# Christian Nationalism, Mormonism, and a new law in Idaho **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 27, 2025, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473 "2025-07-27T12:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/21 "2025-07-27T21:18:17Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > The Republican base however is composed of leopard bait sublimely sure that if a dictatorship is installed, it’ll be enforcing _their_ personal religious and political beliefs, not anyone else’s. Quoted for eloquence. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/22 "2025-07-27T23:04:15Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Please forgive me for asking, but how does this specifically affect LDS people? If the candidates discussed in that link get their way, then LDS people will automatically be ineligible for any public office. Other bans, such as receiving a teaching credential and voting will also happen. > [@Surprises coming for voters for the Leopards-Eating-Faces Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/3985): > > It does so amuse me that there are Protestant Christians, Catholic Christians, and Orthodox Christians that all want Christian Nationalists to take over the country . . . while denying that the other groups are True™ Christians. Let’s not forget that for many (if not most) evangelical sects, at least the Catholics and Orthodox also are not Christians. > [@Surprises coming for voters for the Leopards-Eating-Faces Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/3986): > > It does seem odd and, well, _insulting_ to say that a group that calls itself “The Church of **Jesus Christ** of Latter Day Saints,” isn’t Christian? 🤔 Yep. And the spelling of my outfit’s name includes a hyphen: _The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints_. Apparently there are some other groups who use the spelling without the hyphen. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/23 "2025-07-28T03:45:07Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Yep. And the spelling of my outfit’s name includes a hyphen: _The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints_. Apparently there are some other groups who use the spelling without the hyphen. Heretics! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/24 "2025-07-28T03:49:42Z")
😂 🤣 🔥 ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/25 "2025-07-28T04:10:01Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > If the candidates discussed in that link get their way, then LDS people will automatically be ineligible for any public office. Other bans, such as receiving a teaching credential and voting will also happen. Thank you - I did read the article, but must have somehow missed that „religious tests for public office“ means ineligibility for LDS. As apparently did all the LDS Republican voters. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/26 "2025-07-28T04:27:12Z")
Right. (No pun intended.) And what peeved me the most was that during the felon’s run-up the first time, so many LDS were still supporting him even after he stated he would ban all the mebers of one religion from entering the United States. The [Extermination Order](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Executive_Order_44) is a _big_ thing in LDS lore. For them to support the felon after _his_ ban is the height of hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/27 "2025-07-28T07:02:47Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Even folks from religions that were persecuted in the colonies before freedom of religion think that this time it will be different. Sigh. IIRC one of the inspirations for the First Amendment was Madison seeing Quakers being jailed for preaching their beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/28 "2025-07-28T09:09:54Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Quite a few of them are rational enough to realize that if the government is enforcing religion on people, it won’t be _their_ religion and so they act accordingly. And there’s also the factor that, whichever sect does come out on top immediately makes them a target for everyone else. Currently, I really don’t care what your religion tells you to do, so long as it’s not actually illegal, because I’m allowed to just ignore it. But if your religion becomes the de facto law of the land? At that point, I care very much about what stupid things you believe, because now it affects me. So I’ll do whatever I have to to change your religion, to protect myself from its worst effects, and I won’t care a whit why any “original” members of that sect think about it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/29 "2025-07-28T22:19:24Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Feel free to read further in the article. It’s a real eye opener. And just so’s you know, [the republican candidate carried Idaho in the last presidential election with 67% of the vote.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election_in_Idaho) > > I’ve also mentioned on the board before the Christian agenda types my fellow LDS are prone to elect _do not consider us to be Christians_. So, hey, if you’re going to walk right into the leopards’ face buffet, why not bring the plates and flatware yourself? I’m really appalled and sorry to read this. Idaho is part of that North-South swath running from Alberta through Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and turning into Southern California that has a sizeable LDS population. I can almost see some other state trying to turn officially “Christian”, but – Idaho? If this gets any traction it’ll be devastating. I hope the people of Idaho resist this with all their might, especially the LDS. I also wanted to remark on what I quoted. When I lived out in Salt Lake City I found myself elected co-chairman of the Education Committee in a Catholic organization (don’t ask). To my complete and utter surprise a lot of Christian groups, including the Catholics, didn’t consider Mormons to be _Christian_. It made little sense to me, but apparently the LDS acceptance of the Book of Mormon, the D&C, and other writings as divinely inspired is held to set them apart from mainstream Christianity. I didn’t get the impression that they meant this in any mean way, but as a classification. Nevertheless it _feels_ mean-spirited, considering how people use the word “Christian”. And it certainly feels as if this Idaho proposal isn’t at all benign. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/30 "2025-07-28T22:31:16Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > And it certainly feels as if this Idaho proposal isn’t at all benign. Speaking as a Jew, I’m certain it’s not benign. And i hope the LDS Church realizes that and fights it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/31 "2025-07-28T22:50:26Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I can almost see some other state trying to turn officially “Christian”, but – Idaho? If this gets any traction it’ll be devastating. I hope the people of Idaho resist this with all their might, especially the LDS. Yes, yes it will be devastating, especially if the precedent holds. If it does this _will_ spread to other states. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > To my complete and utter surprise a lot of Christian groups, including the Catholics, didn’t consider Mormons to be _Christian_. It made little sense to me, but apparently the LDS acceptance of the Book of Mormon, the D&C, and other writings as divinely inspired is held to set them apart from mainstream Christianity. Religion isn’t founded on logic or reason so it doesn’t have to make sense. Although if you really study and compare the various sects you can start to understand why, with a narrow definition of Christianity, they view other nominally Christian groups as non-Christian. Don’t mean it in a “mean” way? The hardline Protestants view Mormons as _heretics._ At least some of them very much do mean it in a “mean” way. It’s putting a label on (or peeling one off) a different group. It’s exclusionary. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > And it certainly feels as if this Idaho proposal isn’t at all benign. It’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/32 "2025-07-28T23:00:11Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > And it certainly feels as if this Idaho proposal isn’t at all benign. How could it be benign? It’s declaring that some people _belong_ more than others do. The only thing remotely surprising is where the line is being drawn - and it will be drawn more narrowly with time, I’m sure ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/33 "2025-07-28T23:10:22Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Don’t mean it in a “mean” way? The hardline Protestants view Mormons as _heretics._ At least some of them very much do mean it in a “mean” way. It’s putting a label on (or peeling one off) a different group. It’s exclusionary. Well, sure, but they’re doing it to save their souls. Isn’t that how religion works? Any manner of cruelty is justified if it is calculated to show people the error of their ways so that they may come around an accept Christ and, through his grace, the gift of everlasting life? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/34 "2025-07-28T23:10:37Z")
I’m not at all surprised at where these lines are being drawn. But then, I got curious about Mormonism in my teens, just as I became curious about all religions in my teens. There’s no way hard-line Protestant sects would ever consider Mormons to be Christians just based on the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, and/or Pearl of Great Price. That’s even before you get into their non-public aspects, which, out of deference to our Mormon members, I’m not going to detail here. If you’re curious go to YouTube and look up the information there, with the usual caveat to vet your sources. From my viewpoint - if Mormons want to call themselves Christians it’s no skin off my nose. I don’t have a dog in that race. A bunch of self-righteous Protestants declaring who is and isn’t Christian are the asshats here, some of which have an excuse for why everyone other than their crappy little “church” which is a rented storefront in a dying strip mall are heathens and heretics and going to burn forever in hell. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/35 "2025-07-28T23:16:03Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > Well, sure, but they’re doing it to save their souls. Isn’t that how religion works? Only proselytizing monotheistic “Abrahamic” religions. Certainly _Judaism_ - you know, the part of “Judeo-Christian” that’s usually forgotten - isn’t like that. Judaism is for the Jews, they _don’t care_ what non-Jews are doing as long as it doesn’t involve harming or killing Jews. No, MOST religions haven’t and don’t operate that way. If that seems the norm to you it’s probably because you were raised in a society either predominantly Christian or Muslim. > [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > Any manner of cruelty is justified if it is calculated to show people the error of their ways so that they may come around an accept Christ and, through his grace, the gift of everlasting life? Yeah, like that’s ever worked. 🙄 The Spanish tried that with the Jews but were so unconvinced of the effectiveness they came up with the Inquisition. In the new world they were absolutely brutal to the Africans they kidnapped and tried to force them to be Catholic but the slaves kept worshiping their gods in secret and that’s how we got Voudoun and Santeria. Naw, there’s just some people who use religion as an excuse to be sadistic and cruel. If it wasn’t religion they’d use some other excuse to torture and kill people. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/36 "2025-07-28T23:27:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’m really appalled and sorry to read this. Idaho is part of that North-South swath running from Alberta through Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and turning into Southern California that has a sizeable LDS population. I can almost see some other state trying to turn officially “Christian”, but – Idaho? If this gets any traction it’ll be devastating. I hope the people of Idaho resist this with all their might, especially the LDS. The LDS voters there won’t oppose it. That’s because their mantra is _But we’re Christians too so it’ll be okay_. As I said, it won’t be okay, _because the bigots in charge don’t consider us to be Christians_. p.s. That swathe you refer to is the [Mormon Corridor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_corridor), aka aka Book of Mormon Belt aka Jell-O Belt. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/37 "2025-07-29T01:08:52Z")
> [@Surprises coming for voters for the Leopards-Eating-Faces Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/4019): > > Except maybe if your a satanist or something of that stripe. Hey, what do you have against Satanists? (Mostly kidding) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/38 "2025-07-29T02:16:39Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > The LDS voters there won’t oppose it. That’s because their mantra is _But we’re Christians too so it’ll be okay_. As I said, it won’t be okay, _because the bigots in charge don’t consider us to be Christians_. Silly fools. The “you’re not Christians” thing is what got the Mormons run out of several states, to eventually land in Utah, back in the 19th Century. 🙄 Well, that and the polygamy thing. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/39 "2025-07-29T02:56:19Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I can almost see some other state trying to turn officially “Christian”, but – Idaho? I can’t help but get the impression that many of the proponents are using the word “Christian” not to mean following the Gospel of Jesus Christ but as code for White Nationalist. Of which unfortunately many members of _both_ nontraditional and mainstream denominations are susceptible to the siren song. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473/40 "2025-07-29T03:01:50Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > I can’t help but get the impression that the proponents are using the word “Christian” not to mean following the Gospel of Jesus Christ but as code for White Nationalist. Almost certainly; right wing Christianity in the US has a long history of being an extension of white nationalism, dating back to before the Civil War when it meant support for slavery. Although it’d be them genuinely regarding the two as identical at least as much as it’s a code. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-nationalism-mormonism-and-a-new-law-in-idaho/1021473.md?page=3)