Do Mormons Overwhelming Support The Iraq War?

I don't know the answer to that question. Personally I hope the answer is a resounding NO. I do NOT support that war, and I never have; however an article from Today's Salt Lake Tribune is very troubling, at least to me. The gist of the article is that, at least in Utah, there is a religious divide (as there is about many things) along LDS v non LDS membership and support or nonsupport for the war. Reports the Tribune:

Unlike most other major U.S. religions, the LDS Church has taken no official stance on the war. Nonetheless, a recent poll commissioned by The Salt Lake Tribune showed overwhelming support among Utah's Mormons for President Bush's actions in Iraq.

While 73 percent of those identifying themselves as Mormons in the poll said they, like Dannehl, supported President Bush's conduct of the war, about 62 percent of non-Mormons said they disapproved.

It is fascinating to me how the Church takes no official position, yet almost in lockstep, at least in Utah (and probably the U.S.), 73 percent of identified LDS membership (according to this poll) support the war. And, more troubling to me, is the manifestation of this support in Church sponsored meetings:

'I support my president': Each month, Mormons gather to share their beliefs at "fast and testimony" meetings, speaking of how they have come to understand the LDS Church "is true."

But sometimes, the discussion moves to other convictions.

At a recent meeting in American Fork a man identifying himself as a former Green Beret stood to share his testimony. "If you're a Democrat, I want you to understand that I support my president," he said in comments recorded by the church for homebound members. "And if you have a problem with that, we can talk behind the church." The comment drew laughs from the congregation, but no challengers.

I see nothing funny about the abuse of a fast and testimony meeting to espouse one's own political views, whether that is for support of the war, or in opposition to the war. There are more appropriate forums and venues for such expression.

Ironically, as the Tribune points out, supporting the war in the numbers reflected in this poll places LDS members right along side the Southern Baptist Convention, a group of people which despises the LDS Church, teachings, and membership:

• The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest single U.S. Protestant body, issued a resolution in June expressing "deepest gratitude and respect for our president," who "has been forced to make difficult decisions that place our servicemen and servicewomen in harm's way."
• The resolution encouraged "all Southern Baptists to pray regularly for our president and to stand with him in opposing global terrorism."
• Southern Baptist officials estimate support for Bush's war among their members stands at about 75 percent.

Though not all Utah Mormons support the SBC, or the war:

'A Mormon response': Not every Saint marches with a war drum.

"Pacifism is a Mormon response," said Dennis Clark, an LDS member from Orem who opposes the Iraq war on spiritual grounds. "I've always felt that it's really not possible for me to hold priesthood and believe in the use of force."

Clark, a poet and writer who spoke about his views at Sunstone Magazine's 2004 symposium on Mormon history and contemporary life, says he does his best "to sneak in my subversive ideas" when teaching younger men at his ward.

But at 60 years old, he does not expect to see the day when a majority of LDS members are opposed to the use of military force.

Clark often worries about the relationship his fellow Latter-day Saints have forged with Evangelicals.

"Mormons are not Christians in the eyes of these people," Clark said. "I think it's really a miscalculation for church members to feel comfortable in that company, because we'll be the next people they'll come after."

Mr. Clark makes a very astute observation, one with historical precedent. It was the early evangelical community that came after the Prophet Joseph with a vengeance. It is that same community that continues to ridicule LDS beliefs today.

Upon reading today's Tribune article I thought back to President Kimball's charge to the LDS community to be more pro-kingdom of God and less anti-enemy. To stop worshiping the false gods of our military and modern culture:

And so it often seems to be with people, having such a firm grasp on things of the world—that which is telestial—that no amount of urging and no degree of emergency can persuade them to let go in favor of that which is celestial. Satan gets them in his grip easily. If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.

In spite of our delight in defining ourselves as modern, and our tendency to think we possess a sophistication that no people in the past ever had—in spite of these things, we are, on the whole, an idolatrous people—a condition most repugnant to the Lord.

We are a warlike people, easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel—ships, planes, missiles, fortifications—and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become antienemy instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of Satan’s counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Savior’s teaching:

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:44–45.)

We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us—and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (see 2 Ne. 1:7)—or he will fight our battles for us (Ex. 14:14; D&C 98:37, to name only two references of many). This he is able to do, for as he said at the time of his betrayal, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53.) We can imagine what fearsome soldiers they would be. King Jehoshaphat and his people were delivered by such a troop (see 2 Chr. 20), and when Elisha’s life was threatened, he comforted his servant by saying, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kgs. 6:16). The Lord then opened the eyes of the servant, “And he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kgs. 6:17.)

Enoch, too, was a man of great faith who would not be distracted from his duties by the enemy: “And so great was the faith of Enoch, that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch.” (Moses 7:13.)

What are we to fear when the Lord is with us? Can we not take the Lord at his word and exercise a particle of faith in him? Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the world as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in faith; to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer be our enemies.

We must leave off the worship of modern-day idols and a reliance on the “arm of flesh,” for the Lord has said to all the world in our day, “I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.” (D&C 64:24.)

What would be a more interesting poll, one I wish could be conducted is the opinion of LDS members world wide, not just within the confines of Utah, or even the United States. I suspect that LDS members at least in the United States likely mirror the opinions of their Utah counterparts. I know that at least on California's Central Coast that is true; however, I'd be curious to see how that opinion changes when the entire world wide Church membership is included. I suspect there would be some significant changes.

I say let's do support our troops. Let's get them out of this unholy and unrighteous war. Let's bring them home to their families so we can begin to build the kingdom of God, rather than wreak havoc in the kingdom of men.