When people think about Mormons they probably do so in reference to Mitt Romney running for president, or the Book of Mormon Musical or any number of historical or recent political conflicts stemming from usually the rather conservative view of the Mormon people. The more frames of reference one has to view a concept or organization, the more complex and multi-faceted they become. However, since most people view Mormons from a limited context, they often label Mormon folk as ultra conservative, with huge families, little social conscience, and non-Coke drinkers. And it's not society's fault, entirely, that the general public has such a limited and unclear view on the religion and its people. I'll admit that the Mormon faith has traditionally been somewhat insular in nature with its members focusing most of their attention on their families and leaders being somewhat cryptic in answering public inquiries. There has been a noticeable shift in this regard in recent years, however, and I think it is easier for people not familiar with the Mormon faith to find accurate information.
I'm going to come out right here and now and state that I am a Mormon. And when I say that, I don't mean that I'm on the extremes where most of the people who feel motivated to write about their religious experience within the Latter-day Saint (LDS) church typical reside: where one is either fighting violently against the Mormon church, or, on the other end, wholeheartedly accepting every doctrine, every teaching, and every statement from every leaders that has ever lived at face value and without question. I find myself somewhere between these two poles, as I think most members of the LDS community do.
In an attempt to add at least one more face to contribute to the context the general public has on Mormonism, I'm a very strong Democrat as well. I've pushed for social campaigns ranging from environmental justice to healthcare reform. I believe in strong public schools that teach based on science rather than mixing philosophy with the scientific method and that using an evolutionary lens to view the creation of the Universe doesn't necessarily remove God from the sequence, but in fact beautifies the elegance and majesty of His abilities. I believe that nearly all Americans have immigrant ancestries within just a few generations, and so our country should be extremely supportive of immigration programs. And I am a huge advocate for community involvement in grassroots efforts.
Bottom line: the core Gospel message is universal. And that core message is by far the reason why I'm a Christain and why I'm a Mormon. The Good News that Jesus Christ provided a way for me to learn what I need to learn so I can return to God is the central component of nearly all Christain theology and it is center to my own belief. So though some might have you believe through their behavior and occasionally their word that only Republican Mormons are going to Heaven, I certainly haven't seen that written anywhere in canonized scripture.
And the best part about all of these beliefs is that I feel like these liberal views are actually reinforced in my religious faith rather than contradicting them. I see no contradiction between Jesus Christ's teachings in the Bible to be running in opposition to my political views. This blog will be a story of exploration of how a Mormon who is very much entrenched in the faith both in belief and activity, can also lean far to the left on almost every political agenda item. We'll discuss the hot button issues like same-sex marriage, abortion, Creationism, the stewardship of the Earth and why I'm comfortable saying I'm even a vegetarian and a Mormon. I hope you'll come along with me on the journey. I'm sure it'll be a learning experience . . . at least for me.
