Why?

Every day since Trump was nominated, I have struggled with this issue. Brian S. King, Salt Lake, minority leader in the Utah House of Representatives says it better than I ever could.

Brian S. King: Why do so many Mormons back this president?

What’s up with Mormons approving of Donald Trump at greater rates than any other religion?

According to a Gallup poll of over 2,200 LDS voters from this month, 61 percent of Mormons approve of Donald Trump’s performance as president. This confirms what other surveys have said for months: Mormons are Donald Trump’s most reliable supporters.

I’m a life-long and active LDS Church member. I’ve served in a variety of leadership, teaching and other service positions. The Gallup poll makes me wonder how we got to this point. I remember two years ago feeling proud that Utah Republicans stood up and rejected Trump as their nominee. Yet now, most of my co-religionists not only support him as president, they go further and approve of his performance over the past year as leader of our incredible country. That is remarkable. What does such strong endorsement of Trump tell the world about who we, as Mormons, are?

For decades Mormons have been taught, rightly, by our leaders that the character of our elected officials is of prime importance in deciding for whom to vote. We are encouraged to seek out and support men and women for all public offices who act with integrity and are wise, good and honest. Prophets have taught that we must stand for charity, honesty, morality, virtue and civility.

Donald Trump stands for none of these things. He often shows open disdain for each of these qualities to which we aspire. His words and behavior are jarringly inconsistent with not just Mormon values, but with universally accepted norms of decent human behavior across all cultures for millennia.

What cognitive dissonance do Mormons display when they persistently approve of Trump? When 61 percent of LDS members admire Trump, does that demonstrate a significantly greater willingness than other religions to uncritically believe dishonest news sources? Could it reveal Mormons want an authoritarian leader, regardless of the lack of uprightness or integrity of that person?

Perhaps Mormon esteem for Trump shows that active LDS members remain committed, in a tribal way, to a particular political party even though the leaders of that party trample truth and righteousness under their feet. Does persistent majority praise for Trump simply reflect a type of affinity fraud among individuals in a relatively close-knit culture?

It is likely that LDS voters’ disproportionate approval of Trump is a combination of these reasons and others. No matter the explanation, I am deeply troubled by my co-religionists’ consistent and strong admiration of a person who so clearly exhibits personality defects we are taught to reject. This 61 percent approval displays political solidarity that trumps our spiritual aspirations for a Zion community in a powerful and damning way.

Apparently Mormons are more attached to party labels than to their supposed religious values.

Let’s not fool ourselves: Persistent approval of Trump by most LDS Church members will change us. Approval discloses not just what kind of a leader 61 percent of Mormons will tolerate, it reveals the kind of character many of us venerate. It proclaims to the world the spiritual and religious values of most Mormons.

It is not an option for me to claim to be a disciple of Christ and be quiet in the face of such an unrelenting and prominent example of indecency, discrimination and lack of charity toward other people. We must speak out in disapproval of the moral rot coming from the leader of our country.

When Mormons are among Trump’s most zealous supporters, we betray our faith. We dishonor the core spiritual and religious beliefs we claim to revere. I refuse to remain silent.

LDS Church members need to examine the misalignment between our supposed beliefs and the approval most Mormons give to a person of Donald Trump’s character.--Brian S. King, 

Reader’s Comments: (I find comfort in company.)

Emily Wright Pugh: “It is not an option for me to claim to be a disciple of Christ and be quiet in the face of such an unrelenting and prominent example of indecency, discrimination and lack of charity toward other people. We must speak out in disapproval of the moral rot coming from the leader of our country”

Matthew Lowe: I've had a really difficult time with church members loving on Donald. When he visited Welfare Square and took that photo op with several apostles I thought, this isn't like the Mormon prophets I've learned about.

Jacob would have called him an adulterer, King Benjamin would have called him to repentance and told him to serve the poor, Abenedi would have called-out his wickedness and endangered his own life, Moroni would have written a strongly-worded epistle asking for support, and Teancum would have stabbed him in the heart.

But we give him approval.

Rosalyn Richardson: I’m so deeply troubled with this 61%, I don’t know how our people can be so naive or whatever it is. So many can only spout off how wonderful the stock market is doing. This man is our king Noah

David Torgersen: Active LDS—I find the potus to be vulgar, corrupt and immoral. He is unprepared, unpresidential and lazy. Suffice it to say—Not mine!

Cindi Johnson: I am humiliated and angered by the results of this survey. How can we purport to love our neighbor and support someone with such a cruel and self serving agenda?

Asdzaa Tabaaha: I do not approve of this evil human being.

Justin Lozada: It’s not just LDS...just take a look at evangelicals. It’s not ALL evangelicals or LDS mind you. Why have many in faith communities chosen to make exception for this leader’s bad behavior, while condemning such behavior from the pulpits in the past?

A.J. Patel: This question has a very simple answer: apostasy. When the church admonishes one thing and the members embrace another, that is apostasy of the members of the church.

Debbie Beaulieu: EVERYONE has free agency, I think it's a misconception that LDS backs trump... when most DO NOT, so what was the argument now????

Darian DeBolt: I ask this same question. Trump represents values that are the polar opposite of the messages we receive from the general authorities. I think many LDS members reflexively vote conservative/Republican. I urge them to pause and reflect on whether a candidate supports policies that are in line with what the general authorities teach us. If the candidate does not, do not support that person.

Noriane Batailler Ethington: I genuinely ask myself the same questions every day and I just don’t get it. I just can’t understand how people who profess to follow Christ and emulate His behavior can possibly support a man like Donald Trump, who exhibits behavior at the polar opposite of anything that is Christlike and that we as Mormons approve of. This man is so vile, hateful and repulsive. He is bringing out the worst in people and our nation. As the author said so well, “When Mormons are among Trump’s most zealous supporters, we betray our faith. We dishonor the core spiritual and religious beliefs we claim to revere.” I find comfort in knowing that most Mormons around the world strongly disapprove of this man, but I am so troubled by the thought that so many of my fellow Mormons in Utah actually like this horrible man!

I rest my case.