After all the reading and reflecting on the recent “Mormons in America” study done by The Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life, I wanted to add a little endnote to the Deseret News series we have highlighted here. Today I want to focus on the topic of Mormons and politics. As always, my thoughts are mine and should not be interpreted to represent any official Mormon anything.

When people wonder about Mormons and their political positions, I like to look at issues such as immigration to illustrate that it’s not so easy to just pin us all down under one label. Yes, if you speak in generalities, Mormons can often tend to fall on the “conservative” end of things (as the Pew survey reflected). But as a friend of mine recently noted, “I know so many women in particular, who when you talk with them and get a handle on their views, they are aligned with progressive ideals and policies, but would never ever consider themselves liberal in the American definition of the term. So much comes down to semantics and semiotics.” (I think this is often the case with men, too, but she happens to do a lot of work with women.)

What does it really mean to be a Mormon conservative? A Mormon liberal? (Or in the U.S….A Mormon Republican? A Mormon Democrat?) Talk to any group of Mormons who identify themselves with such labels and you will likely get some different answers (nevermind the fact that what is “conservative” or “liberal” could mean different things in different countries, maybe even different regions within a country).

On a related note, whenever the topic of Mormons and politics comes up, I am anxious to bring up what our church leaders say about politics and political parties, that  “Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties.”

In reality, there is no party or platform or political policy or presidential candidate that perfectly represents the full sum of what Mormon beliefs include. We as Mormons value the political process of people doing their homework and voting their consciences. And the results of and opinions throughout that process will vary, even among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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You can read more at the LDS Newsroom about the LDS Church’s position on political party neutrality and political involvement .

Read more at Mormon Women on the topic of Mormons and politics here and here

The post A note about Mormons and politics appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~by Michelle

It’s been a week now since the results from the recent “Mormons in America” Pew Forum survey were published. While a majority of Mormons reported being politically conservative (similar to evangelical Americans), the issue of immigration is one where evangelicals and Mormons seem to differ.

As we shared over the weekend, the Deseret News had a five-part series called Mormons in America that explored in more detail several of the key findings of the Pew survey. The article about Mormon attitudes on immigration was, for me, a particularly interesting read. (See more on the topic of immigration in a previous Mormon Women article; this is an issue that is of personal interest to me.)

The Pew survey found that Mormons tend to be more moderate than other religious, politically conservative groups on the issue of immigration. You can read the article for the comparative statistics, but what I found interesting was the discussion of some of the factors that may contribute to the more moderate position reported by Mormons on the topic of immigration. The combination of factors cited included the following:

1) Education level, socioeconomic status, and religious commitment (higher education and socioeconomic status are reported to be connected with higher religious commitment, which all correlate to a more moderate view of immigration).

2) Age — people under age 50 tend to have more favorable attitudes toward immigration, and a higher percentage of Mormons fall into that younger category than they do in the general population

3) Mormon mission experiences have an impact on Mormons and their views on immigration. From the article:

Theresa Martinez, a non-Mormon sociology professor at the University of Utah, emphatically seconds Cox on the outward focus. “I’ve taught over 7,000 students,” she says, “probably about half of them LDS, with a large proportion of those return missionaries, and half of those from Latin American missions.” Her students express strong attachment to the peoples and communities they served, Martinez says. “And after that, you are not the sheltered little Mormon kid, and you understand that life is much bigger than your backyard.”

4) Church leaders giving a “gentle push in [the] direction” of more openness to a more moderate, centrist position on immigration. From the article:

Last year Utah illegal immigration hard-liners were poised to copy Arizona’s stern immigration policies, when centrists—with quiet but clear support from Church leaders—turned tables with widely-noted legislation that will allow some undocumented workers to obtain drivers’ licenses and work. In the fall of 2010, the Church also stated support for the principles of the The Utah Compact , which urges humane and measured solutions at the federal level.

The post Mormon Views on Immigration appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

By Eric Schulzke, Deseret News

Published: Saturday, Jan. 14 2012 8:12 p.m. MST

The Pew Foundation survey of Mormons released this past week confirms that U.S. Mormons are more conservative (66 percent) compared to the general public (37 percent), and on most issues, they closely track white evangelicals. But immigration is one issue that sets Mormons apart from their evangelical counterparts.

Asked whether immigrants are a strength or a burden, 59 percent of white evangelicals said they were a burden, while only 41 percent of Mormons felt the same, compared to 44 percent of the general public. The result is surprising given how staunchly conservative Mormons are on nearly every measure. Interestingly, 50 percent of white mainline Protestants and 49 percent of white Catholics also tilt against immigration, though neither group is as uniformly conservative as evangelicals or Mormons on other measures.

Dan Cox, Research Director at the Public Religion Research Institute in Washington, D.C. sees several reasons for the surprising result. He points first to demographics to explain why Mormons are more open to immigrants than are white evangelicals. “White evangelicals are significantly lower on the socioeconomic scale than most other religious groups. Those who are more economically vulnerable are more likely to see newcomers as threats,” he says.

The Pew results validate the socioeconomic explanation. The key is a strong link between Mormon religious commitment and socioeconomic status. Eighty-four percent of Mormon college graduates are highly committed to the Church, but just 50 percent of those with high school education share that same level of commitment. This socioeconomic gap also translates to immigration: 50 percent of less committed Mormons see immigrants as a burden, against 36 percent of highly committed Mormons.

Cox also points to age as a key factor, noting the surprising anti-immigration sentiment among mainline Protestants and white Catholics. “Both of these groups tend to be older than the general public,” Cox says, “and we find that younger people are much more open to immigration.” Sure enough, Pew finds that 49 percent of Mormons between the ages of 18-49 see immigrants as a strength, while just 39 percent Mormons over 50 say the same. The Mormon youth movement has an impact on the results: according to a 2009 Pew study, 41 percent of the general population was over fifty years old, while just 34% of Mormons fall into that category.

Cox also thinks culture is a factor in the Mormon tendency to be more tolerant of immigrants, citing in particular the outward focus of the LDS church and the percolating influence of missionaries returning from foreign lands. “When you have more interaction with someone,” Cox notes, “you have increased comfort with them.” One statistic conveys the impact of this element of Mormon culture: 70 percent of the 33,000 students at BYU are bilingual.

Theresa Martinez, a non-Mormon sociology professor at the University of Utah, emphatically seconds Cox on the outward focus. “I’ve taught over 7,000 students,” she says, “probably about half of them LDS, with a large proportion of those return missionaries, and half of those from Latin American missions.” Her students express strong attachment to the peoples and communities they served, Martinez says. “And after that, you are not the sheltered little Mormon kid, and you understand that life is much bigger than your backyard.”

While the seeds of openness are embedded in the culture, others note that Church leaders recently gave a gentle push in that direction. Last year Utah illegal immigration hard-liners were poised to copy Arizona’s stern immigration policies, when centrists—with quiet but clear support from Church leaders—turned tables with widely-noted legislation that will allow some undocumented workers to obtain drivers’ licenses and work. In the fall of 2010, the Church also stated support for the principles of the The Utah Compact, which urges humane and measured solutions at the federal level.

And yet, divisions within the LDS community remain. Utah House Rep. Chris Herrod of Provo, a leader on anti-illegal immigration efforts in Utah, considers himself pro-immigration, noting that his wife is from Ukraine, his sister-in-law from Korea, and his business partner from Ethiopia.

Herrod points out that the Pew study addresses immigration per se, rather than illegal immigration, and says he has often been puzzled when debates on the two issues become muddled. “I believe in immigration,” he says. “It’s the melting pot that has made the country great. But lately we seem to be splitting into a bilingual and bicultural nation. We need to give equal chances to Africans, Asians, South Asians, and Eastern Europeans, and we need to get back to those core beliefs, where you adopt the language and blend the cultures.”

Richard Davis, a political science professor at Brigham Young University, sees the Church position last summer as impacting dialog on this issue within Utah and among U.S. Mormons. “For years the drumbeat was all about illegal immigration and the need to enforce the law,” he says. “The Church has nudged the agenda. Now it’s more about how we treat people, however they got here.”

Charles Morgan, a BYU sociologist who studies immigration, sees culture and Church positioning as mutually reinforcing. Morgan notes that the “closer the contact you have with a group, the more likely you are to have compassion and see them as equals.” Like Davis, Morgan also sees the Church’s positioning as significant: “The Church is projecting a positive image of immigrants, and I think this is resonating with the more devout Mormons.”

Morgan points to Arizona, where a Mormon state senator from the heavily Mormon Mesa area, who was president of the Senate and had authored the state’s controversial immigration policy, was replaced in November by another Mormon in a recall election. The new senator, Jerry Lewis, was encouraged to run by LDS members in the Mesa area who were concerned with what they saw as a harsh tone on illegal immigration.

Jason Labau, who researches Arizona political history at the University of Southern California, also sees recent Church policy and underlying cultural factors as reinforcing. “This is a much longer shift,” he says, “and it stems from the missionary experience. Several friends I grew up with in Arizona are staunchly conservative, and the only issue we see eye to eye on is immigration. They served missions in Chile, Guatemala, and Mexico, and they see these people as equals who are looking for something better.”

Eric Schulzke is the director of the Apollo 13 Project (a13.org), a prisoner reentry initiative based at Utah Valley University. He can be reached at eric[at]a13.org.

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It appears Jon M. Huntsman and Mitt Romney are looking toward running for president of the United States in 2012. Their connection with the “Mormon “faith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is not an unusual topic that surrounds discussions about their potential candidacy. As such, we imagine this will likely raise some questions, both about Mormonism and politics and about Mormon life and belief in general. We’ve address this topic before, but wanted to do it again, and include a couple more links on the topic.

Michael Otterson wrote a recent post at the Washington Post (in their On Faith feature) about this. He summarizes the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a beautiful and simple way. We recommend his article to our readers.

Here’s a quick summary of his summary of our beliefs:

1. Mormons follow Jesus Christ. …

2. Mormons are friends of the family. …

3.Mormons are big on incorporating their religious beliefs into their day-to-day actions.

Here’s another perspective given the potential political situation from a Church member: What Mormons Believe: Part One.

Also, given the fact that immigration reform is a “hot topic” in the United States, we wanted to share this LDS Newsroom article about the Church’s position on the topic.

Immigration Response

Following are some questions we have addressed related to the LDS Church and politics.

Would the Church try to encourage Mormons to vote for a Mormon candidate or dictate to a Mormon governmental leader?

The answer is no.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is politically neutral. You will not find the Church supporting any specific candidate or party, telling Church members whom to choose as they vote, or seeking to “direct or dictate to” a government leader. We as LDS Church members are encouraged to be involved in the political process, be informed about important issues, and make educated decisions about whom to vote for and we are free to choose whom we choose. This policy is universal in all nations where the Church has a presence.

If the Church is politically neutral, why does it get involved in political issues, like gay marriage?

Being politically neutral on partisan politics should not be confused with being politically or socially inactive. It is a constitutional right in the United States to express opinions on social and political issues. The Church sometimes chooses to exercise this right about some public issues that the Church “believes have significant community or moral consequences or that directly affect the interests of the Church.” We have seen this happen with gay marriage or, more recently, on the topic of immigration reform in the United States.

That said, it’s worth noting that even when the Church does share an opinion, Mormon church members will end up expressing a variety of opinions about such social issues such as the ones mentioned.

Which leads us to the next question.

Are all Mormons are politically conservative?

The answer is no. You can see the following post at Mormon Women answering this question. (The short answer is no. There are Mormons all along the political spectrum, from conservative to moderate to liberal. Mormons are actively involved in all the major U.S. political parties. We are reminded by our leaders that “Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties.”)

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For more information from the LDS Newsroom about Mormonism, please see the following links:

Who Are the Mormons?

A Mormon Worldview

The Religious Experience of Mormonism

The Grand Enterprise of Mormonism

Approaching Mormon Doctrine

Approaching Mormon History

The post Mormons and Politics appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

We agree with what Karl Rove (George W. Bush’s senior adviser) recently said in a brief interview — that undo focus on a candidate’s church or religious beliefs is inappropriate. We would hope that people would vote based on a person’s capabilities and positions on issues, not because of his/her religion (whether voting for or against a candidate).

That said, we know that the Mormon faith these men share will still likely raise some questions, both about Mormonism and politics and about Mormon life and belief in general.

First, below we address a few questions related to the LDS Church and politics.

The answer is no.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is politically neutral. You will not find the Church supporting any specific candidate or party, telling Church members whom to choose as they vote, or seeking to “direct or dictate to” a government leader. We as LDS Church members are encouraged to be involved in the political process, be informed about important issues, and make educated decisions about whom to vote for and we are free to choose whom we choose. This policy is universal in all nations where the Church has a presence.

Being politically neutral on partisan politics should not be confused with being politically or socially inactive. It is a constitutional right in the United States to express opinions on social and political issues. The Church sometimes chooses to exercise this right about some public issues that the Church “believes have significant community or moral consequences or that directly affect the interests of the Church.” We have seen this happen with gay marriage or, more recently, on the topic of immigration reform in the United States.

That said, it’s worth noting that even when the Church does share an opinion, Mormon church members will end up expressing a variety of opinions about such social issues such as the ones mentioned.

Which leads us to the next question.

The answer is no. You can see the following post at Mormon Women answering this question. (The short answer is no. There are Mormons all along the political spectrum, from conservative to moderate to liberal. Mormons are actively involved in all the major U.S. political parties. We are reminded by our leaders that “Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties.”)

– – – – – – – –

For more information from the LDS Newsroom about Mormonism, please see the following links:

Who Are the Mormons?

A Mormon Worldview

The Religious Experience of Mormonism

The Grand Enterprise of Mormonism

Approaching Mormon Doctrine

Approaching Mormon History

The post The LDS Church and Politics appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

November 2 is Election Day in the United States, so we thought we’d address this question.

Q: Are all Mormons in the United States Republican and/or politically conservative?

A: No.

It’s probably safe to say that Mormons on the whole tend to fall on the conservative side of things, but you will find Mormons all along the political spectrum.

I think a good way to address this question is to first share a First Presidency letter that is entitled “Political Participation, Voting, and the Political Neutrality of the Church”

As citizens we have the privilege and duty of electing office holders and influencing public policy. Participation in the political process affects our communities and nation today and in the future.

Latter-day Saints as citizens are to seek out and then uphold leaders who will act with integrity and are wise, good, and honest. Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties.

Therefore, in this election year, we urge you to register to vote, to study the issues and candidates carefully and prayerfully, and then to vote for and actively support those you believe will most nearly carry out your ideas of good government.

The Church affirms its neutrality regarding political parties, platforms, and candidates. The Church also affirms its constitutional right of expression on political and social issues.

One of the fundamental principles of Mormonism is the principle of agency, or the notion of freedom to choose. The First Presidency letter notes that principles consistent with our Mormon beliefs can be found in various political parties. The implication to me is that there is no One Right Party or One Right Platform. Church members are able to sort through the issues and vote as they choose.

This letter also implies to me that differences of opinion are to be expected about political issues.

Thus, while many Mormons have chosen to be Republican, you will find Mormons who are Democrats, Mormons who are Constitutionalists, Mormons who are Independents, and Mormons who may affiliate with other political parties or persuasions. You may find some who split their votes across parties as well.

I have been a registered Republican for all of my voting years, but I’m not going to be voting a straight party ticket.  I’ve been joking with my husband that we should have signs from both the Republican and Democrat candidates for one of the races, as I think he’ll be voting differently than I will.

It’s part of the beauty of what it means to live in a “free country” where everyone has the right to have a voice through the vote. Even spouses can choose to vote differently!

This is not to say that there aren’t sometimes issues on which the Mormon Church as an institution takes a stand, such as with Proposition 8, which sought to maintain the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. But even then, there were Mormons who voted against the proposition. During that very charged time, Church leaders reminded those who supported the proposition to be respectful of those who had different opinions.

I liked this from Elder Quentin L. Cook from our last General Conference. He said:

[A]ll voices need to be heard in the public square. Neither religious nor secular voices should be silenced.

He also reminds LDS Church members that as people of faith,

we should not expect that because some of our views emanate from religious principles, they will automatically be accepted or given preferential status. But it is also clear such views and values are entitled to be reviewed on their merits.

I think Elder Cook’s counsel from the April General Conference is also relevant:

[W]e need to be civil in our discourse and respectful in our interactions. This is especially true when we disagree. … I invite each one of us individually to recognize that how we disagree is a real measure of who we are and whether we truly follow the Savior. It is appropriate to disagree, but it is not appropriate to be disagreeable. Violence and vandalism are not the answer to our disagreements. If we show love and respect even in adverse circumstances, we become more like Christ.

Again, I think his words acknowledge the reality that people won’t always see eye-to-eye on different issues, political or otherwise. In a sense, I think this is part of what it means to be human, and part of our challenge and opportunity to seek to learn to be kind and respectful, and maybe even to learn from others who may see things differently.

The post Are all U.S. Mormons Conservatives / Republicans? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Here’s a glimpse of what you will read in the article:

Fortunately, the Supreme Court has never held that citizens could not join together to translate their moral beliefs into laws or public policies even when those beliefs are derived from religious doctrine. Indeed, there are many sophisticated and articulate spokesmen for the proposition that the separation of church and state never intended to exclude religiously grounded values from the public square. For example, I offer the words of Richard John Neuhaus:

“In a democracy that is free and robust, an opinion is no more disqualified for being ‘religious’ than for being atheistic, or psychoanalytic, or Marxist, or just plain dumb. There is no legal or constitutional question about the admission of religion to the public square; there is only a question about the free and equal participation of citizens in our public business. Religion is not a reified ‘thing’ that threatens to intrude upon our common life. Religion in public is but the public opinion of those citizens who are religious.

(This article was written in 1992, but the principles may still be of interest, even as some of the specifics of recent important public policy issues are not included.)

As an FYI, Leaders of our Church attended the inaguration of Barack Obama. You can read more about that here and here.

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We welcome your thoughts, but we do moderate comments. Please keep your comments respectful.

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