The United Order and Socialism

Provident Principles and Practices
© David Edwards, 2009

PRINCIPLES: The United Order is the Lord’s ideal plan for the welfare and independence of His people. However, many people tend to confuse the United Order with socialism.
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Socialism may exist in the form of communism (which wrests control through revolution), democratic socialism (which gains power via a political party), or Fabian socialism (which seeks gradually to make reforms, nationalize industry, redistribute wealth and create a welfare state). While the United Order may seem superficially similar to socialism, the two differ greatly.

Here are several differences between the United Order, which we recognize as coming from the Lord, and socialism, a materialistic counterfeit influenced by the evil one (see references):

* The United Order is a voluntary system. Saints willingly consecrate their properties to the Church for subsequent redistribution to themselves and others through a Bishop or his agent. Recipients then act as stewards of properties received. Saints in the United Order accept and manage their individual stewardships in the spirit of freedom, guaranteed by the Constitution. Socialism, by contrast, is a system in which government takes control by coercion. Individual liberties are lost, whether suddenly or gradually. Except for elitists in power, those who succumb to socialism generally become, over time, its slaves.

* The United Order is based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and consecration of one’s life to Him. Individuals have inherent, God-given rights. Socialism, by contrast, does not usually affirm faith in the Lord or encourage service to Him. In socialism, the state stands supreme. Individuals are merely subjects of the state. The state can either grant or take away rights.

* In the true United Order, once properties or means of production are distributed, they are privately owned, and managed by individuals. In socialism, by contrast, vital means of production and some properties are subject to state ownership and management. A major goal of socialism is the abolishment of private ownership of vital means of production.

* The United order exalts the poor by providing them with opportunities that they would not otherwise have, and gives the rich a chance to learn humility and to develop charity, the pure love of Christ. All giving is done willingly – so individual efforts are sanctified, allowing character to be magnified. Socialism, while claiming to eliminate selfishness and promote charity, is applied in the spirit of taking, rather than giving. It thus has power to develop neither charity nor character. That which is extorted does not exalt.

PRACTICES: While the United Order is not now practiced, we can live the spirit of the United Order: we can keep the commandments, pay tithing, give a generous fast offering, create our own family storehouses, and consecrate our talents, time and resources to building the Lord’s Kingdom.

References: http://emp.byui.edu/WILLIAMSG/talks/mgr_unitedorder.htm; www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGAaOATLLrg; http://search.ldslibrary.com/article/view/192148?q=united%20order%20communism#192154; http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6126
Graphics credits:

Former Communist Dictator Stalin: http://edsitement.neh.govslashlesson_imagesslashlesson688slashstalin03.jpg/

German National Socialist (Nazi) Party Meeting Under Hitler: www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-76.jpg

Constitution: http://crapo.senate.gov/legislative/images/constitution_quill_pen.jpg

Constitutional Convention: www.whitehouse.gov/assets/photos/Scene_at_the_Signing_of_the_Constitution_of_the_United_States.png

Jesus: Painting by Lynn Weidinger, used by permission

Auto Production: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/licweb/images/auto_above.jpg

Giving: http://www.tva.gov/insidetva/jan09/images/across_giving.jpg