I recently reshared this article from Feminist Mormon Housewives on Google+. Trying to help add a little humor and encourage people to chill out, seemed to backfire generally. In addition to the over 400 comments that article received, I got quite a few (for me) on my Google+ post. I thought it appropriate to post my response here, where others could read as well. I merely wanted to go through some points that so many LDS people seem to forget quickly when something as small in the eternal scheme of things, as a single US election, doesn’t go the way they wanted it:

  • Jesus taught a doctrine of optimism, faith, hope, Charity, and love, and so do his modern prophets. I feel very little love, hope, faith, etc, in most of the posts that I’ve seen coming from many of my conservative Mormon friends. In fact (I hate to use these words, but I don’t know how else to describe it), I feel mostly fear, hatred, doubt, despair, and even a lot of fear-mongering. As such, I feel that regardless of the validity of concerns, Satan is using them to make us into anything but the hopeful, loving follower’s Christ asks us to be.
  • God is still on his throne, and my testimony isn’t based on who is President or whether this country leans right or left.
  • Communism is evil, we’re clear on that, however it’s not the only evil in the world, nor is it the only threat to the constitution of the US. I’m amazed at how completely focused so many can become on things with Socialist tendencies, and completely ignore all the other threats to the Constitution that are out there. For example Obama continued (and congress supported) Patriot Act policies that allow Law Enforcement officials to grab a US Citizen on US Soil and lock them up indefinitely, without trial. This clearly violates the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments. Yet Romney said he supported the President and would continue the same. If Romney had won, this shredding of the Constitution would not have changed in the least. No reparations would have been done. Some of our most basic rights are shredded, but “it’s okay because Romney’s a Mormon?” I don’t think so.
  • The point is there’s too little difference between the political candidates of either party for election of one to really reverse the trend. The issue should be the moral decay of society as a whole, not simply a trend toward socialism. And elections don’t reverse that, preaching the gospel does.
  • We must stop demonizing those who “lean-left” in their political beliefs. Well beloved Apostle N. Eldon Tanner worked in overtly-socialist programs in Canada and made them work very well. It seems fairly clear he believed in many socialist programs. Marion G. Romney (cousin of Mitt), also very loved, ran and was elected as a Democrat in local government. Even recent 1st Presidency member James E. Faust was a registered Democrat. If you’re going to cast hate upon those who differ from Elder Benson (he was an Apostle when he said all those things I keep seeing quoted, and stopped completely when he became the Prophet), you must includes at least those 3 fine Brethren. In fact, you’ll have to include most of the Apostles and Prophets who have served over the last 70+ years, as almost none of them completely agreed with him, and in fact many expressed much concern over his extreme positions.
  • Follow the Prophets: our modern prophets just opened the floodgates to allow more missionaries to preach the gospel throughout the world than ever before. They’re not being timid, packing up and heading for the hills or preaching doom and gloom. They’re moving God’s work forward with unprecedented optimism and vigor. We should do the same.

One election matters very little in the eternal scheme of things, God is still on his Throne, and Jesus Christ is still our Lord, Master, and the Head of our Church.

UPDATE: the following quote was posted by a family friend on Facebook. I thought it applicable.

Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won’t fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges.

I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through.

—Harold B. Lee (Ye Are the Light of the World 350-51)