my comments on the LDSPublicAffairs' video "political neutrality"

source:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnSnQNGMRWU

it is fun to see how carefully the church PR people choose their words.

here's the transcript with my comments (what are yours?):

1.

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"the COJCOLDS is neutral when it comes to comes to party politics"
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the keyword is "is", as in "right now". but has the church always been neutral? what about prop8, prop22, ERA, etc?

2.
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"simply put, its mission is to preach the gospel of jesus christ, not elect candidates"

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this is a straw man/distraction. no one is saying that the *mission* is to elect candidates. however, this doesn't mean that the church doesn't try to influence its members to vote for mormon-doctrine-friendly candidates.

3.

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"so just what does political neutrality mean? let's take a closer look. political neutrality means that the church does not engage in party politics, endorse candidates or try to influence them"
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notice how they only use the word "candidates". it should be "politicians". political neutrality covers more than just *candidates running for office*. does the church try to influence politicians already in office?

4.

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"also off limits: the use of church buildings for political events, political messages from the pulpit or using membership lists for fundraising and campaigning. that's without exception, whether they're mormon or not, it makes no difference."

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maybe now, but has it always been like this?

(the last sentence i didn't quite understand what the narrarator was talking about.)

5.

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"does that mean that mormons don't vote? (partial laughter) hardly! latter-day saints are encouraged to get civically involved. like other citizens, mormons vote during elections, are active in the political process and some may even choose to run (a pavlov's-dog-esque musical triangle ring sound effect) for office. church leader m."

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this is a straw man/distraction. seriously? did the church make this video in response to people wondering if mormon's vote? is the sound effect a psychological conditioning to get people to think of romney?

6.

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"russell ballard has said this to church members: 'be involved, but don't look to the church as to how to get involved. the civic duty of any latter-day saint, regardless of where they live, including any country they may live in is to be actively involved in the political process. that meaning that they study the issues, they determine what the needs are, as they see it, that they then use their freedom and their agency to vote according to their own conscience. it's very important that good people everywhere are involved in this process.'"

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why are church leaders counselling members on civic duties? what does this have to do with their alleged mission, as stated in statement #2? "the civic duty of any latter-day saint...is to be actively involved" uses the language of a commandment: "is".

7.

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"what about speaking out about community and moral issues if they're not about party politics? of course that's ok. it's a long held right of all religions to have a place in the public square. like many of those faiths, the church may choose from time to time to join the discussion on moral issues that it believes could impact society."

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what does "not about party politics" mean? gay marriage, technically, isn't about party politics, i.e. the subject of "party politics". it's about equal rights for homosexuals.

8.

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"so in a nutshell, political neutrality means that the church does not back candidates,"

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"does not back candidates" doesn't mean they don't speak against candidates. again, there's the usage of "candidates" instead of politicians.

9.

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"but mormons as individuals are fully encouraged to participate in the political process, back the causes and candidates of their choice that inspires good government, and on election day, vote according to their conscience."

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i.e. members can choose as long as their choices support what the church deems "good government". that the church even uses that phrase implies that they have a definition of "good government"