Posted on 09/02/2010 6:59:52 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Well, yes and no. I'm a subscriber to John Adams' take on the matter:
"We have no government armed in power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."
Adams was talking about a people who were largely self-policing, due to their inherent moral and religious beliefs. Governments exist to maintain order. Limited government works well when the preponderance of the people can be counted upon to be well-behaved without governmental help.
For people who are not self-policing, the need for order can only be maintained by forcing them to behave. As the number of such people increases, government's size and scope necessarily increases as well -- which is dangerous in its own right, since becoming part of that larger government is an attractive temptation to those who are not moral.
Importantly, in Adams' time there was general agreement on what constitutes "moral" behavior, and that was the case because nearly everybody shared the same fundamental Christian beliefs.
Those conditions don't exist anymore ... and the lack of such uniformity of belief helps to explain how things have reached their present lamentable state.
Beck's desire (whether or not he understands it) seems to be a return to the sort of society about which Adams was writing.
Well.... where does one find such uniformity of belief? It doesn't strictly require a common Christian belief, though I think we agree that Christianity is probably the best answer.
Yes, Norm they did. This has been sown dozens of times on FR.
You mistake me for somebody who cares about certain FReepers' obsession with Mormonism.
I see the Christian community is basically putting up the caution flag...and that's a good thing. Beck certainly isn't in a position to claim himself as a “preacher man”...he doesn't even know the one he claims let alone reach over that isle...but he will surely learn the difference now as others step up and out.
I am still uncomfortable with the “unity” thing....because he came across as uniting the faiths, although specifically behind his Patriotic push toward our country. Still, it is concerning...am still in the wait and see mode but enough out there, by Beck, to keep eyes and ears open.
How are you gaining?
Bye
Yea...I wonder too.
Yet here you are, are there any Christian churches, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, or Protestant, that recognize Mormon baptism as a Christian baptism? I'm not aware of any.
His wife still talked him into it, because he was a Catholic. (And still is a Catholic through his initial Baptism.)
Have you ever read Beck’s book “The Christmas Sweater.” Do read it — the proof that he was brought up Catholic is right there in his own words.
Beck needs to get back to his Catholic roots...
The primary principle is that there is one God, you should love him with all your mind, body, soul and strengh and have no other gods before him. It's the first commandment. Mormons believe in many gods.
I never said that I voted for Huckabee( I didn’t) I voted for the Mormon. I said that he preaches a true gospel and won’t back off from that.
That needs to be posted often as these mystical 'experiences' often make it very difficult for people to turn away from this false and deceptive "spiritualism". Yet another 'ism' which is not new at all...this spiritualism comes straight from Eastern religions which are incorporated into the churches and very much the agenda posed and planned for.
The Charismatic movement has had to strip these out of it as their memberships experiences exactly replicated the out of control behavior the Guru's place on their followers...which is another spirit other than Christ.
People really do need a heads up on this matter of experiences from other dimension's....or sightings they imagine occur. These are imposter's and will turn people to their experiences and away from the truth...just a matter of time. Unfortunately people underestimate or are not familiar with the enemies devices. Deception is a frequent tool because it works so well on the uninformed.
For the record norm, Hinkley said -
The LDS Church News reported: "In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ. No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fulness [sic] of Times'" (June 20, 1998, ).
The Christ of Christianity IS THE Christ of the Bible. The Christ of the dispensation of the fullness of time is that Christ as defined by joseph smith, et.al apostles and prophets (summarized from lds.org).
Apostle Bruce McConkie (a former LDS Leader if I am not mistaken) stated ""We worship the Father and him only and no one else. We do not worship the Son and we do not worship the Holy Ghost. I know perfectly well about what the scriptures say about worshipping Christ and Jehovah, but they are speaking in an entirely different sense - the sense of standing in awe and being reverentially grateful to Him who has redeemed us. Worship in the true and saving sense is reserved for God first, the Creator." (Bruce McConkie, Speech at BYU on March 2 1982)
So yes, your leaders have said you don't worship the Christ of the Bible. At best you worship the Christ defined by Joseph Smith.
Even Jews?
If you’re counting infant baptism to get you into Heaven, you might want to regroup.
Hopefully Becks “message” of returning to God was indeed taken with the idea of Christian roots.....but those who know Mormonism recognize that Mormonism does not have it's roots in the Christian Christ....rather an impostor.
Hi svcw,
I think what you are referring to is the quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley where he said “The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak”. (LDS Church News, Saturday, 20 June 1998)
The traditional Christ is certainly different from the Biblical Christ. He was referring to the Christ defined in non-biblical creeds that have become the tradition in much of Christianity.
Latter-day Saints believe firmly in the Jesus Christ of the New Testament.
Best,
Normandy
No mistake on my part...omitting very important BASIC mormon doctrine will usually be challenged with the facts. Now others that read the original post will have them.
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