Comments on: The Liberal Mormon: Property as a Means to Spiritual Ends

By: Adam G.

Adam G. — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:55:25 +0000

Perhaps I have a different understanding of conservatism and liberalism, but this lecture really seem more anti-libertarian than pro-liberal. I don’t find my conservativism much shocked by any of this.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:34:38 +0000

That’s my chief purpose in posting the series “The Liberal Mormon” (you can find other entries by checking the “Topical Guide” link in the upper left-hand corner of this page and searching for “liberal mormon”). These lessons, and some articles with similar themes, didn’t appear very often, but often enough in the 1920s-1930s that we can be sure they were a legitimate, accepted element in Mormon thought.

We take it for granted today that most Church political and economic and social rhetoric, at least in the western US, will be conservative-to-radically conservative. And most of us are aware of the attraction the John Birch Society had on many members for a time.

But we’re much less aware of this strain of more liberal political and economic and social thought in the Church. There are other ways to think about scripture and gospel doctrines — and whether or not anybody adopts them as a personal philosophy, people ought to be able to acknowledge these as sincere, faithful ways of thinking about human problems. {/soapbox}

By: Gary Bergera

Gary Bergera — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:23:41 +0000

Ardis, Based on your reading, do you have a feel for how prevalent, or not, the views expressed in this lesson were? Thanks for this post. It’s important to be reminded of the diversity of our social/economic/etc. heritage.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:53:13 +0000

I pushed Grant’s button! (Thanks for the heartfelt reaction, Grant.)

By: Grant

Grant — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:33:28 +0000

Oh my heck!

“this private use is always subordinate to the public welfare. The state maintains by force, if need be, its right to require private property to contribute toward the public need. this is the meaning of taxation. The Church makes similar claim upon its members, but upon a purely voluntary basis.”

Chew on that, a little Brother Beck and various widespread political movements in Utah I will not name so as not to violate Keepa’s no-politics format (but I can sure use this on my blog!)

And this from 1928 at the height of laissez faire prosperity just before it crashed? Prophetic indeed.

And I have an answer to 3(b) in the first set of questions: Slavery, sweat-shops, taking advantage of migrant workers, Provo landlords, robbing widows and other various schemes of using church connections to commit fraud.

Why is it that we miss the clear message of the Book of Mormon? It’s not about all the culture war items. We can all diagram the “Pride Cycle” with our eyes closed but fail to recognize that “Pride” means “Wealth” or rather, the constant misuse of wealth much to our condemnation?

Sorry. Getting a little carried away.