Can Churches Participate in Election Issues?

The law in the United States does not allow churches to endorse candidates. It does, however, allow churches to speak out on issues. Therefore, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) was well within its legal rights in speaking out on this issue. It should be noted members were not ordered to vote in a specific way. Voting is always private, and while the church requests that members participate in an issue that involves a core part of the gospel, it does not force such participation, nor does it accompany members to the polling place to supervise their vote. It is the job of a church to teach its members what God expects of them and then to allow them to decide whether or not they want to do what God has asked them to do. This is called agency, and is an important part of Mormon teachings.

This was the specific instruction sent to church members. You can read the entire letter as well. “California and Same Sex Marriage.”

A broad-based coalition of churches and other organizations placed the proposed amendment on the ballot. The Church will participate with this coalition in seeking its passage. Local Church leaders will provide information about how you may become involved in this important cause.

We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage.

As you can see, they explained they would be working with a coalition of other churches, so members would know what was about to happen. Then they used request language to ask church members to participate. They asked, not commanded, and said members would receive information on how they may help, not on how they must help.

“Before it accepted the invitation to join broad-based coalitions for the amendments, the Church knew that some of its members would choose not to support its position. Voting choices by Latter-day Saints, like all other people, are influenced by their own unique experiences and circumstances. As we move forward from the election, Church members need to be understanding and accepting of each other and work together for a better society.

Even though the democratic process can be demanding and difficult, Latter-day Saints are profoundly grateful for and respect the ideals of a true democracy ” Church Responds to Same Sex Marriage Votes

Even if the church had never specifically asked members to participate in this particular issue, there would be no question as to where the Mormons stood. After all, they have always talked about the divinity of marriage and about the church’s teachings on homosexuality. The advantage of having participated is that some members discovered the church did not oppose civil unions or other legal rights for homosexuals. In addition, it may be that some members were not aware that being homosexual is not considered a sin, but that the sin is limited only to practice, not inclination. This gave the church the opportunity to clarify its teachings to its own members, as well as to the general public. They also took opportunity to strongly teach members to treat those with differing views or lifestyles with respect.

Morality is a critical aspect of religion. It would make no real sense to say churches cannot speak about any morality issue that might come up for election or become part of the political process. This places serious limits on the free practice of religion, since it would stop them from teaching their complete doctrine.

It’s also important to remember that every law in existence is based on someone’s idea of morality or value. It is always illegal to kill people today, because there are some who believe murder is immoral. However, there is a minority that does not believe this, and we don’t protect their minority rights. We imprison them if they violate what the nation has chosen as immoral. (This has not always been the case-it was once legal to murder Mormons in one state.) In some towns, it is illegal to park your car on your lawn. This is a law because of the personal beliefs of certain people who believe cars should be parked in driveways. It makes no difference if another person feels it’s immoral to dig up God’s grass to put in a driveway-the morality of the majority is official, and anyone who chooses to park on the grass will pay a penalty.

All laws are based on values of some sort. Where a person obtains his values should not matter. Whether he gets them from his church, from his political party, or from his pocketbook, they are still valid personal values. All personal values are real, and subject to a vote when they affect others. No source of values should be eliminated from the political process. If a person’s political party can force its values on others, as all political parties try to do, then churches should also be free to put their values to a public vote. While a nation cannot decide all Catholic, Baptist, or Mormon values will automatically be honored, each individual value can be placed into the public arena, as can each individual value of the Republicans or Democrats. Separation of church and state does not mean religious people are banned from the political process. It only means the government can’t force people to belong to a single religion or promote that religion. Religious people have the same constitutional rights as all other people to vote according to their beliefs.

Churches must be free to have a say in religion, as long as those beliefs are put to a vote to the general public and not automatically made into law. The United States came into being due to religion, and the protection of religion is one area that makes our nation a protector of freedoms.