LDS Church issues statement after Trump announces refugee travel ban

File Image - Salt Lake LDS Temple. Photo: Intellectual Reserve

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah Jan. 29. 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued a statement in the wake of the President Donald Trump’s executive order banning travel of refugees from seven Muslim countries to the United States.

The statement was posted late Saturday night on the Church’s website, ldsnewroom.org.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concerned about the temporal and spiritual welfare of all of God’s children across the earth, with special concern for those fleeing physical violence, war and religious prosecution. The Church urges all people and government to cooperate fully in seeking the best solution to meet human needs and relieve suffering.”

The LDS Church statement comes just 24 hours after the Trump administration signed a controversial executive order banning travel of all people from seven Muslim countries over the next three months. The countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan Syria and Yemen. Refugee travel to the United States has been suspended for the next four months.

A U.S. District judge struck down part of the ban Friday.

On Saturday, Iran reciprocated, banning U.S. citizens from entering the country.

In December 2016, the LDS Church posted a message addressing what was then a proposed Muslim travel ban promised by the Trump campaign. Without mentioning Trump by name, the Church issued the following statement:

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is neutral in regard to party politics and election campaigns. However, it is not neutral in relation to religious freedom. The following statements by Joseph Smith from 1841 and 1843 are consistent with the Church’s position today:

“If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a Mormon, I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves. It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul — civil and religious liberty to the whole of the human race.”

—Joseph Smith, 1843

“Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, that the Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Latter-day Saints, Quakers, Episcopals, Universalists, Unitarians, Mohammedans [Muslims], and all other religious sects and denominations whatever, shall have free toleration, and equal privileges in this city.”

— Ordinance in Relation to Religious Societies, City of Nauvoo, [Illinois] headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, March 1, 1841.

(DEVELOPING)

8 COMMENTS

    • Well, mainly because Trump’s ban covers about 130,000,000 people with no regard for who they are at all — even with the much better vetting process in place.

      Obama’s “ban” (which wasn’t even a ban — just a delay), covered a very specific and small group of people from Iraq that were applying for Special Immigrant Visas under a very specific refugee immigration program. At the time, the USA had recently discovered a specific threat/attack from two of these refugees (granted, out of over 100,000) and therefore decided to increase the vetting for them. This resulted in a delay (and not an outright “ban”) for that small group of people from Iraq under a specific program.

      Sorry, but it is not ok now and was ok then because they are two very, very different set of circumstances.

  1. Why Trump didn’t ban anyone from Saudi Arabia where the actual terrorists came from? Now as to the LDS church publicity statement is meaningless, Mormons voted for Trump and anything they say is pure hypocrisy, also the church sits on billions of dollars but does very little to assist the refugees anyways.

    • a lot of Mormons did vote, but the church didn’t encourage. We still have our free will, I’m Mormon but I didn’t vote for him, a lot of Mormon friends didn’t either.

    • A lot of Mormons voted for him, but the church didn’t encourage or endorsed Trump. We still have our free will, you know?, I’m Mormon, but I didn’t vote for him, a lot of Mormon friends didn’t either. A lot of Mormon voted for him because they didn’t want to vote for Hillary, another bunch did because they agreed with Trump or because they just don’t want to vote democrat and they are very close minded which is sad :(

  2. Do you feel this ban has anything to do with the supriae invasion in Afghanistan that recently took place which killed 3 senior Taliban leaders and an American soldier. The Taliban are asking our President to pull our troops completely out of Afghanistan. Could there be more to this than we understand.
    I don’t believe the truth is out yet.

  3. Robert, the LDS church does a lot to help refugees and encourages its members to help them independently. I have a daughter whose family makes at least a quilt a week (and all five children help) for refugees. They are not wealthy, but they are loving, caring Mormons.

  4. Comment: As a member from Uganda_East Africa, I do know that the teaching of the Church Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint is to Love one another regadless of; Religions, Education, Political, Sex, Old or Young. The church’s doctrine is to promote Peace and Unity all over the world.

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