There is probably no state in the United States of America more Republican conservative than the Beehive state of Utah. The hive buzzes under the paternal eye of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or the Mormons as they are more familiarly known as. According to a 2008 Pew report, just under 50% of its citizens go that way. The next closest religious affiliation belongs to the Catholics at 10%. Sixteen percent declare no affiliation.
Needless to say, the voice of the church is zealously endorsed by its majority practitioners and thus the politicians often vote in line with predominant Mormon beliefs. Political outcomes are popularly determined according to religious views expounded by the Mormon hierarchy. In this it would appear that the separation of church from state is a thinly veiled disguise. Undoubtedly the church leaders protect their vested interests through their suppliant disciples. In influencing the minds and hearts of sufficient numbers of Utahn's the church is able to maintain its control of state affairs, and extend this leverage federally. Orin Hatch and Harry Reid are two Mormon senators who have high political profiles. More substantially the church membership prodigiously stretches across all the states, and Mormons are motivated voters. In fairness the church like many religious organisations seeks to shape wider community/political outcomes according to their tenets.
For example, Mormon church leaders played a significant role in enabling California's
Proposition 8 legislature to restrict the definition of marriage to heterosexual couples only. The threat of gay marriages being legalised in California was abhorrent to them and had to be stopped. They coordinated huge financial support to help garner the proposition by a narrow majority 52.24%.
Finally, we come to the issue of environment and the opposition to global warming. How does Utah vote on this issue? By now it should be obvious. It votes according to what they hear from the pulpit.
I happen to know a number of devout Mormons and pretty well all of them express the same mantra as does the Mormon entertainer Glenn Beck. They do not believe global warming is man-made. In fact to them it is a mighty international conspiracy or hoax. They know all this you see because god speaks directly to them. From this superior vantage point the end of days is nigh, Jesus in his wrath will return and eventually burn the earth, cleansing it of iniquity by napalm and then restart the earth all over again in a pure celestial form. Global warming runs according to prophecy along with the unleashing of Satan and his apocalyptic horsemen who are apparently whipping the earth into a maelstrom. In this scenario, in the grand scheme of things, global warming makes small potatoes.
Personally, I just don't get it why they resist pitching in to help save the saveable planet. The solutions are manageable. If we could just work collectively then we are in with a chance to minimalise the damage. Instead these 'saviours of men' prefer to plunk their heads in the sand and trust in their vengeful god. As our flesh burns we might want to reflect on our mistake not to join them in salvation. They, in their insurance fire-proof garments, will be profoundly sorry we did not repent of our sins. But their tears will soon dry when our crispy skinned resurrected bodies are presented into a terrestrial or telestial world that is supposedly so wonderful we would all kill ourselves just to get there. Joe Smith's earth is not for the scorched billions. It belongs to god's few anti-social fanatics.
Hard to argue against this divine logic, I know.
Anyway, here is the result of where Utahn's stand on global warming. It rankles me to think the interests of people most likely to be disadvantaged by rising sea levels are not taken into account. Where do the Samaritan's keepers get off turning their backs on humanity. Utah's action to do nothing exposes more than just immorality. What a dull thinking lot these goody goodies are.
By gum it stinks in Salt Lake City.
