Remarks I delivered in church this morning:
Before I start, you might have the question: Why do I schedule myself to speak so often? It’s not, I assure you, because I think I’m the smartest or holiest person in the room. But I have a couple of traits to bring to bear:
1) I don’t have any stage fright. And because I know that many of the people we call on to speak DO have stage fright – and fight it to give talks – then I figure I ought to contribute to our sacrament meetings more than those who have to sacrifice more to do so.
2) I am excited by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am enthusiastic about learning about it, and talking about what I’ve learned. There are lots of things I can’t do to help build the kingdom, but if I can convey that enthusiasm and pass along just a little bit of it to you, then maybe I’ve done something edifying with the talents God has given me.
Now. This talk isn’t a political talk. But it is. But it isn’t.
Ever since Jesus’ mortal ministry, there have been questions about how Christians should relate to politics. People have debated what exactly He meant by giving to Caesar that which is Caesar’s since the day He said it.
In speaking to Pilate,
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36)
Paul also counseled the Saints of his day “to be subject to principalities and powers, [and] to obey magistrates” (Titus 3:1).
But not much is said about Christians participating in secular government. Of course, during the New Testament period, Christians didn’t have the opportunity to participate in government – Rome ruled Judea, where the early Saints were draw from among the Jews, and Rome didn’t exactly invite subject people to make their views known, especially a faction like Christians which had the leaders of the Jewish people against them as well.
For the next couple of centuries, Christians who came to the attention of the local government were most likely to be invited to participate in civic activities by being thrown to the lions.
After that, during what we would consider the Apostasy, when many Christian leaders had lost their way and had allowed outside ideas to influence or supplant the pure doctrines of Christ, the Church became powerful in government, to the extent that at many times it truly WAS the government, as powerful as many kings throughout Europe. One was expected to be a professing Christian and receive the approval of the Church to operate in any civic role.
As the Catholic Church itself broke up through the Protestant Reformation, the authority of the Church wasn’t as closely aligned with the powers of kings in many places. And many of those ideas of dividing secular authority and ecclesiastical authority culminated in the establishment of the United States of America, which included Article VI of the Constitution the requirement that “no religious Test shall ever be Required as a Qualification To any Office or public Trust under the United States,” and added in the First Amendment the idea that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
So that’s all well and good from the government side. But how are we as disciples of Christ supposed to relate to, and participate in, government?
Some Christian groups such as the Amish and Jehovah’s Witnesses have completely withdrawn themselves from participating in any form of government, be it municipal, state or national. That, of course, is their right, and we respect that.
But we in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have never felt that God calls upon us to separate ourselves completely from secular or material concerns. In the same way that God wishes us to help support others materially and concretely, to uphold the suffering not just with thoughts and prayers but with disaster assistance and canned peaches, God wants us to be actively engaged in the community around us – and that means being engaged politically.
Here are some excerpts from the Church’s statement on political neutrality and participation:
The Church does not:
Endorse, promote or oppose political parties and their platforms or candidates for political office.
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Advise its members on how to vote.
Direct government officials or party leaders in the duties of their office.
The Church does:
Believe and teach that members should be “subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law” (Article of Faith 1:12).
Recognize a universal right to the “free exercise of conscience” and believes all individuals and institutions should be able to express publicly their views on issues facing society.
Encourage its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues, voting in elections, participating in governance processes and (as they desire) seeking for elected, appointed or voluntary office.
Encourage its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting that fellow members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and may have differences of opinion in partisan political matters. The Church also encourages its members to keep all communications (including on social media) respectful and aligned with Christlike behavior.
As you may have noticed, political discussion and debate can get a little heated. President Oaks addressed this in this last conference:
This is a time of many harsh and hurtful words in public communications and sometimes even in our families. Sharp differences on issues of public policy often result in actions of hostility—even hatred—in public and personal relationships. This atmosphere of enmity sometimes even paralyzes capacities for lawmaking on matters of importance where most citizens see an urgent need for some action in the public interest.
What should followers of Christ teach and do in this time of toxic communications? What were His teachings and examples?
It is significant that among the first principles Jesus taught when He appeared to the Nephites was to avoid contention. While He taught this in the context of disputes over religious doctrine, the reasons He gave clearly apply to communications and relationships in politics, public policy, and family relationships. Jesus taught:
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“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
Brothers and sisters, I would go so far as to say that if we are not blessing and praying for those whose political ideals and goals are opposed to our own – we might even think that theirs is an absolutely wrong and evil course – then we are doing politics wrong as Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(I say “we” deliberately, as I need this counsel at least as much as anyone else in this room.)
And that leads me to another topic – one not about the content of our political convictions, but the intensity of them.
I have, shall we say, very well-defined political views, and in appropriate venues – not here – I have no trouble being vocal about them. So far, so good. But when does that become a problem?
When the passion and devotion I give to politics eclipse that which I give to the Lord.
Let me put is this way. I own four political T-shirts. How many gospel-related T-shirts do I have? Zero.
Now, maybe T-shirts are not a good metric for where my heart is, as I don’t feel comfortable treating gospel truths so casually that I wear them as casual clothing. But the fact remains, I need to guard myself so that my focus does not get dragged from the most important thing: my covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.
Because anything can be an idol. Sports, entertainment, family, hobbies, careers, and politics. No matter how good any pursuit is in the abstract, if we allow it to come between us and the gospel – if we give it the greater share of our hearts and minds – then we have allowed an idol to separate us from the Lord.
If we are to love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind and strength, then we need to hold every other pursuit, no matter how good or right it is, in moderation. We are to be “be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness,” while at the same time understand that we cannot serve two masters, and that if, in the end, we have not chosen Jesus Christ it will not matter what we have chosen.
We must always remember Him. Our citizenship in the United States of America or any other worldly nation must also be far less important to us than our citizenship in the Kingdom of God, and our divine family relationship to the Father of us all.
Or, as simply put on a bumper sticker I saw this week: “No matter who is President, Jesus is still King.”