LDS and Non-LDS Tension in Utah

Carter Mann

English 2010

Proposal and Evaluation

LDS and non-LDS tension in Utah is a topic that I have researched extensively and seen

first-hand my whole life. I am not arguing that one side is right or wrong, both sides are right and

wrong. It would be immoral to ask someone to admit that their side and or religion is wrong and

that they need to switch. My main goal from all of my research is to convince you to love the

opposite group. I want to convince you that all of the causes of tension are outdated and the only

way this problem will fade away is by not pointing fingers and loving people you disagree with. I

will address the problem, explain the root of the problem, why the solution is very simple and is

solved by everyone collectively. No one here is in the wrong; this tension is caused by conflict

created by people not even alive today. The best thing we can do for the future is to acknowledge

the events but move past them.

Tension with the church and non-members started almost immediately when the church

was established in the early 1800s. It is not surprising that people were aggressive to a new

religion and it is not surprising that the church felt discriminated. The LDS church was pushed

from city to city until the church had enough of the persecution. The church then moved West

and established the church in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City was very isolated for decades so

hatred and anger brewed for outsiders because of previous persecutions. Now Utah is easily less

than 50 percent LDS but many groups of Mormons stay pretty close knit.

Hatred for the church has been created by non-LDS Utahans feeling like they are

excluded. This level of exclusion has consistently decreased over the years with the growing
number of non-members in Utah. The LDS church members are very close knit and tend to have

better relations with neighbors of the same faith. LDS members spend 1-3 times a week with

ward members and strategically plan how to get non-members to convert. This makes non-

members feel like they are seen as less and begin to push harder against the church and form

their own groups of neighbors and friends that aren’t LDS.

Members and non-members can have a hard time being friends and spending time with

each other because of the difference in culture. The LDS church is against many social aspects

that are usually viewed as normal. These include, alcohol, coffee, tea, tobacco and crude humor.

These beliefs make it harder for the two sides to have normal friendships. Am I saying that these

two sides need to change their beliefs? Of course not, I am saying that the two sides need to learn

how to deal with the other side doing something they don’t believe in. The two sides need to be

able to accept that they are not changing and love them for who they are.

With most things in life, it is best to just keep your eyes on your own paper. Religion and

lifestyle is different, it is good to look at other people’s papers and adjust, that doesn’t mean the

other person’s paper is right, but it might help you find what you think the answer is. Although

you can look at other people’s beliefs and opinions, it is not good to stop the test and tell them

they are wrong. Neither of you have the answer key, both of you could be wrong. This can be

hard to hear for non-members because much of the government is LDS based and opinions get

forced on you. So a change of heart in politicians also needs to happen.

Tension against non-members is caused by the feeling that they are different and that they

are doing things wrong. The pressure members get to convert non-LDS family and friends

creates a tension and fake personality. Both sides of this tension tend to act much different

around the opposite group, this is partly because they feel like they know something the other
group doesn’t know. LDS members in groups of non-members can be treated unfairly or teased.

“Nearly half of LDS/Mormons (46 percent) consider American society to be rife with

discrimination against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐Day Saints”

(Rockenbach, 2017). Yes, Mormons can face discrimination, but so can non-Mormons here in

Utah. A group will face some amount of discrimination wherever they are a minority. But both

of these groups are dealing with a small fraction of discrimination that other groups face all over

the world. The discrimination against Mormons is way less than it was when the church was first

established. Even though both sides face discrimination, it is nothing compared to what it could

be. This discrimination is something that anyone with a little bit of self-confidence could easily

deal with.

I encourage anyone with a little bit of skin to try and connect more with the other side.

Mormons, try to open your circle to people outside of the church. Try not to let religion effect

how you vote because that is a problem in the State government. “88 percent of Utah legislators

— eight of every nine — are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

(Davidson, 2016) Non Mormons, try to become a friend with a Mormon, and also try to respect

their beliefs and don’t make fun of them. For both sides, don’t act like you are 100% right, at the

end of the day we are all just advanced monkeys and none of us are really that smart.

Most local issues usually have solutions that can be fixed with either money, politics or

influence. Yes, part of this can be solved by politics. Try to vote in non-Mormon state legislators.

But other than that, the only thing that can be done to solve this problem is for both sides to have

a change of heart. Set aside your pride and go into a coffee shop, or on the other side, go into an

LDS Christmas party and make some friends. My favorite quote about this topic comes from the

church website. “Live and respectfully share your beliefs. Have meaningful, kind conversations
with those of differing beliefs. Focus on seeking to understand one another’s perspective and

finding common ground that unites you.” (LDS.org, 2018) Even the top of the church recognizes

this problem. Many church general authorities tend to be very loving and accepting, it is a

portion of the members that keep this tension alive. It is good to have beliefs and it can be good

to share them, but don’t force your beliefs on people and understand that the other person also

has beliefs.

Sources

Canham, Matt, and Salt Lake Tribune. “Salt Lake County Is Becoming Less Mormon — Utah

County Is Headed in the Other Direction.” The Salt Lake Tribune,

archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=5403049&itype=CMSID.

"62.8 percent Mormon"

Davidson, Lee, and Salt Lake Tribune. “With Utah Legislature's Mormon Supermajority, Is It

Representative of the People?” The Salt Lake Tribune,

archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=4663941&itype=CMSID.

“88 percent of Utah legislators — eight of every nine — are members of The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Christ, Jesus. “Conversion.” Doctrine and Covenants 8,

www.lds.org/topics/conversion?lang=eng.
Rockenbach, Alyssa N., et al. “Respecting the LDS/Mormon Minority on Campus: College

Students’ Attitudes toward Latter‐Day Saints.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol.

56, no. 4, Dec. 2017, pp. 798–819. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/jssr.12481. “Nearly half of

LDS/Mormons (46 percent) consider American society to be rife with discrimination against

members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐Day Saints”

“Religious Freedom.” Doctrine and Covenants 8, www.lds.org/religious-

freedom?lang=eng. “Live and respectfully share your beliefs. Have meaningful, kind

conversations with those of differing beliefs. Focus on seeking to understand one another’s

perspective and finding common ground that unites you.”

Suindependent.com, suindependent.com/do-non-mormons-face-discrimination-in-southern-utah/.

(Mormon, non-Mormon picture)

Gordon, Philip Sherman. “Not a Mormon.” Cultural Studies, vol. 19, no. 4, July 2005, pp. 423–

429. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/09502380500219373.