Latter-day Saint Leaders Ask Idaho Members to Oppose Abortion Ballot Measure
Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints's United States Central Area Presidency sent a letter to Idaho congregations announcing the church's opposition to Proposition 1, a November 3 ballot initiative that would amend Idaho law to establish a state right to abortion. The letter, signed by Elders Jose A. Teixeira, Ricardo P. Gimenez, Karl Hirst, and James Fantone, was scheduled to be read aloud in Idaho congregations on September 20 and 27. It asks members to voice their opposition to the initiative in a respectful manner consistent with what it calls prophetic direction to demonstrate Christlike love and civility in political discourse.
The church joins Idaho's Catholic bishops, including Boise Bishop Peter F. Christensen, who sent his own opposition letter in July and organized pro-life Masses and days of prayer and fasting; Christensen has said the measure would legalize abortion into the third trimester. Idaho voters will decide Proposition 1 on November 3.
