Today I had a conversation with a friend who had been to a meeting wherein some of the doctrines of communism seemed to have moved him.
I sent him the following email:
Hey,
I have a communist friend. She's an extraordinary person. We've talked some about her views. Also, on my mission to Lithuania (which was part of the Soviet Union until just 5 years previous to my mission), I had ample opportunity to discuss the doctrines of Communism with some devout believers in it. Some of the doctrines resonate with a strong appeal because many of them are centered on true principles--which is why I think they're so broadly embraced.
Today after our conversation I did a search on lds.org and found an interesting article about communism from President (of the LDS Church) Ezra Taft Benson:
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=3d7f615b01a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
The conclusion I drew from the article--which I took as prophetic--is that the overall impact of embracing or empowering communism at any social level will ultimately be detrimental to nations and the Lord's kingdom (and the growth of Christianity).
As for what you felt in the meeting you described--It makes sense that "the counterfeit gospel of the anti-Christ" (as it was described by Elder Romney) would carry with it a spirit of conversion. It's certainly not my place to judge what you felt. And who can doubt that the Lord would, indeed, speak to you to make some personal changes for good--in any meeting. I'm sure you can discern it.
Doubtless the principles of generosity, love, and compassion for our fellow man--as well as focus on giving as opposed to gluttony--ought to always be improved in our personal lives. I am convinced, though, that the institutional implementation of these virtues at a secular social or governmental level (as called for by a communism) will ultimately have an extremely negative social impact. I believe that just as feelings and promptings for improvement are personal--so are generosity, charity, and the other virtues with which the Spirit of God capacitates mankind. They are not meant to be regulated by any social implement.
Food for thought. Thanks for reading. :)
Blaine
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I think a lot of people in the church mistake communism for consecration. Consecration is where people are living using what they need and then give their extras to others that need it too. Everyone will live in the same, for example, if everyone has a mansion, then no one has a shack? Well, this is not a righteous society. People are not living a righteous life, and so communism which tries to force people to live this way fails and fails hard. I know I spent years studying history, and don't expect others to do the same, but at any time didn't they hear about the USSR and China? Don't they listen to E. Uchdorfs talks about how bad it was under socialism? Haven't they ever talked to someone who lived under the USSR talk about how the end of it meant freedom and life? People think Obama will solve all their problems. I loved that SNL skit where "Obama" talks about how he does nothing. It was a glimmer of hope that he won't distroy our society after all. Keep doing nothing, because the day you do something, Mr. Obama, is the day our country goes down the toilet.
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