I’m grateful to be celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary and for the freedoms and liberties we enjoy. I’m grateful for the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the subsequent Bill of Rights and later amendments that outline the freedoms preserved for us.
I’m grateful for those that uphold the Constitution and protect the liberties we have.
I’m the Bishop of the Morgan Hill Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our religion is a bit unique as it was established in the United States of America in 1830, soon after our country’s founding. We believe that our church is a restoration of Christ’s early church which was able to be restored in 1830 because of the liberties and religious freedom existing in the United States of America.
We believe in the principle of moral agency (free to choose but also responsible for our actions), which hasn’t been universally honored. Too many people have been oppressed or in bondage in earth’s history, present time included.
It’s important that people have the ability to exercise moral agency and be in control of their lives and their future.
It’s also important that people be able to worship, or not worship, as one would choose. Our 11th Article of Faith states: “We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may.”
Joseph Smith, the first prophet of our restored church, said: “I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves.
“It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul—civil and religious liberty to the whole of the human race.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 2011)
President Dallin H. Oaks, our current prophet, has said: “Religions also play a vital role in contributing to social stability. Societies are not held together primarily by law and its enforcement, but by those who voluntarily obey the unenforceable because of their sense of accountability to God.”
And, he said, “When citizens learn to live together with respect—despite important religious differences—they are also more likely to live peacefully with others with whom they have important secular differences.” (Pursuing Religious Liberty Worldwide, address delivered at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit, July 20, 2022)
I am grateful to live in this country and among the wonderful people in Coyote Valley and southern Santa Clara Valley. It’s not a perfect country and we aren’t perfect people, but I’m grateful for our country and our people.
It’s important that we treat one another with kindness, civility and respect. Especially with those who we might disagree with religiously, politically or secularly.
Matt Deakin is the Bishop of the Morgan Hill Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a member of the Interfaith Clergy Alliance of South County. Bishop Deakin can be reached at bi**********@***il.com.
