An Ugly Attack on Mormons

article.nationalreview.com ^ | December 3, 2008 | Jonah Goldberg

[Publius804]

An Ugly Attack on Mormons

The easiest targets for an organized campaign against religious freedom of conscience.

By Jonah Goldberg

Did you catch the political ad in which two Jews ring the doorbell of a nice working-class family? They barge in and rifle through the wife’s purse and then the man’s wallet for any cash. Cackling, they smash the daughter’s piggy bank and pinch every penny. “We need it for the Wall Street bailout!” they exclaim.

No? Maybe you saw the one with the two swarthy Muslims who knock on the door of a nice Jewish family and then blow themselves up?

No? Well, then surely you saw the TV ad in which two smarmy Mormon missionaries knock on the door of an attractive lesbian couple. “Hi, we’re from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!” says the blond one with a toothy smile. “We’re here to take away your rights.” The Mormon zealots yank the couple’s wedding rings from their fingers and then tear up their marriage license.

As the thugs leave, one says to the other, “That was too easy.” His smirking comrade replies, “Yeah, what should we ban next?” The voice-over implores viewers: “Say no to a church taking over your government.”

Obviously, the first two ads are fictional because no one would dare run such anti-Semitic or anti-Muslim attacks.

The third ad, however, was real. It was broadcast throughout California on Election Day as part of the effort to rally opposition to Proposition 8, the initiative that successfully repealed the right to same-sex marriage in the state.

What was the reaction to the ad? Widespread condemnation? Scorn? Rebuke? Tepid criticism?

Nope.

The Los Angeles Times, a principled opponent of Proposition 8, ran an editorial lamenting that the “hard-hitting commercial” was too little, too late.

[brytlea]

?

[DelphiUser]

Delf, there's FOUR Book of Mormon verses that explicitly talk about worshipping Jesus. (Do I need to trot them out for you?) That doesn't include the many verses in the Bible that explicitly discusses the same thing.

so? It's not my job to teach you, especially when it's obvious you really don't want to learn anyway. (My perception)

So, again, how many "Gods" do you worship?

One, the godhead is One God consisting of three beings.

So do Lorenzo Snow couplet "theories" galore get published (along with Smith 1844 funeral sermons), commonly get placed in all the major basic theology publications of the LDS church? BYU prof Stephen Robinson, in his book, HOW WIDE THE DIVIDE, conceded this was official LDS doctrine...just not canonized.

Sure, we also publish fiction, and stuff for other churches, so?

So an "heir" = godhood, eh? Then, since God created Hell and since He is leaving this piece of "real estate" to his "heirs", Lucifer & his demons (& Hitler & many others)...I guess Lucifer, demons, Hitler, etc. also are "gods" according to your definition of "heir," eh?

See, again you run in circles chasing a carrot of your own manufacture. No one who reads your posts thinks you are here for "education".

Those who are saved are heirs to the kingdom. Those who are not saved are not, they do not keep their estate because they cannot return Lucifer for example is not going to be saved.

[Elsie]

[Godzilla]

I hate fighting with myself. ;)

Even when you win, you lose :O

[brytlea]

Thank you for the answer, I appreciate you taking the time to do that.

[Elsie]

No one who reads your posts thinks you are here for "education".

While yours are models of ILLUMNIATION!!)

(I got cher back; Bro!!!)

[DelphiUser]

Ah, but disobedience of what? Original sin goes deeper than eating a piece of fruit. The sin was pride: wanting to be like God. Eve didn't want the fruit; she wanted to be like God.

So now you can read Eve's mind, LOL!

[Elsie]

... to me Jesus is Fully God and Fully Man at the same time.

And the Father: is HE fully man and GOD at the same time too!

[Carry_Okie]

The Mormons have been pushed as far as they’re gonna go. Look at their cities. They’re fortresses.

As I understand it from the Mormons I know, they are not as they were originally to be designed. There was to be a 25,000 person limit when a new city was to be sited. That kept everyone capable of providing their own food. That capability is vastly reduced now. They're still far better off than most urban populations.

[DelphiUser]

You’ve probably seen many times when I TRIED to get it, but someone else managed to slip in on me.

I think you should ask Jim Robinson to make the software let you post the number of the beast on every thread...

[greyfoxx39]

I guess I need a bigger hat!

ROTFL!

[DelphiUser]

It is polite for you to make fun of my intellect, but calling you pansy is persecution? ....rrright!!

You are entertaining, if nothing else, DU (or is it AND nothing else.)

It's called damning with faint praise, and actually everything I said was positive.

Like this: Your post was actually Adequate! wow way to bring up your average!

People without sarcasm just don't get it, and it is a joke...

[DelphiUser]

I really like the book of Enoch and the book of Jasher!

[colorcountry]

Whatever, dear. Anyone reading this thread knows that you've claimed persecution on FR. Greyfoxx says you whine and I called you a pansy... that's what you call feint praise.

[Reno232]

The difference is that Joseph Smith received direct divine intervention while translating the BOM. It was something he asked for, believed he could receive, & thus did receive.

The Church Fathers believed the Heavens were closed. There is no record of them asking for divine intervention in the compilation undoubtedly b/c they didn’t believe in it at the time. In fact the record rather indicates some testy battles as to what would be included & what was not. Same scenario for the Nicene Creed. No battles necessary when the Lord is telling you what to do.

I do believe in the Bible as expressed here several times. Do I believe everything is there? No. The evidence seems to back me up.

[Marysecretary]

Yeah, yeah. Think what you like. I have important issues to face in my life, just staying alive at the moment. I could really care less about your opinion.

[greyfoxx39]

We believe that ALL Christians will have the opportunity for Celestial glory. In fact we believe all mankind will. You should know that. That includes folks in China that have never even heard of Jesus Christ, let alone had the opportunity to accept him as their Savior. That's the mercy of the Lord.

There you go again! We believe that ALL Christians will have the "opportunity for Celestial glory. In fact we believe all mankind will. You should know that."

Unequivocally? WHAT "opportunity"? Confessing Christ as Savior and baptized Christian??? No need to be baptized and confirmed mormon? No need for temple rituals...ever....before or after death?

WHAT definition of "celestial glory" are you using here? THIS one?

"This should be your goal: to inherit celestial glory and to help others receive that great blessing as well. In other words, temple marriage is a requirement for obtaining the highest degree of celestial glory."

LDS.org

Did you leave anything out of your claim that That includes folks in China that have never even heard of Jesus Christ, let alone had the opportunity to accept him as their Savior. That's the mercy of the Lord.

Anything?

[DelphiUser]

Just as the writings of your prophets in the Journal of Discourses is not considered scripture, these books mentioned in the Bible are not scripture, but deserved mention in God's Word

I think when Jesus and all the apostles quote from a book it should be "scripture". that's my opinion.

Do YOU believe God had his hand in the creation of the Bible. If so, don't you think what He wanted to include is included.....or do you think the Bible is simply a creation of men who had apostacized, and if so, why believe in anything the Bible says at all?

I think God guided and protected the Bible and many of the other books which are now coming back to light like the Book of Enoch. I do not think that we have all of God's words even now, there is more to come (Again, my perspective)

[Marysecretary]

If they were the reformed, then they were not.

[Marysecretary]

Other sheep could have meant the gentiles, non-Jews. The Bible has existed for centuries. God has preserved it. Do the sticks still exist physically?