[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 134 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10361-S10362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE WORDS OF GORDON HINCKLEY

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, every 6 months the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints, referred to as the Mormon Church, has a semiannual 
conference. Every 6 months, for 3 days, the leaders of the church get 
together and those people who are members of the church come to Salt 
Lake City to the relatively new auditorium which holds approximately 
22,000 people. It is broadcast and telecast around the world to 11 
million members of the church.
  The reason I come to the floor today is to read to the Senate a few 
select paragraphs from a statement that was given by the president of 
the church, a 92-year-old man by the name of Gordon Hinckley.
  I will ask unanimous consent at the appropriate time to have the full 
statement printed in the Record.
  His statement started with the words:

       I have just been handed a note that says a U.S. missile 
     attack is underway.

  Keep in mind that this is being telecast to 11 million members of the 
church and millions of others who are watching.
  He went on to say:

       You are all acutely aware of the events of September 11, 
     less than a month ago. Out of that vicious and ugly attack we 
     are plunged into a state of war. It is the first war of the 
     21st century. The last century has been described as the most 
     war-torn in human history. Now we are off on another 
     dangerous undertaking, the unfolding of which and the end 
     thereof we do not know.
       For the first time since we became a nation, the United 
     States has been seriously attacked on its mainland soil. But 
     this was not an attack on the United States alone. It was an 
     attack on men and nations of good will everywhere. It was 
     well-planned, boldly executed, and the results were 
     disastrous. It is estimated that more than 5,000 innocent 
     people died. Among these were many from other nations. It was 
     cruel and cunning, an act of consummate evil.

  Skipping a couple of paragraphs, he went on to say:

       Now we are at war. Great forces are being mobilized and 
     will continue to be. Political alliances are being forged. We 
     do not know how long this conflict will last. We do not know 
     what it will cost in lives and treasure. We do not know the 
     manner in which it will be carried out. It could impact the 
     work of the Church in various ways.

  Skipping again a couple of paragraphs, President Hinckley went on to 
say:

       Those of us who are American citizens stand solidly with 
     the President of our nation. The terrible forces of evil must 
     be confronted and held accountable for their actions. This is 
     not a matter of Christian against Muslim. I am pleased to see 
     that food is being dropped to the hungry people of a target 
     nation. We value our Muslim neighbors across the world and 
     hope that those who live by the tenets of their faith will 
     not suffer. I ask particularly that our own people do not 
     become a party in any way to the persecution of the innocent. 
     Rather, let us be friendly and helpful, protective and 
     supportive. It is the terrorist organizations that must be 
     ferreted out and brought down.

  Skipping two paragraphs, he went on to say:
       On the Larry King television broadcast the other night I 
     was asked what I think of those who, in the name of their 
     religion, carry out such infamous activities. I replied, 
     ``Religion offers no shield for wickedness, for evil, for 
     those kinds of things. The God in whom I believe does not 
     foster this kind of action. He is a God of mercy. He is a God 
     of love. He is God of peace and reassurance, and I look to 
     Him in times such as this as a comfort and a source of 
     strength.''

  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full statement of 
Gordon B. Hinckley be printed in the Record, with the understanding 
that his statement is one that lays out what most Americans believe: 
that we are in a time of trouble; that there are things we can do as 
Americans to respond. But the most important thing we can do to respond 
is to treat our fellow man with the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you 
would have them do unto you; be kind, thoughtful, and considerate to 
those you come in contact with on a daily basis. This is the most 
important thing we can do to thwart the actions of these terrible 
people who did these terrible, evil deeds on September 11.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                       The Times in Which We Live

   (By President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Church of Jesus Christ of 
                           Latter-day Saints)

       My beloved brethren and sisters, I accept this opportunity 
     in humility. I pray that I may be guided by the Spirit of the 
     Lord in that which I say.
       I have just been handed a note that says a U.S. missile 
     attack is under way.
       I need not remind you that we live in perilous times. I 
     desire to speak concerning these times and our circumstances 
     as members of this Church.
       You are all acutely aware of the events of September 11, 
     less than a month ago. Out of that vicious and ugly attack we 
     are plunged into a state of war. It is the first war of the 
     21st century. The last century has been described as the most 
     war-torn in human history. Now we are off on another 
     dangerous undertaking, the unfolding of which and the end 
     thereof we do not know.
       For the first time since we became a nation, the United 
     States has been seriously attacked on its mainland soil. But 
     this was not an attack on the United States alone. It was an 
     attack on men and nations of good will everywhere. It was 
     well-planned, boldly executed, and the results were 
     disastrous. It is estimated that more than 5,000 innocent 
     people died. Among these were many from other nations. It was 
     cruel and cunning, an act of consummate evil.
       Recently, in company with a few national religious leaders, 
     I was invited to the White House to meet with the President. 
     In talking to us he was frank and straightforward.
       That same evening he spoke to the Congress and the nation 
     in unmistakable language concerning the resolve of America 
     and its friends to hunt down the terrorists who were 
     responsible for the planning of this terrible thing and any 
     who harbored such.
       Now we are at war. Great forces are being mobilized and 
     will continue to be. Political alliances are being forged. We 
     do not know how long this conflict will last. We do not know 
     what it will cost in lives and treasure. We do not know the 
     manner in which it will be carried out. It could impact the 
     work of the Church in various ways.
       Our national economy has been made to suffer. It was 
     already in trouble, and this has compounded the problem. Many 
     are losing their employment. Among our own people this could 
     affect Welfare needs, and also the tithing of the Church. It 
     could affect our missionary program.
       We are now a global organization. We have members in more 
     than 150 nations. Administering this vast worldwide program 
     could conceivably become more difficult.
       Those of us who are American citizens stand solidly with 
     the President of our nation. The terrible forces of evil must 
     be confronted and held accountable for their actions. This is 
     not a matter of Christian against Muslim. I am pleased to see 
     that food is being dropped to the hungry people of a target 
     nation. We value our Muslim neighbors across the world and 
     hope that those who live by the tenets of their faith will 
     not suffer. I ask particularly that our own people do not 
     become a party in any way to the persecution of the innocent. 
     Rather, let us be friendly and helpful, protective and 
     supportive. It is the terrorist organizations that must be 
     ferreted out and brought down.
       We of this Church know something of such groups. The Book 
     of Mormon speaks of the Gadianton Robbers, a vicious, oath-
     bound, and secret organization bent on evil and destruction. 
     In their day they did all in their power, by whatever means 
     available, to bring down the Church, to woo the people with 
     sophistry, and to take control of the society. We see the 
     same thing in the present situation.
       We are people of peace. We are followers of the Christ who 
     was and is the Prince of Peace. But there are times when we 
     must stand up for right and decency, for freedom and 
     civilization, just as Moroni rallied his people in his day to 
     the defense of their wives, their children, and the cause of 
     liberty.
       On the Larry King television broadcast the other night I 
     was asked what I think of those who, in the name of their 
     religion, carry out such infamous activities. I replied, 
     ``Religion offers no shield for wickedness, for evil, for 
     those kinds of things. The God in whom I believe does not 
     foster this kind of action. He is a God of mercy. He is a God 
     of love. He is God of peace and reassurance, and I look to 
     Him in times such as this as a comfort and a source of 
     strength.''
       Members of the Church in this and other nations are not 
     involved with many others in a great international 
     undertaking. On television we see those of the military 
     leaving their loved ones, knowing not whether they will 
     return. It is affecting the homes of our people. Unitedly, as 
     a Church, we must get on our knees and invoke the powers of 
     the Almighty in behalf of those who will carry the burdens of 
     this campaign.

[[Page S10362]]

       No one knows how long it will last. No one knows precisely 
     where it will be fought.
       No one knows what it may entail before it is over. We have 
     launched an undertaking the size and nature of which we 
     cannot see at this time.
       Occasions of this kind pull us up sharply to a realization 
     that life is fragile, peace is fragile, civilization 
     itself is fragile. The economy is particularly vulnerable. 
     We have been counseled again and again concerning self-
     reliance, concerning debt, concerning thrift.
       So many of our people are heavily in debt for things that 
     are not entirely necessary. When I was a young man, my father 
     counseled me to build a modest home, sufficient for the needs 
     of my family, and make it beautiful and attractive and 
     pleasant and secure. He counseled me to pay off the mortgage 
     as quickly as I could so that come what may there would be a 
     roof over the heads of my wife and children. I was reared on 
     that kind of doctrine. I urge you as members of this Church 
     to get free of debt where possible, and to have a little laid 
     aside against a rainy day.
       We cannot provide against every contingency. But we can 
     provide against many contingencies. Let the present situation 
     remind us that this we should do.
       As we have been continuously counseled for more that 60 
     years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us 
     for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to 
     extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And above all, 
     my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in 
     the Living God and His Beloved Son.
       Great are the promises concerning this land of America. We 
     are told unequivocally that it is a ``choice land and 
     whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from 
     bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under 
     heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is 
     Jesus Christ'' (Ether 2:12). This is the crus of the entire 
     matter-obedience to the commandments of God.
       The Constitution under which we live and which has not only 
     blessed us but has become a model for other constitutions, is 
     our God-inspired national safeguard ensuring freedom and 
     liberty, justice and equality before the law.
       I do not know what the future holds. I do not wish to sound 
     negative, but I wish to remind you of the warnings of 
     scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have had 
     constantly before us.
       I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharaoh's dream of the 
     fat and lean kine, and of the full and withered stalks of 
     corn.
       I cannot dismiss from my mind the grim warnings of the Lord 
     as set forth in the 24th chapter of Matthew.
       I am familiar, as are you, with the declarations of modern 
     revelation that the time will come when the earth will 
     be cleansed and there will be indescribable distress, with 
     weeping, and mourning, and lamentation (see D&C 112:24).
       Now, I do not wish to be an alarmist. I do not wish to be a 
     prophet of doom. I am optimistic. I do not believe that the 
     time is here when an all-consuming calamity will overtake us. 
     I earnestly pray that it may not. There is so much of the 
     Lord's work yet to be done. We and our children after us, 
     must do it.
       I can assure you that we who are responsible for the 
     management of the affairs of the Church will be prudent and 
     careful as we have tried to be in the past. The tithes of the 
     Church are sacred. They are appropriated in the manner set 
     forth by the Lord Himself.
       We have become a very large and complex organization. We 
     carry on many extensive and costly programs. But I can assure 
     you that we will not exceed our income. We will not place the 
     Church in debt. We will tailor what we do to the resources 
     that are available.
       How grateful I am for the law of tithing. It is the Lord's 
     law of finance. It is set forth in a few words in the 119th 
     section of the Doctrine and Covenants. It comes of His 
     wisdom. To every man and woman, to every boy and girl, to 
     every child in this Church who pays an honest tithing, be it 
     large or small, I express gratitude for the faith that is in 
     your hearts. I remind you, and those who do not pay tithing 
     but who should, that the Lord has promised marvelous 
     blessings (see Malachi 3:10-12). He has also promised that 
     ``he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming'' (D&C 
     64:23).
       I express appreciation to those who pay a fast offering. 
     This costs the giver nothing other than going without two 
     meals a month. It becomes the backbone of our Welfare 
     Program, designed to assist those in distress.
       Now, all of us know that war, contention, hatred, suffering 
     of the worst kind are not new. The conflict we see today is 
     but another expression of the conflict that began with the 
     war in heaven. I quote from the book of Revelation:
       ``And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels 
     fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his 
     angels,
       ``And prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore 
     in heaven.
       ``And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, call 
     the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was 
     cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with 
     him.
       ``And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come 
     salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the 
     power of his Christ'' (Rev. 12:7-10).
       That must have been a terrible conflict. The forces of evil 
     were pitted against the forces of good. The great deceiver, 
     the son of the morning, was defeated and banished, and took 
     with him a third of the hosts of heaven.
       The Book of Moses and the Book of Abraham shed further 
     light concerning this great contest. Satan would have taken 
     from man his agency and taken unto himself all credit and 
     honor and glory. Opposed to this was the plan of the Father 
     which the Son said He would fulfill, under which He came to 
     earth and gave His life to atone for the sins of mankind.
       From the day of Cain to the present, the adversary has been 
     the great mastermind of the terrible conflicts that have 
     brought so much suffering.
       Treachery and terrorism began with him. And they will 
     continue until the Son of God returns to rule and reign with 
     peace and righteousness among the sons and daughters of God.
       Through centuries of time, men and women, so very, very 
     many, have lived and died. Some may die in the conflict that 
     lies ahead. To us, and we bear solemn testimony of this, 
     death will not be the end. There is life beyond this as 
     surely as there is life here. Through the great plan which 
     became the very issue of the war in heaven, men shall go on 
     living.
       Job asked, ``If a man die, shall he live again?'' (Job 
     14:14).
       He replied:
       ``For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall 
     stand at the latter day upon the earth:
       ``And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in 
     my flesh shall I see God:
       ``Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, 
     and not another'' (Job 19:25-27).
       Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty whatever 
     that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of 
     our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We 
     may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But 
     God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of 
     the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared: 
     ``Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord'' (Psalms 
     33:12). Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of 
     obedience to the commandments of God.
       Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us 
     pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and 
     women of good will whatever their religious persuasion and 
     wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at 
     home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of 
     heaven, reforming our lives where necessary, and looking to 
     Him, the Father of us all. He has said: ``Be still, and know 
     that I am God'' (Psalms 46:10).
       Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to 
     fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. 
     We can be in influence for good in this world, every one of 
     us.
       May the God of heaven, the Almighty, bless us, help us, as 
     we walk our various ways in the uncertain days that lie 
     ahead. May we look to Him with unfailing faith. May we 
     worthily place our reliance on His Beloved Son who is our 
     great Redeemer, whether it be in life or in death, is my 
     prayer in His Holy Name, even the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.

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