LDS Church gains foothold in country on US ‘watch list’; ‘Mormon’ T-shirt features baseball blooper

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The Progress of the Church in the Caucasus Country

The Church has gained the favor of a country whose government is accused of evil actions.

The nation spans Europe and Asia, bounded by the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains. A former Soviet republic, it is home to more than 10 million people, the vast majority of whom are Muslims. Its largest city, Baku, is also its capital.

From this short description, did you recognize that it is Azerbaijan?

Well, the country has now recognized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Utah-based faith has completed the registration process, according to a press release, which allows it to operate “in the Baku region.”

As noted in the release, Church leaders have maintained relations with Azerbaijani authorities and religious leaders for almost a decade, culminating in a meeting between Apostle David Bednar and the country’s president, Ilham Aliyev, last spring.

A year earlier, church President Russell Nelson and his advisers in the ruling First Presidency welcomed Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, described as “one of the most prominent religious leaders in the Caucasus,” and Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the U.S., to Salt Lake City. The church said the parties discussed “religious freedom, peace and cooperation.”

The church, whose members meet regularly in Baku, provided aid, wheelchairs, clean water and other items for more than 70 humanitarian projects in Azerbaijan, the statement said.

At the same time, President Aliyev and his government have faced global criticism for launching a bloody offensive in the hotly contested Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023, forcing 100,000 Armenians to flee.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has added Azerbaijan to its Special Watch List for “committing or tolerating serious violations of religious freedom.” And Human Rights Watch said the government “seriously restricts freedom of expression, assembly, and association.”

Participating in the global forum for intercultural dialogue held in the Azerbaijani capital in May, Bednar, drawing on his travels around the world as an apostle, said that the common humanity of people can help the world overcome these all-too-common conflicts.

“The similarities I have observed among people of different backgrounds, faith traditions and cultures are truly remarkable,” he said. “Our similarities should be stronger than our differences.”

Latest Mormon Land Podcast: Changes for LDS Singles

A young adult and a former YSA bishop discuss recent changes to age groups for single members of the Latter-day Saint Church and the challenges these members face.

Listen to the podcast.

Baseball mishap

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Monday night victory over the Washington Nationals featured 17 runs, 29 hits and one HUGE mistake — in the announce booth.

As reported by the New York Post, D-Backs commentator Steve Berthiaume botched a shot of cheering fans.

“I found my new favorite T-shirt,” he said. “The guy on the right (misreading the writing on the T-shirt). ‘I can’t. I’m an idiot.’”

Oops. The shirt, as you probably guessed, said, “I can’t. I’m a Mormon.”

ADA in church

Friday was National Disability Independence Day, commemorating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990.

On this occasion, Beelee, a blogger from Exponent II, asked the Latter-day Saints a question: How accessible are your meetinghouses to the needs of people with disabilities?

For example: Do the doors have automatic door openers? Is there a way to reach the podium other than the stairs? Does your congregation live stream its services? Are sign language interpreters available?

Federal law does not require religious entities to comply with the ADA.

From the Tribune

• Early prediction: Russell M. Nelson School of Medicine. That certainly seems possible (re: likely) after the First Presidency, led by Nelson, a renowned heart surgeon turned global religious leader, announced plans to start a medical school at the church’s Brigham Young University.

• The 2002 Winter Olympics never became the “Mormon Olympics” many feared. What could Salt Lake City’s religious leaders do for an encore in 2034?

• Orthodox and liberal Latter-day Saints are not all that different. This statement may surprise some, but not historian Matthew Bowman.

• Vice President Kamala Harris’ pastor, who is also a friend of President Russell Nelson, is known for his activism on civil rights and reparations for black people.

• Judging by recent General Conference sermons, writes Jana Riess, columnist for Religion News Service, Satan is not what he once was.

• Some 177 years ago, pioneer prophet Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints into the Salt Lake Valley. Last week, a later apostle, David Bednar, wearing a cowboy hat to cover his impeccably coiffed hair, led a parade in Salt Lake City honoring those pioneers.