Posted on 02/28/2010 4:35:54 PM PST by ComeUpHigher
I agree with you that Catholics, as voters, aren’t generally easily identified as a conservative block and that there are some Mormon politicians such as Harry Reid who are liberal.
However, the teachings and values of the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church are supportive of the traditional family and protecting life. I believe they can work together in advancing those shared conservative values without compromising their respective theologies.
I just don’t understand why some find it is so hard to be supportive of these combined efforts to protect and advance conservative social issues. Despite your articulated concern, can you identify any situation where ecumenical involvement with the Mormon Church has resulted in a change to the doctrine of another church? I know of none and think it rather silly to have such concern. I’m confident both the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church will maintain their respective doctrinal integrity despite working together on these conservative social issues.
“And mormonism isn’t the citidel of conservatism either”
Nor is Christianity. That why it is sooooo important for true conservatives to come together & work in a unified effort as espoused in this article. NOT the constant tearing down based on one’s BELIEFS.
The article strikes me as an example of TRUE conservatism, & what we should be doing as a movement. Is this Cardinal doing more to promote the cause, or you?
This makes no sense. When the Mormon Church joined with the Catholic Church in supporting Prop. 8 in California, it did so at the expense of being targeted and attacked by those opposed. Is that the type of favorable PR you think will come to the Mormon Church from these combined efforts with the Catholic Church to protect conservative social issues?
That would go over like a lead ballon in a Mitt thread, now wouldn't it.
Is this Cardinal doing more to promote the cause, or you?
The bible is clear - do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. The Catholic church does so at her own risk.
It was not just mormons and Catholics who worked against prop 8 - there were many, many more Christian denominations that worked against it - and even the Catholic church worked against it without collaborating with slc. Again, read my posts very carefully. As stated earlier, the PR is between the lds and Catholics - a situation that missionaries will attempt to exploit with this ‘alignment’, just as the have in the past.
There is no legitimate dispute regarding the conservative disposition of Mormons. A Pew study found them to be among the most conservative in the nation: http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=427
Notwithstanding your assertion, the LDS Church in Utah has a long-standing ecumencial relationship with the Catholic Church. This is a recent article reflecting that relationship: http://www.sltrib.com/lds/ci_13028300
You have been quite gracious & charitable in making my points today. Best wishes for a great week.
Yeh, right.
I thought you had more scriptural integrity than trying to use a scripture referring to marriage to a nonbeliever as a basis to oppose ecumenical efforts.
It would be helpful for you to carefully read the following article and ponder its implications on the value of ecumenical efforts in advancing conservative social issues: http://www.sltrib.com/lds/ci_13028300
But not with Evangelical churches? Why is that?
And why, if they are so conservative, vote so strongly for Romney?
I know many Evangelicals and pastors in Utah, and they are often more conservative than the LDS I know, which I find interesting.
One active, temple LDS friend of mine, just became an independent after being a life long Republican, that shocked me.
“If Utah is so conservative, why did it go so far for RINO Romney?”
Would it have been better for Utah to have voted for the RINO Huckabee, or the RINO McCain?
Reid will go down in Nevada this year. Largely due to the LDS vote.
That is wonderful that you know many Evangelicals and pastors in Utah who are often more conservative that LDS members you know. I’m not claiming Mormons are the most conservative, just that they are conservative. I am supportive of Evangelicals and Mormons working together to advance conservative social issues as well despite their theological differences.
Despite the theological differences Mormons may have with other faiths, I support united efforts in the political world when it comes to advancing conservative social issues. I wish you shared that same sentiment.
You have no grounds to accuse me of lacking integrity in the way I applied the passage. If marriage is a union of two - so to is a joining of two organizations. Paul's citation in 2 Cor does not single out marriage or even mention it does it?
Paul means much more here than only marrying an unbeliever (you must read the passage in its whole context). It really applies to any environment where we let the world influence our thinking. When we are being conformed to this world and are not being transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2), we are joining together with unbelievers in an ungodly way.
finally, ecumenical efforts in the past have always been liberal - not conservative - in origin - and is evident by the National Council of Churches - one of the most liberal religious organizations second only to the World CC.
Surely your not asserting that defending traditional marriage and protecting the unborn are liberal issues, are you? These are the issues over which the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church have joined together to protect.
Please provide documentation of the Mormon Church using past ecumenical efforts with the Catholics to specifically advance its missionary efforts. I don’t want antecdotal stories, but proof that the Mormon Church’s has a stated policy of concertedly engaging in ecumenical activites for the purpose of furthering its missionary efforts.
I will not lay aside my faith in order to make political progress. I cannot without denying my Lord.
I have no problem standing next to an LDS at a rally or protest, but having them speak at my church and accepting them as a brother/sister in Christ, is something entirely different.
If we work together in political areas then we should do it OUTSIDE of our churches, not in an ecumenical fashion or in our churches.
“However, what is disappointing (but not surprising) is seeing the lack of civility and concerted effort at divisiveness when posters such as you attempt to hijack the thread as yet another opportunity to attack when I’ve merely posted an ecumenical thread showing unity amongst the Catholic Church and Mormon Church on social issues.”
to be disappointed is to have believed.
Careful what you believe, CUH!
Fair enough. I respect your opinion on this matter. I would like to think we could stand next to each other at a rally or protest to support conservative principles despite the theological differences in our respective faiths. If you can only do that informally rather than formally through our respective churches, I accept that.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
BTW, the RINO Huckabee garnered A LOT of the Evangelical vote. So did Obama! Does that mean that Evangelicals aren’t conservative? Not really.
Agreed, particularly when it applies to my belief that despite theological differences some posters could be civil.
Please read my posts more closely - it would save needless replies. While those 'issues' are generally considered to be "conservative" - the process of 'ecumenicalism' is ultimately liberal.
Please provide documentation of the Mormon Church using past ecumenical efforts with the Catholics to specifically advance its missionary efforts.
For starters, I specified - other - ventures. Mormons have been trying to obtain parity with Christianity for a while now. Proof 1 - their attempt to gain equality with Christians in Promise Keepers events of the 1990's. They further attempted to exploit Dr. Richard Mouw's poorly advised speach to mormons. Attempted ecumenical exploitation of "how wide is the divide". These are just three instances where the mormon church has/is attempting to exploit a loose ecumenicalism to gain credability and parity with Christianity.
If you don't agree - prove me wrong on these three then.
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