Mormon Volunteers Outperform Government in New England Sandy Aid

breitbart.com ^ | 5 Nov 2012 | Dr. Susan Berry

[Grig]

Many who are still without heat, water, and power following Hurricane Sandy, are looking to the federal government to provide the kind of organized and effective disaster relief that can restore their lives. Can private groups and citizens offer what is needed in this time of crisis?...

[Grig]

I'm surprised there hasn't been some MSM paranoid hissy fit accusing Mormon Helping Hands of being the church trying to help Mitt.

[Farmer Dean]

The Israelis are in New York and doing some fine relief work.They had to come thousands of miles,FEMA looks like a joke.

[panaxanax]

They were also one of the first groups to help in Haiti, Katrina and Irene.

[muir_redwoods]

I live in Connecticut. When I heard there was a massive storm coming I filled the cars gastanks with gasoline, filled two spare gasoline cans, got the propane tank for the genertor topped off and picked up a few things at the grocery store.

It’s great having fine organizations to provide aid. It’s better seeing prudently to your own needs. Did fine in the storm. We were lucky

[CPC24]

It’s pretty ironic that in one of the most agnostic/atheist/unchurched areas of the country, I hear most of the people helping them are Mormons, Baptists, Jews, Catholics, Sikhs, etc. God works in mysterious ways.

[Morpheus2009]

There’s a good reason for that, the MSM is trying to isolate Romney from his religion, and the left is trying to convince Mormons to become their newest voting bloc, sort of like racial minorities. One of the things I noticed anyways, was the fact that the attacks involved:

1) Getting a fellow Mormon by the name of Harry Reid to attack Romney with the accusation that he paid no taxes.
2) Arguing that Romney wasn’t a “good Mormon” (The Seinfeld Actor)
3) Avoiding mention of his Mormonism by mentioning peripheral information such as him being a rich, white, man.

The pattern here is to convince Mormons that the left, or Democrat is the more moral, or better way for them to vote. However, and I am supposing this as someone who isn’t Mormon, I still believe that Romney will get the majority of the Mormon vote anyways, simply because for a lot of Mormons, their community-like structure will simply allow them to spread the word of how decent a guy Romney is regardless. Plus there’s people outside of the Mormon faith like the French Family that have pretty much advertised him to the Mormons despite being protestants. So, one way or another, you probably see where I am going with this, the left wants the Mormon vote, so they try really hard to get around mentioning the fact that Romney’s Mormon to at least try and get Mormons to vote Obama.

[Grig]

A couple years ago some study showed that Mormons are the most conservative-voting religious community in the USA, so they pretty much already are a voting block for the GOP (in spite of attacks on our faith by evangelical conservatives). You do have large numbers of Mormons in liberal states like NY who vote liberal of course, but it is really hard to square Democratic policies with Mormon doctrine.

[dragonblustar]

That study must have skipped my neighbors. They are Mormon and are huge libs and love Obama. They don’t even practice food storing. What kind of Mormon doesn’t practice food storing?

[dragonblustar]

That study must have skipped my neighbors. They are Mormon and are huge libs and love Obama. They don’t even practice food storing. What kind of Mormon doesn’t practice food storing?

[Colofornian]

...it is really hard to square Democratic policies with Mormon doctrine.

Except things like...
...it doesn't have to be just one man and one woman in holy matrimony (D&C 132 is still on the Lds sacred books)...
...+ eternal polygamy is still on the Lds Bishopric Instructions Handbook...
...& Lds' general authorities allow for abortions for reasons of "health" of the mom -- as decided by "competent medical authorities" ... of course, to the woman electing to get an abortion, her "medical authority" is oft a OB-GYN who does occasional abortions...or may even be a full-time abortionist! [Note: Democratic policies also "love" the Mormon exceptions of rape, incest, and if the Mormon "god" gives the "thumbs-up" to dismemberment inside the womb]

[SeaHawkFan]

Obama didn’t go after Mitt’s Mormonism (it is a cult by any Christian definition), because it would have invited attacks on Obama’s Muslim faith; and given a choice, almost everyone would prefer a Mormon to a Muslim.

Romney has never tried to impose anything associated with Mormonism on anyone. The same cannot be said of Obama and his Muslim faith.

[Colofornian]

Romney has never tried to impose anything associated with Mormonism on anyone

Sure he has...The Lds church came out with two General Authority statement positions on abortion
-- one after Roe vs. Wade (1973)...
...and a slightly revised 1983 statement.

Marion G. Romney -- a cousin to Mitt's dad -- was part of the Lds 'First Presidency' that devised the 1973 statement ... along with Harold B. Lee, then Lds "prophet" -- and N. Eldon Tanner.

One of the "exceptions" for sanctioning abortions per the 1973 statement was: ...except...the life or good health of the mother is seriously endangered...

Note, tho that pregnancy isn't a disease and aside from ectopic pregnancies - which lead to both Mom & child dying - doctors aren't "prophets" who can predict the outcomes of pregnancies re: health effects upon “Mom”.

In 1983, the LDS updated statement on abortion changed a few things, but still said: ”The only exceptions are the rare cases where, in the opinion of competent medical counsel, the life or HEALTH of the woman is in jeopardy or the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape."

Romney adopted these same exceptions in his policies (CBS News, Aug. 27, 2012)...and is willing to impose them upon the pre-born...

"My position has been clear throughout this campaign," Romney said. "I'm in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest, and the HEALTH and life of the mother."
Source: Romney: My views on abortion rights are clear

#1, If "health" and "life" meant the same thing, it would have been redundant for Romney to mention both...he knows they are distinct, and hence mentioned both...Also, #2 abortions for reasons of incest only serves to cover up the crimes of the perpetrator...and these kind of policies only aid & abet such incest perpetrators...

[Morpheus2009]

“Obama didn’t go after Mitt’s Mormonism (it is a cult by any Christian definition), because it would have invited attacks on Obama’s Muslim faith; and given a choice, almost everyone would prefer a Mormon to a Muslim.”

That would primarily affect the rightwing. Leftists and Center wouldn’t care, because for a long time, and to a lot of people, the attacks on Obama were sketchy at best. I would say the left wants more support from the Mormons as a voting bloc, why use Harry Reid? To convince them that it’s not about Romney’s Mormonism, they’re utilizing, with of course Harry Reid’s cooperation, a variation on Guilt by Association” because a Mormon is accusing another Mormon, it can’t possibly be about Romney’s religion, or because a fellow Mormon is attacking Romney, it implies that one is more righteous than the other. Does that make any sense? My angle, and I admit I am just a spectator here, is more on the lines of trying to draw Mormon support away from Romney.

[Morpheus2009]

“A couple years ago some study showed that Mormons are the most conservative-voting religious community in the USA, so they pretty much already are a voting block for the GOP (in spite of attacks on our faith by evangelical conservatives). “

Exactly, which is one way that the GOP risks snatching defeat from the jaws of victory - scare away someone who either supports you or potentially could support you with some wierdness. I don’t care for Romney’s religion, however, he’s reasonable enough from the person that he’s shown himself to be that he could leave me as a Catholic well enough alone, in fact, encourage a more moderate, more faith-promoting atmosphere by not taking sides.

“You do have large numbers of Mormons in liberal states like NY who vote liberal of course, but it is really hard to square Democratic policies with Mormon doctrine.”

Yeah, the Democrats have turned hard left. Plenty of people in my own family are still pretty solidly Democrat, but I split with them after a while politically (we’re still on good loving terms) when it came to priorities: I personally found myself, despite originally being a registered Democrat, agreeing more and more with the Republicans, or Right-leaning Democrats as time passed. Especially concerning the economy, and some of the wierdness on gender, abortion, and don’t even get me started on the awful budget we’re looking at. I personally want our next president to kick off with some vetoes, and I really mean that when I say it. If Romney’s willingness to go back and forth to find an acceptable bill in MA is any indicator of what he would do as president, count me in, I could use the sight of some vetoes to soften up the day.

[Colofornian]

Romney has never tried to impose anything associated with Mormonism on anyone.

Aside from imposing Mormon church abortion exceptions upon the pre-born (previous post), Romney attempted to have Mormonism imposed upon his deceased father-in-law via a 1993 Salt Lake City religious baptism-for-the-dead ritual...
...see: Confirmed: Romney family had Ann Romney's atheist father posthumously baptized into the Mormon...

[LukeSW]

Romney attempted to have Mormonism imposed upon his deceased father-in-law via a 1993 Salt Lake City religious baptism-for-the-dead ritual... ...see: Confirmed: Romney family had Ann Romney's atheist father posthumously baptized into the Mormon...

Pray tell how that was an imposition. The man was dead. His daughter, Ann, is obviously a person of great compassion and love. If the practice in the Mormon Church is foolish, it won't matter. If it is valid, then the deceased father-in-law will either rejoice or simply reject it. Deceased spirits retain their God given agency.

In any event, read Corinthians. The practice is rather biblical. Read 1 Corinthians 15:29 where Paul is persuading listeners about resurrection by referring to the practice of performing baptism ordinances by proxy for those who deceased without baptism.

Moreover, what a contrast in compassion and comfort to the all too typical denunciation and pastoral claim of hellfire for anyone who died without baptism. The clearest contrast is with those who claim little children who die without baptism will go straight to hell or purgatory. Such a practice would seem to mock the love and justice of God.

[Colofornian]

In any event, read Corinthians. The practice is rather biblical. Read 1 Corinthians 15:29 where Paul is persuading listeners about resurrection by referring to the practice of performing baptism ordinances by proxy for those who deceased without baptism.

As you scoot along reading 1 Cor. 15:29 that phrase jumps out: THEY do which are baptized for the dead...

Paul is writing to the Corinthian church...if there was either anybody there in Corinth as part of the church -- or part of Paul's traveling entourage -- who were being baptized for the dead, he would have used the pronoun "we" -- not "they"...who are "they"???

In 1 Cor. 15:30, it's quite clear (in NIV, for example), that Paul THEN transitions to us, starting off: "And as for US...

[Colofornian]

Moreover, what a contrast in compassion and comfort to the all too typical denunciation and pastoral claim of hellfire for anyone who died without baptism. The clearest contrast is with those who claim little children who die without baptism will go straight to hell or purgatory. Such a practice would seem to mock the love and justice of God.

YOU should talk!

I open up my "handy-dandy" Book of Mormon, to the Book of Moroni, chapter 8, which discusses baptism of children...

As I scroll my eyes down to Moroni 8:14, what do I find here?

"Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity, for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should be be cut off while in the thought, he MUST go down to hell."

Here you, Luke, talk about Mormon "compassion & comfort" in some supposed "contrast" to a few Christian sects who consign the baptized-less to hell...yet what do YOU & all Mormons (like Grig & Mitt) who embrace the Book of Mormon do to people who might be off-base on this teaching??? You & all Mormons accuse them -- via Moroni 8:14-- of...
...having the "gall of bitterness"...
...stuck in the "bonds of iniquity" [wicked sinners in bondage]...
...you judge them to have have ZERO faith...
...you judge them to have ZERO hope...
...you declare these complete strangers as being void of charity (love)...
...and then you & all Mormons send such folks to hell...

Why??? Because they're simply off-base on a doctrine of baptism toward children!!!

And you call the Mormon belief on children & baptism compassionate????

So, yes, or no, do you believe Moroni 8:14 to be THE word of God, as proclaimed to all Mormons???

(I will take a non-answer as "yes," you do)

[Colofornian]

Deceased spirits retain their God given agency.

What? Do you reject the Bible...verses like...John 8:34... Romans 6:17-20...Eph. 2:1 which talks about being servants/slaves of sin?

Do you claim to have more authority than Jesus when He said: 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)

Jesus plainly said there that sin-committers were sin-servants! Mitt's father-in-law was an atheist in this life -- hardly "free" from any sin! What kind of implied "free" "agency" is there for slaves???????

Romans 6:17-20 twice talks about "servants of sin..."...What do you do Luke with that passage? Just ignore it all your life?

Or how about Eph. 2:1? 2 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

[See also Luke 9, where Jesus mentioned how the (spiritually) dead could bury the (physically) dead...Being spiritually dead is hardly "free agency..." 'tis bondage!!!]

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I did the same just before our massive ice storm and snow storms not long ago.
Natural gas for heat and cooking, propane backup, Coleman stove backup, Sterno cans for more back up. I lit kerosene lanterns I haven’t used for 25 years, had Coleman lanterns for back up and finally candles.

We did well with no electricity for several days and below “0” temps.