dallin h oaks constitution

However, we do not see inspiration in every Supreme Court decision interpreting the Constitution. We should learn and advocate the inspired principles of the Constitution. 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. 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. 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. Hopefully that inspired you to learn and do more. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Members from every corner of the globe shared music and the spoken word. 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. These principles block the autocratic ambitions that have corrupted democracy in some countries. In 2010, Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke at a Constitution Day Celebration and warned about the importance of preserving the US Constitution. “The Divinely Inspired Constitution,” Ensign, Feb. 1992, 68. 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. 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. Bill of Rights. First is the principle that the source of government power is the people. We should never assert that a faithful Latter-day Saint cannot belong to a particular party or vote for a particular candidate. “The idea of equality is a good one,” he reminds us, “so long as it means ‘equality before the law.’”. Making a career move: How a former NFLer is tackling life at Amazon. Philosophers had advocated this, but the United States Constitution was the first to apply it. Each of these has strong traditions of constitutionalism, though the governing provisions are not collected in a single document. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Sunday that Mitchell won’t play for the Jazz. 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. 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. That equality and the significance of the Constitution diminish when we warp the motivation for its origin, President Oaks said. In these unfortunate circumstances, God revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith eternal truths about His doctrine. 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. Most likely because we’ve ignored President Oaks’ fifth principle — that we are to be governed by law and not by individuals. 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. 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. This article was coauthored by Anthony Jackson. 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. 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. Whether or how its principles should be applied in other nations of the world is for them to decide. How do the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies match up? The most desirable condition for the exercise of that agency is maximum freedom for men and women to act according to their individual choices. It will require citizens to surrender their loyalties when they conflict with inspired principles. Now, some have twisted that principle to fit their own narratives. ”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. Here the inspiration was in the practical implementation of principles pioneered in England, beginning with the Magna Carta. 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. Doctors explain why there are more people with COVID-19 symptoms ... even if it’s not the novel coronavirus. 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. 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. So too when the document is either neglected by leaders or worshiped as a political slogan. He has done everything that is essential for our journey through mortality toward the destiny outlined in the plan of our Heavenly Father. -- The division of delegated power between the nation and its subsidiary states. I speak from my experience as a law clerk to the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. “Therefore,” the Lord revealed, “it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:79). A constitution is the foundation of government. What Rice Does to Human Body. 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. 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. 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. “In this way, all persons are to be equal before the law.”. See David B. Magleby, “The Necessity of Political Parties and the Importance of Compromise,” BYU Studies, vol. A Bill of Rights was not new. 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. Fifth and finally, I see divine inspiration in the vital purpose of the entire Constitution. 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. Accountability, pp. 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. 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. There are other duties that are part of upholding the inspired Constitution. The optics were powerful: Faith in Christ transcends cultures and languages, and all are equal under him. In these remarks I do not speak for any political party or other group. The Constitution established a constitutional democratic republic, where the people exercise their power through their elected representatives. See United States Constitution, article 1, section 2. 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? Being subject to presidents or rulers7 of course poses no obstacle to our opposing individual laws or policies. See, generally, Noel B. Reynolds, “The Doctrine of an Inspired Constitution,” in By the Hands of Wise Men, 1–28. Decision to sit Donovan Mitchell for Game 1 against Grizzlies came after Sunday shootaround. He elaborated by pointing out five divinely inspired principles. 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. https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dallin-h-oaks/racism-other-challenges Then, the revelation explains, “every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:78). Important subjects of lawmaking, such as some laws governing family relationships, have been taken from the states by the federal government. 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. 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. That is no small feat. In the first decade of the restored Church, its members on the western frontier were suffering private and public persecution. We must pray for the Lord to guide and bless all nations and their leaders. 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. Skip to comments. 10. We break it down. 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. Are children ‘dying like dogs’ in effort to build better batteries? It provides structure and limits for the exercise of government powers. The vacuum of principle left behind is filled, as Berry observed, with wealth, power and brutality. Then members should seek inspiration on how to exercise their influence according to their individual priorities. First, the source of government power is the people, he said. There are many political issues, and no party, platform, or individual candidate can satisfy all personal preferences. See United States Constitution, article 6. The urgency of our moment requires us to rediscover those principles — for ourselves and for the world. Each citizen must therefore decide which issues are most important to him or her at any particular time. 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. The United States Constitution is the oldest written constitution still in force today. Source: President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The writers of the Constitution were familiar with these because some of the colonial charters had such guarantees. Each scenario leaves a stain on the document that guides the country. 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. We see it in the doctrine of moral agency. 4 (2015), 7–23. 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. 54, no. Talk #1: Dallin H. Oaks, “Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution” Talk #2: Ronald A. Rasband, “Behold! 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. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 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. 71-72 [National Congress on Church-related Colleges and … In this troubled time, I have felt to speak about the inspired Constitution of the United States. United States Constitution, amendment 10. 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. Vol. Today, every nation except three have adopted written constitutions.1. 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. 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 … Everyone — American or otherwise — benefits when the Constitution is respected. 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. 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. Already, more than 1 in 3 Americans live in states where it’s legal to smoke marijuana recreationally. “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. A bill of rights, the third great fundamental of the United States Constitution, came by … The three countries with unwritten codified constitutions are the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Israel. 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… This process will not be easy. 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. 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. What has Jesus Christ done for each of us? Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk entitled: Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution. 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. Sovereign power in the people does not mean that mobs or other groups of people can intervene to intimidate or force government action. 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). Source: Elder Dallin H. Oaks The Divinely Inspired Constitution From an address given 5 July 1987, at the Freedom Festival. But respect for it is becoming harder to come by. 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. I believe the United States Constitution contains at least five divinely inspired principles.4. The Constitution gives ultimate power to the people, for example, which was a divinely inspired yet radical idea. I speak from my 15 years as a professor of law and my 3½ years as a justice on the Utah Supreme Court. This obviously means that human slavery is wrong. 3. 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. Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution | Dallin H. Oaks | April 2021 - YouTube. A second inspired principle is the division of delegated power between the nation and its subsidiary states. Topics: Bill of Rights; US Constitution Dallin H. Oaks. How a BYU teammate’s suicide put urgency in this man’s effort to treat CTE. 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. by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve. Copyright © 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company. 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. Despite the divinely inspired principles of the United States Constitution, when exercised by imperfect mortals their intended effects have not always been achieved. 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. 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? 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. … “we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. 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. It may require changing party support or candidate choices, even from election to election. Source: President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. -- The source of government power is the people. On contested issues, we should seek to moderate and unify. We should trust in the Lord and be positive about this nation’s future. 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. 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. It does require that we exercise our influence civilly and peacefully within the framework of our constitutions and applicable laws. That is why this constitution is of special concern for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world. 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. The First Amendment guarantee of free speech has sometimes been diluted by suppression of unpopular speech. How did we get here? 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. 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. 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.

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