To my knowledge he is in no way an official spokesmen for the Church.
Jim, in my service to the Church right now, I teach 10 year olds. Every Sunday in what we call our Primary (a Sunday School type activity for younger kids).
Here's the type of thing I teach them each week. We are teaching them a song right now, and I tell them they should keep the words of such songs in their minds as they go through life...to help them as they face adversity and temptation. The Song is called, "I am trying to be like Jesus," and it goes like this:
I am trying to be like JesusIt has a really nice tune and I find myself humming it and thinking the words as I go through life's walk myself. As chidlren are taught such things, and to come unto Christ, and as they see it in the adults around them, a large majority of them choose Christ at an early age and try to live accordingly, and that benefits all of society just as it does in any Christian Church.
"I.m trying to be like Jesus,
I'm following in his way.
I'm trying to live as He did,
In all that I do and say."
"Sometimes I am tempted to make the wrong choice,
Buth then the Spirit whisperss in a still small voice, saying,
"Love one another as Juses loved you.,br> Try to show kindness in all that you do.
"Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are thge things Jesus taught."
That's what is taught to LDS children in tens of thousands of Chapel's each week, Jim.
There are those with axes to grind against the LDS faith, who want to try and make the faith out to be some retrobate religion like radical of Islamicism or something.
It simply is not so. We speak of Christ, we teach of christ, we bring up our children to accept and follow Christ.
Do we interpret some things (like the Trinity and Godhead, or the life hereafter and what life in God's Kingdom will be like( differently than other Christians?
Yes.
But that does not take away from or change the essential doctrine that Jesus Christ, born of Mary and died on the Cross for all of us, and raised the third day, is Savior and King and our only path to salvation.
Those fundamental values and teachings, and the lifestyle and values they instill in the people hearing and living them, are the very things that keep America free. And practised by most Christian denominations, they are the vision of our founders in producing a people who do not need or want a large overbearing government telling them how to live. They govern themselves.
Hope that helps.
Jeff, I well remember my days as a small LDS girl trying to be like Jesus (even all the time knowing that as a female there was no way to do so). I was taught that Christ was a great example to us - our older spirit brother - something we all could aspire to being.
I wasn’t until I recognized that I will NEVER be like Christ - that I am a sinner - and only through his sacrifice will I ever be saved from my sins.
Salvation means that I no longer think I CAN or EVER will be like Christ. He is the highest being, he created me, he was separated from me by my human sinful nature, and because of His great love for me, He has enveloped me in His loving arms and given me access to His kingdom. I can never repay Him or earn His approval. I can only ask Him to forgive me and accept His Grace.
It is finished. I am His.
Do we interpret some things (like the Trinity and Godhead, or the life hereafter and what life in God’s Kingdom will be like( differently than other Christians? Yes. But that does not take away from or change the essential doctrine ....
***I beg to differ. The deity of Christ is an essential doctrine. That’s the one I choose to hang my hat on, because Jesus died for claiming to be equal with God. So it must be important.
Well, there he was teaching the flock to lie for the LDS!!
Well, Jeff...he is a pretty influential person in the mormon church. Sorry you aren't up to date.
-------------------------------------------
Dr. Robert L. Millet (born December 30, 1947 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a professor of ancient scripture and emeritus Dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Millet is a Latter-day Saint author and speaker with more than 60 published works on virtually all aspects of Mormonism. Millet co-founded the evangelical-Mormon dialogue.[1]
He appears frequently as a commentator on BYUTV and in other visible roles at assorted media outlets as Manager of Outreach and Interfaith Relations for Church Public Affairs. As a religion instructor, Millet has become known for his "milk before meat" approach of avoiding less popular LDS doctrines when discussing the church with non-Mormons.
Millet is considered one of the foremost scholars on the Joseph Smith Translation (also known as the Inspired Version) of the Bible.
Millet received a Ph.D. from Florida State University in biblical studies and contemporary theology and a Master's Degree in Psychology from BYU. Millet has been a member of BYU faculty since 1983.
Millet has six children with his wife, Shauna Sizemore Millet, whom he wed in 1971.
Among other writings of Millet are the book Talking with God: Divine Conversations That Transform Daily Life (2010), "The Historical Jesus: A Latter-day Saint Perspective" in Paul Y. Hoskisson, edited Historicity and the Latter-day Saint Scriptures.
Jim, most of the time Jeff carries a very civil tone; and, being a convert to Mormonism who still has Evangelical family members, Jeff appears to have had to "walk a fine line" in trying to be "reconciling" as much as possible to stave off relational tension and possibly even conflict.
Jeff's the kind of Mormon you want as your nextdoor neighbor.
But he's NOT the kind of guy who would do well as a "Paul Harvey" -- providing the rest of the story.
He tends to reduce the differences between Mormonism and Christianity.
And since a LOT of his comments are on political threads, that's good "common sense." You want people of similar values to coalesce 'cause if they're always focusing on the HUGE differences, then progress vs. other targets gets compromised.
Well, Jeff's the kind of Mormon who would be a pleasure to coalesce with at the local food bank or say as a fellow 'Scout leader.
But, again, what's that rest of the story missing in his response?
Well, I could go into a LOT of detail on that...but here's the key part:
Mormons have spent $millions of dollars and over a million missionaries to go around the world to slander worldwide Christianity as "apostates" -- essentially the very same teaching Islam has about Christianity (they call us "infidels").
One of the top Mormon missionary lessons is to stress the so-called "universal apostasy." (That's about US as Christians)
Additionally, in the Lds "scripture" Pearl of Great Price, the founding "vision" Joseph Smith had with two unnamed entities is elaborated...and on vv. 18-19 we are referenced as "corrupt" (100% of our professing believers), and that our creeds are 100% an "abomination." Smith used the word "ALL" there, too.
If Joseph Smith labels 100% of our creeds as an "abomination," and if Mormons like Jeff Head tithe to reprint that slander, and translate that slander, then no wonder we are at odds...IOW, we didn't start this verbal conflict...the Mormons did...and continue it with their accusations of Christians and Christianity.
So, as this pertains to this thread's comments...you can see that his language of reconciliation is just a "cover"... that "hides" what's underneath the surface...and it's not simply a given Mormon leader's "opinion" about Christians/Christianity...but Lds "scripture" -- from which true-believing Mormons can't readily depart...
Mormons tend to smile...be friendly...but thru that smile, underneath, for us as Christians, it's "you are an 'apostate'...your creeds are 100% putrid."
Now there IS a Mormon movement led by John Dehlin who believes that Mormonism Is NOT "the only true church."
That movement is growing, but is yet to be 'representative' of Mormonism.
Lying for the Lord, by Bob Millet (LDS)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zA-rZQB-xQ
Dr. Robert Millet of BYU
Millet teaches (or did) missionaries on the way out how to deal with questions.
This quote from the tape that is really interesting:
“As Latter-Day Saints, you already know more about God, and Christ, and the Plan of Salvation than anyone who would attack you. You already know more than your attackers will ever know.”
The way you dialog Jeff, I would say you have learned your lessons well.
Dr. Millet's bio: http://religion.byu.edu/robert_millet/
And leaving with this quote:
President Brigham Young explained that “we, the Latter-day Saints, take the liberty of believing more than our Christian brethren: we not only believe the Bible, but the whole of the plan of salvation that Jesus has given to us. Do we differ from others who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? No, only in believing more.”
Dr. Millet adds to this quote:
It is, of course, the “more” that makes many in the Christian world very nervous and usually suspicious of us. But it is the “more” that allows us to make a meaningful contribution in the religious world.
Wow!
It appears that you might be channeling Hinckley!!
“Do we interpret some things (like the Trinity and Godhead, or the life hereafter and what life in God’s Kingdom will be like( differently than other Christians?”
No Jeff. Mormonism perverts every single Christian doctrine - including making an idol out of God - and making Mormon men into gods.
I find your posts carefully constructed to avoid admitting the perversions, while trying to sound Christian. After confronting you numerous times, I came to understand it is purposeful.
Ampu