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.
He apparently hasn't been spending much time in Temple Square.
Church leadership today is very careful to steer clear of partisan politics, but the moral focus of the LDS Church most assuredly casts these important matters into stark black and white terms. It is tough to be both a faithful LDS member and a Democrat today because the Democratic Party has drifted far into the waters of moral relativism, and many of its most important goals are either designed to destroy or have the effect of corroding the traditional family.
It's easy to discern where this erstwhile Mormon stands, and it isn't with the LDS faithful.
I got a kick out of his name dropping and bragging about teaching sunday school to Benson. What a phony!
This guy sounds like a shill for the Democratic Party. I love how he brings up the rich and poor mantra. Hey buddy!!! Nobody got rich off of government handouts!!! What an idiot.
I see- we need to view terrorists as grown-ups and President Bush as a narrow-minded juvenile? The writer has made it clear, to me, who his intended audience is. It's funny that he can draw a line between the John Birch Society having a hyper-patriotic stance (that has resulted in zero deaths) and the conservatives of today. I believe he's been hibernating since the 2000 Election and hasn't realized there have been riots, murders, kidnappings, rapes, violent protests, etc. in the name of islam and there is no concern for any of that. He's more concerned about the LDS religion that hasn't beheaded anyone lately?
The point these fruitcakes always leave out is that conservatism doesn't lead people to go on killing sprees. It doesn't make people want to burn effigies and carry posters thanking God for Hitler.
The writer may want to get to the bottom of who is dividing this country.....and stroll over to a mirror
Another reason why I don't subscribe to the Salt Lake Trib.
There is that core in Salt Lake which I call SF Lite...and he's playing to it.
Frank Church of Idaho? How does that rat enter into a diatribe about Utah, my relatives in Idaho hated him.
I smell a pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage, globalist dressing up like a Mormon. I've seen their type before.
The man who issued this statement and also trumpeted his good church-going habits should think about this, Isn't that statement totally consistent with what the Lord has taught us over the ages, there is black and white,good or evil,not lukewarm mush?
Someone should say to this guy "You know you are right. Those Commies and terroists would have let you keep teaching your Sunday school class." I love leftists they are so easy to pick on.
The Salt Lake Tribune is really trying too hard to be the NYT. They think they will sell more papers to the "social elitists" here in Utah which is indeed their intended audience. Trouble is they are losing ground.
This appears to be an op-ed piece, submitted by someone to the paper. Why not write a countering editorial and submit it to the same paper?
Perhaps your point of view would be printed as well. That seems to me to be a very good way of responding to this, if you're in Utah.
Think about it.
Then along came Bill Clinton, gave our Hi-Tech secrets to the Chicoms, and,,,,,guess who don't give a sh*t? Full blown treason here, and count how many folks with top secret clearances and a sworn oath to their job, completely ignored it.???
Good one! We lived in the Bay area for 35 years. The Utah liberals don't have a clue about that world. But they are experts. If you don't believe it, just ask them.
I think I read somewhere and Lds church leader back in the 30's said communism was evil and that if the U.S. didn't make it treasonable, it would be our undoing. Maybe I am misquoting, don't know. It was a while ago.
That is exactly my reason for posting this, hoping a Utah Freeper that is a better wordsmith than me would tackle the job.
Well, I wouldn't wait for someone else to write it. Give it a try. Use the op-ed piece as an outline for your writing. Take his piece apart, point for point.
Newspapers love well-written counterpoints in these op-ed pieces. It stimulates readership. You can't get a counter article published unless someone writes one.
Give it a shot.
He's using all of the talking points in a "My dear brothers and sisters" way. Dropping names is an old tactic used by folks with inferiority complex problems, trying to make themselves sound like they are oh, so informed. I see it a lot here in Utah.
I did conduct a google search to discover that Willmore is in the business of consulting with executives and leaders to assist them to become more effective executives and leaders. He describes what he is selling as follows:
"Most people find [the training] provocative. It will challenge and change some of your most habitual--and unexamined--major assumptions about life, learning, and leadership."
What a promise! When considered in light of the litany of knee-jerk platitudes spewed by Willmore in his guest commentary, one must pause to wonder whether Willmore has been paying even the slightest attention to his own advice.
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.