This article was written by a bigot with an anti Mormon agenda. And it is thoroughly sickening. Enough already.
Leave him aLONE!
Posted on 02/19/2008 4:46:10 PM PST by Zakeet
In his pursuit of the presidency, Mitt Romney held fast to his Mormon faith, though his religion remains controversial with evangelicals and some other Christians. But his determined (and ultimately futile) wooing of evangelicals led him to make some statements that didn't quite square with Mormon beliefs and culture. And the effort itself may have deepened the impression of him as inauthentic—even to some fellow Mormons.
Early in his presidential bid, Romney was asked what he thought of polygamy. Prompted by what they considered a divine revelation, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discontinued the practice more than a century ago, and the church distances itself from polygamist "fundamentalists." But Romney went one step further, saying he couldn't "imagine anything more awful than polygamy." Many Mormons were privately taken aback. Mormons believe that, in its time, "plural marriage" was a commandment from God, and they are, as a group, fiercely proud of their ancestors, hundreds of whom practiced polygamy. (Romney's own great-grandfather had five wives.) LDS church members loathe the polygamy stereotypes and jokes bandied by outsiders. But hearing Romney—the most recognizable face of their faith these days—disavow it in those terms was mildly unsettling to LDS insiders.
Others were puzzled to hear Romney say he reads the Gideon Bible—a version popular with evangelicals: Mormons uniformly study the King James version, in a Salt Lake edition that is cross-referenced to all other Mormon scripture. "Seems like he just figured he had to say the safest, most Protestant thing he could think of—that was kind of annoying," says Russell Arben Fox, a Mormon professor of political science at Friends University in Wichita, Kans.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
When Jesus said “It is finished,” he was referring to his earthly life and mission. Just because your pastors read a different meaning into this statement doesn’t mean I have to accept it to be a Christian. If everything was “finished” when he uttered that sentence, why did there need to be a resurrection?
This brings forth another question - was there a revival going on in 1820? Records indicate that the answer was no. If this was not happening, then did Smith really have a visitation at all? Why, after this alledged visitation, three years later Smith sought to join one of these apostate churches?
This is kinda hard to do, for even Mormons do not agree as to just WHAT their faith really is.
Check out any PRO LDS chat sites on the web and notice the conversations.
He’s DEAD, Jim!
The only perfect being, Christ, died to atone for our imperfect in keeping the law.
________________________________________
Jesus is not a being...
Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and the Word of God and God comne in the flesh..
Lucifer/Satan is a created being...
And Lucifer and Jesus were not and are not brothers, spirit brothers or any other type of brothers...
Lucifer/Satan was not and is not a “spirit child” or any other kind of child of God...
Guess which one will put you to sleep faster.
They should include the Pearl of Great Price and a copy of the D&C's if they want folks to see most of their doctrine comes from.
You know, I'd be glad to eventually get around to discussing that with you. But you've just enlisted a decent apologetical move: Change the subject. (Where was I discussing Mormons converting our co-religionists?..unless you call changing our name from "John Christian" to "John Apostate" a "conversion" in reverse of sorts?)
Why can't you answer what I wrote in post #107? Here, I'll boil down the key points I'd like for you to address that I wrote:
(1) The problem is the Mormon claim of the apostasy is all-inclusive...and it's rather slyly deceptive of you to suggest that it's anything less than universal.
(2) When we object to our alleged "apostate" spiritual graveyard status, too many LDS don't ever seem to have qualms about pushing us out of our "home" identity as "Christians." (Please note the endless stream of LDS insinuations/accusations that if we "dare" even try to establish any definitional "boundaries" as to what a "Christian" is we are acting in some "self-righteous" manner).
Imagine a Mormon online discussion where some LDS folks are putting down some of the practices of polygamous fundamentalist Mormons. Could you then imagine the utter gall if a polygamous fundamentalist Mormon said to the LDS folks:
...to be honest, I never fully understood those paragraphs until I started reading some of the anti-fundamentalist Mormon stuff on XYZ,posted by "Mormons" who saw no irony in being ugly and insulting in order to prove that they are more "Mormon" than us fundamentalist Mormons.
Question: Are all "Mormons" "Mormons"--whether or not "fundamentalist" is tagged on as a qualifier?
Question: In your view, are polygamous fundamentalist Mormons also "Christians?"
“What are you going to do about Jesus ???”
Believe in Him. Worship Him. Love Him. Acknowledge Him as the Creator of this world. Be grateful for His sacrifice for me. Look to Him as an example of how I should live and try, in my very imperfect way, to emulate Him. Try to keep His commandments and teach my children and grandchildren to do likewise. Bear witness of His gospel.
I don’t know that much about fundamentalist doctrine. But, to the extent they acknowledge Christ as their Savior, they are also Christians.
When Jesus said “It is finished,” he was referring to his earthly life and mission. Just because your pastors read a different meaning into this statement doesn’t mean I have to accept it to be a Christian. If everything was “finished” when he uttered that sentence, why did there need to be a resurrection?
_________________________________________________
I could care less what the mormon cult leaders say about Jesus ...
I read the Bible for myself...
Jesus said “It is finished” and it was...
Anyone who does not believe that Jesus is God and quite capable of dying to save man..
And thinks that puny man is better at saving himself than God is..
is not a Christian and does not believe in the the Jesus of the Bible...
not by any stretch of the imagination...
The anti-Mormon, Romney haters at Newsweek, on FR, and elsewhere are subliminally sorry Mitt dropped out of the race ...
Bcause now they no longer have anyplace to direct their animosity and bitterness.
Why is Huckabee staying in this race for the nomination when he has absolutely no chance and in fact is losing worst and worst?
Because the Huckabee's of this world are obsessed with their self-appointed mission to diss and destroy the Mitt Romneys of this world.
They see themselves as building up brownie points with God Almighty, when nothing could be further from the truth.
I don’t know that much about fundamentalist doctrine
__________________________________________________
Therein lies a dilemma...
And the crux of the problem...
Jesus was the “only begotten” in the flesh. We believe we are all spirit children of our Father in Heaven.
I was talking about polygamist “fundamentalist” doctrine. What did you think I was referring to?
Either you haven’t read a word I said, or you are incapable of understanding them. No man can “save” himself. I never said that. And, if it was “finished” when Jesus uttered those words, why was a resurrection necessary?
(Not sure what you mean here, DU?)
Whether or not he [Smith] was right, he believed that statement came from God.
DU, I think what many LDS and non-LDS who read the broader context of the First Vision statement by Smith pass right over is how a 14 yo lad simply invested WAY to much in confused teen feelings...and that's why Lady Lawyer actually did us a favor by citing the broader context of Smith's First Vision statement...here's what she quoted:
Smith: ...religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued -- priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another... (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith - History)
A confused 14 yo Smith seemed to measure everything by feelings--good feelings, bad feelings, religious feelings, burning in the bosom feelings, burning for your neighbor's wife feelings (9-11 of his "wives" were already married to other men), burning for your neighbor's daughter feelings (false eternal welfare promises were given to young teen girls and their family members if only she would marry him...the Kimball girl is probably the best example of this).
The PBS show, "The American Experience," re: its two-part series on Mormonism mentioned this recently yet again. But the Kimball girl herself later wrote exactly what Smith promised re: eternal spiritual benefits that would accrue to her family if she agreed to marry him.
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.