Utah and LDS?

[white_wolf]

First of all I hope this question does not offend anyone because I have nothing against Mormons or Utah. I'm just curious because have often heard it said that Utah is almost run like a theocracy by the LDS church and that they have a lot of control in the government I was just wondering is it really that bad? Also the one time I was in Utah we run into a strange family 1 man and 3 women and a lot of children I know the LDS church banned polygamy almost a hundred years ago but my parents said some Mormons out in the rural areas still practice it without the church's knowledge.Does anyone know if that's true? Again I'm not trying to offend I am just curious and would actually like to visit it again someday and see Salt Lake City I've heard the Salt Lake Temple is a beautiful piece building.

[Styxiv]

1. Utah

I live in Utah and have never heard that there are Mormons living polygamist lives. There IS however a polygamist community I hear somewhere in Southern Utah but they are NOT LDS, possibly FLDS or what used to be called the "reorganized church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints" who were purists in that they wanted to follow the teachings of the church as it was originally ran and not did not like a lot of the changes the current church took I.E. polygamy, but I hear that name has been changed a while back so not sure if the change was the FLDS or something else. ALSO IF there were such a group and the church knew of it they would be x-communicated.

Now as far as church influence, well of coarse there is in the sense that A LOT of our legislators are LDS just like ANYWHERE in the U.S. you'll find the dominant religion has A LOT on influence in what goes on I.E. I'd be willing to be Mass. being a relatively Catholic state ( the Kennedy's come to mind) they have similar issues. While I don't pretend to know if all I hope this helps some.

[GentryDixon]

2. Having lived in Utah most of my life

I can tell you that the Church controls all aspects of our lives. The Church reviews laws pending votes. If they do not agree with the particular initiative, it disappears, never to be seen again.

The mindset of the sheep who are the citizens of Utah know nothing more than voting the same way their grandparents voted. And when the Church says they do not take a stand one way or another regarding politics, remember Prop 8.

I just told my husband today voting anything other than the Church approved Republican ticket in this state is an exercise in futility.

And yes, there are polygamists who are LDS. A wink and a nod is common in this state. They jump in and pretend to care only when national interest is expressed.