Lately it has become fashionable to expose the weaknesses of the founders of our country, claiming them to be adulterers, homosexual, power-hungry, and generally not worthy of our esteem. But the Book of Mormon silences those voices.
I know this: The Lord chooses righteous men to accomplish His great purposes.
I do not believe that men who are evil in their hearts can be inspired of the Lord to discover a nation or to lead it in freedom.
Not that I think our founding fathers are perfect. I’m sure they had their own weaknesses of character, just like we all do.
But I do not believe the Lord would choose someone who was so hugely flawed or who gloried in their evil acts to accomplish His purposes. He chooses those who are repentant, humble, obedient. Even the men who started Alcoholics Anonymous, who struggled with multiple addictions, had honest hearts and a desire for the spiritual in their lives.
Therefore, I have to believe that Columbus (1 Nephi 13:12) and George Washington (1 Nephi 13:18-19) were humble men who sought the Lord, listened to His voice and obeyed, thereby securing an honored place in our history.
As I reflect upon their characters, I wonder, do we have leaders like them today?
~Karlene B.
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