Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States need to wake up from their political naivety and recognize that our country is in serious danger.
At one time it may have been true that both the Republican and Democratic parties consisted of well-meaning, loyal citizens who loved their country, and respected its traditions and institutions, but simply had different ideas or approaches to solving the nation’s problems in a way that would benefit everyone.
This is no longer true (and has not been true for some time). One party, the Republican party, has given itself wholly over to the support of liars, criminals, cheaters, and thieves (and that is just the Trump family!). The “party of business” has become the party of Power for its own sake and Gain at all costs.
Latter-day Saints should know better than to support this agenda. The Book of Mormon warns us repeatedly about the Gadianton robbers, the King-men, corrupt judges, conspiracies of the powerful, the secret works of darkness, and lying politicians. Isaiah strongly warned the Jews of Jerusalem against stealing from the poor and needy.
Republicans in Congress and in the Utah state legislature have consistently supported the wealthy, the corporations, and the weapons makers, while simultaneously opposing and weakening Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, workers unions, education funding, public lands, and clean air and water.
But worse than the fact that they are wrong, and decidedly non-Christian, on all of these issues, is the damage they now are doing to our democratic traditions and institutions. By continuing to enable Donald Trump, they have damaged our Intelligence agencies, the State Department, the Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, our Court system, and our international reputation. They have literally turned the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) into a rogue army of home-raiding, child-stealing, brown shirts.
In multiple states, the Republican Party is actively involved in voter suppression. The current example of Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State (who, as a candidate for Governor, is actually the overseer of his own election!) holding up over 53,000 voter registrations, of mostly black people, is just the latest outrage in this scandal no one is talking about.
It is no longer possible to have a reasonable, fact-based, policy discussion with many Republicans because they will not listen. They are no longer interested in facts. They are no longer interested in compromise. They are no longer concerned with helping the majority of people. Over time, Newt Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, and Donald Trump have completely corrupted the Republican party. Their focus has now become “win at all cost,” “oppose at every turn,” and “double down on every lie that is exposed.”
In online political forums, I have been chided for my tone. I have been encouraged to be “nicer” to those I disagree with. I am actually a very mild-mannered person. But I believe that you cannot stop the spread of lies if you leave them unchallenged. I try to be polite, but I will not be silent.
I refuse to “agree to disagree” with people who lie, with people who manipulate or ignore facts, with people who deny science, with people who steal or who justify or ignore stealing. I will speak truth to power. I will expose lies and corruption whenever I see them. I will counter false, anti-Christian, doctrine within my church. And I will continue in this blog to point out what the scriptures have to say about societies like ours — however frightening that is.
You cannot stop the spread of lies if you leave them unchallenged.
It is election season. In Utah the mail-in ballots are already going out. Please, do NOT vote for anyone who supports, in any way, the cruel, ignorant, authoritarian regime of Donald Trump. We must elect a Congress that will stand up to his reckless behaviors, his abuses of power, and his authoritarian mindset. This election could be our last chance to save democracy in the US.
A Personal Note: My friends have always considered me to be an irrepressible optimist. But, for several years now, for this blog, I have been reading and comparing the news headlines with the predictions and warnings of the prophets in the LDS scriptures. It has been quite sobering. I strongly recommend to the Saints that they follow Nephi’s advice and “liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23). It can be scary, but your eyes will sure open.
Note regarding photo: A red flag means “Danger: High Hazard.”
Sources: “53K voter registration applications on hold in Georgia: report” Emily Birnbaum, The Hill, October 10, 2018.
“With GOP Candidate Also Overseeing Georgia Elections, 107,000 Voters Purged in Yet Another Suppression Effort,” Julia Conley, Common Dreams, October 19, 2018.
I agree Brian. But if you want to know where the Church sits on these issues, read the editorial page of Deseret News. Our views are not to be found there. Sorry.
Trump and his movement are the rise of an American fascism. Interestingly and dismaying is the refusal of Church owned Deseret News to allow me to link fascism with Trump in their blogs. As a people we LDS are completely flat-footed in dealing with the oncoming Trump dictatorship. We aren’t in Kansas anymore.
This is the first time I am reading your blog (I live in Orlando), but I wholeheartedly agree with every word you have written! It is so sad that so many church members allow all this evil to be done just because there is an R before the doer’s name. I was just reading INephi 22:23 today : 23 For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet.