The church is officially a politically neutral organization. It does not endorse or promote candidates or platforms. Additionally, in a First Presidency letter issued on June 16, 2011 and reiterated January 22, 2019, all full-time General Authorities, General Auxiliary Presidencies, mission presidents, and temple presidents are expected to limit their personal participation in all political party activities. [1]
"General Authorities and general officers of the Church and their spouses and other ecclesiastical leaders serving full-time should not personally participate in political campaigns, including promoting candidates, fundraising, speaking in behalf of or otherwise endorsing candidates, and making financial contributions." [1]
Enter Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a full-time General Authority since April, 1996 (25 years), an apostle since October, 2004 (16 years) and a First Presidency member for 10 years. With all that leadership tenure, he undoubtedly knew this political non-participation policy. [2]
Yet on March 12, 2021, Uchtdorf issued a "clarification" regarding 10 federal democratic campaign donations he and his family made. [3] Here are the donations:
- Four contributions totaling $1,000 to President Joe Biden’s campaign.
- Three contributions — for $170, $125 and $83.33 — to Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock’s campaign for a total of $378.33.
- Two donations — for $125 and $83.34 —totaling $208.34 to Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff's campaign.
- One $250 contribution made on Nov. 15, 2020 to the DNC.
Source: http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/
As you can see, Elder Uchtdorf is listed as “self not employed,” “self-employed” or “retired” and living in North Salt Lake.
In a statement provided to the Deseret News, Uchtdorf admitted to the donations but denied any responsibility for them, “These donations were made by our family using an online account, which is shared by our family and associated with my name. I regret such an oversight on my part. I fully support the church’s policy related to political donations from church leaders.” [3]
Comparatively, Uchtdorf's contributions are pretty small. Yet in a realm where donations are legally equated, by the U.S. Supreme Court, with one's freedom of expression (McCutcheon vs the Federal Election Commission), the donations are illustrative of where his heart, mind and checking account lie. [4]
Abortion
Abortion is fundamentally in conflict with the plain reading of the Bible, which clearly teaches that human life is created by God beginning at conception. As Psalm 139 proclaims, “You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am wonderfully and fearfully made.” By terminating an innocent unborn life in the womb, abortion directly violates the seventh commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.” God demands that every faithful Christian protect and uphold the sanctity of innocent human life, at every stage of life. Supporting abortion represents a serious abdication of and a transgression against that responsibility, just like the disrespect of the poor, the disabled, or the elderly.
Within weeks after the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, the church issued a statement saying, "Abortion must be considered one of the most revolting and sinful practices in this day, when we are witnessing the frightening evidence of permissiveness leading to sexual immorality." [5]
"In his first sermon after he was sustained as President of the Church, a little more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, President Spencer W. Kimball explicitly condemned abortion and encouraged members of the Church to be politically active in "their respective political parties and there exercise their influence." [6]
And in the "Proclamation on the Family" (issued September 23, 1995, and was approved by Uchtdorf) declares, "We affirm the sanctity of life" and "we call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society." [7]
Warnock
Yet per his political donations, Uchtdorf supported Warnock, who is a self-admitted pro-choice pastor [8] who has pledged to oppose new restrictions on abortion. He also vigorously lobbied against Georgia's so-called “heartbeat“ anti-abortion measure. [9] Warnock also refused to renounce Marxism and socialism. [10]
Ossoff
Uchtdorf also donated to Ossoff, who publicly endorsed defending [11] and upholding Roe v. Wade and "will only vote to confirm judges who commit to upholding Roe v. Wade.” [12]
Biden
Joe Biden -- another Uchtdorf donation recipient (many times over) -- "supports abortion rights and has said he would nominate federal judges who back the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. He’s also said he’d support a federal statute legalizing abortion if the Supreme Court’s conservative majority strikes down Roe. Biden committed to rescinding Trump’s family planning rule, which prompted many clinics to leave the federal Title X program providing birth control and medical care for low-income women. In a personal reversal, Biden now supports repeal of the Hyde Amendment, opening the way for federal programs, including his prospective public option, to pay for abortions." [13]
“If we accept salvation on the terms it is offered to us, we have got to be honest in every thought, in our reflections, in our meditations, in our private circles, in our deals, in our declarations, and in every act of our lives.” (Brigham Young)
QUESTIONS
Based on the aforementioned facts, I have the following questions for Elder Uchtdorf:
- Do you believe in the sanctity of God's words as contained in the Standard Works?
- Do you believe the scriptures which reaffirm the sanctity of life?
- Do you believe abortion is a sin?
- Then why did you donate money to federal office candidates whose policy positions run contrary to God's words regarding abortion?
- As members, we are told that we can trust the Brethren M. Russell Ballard said, “In today’s world, where 24 hours a day television and radio commentators spew forth conflicting opinions, where marketers compete for everything from your money to your vote, there is one clear, unpolluted, unbiased voice that you can always count on. And that is the voice of the living prophet and the apostles. Their only motive is ‘the everlasting welfare of your souls’ (2 Ne. 2:30).” [14] How is supporting, endorsing and donating to politicians who espouse anti-Christian values and principles enhancing the everlasting welfare of our souls?
- You could say that it was a family-based donation. But it has your name on it, doesn't it?
- It could be postulated that one donation to one pro-choice candidate is a fluke. But several donations implies a philosophical and political alignment with them. How do you explain that?
- Because you are “not employed,” “self-employed” or “retired,” is it accurate to say that you are performing your responsibilities as Chairman of the church's Missionary Executive Council, Chairman of the Correlation Executive Council, and being the primary contact for the church's Europe and Europe East areas [15, 16] without compensation?
- If you are still being compensated for your responsibilities, and are not in fact “not employed,” “self-employed” or “retired,” how does it feel to be publicly lying to a U.S. regulatory agency?
- What kind of example does this set for other members who look up to you as an example and role model?
SOURCES
1. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/official-statement/political-neutrality
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_F._Uchtdorf
3. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/03/12/family-dieter-uchtdorf/
4. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-536_e1pf.pdf
5. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1973/03/news-of-the-church/abortion-is-considered-revolting-sin-by-church?lang=eng
6. Pres. Spencer W. Kimball, "Guidelines to Carry Forth the Work of God in Cleanliness," Ensign, May 1974, p. 7, 9.
7. The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Ensign, November 1995, p. 102
8. https://twitter.com/ReverendWarnock/status/1329190179735826439?s=20
9. https://www.ajc.com/news/black-ministers-send-open-letter-to-warnock-asking-him-to-change-pro-choice-stance/LWFRQI5AEFHW3KNCNMJZMGF7TY/
10. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/warnock-not-condemning-socialism-georgia-senate-debate
11. https://twitter.com/ossoff/status/1211677548905664512
12. https://electjon.com/jon-ossoff-statement-on-supreme-court-ruling-upholding-womens-medical-privacy/
13. https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-climate-us-supreme-court-598d9adf4626a7faadffc73563fed360
14. M. Russell Ballard, in “Sustaining Our Prophets and Apostles,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org; see also “Here Am I, Send Me” (Brigham Young University devotional, Mar. 13, 2001), 5, speeches.byu.edu
15. "Assignments Announced for Elder Uchtdorf: Apostle oversees Europe, key Church departments", Newsroom, LDS Church, January 22, 2018.
16. "So what is Mormon apostle doing now? For now he is overseeing global LDS missionary efforts," David Noyce, sltrib.com. Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 27 March 2019.