Tag: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ official political stance is neutrality, as members of the church are well aware. However, many Utahns disagree and have long concluded that the church is biased, even asking members to vote in line. Perhaps the most well known example of LDS Church bias is its 2008 support of Proposition 8 in California. Officials sent an email to California members asking for political support through donations of “means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman.” The church also funneled $1.5 million into an effort to gather signatures ensuring Prop 8’s spot on the ballot and instructed California LDS leaders to encourage member donations of $30 each. Even now, as Utah prepares to vote on Proposition 2, the legalization of medical marijuana, the church sent an email to LDS members encouraging them to vote no. LDS officials praised the Utah Medical Association in its attempts to prevent the inclusion of Proposition 2 on November’s ballot, formally joined Drug Safe Utah coalition in August, and called upon high-profile Utahns to do the same. LDS officials also filed a lawsuit claiming Proposition 2 would restrict freedom of the religious “right not to consort with, be around, or do business with people engaging in activities which their religion finds repugnant." The emails issued to church members on Prop 2 and 8 reference potential dangers to society. While the email on same-sex marriage even calls for action stating that efforts by LDS members “are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage.” Political movements with particular importance to LDS officials are framed as dire matters of morality and evoke emotional responses from members and a sense of duty to support the church’s political goals. Warnings of imminent threats to families — and more poignantly, children — purposefully incite action and donations from members, and garner political power for the church.

The governing First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints again is saying that is not the case — but does say members should be more active in politics, including attending party caucus meetings next week to help elect convention delegates. “We are concerned that citizen participation rates in Utah are among the lowest in the nation,” they wrote, “and urge greater involvement by members of the church in the 2018 election cycle.” Their letter ordered members to cancel all church meetings March 20, when most parties are scheduled to hold caucuses, “so that members may participate in a caucus meeting of their choice.” Their final paragraph — which church leaders have essentially repeated many times in recent years — is a favorite of non-Republican parties in Utah. “It is important to remember that engaging in the election process is both a privilege and a significant responsibility regardless of one’s political inclinations, and that principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of each of the various political parties.” Alex Cragun, executive director of the Utah Democratic Party, said that line shows “the myth that in order to be a good member of the church you have to be a Republican is patently false.” Richard Davis, chairman of the United Utah Party (and a political science professor at LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University), said, “The sense that you have to be in one party is folk doctrine. That’s what they enforced with the message yesterday. That’s wise to say again — and again and again and again.” He said his small party — formed by former moderate Democrats and largely anti-Donald Trump Republicans — may be attractive to Mormons partly because “we do have a religious plank that supports religious freedom for all.” A Dan Jones and Associates poll in January for The Salt Lake Tribune and the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics found that among “very active” Utah Mormons, 66 percent are Republicans, 22 percent are unaffiliated, 5 percent are Democrats and 7 percent belong to other parties. He listed two examples. “The sanctity of life and being pro-life [on abortion] is important to us,” he said. Moderates say that rule violates state law and could decertify the party. At Republican and Democratic caucus meetings March 20, neighbors will elect precinct delegates to county and state conventions. Some allow all members to become convention delegates.