It seems to me like America (The United States), is not really the Chosen Land it was/is supposed to be.
Can you define what you think it was supposed to be?
Do the leaders of the church still think America is a great nation, directed by Godad He inspired its leaders? Or, do they think it may be about ready to fall? (Where the constitution will hang by a thread and the Priesthood will save it)?
I think the LDS leaders still think highly of the US and do not view it as on the brink of disaster. I think the idea of the hang by a thread thing and the Elders saving it is more a Mormon cultural myth that was taken to far. If I recall correctly Joseph Smith said that the contitution would hang by a thread and if it was saved at all it would be by the Elders, but I did not say it would be saved. But I think that this may have been more anti US rhetoric.
What do you all think about the current state of affairs... has democracy lost to capitalism?
Well first of all I do not think democracy and capitalism are in competition and in fact I think the two can be compatible.
Are the wealthy few, running the country?
Sometimes I think it may seem like that but on the other hand think about this. Bill Clinton was not wealthy and really rose from poverty. So did Nixon. Reagan started pretty poor too. Today most millionaires are first generation. Most politicians are still fairly ordinary. Some have silver spoons in their mouth like the governor of Utah and our current president. Maybe they are all bought. Who knows.
But also you need to remember that the US founding fathers were all relatively wealthy for their day.
Along these lines, I also reread an article by Nibley, Breakthroughs I Would Like to See, where he argues that the church must return to the Law of Consecration in order to prepare for Zion. He uses the D&C to support his understanding that this law is required by all Saints.
in my opinion, the church seems to be continually moving toward more power, money, eliticism, wealth, etc. etc. etc. My observation is that there is a move away from the idea of communal living. Is the Law of Consecration no longer taught as something that will exist? Is Nibley's interpretation of the D&C wrong?
Any thoughts?
Hugh Nibley was pretty radical in his views about wealth and material things and was pretty bold about promoting them. He had some good ideas. In the Church though we seem to portray a double standard. We condemn materiality but then parade the successful members like hood ornaments. Many leaders are succesful in business or their profession. This may be partly because the skills that got them to the points they are in their career apply well to leading in the Church. Also, they may have more discretionary time.
One last note, I know Pres Kimball was pretty harsh about military might and the use of it. He gave a talk once called I think, Gods of Steel, where he condemned the US for relying on military might to give comfort and a sense of protection.