Re: "Agenda" and persecution of Mormons

[Robert Justin Lipkin]

In a message dated 7/16/2003 11:56:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

The LDS Church might believe in both 1] polygamy and 2] subordination to
legitimate civil authority as religious requirements. Then if these came
into conflict, some resolution would have to be reached, and it might give
precedence to subordination

       If Tom's characterization is correct, the distinction between retaining religious beliefs and accommodating American law vanishes as a contrast between religion and secularity. Instead, this conflict is a religious conflict which must be settled internally to the religion. If the LDS Church changes from (1) to (2), its view remains the same only in the sense that either view (in conjunction with the canonical method for ranking them) is religiously sanctioned. There is nonetheless a change in the prohibitions members of the Church are obligated to follow. 

Bobby Lipkin
Widener University School of Law
Delaware