Joseph Smith and a religious litmus test for the American presidency

I had to find just the right blade of grass to stand on, and then to remain absolutely motionless, in order to do an interview with KSL Radio’s Doug Wright yesterday on the continuing uproar about Ben Carson’s remark that a Muslim shouldn’t serve as president of the United States.

I’m frankly appalled that at least a few Latter-day Saints — and so closely following Mitt Romney’s candidacy! — seem to favor a religious litmus test for full participation in American political life.

It’s one thing to vote against a candidate because his or her principles are inconsistent with one’s own.  That’s the right and even the duty of a citizen in a Democratic Republic.  But to declare in advance that an entire religious group ought to be ineligible for public office?  That’s a different matter altogether.  Some, though — including perhaps some Latter-day Saints — appear to have come perilously close to the latter position, if they haven’t altogether expressly adopted it.

I’m sitting right now in the city from which General Joseph Smith launched his presidential bid in the election of 1844.  Yesterday, I spoke for a few minutes in the reconstructed room where his campaign was planned.

Joseph was seeking to advance and defend the rights of the Latter-day Saints, but he also declared himself for the religious freedom of all.  It was an issue that meant a very great deal to him.

I have little doubt what he would have to say on this matter, today.  I hope I said something like it myself on KSL, yesterday.

Posted from Nauvoo, Illinois