Posted on 09/09/2012 10:23:41 AM PDT by Mozilla
On Thursday night, Glenn Beck tackled an issue that has come up frequently throughout the 2012 presidential campaign — Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith. Prior to the show, the radio and television host invited TheBlaze readers and viewers to submit their questions, as he sought to address the myths that often surround The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Beck, who is also a Mormon, told viewers that his faith is inherent in all that he does. In fact, it is his personal relationship with God that guides his actions and sustains him.
“I do what I do, because of my faith,” Beck told viewers. “Because of my faith, I’m not afraid.”
He also went on to highlight some of the elements that people need to know about his personal faith and its central underpinnings. From a belief in Jesus Christ to the notion that helping one’s fellow man is essential, these values lay at the center of the Mormon experience.
“God lives. We survive. America flourishes,” he continued, listing off the other sentiments that Mormons embrace. “The Messiah came and he will come again. Be good to one another. Give until it hurts. Give to the poor, the hungry and the underprivileged. Obey God. Make a covenant with him. He keeps his word. But be on his side. Don’t try to get him on your side.”
The first issue — or myth, rather — that Beck tackled was polygamy, a marriage that includes more than two individuals. Since there is mass confusion surrounding Mormons and plural marriage, Beck provided in-depth background and historical analysis on the issue. While he explained that Mormons did, indeed, practice polygamy at one point in time, he notes that this dynamic ended 122 years ago and that the church takes a strong stance against it today.
GlennBeck.com has more about Beck’s statements surrounding historical constructs of the former practice:
He explained that in the 1800s, there was massive persecution of Mormons wer driven out of New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. In Missouri, the governor even issued Executive Order-44 which ordered that all Mormons be exterminated or driven out of the state, resulting in 10,000 Mormons who lived there either being killed or forced to flee. Executive Order-44 wasn’t overturned until 1976. As a result of this persecution, there weren’t many men left. The desire to repopulate played a role in the decision to practice polygamy, but only about 5% did it before the practice came to an end in 1890.
He called polygamy ”a perversion of everything we believe in.”
“The media would have nothing more to have Americans believe that anybody who believes what I believe is [Warren Jeffs],” Beck said, referring to a cult leader who is serving a life sentence for having relationships with underage girls.
Contemporary polygamists aren’t Mormons, Beck explained. Watch the host tackle the polygamy issue, below:
Next, he delved into the so-called “magic underwear” discussion. He was, of course, referring to the undergarments that Mormon adherents wear. Many times, this element of the faith is mocked and ridiculed, as non-believers don‘t understand the significance and haven’t necessarily been exposed to the reasoning behind wearing the clothing.
“It is to remind us of something very sacred,” Beck explained. “It’s a reminder of the promises we make at the Temple.”
Rather than serving as a secretive and elusive tool, the underwear represent the personal promises that Mormons make to be “faithful, modest, and temperate.”
While it’s not always easy to wear the undergarments, especially when it comes to finding clothing to wear over them, Beck said that the difficulty makes it more sacred and meaningful. Considering the importance of the underwear to the Mormon faith, it also become more painful, the host admitted, when others mock the practice:
Beck also tackled the purported “secretive” activities that unfold in the temple. While many critics have alleged that the church is elusive and that some of the activities are top-secret, Beck made it clear that there’s nothing surprising or startling going on behind closed doors.
“There’s no secret stuff,” Beck explained. “There‘s nothing you will find in the temple that you won’t find in the Old or New Testament.”
Marriage and baptism are two of the practices that take place inside Mormon houses of worship — elements that most other Christian denominations can relate to. Beck did delve into “baptism for the dead,” a practice that he said has roots in 1 Corinthians.
See him tackle these subjects, below:
There is also, of course, the question of Mormon missionaries. Beck described the fascinating, two-year trips that young believers make to help spread the faith, while simultaneously embarking on a journey to find themselves.
During this time, young Mormons find themselves “preaching the word and reading the scriptures,” as they go door-to-door to discuss their faith. While sharing an example of a friend’s son who just left for Finland for a mission, Beck encouraged others — regardless of their faiths — to engage in similar experiences.
“He will live the exact opposite of a trophy society. In a culture where ‘I’ve got to go find myself, while spending $50,000 a year and listen to a bunch of liberal Marxist professors at some liberal college…these guys do find themselves,” Beck proclaimed. “Please, do this in your faith. It changes your children…it’s one of the reasons that Mormons are so successful. They know why they are at an early age.”
“It’s not weird to be a Mormon. And it‘s not weird to be president if you’re Mormon,” Beck concluded.
This special episode comes as the nation prepares to potentially elect its first Mormon president. While some biases certainly continue to color Romney’s candidacy, the impact appears to be minimal. As we’ve previously reported, November 2011 Pew Research Center results found that, while Romney may have experienced some negative results due to his Mormon faith in the primary race, his general election chances likely won’t be impacted.
Unfortunately, this hasn’t stopped anti-Mormon attacks from unfolding in media. Beck’s goal, of course, was to dispel some of the myths that drive and fuel these incidents.
I didn’t say all. I said as a rule. Can you read? A dirty, belligerent, bad attitude mormon, is like finding a 30 year old Jewish person on welfare. Yes, of course they do exist, but they are quite rare.
If you can see their religion is a fairy tale, im with you. But if you are selling that they are not polite, clean, and respectful,,, you just sound ignorant and angry.
It DOES?
It thought it mentioned mormonISM.
What we are looking for is one that states that MORMONs are hated.
Your point was that Beck expects everyone to love Mormonism now. Fail.
“belief in Jesus”
The real question at hand is “What is your own personal relationship with Jesus?”
Perhaps we will hear soon of Governor Romney’s testimony of his personal relationship with Jesus. I don’t think he has been asked that question or for that matter Glen Beck either.
Ok; like THIS??
Acts 11:26
And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Moses, Abraham, Solomon, Noah, David, Joshua, Samuel, Ruth, Nehemiah, Ester, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were all Christians before Jesus fulfilled prophesy.
(Your bible appears to be different from mine.)
While failing to comment on yours?
I was pointing out your INCORRECT statement about 'chrisitian', while giving you an out to fall back on.
I guess you didn't need one; eh?
NOW you've done it!
All of FR's MORMON will be on YOU for claiming the BoM is VOMIT!
If you cannot abide to read their stuff; how can you POSSIBLY find out the ERROR in it?
“In 1609 King Philip III, upon the advice of his financial adviser the Duke of Lerma and Archbishop of Valencia Juan de Ribera, decreed the Expulsion of the Moriscos. Hundreds of thousands of Moriscos were expelled, some of them sincere Christians. This was further fueled by the religious intolerance of Archbishop Ribera who quoted the Old Testament texts ordering the enemies of God to be slain without mercy and setting forth the duties of kings to extirpate them. The edict required: ‘The Moriscos to depart, under the pain of death and confiscation, without trial or sentence... to take with them no money, bullion, jewels or bills of exchange.... just what they could carry.’ So successful was the enterprise, in the space of months, Spain was emptied of its Moriscos. Expelled were the Moriscos of Aragon, Murcia, Catalonia, Castile, Mancha and Extremadura. As for the Moriscos of Granada, such as the Herrador family who held positions in the Church and magistracy, they still had to struggle against exile and confiscation.”
and you said “Protestants could stay somewhere and do business and keep their mouths shut about religion and they’d be OK. Then, where Protestants were ruling a territory, the Catholics could stay there and do business, and if they kept their mouths shut about religion, they’d be OK too.
In all cases any expulsion would be deferred for 6 months to let the offender sell his property at a profit.”
My my my, that Phillip II was sure a tolerant fella! His treaty was clearly the basis of American freedom.
If you feel like changing the subject, go right ahead. I’m not afraid of Mormons. You are.
I didn’t say all. I said as a rule. Can you read?
Uh; yes I can; and you did NOT 'say' what you just calimed.
Islam and the countries where it is enshrined as THE ONLY RELIGION or as the dominant ruling religion continue to fight wars against folks in other countries on account of religion.
But seriously, are you telling me our treaties of amity and commerce with Spain, as well as a whole host of other treaties we signed with Spain, or their successor, France, meant nothing, particularly where we acquired formerly Spanish lands!
Even the Constitution of 1790 refers to the common law ~ which predated the existence of the country, and property titles were respected unless you were a traitor and then you were shipped to Canada where you belonged.
Even centuries old Spanish surveys have been respected in our various treaties of land acquisition.
I think I already noted that this is the treaty that set the pattern for diplomacy between and among modern nation states. To a degree the UN Does that now although we have bi-lateral treaties all over the place as well.
Not very many; as just ONE of them has trouble merely WALKING a straight line!
Really?
"So, what.....does he expect everyone is going to love it now?" (me)
I claimed nothing of the sort; I ASKED if that is the case. Twisting words and lying is the biggest fail there is. So go sit over in the corner and see if you can figure out the logic in that, Spock.
Jesus was always and will always be the Son of God.
______________________________________
No He wasnt
The Mormons claim that their mormon jesus started out as a man the son of another man...
But the LORD Jsus Christ was always God and nobodies son...
He didnt become THE Son and the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON until he was conceived by the Virgin Mary...
Until then He was not a son ...
Why do you insist on demoting God ???
I AM?
(And I'm the one channeling Freud; hee hee hee)
Quoting your own words twists them? Maybe I should spend more time on the Religion Forum and learn the technique.
Well senor, you’re frustrating, but always thought provoking and mentally exhausting! Gotta run for now. Catch ya on the next barricades.
now newbie, when you live in America some of us have a history that goes all the way back to 1502 and it is your duty to respect it ~ not for a bunch of illegal aliens and their spawn to tell me where the rule of law began in America!
Many. And, as far as I know, in the Old Testament, there is no scripture stating that a man is limited to one wife. Of course, in the New Testament, there are several instances where leaders of the church are to be chosen from men who have but one wife. I know of no prohibition against polygamy for the rank-and-file members of the church.
I'm not arguing that they don't have the right within their religion to determine certain moral values. I just wish they would be honest and up front about why and how those values are determined.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.