Now, How Will I Vote?

8 October 2016

Last night I watched the video that surfaced, which puts Trump and his campaign in a very poor light; but, it is not so condemning as the words reported without context given. By no means can his behavior be justified as acceptable. It just is another load of crap for voters to trek through in making their decision on whom to vote for.

I am at a loss of what to do at this point; not so much just over the video, but over the reaction from Trump and from America concerning the video. First off, individuals should claim responsibility for their own actions without pointing fingers to anyone else. It’s a hard thing to do, but until we can do that America is going to remain weak. Second of all, there are those who still praise this man and brush aside his faults as if they don’t matter at all; while on the other hand, there are those who flatly condemn him without considering whether he has grown, changed, or improved. So either way, we have those who are severely lacking in judgment or those who are quick to judge severely. And this seems to be the trend in our Country over everything, from top leaders to average citizens; which probably goes to show that we are all found lacking for the most part.

I am also amazed that the citizens of the United States view their politic responsibilities pretty much in the same way that they do their preferred sports’ teams. They accept or excuse behavior solely because they have chosen a team and may all others lose and be damned. This has certainly be proven time and time again with what has been accepted during the past umpteen years and the blinders that have been put on by citizen and representatives of citizens. The lies and evil that have been perpetuated in and by our government officials are blatant, but we seem to have come to accept them as normal, and some even seem to uphold the injustice of it all.

I really tire of seeing all those who compare current situations to President Richard Nixon, saying that he was forced to resign. Because of his cover up of Watergate happenings, he chose to resign. He still wanted the best for our Country. With all the scandals we’ve seen in government since, no one has willingly left office, not even when impeached. Certainly, top officials and even the American populous should not uphold, back, or cast a vote for someone whom they know has broken the law repeatedly and has put our Country and our military at great risk, even costing lives.

When I do vote, rest assured that I will vote my conscience. That means that I will cast my vote thinking about my accountability to God and to my country as I do so. That also means that I will vote for the person whom I think is best positioned to do the most good for our Country in the next four years. And I suggest that we all allow each other the sacred right to do so without condemnation or judgment of our own superiority and their stupidity. We need to do what we can to once again make or nation The United States of America.

 I watched the video in question last night. Not at all pretty, but it was important for me to see for my own evaluation. In sharing the link, I am not promoting the reprehensible nature of the content, but trying to put into context what happened then with who Trump may or not be now.
Video

From Donald J. Trump's Page:

Here is my [Trump’s] statement.

I’ve never said I’m a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone that I’m not. I’ve said and done things I regret, and the words released today on this more than a decade-old video are one of them. Anyone who knows me, know these words don’t reflect who I am.

I said it, it was wrong, and I apologize.

I’ve travelled the country talking about change for America. But my travels have also changed me. I’ve spent time with grieving mothers who’ve lost their children, laid off workers whose jobs have gone to other countries, and people from all walks of life who just want a better future. I have gotten to know the great people of our country, and I’ve been humbled by the faith they’ve placed in me. I pledge to be a better man tomorrow, and will never, ever let you down.

Let’s be honest. We’re living in the real world. This is nothing more than a distraction from the important issues we are facing today. We are losing our jobs, we are less safe than we were 8 years ago and Washington is broken.
Hillary Clinton, and her kind, have run our country into the ground.

I’ve said some foolish things, but there is a big difference between words and actions. Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims. We will discuss this more in the coming days.

See you at the debate on Sunday.

My Response to Trump:

Mr. Trump, it is disgusting that a grown man would talk like a middle school boy trying to impress his friends. Whether or not what you said is a reflection of what you would really do, you were willing to make a few others think so to somehow prove your manhood. It didn't work.

I was actually going to vote for you, even though you weren't the Republican candidate that I favored in the primaries. I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. If nothing else, I've told others, you have proven that you are willing to work with others for the good of the country; even those whom you debated strongly against in the primaries. 

Listening to your apology was sad. I agree that Bill Clinton's actions were really wrong. But using his actions to justify your own words and actions really isn't the morally responsible thing to do. 

To make America great again, we need morally good, clean, and straight citizens, who are willing to bear responsibility for their actions, including those in office who are supposed to represent us. It's too bad that you've lost the faith and trust of so many who actually believed that you wanted to make America great again. 

The America we need is not a reality TV show, nor is it the posh rich or the crass rich, which really seem to be one and the same; they just put on airs in different ways.

From Dr. Ben Carson's Page:

It is obvious that the media has decided who the winner of this election should be; but by so grossly overplaying its hand, the media has lost all credibility as a source for objective facts and surrendered its role as a neutral arbiter of political discourse.

My Response to Carson:

I just wish that Trump had apologized without a comparison to someone else's wrongs. We don't need any "sorry buts(s)". The main problem with America is having citizens and leaders who are unwilling to face consequences for actions. Until we can do that, America will not be great again.

I find it sad that the populous just falls in line to defend a candidate in the same way they do a sport's team. It shows that not only are these candidates immoral, so are We the People.

The thing that seems redeemable about Trump is that he appears to be willing to work with great people like Carson and others who were past opponents. He's picked a good running mate. I thought he'd pick better judges and cabinet members. That is what was holding me to vote for him in the past. But the reality check now is that this is not a reality TV show and there is no way of telling what kind of presidency he'd have.

I am undecided again. I don't want Hillary as president ever, but I also want a clear conscience before God concerning my vote.

Good and Evil is Clearly Defined

We, as citizens of the United States, have been given a world full of knowledge and truth, goodness and opportunity, progress and wealth. For the most part, we have all been “instructed sufficiently that [we] know good from evil” (2 Nephi 2:5).

Hillary Clinton quoted John Wesley’s words,

“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as you ever can.”

That sounds like wonderful advice for all of us. But, then she went on to say,

“That’s a tall order. And of course, one of the interpretive problems with it is, who defines good” (Keynote Address)?

How anyone can know that those are her words and still want to vote for her is beyond me. A leader should have a grasp on reality and what is good and what is evil. Yet she has demonstrated that she does not know the difference between truth and lies, reality and fiction, life and death, good and evil.

I for one do not want Hillary Clinton to define anything more in this Country. What a cop-out. It’s easy to not take responsibility for one’s actions when one can’t acknowledge truth from error. So she has shirked the responsibilities for her lies by saying, “I misspoke.” She has avoided her responsibility for the lives lost in Benghazi by saying that some solitary person who made a video enraged those who believe in the Prophet Mohammed. As if that would be a reason for our government to stand down while our Country’s heroes are sacrificed as an appeasement to our enemies. And she has shredded the evidence of her indiscretions leaving our Country’s security accessible to enemies throughout the world.

Our Founding Fathers knew the difference between good and evil. And even with their faults, they worked to make the world a better place to live in and gave us a promising future. They studied the civilizations of the past and the best literature available to construct a good and righteous governing body. (With all the good that has been given to us by them, it becomes meaningless to toss around the faults of the dead; we need to open our eyes to the immorality of the living.)

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" (John Jay).

“I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of [Christianity] have not a controlling influence” (Noah Webster).

“Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other” (James Wilson).

“Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society” (George Washington).

“Whereas true religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty and happiness . . . it is hereby earnestly recommended to the several States to take the most effectual measures for the encouragement thereof” (Continental Congress, 1778).

Source for Quotes


Since we can all see that our Country was founded and upheld on and by religious principles, I will also look to define “good” from the scriptures. In doing so, I am only choosing a few verses. We can all search them for ourselves; and if we want to know what “good” means, I suggest that we do.

“For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil” (Alma 5:40).

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:1).

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Lastly, I turn to some of Mormon's last words to his people. It seems that our civilization, like his, needs a refresher course in discerning between good and evil.

Moroni 7:12-19:


12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.

Since we are all entitled to discern between good and evil, we should look to find good in the way our Father and His prophets have shown us. If we say that there is a different standard for good, we have judged wrongfully, and in so doing, we are denying ourselves the light of truth.

I am not writing this to be combative, or as an endorsement for any other candidate, or for any specific religion. Indeed, I believe that all men are born with the light of Christ (See John 1:19).  

I am writing this, because Hillary Clinton is clearly not a leader or a person of vision. She does not even have a grasp between right and wrong. To sit back and say nothing, in a Country of free speech and government by and for the people, would be an endorsement for her; and that is something that I will not do.

All in all, it is up to We the People to live the definition of good. We need to be a virtuous and a moral people, and in so doing, we will elevate our Country once again and choose better leadership, with the desire to be more responsible in our own citizenship and in our individual everyday lives.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18).

Jesus went about doing good (See Acts 10:38). Let's do the same. 

Are Good People Good?

I hear so many people defending other people by saying, "He's a good person," or "She's a good person." I'm not even sure what that means anymore.

Cain was probably a really "good person," too; other than, he chose his own way to serve and follow the Lord, instead of being obedient to the Lord and serving in the way he was commanded. Even this was a God-given right, because our Heavenly Father gave us the gift of agency.

So when Cain offered up a sacrifice to the Lord, which was his own choosing and not according to the Lord’s directions, by today’s standard, we could all say, “He was a good person.” Why? Because he still was trying to give a good gift, even if it was contrary to God’s specifications of an acceptable sacrifice or a good gift to God. 

It certainly does seem that when we are given light and knowledge from the Lord, and we stray from that in favor of our own whimsical thinking or the teachings of the world, that we are openly choosing to turn towards the darkness and follow after folly.

Yet we are all still children of God seeking after happiness and wanting to live the good life and to be good people.

So what happened to Cain? And does the same thing happen to good people today?

I believe that we have all had a Cain or a Judas experience to some degree; or, if not, that we will. What will we do in these circumstances? When we have made errors in judgment in following the Lord; and we know that we have, because the Spirit of the Lord is there to seek to reclaim us, how do we respond? How will we respond? Cain was warned, and Cain was given conditions of blessing and cursing. So was Paul. We have also received this same warning. Satan is waiting for our responses, because he seeks to own good people.

What are some of the mistakes that Cain made? First, Cain didn’t offer the sacrifice of the firstborn, which was a reminder of our Heavenly Father’s Son and His sacrifice for us. In what ways do we fall short of being the children of progress that our Father intends us to be? Are there things that we neglect or that we substitute which have been put into place to help us remember His Son and our covenants with Him?

Cain was reprimanded by the Lord. The Lord chastises us because He loves us and wants our ultimate happiness, not just for us to find immediate gratification in the use of our agency. But Cain made the mistake of letting his countenance fall. He became angry. How does it affect our spirits, our demeanor, our attitude, and our well-being when we become angry because we don’t feel validated in making wrong choices? This is another step in turning away from light and truth and entering into a darkened path. Have you ever experienced it? I know I have. But the Lord in great mercy wants to reclaim us, because He knows our potential if we choose light and truth.

Cain not only became angry because he couldn’t find happiness in his wrong choices; he became angry because his brother could find happiness in choosing the right. He let his jealousy over Abel and his possessions consume him, even until he was motivated to destroy Abel in hopes of obtaining what Abel had.

Are we envious of others’ gifts? How does that harm our own well-being? Do we understand that the Lord gives gifts severally to His children according to His will and His kindness, and that the blessings that we receive are to be used to glorify him in returning goodness to Him in obedience and service? Do we make sure that we do not fault others who are truly striving to be righteous?

It is true that most people we know are not murderers. We could even go on to say, “We are all ‘good people.’” But there is great danger in calling evil good and good evil. So it is best for us to analyze our position and to take inventory before and with the Lord, so that we know where we fall short and how we can improve in our own lives. (Alma Chapter 5 is a good reference for this.)

We should also make certain that we are aware of what is right and wrong in the world around us. Too many are confused on this point, thinking that way have no right to judge, but we must make righteous judgment as our progress and the progress of others is dependent upon it. (For greater understanding, please read the words of Mormon for in Moroni Chapter 7.)

I’m not writing this to say that I am a better person that others. But, if we know the truth, we should not want to settle for less either for ourselves or for those other people, those friends of ours whom we deem to be “good people.” If we think they are good people, shouldn’t we want to share with them those promises from God that are attainable through His love for us and our obedience to Him?

We all have the potential to be good. But true goodness comes from being humble enough to know that all that is good comes from God and that we need Him to progress and to obtain salvation. We cannot allow any substandard thwart us from our eternal goal of being members of the family of God. In Him and with Him, we will find goodness. 

Life is Good

My declaration: I do believe in a Deity. I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I believe in the Supreme Creator of the universe. I believe in the Father of our spirits. I believe in the Giver of all good gifts, including life itself. "We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." (Joseph Smith, see Articles of Faith)

I believe in the power of creation. I belief that God has given us life and agency and, along with that, the ability to redefine ourselves and recreate who we are from day to day by the choices we make, the things we think (including the books we read or the blogs we write), and the deeds we do. Hence, when we feel to proclaim, "Life is good," it can very well be because we feel good about our choices and the direction we are headed.

But I affirm that "life" itself is good. The length of life or the quality of life, according to worldly standards of health, doesn't matter. Life is good! I believe that is because God is good, and whatsoever comes from God is good. (See James 1:17-18)

I feel to exclaim that life is and was good for my infant son who just lived 2 1/2 hours. I know that he was grateful to receive a mortal body, that his spirit lives on, and that he will take up his physical body again in the resurrection. This faith I have because I believe in the resurrection of Christ. Indeed, life is good. Our Father who has granted us earthly life, immortality, and the possibility of eternal life is good.

I am glad for the knowledge that I have of a pre-earth life, this earthly life, and life beyond death. Life is a miracle; in all of its stages, it remains a miracle. It is not something that mortal man can copy. But as children of God, we have the seeds of deity right within us, and He has permitted us to have the power of procreation wherein we can help provide His spirit children with physical bodies. Life and the power to perpetuate life is truly a gift.

For all the dear family members that I have said good-bye to for a time, I do believe and I must believe I will see you again! I feel it in my heart, and the Spirit testifies to my spirit that it is so. I feel the warmth of the testimony coursing through my veins. Both you and this testimony are an essential part of who I am. I know that Ed’s life is not snuffed out; nor is Robby’s; nor is my dear sister Kathy’s. Life is good; they are good; and they continue in God who is not only good, but great.

Tears flow freely as a think about my recently departed sister. She indeed had a testimony that life is good. I never once saw her bitter. Her circumstances or the quality of her life did not affect her testimony that life is good. Not once did she want people to feel sorry for her or pity her. She loved life; she loved her family and friends; and she was the best example of creating an atmosphere of happiness and faith no matter what. She even went so far as to say her cancer was kind. Why? Because it gave her time to concentrate on all the things that matter most and to have a couple more years to really enjoy her family, friends, and this beautiful world that we live in. Also, because she knew that cancer was not going to really bring an end to her life, but that life would and does continue for her. She believes in the resurrection as do I. I hope that I can face the challenges of life as well as she did with this motto: “Come what may and love it.” (Joseph B. Worthlin, see Article from October 2008 Conference)

I am so thankful to have the gift of life. I know that God who is the Creator gave me life. I know that I do not have the power to even maintain life on my own, but that He is the one who sustains me from day to day by giving me breath and nourishment through this beautiful earth on which we live. (See Mosiah 2:20-22, word from King Benjamin.)

So whether my individual days are good days or bad days, I do proclaim that life is good. We do experience joys and sorrows, and often there is sorrow mixed in with our joys. But even in the midst of sorrows, I feel my Savior’s love, and I still do proclaim, “Life is good.” I find that the sorrows help me to remember Him and to value life more. And when everything seems to be going along perfectly, I hope that I will do better at stopping to be thankful to Him and to those who have enriched my life and blessed me to be able to enjoy all the wonderful things I enjoy. I acknowledge that I am nothing of myself. But because God has chosen me to be His daughter, and because I have loving earthly parents, loving family, and friends, I have been nurtured in the good things of life and my possibilities for progression are endless. This gift is from my Father who is Eternal and whose gifts are Endless.