To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are two different things. The Kingdom of Heaven is where God lives. The Kingdom of God is God’s kingdom on Earth. In other words, the Kingdom of God is the Church.
We Latter-day Saints have covenanted to build up the Kingdom of God on the Earth and to establish Zion. Historically, Zion was the city built by the prophet Enoch which was taken up into Heaven because of its righteousness. We believe that in the latter days the tribes of Israel will gather to a city called Zion (or the New Jerusalem) that will be built near Jackson County, Missouri.
We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object.
Joseph Smith
The city of Zion is defined as the place where the pure in heart live. In fact, “the pure in heart” is the definition of Zion. The word “Zion” can refer to either the city or to the people who live there. Rather than waiting for some future city, the Saints are expected to build up Zion wherever we are living now.
Are we a Zion people?
And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
Moses 7:18
A Zion people, the pure in heart, are honest, righteous, and humble. They have integrity. They live by high standards, but their hearts are open, generous, and loving toward all. They are a community of warm-hearted, like-minded, people who are equal in everything, including material wealth.
There are many wards (local congregations) in the church full of warm, friendly, people. But, speaking as a Mormon Democrat, I have to say that, at least in the United States, the members of the LDS Church are far from being of “one heart and one mind.”
Politics always has the potential to be divisive, but, in my experience, nothing in the modern Church has ever been as divisive as the words “Donald J. Trump.”
Democrats make good Mormons
It would be easy for a Trumpist Republican to say that the church would be more united if the Democrats would just leave. Indeed, they HAVE said such things, sometimes to our faces, even before Trump came along. But you see, WE have testimonies of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, too. And the generous, loving, LIBERAL Gospel of Jesus Christ is often the very reason we are Democrats.
In August of 2015, I was attending the FairMormon Conference in Provo to hear Margaret Barker speak. She is a Methodist minister and Old Testament scholar who is very interested in the Mormons because of our temples.
One of the other speakers was Michael R. Otterson who, at the time, was the managing director of Pubic Affairs for the Church. During his talk I was delighted to hear him say this:
Can a member be a Democrat and a good Mormon? That one makes me smile, because if the members who ask it could travel to some countries of the world and meet faithful members of the Church who belong to their national communist parties I fear their blood pressure might be permanently damaged.
Michael R. Otterson
Do we accept diversity?
Brother Otterson went on to refer to the church as “a diverse but unified global family.” And that is precisely the challenge. Nothing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ requires us to think alike on all issues. We already, in accepting the restored Gospel, share important core values in this life and hopeful aspirations for the next life.
However, in our day to day interactions, we are all too often uncivil to each other. Most Democrats in the church remain quiet about their political beliefs around other church members because they have in the past been attacked, belittled, and had their faithfulness questioned by dogmatic, uncharitable, closed-minded, Republican Mormons.
Of course, when among Democratic friends, Mormon Democrats can also be uncharitable toward Republicans (especially Trump supporters). But I must insist that the scale of mutual disrespect is not balanced. In my experience, Trump supporters in the church are much more overbearing than Biden supporters.
Do we stand for truth?
It is essential to consider the role of truth in our political beliefs. After all, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The Republicans, as a group, fail this test miserably. They have actively politicized issues of fact and tried to turn them into matters of opinion.
Republicans spent most of 2020 rejecting science in the face of a runaway pandemic; now they’re rejecting democracy in the face of a clear election loss.
Paul Krugman
What do these rejections have in common? In each case, one of America’s two major parties simply refused to accept facts it didn’t like.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ that voted for Donald Trump (especially if they did so twice) are guilty of supporting, and perhaps even believing, a selfish, unrepentant, serial liar. We Democrats look upon these members, people we otherwise respect, with incredulity. How can they not see the truth? How can they support such corruption? What is the cure for such blindness?
Who is on the side of truth?
The Holy Ghost is the “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). On the other hand, Satan is “the father of all lies” (Moses 4:4). What does this say about those who support Donald Trump? Whose voice are they listening to?
The Trumpists know full well that this is the key issue. This is why Trump spends so much time and effort attacking the mainstream media. Either THEY are lying or HE is. His followers have somehow accepted the idea that the inconsistent, self-centered, ramblings of Donald Trump are THE TRUTH, while every one of the various outlets in the mainstream media somehow conspire to spread identical “fake news.”
I believe the consequences for Republican Latter-day Saints who have supported, and continue to support, Donald Trump are very serious. I propose that, in supporting Donald Trump, they have literally been deceived by the lies of Satan. I believe they strongly need to wake up and repent. I believe the Book of Mormon is very clear on the folly of supporting demagogues.
I realize that many Trumpist Republicans would quickly accuse ME of the same error in supporting Joe Biden and other Democrats. I willingly accept that challenge. Let the Truth prevail!
The differences in leadership between Trump and President-elect Biden are already becoming clear. By this time next year, with the pandemic under control and the economy recovering (and the Presidential Twitter account quiet), the differences will be even more obvious. The question is how many current Trump supporters will then acknowledge the reality that things are better under President Biden and admit their past errors in judgement.
Only the truth can unite us
For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
Isaiah 63:8
The church can never become “of one heart and one mind” while a large percentage of us are enthralled by a charlatan. Trump fandom among members of the church is the greatest single obstacle to building Zion in our day. It is fine to have political differences of opinion, but it is not acceptable to deny reality and believe in so-called “alternative facts.”
“Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 105:5). Worshiping money, being uncharitable, and believing lies are inconsistent with celestial law.
We mustn’t ignore the damage that has been done
Trumpism has damaged American democracy and our reputation around the world. It will take years to repair the damage, if we ever can. Trumpism has corrupted and decimated the Republican Party. It doesn’t yet appear that they even WANT to recover.
My primary concern is for the damage that Trumpists have done within the church and within their own families. Too many good Mormon Democrats are wondering if they will be comfortable returning to their church meetings once the pandemic is over. Too many families have cruelly ostracized their more progressive members.
It is time for the healing to begin. I encourage my brother and sister liberal, progressive, Democrat Saints to remain strong and stay active in the church. We must strive to be the visible present example of charitable, faithful, unflappable, Saints (even amidst persecution from within). And I call on all Trumpist, FoxNews, “alternative facts,” Republican Mormons to repent and ask forgiveness of those you have abused.
I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.
Doctrine and Covenants 38:27
Sources: Jana Riess, “Senator Mike Lee’s just one example. Mormon men still like Donald Trump,” Religion News Service, October 29, 2020.
George Packer, “A Political Obituary for Donald Trump,” The Atlantic, December 9, 2020.
Paul Krugman, “When Did Republicans Start Hating Facts?,” The New York Times, December 14, 2020.
McKay Coppins, “The Most American Religion,” The Atlantic, December 16, 2020.
Michael R. Otterson, “On the Record,” FairMormon Conference, August 7, 2015.
Joseph Smith, Manuscript History of the Church, Volume C-1.
Well written Brian. Thank You!
Re: Trump’s hour long call to Georgia AG to find find votes for him. Illegal. My comment in the D-News:
“This story comes from last week. Yet not one editorial peep about it in this newspaper. Amazing! Awful! Why the kid glove treatment of Trump here?”
As a fellow “liberal” in the church, I’ve experienced being put down as a democrat from everyone from the stake president to the local elder’s quorum president, to a member of the ward. I’ve been called brainwashed for not believing in Trump and delusional for the same reason of course. Finally, I’ve had people tell me they are putting my name on the temple rolls and praying for me because I do not see the grave danger the country is in if we don’t follow Trump. It’s a little much and I have to admit I’ve enjoyed the pandemic because I don’t have to listen to this stuff every week at church. Still there is a sadness because it feels like I’m all alone, so, thanks Brian for writing and giving me some hope.
only the RIGHTEOUS shall no be confounded… so, GOOD for YOU
Oh you are not alone! Many Republicans in my ward have woken up…though they probably won’t leave the Republican party because of gay marriage and abortion, they are disgusted with Trump and his supporters especially after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. I have decided that I will be outspoken about being a Democrat whenever I can and if my LDS brothers and sisters have a problem with that then so be it. I am tired of hiding behind the curtain in the Cultural Hall.
I was appalled by those Mormon Nazis who shouted on the plane toward Mitt Romney (thank God for him) “traitor, traitor, traitor.” Fact is, fascism has infiltrated and infused Mormonism to an amazing degree. And moreover the Brethren have done NOTHING to slow or ameliorate this. We are now a 100% Republican, 90% fascist Church!! I can tell you this Brian, coming out of the other side of Covid we are going to be a very different Church from the one we used to know.