President Benson Quote making the rounds on Facebook

[JAHS]

 I have found several places where people have quoted this but they don't give a reference. Someone from the Ezra Taft Benson Society said something similar as he was talking about what President Benson thought on this subject. But these were his own words; not Benson's:

"Pres. Benson also put at rest the temptation to vote against a political
candidate by voting for the lessor of two evils. To do so violates the
principle of no compromise. The lessor of two evils is still evil, and one will
be held accountable for voting in this manner as illustrated above."

http://ezrataftbensonsociety.org/docs/Mark-Porter-Ezra-Taft-Benson-Society-Talk.pdf

This may be where it cam from.

Hyrum Smith said something similar:
"We engage in the election the same as in any other principle: you are to vote for good men, and if you do not do this it is a sin: to vote for wicked men, it would be sin. Choose the good and refuse the evil. Men of false principles have preyed upon us like wolves upon helpless lambs." (History of the Church, Vol.6, Ch.15, p. 323.)

[UtahTexan]

On 5/9/2016 at 8:58 PM, Nevo said:

A Redditor has traced the source of this quote to a guy named Mike Thompson who posted the following in 2009:

"Pres. Benson, when we were sitting in his office in the Church Office Building many years ago told me this after discussing many issues: 'Mike, if you vote for the lesser of two evils you are still voting for evil and you will be judged for it.  You should always vote for the best possible candidate, whether they have a chance of winning or not. Then, even if the worst possible candidate wins, the Lord will bless our nation more because more people were willing to stand up for what is right.'"

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/zion-list/jGGZQ5-TEac/DSROng5Yt_sJ

So, no, it's not an accurate quote.

I know Mike Thompson from years ago.  If he said anything, I would never believe it.

Edited May 10, 2016 by CountryBoy

[BCSpace]

According to official LDS doctrine, to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus, a requirement for the Celestial Kingdom (D&C 76), means you vote as he would vote:

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father”

https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/chapter-33-kingdoms-of-glory-and-perdition?lang=eng

[Maedros]

I can't seem to find the source of this statement by Pres. Benson - although, as JAHS said: "I have found several places where people have quoted this but they don't give a reference."

I maintain that whether this was in fact stated by Pres. Benson or not is irrelevant to the issue that it addresses, which is more succinctly covered in this article: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1972/04/civic-standards-for-the-faithful-saints?lang=eng

 

 

Edited May 10, 2016 by Maedros

[The Nehor]

6 hours ago, Bobbieaware said:

Inept? Really? The following testimony from the prophet Moroni indicates the secret combinations spoken of in the Book of Mormon were most-assuredly anything but inept, for with great efficiency they the caused the utter temporal destruction of two great nations that once existed in the Western Hemisphere, and they also succeeded in sending untold thousands of souls to hell.

 21 And they (the secret combinations that wrought the work of destruction among the Jaredites and the Nephites) have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking (the Jaredites), and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

 22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not. (Ether 8).

Is it not true saying these two horrifyingly destructive secret combinations were inept is tantamount to saying the awful monster known as the devil is inept? 

Probably but I have not trouble with that as the devil is inept. Fortunately for him we tend to be even more inept.

And yes, secret combinations are terrible at their job. Yes, their presence destroys nations but that is because they are stupid, wasteful, evil, and exist amongst degenerate people who will destroy their nations just by being there in bulk.

Secret combinations are terrible at keeping themselves secret in the Book of Mormon. They are also terrible at accomplishing their goals. They do not want to destroy the nations, they want to rule them but they end up destroying them anyways because they are clumsy oafs. The danger warned in the Book of Mormon about secret combinations is being a part of them. If they destroyed the Church they did so from within and not from without.

[The Nehor]

2 hours ago, BCSpace said:

According to official LDS doctrine, to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus, a requirement for the Celestial Kingdom (D&C 76), means you vote as he would vote:

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father”

https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/chapter-33-kingdoms-of-glory-and-perdition?lang=eng

I have my doubts the Lord would vote if he were a citizen of the USA today.

[Maedros]

8 hours ago, The Nehor said:

To the first, yes, very funny.

To the second, that is not what was said. It was said that secret combinations kept him from office and that I also find funny.

There are secret combinations, bumbling idiots trying to win wealth and power in conspiracies. Their conspiracies are generally inept and transparent just like they were in the Book of Mormon.

Well, I guess it boils down to how serious you take Ether 8 and Moroni's warning and I suppose it also depends on how seriously you study the scriptures concerning the events of these days. 

I find this speech by JFK to be quite informative; Pres. Benson also spoke about secret combinations in America - it is clear to me that your nation is infected and that the president who will next lead your country will be but a crony as those before. The situation is very similar to the conditions that existed before the Lord's visit to the Americas - of course America isn't the only country so infected; all nations have such societies including my own but America is THE NATION and if you continue to decline and ripen in iniquity as you have over the past almost twenty years then I shudder to think what hope there is for the rest of us. Hence, Moroni's admonition to awake [and realize what is happening].

 

[Bobbieaware]

8 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Probably but I have not trouble with that as the devil is inept. Fortunately for him we tend to be even more inept.

And yes, secret combinations are terrible at their job. Yes, their presence destroys nations but that is because they are stupid, wasteful, evil, and exist amongst degenerate people who will destroy their nations just by being there in bulk.

Secret combinations are terrible at keeping themselves secret in the Book of Mormon. They are also terrible at accomplishing their goals. They do not want to destroy the nations, they want to rule them but they end up destroying them anyways because they are clumsy oafs. The danger warned in the Book of Mormon about secret combinations is being a part of them. If they destroyed the Church they did so from within and not from without.

I believe you may be missing an important point. When it comes to the secret combinations that destroyed the Jaredites and the Nephites, and also the great worldwide secret combination, prophesied by Moroni, that would be built up to destroy freedom throughout the world in the latter-days, these evil enterprises only SEEM to by organized and perpetuated by men; but in reality, it's the devil himself who is the ultimate founder and perpetuator of these combinations, and from the point of view of someone with his end-goals they are efficient, well-run and highly successful. In the hierarchical structure of these nation and soul-destroying secret combinations, the devil himself is the one who stands at the pinnacle of the pyramid structure of leadership and those who are positioned beneath him in authority are kept in the dark (deception is the primary modus operandi of the devil) as to the true nature, purposes and end-goals of the combinations.

 2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen! (3 Nephi 9)

and...

25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning. (Ether 8:25)

Edited May 10, 2016 by Bobbieaware
Added scriptural reference.

[RevTestament]

14 hours ago, Jim Stiles said:

"50% of internet quotes are not accurate" -- Abraham Lincoln

:-)

OK Jim, I have to give you that one, but only because I have a son named Jim ;)

[RevTestament]

7 hours ago, Maedros said:

Well, I guess it boils down to how serious you take Ether 8 and Moroni's warning and I suppose it also depends on how seriously you study the scriptures concerning the events of these days. 

I find this speech by JFK to be quite informative; Pres. Benson also spoke about secret combinations in America - it is clear to me that your nation is infected and that the president who will next lead your country will be but a crony as those before. The situation is very similar to the conditions that existed before the Lord's visit to the Americas - of course America isn't the only country so infected; all nations have such societies including my own but America is THE NATION and if you continue to decline and ripen in iniquity as you have over the past almost twenty years then I shudder to think what hope there is for the rest of us. Hence, Moroni's admonition to awake [and realize what is happening].

 

Wow, Maedros, I hold my head in shame as I have never even heard that speech...at least that I recall. I was born just a few weeks before his death. But I should have educated myself on this subject suspecting as I do that there were many more involved in his death than Booth as the multiple bullets and trajectories show, that orchestrated the cover up of these facts and the murder of their lacky, Booth. I think you are probably very well right, that his denouncement of "secret societies" and threat to expose them got him assassinated. 

[toon]

21 hours ago, cinepro said:

Unless there is a crazy surprise at the Republican and Democratic conventions, I won't be voting for either major party candidate.  A decision I am made more comfortable with on the merits of the relative meaninglessness of my vote anyhow (especially in California).

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/magazine/why-vote.html

 

 

Living in California gives you the luxury of voting for a third party candidate.  I voted for Gary Johnson in 2012 and would vote for him again.

[toon]

16 hours ago, bsjkki said:

So now the decision is whether or not to denounce the meme publicly on my facebook page as dubious and offend the relatives...what to do?  

My recommendation is to counter the meme with your own meme, made up quote and all.

[toon]

11 hours ago, BCSpace said:

According to official LDS doctrine, to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus, a requirement for the Celestial Kingdom (D&C 76), means you vote as he would vote:

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father”

https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/chapter-33-kingdoms-of-glory-and-perdition?lang=eng

Well, that settles it then.  We all know He would vote for Trump.

Thanks.

[ttribe]

22 hours ago, Maedros said:

I'm not sure how accurate this is or whether Pres. Benson said it - but it is sound advise. If Romney (the 'right' candidate) won (for instance), he might've (with the Lord's help) succeeded in making America great again; but alas, because of secret combinations: it was not meant to be. 

 

18 hours ago, Bobbieaware said:

What part of what Maedros' post find comedic? That Romney might have "made America great again," that there are secret combinations in our day, or both?

 

15 hours ago, Bobbieaware said:

Inept? Really? The following testimony from the prophet Moroni indicates the secret combinations spoken of in the Book of Mormon were most-assuredly anything but inept, for with great efficiency they the caused the utter temporal destruction of two great nations that once existed in the Western Hemisphere, and they also succeeded in sending untold thousands of souls to hell.

 21 And they (the secret combinations that wrought the work of destruction among the Jaredites and the Nephites) have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking (the Jaredites), and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

 22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not. (Ether 8).

Is it not true saying these two horrifyingly destructive secret combinations were inept is tantamount to saying the awful monster known as the devil is inept? 

 

8 hours ago, Maedros said:

Well, I guess it boils down to how serious you take Ether 8 and Moroni's warning and I suppose it also depends on how seriously you study the scriptures concerning the events of these days. 

I find this speech by JFK to be quite informative; Pres. Benson also spoke about secret combinations in America - it is clear to me that your nation is infected and that the president who will next lead your country will be but a crony as those before. The situation is very similar to the conditions that existed before the Lord's visit to the Americas - of course America isn't the only country so infected; all nations have such societies including my own but America is THE NATION and if you continue to decline and ripen in iniquity as you have over the past almost twenty years then I shudder to think what hope there is for the rest of us. Hence, Moroni's admonition to awake [and realize what is happening].

 

 

4 hours ago, Bobbieaware said:

I believe you may be missing an important point. When it comes to the secret combinations that destroyed the Jaredites and the Nephites, and also the great worldwide secret combination, prophesied by Moroni, that would be built up to destroy freedom throughout the world in the latter-days, these evil enterprises only SEEM to by organized and perpetuated by men; but in reality, it's the devil himself who is the ultimate founder and perpetuator of these combinations, and from the point of view of someone with his end-goals they are efficient, well-run and highly successful. In the hierarchical structure of these nation and soul-destroying secret combinations, the devil himself is the one who stands at the pinnacle of the pyramid structure of leadership and those who are positioned beneath him in authority are kept in the dark (deception is the primary modus operandi of the devil) as to the true nature, purposes and end-goals of the combinations.

 2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen! (3 Nephi 9)

and...

25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning. (Ether 8:25)

 

58 minutes ago, RevTestament said:

Wow, Maedros, I hold my head in shame as I have never even heard that speech...at least that I recall. I was born just a few weeks before his death. But I should have educated myself on this subject suspecting as I do that there were many more involved in his death than Booth as the multiple bullets and trajectories show, that orchestrated the cover up of these facts and the murder of their lacky, Booth. I think you are probably very well right, that his denouncement of "secret societies" and threat to expose them got him assassinated. 

 

May I suggest that http://www.ldsfreedomforum.com/ may be the place you are looking for to discuss these...theories.

[Maedros]

14 minutes ago, ttribe said:

May I suggest that http://www.ldsfreedomforum.com/ may be the place you are looking for to discuss these...theories.

May I suggest that you make your suggestions there as well.

[Damien the Leper]

There's no such thing as a lesser of two evils. Claiming there is makes one an ignoramus.

[ttribe]

1 minute ago, Maedros said:

May I suggest that you make your suggestions there as well.

No thanks.  That's not really my area of interest.  It seems your positions on these issues would be most welcome over there.  Anyway, just a suggestion.

[Nevo]

1 hour ago, RevTestament said:

Wow, Maedros, I hold my head in shame as I have never even heard that speech...at least that I recall. I was born just a few weeks before his death. But I should have educated myself on this subject suspecting as I do that there were many more involved in his death than Booth as the multiple bullets and trajectories show, that orchestrated the cover up of these facts and the murder of their lacky, Booth. I think you are probably very well right, that his denouncement of "secret societies" and threat to expose them got him assassinated. 

I actually don't think John Wilkes Booth had anything to do with Kennedy's assassination, but then I've never been much of a zombie conspiracy guy. I think Oswald acted alone.

[Maedros]

1 minute ago, ttribe said:

No thanks.  That's not really my area of interest.  It seems your positions on these issues would be most welcome over there.  Anyway, just a suggestion.

Likewise, no thanks. You seem to know much about that site, so I suggest you comment there as your position on my position would mostl likely be welcome over there. Just a suggestion.

[Maedros]

8 minutes ago, Valentinus said:

There's no such thing as a lesser of two evils. Claiming there is makes one an ignoramus.

Of course there is; sin has grades: stealing (although a sin) is less evil to murder, killing an animal in cold blood is less evil to killing a human being and is less evil to killing an innocent child - although all are wrong. Peter's betrayal of the Master was less evil than Judas' betrayal....etc etc

[Tacenda]

2 hours ago, RevTestament said:

Wow, Maedros, I hold my head in shame as I have never even heard that speech...at least that I recall. I was born just a few weeks before his death. But I should have educated myself on this subject suspecting as I do that there were many more involved in his death than Booth as the multiple bullets and trajectories show, that orchestrated the cover up of these facts and the murder of their lacky, Booth. I think you are probably very well right, that his denouncement of "secret societies" and threat to expose them got him assassinated. 

Same here!!  

[Maedros]

17 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Same here!!  

I discovered it last month and that and other speeches of his has made him my ultimate best statesman of all time. Here is a fuller version:

 

[RevTestament]

1 hour ago, Nevo said:

I actually don't think John Wilkes Booth had anything to do with Kennedy's assassination, but then I've never been much of a zombie conspiracy guy. I think Oswald acted alone.

OK you got me. I always do that....yes, I meant Oswald...not Booth. But no I don't believe he acted alone. Even a cursory review of the forensic evidence raises serious problems with that theory. Just watching the video of his death raises grave concerns...that there was more than one trajectory, but I am going to stop there, and not enter that debate.

 

 

[Tacenda]

4 minutes ago, Maedros said:

I discovered it last month and that and other speeches of his has made him my ultimate best statesman of all time. Here is a fuller version:

 

Thanks for sharing.  Sad to say, I read a biography on his wife Jackie, but not him yet.  He had continual back pain and illnesses, this article explains them.  He was a great man, not so much in the faithfulness to his wife, but elsewhere.  http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/17/us/in-jfk-file-hidden-illness-pain-and-pills.html?pagewanted=all

[Nevo]

36 minutes ago, RevTestament said:

OK you got me. I always do that....yes, I meant Oswald...not Booth. But no I don't believe he acted alone. Even a cursory review of the forensic evidence raises serious problems with that theory. Just watching the video of his death raises grave concerns...that there was more than one trajectory, but I am going to stop there, and not enter that debate.

You're right, there's no point debating it here, but I will say that my "theory" is based on more than a "cursory review of the forensic evidence." I've read most of Vincent Bugliosi's massive tome, Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and think he makes a convincing case that Oswald was the (sole) shooter.