An open letter regarding the 2024 election

An open letter to the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dear Brethren,

We are drawing close to two very important dates for our church and for our country. On October 5, 2024, we will gather for General Conference and November 5, 2024, is election day.

I am writing to express my hope that this Conference will provide our members in the United States with stronger, more direct guidance regarding this election.

I am very appreciative of the June 2023 letter to congregations and Elder Oaks April 2021 Conference talk discouraging “straight-ticket” voting and voting “based on tradition” rather than “careful study.” I also appreciate the December 2020 update to the General Handbook, Section 38.8.41 “Seeking Information from Reliable Sources.”

Yet, I fear that these valuable pieces of counsel have been largely ignored by our membership – if they were heard at all.

Also being ignored, I fear, are the very clear warnings in the Book of Mormon about demagogues and “king men” who wish to overthrow democratic (“voice of the people”) governments by denying election results, stacking the courts, comforting the nation’s enemies, and committing violence.

I personally believe that it is not a coincidence that our personal and Sunday School course of study is directed toward the Book of Mormon every election year. Yet, a large number of our people in the United States, especially in the West, have voted twice for a dangerous, self-centered authoritarian who is immoral, practically illiterate, and who is now a convicted felon.

I believe Mormon’s son, Moroni, was telling the truth when he saw and described our time. (Mormon 8:34-37). It is a time of pride, envying, strife, malice, and persecution. We certainly do love our money and our fine apparel! I believe Moroni specifically included the stories of Amlici, Nehor, Korihor, and Amalickiah in the record because he knew we would be facing similar dangerous people in our day.

I have heard people say that “The Church will never speak out against Trump – no matter what he does.” They give various reasons. Many believe that it is “illegal” for a church to take a “political” position. The more cynical among them say that the Church does not want to “offend the Republicans” because “they might reduce their financial contributions to the Church.”

As you probably know, the legality question is based upon the 1954 “Johnson Amendment” which prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in political activity. This law, specifically prohibits churches from participating or intervening in “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” However, it also specifically says that churches CAN lobby and advocate for or against issues that are in the public arena.

The IRS has published “Revenue Ruling 2007-41” which outlines how churches can address political issues and still stay within the law. In the General Handbook, Section 38.8.30 “Political and Civic Activity” reflects our compliance with this law when it says, “The Church is neutral regarding political parties, political platforms, and candidates for political office.”

However, the General Handbook also says, “In exceptional cases, when moral issues or the Church’s practices are involved, the Church may take a position on political matters. In such cases, the Church may engage in political discourse to represent its views.”

I remember the 1981 letter from the First Presidency to then President Reagan opposing the deployment of the MX nuclear missile “shell game” system in Utah and Nevada. Prior to this letter, the majority Utah LDS opinion was in favor of the deployment. After the letter, the majority of Utah church members opposed the deployment.

The reason for the statement was that nuclear missiles, and the potential they carry to destroy civilization, was seen as “a denial of the very essence” of the gospel of peace. It was clearly a moral issue to President Spencer W. Kimball.

It is my sincere hope that the upcoming General Conference will address such moral issues as:

• respect for the law (including the courts and all who work there)
• respect for the American election process (and acceptance of the results)
• dishonesty and graft in business
• fidelity to spouses
• opposition to bullying and name-calling
• respect for mainstream American institutions and experts
• a welcoming and loving approach toward immigrants
• support for a clean and healthy environment
• the need for everyone, even Presidential candidates, to repent.

Donald J. Trump is on the wrong side of every one of these issues. If the Church cannot use his name directly, (even though thousands of “Christian” churches do so regularly), it can certainly address the issues he (and the current Republican party) represents.

I hope you can see that Donald Trump, the Heritage Foundation, right-wing media, and the bullies that support them, are a direct and immediate threat to the inspired constitutional order of our country that allows our church to operate freely. If Trump returns to the White House, it will be a threat to the American people, and to the Church, not unlike Nazi Germany.

Past history should remind us that people like these MAGA “Christians” do not consider us to be Christians. They have used violence against us before. Sometimes that violence was even encouraged by their pastors!

Surely our times necessitate a renewal of Captain Moroni’s call to action to defend “the foundation of liberty” (Alma 46:10) which is now at great risk.  Surely the current perilous situation in the United States is an “exceptional case” on which the Church should take a strong, public, moral position.

Hopefully,
Brian Ferguson

Author’s Note:
The purpose of an “open letter” is to make the case for a particular action that the addressee could possibly do. They are intended to be read by a wide audience and are not necessarily actually sent to the person or persons to whom they are addressed.

I am posting this letter on my weekly blog. I have no other available avenue of publication and have very little expectation that anyone in Church leadership will even see it. I would be very happy if some of my readers would send the link to this post to others. If you happen to know one of the Church leaders personally, please send it to them and let me know that you did.

If you wish to print the letter for any reason, please cut and paste the part above the line and below the larger blog post title at the top.

Please also note that nothing I have written above is critical of the Church or of Church leadership. My frustration is with those of the general membership of the Church who refuse to see that the American Republican Party has become nothing more than a cult of personality. I am also frustrated that they choose to ignore the many warnings given in the Book of Mormon against demagogues just like Donald J. Trump.