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Political parallels and dangers
Derek Sainsbury, professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University, sees parallels between today’s election climate and the political conditions in 1844, when the religion’s founder, Joseph Smith, became the first U.S. presidential candidate to be assassinated during an election campaign.
His list, found in an essay in Public Square Magazine, includes:
• Twisting the truth and spreading untruths for political purposes.
• Spread of inflammatory partisan rhetoric in the media.
• Expanding or abusing the law to harm political opponents.
• Inciting destructive mobs for political intimidation.
• Denial of the election results.
“If our problems reflect the atmosphere that surrounded Smith’s murder,” asks Sainsbury, “what is the solution?”
The historian sees an answer in a political treatise by Smith from 1844:
“Unity is power, and when I reflect on its importance to the stability of all governments, I am amazed at the foolish maneuvers of persons and parties who sow discord in order to ride the wave of public agitation to power,” declared the former clergyman turned candidate. “Nor am I less surprised at the extensions of power or limitations of rights which too often appear to be acts of legislators designed to pave the way for some favored political agenda.”
In short, the first prophet of the Latter-day Saints called for a united United States.
For more insight into Smith’s quest for the White House, listen to our podcast, Mormon Land, with historian Spencer McBride, author of Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, the Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom.
The latest Mormon Land podcast: Restore Conference
We preview Faith Matters’ upcoming Restore gathering, which will attract thousands of Latter-day Saints with the goal of “inspiring, enlightening and nourishing” their faith.
Listen to the podcast.
“The normal guy” you see on TV
Answer: A nerdy, know-it-all Latter-day Saint who rose to fame as a contestant and later as a game show host.
Question: Who is Ken Jennings?
Read more about the Jeopardy! ace at The Mirror US.
“I decided early on that I could only be myself. And if the impression remains that this fairly normal, if not slightly nerdy, guy is still a Mormon, then that’s fine with me,” Jennings told the news agency. “That was my goal from the beginning – just to be the normal guy who is also a Mormon.”
Check out our previous profile of the well-read mastermind who loves Lego bricks, long novels, and, of course, trivia.
From The Tribune
• The church’s new policies for transgender members are drawing fierce criticism not seen since the same-sex exclusion policy in November 2015. Listen to and read excerpts from our latest podcast, “Mormon Land.”
• The church wants to annex more than 52,000 acres of its Deseret Ranches in resort-rich Orlando for future smart growth development. The move would increase the Florida city’s footprint by 60 percent.
• Plaintiffs in a tithing class action lawsuit are fighting the church’s efforts to block disclosure of evidence in the federal case.
• The divide between Latter-day Saints and their neighbors in Utah is real and, as Tribune columnist Gordon Monson writes, just plain stupid.
• The man in charge of athletics at BYU has a message for Latter-day Saints who are skeptical of changes in his department.
• Is hostility toward Latter-day Saints fueling opposition to the Church’s planned temple just outside Dallas?
• Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance admired the Church for its emphasis on community, but ultimately found his spiritual home in Catholicism.