Posted on 02/19/2006 7:05:50 AM PST by Utah Binger
The LDS Church, extremism and our leadership vacuum Utah Voices Jerold Willmore
Jerold Willmore
During the waning months of Eisenhower's presidency, I was in Washington, D.C., working for Sen. Frank Church during the day, pursuing a graduate degree at night and campaigning for JFK against Nixon on Saturdays. Sundays, I presided over the Sunday school in the LDS Washington Ward, attended by Secretary of Agriculture (and LDS Apostle) Ezra Taft Benson and his family. America was locked in the Cold War. Worse, the fires of nuclear fear were fanned by McCarthyist "red-baiters," none more rabid than Robert Welch, president of the John Birch Society. Welch saw a communist behind every tree. He even called President Eisenhower "a communist dupe." Benson's son, Reed, was the Washington representative for the Birch Society and a frequent speaker at Sacrament meetings, although his talks often reflected extremist right-wing political ideology. During one such talk, he invited everyone to "an important conference" at the Marriott Hotel. About 40 of us showed up. Reed ran a 30-minute Birch Society recruiting film - a jingoistic diatribe by Welch himself. Then Reed enthusiastically invited our questions but got an awkward silence. So, I rose to say that I found Welch's presentation demagogic, that Reed's super-patriotism was making an Americanist political front out of the LDS Church and that I wanted the record to show that he didn't speak for me. The meeting erupted in applause and broke up.
The Salt Lake Tribune ran the AP story the next morning. To its credit the LDS Church First Presidency responded with a statement strongly disapproving of its members supporting extremist organizations, whether of the right or the left.
The worldview of extremists is toxic because it's distorted by juvenile, two-valued thinking. They see everything simplistically, as black or white, good or evil, "you're either with us or the terrorists," etc. Real world subtlety, nuance and complexity are lost on extremists. For them the end justifies the means - even if it divides our country against itself.
Right-wing extremist fixation has shifted from anti-Communism to anti-terrorism. But their divisive tactics are unchanged. Their professed ends are still national security and cultural purity - and their means are still chauvinism and sanctimony. But if, as Samuel Johnson said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel",then surely, moralizing is the first.
For history teaches that those who wrap themselves in the flag ("Mission Accomplished!") and parade their religiosity (Terry Schiavo?) are neither patriotic nor spiritual. They're sitting in judgment on the "moral decline" of everyone else. The self-serving claims of the self-righteous to "moral clarity" and "super-patriotism" are the tactic; neoconservative extremism is the result. Unfortunately, neo(new)conservatism and the New Testament have nothing in common. Would Jesus do, even reluctantly, what the neocons do zealously - enrich the rich and impoverish the poor, bury our grandchildren under public debt and violate the law to lie, spy, torture and commit unprovoked aggression? Hardly. The neocons have prostituted the press, distorted science, compromised government and religion by entangling one with the other and stained America's reputation for moral leadership. Worse, neocons persist in raping God's green Earth instead of protecting it. Result? Catastrophic global warming will soon be irreversible. The true enemies of humankind are neocons who would drill or war for more oil - instead of ending its consumption altogether. Neocon denial, while pretending to be pro-life, is extremist, because pro-life begins with pro-environment. Utah's congressional delegation is a virtual rubber stamp for this faith-based, counterfeit Bush administration. Might this be a good time for the LDS Church to reassert its leadership against extremism? Here in the reddest state of Utah, that leadership could repair the unconstitutional gerrymandering that has emasculated Utah's and the nation's checks and balances, return us to civil moderation and heal the religious divide - and the Earth.
Not being a resident of the state, is the author citing something specific to Utah or is he drinking the koolaide of an elected president nominating judges as he had promised in the campaigns that the opposition dislikes? It would seem to many of the Dims that unless they could return to those glorious days of Democrat absolute control over the 3 branches (FDR/JFK/LBJ/JEC & WJC), then there are no 'checks and balances'.
McCarthy was right, 100%.
Just got back.
After a great deal of thought,(ten seconds) I have decided to save my words for a more worthy opponent. That would be any liberal I can take on in a bar. For instance there is a decrepit liberal judge that hangs out at Murphy's. It is fun to watch him so beside himself when I challenge his stupid CNN talking point statements.
I also have to be a bit careful as KUED is getting started with the filming this Friday at the Alta Club. Can you imagine how they would react?
Ohhhh, I love it if you'd freepmail me his name. For some reason my attorney doesn't like the judge we drew in our case, said he doesn't know much about him.
It's always fun to have a little insight into someone who will judge you, eh?
The other thing is that the Trib actually published this tripe of nothing but Harry Reid talking points.
He is most certainly a koolaid drinker. But a very inept and uninformed one. Typical liberal idiot.
You might enjoy one of those sessions. Last Thursday I was able to refute loudly all the talking points re Cheney. Free Republic is good missionary training for bars in Utah.
That's how I see it!
Sounds like fun, Lib baiting in Murphy's using FreeRupublic as training.
At my daughter's scholarship interview, they asked her what cartoon character whe would date if given a chance.
Her answer was Elmer Fudd! She didn't tell them it was because the news outlets had been comparing Cheney to Fudd all week - - and she LOVES Cheney! Free Republic gives us an edge even when we don't realize it!
I was thrilled to see Alan Simpson on Fox this morning. He had some very funny things to say about the Cheney incident. He is one of the conservative folks in my world. He calls to talk about art on occasion as he is on the board of the Cody Museum. He really loves our project.
Ping
What I find interesting being born in the 40's was the things that McCarthy said or the way it was said was the way majority American's also re-acted to things they found out of place just as McCarthy manner...
Majority just like McCarthy message was always taken out of context and never taken seriously...
The smooth talking left would play on the heart string of Ameirca!
When I was a child our patriotism was solid somewhere in between the 50's there spawn a new generation of flower children, hippies etc and a great influx of the NEA teachers from the USSR which our Merchant Marines brougth back from Sov. Russia.
They also the Merchant Marine's had the policy "Don't ask, Don't Tell!"
Some of us were bless to have knowledge of our nation from its pass to understand the future and carry on!
When the link was broken America was quietly being dumb down by the media left, causing many to stumbled, because of a lack of imformation from the histroy of this great nation of their!
You can see the shift in how news was being report oh so suddle and in the entertainment world our moral compass was being dilute and undermind!
The Hegelian Dialectic was in full swing in every opperation of America life!
This site it to help one understand how this works, I do not agree that Bush and Blair are apart of it, but it is a good cover for the rest to smear all so the real scoundrels are not noticed!
Luke 19:21-27
"Another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief;
for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.'
"He said to him, 'By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?
'Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?'
"Then he said to the bystanders, 'Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.'
"And they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas already.'
"I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
"But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence."
America has been infestated at all levels by Communists long before Alger Hiss and the United Nations was planted on our soil.
Huh? Sorry man you are losing me. Can you say something in a dialect we all can follow with a small amount of "what is the point"?
I think he's saying that those who are entrusted with much will be given much.
IOW Capitalism is great and God inspired! YeHaw!
(you must have forgot that your thread got moved to the religion section.)
The lord and lady mistress superior being at this address just said "lets watch Sideways". Now there is one funny movie. I promise I will say a wine prayer and learn all the buzz words to speak with authority next time I'm in the house of the wineman. "Merlot is out"! Red Zinfandel rocks!
A few years back the Republican-dominated state legislature redrew the three US congressional districts. Historically the second district had always been viewed as the democrats' best chance because the entire district comprised highly urbanized Salt Lake County and little else. The redrawn second district lost some of its southern urban territory to the third district and picked up rural Tooele County to the west.
The new second district will not as easy for democrats to win. They have held it for six years now, but that's because it is held by Jim Matheson, a son of Utah's last democratic governor, Scott Matheson, who was generally popular with Democrats and Republicans alike. Matheson doesn't make waves and keeps his worst liberal tendencies well camouflaged.
When Matheson is finally bumped or retires to do something else (like run for Hatch's senate on the Democrat ticket), Republicans will likely take the seat, perhaps for good.
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