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 Romneys 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, Im 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 ones 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. Dont 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 Becks 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 wasnt overturned until 1976. As a result of this persecution, there werent 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 arent 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 dont understand the significance and havent necessarily been exposed to the reasoning behind wearing the clothing.
It is to remind us of something very sacred, Beck explained. Its 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 its 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 theres nothing surprising or startling going on behind closed doors.
Theres no secret stuff, Beck explained. Theres nothing you will find in the temple that you wont 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 friends 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 Ive 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 its one of the reasons that Mormons are so successful. They know why they are at an early age.
Its not weird to be a Mormon. And its not weird to be president if youre 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 Romneys candidacy, the impact appears to be minimal. As weve 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 wont be impacted.
Unfortunately, this hasnt stopped anti-Mormon attacks from unfolding in media. Becks goal, of course, was to dispel some of the myths that drive and fuel these incidents.
He also went on to highlight some of the elements that people need to know about his personal faith and its central underpinnings.
I can guarantee you he LEFT out more than he HIGHLIGHTED!
What drives Christians to respond to their beliefs is the silly claim that they are Christian. They aren't, never have been and won't be unless they convert.
"God himself, was Once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to make himself visible,I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; Joseph Smith, King Follet Discourse, Vol 6, Journal of Discourses
Our God was never a man before becoming God. Our God has always been God and is the creator of all things.
I think Mormons will be dissapointed with all the attention their religion will draw after R&R win.
Mormons do not recognize Christian baptism, he was merely looking for the information he needed, she was/is to be baptized no matter that she might have already been baptized.
Mormons (Bishop Mitt has personally done them) baptize all dead people, including Popes, Billy Graham will be baptized by them, so was Hitler and Anne Frank.
Pure works righteousness.
“This article is about a religion, Mormonism...Shouldnt it be in the Religion Forum ???”
TNanna, when did anything having to do with Romney ever stop you from making disparaging comments about his mormon faith here on Free Republic? TN appears to be more concerned with a mormon possibly being elected president than with allowing the current Muslim-hiding-in-plain sight to serve another 4 years. Have you picked out your burka yet? i’m sure it will be very becoming on you.
God Save America from 4 more years of BO.
Mormons worship the same Christ who died on the cross as do other Christians. the fact that they have a different conception regarding the true nature of Christ doesn’t make them non-Christian.
“Why isn’t EVERYONE?”
because they can see beyond the mote in their own eye.
P.S. will mormon’s funny underwear make you look worse than when Sharia law imposes its burka on you? Elsie and TenNanna in burkas. can’t wait to see that.
“But they are polite, clean, and respectful.”
just like Elsie and TenNanna always are.
“God sent Jesus back to atone for their sins, your sins and my sins. Mormons dont get that part right, which is part of why they are not Christian.”
Where have you heard that fallacy? the mormons that i know certainly believe that Christ’s crucifixion was to atone for all of mankinds sins.
oh good grief
If someone claims to be a Christian - a follower of Jesus Christ - then shouldn't what they believe about him sync up with what the Bible says? The Bible is, after all, the God-breathed (Divinely-inpsired) Holy Scripture and it contains the very teachings of Jesus Christ. If I call myself a Muslim and do not follow what the Koran says, then other Muslims could rightfully say I am not a Muslim. Leaving all the nit-picking aside, if I claim to be a certain religion, then my beliefs should line up with what are that religion's tenets.
Mormonism says it worships the "same" Christ, but the ONLY way that can be proved is by comparing what they believe about Christ with what the Bible says about him. People can disagree with what Mormonism teaches because what they say about Christ does NOT line up with what the Bible says about him. It is FAR more than just having a "different conception" regarding Christ.
Several times in the gospels Jesus bumps heads with the Jewish religious leaders of his day. They resisted his testimony that he was the Messiah and that he was the Son of God - that he WAS God in the flesh. He told them:
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32)
So the question is, what are his teachings? If we are following him, we will hold to his teachings and his teachings are "truth" and the truth will set us free.
Jesus also aroused rage in those religious leaders by calling himself the Son of God, these leaders attempted to kill him a couple of times because, they said, "because you, a mere man, claim to be God. (John 10:33) They understood that he was claiming to BE God.
Mormonism teaches that Jesus is NOT Almighty God in the flesh (incarnate). They say he is a son of God, just like Lucifer was or any of the other angels were. So, in the most critical doctrine about who Jesus really is, they do NOT teach what the Bible does. So, do Mormons REALLY worship the "same" Christ?
This is not just an unimportant doctrinal disagreement, but a critical distinction that separates those who are saved from those who are not saved. Jesus told those leaders, "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. (John 8:24). I believe Jesus is who he said he is. No one can be saved who doubts Jesus' own words. It is wrong to know this truth about Christ and not speak up when a false prophet denies Jesus' own words. It is NOT hate, but love for the lost that compels us to speak this truth.
Why should HE?
You are FREE to make GOOD statements about MORMONism; are you not?Exercise your FREEDOM to do so; while Nana exercises HER's to post FACTS about MORMONism.
im sure it will be very becoming on you.
Do you REALLY want to go there?
You are exactly right!
It's the OTHER factsthat infests MORMONism that makes them NON-christian.
Psssst... your kinkiness is showing.
You left off the disparaging comments alert!
Then your MORMON acquaintences believe something that is NOT taught by the MORMON Religious Organization!
A parallel to this is: What does GOD require of His followers?
Jesus answered, The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.
1 John 3:21-24
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps Gods commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
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