Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice

"The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments. One columnist observed . . . 'Policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. ...Our increased reliance on laws to regulate behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we’ve become.' ...There could never be enough rules so finely crafted as to anticipate and cover every situation, and even if there were, enforcement would be impossibly expensive and burdensome. This approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone. In the memorable phrase of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, 'We would not accept the yoke of Christ; so now we must tremble at the yoke of Caesar.' Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "Moral Discipline," October 2009

Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice

"Moral agency- the right to make choices and the obligation to account for those choices ... must be accompanied by moral discipline. By 'moral discipline,' I mean self-discipline based on moral standards. Moral discipline is the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. It rejects the self-absorbed life in favor of developing character worthy of respect and true greatness through Christlike service (see Mark 10:42–45). The root of the word discipline is shared by the word disciple, suggesting to the mind the fact that conformity to the example and teachings of Jesus Christ is the ideal discipline that, coupled with His grace, forms a virtuous and morally excellent person. Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "Moral Discipline," October 2009