Posted on 10/20/2012 8:05:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Why, three weeks prior to one of the most hotly contested presidential elections in modern history, does America’s Evangelist need to suddenly declare Mormonism no longer a cult? Has there been an unreported change in theology or practice?
My maternal grandmother thought Billy Graham was a saint above all others. You simply could not say anything negative about the evangelist in her presence. She held the same regard for Jimmy Carter, because she considered him a godly man and a faithful Sunday school teacher -- even if not an effective president. She also was convinced Henry Kissinger was the anti-Christ, but that’s another story.
I’m glad she didn’t live long enough to see Billy Graham and his family descend into the arena of secular politics. It would have broken her heart. And it should be sad for the rest of the Christian world as well.
The latest news came last week, when the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association made a slight change to the content of its website right after a visit from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Prior to Romney’s visit, the evangelist had defined Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spiritualists and Scientologists as “cults” and therefore not Christian. Several news outlets reported that after Romney’s visit to Graham, the page with that content was removed from the Graham website; then later, a Graham spokesman confirmed it.
Now before some of you, dear readers, start heating your branding irons to label me a partisan heretic, please keep reading. I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t vote for Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. What I do want to say is that you shouldn’t vote for either candidate just because you have been cleared to do so (or been encouraged to do so) by a preacher, pastor or evangelist. You should vote for one or the other because you are convinced in your own mind that person is the best for the job. God gave you a brain for a reason; use it.
Nor should you require Romney to be a Christian before you vote for him, just as you shouldn’t spread the lie that Obama is a closeted Muslim in order not to vote for him. There is no religious test for office in the United States.
So why, three weeks prior to one of the most hotly contested presidential elections in modern history, does America’s Evangelist need to suddenly declare Mormonism no longer a cult? Has there been an unreported change in theology or practice? What purpose could there be other than removing a barrier that might keep some evangelical Christians from voting for a Mormon? Especially when the evangelist, to the best of my knowledge, never has repudiated his own son’s statements from February, implying that Obama may not be a Christian but is likely a secret Muslim. Why is Billy Graham taking sides in a presidential election?
Some will say he has every right to take sides and should make his views known. Here’s why I think he shouldn’t and why his son, Franklin, is single-handedly undoing his father’s legacy: The gospel of Jesus Christ transcends political parties and labels. Jesus is neither Republican nor Democrat. And the moment we put God in a political box is when we alienate half the population from hearing the good news of redemption through Christ.
No person in our lifetime has done more to proclaim this message of salvation for all than Billy Graham. And he was heard because he appeared to care about all people without regard to race, creed or color. To make any other agenda -- abortion, gay marriage, economic policy or whatever -- more important than the universal call to redemptive faith is to lose sight of the cross of Christ. Ironically, it is Billy Graham who most clearly and consistently has called America to fix our eyes only upon Jesus. And now his own vision seems to be fading. Woe to us.
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
Graham has left the Bible and making up a human religion to suit his purpose. I think he has become senile and people shouldn't take what he says as “gospel” anymore because it isn't.
What you are seeing is modern Evangelicalism. Another Gospel.
I see, and I hope that doesn’t weaken their voting in the public arena.
I do admire what they did during the 1970s when they managed to beat back the left that was overtaking so many denominations.
“That takes in almost all of the Churches, do as they say but don,t do as they do.
Mormons are not the only ones who collect ten percent taxes that is supposed to go to the nation of Israel and then keep it for them selves.
The early Christians did not collect or pay tithes, so some where along the line some one must have started preaching some other gospel and it really caught on”
Not once did I mention anything about tithes. I specifically was talking about the central teachings of Mormonism which deny the fundamental character, nature and mission of Jesus Christ that Christ and His apostles themselves warned against, whom several here have downplayed.
“I’m curious where you thought I was “pimping” Mormonism? I stated I disagreed with everything they believe that isn’t directly from the Bible.”
You were replying to a post that compared the problems of Mormonism to Catholicism by quoting Romney saying he believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You might as well compare Scientologists to Christians and claim old Xenu is a very Biblically-minded fellow.
“Or did you just find it upsetting that I quoted Romney stating “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior”? I still think it makes Romney much closer in values to me than a Muslim is...”
That also struck me, since Mormons have only been saying that over the past decade or so to pacify Christians. They do not define any single part of that statement the way the Bible does, and it is not a small matter. It is a damnable matter.
“Some (”holier-than- thou” students) begin to pray directly to Christ because of some special friendship they feel has been developed. In this conception a current and unwise book, which advocates gaining a special relationship with Jesus, contains this sentence - quote: “Because the Saviour is our mediator, our prayers go through Christ to the Father, and the Father answers our prayers through his son. “ Unquote. This is plain sectarian nonsense. Our prayers are addressed to the Father, and to him only. They do not go through Christ...You have never heard the First Presidency or the Twelve...advocate this excessive zeal that calls for gaining a so called special and personal relationship with Christ...never, never at any time have they taught or endorsed the inordinate and intemperate zeal that encourages endless, sometimes day-long prayers, in order to gain a personal relationship with the Saviour...I wonder if it is not part of Lucifer’s system to make people feel they are special friends of Jesus when in fact they are not following the normal and usual pattern of worship found in the true Church.” (Bruce McConkie, Speech at BYU on March 2 1982).
McConkie also stated:
“We worship the Father and him only and no one else. We do not worship the Son and we do not worship the Holy Ghost. I know perfectly well about what the scriptures say about worshipping Christ and Jehovah, but they are speaking in an entirely different sense - the sense of standing in awe and being reverentially grateful to Him who has redeemed us. Worship in the true and saving sense is reserved for God first, the Creator.” (Ibid.)
http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/mormrel.htm
“I can’t believe you would make such a vile comment about Graham simply based on your anger he would (gasp) appear to be suggesting Christians should vote for Romney over Obama the Marxist anti-American Muslim.”
I’m more upset that he scrubbed Mormonism as a cult from his website. And, apparently, this is not the first time he has compromised the scripture for political aims. Assuming, of course, that it is not his son who is pulling the strings on this one.
I have since lost any faith in man, even “gifted Christian leaders.” In fact, the more popular the preacher, the less I trust them.
Doesn’t the bible warn that even the elect could be fooled? How can we keep our focus on Christ without falling for the devils lies?
Please stop twisting my statements. I pointed out that it appears to me that Mormonism is closer to my values than Islam.
I could turn your argument around and accuse you of trying to pimp for Islam, but that wouldn’t be a fair assessment of your posts, would it? So please be fair when assessing mine.
If you are going to go so slanderously far as to accuse Billy Graham of "compromising the scripture", then please post a link or quote to material on his site that does so.
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“Doesn’t the bible warn that even the elect could be fooled? How can we keep our focus on Christ without falling for the devils lies?”
Ultimately, the elect cannot be fooled to the point of death, observe:
Mat_24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
IF it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Keep in mind that God drew us forward to Himself personally. We did not seek God of our own free-will. He called us first, and then we followed. Christians are certainly fallible creatures who must pray and stick to their bibles, but I doubt that I’ll ever see any of the elect bowing before old Joey Smith or any of the superstar pastors who lead them astray.
Not once did I mention anything about tithes. I specifically was talking about the central teachings of Mormonism which deny the fundamental character, nature and mission of Jesus Christ that Christ and His apostles themselves warned against, whom several here have downplayed.
I agree with what you said about the teachings, some of them in my thinking are just what Jesus warned against.
“Please stop twisting my statements. I pointed out that it appears to me that Mormonism is closer to my values than Islam.
I could turn your argument around and accuse you of trying to pimp for Islam, but that wouldn’t be a fair assessment of your posts, would it? So please be fair when assessing mine.”
I did not compare Islam to Catholicism, nor reply to such a post by quoting a Muslim calling Jesus a prophet. But this is a diversion.
You have not addressed my posts quoting from the LDS directly that contradicts you and confirms what I have written. FACT: Mormonism denies Jesus Christ and does not consider Him their personal Lord and Savior. Their usage of this phrase is alien to what we understand from scripture, as confirmed from their own prophets. They do NOT possess biblical values, but instead distort every one of them into something fleshy and materialistic.
When Christ speaks of giving up Earthly wealth, Mormons rewrite it to hear that earthly wealth is a sign of divine blessings. When Christ said that we shall be as the angels in heaven after we die, neither marrying nor giving into marriage, Mormons see celestial eternal marriage as necessary to even enter the highest heaven. When Christ said I and my Father are one, the Mormons sat Joseph Smith on God’s right hand. When Christ said that the gates of hell would never prevail against His church, Mormons declare that all the apostles, especially the Apostle Paul, distorted Christ’s teachings and the church fell into absolute apostacy, becoming the “whore of Babylon” that needed to be restored to its true glory by old Joey Smith.
To downplay this, to compare Mormonism to Catholicism without blinking, to compare Mormonism to any Christian denomination on this Earth without blinking, to pretend that they are “close” to us in “values” is essentially the highest level of rubbish.
“If you are going to go so slanderously far as to accuse Billy Graham of “compromising the scripture”, then please post a link or quote to material on his site that does so.”
A poster has already quoted him teaching Universalism.
If you are going to go so slanderously far as to accuse Billy Graham of "compromising the scripture", then please post a link or quote to material on his site that does so.
You were referring to his website and accusing him of having "compromised the scripture".
Proof please.
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“You were referring to his website and accusing him of having “compromised the scripture”.
Proof please.”
I can’t quote something that has been scrubbed. Read the OP.
So you can’t point to ANYTHING on his website that “compromised the scripture”.
“So you can’t point to ANYTHING on his website that “compromised the scripture”.”
I never looked. The quotes are in the thread already.
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