Bisexual Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema Finally Confirms She Is No Longer Officially A Member Of The LDS Church

The confusion over whether or not bisexual Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ9) is still officially a Mormon has been resolved. On January 3rd, 2013, the Ogden Standard-Examiner confirms Sinema is no longer an official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The confirmation is published in the following excerpt:

Sinema says she left the Mormon Church after graduating from BYU with a bachelor’s degree, the start of an educational odyssey that has also led to a master’s degree in social work, a law degree and doctorate in justice studies at Arizona State University. Her parents and stepparents have remained in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father and stepmother are currently on a Mormon mission in the Philippines, she says.

“I have great respect for the LDS church - their commitment to family and taking care of each other is exemplary,” Sinema says. “I just don’t believe the tenets of the faith that they believe.”

It's not really that big of a deal; if someone decides Mormonism is not for them, then they should find a different belief system more reflective of their perspective rather than stick around and incessantly whine and bitch and dump their angst upon the members. But like so many other members of Congress, Sinema contributed to the confusion by initially spouting some New Age gobbledygook about how she was not a member of a faith community. In addition, there were reports that she was still permitting home visits by visiting teachers. Why was it so hard for her to answer the question? Are you officially a member or not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? The fact that she thinks it should not matter is irrelevant -- as a Congresswoman, she is now accountable to the people, and transparency is no longer merely an option, but a REQUIREMENT.

The rest of the Standard-Examiner story is also of interest. Congresswoman Sinema comes from a background of stark poverty; her parents were also divorced during her childhood. Her $174,900 salary as a member of Congress will be the largest of her life. And although she's a Democrat, she ran afoul of progressives like Randy Parraz when she condemned his witch hunt campaign against former State Senator Russell Pearce. She's acquired a number of political friends on the conservative side of the aisle. Sinema doesn't remember precisely when she decided she was bisexual, because to her it simply doesn't matter. She doesn't want to wear it on her sleeve or become a sexual crusader.

But if she really wants to be effective, she needs to establish a reputation of answering questions straight up with no equivocation. The American people are tired of politicians who tap dance around issues.