The Bible is replete with the commandment to take care of the poor and needy. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus Christ even said that whether or not we take care of the poor and needy would be the difference between those that are found at the left and right hand of God on judgment day. As Latter-day Saints, we have even more knowledge from modern revelations, most members are familiar with the thrice-repeated command in the Book of Mormon that we are to “clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” (see Jacob 2:19, Mosiah 4:26, and Alma 4:13).

There is no denying it, we have been commanded to take care of our fellow men. Furthermore, as Latter-day Saints, we have restored truths regarding the type of community we should strive for, namely Zion. In Moses 7 we learn that Enoch established a city named Zion. In this city, there are no poor among them! Eventually, they were so righteous that the Lord took the entire city up into heaven! Because the Lord took Zion to heaven, it has become the role model for all disciples throughout time. In the Book of Acts, we learn of the New Testament Apostles trying to establish Zion-like communities where there were no poor among them and they had all things in common. And in 4th Nephi 1:3, we learn that the people of Nephi established a Zion-like community where they had all things in common. Countless sections of the Doctrine and Covenants deal with the creating of a Zion-like community called the United Order.

Now you might be thinking, ok what does this have to do with socialism? The answer to that is simple. Look around! People are not taking care of their fellow men, and the United Order failed. The Lord was very specific in Doctrine and Covenants 104:16 saying that the United Order must be done in His way. What was His way? Agency! Allowing people to choose, if they want to follow it! And what happened? People choose wrong! The same with the scriptural command to take care of the poor and needy, people have chosen not to do it!

The Latter-day Saint Case For Socialism is simple, with Socialism, we can make sure all the poor and the needy are taken care of! Not a single soul would be left behind! Now, of course, we will require the agency of man to be sacrificed, but it is for the greater good. If we but gave the government power to force people via government threat of incarceration/reeducation to pay taxes to the government, then the government could ensure that the gospel is lived! I think we can all agree that the vast amounts of people using their agency incorrectly is proof that we should use force instead of relying on agency!

Now some people might try to attack this thesis that the means of socialist welfare (force) is justifiable because the end result is taking care of the poor. They often try to use quotes from people like Hugh B. Brown, Lorenzo Snow, John Taylor, Marion G. Romney, David O. McKay, Ezra Taft Benson, Bruce R. McConkie, Howard W. Hunter, J. Reuben Clark Jr, George Albert Smith, and even official Statements from the First Presidency about agency, communism, or socialism. But all these quotes can be dismissed as opinions for three reasons.

1st. It was only Benson who was anti-communistic and anti-socialist. And he was reprehended for it. I don’t know how he was, but that is what I read on Facebook. And I that you *claim* that these quotes come from a dozen Latter-day prophets and apostles. But It was only Benson…

2nd. Fine, I’ll admit, maybe these quotes DID come from multiple other Latter-day prophets and apostles other than just Ezra Taft Benson, but the quotes are all super old. And therefore I can ignore them. Also, these teachings were to a specific people that were facing a specific issue. It is not applicable to us! It is not like we re-read the teachings of Lehi to his sons, or Christ to his disciples. They are even older than these quotes about communism!

3rd. OK, these quotes are from prophets and apostles, whose teachings are still applicable, but I can disregard these teachings because they are about politics! How dare the Church tell me that my ideology is wrong. I don’t care that they literally have said it is a gospel counterfeit, founded by satan, meant to entrap the children of men. They don’t have the right to tell me how to vote! Plus, just because it is the earthly embodiment of Satan’s plan from the war in heaven does not mean it is wrong! He, like all the other communists and socialists simply have not done it right!

Debunking the Latter-day Saint case for socialism.

By now you might’ve realized that this case for Socialism is satire that is designed to point out how Socialism is the Satans plan from the war in Heaven rebranded on earth. And that only by choosing to live the gospel that we can qualify for exaltation. But what many members don’t understand is that using our agency to take care of the poor and needy are not simply things that need to be done, but vital tools to help us qualify for exaltation. Marion G. Romney taught this when in the Oct 1981 general conference he taught, “The Lord doesn’t really need us to take care of the poor. He could take care of them without our help if it were his purpose to do so… It would be a simple thing for the Lord to reveal to President [Nelson] where the deposits of oil and precious ores are. We could then hire someone to dig them out and we could float in wealth—and we would float in wealth right down to Hades. No, the Lord doesn’t really need us to take care of the poor, but we need this experience; for it is only through our learning how to take care of each other that we develop within us the Christlike love and disposition necessary to qualify us to return to his presence.“

Marion G. Romney also taught a year later, in Oct 1982 general conference, “Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.” with this two quotes we have established that welfare and service are the fiber of celestial life and glory. With that setting the stage, President Lorzeno Snow slams the home run when he taught: “In things that pertain to celestial glory there can be no forced operations. We must do according as the Spirit of the Lord operates upon our understandings and feelings. We cannot be crowded into matters, however great might be the blessing attending such procedure. We cannot be forced into living a celestial law; we must do this ourselves, of our own free will. And whatever we do in regard to the principles of the United Order, we must do it because we desire to do it.” Lorenzo Snow: (In Journal of Discourses, 19:346.)

From these three quotes, we can fully debunk any Latter-day Saint case for socialism. Even if Satan’s plan had been enforced either in heaven, or as Socialism on earth, we would not gain the promised results of exaltation, for socialist welfare actually destroys the very tools designed to enable exaltation. But in case you think this is my opinion. Here are even more quotes from the prophets and apostles on this topic completely obliterating any Latter-day Saint who justifies socialism.

Quotes on socialism and communism.

“It is time, therefore, that every American, and especially every member of the priesthood, become informed about the aims, tactics, and schemes of socialistic-communism. This becomes particularly important when it is realized that communism is turning out to be the earthly image of the plan which Satan presented in the pre-existence. The whole program of socialistic-communism is essentially a war against God and the plan of salvation – the very plan which we fought to uphold during ‘the war in heaven.’”

Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, October 1961, p. 70

“It is not the government’s duty to support you. I will raise my voice as long as God gives me sound or ability, against this communistic idea that the government will take care of us all… It is Wrong! No wonder in trying to perpetuate that idea, that men become anti-Christ, because those teachings strike directly at the doctrines of the Savior”

David O. McKay, Church News, 14 March 1953

“Satan argued that men given their freedom would not choose correctly therefore he would compel them to do right and save us all. Today Satan argues that men given their freedom do not choose wisely; therefore a so-called brilliant, benevolent few must establish the welfare government and force us into a greater socialistic society. We are assured of being led into the promised land as long as we let them put a golden ring in our nose. In the end we lose our freedom and the promised land also. No matter what you call it—communism, socialism, or the welfare state—our freedom is sacrificed. We believe the gospel is the greatest thing in the world; why then do we not force people to join the Church if they are not smart enough to see it on their own? Because this is Satan’s way not the Lord’s plan. The Lord uses persuasion and love.”

Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1965

“The position of this Church on the subject of communism has never changed. We consider it the greatest satanical threat to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God’s work among men that exists on the face of the earth.”

David O. McKay, April 1966 General Conference

“Communism introduced into the world a substitute for true religion. It is a counterfeit of the gospel plan.”

Ezra Taft Benson, Oct 1979 General Conference

“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.”

Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, October 1961, p. 74

“Efforts are being made to deprive man of his free agency, to steal from the individual his liberty; and we must never forget that next to life itself, free agency is the greatest gift of God to man.”

David O. McKay, Conference Report, October 1966

“In distinguishing communism from the United Order, President David O. McKay said that communism is Satan’s counterfeit for the gospel plan, and that it is an avowed enemy of the God of the land. Communism is the greatest anti-Christ power in the world today and therefore the greatest menace not only to our peace but to our preservation as a free people. By the extent to which we tolerate it, accommodate ourselves to it, permit ourselves to be encircled by its tentacles and drawn to it, to that extent we forfeit the protection of the God of this land.”

Marion G. Romney First Presidency Message, September 1979 Ensign.

“Now the world today is in the throes of a great social and political revolution. In almost every department of society laws and practices are being daily proposed and adopted which greatly alter the course of our lives. Indeed, some of them are literally shaking the foundations of our political and social institutions. If you would know truth from error in this bitterly contested arena, apply Mormon’s test to these innovations [as recorded in Moro. 7:16–18]. Do they facilitate or restrict the exercise of man’s divine endowment of free agency? Tested by this standard, most of them will fall quickly into their proper category as between good and evil.”

President Marion G. Romney

“The entire concept and philosophy of Communism is diametrically opposed to everything for which the Church stands – belief in Deity, belief in the dignity and eternal nature of man, and the application of the gospel to efforts for peace in the world. Communism is militantly atheistic and is committed to the destruction of faith wherever it may be found… Communism debases the individual and makes him the enslaved tool of the state, to which he must look for sustenance and religion. Communism destroys man’s God-given free agency.

“No member of this Church can be true to his faith, nor can any American be loyal to his trust, while lending aid, encouragement, or sympathy to any of these false philosophies; for if he does, they will prove snares to his feet.”

-David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1966, pp. 109-110

“Up to now some members of the Church have stood aloof, feeling that the fight against socialistic-communism is ‘controversial’ and unrelated to the mission of the Church or the work of the Lord. But the President of the Church in our day has made it clear that the fight against atheistic communism is a major challenge to the Church and every member in it… Our real enemies are communism and its running mate, socialism…

“I want to say a few words about a few of the paths we are following that, if we move forward thereon, will inevitably lead us to socialism or communism, and these two are as like as two peas in a pod in their ultimate effect upon our liberties…

“We may first observe that communism and socialism – which we shall hereafter group together and dub Statism – cannot live with Christianity, nor with any religion that postulates a Creator such as the Declaration of Independence recognizes. The slaves of Statism must know no power, no authority, no source of blessing, no God, but the State. The State must be supreme in everything.”

President J. Reuben Clark, Church News, 9/25/49

“All we have to do is … examine any movement that may be brought into our midst … and if it … attempt[s] to deprive us in the slightest respect of our free agency, we should avoid it as we would avoid immorality or anything else that is vicious. … Free agency is as necessary for our eternal salvation as is our virtue. And … as we guard our virtue with our lives, so should we guard our free agency.”

President Henry D. Moyle, Conference Report, Oct. 1947, p. 46.

May we take a moment from some of the side issues and clear our thoughts and humble our hearts and get down on our knees and simply, fervently, thank God for freedom and then get on our feet with a firm resolve to preserve it against all who secretly or openly would set it aside.

Thank God for freedom and for the Founding Fathers who reaffirmed to a new nation, an eternal, timeless truth: that the right of choice that the free agency of manis a God-given inalienable right, and is essential to the peace and growth and progress and salvation of the very soul.

This truth has been challenged again and again, and will yet be challenged again and again. It was challenged in the heavens before time began, by the brilliant but rebellious Lucifer. There was war in heaven for freedom. And anyone who seeks to enslave men in any sense, in mind, in spirit, in thought anyone who seeks to enslave the minds, the hearts, the spirits of men is essentially in league with Satan himself for “where he spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Thank God for the Constitution of our country, which was brought into being “by the hands of wise men whom [the Lord God] raised up unto this very purpose.” Thank God for the promise that in this choice land, men “shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve” God.

Thank God for the right of choice, for the right to become whatever we can become in a free and provident land that, despite its imperfections, has proved to be more efficient for progress and human happiness than any society founded on the false philosophies that would seek to enslave the minds and souls of men.

God grant that we may repent wherever we have departed from the principles of freedom that we may preserve the right to fail and the incentive to succeed, and live, as did the Founding Fathers, knowing that there are no acceptable substitutes for freedom.

Elder Richard L. Evans. Thank God for Freedom July 4, 1954.

“One of the fundamental doctrines of revealed truth is that … God endowed men with free agency (see Moses 7:32). The preservation of this free agency is more important than the preservation of life itself. … Everything which militates against man’s enjoyment of this endowment persuades not to believe in Christ, for he is the author of free agency.

“Now the world today is in the throes of a great social and political revolution. In almost every department of society laws and practices are being daily proposed and adopted which greatly alter the course of our lives. Indeed, some of them are literally shaking the foundations of our political and social institutions. If you would know truth from error in this bitterly contested arena, apply Mormon’s test to these innovations [as recorded in Moro. 7:16–18]. Do they facilitate or restrict the exercise of man’s divine endowment of free agency? Tested by this standard, most of them will fall quickly into their proper category as between good and evil.”

Marion G. Romney (Speeches of the Year, Brigham Young University Press, 1957, pp. 10–11.)