Is our enthusiasm for politics stronger than our conversion to Christ? In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we have members throughout the world living and thriving under many forms of government, and participating in political parties that promote capitalist, socialist, communist, libertarian, and other political ideologies. In the United States, we are largely politically polarized and church members lean conservative. Outside the U.S., church members have very different political commitments that do not map neatly onto U.S. categories.
The list of considerations below is designed to help us assess if our political views are answering yearnings in our souls that should instead be answered by love of God and our neighbor.
- When we ponder the question of how God’s purposes are to be achieved among humanity, our thoughts turn to political figures and parties.
- We prefer political commentary to the current voices of God’s ordained servants.
- We see people’s political views as the most important aspect of their identity.
