Americans views of Mormons Gallup poll

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Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Mormons are conservative therefore Benson did it. Sound reasoning counslor. It's really sad how little Mormon liberals who purvey this nonsense know themselves or their own people and their philosophical roots. I guess this type of pretzel logic is necessary when you belong to a community of poeple whom you find mostly so awful. Nobody except Mormon liberals and grapevine types really cares or even remembers what Benson said over the pulpit anymore. Mormon liberals think they're so much smarter than everyone else but don't give the rank and file nearly enough credit.

An interesting question:

Did Benson create more LDS conservatives by virtue of his vocal position on many issues, or did he act as a magnet for sentiments already coalescing within the culture?

By the time he became president, I doubt he had any effect, as towards the end, he was a figure head for GBH. Even late as President of the Twelve, he had significantly mollified his political discussions. I wish he had never been so political, because he was drawn to the whackiest of positions, adding legitimacy to them for many LDS. How was the Civil Rights movement linked to communism?

I imagine the LDS culture would not have been so behind the times though if several of its prominent leaders had not been so radical in their viewpoints. Leaders do not spring up in a vacuum, but rather act as voices already whispering within the community. The federal oppression of the Church created an atmosphere where ETB's radical Bircher positions could live.

In my view, ETB was both an echo of what already existed within the LDS community, yet a legitimizing for others who may have been on the fence or undecided.