As I have listened to the news and read reports of major changes happening in our country (GM bailout, banking bailouts, government control of major industries, talk of socialized medicine, federalization of many other services etc.) and others around the world, it's been hard not to draw a few comparisons between what's happening now and our early beginnings in Heaven.
The word
Socialism comes up a lot. This is what Wikipedia says about Socialism.
"Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating public or state ownership and administration of the
means of production and distribution of goods, and a society characterized by equality for all individuals, with a fair or
egalitarian method of compensation."
It's hard to pin down all the details because there are so many different views regarding exactly how Socialism should be administered. Basically, I think that most people who advocate Socialism, want everyone to have what they need. (or what they want) No one should be in want or without. This seems like a noble ambition. Taking care of those who cannot (or will not?) care for themselves or their families.
I've been pondering the principles behind the idea. It's not new. In fact it's been around since before the world was created.
Lucifer was the son of the morning. He was one of the great ones. He was our brother. He became so great, in fact, that he decided that he didn't need God to progress. He began a rebellion against God that eventually pulled away 1/3 of our brothers and sisters, before they were ever born. He disagreed with the Plan of Salvation proposed by our Father in Heaven. This plan would allow each individual to come to earth and make choices about what was most important to them. They would then need to live with the consequences of those choices and/or learn from them and progressively make better choices. This plan encourages growth, learning, progression and independence.
He didn't want people to have the agency to choose between good and evil, right & wrong, good-better-best. After all, they might make poor choices and then they would suffer and others would suffer. They might not ever return to our Father in Heaven. Failure. No, that couldn't be allowed. If Lucifer had his way, he would force everyone to follow his plan, and all would return safe and sound. No mention of rigging the test. (What is the test, if you already know everyone will pass, regardless of their choices?) He would be in charge of everyone and everything and ensure equality for all. This plan encourages stagnation, weakness and dependence on others.
No matter, it was a lie. Lucifer knew it wasn't possible, but it was so attractive an idea, that lots of our siblings fell for it anyway. He's not called the Father of Lies for nothing.
It's the same with earthly Socialism. It's an attractive idea, but not possible. You cannot force people to be equal. Equality must come through free will and the use of agency on the part of each individual involved. When a community follows the teachings of Christ and truly tries to implement them, they become more unified in purpose. When each person is seeking the interest of his neighbor, there will be no rich and poor, no bond and free. All are free together, and all share equally, of their own free will. The City of Enoch did it in the Old Testament. The Nephites did it after Christ taught them the gospel in America.
When a government agency tries to force everyone to be equal, by working to give everyone everything they need, it destroys the positive influence of agency. People are then taught to expect someone else to care for them. Why take care of your neighbors? I pay taxes for the government to do that. It encourages selfishness and laziness. Why should I work harder, it will just be taken away to give to someone else who soesn't work or doesn't want to work. The evil of the dole. I need to work as little as I can to get 'my fair share' or 'what I'm entitled to'.
Our current system, while it does allow for failure, (Just like the Plan of Salvation) helps people to learn about cause and effect. Consequences are real when you must live with your own choices. This process helps us to learn and grow and prepare ourselves to meet God. Part of this process is to willingly help our neighbors and to share what we have, but not remove from them the consequences of their choices.
I'm grateful for a Father in Heaven who loves me enough to let me suffer through my poor choices and the poor choices of others while I learn about agency and how to use it. All of these experiences give me understanding and help prepare me to eventually return to him.
