Quotessence
Home / Authors / Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson Quotes

Farmer

Filter quotes by topic

AllMenLordIfsChildrenPrideSpiritFatherPeopleShouldChristHomeKnowsBookChurchNationsNeedsWorldBlessingMayConstitution

Famous Ezra Taft Benson Quotes

“We believe in a moral code. Communism denies innate right or wrong. As W. Cleon Skousen has said in his timely book, The Naked Communist: The communist 'has convinced himself that nothing is evil which answers the call of expediency.' This is a most damnable doctrine. People who truly accept such a philosophy have neither conscience nor honor. Force, trickery, lies, broken promises are wholly justified.”

PeopleBelieveSaidBookPhilosophyLyingEvilForceAnswersAcceptingMoralBrokenHonorPromiseConscienceDenyConvincedDoctrineNakedCommunismCodeCommunistJustifiedInnateBroken PromisesTimelyExpediencyTrickeryMoral Code
Book:Title of liberty
Create image

“There are some who apparently feel that the fight for freedom is separate from the Gospel. They express it in several ways, but it generally boils down to this: Just live the gospel; there's no need to get involved in trying to save freedom and the Constitution or stop communism.... Should we counsel the people, 'Just live your religion - there's no need to get involved in the fight for freedom?' No we should not, because our stand for freedom is a most basic part of our religion.”

PeopleWayNeedsFeelsShouldTryingFightingInvolvedConstitutionCommunismGet InvolvedJust LiveFighting For Freedom
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“From the 5th grade through the 4th year of college, our young people are being indoctrinated with a Marxist philosophy and I am fearful of the harvest. The younger generation is further to the left than most adults realize. The old concepts of our Founding Fathers are scoffed and jeered at by young moderns whose goals appear to be the destruction of integrity and virtue, and the glorification of pleasure, thrills, and self-indulgence.”

PeopleYearsSelfPhilosophyYoungFatherLeftGoalRealizingPleasureVirtueGenerationsCollegeIntegrityConceptsAdultsDestructionGradesFearfulHarvestFoundingIndulgenceOur Founding FathersMarxistYounger GenerationSelf IndulgenceGlorification
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“By deriving it's just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude. It cannot claim the power to redistribute money or property nor to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will. Government is created by the people. No individual possesses the power to take another's wealth or to force others to do good, so no government has the the right to do such things either. The creature cannot exceed the creator.”

PeopleGovernmentIndividualForceWealthCitizensCreaturesClaimsPropertyCharityCreatorHarmDefenseMechanismExceedTheftReluctantServitudeInvoluntaryActs Of Charity
Book:The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner
Create image

“[Joseph Smith] foresaw the time when the destiny of the nation would be in danger and would hang as by a thread. Thank God he did not see the thread break. He also indicated the important part that this people should yet play in standing for the principles embodied in these sacred documents - the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.”

PeopleShouldImportantPlayWould BeNationsPrinciplesBreakDestinyDangerStandingConstitutionIndependenceSacredThank GodThreadDocumentsDeclarationDeclaration Of IndependenceJoseph Smith
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work-there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”

PeopleIfsHeartSaidSpiritInterestSecretTeachWorryTalentAll TimeSubstitutesMissionaryMinistryAbout FamilyHomesicknessMissionary Work
Book:The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.”

PeopleMenWorldHumansFaithChristLordEnvironmentHuman NatureShapesBehaviorTrust In GodHuman BehaviorMoldConfidence In GodGreatness Of GodSlumsMighty God
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“The Holy Ghost causes our feelings to be more tender. We feel more charitable and compassionate with each other. We are more calm in our relationships. We have a greater capacity to love each other. People want to be around us because our very countenances radiate the influence of the Spirit. We are more godly in our character. As a result, we become increasingly more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and thus able to comprehend spiritual things more clearly.”

PeopleWantFeelsCharacterFeelingsAbleSpiritualSpiritCausesResultsGreaterInfluenceHolyCapacityCalmGhostSensitiveCompassionateOur RelationshipGodlyLove Each OtherHoly GhostCharitableCountenanceCapacity To Love
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“That government is best which governs the least, so taught the courageous founders of this nation. This simple declaration is diametrically opposed to the all too common philosophy that the government should protect and support one from the cradle to the grave. The policy of the Founding Fathers has made our people and our nation strong. The opposite leads inevitably to moral decay.”

PeopleShouldMadePhilosophyGovernmentFatherStrongNationsSimpleCommonMoralSupportCouragePolicyTaughtProtectOppositesGravesCourageousDecayFoundersDeclarationFoundingCradleMoral Decay
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“And so today, the undermining of the home and family is on the increase, with the devil anxiously working to displace the father as the head of the home and create rebellion among the children. [Isaiah] describes the condition when [he] states, "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them." and then these words follow-and consider these words seriously when you think of those political leaders who are promoting birth control and abortion: "O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths."”

PeopleThinkingWayChildrenStatesHomeTodayPoliticalFatherPoliticsCausesLeaderPathConditionsBirthDevilIncreaseTheeAbortionRebellionPromotingOppressorsBirth ControlPolitical LeadersUnderminingHome And Family
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“From the standpoint of food production, storage, handling, and the Lord's counsel, wheat should have high priority. Water, of course, is essential. Other basics could include honey or sugar, legumes, milk products or substitutes, and salt or its equivalent.”

PeopleShouldMayTodayCoursesWaterLordProductsEssentialsShould HaveSalvationProductionsStoresPrioritiesRevelationsSubstitutesHoneyMilkSugarSaltStandpointWheatBasicsStorageArkFood Production
Author:Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“True to form, many of the people who desire to frustrate God's purposes of giving mortal tabernacles to His spirit children through worldwide birth control are the very same people who support the kinds of government that perpetuate famine. They advocate an evil to cure the results of the wickedness they support.”

PeopleGivingKindChildrenGovernmentFormSpiritDesirePurposeEvilResultsSupportBirthCuresMortalsWickednessFamineBirth Control
Book:The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson
Create image

“In these sacred documents are embodied eternal principles that no man, group of men, or nation has the right to withhold from others. Here is our basis for freedom of individual achievement. Our Constitution with its Bill of Rights guarantees to all our people the greatest freedom ever enjoyed by the people of any great nation. This system guarantees freedom of individual enterprise, freedom to own property, freedom to start one's own business and to operate it according to one's own judgment so long as the enterprise is honorable.”

PeopleMenLongIndividualNationsPrinciplesRightsGroupsAchievementJudgmentEternalBasesConstitutionSacredBillsPropertyEnjoyedGuaranteesEnterpriseDocumentsHonorableOwn BusinessBill Of RightsGreat NationsIndividual Achievement
Book:God, family, country: our three great loyalties
Create image

“It is my firm belief that the God of Heaven raised up the founding fathers and inspired them to establish the Constitution of this land. This is part of my religious faith. To me this is not just another nation. It is a great and glorious nation with a divine mission to perform for liberty-loving people everywhere.”

PeopleFatherBeliefHeavenNationsReligiousLibertyLandDivineConstitutionRaisedInspiredMissionsFirmGloriousFoundingReligious FaithFirm Beliefs
Book:Farmers at the Crossroads
Create image