Some words from Prophets of God.
At the time of the end of the exodus:
Joshua 24
15 And if
it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will
serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side
of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me
and my house, we will serve the LORD.
16 And the
people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve
other gods;
From the Saviour himself, during the mortal phase of his ministry:
Matthew 22
17 Tell us
therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or
not?
18 But
Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me
the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he
saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They
say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When
they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
From the inhabitants of the American continents, in the century prior to the Saviour's mortal ministry:
Mosiah 29:
25-27, 39
25 Therefore,
choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according
to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and
which were given them by the hand of the LORD.
26 Now it
is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that
which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire
that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your
law--to do your business by the voice of the people.
27 And if
the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the
time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he
will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.
39 Therefore,
it came to pass that they assembled themselves together in bodies throughout
the land, to cast in their voices concerning who should be their judges, to
judge them according to the law which had been given them; and they were
exceedingly rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them.
From a modern prophet, in 1835:
Doctrine &
Covenants, Section 134: 1-5
1 We
believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and
that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in
making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
2 We
believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and
held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience,
the right and control of property, and the protection of life.
3 We
believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates
to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in
equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people
if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.
4 We
believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him,
and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt
them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe
that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind
the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that
the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience;
should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
5 We
believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments
in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights
by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming
every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all
governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best
calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding
sacred the freedom of conscience.
Want to read the surrounding versus, and references, go ask someone who has the scriptures.
Or go look them up at LDS.ORG.
In summary: GO VOTE, that you may answer your accountability before God with a clear conscience that you did so.
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