Republican vs Democrat

[CatholicLady]

Mormons, is there any sort of push in your church/community (even if subtle) to vote Republican instead of Democrat?

[Crypto]

Depends on where you are at. Here's some data. What do you think?

My personal thoughts are if you are the type to be affected by following the expectations of others, you will feel pressure from the majority. If not you won't. I personally haven't been pressured to vote one way or another in a religious setting.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Crypto

[CatholicLady]

Interesting. Thanks crypto!

[Crypto]

You're welcome.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Crypto

[skalenfehl]

Not in my ward or any ward that I've been in. Personally speaking, I can't stand the right/left paradigm. Both are wings of the same dirty bird. Doesn't matter which side you choose. The same puppet master pulls all the strings. Ether 8.

[CatholicLady]

Lol, what's Ether 8?

[Just_A_Guy]

Ether 8 is a chapter of the Book of Mormon that discusses an ancient kingdom whose political history was more or less governed by a secret group whose allegiances lay primarily with Satan.

Not exactly a mainstream LDS view as applied to the US government; but there are certainly Mormons who believe it.

[skalenfehl]

Not exactly a mainstream LDS view as applied to the US government; but there are certainly Mormons who believe it.

 

A Gentile failing. Secret combinations have gotten above us. We were specifically given a warning to learn from someone else's mistake and have failed. The mighty nation will fall. It's only a matter of time before our desolating scourge is upon us.

 

 

Ether 8:18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;

 19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man.

 20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.

 21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

 22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground forvengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.

 23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.

 24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.

 25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

 26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.

[CatholicLady]

Ether 8 is a chapter of the Book of Mormon that discusses an ancient kingdom whose political history was more or less governed by a secret group whose allegiances lay primarily with Satan.

Not exactly a mainstream LDS view as applied to the US government; but there are certainly Mormons who believe it.

 

Very interesting, thanks for answering!

[CatholicLady]

Ether 8 is a chapter of the Book of Mormon that discusses an ancient kingdom whose political history was more or less governed by a secret group whose allegiances lay primarily with Satan.

Not exactly a mainstream LDS view as applied to the US government; but there are certainly Mormons who believe it.

 

Very interesting, thanks for answering!

[skalenfehl]

I was a registered Republican for a long time. When I moved last year and changed my address with the post office, I also registered to vote as unaffiliated with any party. 

[CatholicLady]

I vote Republican. I definitely don't think they are perfect or anything like that, that's why I always refer to myself as a conservative vs as a Republican..

 

But I think they are more in line with my opinions on social and economic issues. That and it's the best I can do to try to keep the likes of Obama and Hilary, etc, out of the White House.

[Jane_Doe]

Officailly, the church never endorses a candidate or political party.  Churches are not allowed to be used for political events, or even voting spots.  However, members are encouraged to be involved in the community, including politics.  Every November local congregations are read a letter saying effectively "we endorse no candidates, but encourage you to vote".

 

Still talking about official church policy: the church never endorse a person or party, but will occasionally comment on a policy, particulary moral ones.  For example, just Tuesday there was a big new conference with the church officially saying "People marrying those of the same sex is wrong, but all people do deserve the right to a place to live."  (please no one turn this into a gay-marriage thread!).

 

Unofficiailly, a lot of individuals Mormons do lean Republican because they feel that party best represents their view (see Crypto's data).  But there are still plenty of Democrats.  

[skalenfehl]

I vote Republican. I definitely don't think they are perfect or anything like that, that's why I always refer to myself as a conservative vs as a Republican..

 

But I think they are more in line with my opinions on social and economic issues. That and it's the best I can do to try to keep the likes of Obama and Hilary, etc, out of the White House.

 

I have no love for President Obama or Hillary Clinton, other than that they are God's children as myself. After years of scripture study and my love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the models, which He has given us from Moses to Hezekiah and all the way through to John the Beloved, if we only do it God's way, He will preserve us as a nation under God. David can still slay Goliath, but rather than going out to the front lines of battle anymore as covenant kings should, David has grown proud and is fooling around with Bathsheba. David has a hard road ahead of him.

[bytor2112]

I am a registered Republican, but view it pretty much the way Skalenfehl outlined it. I am really more small gubmint libertarian than anything else....

[pam]

I'm a registered Republican but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't vote for someone from another party if I felt they were the best person for the job.

[PolarVortex]

I just heard an interview with Jack Miles yesterday.  (He is the author of God: A Biography, and he writes about Biblical figures as literary protagonists instead of as historical persons or deities.)

 

The interviewer asked him about the apparent rise of nonreligious people in the U.S.  Miles replied that all categories of people in the U.S. are seeing the rise of people who don't like being categorized, and he specifically mentioned the huge and growing number of political independents.  Just because someone is politically independent doesn't mean they are apathetic about politics.  Similarly, just because someone doesn't identify with a specific religion or denomination doesn't mean they are apathetic about religion.

 

Having been a member of both the LDS Church and a radically liberal progressive church in California (not at the same time, of course), I have to say that the liberal church was far more political.  Out of a membership of several hundred people, there were only two Republicans that I knew of, and he and I were in the closet, politically speaking.  My memories from the LDS community were that Republicans were in the majority but that everyone's choices of political parties were respected and honored. 

[Palerider]

Vote mostly Republican....will vote for a Independent before voting Democrat

[SpiritDragon]

As a Canadian even if the church pushed me to vote republican or democrat I couldn't as those are not the political parties to choose from here :)

 

However if I could vote in the US with the information I have (which is more limited because I can't vote there, and thus don't spend a lot of time worrying about U.S. political platforms) I would likely vote republican most of the time.

[Guest]

For me (and I think a lot of Mormons out there as well), the abortion issue is enough to push us towards the Republican party.

[SpiritDragon]

For me (and I think a lot of Mormons out there as well), the abortion issue is enough to push us towards the Republican party.

 

Not meaning to derail the thread (probably low risk) does the political party in power really change this? It seems to me here in Canada that items like abortion and gay marriage while opposed by certain parties are essentially irrevocable once passed by others in power, even after a change of political leadership i.e. liberal to conservative. There just seems to be no going back on frustrating moral policies once established.

[Guest Godless]

Churches are not allowed to be used for political events, or even voting spots.

There are six churches in my county that are used as polling locations. But you're right in that the LDS church has always been very good about not taking sides.

For me (and I think a lot of Mormons out there as well), the abortion issue is enough to push us towards the Republican party.

That's odd considering that 1) Republicans politicians have an impeccable track record of paying lip service to the pro-life movement and then doing absolutely nothing to support it after election day, and 2) the LDS church condones abortion in cases of rape and medical necessity.

[Guest]

Just naming the top 2 political Mormons that's always on the news:

Harry Reid - Democrat

Mitt Romney - Republican

[yjacket]

I am a registered Republican, but view it pretty much the way Skalenfehl outlined it. I am really more small gubmint libertarian than anything else....

I see it the same way. IMO the Repubs are hypocrites while the democrats are at least honest.  

 

In my home state, the entire legislature is controlled by the Repubs. yet the biggest item that they want to pass is an increase in the gas tax (when we are already in the top states for gas tax). Over 50% of the state's budget comes from the Federal government-total budget over 50 Billion.  Not one R has actually suggested cutting the budget, even though the increase in gas tax is supposed to bring in 700 million more yet it is going to be "revenue neutral".  The only Republican who got primaried in my state were the Republicans who were actually for limited, smaller government-and the state Rep. party is the one who put their muscle behind the opponents.  Their opponents (financed by the Establishment Repubs.) spend 100s of thousands of dollars to beat small government minded individuals who were spending thousands.

 

It really sucks b/c in many ways R vs. D actually aligns down demographics rather than values.  Here very few blacks will vote R and very few whites vote D and if you look at demographics nationwide only 5% of blacks will vote R . . .while generally only 25-35% of whites vote D.

 

Look at simply the past 25 years of presidents, Clinton, Bush, Obama.  Bush passed the largest expansion of government health care (Medicare part D) ran up huge deficits Obama just continued it. The biggest difference is that Obamacare would have been different, it would have been RomneyCare-but just about anything would be better than Obamacare.

[Vort]

the LDS church condones abortion in cases of rape and medical necessity.

 

Only if you think that refusal to pursue ecclesiastic discipline is the same as condoning something. I don't think that.

 

I see it the same way. IMO the Repubs are hypocrites while the democrats are at least honest.

 

The first comment, as a general statement, is true. The second is laughable.