Social media has been talking about the government shutdown for several days. More conservative posts will vilify Senate Majority Leader Reid and President Obama. More liberal posts will vilify Senator Cruz, Senator Paul, and Senator Lee. The majority of posts in the middle will blame all of congress, and blame their apparent lack of ability to compromise.
Of course, the truth is that congress actually represents the views of the people in the United States. The liberals were specifically elected to enact social government programs and expand the role of government in providing goods and services to individuals in lower income brackets. Conservatives in congress were specifically elected to stop the expansion of government that has happened under both Republicans and Democrats since the 1930s. If either side of the aisle agrees to a compromise, they will essentially be breaking the promises made to their constituents.
It is easy to say that congress is filled with people that will not compromise, but the harder truth is that the United States of America is filled with people that are polarized beyond the point of compromise. Ideals of more government and less government are mutually exclusive. Blaming a government of representatives returns the blame to the people who are being represented.
The real question is how did the United States get to the point where we could not agree on government? I suggest that the root of the issue is that the government has progressively taken on more tasks that have been in the domain of religion. Well-meaning liberals want the government to aid the poor using income from the rich. Certainly there are tremendous gaps in the income between the wealthiest 1% and the 99% of the population below as the "occupy" movements point out. It is not difficult to see why people feel that this is unfair, and that those who are struggling might benefit from the resources of those who are not struggling. In the past, it was the role of churches to persuade the population that compassion for their fellow men was as critical to their well-being as it was to the well-being of those in need. In modern times, the government passes laws to try to take more and more of the money of those in high income brackets to fund programs intended to benefit those in lower income brackets. In other words, the state has become like a mandatory church.
Liberals have argued that if the government did not compel the wealthy to contribute to the poor, then they would not do it. Certainly, that is possible. A person granted freedom does not always use their freedom to make responsible decisions. In spite of this, there exist a large number of foundations, charities, and churches that rely exclusively on the donations of generous individuals that seem to be doing fairly well. Certainly many of the liberals who campaign enjoy fundraisers with Hollywood celebrities and benefit from voluntary donations from wealthy individuals in amounts that could help millions of struggling families. Perhaps liberals are too quick to judge the motives of those in a position to help.
If additional motivation is an issue, government ought to ensure that religions are as free as possible to persuade people to make positive moral choices. Throwing religion out of every aspect of government has given atheist activists great pleasure, but there are few calls from these activists to throw the government out of religion.
I suggest that not only can a more religious society better unite and provide for its citizens, it already has.
The prophet Mormon wrote of the time after Christ came to the people of ancient America and united them with religion using the following words:
"And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift... And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God." (4 Nephi 1:2-3,16-17)
In other words, almost every problem that is currently expected to be solved by the government was solved by people leading religious lives. Poverty was eliminated because people were generous and compassionate toward one another voluntarily. Crime was eliminated because people were religious enough that no one desired to commit crime.
The problems that eventually made their way into this society occurred when people began to leave religion. In the absence of motivation to make moral choices from recognizing religious authority, the people stopped making moral choices, and every vice enumerated in the passage above returned.
In the end, the solution to stalemates and arguments in government or in other aspects of life is the same as it has always been: Christianity. If each individual could themselves be more generous, more kind, more honest, more humble, more chaste, more virtuous, and more religious... the disagreements that divide us would be less important than the moral strength that binds us.
I believe that this Utopian society is not only achievable, but inevitable. Jesus Christ will personally reign on the earth and usher in a glorious age of peace and happiness throughout the entire world. Of course, it is not necessary to wait for his coming before adopting the principles that make bad men good and good men better... I invite all who come here not to postpone heeding the call of Jesus Christ:
"Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me." (3 Nephi 9:14)
