Globalization and the Church

One cannot debate that we live in a globalized world.  Globalization, which can be defined as the spread of political, economic, and cultural dynamics beyond the borders of any one particular country, is largely responsible for this (Samuels, 2013).  There are many arguments for and against globalization.  Some say that it sends jobs overseas and weakens the economy.  Others argue that a larger economy produces more and increase the standard of living. This leads members of the LDS faith to ask, how does globalization affect the LDS church?  We will use recent events and accomplishments in missionary work as well as quotes from scriptures and modern-day prophets to show that globalization has both negative and positive effects on the Church and that overall it provides a net benefit to it.

            One positive effect on the Church as a result of globalization is the efficiency of missionary work.  In other dispensations, the Gospel was limited to just the surrounding regions of the prophets at the time.  Yet, as transportation has become faster and easier, the Gospel has been brought to nearly all the world.  This has allowed the Church to go from having just one foreign mission in 1837 to having many in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Central and South America (“Missions”).   Currently, there are 100 foreign language options in which one can view the Church website (“Select a Language”).  Furthermore, the internet allows the Gospel to become globalized as people from all over the world can learn about it. All of these factors result in more converts and members of the Church, in large part due to globalization.  In this way the Church has benefited immensely from globalization. 

            Despite these gains from cultural and economic globalization, the Church can suffer as a result of political globalization, which can erode some of the very principles the Church believes in and advocates – that of freedom and individual liberty.  This can happen as unelected governing bodies such as the United Nations introduce treaties and laws that affect the United States, such as the Arms Trade Treaty, which, if passed, would regulate the trade of small arms that enter the U.S. (“UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty”).  Laws such as this can weaken the political sovereignty of the United States and is in direct violation of the Second Amendment of the Constitution.  Regarding the Constitution, Joseph Smith said, “Come, all ye lovers of liberty, break the oppressor’s rod…and bring to condign punishment all those who trample underfoot the glorious Constitution and the people’s rights” (“Joseph Smith Quotes on Freedom”).  Furthermore, an unelected global organization such as the U.N. may have even been mentioned by Moroni in the Book of Ether of the Book of Mormon, in which he describes a secret combination in our day that “seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries…” (“Ether 8”).  Therefore, political globalization can weaken a nation’s sovereignty and freedom, both of which are principles that the LDS Church advocates and believes in.

            Thus, while globalization has had very positive effects for the Church due to the greater efficiency of missionary work and the ability to disseminate knowledge of the Gospel all over the world, it can also be a threat to individual liberty, which is contrary to the Gospel.  However, many of these threats to freedom are not in the near future, while the advances in missionary work are increasing every day.  Therefore, while political globalization can harm certain principles the Church believes in, cultural and economic globalization have been extremely positive for the Church, thus creating a net gain from globalization.      

Works Cited

"Ether 8  ." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.             <http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/8?lang=eng>.

"Joseph Smith Quotes on Freedom, America, Constitution, Liberty, Etc.” Latter-day         Conservative. N.p., n.d.             Web. 4 Dec. 2012.      <http://www.latterdayconservative.com/quotes/joseph-smith/>.

"Missions." Encyclopedia of Mormonism. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.             <http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Missions>.

Samuels, David. Comparative politics. New York: Pearson Education, 2013. Print.

"Select a Language." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec.       2012. <http://www.lds.org/languages?lang=eng>.

"UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty." United Nations. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.             <http://www.un.org/disarmament/ATT/>.