Comments about ‘Liberal because LDS’

Thanks, Kenneth. I may send your letter to all my Republican/LDS relatives who think I'm some kind of heretic for voting for and believing in the liberal cause. Conservatives don't have a monopoly on knowledge, inspiration, or political savvy, and are actually to blame for many of our nations ills due to their refusal to see the big picture.

The letter writer is wrong. How can one be a conservative republican and a christian? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

Hmm, I must have missed the part where Christ taught us all to advocate the government to force people to help the poor through government programs and taxation. Where did He say to petition Ceasar to increase taxes and provide food and shelter to the poor? As I recall, He told each of us that it was our personal responsibility to help those in need.

I did, however, read about a biblical character who offered to force everyone to be good, kinda like liberal government programs.

Thank you Kenneth,
I appreciate the letter and agree!!!

All I can say, Dave, to your comment is, "AMEN!"

I always remind my conservative Mormon friends that as a Democrat and an active member of the church, I have as much right to be wrong as they do and that I intend to exercise my right as often as possible.

To Kenneth and Demo Dave: I have one BIG hang up with the liberal/LDS crowd. Maybe you can help. How do you handle the issue of agency, which to me seems to be the first thing to go with liberals? The second is personal responsibility, but that is a subject for a different letter. It would help a lot just to understand a willingness to limit the agency of all when a few do something wrong. Sometimes agency is limited simply because someone believes the government knows better. I'm sorry, but I can't resolve that in my own mind. Can you help?

You Say that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is too broad to be caught at one end of the political spectrum, yet that is exactly what you are doing by proclaiming to be Liberal. Can you repeat after me "I am a hypocrite." Say it long and loud for the world to hear...

Thank you very much.

not the only one to point out the disconnect between liberalism and the LDS doctrine of free agency. There are a number of liberal doctrines that,in my mind, run counter to fundamental LDS belief of free agency. Redistribution of wealth and the attack on the second ammendment are two examples of liberal doctrines that run counter to free agency. This is not to say that conservative principles are completely in harmony with LDS principles, but it seems to me on the fundamental issue of free agency the conservatives are much closer than liberals.

How are Liberalism and the LDS religion at their CURRENT state compatible?

On a general scale they seem opposed.

Liberalism is for Socialism,
LDS is anti-socialist

Pro-Abortion is a litmus test for liberals, while the LDS are opposed to abortion in all but the most special of circumstances.

Liberals seem to care little for the sanctity of marriage, while the LDS has marriage and family at its core.

I'm not saying that one political party is better than the other, we must each look at the individual candidate or issue to find what matches our values.
It does seem however that Liberalism and the LDS way of life do not seem compatible.

The biggest thing I see in the comparison of the LDS faith and Liberalism is the value of the individual. Socialism is based on "the one for the many", while LDS believe that each individual is judged solely on his/her merits, not what others may or may not contribute.

Liberalism seems a counterfeit for taking care of self and others, intentions just don't get us where we need to be. Self-reliance and self-worth are not meaningless.

We are all wanting pretty much the same things in life anyway.
We do not need to listen to gas bags on the radio, or neighbors, or anybody in general in order to be good Americans.
Independent thinking is a plus, not a minus. Being LDS does not mean you have to check criticle thinking at the door.
What should be done in order for all Americans to have the rights given to us in the constitution?
Should we really keep people in office that want us to live in the Past? We need new ideas, and leaders that use reason, education, and the needs of the public in their leadership.
Not scripture, sound bites, etc.

"I did, however, read about a biblical character who offered to force everyone to be good, kinda like liberal government programs."

Or like all the lifestyle bills the conservatives propose?

Thank you Chad for your comments. I like my agency as well, and I don't see the liberal way of thinking (that you have to force someone to do the right thing) as the right way, and I know of one vote where 1/3 of the voting populace-the ones who thought liberally-were cast out from the rest of the populace for that vote and rebellion.

What is the difference between We the People voting for a government that will use our money to help the poor and We the People using our money to help the poor? Maybe I am confused but I don't see the difference. You may say one is more efficient than the other but that is a separate argument. I too am liberal because I am LDS, or more importantly, believe in the example of Christ.

Which liberals are attacking the Second Amendment and how?

And if we have free agency, why are Conservatives fighting so hard to take that away by passing laws that force others to follow their "moral" doctrines?

An "intellectual conservative thinker" is an oxymoron.
Can't be intellectual and a conservative.
I mean really, how do you believe the earth is 6,000 years old, a flood killed every human except 8 just a few thousand years ago and that the end is near and call yourself an intellectual?

So if I'm libertarian because I'm LDS, who will write in and say they're Communist or maybe even a terrorist (terrist?) because they're LDS? It's like we're the seven blind men and the elephant. Everyone sees a part but not the whole.

So, you're a liberal because you're LDS, huh?

Well, assuming you are a real, died-in-the-wool paleoliberal, that means you want to blame your Church membership for:

- Your support of freely available taxpayer-funded abortion?
- Your support for dismantling US defenses and relying on the UN for security?
- Your support for rule by trade unions, with its associated thuggery?
- Your support for the indolence, illegitimacy, and corruption of government welfare?
- Your support for taxpayer-funding of corrupt community organizations like A.C.O.R.N.?
- Your support of non-merit-based preferences based on homosexuality, ethnicity, and political correctness?
- Your support for the destruction of our health care system and imposition of Euro-style rationing?
- Your support for repealing or ignoring the Second Amendment?
- Your support for the radical environmental movement's destruction of the economy and the resulting destruction of the environment?
- Your refusal to honor, obey, and sustain immigration laws?
- Your support for smarmy, cynical, corrupt politics?

Hmmmmm.

Seems to me that you [and Bro. Harry Reid] ought to re-think blaming it all on the Church.

Great letter and great responses.
The only thing liberal about the LDS Church members is the liberal giving they do. As far as anything else liberal, its anti-LDS. The part about free agency is blocking the road.

Look for differences and you will find them. Why don't we start looking for ways and things that we can agree on instead? It is time for the pendulum to swing back toward the middle. Polarization is killing us and our Country.