Harry Reid has accused Mitt Romney of distorting the LDS view on welfare and assistance to the poor. I believe that Mr. Reid and others who support this accusation, for political gain, are the ones who are wrong. Here is why.
First off, the LDS Church is politically neutral. The use of LDS church doctrine for political gain by a Latter-day Saint such as Harry Reid is unethical. Anyone who claims or implies that their views are supported by LDS church doctrine or belief for political gain are wrong to do so, even if their views are correct. Harry Reid is not the only one guilty of such an offense. Spend an election season here in Utah and you will see what I mean.
Second, the LDS Church does indeed encourage it's members to assist the poor. In fact, it is considered a commandment. However, the church does not say anything for or against collecting and taxes for this purpose. The Church does not say HOW we should render our assistance to the needy. Members are encouraged to fast once a month and donate the money that would have been spent on food for assistance to the church administered by the local Bishop. Tithing that is collected from the church is used for the purposes of administering the mission of the church. That is the minimum that is expected of those who only have enough to take care of themselves. Everyone else in strongly encouraged to give much more, but it is left to them to determine how and to whom to give. The thing that should be remembered is that taxes can be used for any purpose once it is in the hands of the government. The Book of Mormon definitely decries outrageously high taxes, but does commend assistance to the needy.
When considering this point, one should also remember the advice given in the Doctrine and Covenants, "It is not meet that I should command in all things." Meaning that the greater blessings from giving go to those who choose to give out of their own free will and choice and are not compelled by the church or government to do so give.
Third, the LDS Church puts a high importance on self-reliance and emphasizes to the poor and needy that any assistance from any source should be temporary. They encourage people to save money and store food so that when a financial difficulty arises, that people have the resources to endure the trial without going to anyone for assistance. An LDS Bishop can refuse to provide assistance from the church to anyone he feels is abusing the system or not doing enough to help himself.
Fourth, the LDS Church states the first source that anyone should go to if they need assistance is their extended family. That church and government resources should be used after family resources have been exhausted. Church bishops have encouraged people to seek help from government resources when it is available.
Fifth, the LDS Church strongly encourages welfare recipients to work for the assistance that they receive. When God kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, he told them, "by the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." (Genesis 3:19) This is still true today, the Lord expects each adult individual to pay their own way first, then to give any excess that they have to the poor.
Sixth, we should not expect that people should become themselves poor by giving to the poor. Mormon Apostle Neal A. Maxwell once said, "A good gift should not impoverish the giver."
Seventh, it is never right to question the giving of everyone else. Bishops are not instructed to pry how people pay their tithing, only to ask whether or not they pay it. Good Latter-Day Saints should never question the giving of another. Jesus said, "do not let the left hand know what the right hand doeth."
I will leave to the reader to determine whose views are closer to LDS doctrine and teachings. Chances are that neither Mitt Romney's view nor Harry Reid's view are an exact match of LDS Church doctrine on welfare assistance. But one thing is for certain, the status quo is unsustainable and if living beyond one's means is bad for the individual, it is bad for the government too. Harry Reid is wrong for saying that Mitt Romney's views are not the face of Mormonism, even if Harry is correct and Mitt is wrong.
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