What does your organization do?
MESJ is an organization of Latter-day Saint individuals who, in response to the First Presidency’s call to become more involved in our communities, are working for greater equality, justice, peace, and stewardship in society. We attend rallies and marches, take positions on current issues, and raise awareness about LDS teachings that speak to problems like poverty, racism, gender inequity, exploitation of workers, and abuse of the environment. (Visit our news archive to read about past MESJ activities.)

So you take the LDS Church to task for not being more involved in these issues?
MESJ does not presume to tell anyone what their political commitments ought to be, and we certainly do not attempt to dictate to the Church what positions or actions it ought to take as an institution regarding social or public policy issues. When we speak out on the issues that are important to us, we do so as individuals who seek to apply in society, according to our best lights, principles and teachings conveyed to us through the restored gospel. MESJ does not take positions on political or social issues that contradict official positions of the LDS Church.

Do you push for women to receive the priesthood or for the Church to accept homosexuality?
Those kinds of debates over Church doctrine or practice have nothing to do with MESJ’s mission. We are concerned about promoting equality and justice in society.

What is MESJ's position on __________?
MESJ's positions on current political and social issues are expressed in our resolutions. Resolutions are adopted by consensus of the membership at periodic MESJ conferences. MESJ resolutions represent our efforts to understand political and social questions of the day in light of gospel principles.

Does the Church approve of your organization?
MESJ is an independent organization, created in the spirit of being “anxiously engaged…of [our] own free will” (D&C 58:27). We neither seek nor expect Church endorsement, though we are guided in our activism by LDS scripture and the teachings of Church leaders.

Do you speak for the Church?
We speak as Latter-day Saint individuals motivated by our faith; MESJ certainly does not presume to speak for the Church as an institution. At the same time, MESJ does not adopt positions on social or political issues that contradict official positions of the Church.

Why don’t you just work through the Church’s lobbyists, or wait for Church leaders to tell the Saints which causes to support and how to get involved?
Citing the scripture which urges us to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will” (D&C 58:27), the First Presidency has called the Saints to take individual initiative in becoming “full participants in political, governmental, and community affairs” (First Presidency letter, 15 Jan. 1998, in “News of the Church,” Ensign [Apr. 1998]: 77). As Latter-day Saints, we have also been taught that “we need not wait for a call or an assignment from a Church leader before we become involved in activities that are best carried out on a community or individual basis” (Glenn L. Pace, “A Thousand Times,” Ensign [Nov. 1990]: 8).