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Topics: Mormon Report / Mormons We Know

Is Huntsman distancing himself from LDS faith?

May 10, 2011

source: Salt Lake Tribune

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Photo from Salt Lake Tribune.

A week back in the United States, former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman Jr. on Sunday didn’t head to one of the six Mormon churches in the Charleston, S.C., area where he was visiting potential supporters and donors while deciding whether to launch a presidential bid.

Instead, Huntsman headed to a nondenominational mega-church called Seacoast with a rising star congressman, Rep. Tim Scott, who could be a key supporter in this early primary state.

The move, on top of comments Huntsman made last year about not being overly religious, raises questions about whether Huntsman, a former Utah governor, is distancing himself from his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as he considers a potential White House bid.

Read the rest of this story at sltrib.com

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Tags: Politics, Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman Jr.

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Comments 21 comments

lds4edjr said...

09:08 AM
on May 11, 2011

When one enters into the waters of baptism he enters a pathway away from the world (Babylon) and towards purification and sanctification. There is no place for one foot in Babylon and another foot in heaven. I am confident until a Bishop with the mantle of authority decides differently that Jon is a brother in the faith.

sosbourne said...

09:16 AM
on May 11, 2011

Being a convert of the Church, I find this article offensive. Is it our duty to stir the waters of discontent? I think not.

lds4edjr said...

09:28 AM
on May 11, 2011

It is also gossip pure and unadulterated. I am sure Brother H will respond at some point.

pauld said...

09:39 AM
on May 11, 2011

Ya, We all know that this newspaper is a anti-lds paper. They push the pro-homosexual agenda also.

john_k said...

09:41 AM
on May 11, 2011

In the LDS Church, Bishops don't try their members for inactivity.

anakautoga said...

09:42 AM
on May 11, 2011

The Church does not like to affiliate itself with politicians or politics in general, unless the issue is doctrinal (ie marriage related). I'm sure Bro. Huntsman was respecting the church's policy. I'm surprised to see this re-published in an LDS magazine. Surely there's a better way to gain readers.

lds4edjr said...

11:26 AM
on May 11, 2011

I didn't mean to say the a bishop would talk to a member about activity or political bent. The article reads that H is "distancing himself from the church." That can be read as more than inactivity. Anyway, it is none of my beezwax. Render unto Caesar...

lbug said...

02:21 PM
on May 11, 2011

Nobody knows where someone's faith is except for that person and God. Going to another church for service does not mean that someone is losing their faith. My family goes to other churches to show our understanding and support to our neighbors and their faith. My family is very strong in our faith, but it gives us a better understanding. Perhaps this is what he is trying to do since as the President he would have to represent everyone, not just those of the LDS faith. I applaud him for trying to have an open mind. If someone has a strong testimony, being exposed to different beliefs will only strength it.

syomara said...

02:53 PM
on May 11, 2011

I sure hope that he distances himself from the LDS Church. I don't expect nor want him to deny his church BUT the Church has been interfering in the Utah legislature too openly and aggresively (see HB 116). I do not want a president that will operate like the Republican-LDS legislators here in Utah, when they approved HB 116. They were not able to remember the separation of Church and State, consequently, they lost my vote. I have registered as an idependent. I hope Huntsman becomes free from the LDS church influence! otherwise, he will not get my vote.

rbrown said...

10:08 PM
on May 11, 2011

Is this the same Jon Huntsman that is the former member of the globalist Council on Foreign Relations?

gratefulmouse said...

11:14 PM
on May 11, 2011

I hope brother H would not ignore this comment. if he is attempting to bid for the presidency ..he needs to attend to all falsehoods no matter what...never think it will go away...because it can always come back to haunt you...

gumballfan said...

04:21 AM
on May 12, 2011

Wow. You guys are drinkin' the Kool Aid. This man clearly is using the LDS Church where it is useful to him. How many "active" LDS do you know who regularly attend other churches more than their own? A daughter purposely raised outside the faith? Another married in the Episcopalian Church? Oh, and he's for same sex "unions?" Your beloved ex-governor is privately if not publicly heading for ex-Mormon - after all, we wouldn't want to "cling" to our religion, would we?

bluegoby said...

01:03 PM
on May 12, 2011

Who cares his chances of being president are as good as the gold plates showing up. Why I read this stuff sometimes I dont know. It baffles me how we LDS people are so caught up in what people do and are judgmental of just about everything. Step it up people!!!

wmguymon said...

08:45 PM
on May 15, 2011

To deny your faith for any reason, public or private, is something that the Savior of the world warned against doing.

fraudavenger said...

03:54 PM
on Jun 09, 2011

The phrase "separation of church and state" is the source of so much confusion! The Constitution prohibits a state-run religion, but is predicated on the idea that our freedom and basic human rights are God-given. There is nothing wrong with making political judgments about LDS politicians based on their fidelity to LDS religious beliefs; but unless we are the person's Bishop, the determination of whether or not that person has "distanced himself from the faith," is not ours to make. That is a religious issue, not a political one. Many in the media, however, like to blur that distinction because it creates controversy and "sells."

crafty said...

10:49 AM
on Jun 13, 2011

Huntsman didn't go to a local LDS ward on a Sunday in South Carolina? I was in his ward the two times he served in government in Washington, DC, and he didn't ever attent there either. He was toatally inactive and wouldn't accept home teachers. Not attending a ward on Sunday is nothing new for him.

govtrumbull said...

01:53 AM
on Jun 15, 2011

It seems as though John Huntsman didn't learn very much from his parents. Politically he is a progressive. In regards to religion he isn't anything. John Huntsman is one of those dangerous members of the Church who has turned away from the "Iron Rod." He took the wrong fork in the road. A bad Latter-day Saint is more dangerous to liberty and freedom than any other bad politician. The person above whose screen name is "fraudavenger" is incorect. What politicians do in the name of politics affects everyone. Many of the laws that have been written adversely affect our agency and specific inherent God-given rights "endowed by the Creator." If a Latter-day Saint does what is "politically expedient," he is serving himself and tyranny, not his country or his fellow man and isn't service one of the most important principles of the Gospel? It seems to me that it is.

howardlemmon said...

04:38 PM
on Jul 10, 2011

I will not comment on here-say, but if it is true that he is raising his daughter as a Hindu as the report has stated, then he cannot be a devout Latter Day Saint. Eternal Families are the most central part of this Gospel and he apparently does not get it. If he truly loves his children, why wouldn't he want them with him forever? His actions are stupendously duplicitous. Am I looking at a man whose worldly ambition is so great he is willing to throw away the most precious things to get it? Wow.

wonder_woman said...

05:02 AM
on Jan 12, 2012

... and you guys above are really mormons? it's his business if he goes to church between him and god. I see people go everyday to sunday but act like total fools on every other day, and if his distancing himself from the church i think it's good for us. Simply because if he does some errors it won't be blamed on our religion... I would do the same, so my actions wouldn't hurt the church if i did something wrong. Why? because i love our religion and would want it to put it in a bad spotlight! On the other side we have Mitt who is a bit of a mess... I saw an interview when they tried to ask him about the firing of people and he didn't want to comment, then they asked a friend of him and if that whole thing is in connection with the gospel, and that fool said "Yes."... that has to be a joke, i felt ashamed.

wonder_woman said...

05:30 AM
on Jan 12, 2012

* I see people go every Sunday to church but act like total fools on every other day.

astromom said...

05:01 PM
on Feb 09, 2012

I think that people get worked up because if you are LDS, most others out in the world who aren't are looking for what you are doing wrong. LDS members are all examples of the church whether we like it or not. Let us not get so worked up about others lives, we need to focus on our own failures and accomplishments, maybe then we can influence others by example. Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again

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