What of Power?

"Mohammed had not only religious doctrines descend from Heaven and placed in the Koran, but political maxims, civil and criminal laws, and scientific theories. The Gospels, in contrast, speak only of the general relations of men to God and among themselves. Outside of that they teach nothing and oblige nothing to be believed. That alone, among a thousand other reasons, is enought to show that the first of these two religions cannot dominate for long in enlightened and democratic times, whereas the second is destined to reign in these centuries as in all the others. "

-Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy In America, 1835. (my bold)

"We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world's goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship."

-Doctrine and Covenants 134:10, 1835. (my bold)

"...Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor...Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I would give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan...the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice."

-Moses 4:1-4, Pearl Of Great Price (my bold)

http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=12128

http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=7676

http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=7104

http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=6519

http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=6403

http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=5115


And so on. On and on it goes. What of power? The division between those wishing for total power (and the weak whom enjoy being slaves) and those wishing to be free and 'live and let live' is coming to a sharp point. What side are you on? I finish with these thoughts:

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it--In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children--and he fastened it upon the end of a pole...and he took the pole, which had on the end therof his rent coat, and he called it the title of liberty..."

-Alma 46:12-13, The Book Of Mormon: Another Testament Of Jesus Christ (my bold)

"And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them: yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight."

-Mosiah 20:11, The Book Of Mormon: Another Testament Of Jesus Christ (my bold)

"Bring it."

-George W. Bush, President of the United States of America (my bold)