One of the main themes from this weekend’s LDS General Conference was racial unity, the fact that the color of one’s skin doesn’t matter to God, that black people are going through a lot right now and need our support, and that we must uphold free and fair elections. 

Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency said: “We peacefully accept the results of elections. We will not participate in the violence threatened by those disappointed with the outcome. In a democratic society, we always have the opportunity and the duty to persist peacefully until the next election.” 

Given how so many members of the LDS church identify as Republican and stand with a party that is promoting racism and divisive rhetoric, it’s really good to see the leaders of the church put forth such a message. Upholding freedom and democracy are bedrock principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without democracy, the LDS church wouldn’t have gotten off the ground. So, it was really nice to see Oaks specifically draw attention to the issue of having free and fair elections and making sure those results get upheld. Lots to like from this weekend of conference if you are a Democratic member of the church. 

'Peacefully accept the results of elections': LDS leaders call for unity and peace on race and politicsSALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Top leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urged members Saturday to root out racism and make the faith an "oasis of unity" while also decrying violence at recent racial injustice protests that amounted to "anarchy." A church leader also offered guidance ahead of next month's presidential [...]www.stgeorgeutah.com

Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency said: “We peacefully accept the results of elections. We will not participate in the violence threatened by those disappointed with the outcome. In a democratic society, we always have the opportunity and the duty to persist peacefully until the next election.”

I remember a time when such a statement issued by the leadership of most if not all religious entities in the United States would have been not only expected but welcomed by the great majority of citizens. Actually, I thought that idea was an intrinsic part of the "Religious Freedom" we celebrate. That is seems remarkable today is a sad commentary on the current "state of the union." Nevertheless, it is refreshing to see an official affirmation of a basic Christian concept. Thank you for sharing it here.

I get the feeling there are cracks in the armor wrt to support for Trump among church leadership. Even the Deseret News displayed this letter/opinion prominently:

Letter: The debate proved Trump is not fit to be presidentThe first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, was, for the most part, anything but a debate. When Americans wanted to know how the candidates will address issues such as the COVID-19...www.deseret.com

The Deseret News has actually been fairly critical of Trump, imo. Not to the same degree as The Salt Lake Tribune perhaps, but you are right, I think a lot of members of the church who support Trump are having difficulty justifying their vote given what the church has taught them.

One stat to keep in mind, Trump won 45% of the vote in Utah in 2016, first time in Utah's Republican voting streak that the Republican candidate did not get 50+% of the vote. That tells me Utah isn't as pro-Trump as everyone thinks it is.

Where Trump has most of his support is in the rural areas. Salt Lake City has a ton of liberals. So, that's where the struggle is in Utah. Progressive Salt Lake vs. the rest of the state.

Could Joe Biden win Utah?On the surface, this seems like a ludicrous question to ask: Could Joe Biden, a Democrat, win Utah, the longest Republican voting state in the country? Well, tied for longest voting red state to be ...www.cake.co