The Christian case for Mormon values
With
former Utah governor Jon Huntsman and former Massachusetts Governor
Mitt Romney both believed to be gearing up for a run for the presidency,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has again found itself
answering questions about what these two prominent members believe.
Post
reporter Sandhya Somashekhar wrote in a story published Tuesday that
Mormon leaders see the ascendancy of these and other Mormons (such as
convert Glenn Beck) as a sign "that the community has finally
'arrived,'" but added "researchers say there remains a deep mistrust of
Mormons and that little has changed in public opinion to suggest that
voters will be more open this year than they were in 2007." If
conservative Christian and Mormons share a political agenda, why do
suspicions still plague Mormon politicians? Do media personalities such
as Glenn Beck help or hurt the cause?
God works in mysterious
ways to perform his wonders. Old Testament prophets complained about the
instruments God chose, but God went on being God despite their
complaints. 2012 is likely to give Americans two serious candidates for
president that are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints (LDS). Many conservative Christians, for good and bad, get
inspiration and information from Glenn Beck, who is also a member of the
Church.
Should Americans be concerned? Bluntly, no, though those
of us who are not Mormon should be depressed that such a small group
has outworked, out thought, and out hustled us. Mormon success should
spur traditional Christians, who outnumber Mormons by tens of millions,
to do better.
Sadly ignorance of the LDS Church is widespread in
our culture. Despite over a century of faithful citizenship and
embracing family values, stupid stereotypes remain. Magically much of
the media easily remembers Glenn Beck is Mormon, but keeps forgetting
that Harry Reid is as well. Sacred garments on Christians and Jews are
normal, but sacred garments on Mormons?
Of course, there is a
vocal fringe of Americans who think any religious person is nuts. These
equal-opportunity offenders can be ignored as invincibly ignorant. They
don't respect Mormons, because they don't respect Christians, Jews,
Muslims, or anybody who thinks we are more than computers made out of
meat.
There is another group, sadly not so tiny, that cannot be
friends or co-laborers with anyone who does not share their theology or
ideology. This sectarianism is the bane of any movement, but most
Americans know we can learn and work with almost anyone if they share
our values in some area.
There are no good reasons not to
consider voting for a Mormon. Theologically, I disagree with the faith's
teachings. My professional speaking has included pointed academic
encounters with LDS professors about our areas of disagreement.
Simultaneously, serious disagreements have not prevented our making
common cause on many issues.
Studying Mormonism closely did not
make me a Mormon, to the contrary, but it did give an abiding respect
for certain things the LDS Church gets right. They have demonstrated
things worth knowing. If this is a Mormon moment in American history,
there is a reason for it. Their virtues have particular civic relevance
today and their theological vices (from my point of view) do not. The
LDS I know love America , urge good behavior on their members, and
promote many traditional American values. If that bothers you, vote for
somebody else--the LDS will fight and die in the American forces for
your right to do so.
The LDS church made North America sacred
space. With Native Americans and Spanish mission builders in California ,
they have loved this land and made it part of their story. The Mormon
revelation, whatever its origins, is centered in North America .
Part
of that epic is actual Mormon history: born, bred, and thriving in the
United States of America . Mormonism is old enough by American standards
to feel "ancient," but young enough to make the founding stories easy
for Americans to understand. Joseph Smith received his revelations
closer than four score years after the American founding. Any literate
English speaker can read founding Mormon documents without the need for
much translation or scholarly explanation, but knowledge of American
history is vital. Most Americans look abroad for holy land," but
Mormons look here.
This gives them a passion for this place
difficult for anyone else to match. Other religious groups must work
harder to match this sense of place that the LDS Church has naturally.
A
great weakness of our lives today is isolation and loneliness.
Mormonism is one solution to that problem for many. LDS Church services
to members and communities are a free market model for private charity. I
have personally seen LDS charity help families that were not LDS, but
related to a member The charity gave work-centered help that met needs
without sacrificing dignity. The commendable community found in
Mormonism should be imitated not attacked.
For good and bad,
Mormonism is deeply American. Born on our frontier and nurtured in our
wilderness, American values are Mormon values. And yet, no LDS swaggers
into the culture assuming he will be accepted. Mormons know the
imperfections of American life. An American mob murdered their founder.
As a result of their history, Mormons have a thoughtful and subtle take
on religion in the public square. This last week Dallin H. Oaks, of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, gave an important speech at the Chapman
University School of law in California on religious liberty.
I am
sure Glenn Beck would agree that more Americans should read that
speech, even if it meant turning off his program. Oaks, a professor and
judge, not Beck, represents the best civic face of the LDS Church .
If
this is, as the Washington post suggests, a Mormon moment, it is
because Mormons clung to truths now unfashionable and addressed
questions others ignore. They suffered exile in their own land,
persecution, and the need to change important ideas to be part of the
broader culture. This American experience taught them good lessons about
America . Being right is powerful and most LDS are right on many of
today's big issues: the nature of family, the protection of life,
defense of religious liberty, and republican values.
Traditional
Christians should learn from their example and patriotic Americans
should celebrate their effective service. Mormons like Harry Reid will
never get my vote, because his policy ideas do not match with mine, but a
Mormon like Mitt Romney could, because I support his good ideas.
Providence
works in peculiar ways and it is particularly odd for an evangelical
and orthodox Christian to be grateful for this Mormon moment in American
history. But if a biblical prophet could celebrate the pagan emperor
Cyrus for being God's man to free his people, surely we can praise our
Mormon countrymen for sounding a trumpet call to rally America to life
and liberty .
Washington post article written by John Mark Reynolds | February 9, 2011; 7:29 pm et
