Do Mormons Fear Possible Taxation?
February 2, 2010 by James Hipps
So, if you read my post, chances are you’re familiar with the fact that in 1978 former President Jimmy Carter threatened the LDS church with taxation if they didn’t stop preaching segregation, and low and behold, within a matter of weeks the leaders of the church had revelations that being Black was no longer a punishment from God and Black people should be treated as equals.
Well, there’s been a lot of news as of late about how attitudes around LGBT issues have been changing in the eyes of the Mormon church…generally stating they’re gradually becoming more accepting…yet not completely, of LGBT equality.
The latest…on a post at GayPolitics:
A new statewide poll finds Utahans dramatically more open to gay rights measures than they were a year ago, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, with two-thirds of respondents saying they support employment non-discrimination laws for their LGBT fellow citizens. The findings come on the heels of the Mormon Church’s official support for a Salt Lake City non-discrimination ordinance last fall:
“This isn’t a gradual change of attitudes. This is a fairly dramatic jump,” says Matthew Burbank, chairman of the University of Utah’s political science department. “Clearly, the fact that the LDS Church was officially endorsing this position had an impact on people.”
A similar number of respondents, 66 percent, also say they support expanding Salt Lake City’s anti-discrimination policy — the first of its kind in Utah and already mimicked in Salt Lake County — throughout the state.“This isn’t a gradual change of attitudes. This is a fairly dramatic jump,” says Matthew Burbank, chairman of the University of Utah’s political science department. “Clearly, the fact that the LDS Church was officially endorsing this position had an impact on people.”
A similar number of respondents, 66 percent, also say they support expanding Salt Lake City’s anti-discrimination policy — the first of its kind in Utah and already mimicked in Salt Lake County — throughout the state.
Now one may ask, and in case no one does I will. Why the sudden changes in attitude? Could it be the younger more progressive Mormon congregation in Utah is has seen the light and their visions are having an impact on the entire LDS community? Possibly, but probably not.
As I’ve said in other post, as ignorant as many Republicans and conservatives are, they’re not stupid…and neither are the Mormons. I believe they really do see the future, and not in the vision from God sort of way, but rather in the LGBT rights are inevitable sort of way, and I think that unlike most other American citizens who live in the United States of Amnesia, they remember 1978 all too well, and with President Obama in the White House, perhaps this change of attitude is more of a preventative measure than a broadening of acceptance.
I have been studying the mess that is Mormonism since 1969. I’ve read Mormon apologists, Mormon critics, Mormon scriptures, and books about Mormonism that were contemporary with its origin and rise. There is absolutely nothing I like about it, except these two things: (1) The president of the Mormon church is a prophet who can institute any change whatsoever with the authority of God, and (2) Mormons are accustomed to inconsistencies and abrupt about-faces in their religion.
The Mormons are probably not worried about taxes. Joseph Smith changed Mormonism from monotheism to henotheism in one sermon (the King Follet Sermono). In the 1890s, they redefined marriage from polygamy to monogamy practically overnight, in 1978, they changed their theology about black people. Yes, it was more deeply rooted than a policy, and they changed it.
This is an early symptom of a dramatic sea change. The policy of the Mormon Church is never to call gays “gays,” but the president of the church just did that when he said that the Mormon Church had a lot of gay members.
The president of the Mormon Church is advised by the “apostles” and the first presidency, usually old enough to consider Mr. Burns a kindergartener, but all it takes is for a few of them to have a gay grandchild. Then there will be a sudden change, and everything will be different.
@ Hugmup: Very interesting perspective and very informative…thank you for sharing!