UTAH DEMOCRATIC STATE PARTY CONDEMNS PERRY SUPPORTER CALLING THE LDS CHURCH A CULT

SALT LAKE CITY -- LDS Dems Interim Chair Senator Ben McAdams and Interim Vice-chair Crystal Young-Otterstrom issued the following statement in response to Robert Jeffress's comments calling The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a cult. Jeffress is a pastor at the First Baptist Church in Dallas and made the comment to reporters following an event for Governor Rick Perry.

"As Latter-day Saints -- and Democrats -- we are appalled and disappointed by Jeffress' statement that Mormons are not Christian," stated McAdams and Young-Otterstrom. "As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we know that the foundation of our belief is the divinity of Jesus Christ. Members of the LDS Church are compassionate, caring individuals who seek to follow the example of Christ to love our neighbors as ourselves."

Utah State Democratic Party Chair Jim Dabakis added, "On behalf of all Utah Democrats, I heartily condemn Jeffress' insult. Mormon-phobia should have no place in America. Latter-day Saints are good, honest, and hard working people! I love Mormons. The Democratic Party is welcoming to followers of all faiths and creeds and I invite those who feel unwelcome in the Republican Party -- because of their faith -- to join us."