Tribune readers occasionally express the wish that the LDS Church would get out of politics. While I share this sentiment, I don’t believe it’s possible given the current political makeup of church leadership. Some years ago the Tribune published an article on the political affiliations of the LDS First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, and nearly all were currently or formerly registered as Republicans. To my knowledge, the last Democrat was James E. Faust, who died in 2007.
Humans are generally unaware of the extent to which our views are shaped by our cultures, including political cultures, until we see them in contrast with other cultural viewpoints. To cite just one example, imagine a meeting of church leaders where one declares, “Freedom of religion is under attack and we must defend it.” If others all nod their heads in agreement, that viewpoint is taken as an objective truth, and it becomes a part of church teachings and policies.
If, on the other hand, another replies, “I respect your view, but I disagree that religion is under attack. Are you aware that this is a narrative promoted by white Christian nationalist groups as part of their ‘White Replacement Theory’ to provoke a race war? We’ve worked so hard to overcome racism; I don’t believe we should be advancing narratives from white supremacist groups.”
There could then follow a discussion of different views on the subject (ideally including an examination of the sources from which leaders get their news), resulting in a greatly improved chance of a nonpolitical outcome.
In the absence of diverse political viewpoints, Republican doctrine too often becomes Church doctrine, as leaders are unable to see the difference between the two.
Blair Bateman, Midvale