Are We In Trouble?

Earlier this year, I mused on what the scriptures had to say on the subject of voting, and I thought it good to revisit that discussion.

In particular, was this curse from Mosiah 29:27:

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.

Many worry that we could see this curse in action in the United States, as they believe we've just elected a most corrupt and wicked man who has recently promised to do terrible things -- one who was chosen not by a fluke of of the electoral college, but rather by an actual majority popular vote -- or in other words, the "voice of the people." Will the Constitution shortly hang by a thread?

I realize that when it comes to politics, one person's curse is another one's blessing, and some have already made similar allegations about the most recent administration. But my own personal thought is ... yes, I'm very concerned about this curse for 2025, like no other time before in my lifetime.

Let's consider a few scenarios. 

Scenario 1: The Benevolent Trump

In his acceptance speech, Trump expressed a desire to heal the nation and promote unity. He didn't even once bring up the idea of going after his political opponents or the "enemy within." Though, he did say he was going to keep his promises, and that he was given an unprecedented mandate.

So, let's say he turns out to be okay. As he said: "no more rallies." No more reason to call everyone cute nicknames and mock others. He's just going to get to work, and do whatever's good for everyone. We will all prosper. Crime will go down. Everybody will enjoy more religious freedoms. And all our other freedoms will be protected. We actually start working together and coming up with solutions.

In this scenario, we'd be able to judge by the fruits that Trump is not "wicked." This is what most of my Republican friends tell me will play out, and maybe they're right. There would then be no curse on our land. The people wouldn't be suffering. Then all my worrying would have been nothing.

Scenario 2: The Vengeful Trump

But what if Trump goes the other way and actually does all those terrible things he has said this past year that he was going to do? He goes after his political enemies, puts them into jail, or even has some executed for treason. He deports LEGAL immigrants based solely on their religious beliefs. He deports many refugees who are here legally (and even sponsored by many individuals), sending them back to dangerous lands. He goes after the media and restricts the flow of truth. He institutes policies that take from the poor and give to the rich. Through his actions and inactions, he causes the suffering of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

In this scenario, I believe the curse would stand. This would not be an ideal situation.

But what if ... ?

Scenario 3: The Innocent Mistake

I know why a lot of people voted for Trump. The vast majority of them do not believe that Trump is evil or corrupt. In fact they see him as brutally honest and transparent. Everybody knows what they get with him. Sure, he's crude and disrespectful to most everyone, but he did good things in his first term, and he'll do even better during his second term. He'll further clean up the corruption that was already in Washington and drain the swamp.

As always, God knows the hearts of these people. 

But let's say Trump does all those terrible things mentioned in Scenario 2, and worse. Many of his former supporters may look back and say, "Dang -- I had no idea Trump was really going to do these things. We thought it was hyperbole. If I knew what I knew now, I wouldn't have voted for him. What have I done?"

Can the true intentions of the majority of the people save us from being cursed? I'm not sure -- if hundreds of thousands of people are hurt, I think the curse may still stand regardless of our intentions, as the time for choosing has already passed.

Or ... what about ...?

Scenario 4: Righteous Intervention

Trump's first term was not as bad as it could have been. Whatever damage he may have caused, we were able to mostly recover at a later time. This was in large part due to the interventions of righteous people in the right places of power. Some of his crazier ideas were blocked by the judicial branch. And his immediate staff quickly learned how to channel his tantrums and how to help him focus on the more desirable actions, and divert him from crazier actions. In the end when he tried to steal the 2020 election, many people intervened, most of whom were Republicans who had voted for him. These are people who could have helped him gain power through questionable means, but instead chose to uphold the Constitution. At one point, we were only one signature away from a Constitutional crisis, but that official said no.

Perhaps this could happen again. Trump gets in his final term, and he's done. We all survive, and life can get back to normal. Perhaps only thousands get hurt instead of hundreds of thousands, and the curse is held off.

At this point, only time will reveal which of these scenarios play out.

If the curse does play out, and we suffer these judgments and destruction, there are a few things to note ...

God is just, and he will punish or reward each of us according to our own hearts. Curses like this usually affect the entire land, not just the people who voted for iniquity. The rain falls on everyone.

God always uses curses to test the people. Maybe we voted for Trump, and maybe we didn't -- it won't matter in the long run. What will matter is what we do going forward. If these disasters happen, we will have many opportunities to help each other. Some of us may also have the opportunity to take advantage and cause other people harm. What has already happened is done and over, but what comes next, we can still choose how we react, and we will be judged.

Wouldn't it be nice, though, if that Scenario #1 plays out? And maybe we'll be okay?