Mormon Bishop Now says Senator Harry Reid Is Unworthy to Enter Church Temples because of his Support of Democrats’ Immoral Positions

COBB CONDIE/Special to the Tribune Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) takes time in his office in the Capitol to show the Mormon scriptures he keeps in his desk. Sen. Reid keeps extra copies of the Book of Mormon in the same same drawer to give away to guests that visit his office.

In the aftermath of this week’s elections, an LDS bishop in Los Angeles set off political fireworks by asserting in a blog that Mormon Sen. Harry Reid was not worthy to enter one of the faith’s temples for his support of Democratic Party stances.

The response to the piece, “Good Riddance to Harry Reid, the Mormon Senate leader,” from many Latter-day Saints on social media — and even the Utah-based faith’s public-affairs arm — was immediate and critical.

“Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are, of course, entitled to express their own political opinions,” spokesman Dale Jones said in a statement. “However, publishing such views while using a title of a church officer, even if only as a leader of a local congregation as in this case, is entirely inappropriate.”

LDS bishop Mark Paredes conceded Friday that, in retrospect, he could have worded his concerns about Reid, a fellow believer, “more artfully.”

Writing on his long-standing blog at the Jewish Journal, Paredes began by describing one of the “temple recommend” questions (meant to gauge adherence to Mormon beliefs and practices) that asks members if they “support, affiliate with or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the [LDS Church].” He then detailed his beliefs that Democrats’ support for same-sex marriage and abortion rights — along with Reid’s shilling for the gambling industry — ran in opposition to the church’s positions on those issues.

Click here to read more

Source: Salt Lake Tribune |