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Demos find LDS silent on issues
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Anything goes there and the taxes to pay for that liberal mess show it.
Why do you chose to live here?
Why do you chose to read this paper?
Certainly it can't be the First Amendment?
It IS Freedom OF Religion. NOT Freedom FROM Relegion.
"The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws "respecting an establishment of religion" or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, laws that infringe the freedom of speech, infringe the freedom of the press, limit the right to peaceably assemble, or limit the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Freedom of speech is not limited to anyone. Even you DennyG.
Those who think that the church, or its agents, consciously guide the membership to vote a certain way on merely political matters are greatly in error. Moral issues, such as the strict definition of "marriage," are another matter completely.
Thank you very much for your wisdom. By your standard those who don't pay taxes should stay out of politics. That would certainly help those who do pay the taxes to have better control of the terrible waste in government.
Where oh, where did this notion that just at the very moment a person is elected he/she is magically changed to be superior in intellect and wisdom than the rest of us?
You are actually arguing that we pay for rights? We may actually believe that if we were slave owners or bigots.
If we followed your line of thinking, Abolition and the civil rights movement would have never seen the light of day. Churches have always played a vital role in bringing moral issues to the American political system. Silencing American churches would be a great loss to us all.
...No it wouldn't. You already get too much as it is. I pay for your health insurance and don't feel it necessary that I should also pay for all your extended familie's insurance as well.
Typical democrat...thinking that things are owed to people on my dime.
Another stupid comment of her is that the people of utah don't need to rely on the government or churches, but rather the people of utah. Good luck with that one. Im not LDS but If the people of utah or the federal government can come up with half as good as a welfare program as the LDS, this world would be a better place.
Once again, typical democrat thinking that with money and more government all of our problems can be solved
I also find it ironic that gay marriage gets opposed in the name of "preserving the traditional family," but that opposition is leading to discussion of extending substantial marriage benefits to relationships far outside the intimate relationship of a marriage (whether it be gay or straight). I'm a lot more comfortable with gay marriage than I am with sibling/niece/nephew/elderly parent marriage! Ewww!
Be careful what you wish for I guess.
I'm not arguing or advocating any side, but the truth is that the majority of those who are affluent and educated in Utah are mormons or have strong ties to the mormon church.
Typically, with money and education comes people who get elected into office. So, to me it is no surprise that 80% are mormon. It's funny that you would even question that.
The aforementioned "separation" clause is actually in the Bill of Rights (Amendment 1):
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The intent was that the federal government was not to establish a sponsored religion for the union. But, it also says immediately after that they shouldn't abridge the freedom of speech. You have to view the LDS Church as an interest group with the same right to speech and to petition the government as say the Unions or even...the GLBT groups do. Yes, the Church has the same rights as the GLBT to influence leaders and to push for (or against) legislation to be passed.
Shows how much you know since the church only used $1,200 dollars and that was for air fare and other travelling costs for general authorities travelling to California.
Also, the church has never been against civil rights. They have opposed certain bills where they didn't like the language that was used in writing them, like prop 8 and the women's rights bills. The church has come out and said they would support issues if they had be written differently.
Trust me, the church just doesn't come out and say things. They do their HW and meet with their lawyers before making a stance on civic/legal issues.
As someone descended from abolitionist Quakers, you're point is taken.
But I'm standing by my view that all organizations that get directly involved in the shaping of our laws and constitutions should pay taxes. It's only fair. That's all 501(c)(3) organizations that lobby. That's all lobbyist organizations. We're always complaining about how D.C. is beholden to lobbyists. Well, they should pay taxes. Their tax break is our tax burden.
As for non-profits like churches, they are also affecting our markets by not having to pay property taxes. Correct me if I'm wrong. They can buy up as much land as they can afford and not pay taxes on it.
The problem comes when you want legal and social recognition for your relationships. You want tax benefits and social recognition. You want society to protect your "relationahips." Then it becomes other citizens' business, and they just might evaluate the rationale of your decisions and the benefit of your relationships to society from the perspective of their own worldview.
Utah and Utahns are not perfect. But at least there is a moral framework that can protect them if citizens of Utah (religious affiliation aside) will let it. So many folks out there( I don't live there anymore) seem bound and determined to destroy everything that makes Utah great by cracking that framework and acting like spoiled stubborn children throwing a tantrum when they don't get more and more of what isn't good for them.
Kudos to a state that attempts to protect people from themselves.
Since over half of Utahn's are LDS they're just not supposed to have or voice their opinion huh? How ironic, Utah exists because of a group of people who weren't allowed elsewhere to have an opionion went to a barren wasteland where they could finally have a say in their government and now you want them to shut up in Utah too!
What is going on here?
No wonder Godby went over to the dark side!
Why wouldn't the Church wield influence in a state inhabited primarily by its members? But, it's influence -- the Church itself does not have a single vote.
And, it should be noted that the Church uses an amazing amount of restraint in wielding its influence. Remember that the Democrat leadership walked out of the meeting with no clear guidance as to what the Church wants.
The bile exhibited never ceases to amaze. The haters' message is that we should listen to them, not Church leaders. And their fury stems from the fact we refuse to do so.
It's called freedom. Get over it.
If the mormon church wants to get involved, why aren't they at every Planned Parenthood outlet that is performing abortions?
As for my religion and my god it is Darwin, "survival of the fittest" everything within it makes sense.
The Church controls Utah, because we, the church, make up the majority, and we, the church, like to listen to a certain group on advice on how things should be. So as long as we, the people, the church, are the majority, then we will continue to choose as we believe. If you don't like it, move to one of the other 49 states where this isn't the case.
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This could cause major legal battles challenging such a law as unconstitutional, delaying recovery for the departed's family.