His Doctrine: Contention Should be Done Away

It’s time to discuss the elephant in the room (and, of course, the donkey too).  Following Jesus Christ likely means we must engage in the civic sphere – even though it is so polarized and sometimes distasteful.  Many of us have chosen to avoid it because we have found the quickest way to destroy a family get-together is to discuss politics with your “right-wing Uncle Fred, your liberal niece Suzy, and all the relatives in between.”¹

If so, no one would blame you. Maybe you have felt the urge to do more than just observe the chaos. The words of Edmund Burke could be nudging your conscience: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.”  

Casey Mortenson gave us this wise counsel in terms of our civic engagement:

“No matter the political matter or climate… We should seek Christ and the gospel truths He established before engaging in political division. We should remember that He helped establish a land and document that would help ensure our agency and allow His gospel to grow.”

Doing this would ensure we avoid some common – but unfortunate – experiences. We may have an alter ego that manifests itself in a distinctive way in political matters. We may fall for the old Las Vegas marketing ploy: we think that – for whatever reason – what happens in politics, stays in politics. When this happens, we can be a completely different person in caucus than we are in the chapel.

This post is dedicated to the premise that we can be inspired to engage in civic matters in a positive way and make a constructive difference as we seek to “act for [ourselves]”² and “play a role as responsible citizens… including becoming informed about issues.”³  We can do this without resorting to anger or cheap forms of dialogue.  On this matter, the Savior was rather direct: “this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.”⁴  

Identity, Tribalism, and “Ites”

Inspired civic engagement starts with you and what you consider to be your identity. Developing a clear sense of identity is something that seems straightforward but can be a surprisingly complex thing to achieve.⁵ “Instead…of people having single, unified, and fixed selves,” Vivien Burr wrote, “perhaps we are fragmented, having a multiplicity of potential selves which are not necessarily consistent with each other.”⁶ 

We often build identity in social settings in terms of choosing who and what we identify with. So, social circumstances can bring out different aspects of latent values, assumptions, and beliefs. This is why some can seem so consistent in preaching love, tolerance, and forgiveness in one setting and then indulge in divisive, irrational, and angry behavior in another.

This is the essence of tribalism – or behavior and attitudes that stem from our loyalty to our “in” group. Tribalism can be both virtuous and vicious. For example, we can receive a declared lineage to the tribes of Jacob in our patriarchal blessings ⁷ and we experience a sense of belonging as “fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God.”⁸

Other forms of our identity in tribes can be destructive and corrosive.  We have seen negative tribalism in gang violence, political tribes, and even wearing the wrong uniform at a sporting event. One author outlines the risks of tribalism:

• Tribalism can lead to appeals for violence.
• Tribalism can reinforce an ethic where the ends justify the means, even when questionable.
• Tribalism can create cognitive distortions and cloud our ability to see clearly.
• Political tribalism is the most powerful variant – pushing family to elevate political tribe over their familial tribe.⁹

Really?!? Political tribalism is more powerful than our association with our families?  While this is shocking on a fundamental level, most of us have probably witnessed the literal division of family relationships based on political tribalism. Now is an opportune time to remember that the disintegration of the family – even if for something as superficial as policy preferences – “will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”¹⁰

The Book of Mormon records the blessings that come where social tribalism did not exist.  In Fourth Nephi,¹¹ there was a period of profound societal peace, where “there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people…[and] there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God….there were [not]… any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.”¹²

If our starting point for civic engagement is one of passionate personal identity and tribalism, then it will be difficult to “get wisdom”¹³ and make a meaningful contribution.

The US Constitution as an Inspired and Living Document

As mentioned previously, Casey Mortenson’s Divine Guidance: The Church and the U.S. Constitution outlines the foundational nature of the Constitution in our belief system.  For the purposes of this post, one additional observation is key: the Constitution was designed to be a living document to appropriately match the evolution of society.

President J. Reuben Clark taught that the Constitution was not a “fully grown document” and that “we believe it must grow and develop to meet the changing needs of an advancing world.”¹⁴ 

Think of the beauty of that construction!  The Constitution was configured to safeguard core principles and adapt to changing circumstances through the requirements of the amendment process.  This inspired design provides both constancy to preserve the original intent and wiggle room for nuance or change. At a minimum, this gives us permission – even grace – in terms of studying, debating, and reaching different conclusions through Constitutional consideration.

Disciples of Jesus Christ Coming to Different Conclusions on Matters of Policy

Suffice it to say that there is room for disciples of Jesus Christ to come to different conclusions on matters of policy. This is because it is exceptionally rare for political issues to be existentially moral. We should remember that if we have strong feelings about an issue, that does not mean the issue itself is fundamentally moral.

A quick exercise to illustrate: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is politically neutral but “reserves the right to address issues it believes have significant moral consequences.”¹⁵  Now, without looking it up, how many instances can you think of where the Church has identified political issues that meet this criteria and has formally issued a public stance?  You can probably count the instances on one hand – likely with room to spare.  Now, consider that the federal government generates 15,000 to 20,000 bills per two year cycle.

This can be an illustration that the vast majority of political issues are not existentially or significantly moral issues.  Almost all political issues are practical in nature (there is a problem to solve with a resolution that almost certainly has its strengths and drawbacks).

In revelation, the Lord repeatedly used the term “it mattereth not”¹⁶ when He was asked what to do. Perhaps we would be wise to accept that the Lord is likely neutral on policies and platforms – allowing us to figure it out, come to different conclusions, and learn to work together.

As of this writing, most members of the Church in the United States¹⁷ identify as Republican¹⁸ (although, there are trends that suggest that could be changing).¹⁹  Given that tendency, it is important to note that there is room for Democrats – and they should feel as connected to the body of Christ as the majority political persuasion. For example, President James E. Faust was a lifelong Democrat²⁰ and served in the Utah State Legislature.  In his biography, he explained his core reasoning for his Democratic affiliation:

Seems reasonable. 

Research into the foundational core differences between conservative and liberal ideologies suggest it boils down to how we view (1) how dangerous the world is or (2) how hierarchical the world is.²²  Polarization and partisanship – note that these are not the same thing as conservative or liberal ideology – is a matter of political mobilization.  Unfortunately, this has recently escalated contention as a driving form of mobilization.²³

In sum, it is probably a good thing that we can have different views and endorse different policy platforms to solve civic challenges. Much of the differences between political parties and policy platforms are not ends oriented, but means oriented. This is why there is room for us to read something like “the Nephites did build… up and support [Gadianton robbers]” to a point where “they did obtain sole management of the government…[and] they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor…ripening for an everlasting destruction”²⁴ – and come to different conclusions on what we recommend to solve those problems.

However, it should be noted, that the Lord’s pattern means coming to a conclusion after we have been sufficiently open minded, reading from the best books words of wisdom, and achieving a determination because we studied it out.²⁵

Conclusion and Moving Forward

In the end, inspired civic engagement is focused on our choosing the right instead of a fixation on affirming that we are right. Conviction is good if it drives the right type of conversation. Or, in the words of President Thomas S. Monson: “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”²⁶

Yet, the world still needs our inspired engagement. President Gordon B. Hinckley’s observation from years ago seems as if it could have been penned yesterday: “I am more deeply concerned about the growing moral deficit than I am about the monetary deficit.”²⁷

To that end, the Lord has warned us: “that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me…nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.”²⁸

We have also been warned that “it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right…and if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity…then is the time he will visit you with great destruction.”²⁹

Believing and trusting in Jesus Christ means we care for our communities, our economies, and our planet. Your political party or ideology is less important than your constructive engagement, exemplifying the Savior’s admonition to avoid contention. This is more a matter of compassion than it is of passion.  Nowhere is this better stated than President Russel M. Nelson’s plea for us to be peacemakers:

1. Diane E Dreher Ph.D., “How Not to Let Politics Ruin Your Family Dinner”, Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-personal-renaissance/202310/how-not-to-let-politics-ruin-your-family-dinner ↩︎
2. 2 Nephi 2:16 ↩︎
3.  https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/official-statement/political-neutrality ↩︎
4.  3 Nephi 11:30 ↩︎
5. It should be noted that our core identity – that of a literal son or daughter of God – is our existential identity. Choosing to build on that can lead to real power and wonderful outcomes in our lives. See Joshua Savage, Our Divine Identity ↩︎
6. Vivien Burr, An Introduction to Social Constructionism, p.29 ↩︎
7. Topics and Questions: Patriarchal Blessings ↩︎
8. Ephesians 2:19 ↩︎
9. John G. Cottone Ph.D., Tribalism: How To Be Part Of The Solution, Not The Problem ↩︎
10. The Family Proclamation ↩︎
11. Incidentally, Fourth Nephi includes an observation regarding property ownership, social welfare, and freedom: “And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.” (Verse 3) ↩︎
12. 4 Nephi 1:15-17 ↩︎
13. Proverbs 4:2 ↩︎
14. Quoted from: Dallin H. Oaks, Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution ↩︎
15. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/official-statement/political-neutrality ↩︎
16. See D&C 27:2, D&C 60:5, D&C 61:21-22, D&C 80:1-3 ↩︎
17. It is important to note that the Church is worldwide and political proportions take on a different look when considering the whole. ↩︎
18. 2024 Pew Study on Party Identification in Religious Groups: “Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remain overwhelmingly Republican. Three-quarters of voters in this group, widely known as Mormons, identify as Republicans or lean Republican. Only about a quarter (23%) associate with the Democratic Party.” ↩︎
19. Latter-Day Saints are Less Republican ↩︎
20. https://www.deseret.com/2007/8/10/20034716/president-james-e-faust-dies-at-age-87/ ↩︎
21. James P. Bell, In the Strength of the Lord, p.86 ↩︎
22. Jer Clifton, Many Differences between Liberals and Conservatives May Boil Down to One Belief ↩︎
23. https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/events/polarization-us: “Desmet suggests that increasing partisan polarization may be a consequence of politicians discovering which values are particularly salient for political mobilization. Instead of politicians engendering value splits in society, partisanship has become more representative of people’s values. The American public has long had the conditions to be divided — they just needed parties to catch on.” ↩︎
24. Helman 6:38-40 ↩︎
25. It should be noted that the Lord expects us to invest effort into that process – and not just trusting our instincts, traditions, or merely ask Him. No one would convert to the Church if our minds were not open to learning, for example. See D&C 9:8 and DC 88:118 ↩︎
26. Thomas S. Monson, Finding Joy in the Journey ↩︎
27. Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing For Something, p.xviii ↩︎
28. D&C 98:5-10 ↩︎
29. Mosiah 29:26-27 ↩︎
30. Russel M. Nelson, Peacemakers Needed, April 2023 General Conference ↩︎