Are Mormon legislators going against ‘opposition in all things’ with HB 11?
Elder Dallin Oaks, Qurum of the Twelve Apostels of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, says the opening prayer in the House of Representatives at the state Capitol in Salt Lake City, Monday Jan. 23, 2017. Utah lawmakers returned Monday for their 45-day annual session, where they're expected to take up medical marijuana, a measure to toughen the state's hate crimes law and try to find more money for public schools. (Al Hartmann/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)
I can’t believe a guy like me actually has to school the Utah Legislature on Mormon doctrine, of all things.
One would think this overwhelmingly Republican body, consisting primarily of white LDS males, would have a pretty good grasp of the core teachings and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nevertheless, legislators in this state have long attempted to run roughshod over a fundamental tenet of that church.
It’s the concept of, as Mormons call it, “free agency.” (To differentiate it from the paid kind, I suppose.) This agency, which is described as the gift to choose and act for oneself, is integral to Mormon theology. Indeed, in The Book of Mormon, one of the faith’s primary works of scripture, the prophet Lehi explains: “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.”
“Opposition in all things.” It’s one of the original memes of Mormonism — right up there with “Ox in the mire,” and “I can’t. I’m Mormon.” Latter-day Saints believe that in order to know the good, we must be confronted with the bad. To know the sweet, we must taste the bitter. To appreciate health, we must experience sickness.
In other words, the LDS Church teaches that for agency to work, we must not only have the ability to choose, but there must also be choices. Good versus evil. Happiness versus misery. Rock ‘n’ roll versus disco. And, apparently, Republican versus Democrat.
But it would appear that a few vital words were lost in the original translation of The Book of Mormon. The scripture should have read: “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. Except Utah politics.”
Because, frankly, the Utah Republican Party seems bound and determined to eliminate any and all potential diversity of thought in this state.
The latest example? House Bill 11, removing requirements to have both political parties represented on a number of state boards and commissions. It’s difficult to see this as anything but yet another outright power grab by the party already in power.
Indeed, Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, earns our quote-of-the-week for tagging the bill for what it really was — a neutering of the diversity of ideas.
“I know that for our minority party, this bill looks like a free trip to the veterinarian,” Peterson joked.
Republicans claim that was not their intent, but it’s difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt when they continue to engineer state politics so as to negate any minuscule influence the Utah Democratic Party might possibly exert on an issue. Gerrymandering, anyone?
And who can forget last year’s attempt by state GOP leaders to block Democrats from even fielding a candidate in Utah’s House District 10.
It’s like that age-old riddle …
QUESTION: Where does an 800-pound gorilla sit?
ANSWER: Anywhere it wants to.
… Except in this case, the Utah Republican Party isn’t just an 800-pound gorilla that gets to decide where it sits. In addition, this bloated bully of a primate has made it clear it doesn’t want anybody else even trying to sit down. End of discussion.
Such heavy-handed partisan maneuvering would at least make sense in a state where the two parties are more evenly matched. But here in Utah, where Republicans already hold a supermajority, it smacks of blatant overreach.
Look, no one’s asking anyone to betray their Republican Party worldview. But there’s a huge difference between espousing your own ideas, and passing legislation that doesn’t even give alternative points of view a seat at the table. Even the most partisan among the GOP can’t possibly believe that legislating the opposition party into extinction would be good for the state.
And one final bit of Mormon doctrine to consider: The LDS Church teaches that, in the beginning, we all lived with God in a “premortal existence.” Then, when it came time for us to come to Earth, two opposing plans were presented — one by Jesus and one by Satan.
Jesus’ entire plan hinged on agency. Everyone would be faced with choices. We would make mistakes, but we would learn and grow from them. And Jesus would offer redemption to those who repented of their wrong choices.
The Devil’s plan, on the other hand, contained no agency at all. None of us would make our own choices. We would be forced to do exactly as we were told and never make any mistakes, thus ensuring we all returned to heaven on a silver platter.
In the end, Mormon theology teaches, most of us chose Jesus and his plan of agency. But Satan and his followers rebelled, and they were cast out of heaven.
Every once in a while, I get to pondering this story, and invariably my thoughts turn to wondering where Ol’ Scratch and his agency-hating minions ended up after basically getting kicked out of the celestial swimming pool.
And then the Utah Legislature convenes …
Contact Mark Saal at 801-625-4272 or msaal@standard.net. Follow him on Twitter at @Saalman. Friend him on Facebook at facebook.com/MarkSaal.