How Can Glenn Beck Be Right on So Much and Yet Still Believe the book of Mormon? (serious question)

[Scythian]

I'm a huge Beck fan, in fact I'm listening right now here

http://www.ksfa860.com/common/gap_streamer.php

but something really confuses me. It takes the ability to use real critical thinking to know what Beck (and most of us know about the state of the country and where we are heading). That is, we have the ability to discover the truth no matter how much the media or conventional wisdom try to hide it. Yet on Mormonism, Beck is cleary wrong. Any Christian knows that the book or momonism is severely flawed and that Joseph Smith was no prophet. How can Beck cut through all the chaff of what is going on in our world and come to the truth and yet believe the writings of Joseph Smith? It doesn't make sense? I'm not saying he's up to something secret, not by any means, it's just that he's so right about so many things and completely wrong on the most important thing. Now, he just said on the air that he believes Jesus is the Savior of the world and that he is Mormon.

I also think that because he is Mormon he is not attacked near as much if he was a Evangelical Bible only believer. Anyway, am I nutz or does Beck being a Mormon seem bizarre?

[Colofornian]

You forget, in the U.S.A. it has always been open season on Mormons. They were driven from New York, Ohio...

If they were driven from NY, pray tell, who were the drivers? Who was taking open pot shots upon Mormons then? What about Ohio? Who were the culprits there? Wasn't it actually the case that Smith opened a bank that failed & he skipped town in the middle of the night?

As for Missouri, only one county was involved in the 1833 acts of abuse vs. the Mormons (Jackson County). Within that county, one judge later blamed it on less than 50 "roughians" who were the instigators...though obviously a couple hundred others reinforced their activities. What they did lasted about 3.5 months during an otherwise previous 3-year residency of peaceful co-existence in that county.

Now, a few more MO counties & their residents got involved in the 1838 conflicts. That, too, was of a short duration (about 2.5 months). So, Mormons were enduring these things in about a 6-month window over 8 years -- and were involved in provoking some of those things in 1838.

[The actions of three counties in MO & a few in IL is hardly reason to blame all Missourians & "Illinoisians" for the past 165-175 years as Mormons have tended to do]

[Colofornian]

In defense of Beck and Joseph Smith I will give you one small piece of evidence that Joseph Smith might be right.

I'll give you one small piece of evidence from a Mormon source (edited by Preston Nibley) originated from Joe Smith's own mom that Joey made it all up:

(It all comes to down to men & women placing their 100% spiritual trust in what a mere lad said he saw).

Here's what Lucky Mack Smith said about her 17 yo son, Joseph Smith, Junior):

"During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of the continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them. On the twenty-second of September, 1824, Joseph again visited the place where he found the plates the year previous; and supporting at this time that the only thing required, in order to possess them until the time for their translation, was to be able to keep the commandments of God...he fully expected to carry them home with him. (Lucy Mack Smith, edited by Preston Nibley, History of Joseph Smith, p. 83, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1958)

What Mormons often miss in this account is that Lucy Mack Smith was saying Joseph gave these storied details before he ever even "interpreted" these gold plates. [The context of her story is that Smith is age 17 & he's about to retrieve the gold plates again a year after being given them...and he's yet to interpret them]. A lot of it was either already there or influenced by other author(s) of his era -- in his active, imaginative mind!

[Elsie]

There are two answers, either a back woods farm boy in 1822 made that statement or an angel did.

You left out FALLEN angel...

[Elsie]

Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image and called his name Seth. THE LANGUAGE IS THE SAME. WE ARE THE IMAGE OF GOD PHYSICALLY.

Did you even read what you typed??

---

in his own likeness, and after his image and called his name Seth.

[Elsie]

Many died on the trek.

Bad decision on the Living Prophets®; woundn't you say?

How the ones who STAYED BEHIND and thrived as the Rlds surprises me!

After the EXTERMINATION Order and all...

[Elsie]

(If you're not going to drink the coffee, at least wake up and smell it!)

Cute!!

VERY cute!

Right; UB?

[delacoert]

You forget, in the U.S.A. it has always been open season on Mormons

Hmm Hmm <tsk> Hmm.

How could it happen that people you think are wee poor lambs could be hated and reviled.

Let's think about it a minute.

1. Joey the founder/prophet/leader was a liar, a cheat, a diviner, a con man, a murderer, a polygamist... have I left anything out?
2. He and his wee lambs took over towns and set up phony banks.
3. He assembled his own army.

Help me out here, we were wondering what?

[ejonesie22]

That is one of the lamest arguments I have seen in some time.

I am used to the more polished vagaries of your more seasoned LDS pros or the totally disjointed and logically twisted missives of your LDS true believers...

Youre different, it really will be fun.

[ejonesie22]

WE ARE THE IMAGE OF GOD PHYSICALLY.

Well I'll be, looks like you're right!

I apologize!

[Colofornian]

How could it happen that people you think are wee poor lambs...Let's think about it a minute. 1.Joey the founder/prophet/leader was a liar, a cheat, a diviner, a con man, a murderer, a polygamist... have I left anything out? 2.He and his wee lambs took over towns and set up phony banks. 3.He assembled his own army. Help me out here, we were wondering what?

The extended consideration related to what you just mentioned, delacoert ("He assembled his own army") is how could Joey Smith be such a poor defenseless lamb WHEN -- in addition to be commander of a militia, he was...
(a) ...a candidate for the Prez of the U.S.? (1844)
(b) ...a mayor with the power to destroy an opposing press? (1844)
(c) was courtin', marryin', and "attendin' to" a dozen NEW wives over a 9-month period from December, 1841 thru August, 1842? (And by "thru" I don't mean he suddenly had much additional free time September to Dec 1842 just because he didn't take on any new wives for those 4 months 'cause believe me, if you've had time to build up a 17-wife roster -- including 12 new ones over an 18-month period -- then I'd think you hardly had a bunch of free time frettin' about persecutors. Obviously, Smith didn't seem to feel so insecure. (Otherwise, why would he either want to place his new wives in harm's way of an assassin's bullet or leave them widowed???)

Bottom line: Wow! If Smith could accumulate a dozen new wives over 9 mos. during supposedly Mormon-described hostile, unpeaceful times, just think how many he would have added in a peaceful year...oh, yeah, we have that on record, too -- why he added another 17 new wives during what even Lds historians describe as a peaceful year (1843)...what? only a 42% increase of new wives when peace broke out???

[aMorePerfectUnion]

For you and anyone who would like a critique of
Ms. Barker... http://faithpromotingrumor.wordpress.com/2007/11/09/my-margaret-barker-experience/

[Tennessee Nana]

Joseph Smith says at age 17 The Angel Moroni appeared to him

There are two answers, either a back woods farm boy in 1822 made that statement or an angel did.
_________________________________________________

And the answer is...

A 27 year old con artist named Joey Smith said in 1832 that an angel, a god in two sets of flesh, one god in a set of flesh andf other pink elephants and yellow warthogs visited him ...

Oh the apparitions happened back when he was 17...

no, made that 16,...

wait 15...

Oh might as well go all out and make it 14...

If ya gonna tell a tall tale to yer drinkin buds...make it a whopper...

Embellish a bit...outdo the other guy...

[Elsie]

Didn’t she marry Mr. Eddy?

Or was that Mary Baker???

[Elsie]

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

SECTION 138

 

 

40   Abel, the first martyr, was there, and his brother Seth, one of the mighty ones, who was in the express image of his father, Adam.

[Utah Binger]

Ahhhh....Just got a bit of a late start today. Had a small ward meeting until late last night with all the folks from Orderville and Kanab. I managed to keep the wine and coffee hidden in the back kitchen as we partook of the very nice red punch in the lower level gallery.

The Gulch Brothers were in town.

The newly elected mayors of Orderville and Kanab were all here to honor BARRY GLAZIER.

[colorcountry]

Barry is an old friend of mine. I think I told you that. Tell him I say, “hi.”

[Colofornian]

Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image and called his name Seth. THE LANGUAGE IS THE SAME. WE ARE THE IMAGE OF GOD PHYSICALLY. [lawsone]

Did you even read what you typed?? in his own likeness, and after his image and called his name Seth. [elsie citing Gen. 5]

40 Abel, the first martyr, was there, and his brother Seth, one of the mighty ones, who was in the express image of his father, Adam. [Elsie citing D&C 138:40]

So, lawsone, you're in the Brigham Young - Joseph F. Smith teaching vein in believing that Adam was god, and we were made in his image? Brigham taught that for over 25 years, starting in the early 1850s. Joseph F. Smith's D&C 138 was written in 1918.

[Elsie]

http://www.thunderbirdfoundation.com/admin/images/MemberItemThumb/glass-eye.jpg

I LIKE it!

Any idea just where this cliff dwelling is located?

[Elsie]

[Utah Binger]

Any idea just where this cliff dwelling is located?

Not sure but it is near Toroweap.

Ask this guy, maybe he can tell you.