Replies

I can shed a little more light on this question as I was a Bishop at age 36 and during that same time ran for Statewide public office.

A Bishop is like any other actively practicing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has shown his willingness to serve in the Church. Like all members, he has committed to keep the commandments of God, and to honor and sustain the law. And his major duty is to love and serve the people in his geographically specified "ward," member and non-member alike. His first duty, however, is to love and serve his own family, and provide for their needs. Since there is no compensation for Bishops or any other local leaders in The Church, that means he has a job of some sort.

The Church itself stays completely out of party politics. In my case, the one conflict between my service as a Bishop and my campaign for State Treasurer was time. Since I had a difficult time being home enough to fulfill my duties of service to the members of my congregation, my Church leader (known as Stake President) and I decided I should be released as Bishop.

That decision didn't affect my membership or standing in The Church one way or another. I had served the best I could. Another brother was called in my place and later, after the campaign, I was asked to serve in a different capacity.

Most members and leaders in The Church are very patriotic and believe strongly that the Constitution of the United States was inspired of God and should be protected. We also believe that the principles in the Constitution are really a blessing for all people, not just Americans.

My greatest concern is that those principles are being trampled on and ignored. Readers should note, however, that there are active members of The Church across the political spectrum. There are very thoughtful liberal Democrats and equally thoughtful conservative Republicans. That split is best exemplified by Henry Reid and Glenn Beck, both of whom are active members.

Moreover, there are increasing numbers of Japanese, Mexican, European, African, Chinese, India(n), and yes even Jewish and Arab members of The Church. All of these are also encouraged by The Church to honor and sustain the law in their own countries.

Having said all of that, nevertheless I think it a fair question to ask Mitt. I was acquainted with Mitt when he served as Bishop of the Belmont Ward. My perception is that he is a pragmatic utilitarian, like most CEOs and business consultants. Therefore, I believe the better question is what is his perception of, and commitment to, the principles of the Constitution.

How one can justify RomneyCare, ObamaCare, or the huge Federal bureaucratic apparatus on Constitutional grounds is beyond me. But that is where Mitt seems weakest and should be moved to the right.

Stopped reading here: The Church itself stays completely out of party politics.

But that is where Mitt seems weakest and should be moved to the right.

And where MORMONism is weakest; those facts are being shown in the Light of the pages of Free Republic.

My greatest concern is that those principles are being trampled on and ignored.

I do so hate it when things get TRAMPLED!!

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

Joseph Smith: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

Orson Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses

, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses , 18:172).

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses , 10:127).

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 2, p.196).

My greatest concern is that those principles are being trampled on and ignored.

I wonder if EMMA ever felt like SHE was getting TRAMPLED upon???

THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

SECTION 132

51–57, Emma Smith is counseled (commanded) to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.

51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to ^aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.

52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, ^areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.

53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been ^afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.

54 And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and ^acleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be ^bdestroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.

55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ^ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of ^beternal lives in the eternal worlds.

56 And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid ^aforgive my servant Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to ^brejoice.

Whatever HAPPENED to Emma???

Eliza was a devout Mormon. At age 38, she became Joseph Smith's 14th plural wife (in addition to Smith's lawful wife, Emma). In 1842, after learning Eliza was pregnant, Emma Smith beat Eliza with a broomstick and knocked her down a flight of stairs, causing Eliza to miscarry Smith's baby.

Wow!!

I guess ol' Emma got VAPORIZED by GOD!!!

We know that multiply him thing sure didn't work out!

“...and should be moved to the right.”

You are dreaming about moving him.
This is a man who has no core commitment to conservative ideals.
This is a man who appointed Democrat judges, instituted gay marriages
and agreed to instituting a healthcare mandate, etc.

Once he had the Presidency, the only movement will be to compromise
with Democrats.

He is a bad choice.

I figure it's just how you were taught....or brought up. But, I just find it interesting...that mormon's capitalize "The Church"...but then in your tag line...you don't bother to capitalize "The Truth"...which considering that is one of the many names for Jesus Christ....

It sure seems like I see that your church when named is ALWAYS capitalized....over and over with mormons. But rather lax...when mentioning Jesus.

Can I ask....why is that? When I mention my church...I don't capitalize it. It comes across...as you all think your church IS THE ONE AND ONLY CHURCH........and all others are inferior.

But on the other hand...you want all others to recognize mormonism as Christian too.

Seems a bit double minded, to me.