Can you be a Mormon and a Democrat? The opinions expressed in this document are solely those of the author. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not involved in the creation of this document.
The title of this paper has either put a smile on your face or made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. This paper is not meant to be offensive in any way. It is an attempt to clarify positions on both sides of the debate. This discussion is primarily concerned with our society s treatment of moral issues. Public policy on topics such as: taxes, the military and the economy are very much influenced by our moral views; however, for this discussion such topics are not considered as moral issues. Can you be a Mormon and a Democrat? Certainly the answer is yes. The LDS Church does not perform any form of evaluation of its members political beliefs. The Church maintains a statement on political neutrality. Even temple-recommend interviews, required for access to any of the Church s temples, do not ask questions concerning a person s political views. A second pertinent question may be, Can a person be a Democrat and uphold the teachings of the LDS Church? This question is much more thought provoking. As members of the LDS faith, we are taught that we will be judged for every decision we make. The judgment of our decisions will take into consideration our intelligence, information and motives. As we elect candidates for various offices, we are responsible for how their views, and thus votes, will fall in line with our moral beliefs. So what is your duty? From the last line of the Proclamation to the World:.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. This means your vote is important. How you vote and take part in society makes a difference in all of our lives. We need to promote and uphold the values that the Lord teaches us. Promoting and Upholding Uphold- stand up for; stick up for; of causes, principles, or ideals; support against an opponent; to maintain or affirm against opposition. What would a member of the LDS Church uphold? A good example would be the teachings of our modern day prophets found in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. See http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,105-1-11-1,ff.html What would a member of the Democratic Party uphold? A good example would be the 2000 Democratic Platform. See http://www.democrats.org/hq/resources/platform/
Let s compare a few items in these documents and see if we find conflicting views on major moral issues. We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.we further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. These words clearly teach that sexual relations should be exclusively used between a married man and woman. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Now compare these two teachings with the 2000 Democratic National Platform. We support the full inclusion of gay and lesbian families in the life of the nation. What has this meant in terms of democratic sponsored legislation? Legalized adoption of children by Gay and Lesbian partners Gay clubs in high schools Gay lifestyle taught in school Attempt to force the Boy Scouts of American into admitting homosexuals. In the process labeling them as a hate group and booing Eagle Scouts as they performed the flag ceremony at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Same sex marriage The Democratic Party stands behind the right of every woman to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of ability to pay. What has this meant in terms of democratic sponsored legislation? Partial Birth Abortions- In a partial-birth abortion, the abortionist pulls a living baby feetfirst out of the womb and into the birth canal (vagina), except for the head, which the abortionist purposely keeps lodged just inside the cervix (the opening to the womb). The abortionist punctures the base of the skull with a surgical instrument, such as a long surgical scissors or a pointed hollow metal tube called a trochar. He then inserts a catheter (tube) into the wound, and removes the baby's brain with a powerful suction machine. This causes the skull to collapse, after which the abortionist completes the delivery of the now-dead baby. Under state laws, a "live birth" occurs when a baby is entirely expelled from the mother and shows any signs of life, however briefly -- regardless of whether or not the baby is "viable," i.e., developed enough to be sustained outside the womb with neo-natal medical
assistance. Even at 4 months (20 weeks), the earliest point at which a partial-birth abortion is usually performed, perinatologists say that if a baby is expelled or removed completely from the uterus, she will usually gasp for breath and sometimes survive for hours, even though lung development is still insufficient to permit successful sustained respiration until 23 weeks. Thus, the term "partial-birth" is accurate. Make no mistake; this is murder that is not prosecuted because part of the child is still inside the mother when the act of killing the child is performed. Elimination of Parental Notification Abortion on Demand RU-486 Abortion Pill legal in United States Don t let one issue such as abortion be the sole concern It is easy to let one issue become your sole concern. This practice limits your opportunity to elect good men and women. We live in a system of choices. You may find a Republican candidate that is right in line with your political views but that supports abortion in circumstances that differ from your own. It is very difficult to find candidates that exactly match your views. Applying litmus tests on certain issues can keep you from electing a candidate that would lead to a greater good. Voting on the various levels of government? President The presidential choice is extremely important. The president has influence on all levels. The president appoints federal judges, which work in different communities. The president signs or veto s congressional bills that affect all citizens. The president nominates Supreme Court judges, who oversee the laws of our country. The president plays a major role in setting the agenda for congress. The president is the country s representative to the world. Congressional The United States Congress has many responsibilities, including forming and passing the laws of our land. A vote for an individual seeking to be a member of the United States Congress strengthens the party to which that individual belongs. The majority party has control in the House of Representatives and the Senate to appoint the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader. These leaders appoint members of congress to lead each committee. Thus, the majority party has great power in setting the agenda for our country. The Speaker shall appoint all select, joint, and conference committees ordered by the House. At any time after an original appointment, the Speaker may remove Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner from, or appoint additional Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner to, a select or conference committee. In appointing Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner to conference committees, the Speaker shall appoint no less than a majority who generally supported the House position as determined by the Speaker, shall name those who are primarily responsible for the legislation, and shall, to the fullest extent feasible, include the
principal proponents of the major provisions of the bill or resolution passed or adopted by the House. Pursuant to nominations submitted by the majority party caucus, one member of each standing committee is elected as its chairman at the commencement of each Congress. See http://www.house.gov/rules/ri.htm So you may have found a Democratic candidate that is pro-life but if elected, merely by their party affiliation, they have strengthened the Democratic party which currently has a pro-abortion stance. State Congress passes general laws concerning the nation. The state generally handles the specifics. Abortion is currently legal in this country. However, each state determines specifics such as which trimester abortion is legally allowed. Governers, Attorneys General and State congressmen play a major roll in the public treatment of moral issues. Local Communities do not have control over the broad treatment of moral issues because of federal mandates. Laws on fairness in housing, legalized abortion, school prayer, etc. are forced upon local communities. Often those running for local office do not specify party affiliation. Nevertheless, party affiliation provides significant information as to individual beliefs. Before You Vote Base your decisions on your moral values. Your family s welfare, financial well-being and other factors must certainly be considered. However, you don t want to stand before God and have to justify why you supported (through your vote): abortion, gambling, homosexuality and other immoral practices. Answers such as; I wanted free medical care, I wanted 100,000 more cops on the street, I wanted wetland protection may not be weighty enough reasons for supporting forms of iniquity. Who is Right? Unfortunately, no one party has all the truth. The Republican Party is not God s Own Party. The Republican Party has its share of corrupt leaders and individuals. As of the year 2000, the Republican Party s Platform more closely resembles the values espoused by Latter-day Saints, than does the Democratic Party s Platform. What Should You Do? #1 Primarily cast your vote based on your moral values first. #2 Vote for candidates based on prayer. #3 Be informed on the issues and the candidates positions.
#4 Cast your vote. #5 Be completely intolerant of those who abuse power, act immoral and set bad examples. Show leaders that you will not tolerate immoral conduct by voting them out of office. It is not about second chances, holding grudges or forgiveness. Forgiving someone has nothing to do with leaving him or her in office. As Latter-day Saints we must forgive. We are not required to trust. Conclusion This document is certainly not an exhaustive treatment of the moral issues faced by our country. We have considered only two highly controversial issues, which the Republican and Democratic Party s differ. The examples in this paper do provide a realistic view of the dilemma many voters face. Can you be a Mormon and a Democrat? Yes. Can a person be a Democrat and uphold the teachings of the LDS Church? Possibly. When voting for a Democrat in a local election, your vote does not place LDS values in as great of risk as when voting for candidates on State and Federal levels. State and Federal officials face significant moral issues where the Democratic Party s positions, clearly stand in opposition to the beliefs of the LDS Church. To vote Democrat in the broader election requires careful consideration in order to avoid placing oneself in opposition to the teachings of the LDS Church.