Question for Mormon/LDS DU'ers

[Taverner]

With the history of persecution that the Mormons have in Navoo, IL and elsewhere during their exodous to Utah - why are they so staunchly Republican?

One would think with this history of persecution they would identify with other persecuted groups (African Americans, Jews, etc) and vote alongside them...why is this (by and large) not the case?

[GOPisEvil]

1. And by that logic, there'd be no Likud Party.

:shrug:

[Taverner]

2. Yes, but the Likud don't speak for all Jews

However the Repubs seem to speak for MOST LDS'ers....I've known lots of Mormons and I think out of the hundreds I've met, only one was a Democrat.

Unless we're talking the RLDS church, but they're practically Ecumenical...

[markus]

3. Utah, under LDS leadership, also granted women right to vote

ahead of all other states.

Those I know now (including my sister and brother-in-law) are staunchly conservative, however.

[eyesroll]

4. I'm not Mormon, but the guy running for Congress here is

He pretty much said that Mormons outside of Utah are much more likely to be Democrats and/or liberals, but they just can't admit it in church. He's had tons of people come up to him and confide, priavately, that they were on his side.

[Momgonepostal]

11. I think that's true in the sense anyone outside of Utah...

...Mormon or otherwise, is more likely to be liberal or a democrat, than the average Utah resident.

I'm LDS and a democrat, in central CA. Even here I'd say the majority of Mormons are conservative. I agree with the poster that much of it has to do with the conservative "family values" stuff and that many LDS people are pro-life. I'd also say that the postion of the Republican party regarding social welfare are very much not in keeping with Christianity.

I definitely wouldn't say I feel I "can't" admit being to being a democrat in church, but I don't think church is the proper forum for me to air my political views. There certainly is no official church policy on political party memebership. I used to have an artcle from the Salt Lake Tribune saved on my PC, about Mormon Democrats. If I can find it again, I'll post it.

[geniph]

5. It's the whole "conservative family values" thing, mostly

at least for the Mormons I've known, it is. They side heavily with them on the social issues - they tend to be very socially conservative. What's funny is that you'd think a TRUE conservative would be dead-set against the government interfering in social issues with legislation, but that seems to be an accepted sort of hypocrisy now. The abortion-gays-guns hot-button issues tend to find most LDS folks falling on the Repug side. Also, many Mormons believe the tenets of their faith show God's approval by the accumulation of material wealth, and once people get wealthy, many get greedy, and which party most appeals to the greedy?

They also tend to be fairly hawkish and imperialistic, and again, that aligns them more with Repugs. I still think Mormons ought to realize that any minority faith will be discriminated against if we get a theocratic government, but I think some are hoping they won't be in the minority by then, so they can impose their own version of Shari'a law.

[Arger68]

6. I'm not Mormon

but have two brothers that are. One is actually pretty solid Dem, the other more conservative, but not staunch repub. I think he's pretty unhappy with the lies of this admin right now.

[LDS Jock]

7. Here are some thoughts

First off, I am LDS/Mormon. I read an article about this very topic a month or so ago. I'm trying to find it. I'm almost certain I saved it so it's just a matter of trying to find it. Until then, let me summarize what it said.

Back during the 1890s when polygamy was outlawed, it was the republican party heading the opposition. The LDS population almost exclusively voted for Democrat candidates in response. The Church leaders did not want the church to be thought of as a one party group and sent out one the the leaders, I believe a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, to speak to the members about this matter. The basics of his message is that it is OK for a good member to vote republican. What should be important is to vote your conscious and to choose a candidate that best represents your values. His message was well receieved. As a rule, when the leaders speak, the members follow without hesitation. The shift has continued until today the Church is heavily republican, or at least thought to be. I agree with what an earlier poster put up about members outside of Utah being much more liberal. I have lived in Los Angeles and Austin, and members in both towns are fairly liberal. Not spoken of in church, but it is the private beliefs, and that is more important. You can see there are members elected to congress who aren't republican, including the highest ranked member of the Church.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Sep-08-Sun-2002/news/19525007.html

The Church today doesn't seem to interested in being seen as a one party group. Personally, I feel the reason behind that is that the Church tends to operate more as a business, and has started to act like one. Also, with the emphasis on education, the members have moved upward in income as well. With that comes the idea one should vote republican to protect that money. We all know thats not correct, or at the very least not all of the story. However, it is a common perception.

I have lived in SLC as well and the Church is different in Utah. It is like living in a bubble, very sheltered, with members more interested in following what the leaders say or what they think the leaders would prefer, rather than think an issue out for themselves. I don't want to stereotype everyone, but that is my impession from living there.

I've rambled long enough. I'll try to find the link I talked about earlier.

[clonebot]

9. ldsjocktx...

good post but when you mention the polygamy thing its important to note that our church is no longer practicing it at this time ;) people get the wrong idea all the time.

[LDS Jock]

12. that is true

The Church stopped polygamy officially in the 1890s. The cases you hear today of polygamy are offshoots of the church. If they ever were members of the Church, they would immediately be excommunicated for polygamy.

[Taverner]

10. Interesting article...especially liked this bit:

"Reid also insists it is easier for a Democrat to be a good Latter-day Saint than it is for a Republican to be a good Latter-day Saint."

Considering the Church's emphasis on service and personal sacrifice...and how their missionaries overseas are trained in cultural sensitivity to levels that paralell the Peace Corps (I would know, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand and knew Mormon missionaries who weren't flying blind like 99% of the missionaries over there) what Reid said makes perfect sense...

[LDS Jock]

13. link I mentioned

http://www.voteutah.org/moments/07.html

It's not the exact one but it does give some of the information, including the man the Church sent out with the message about voting republican. I'll keep looking for more.

[clonebot]

8. Probaly the gay marriage and pro life issues...

Well every religion has it's jerks. My wife and I attend church smack dab in the middle of San Diego and our ward has alot of young couples sporting everything from piercings to tattoos to pompadors to blue hair. (If we go 10 miles to east and go to la mesa's ward its a different story) And they all vote anything but republican, and the ones that do vote gop are very very moderate and base their votes on stuff like fiscal responsibilty and taxes and the idea of smaller government. This is the rare breed of mormons that will party in hillcrest (rainbow flag district) and not think twice about the person standing next to him being gay. Like myself, most of us liberal urban mormons agree that abortion (and this is actually what alot of church leaders have said) that abortion should be a very rare procedure and should only be performed after discussion and prayer. We defintely agree that the government has no business regulating it. Completely personal matter and we are highly pro-choice. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. I don't like abortion but sometimes it has to be done. If a 14 year old girl gets knocked up and really has no other possible options, then abortion is okay with me. Well anyways this is a small minority of latter day saints.

Why do the rest staunchly vote republican?

Well, the term utah turkey farmer came about for a reason. We've got lds's everywhere and alot of them simply don't get much education about their church and sometimes in general. Children and adolecents go through primary and seminary and learn all about their church and its history. But most adult conversions never learn the deep history of the church - including the details of their exodus to utah and why it happened. They vote repug probaly because of the abortion and gay marriage issues. They have no idea what happened in the lds church before they joined except some basic details about joseph smith.