ARTICLES

Are Mormons Pro-Life?

DEPENDS WHO YOU TALK TO

Mormons, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, have a reputation for strong families and a clean image that rivals any religion. Most Mormons can be counted on to oppose abortion. But this is a position that their church seems to be loosening.

In Gospel Principles, a type of catechism, Mormons are told that "There is no excuse for abortion unless the life of the mother is seriously threatened."

That is -- they were so instructed until 1991 when the book was revised to: "There is seldom any excuse for abortion. The only exceptions are when (1) pregnancy has resulted from incest or rape; (2) the life or health of the woman is in jeopardy in the opinion of competent medical authority; or (3) the fetus is known, by competent medical authority, to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth."

Deseret Book, San Diego's official Mormon bookstore, sits in the enclosed section of La Jolla Village Square, across the highway from the prominent Mormon Temple and up the escalator from the AMC 12 theaters. Its tidiness and soft music is similar to any Christian bookstore's, until you notice the paintings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young that grace the covers of its books. Deseret carries two editions of Gospel Principles: One from 1979 and a larger edition from 1994. Employee Sandy Nelson, a Mormon, says that the older edition is used by missionaries while the new edition is for churches and families. When shown the older statement on abortion, Nelson agreed that this was the official Mormon position. However, when she read the revised statement, her easy tone changed to defensive, "Well ... uh, I think you'll see the change isn't all that dramatic. The later citation [further] explains when the life of the mother is threatened." Nelson said that the source for this statement came from The General Handbook of Instruction [30943], but was unable to produce a copy of the book. She said that this book was distributed, "Only to ecclesiastical authorities." She suggested speaking to someone at LDS Social Services.

LDS Social Services is located on the third floor of a plate-glass office complex on Ruffin Road in Kearny Mesa. In its office lobby sits a secretary behind a glass window and a door that leads to the inner workings. After about five minutes of searching for a counselor to speak with, the secretary said that they do not grant personal interviews and offered a toll-free number for LDS Public Affairs in Salt Lake City.

From his Salt Lake City office, spokesman Dale Bills sounded unsure about the discrepancy in the two statements on abortion. "It's very difficult to elaborate on why it was changed. The 1991 position is the consistent position we have ... by and large."

Bills was more ambiguous when presented with the scenario of a mother depressed about her pregnancy and the possibility of suicide as a threat to the health of the mother: "Individuals would have to consult together ... husbands, wives, physicians. We don't want to get into hypothetical statements." Could this mean that Mormons are now pro-choice? Bills would only say that, "It is the woman's decision to make ... in those circumstances."

One of San Diego's most visible Mormon leaders is Bishop Clyde Romney. As bishop for the Singles Adult Ward in Escondido, Romney's name is familiar in the media for speaking out on moral issues -- unless that issue is abortion. Romney insisted, "I'm not authorized to speak on behalf of the church. I'm a local bishop and I haven't dealt with that issue at all. I would be uncomfortable doing that ... but I could give you the number of someone in public affairs."

The Mormon church's most recognizable defenders have to be its missionaries. Usually two young men on bicycles, wearing white shirts and ties, they spend two years of unpaid service away from home to become elders in their church. Elder Wing, 20, and Elder Bailey, 21 spend their days proseletyzing an area from Needles to the Mexican border. It is church policy (they claim) not to divulge their first names. Wing, a Florida resident, tall, lanky and blonde, and Bailey, stouter, with crew cut and slight Australian accent, speak with the conviction and courtesy Mormon missionaries are known for.

Elder Wing wasted no time in defending his church's latest position on abortion: "We don't believe in it [abortion]. That second statement is an addition." Wing added, "Depression and anxiety are not reasons. There must be actual proof that she is going to die."

As missionaries, Bailey and Wing don't find many potential converts whose objections to Mormonism are rooted in its abortion position. Bailey said, "The rejections are usually on the Book of Mormon and other things." Among those "other things" are the 13 Articles of Faith. The Articles are a type of Mormon creed, that outlines the basic beliefs of the Mormon Church.

Bailey and Wing offered the Articles for perusal, but neither could produce a copy of Gospel Principles , although they were both familiar with it and the General Handbook of Instruction .

So who are the ecclesiastical authorities with access to the handbook? According to Bailey, "Ward Bishops and Stake Presidents." (Each individual congregation is termed a Ward. Four to five wards make up a Stake. An area comprises multiple stakes.) Wing added, "It only pertains to what they need. If a wife is thinking of abortion..." Bailey cut in, "It [the handbook] can be revised. If there is a new revelation or a new problem turns up."

Revelation is another unique Mormon belief. According to Wing, the church president, or prophet (currently Gordon Hinckley) can proclaim new revelations at will, even revelations that contradict previous revelations.

Mormons also are known for their genealogical research, so they can baptize their dead ancestors. Wing said this practice is not used for aborted babies, since it is not necessary: "A child needs to come to the age of accountability before baptism -- to distinguish between good and evil. That's usually around the age of eight, so there's no need for baptism of the aborted."

Bailey and Wing (like most of the Mormons in this story) were quick to assert that they were not spokesmen for the Mormon church. They suggested speaking with the Mission President for the church's official position.

The Mormon Battalion Memorial and Visitors Center is located on Juan Street in Old Town just below the victorian buildings of Heritage Park. The center shows a free 25-minute videotape to visitors about the history of the Mormon Battalion which helped settle San Diego at the time of the U.S. war with Mexico. When you enter the lobby, you are dwarfed by a 10-foot bronze statue of a Mormon soldier. Men in dark grey suits and women in modest-looking dresses greet you.

One of these men, Elder Keith Myers, seemed sure of his church's position on abortion: "We're very much opposed to abortion.

"There are no exceptions where abortion is concerned, because they [the children] could be adopted. Life is sacred; we're all here for a purpose." When shown the revised position on abortion, Myers looked stunned. "I can't imagine that being in the book."

Myers took a copy of the two statements into the office of the center's director, Elder Simmons. Simmons forced a smile after reading the two statements and replied in an "aw shucks" tone, "I don't remember that third part. To be honest, I'm just a little ol' director...you should, uh, talk to our area public affairs director."

The Mormon Temple's twin white neo-gothic spires in the University City/La Jolla area are the most visible emblem of the Mormon presence in San Diego. Towering over Interstate 5, the temple is a special place for Mormons. Baptisms (for the living and dead) and marriages are performed within its secret walls. In its parking lot, Mormons emerge from their cars carrying suitcases and garment bags that hold the white garments required for ceremonies within the temple. Near each entry door, a husband and wife missionary team sit in folding chairs beneath a shady tree, separated only by a few yards of immaculate garden.

Elder Dean Houser, like the younger missionaries, wears a white shirt and dark tie beneath his suspenders. Looking older than his 57 years, Houser and his wife, Bonnie, 67, after his heart attack decided to sell their home in Santa Cruz and volunteer for a mission. When their mission is over next year, they plan to move to his home town of Boise, Idaho.

Houser did not seem disturbed by the revision in Gospel Principles : "The prophet [President Hinckley] decided to change it." Houser insisted that he and all Mormons are strongly pro-life. "The minute that that embryo is there, there's life there. Who's to judge that that life should be taken?"

Houser appears to be a man who lives what he believes -- he has 22 grandchildren. "Actually, 21 who are living -- one is an angel in heaven" (Mormons don't discriminate between angels and the souls of humans). "It was Christmas day, and we were at the hospital.

They took him off the life support and put him in his mother's arms, and he died. And you know what my daughter said to me? 'Dad I couldn't ask for a better Christmas present than to have an angel in heaven for me.'"

Dean's wife, Bonnie, did not seem concerned about the revised position either -- in fact, she dismissed it as insignificant. "It's taking a viable life. It's ... you know, we believe that we were spirit-children before we came to earth. The spirits have come here to take a body, and we have no right to take that agency away from them. I think if it threatens the mother's life, we would not say don't abort. That would probably be the only reason -- if you had to save a life -- you know."

Bonnie was more interested in winning converts. "You know those T.V. ads that talk all about family and tell you to call the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for more information? Well, we get about 4,000 calls a day from those ads [nationwide] and about half of them want more information."

If it's family values that attract new converts to the Mormon Church, how many of these converts know that the Mormon church has allowed instances to excuse abortion? Since the prophet of the church can proclaim a new revelation, it is not impossible that the position may soften further in the future.