The Wall Street Journal has accused the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of "ducking political issues." The church does not duck political issues, but we are a religious organization, not a PAC. What I do in the political sphere, I do as a citizen. Please read the following:
WSJ "Mormons Ducking Political Duel"
This has been widely spread and the issue always arises at election time. The LDS Church is officially non-partisan, first because it is a religious organization and does not endorse politicians or political causes. Second, because the first doctrine of Christianity is the moral agency of man to choose for himself between good and evil. The Church seeks to educate its members with correct principles but beyond that, personal choices are not influenced nor punished-unless it is a clear and damaging sin like child molestation or adultery. Those sins, among many others, will get you excommunicated. The LDS Church expects its members to seek out righteous leaders, and those who will support and sustain the divinely-inspired Constitution. But there is no coercion nor direct political speech in the church. Agency and error are companions and so that's how we get a range of political figures who are LDS from the evil, sniveling, devil Harry Reid, to the decent, kind, sometimes happless Orrin Hatch, to the ultra Right, pro Israel, Bible-thumper Glenn Beck, to the reasonable, thoughtful, self effacing, not married moi. This is a pretty good article on our beliefs concerning freedom.
"The LDS Church in Public Life" Dallin H. Oaks
