How do we deal with politicians?

Politics is a lot like religion. It’s deeply personal, people aren’t going to be persuaded through logic, and the harder you fight them, the stronger they’ll resist. It’s all likely the politican cannot differentiate the two. Most people can’t, and as politics consumes most of his life… well, you’re not going to have much luck I think, getting him to leave politics at the door.

I think we’d have to cope with it as well as anyone else we strongly disagree with at Church. Distract ourselves with our phones…

The trouble is that the man is fairly high up the chain, and his decisions to hold certain events and do certain things are fairly unavoidable.

If he is higher up…I would think expressing concerns for this to a more lower level direct leader, like bishop, is a good way to have your concerns expressed.

In theory…I think all church leaders know they 2 should not be mixed together…church and politics. In practice…you see variations of it. But that doesn’t make it right.

Because we hold leadership callings sacred and the priesthood so tied to humility and service and not coercion or power in our doctrine (See D&C 121:41)…there may be different interpretations or opinions on how that is practiced but the principle cannot be argued.

If you have concerns…it is valid to express them to leaders and I think they would express up through Stake Leaders about warning against pressuring people.

In my area…many years ago…we had some local leader in politics start beating the drums to get members out to do their civic duty and vote for primaries for Republican primaries that were coming up…calling for cancellation of youth activities and all other church meetings so all members could go to the primary polls…and we expressed concerns it was too much…because they didn’t do that for Democratic primaries or other things…and someone talked to that leader to tone it down…and remember everyone votes their conscience…not beating the drum for one party or another…and he backed off quickly not realizing he was crossing a line.

I think they are sensitive to it in church…but don’t know when they cross the line. It is part of sustaining leaders to give that feedback so they know how you feel…then you have to deal with it after giving your feedback.

The two just shouldn’t get mixed up.

a few anarchists might disagree (I can’t imagine LDS anarchists being common!)

I can’t imagine the anarchists getting support from church people…I mean…let others believe what they want and all…but that’s not going to be a position the church is going to take.

In the case of the USA, you have two parties which have a chance (I think there should be more, but hey, not my country!)

…ya…they keep trying to get Independents or Green party or LIbertarian party…but they never seem to have a chance.

I would have thought it would have been better to say to members that they should be involved in the primaries of both those parties.

…I think that message would be accepted. Cancel conflicting church meetings with BOTH party primaries if they are in that area and I think you are good to go…but when you just single out Republicans, and all the Democrats in the ward start raising a hand of objecting…it starts bringing politics in the church too much and people shouldn’t have to worry about it.

Like I said…i felt local leaders respected people’s rights to have this be anonymous and private on who we will vote for.

it’s not as if both Republicans and Democrats haven’t had some bad policies and bad candidates.

:think: uh…ya…ain’t that the truth!!