U pres. says religious freedom eroding, urges LDS to join ACLU

From the article: University of Utah President Michael K. Young has a strong message for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He says freedom of religion is eroding in America and he urges Mormons to join the American Civil Liberties Union. While speaking at the annual conference of the LDS International Society on Monday at Brigham Young University, Young said religious freedom is about free will and agency...during the question and answer period following his presentation...saying that "we all ought to be members of the ACLU."

Oh, glory be. Another "thou shalt" from the Lds leaders: Thou shalt be members of the ACLU!

From the article: Young is an expert on religious liberties and served as a member of the United State Commission on International Religious Freedom for seven years. He also is an adviser on religious freedom to the LDS Church.

Well, just look at that. Somebody who is advising the Lds hierarchy is even "higher" on the hierarchical list! (Hence, this is indeed a "thou shalt" from above!)

Somebody who wants to know what the ACLU has stood for should read George Grant's book, Trial and Error.

Or, you could go to the three Web links below and see a few things. The third link below mentions Grant and excerpts ACLU's pro-abortion and anti-pro life protestor stances through the years.

The immediately following links show the ACLU's pro-child porn stances. And this advisor to the Lds hierarchy -- the President of the University of Utah -- wants ALL Mormons to become members of this organization????? What greater proof is there that this church's leadership radar has gone whacko????!!!!

To clarify the ACLU & child porn stance...which the second link below does. The ACLU doesn't want child porn produced...it's against that. But once the child porn has already been produced, well, that's a different story 'cause then it falls under their broad "censorship" umbrella. But see those links for yourself... including how in 2007 a VA ACLU leader was arrested & convicted for purchasing sado-masochistic child porn.

Does the ACLU support child pornography? and ACLU Policy To Legalize Child Porn Distribution

Excerpt: The ACLU’s Attempts to Squelch Dissent and Restrict Free Speech and Protest The ACLU stands up for a few good causes: the right to protest, the right to assemble, and the right to privacy. They also speak out against troublesome concepts like a national ID card, which would erode privacy and help the government track law-abiding citizens, while not stopping terrorism. On the other hand, there are many causes that the ACLU is nefarious for, such as fighting the right of pro-life people to protest and the right to life of unborn children. Also, it has defended pedophile criminal organizations but not pro-life organizations. George Grant points out that the ACLU not only supports abortion past the “point of viability” but advocates outright infanticide as well (17). Ironically, the ACLU claims that it abhors any “lack of respect for human life,” (18) and that teaching “the permissibility of killing people to solve social problems is the worst possible example to set for any society” (19). Grant also points out how the ACLU has claimed that it despises anything that “might give society the unmistakable message that life ceases to be sacred when it is thought useful to take it and that violence is legitimate when it is thought justified by pragmatic concerns that appeal to those having the legal power to kill” (20) and that “A civilized and human society does not deliberately kill human beings” (21). These are all great points, but the ACLU needs to discover its ignorance and change its methods of selling out ideals.

The ACLU not only contradicts itself with its support for infanticide as birth control, but they also are hypocritical when it comes to protest; they selectively support the right of people and organizations to protest. Although the ACLU also claims to be champions of dissent and protest, its own record of attempting to squash dissent when it does not align with their ultra-left ideology shows that they are not serious about allowing peaceful protest. Grant points out that even though the words of the ACLU Policy Guide reads, “The ACLU supports the right to picket in any circumstances, by any method, and in any numbers,” (22) the ACLU “has often fought to limit the circumstances, methods, and numbers for peaceful pro-life protests” (23). Grant also points out that even though the ACLU’s official policy is against espionage tactics on protesters, it has been directly or indirectly involved in “social surveillance measures, compiling dossiers on individuals and photographing ‘potential’ opponents for later litigation” (24). The same hypocrisy is evident in their official position against trespassing violations against protesters. Although their policy states that, “Orderly, non-violent protests such as sit-ins are not a trespass on private property but rather a constitutional right to express opinion,” the ACLU has often advised to trespass pro-life protesters (25). And even though the ACLU has encouraged anti-nuclear, anti-war and environmentalist protesters to “incite riots” when they have crossed state lines, it has encouraged using the Federal racketeering laws—RICO laws—against peaceful pro-life protesters (26). What can one expect from an organization that persecutes pro-life protesters but defends pedophile killers? Infamous for their hateful propaganda and nonsensical logic, the ACLU helped defend a pedophile organization in the name of free speech. Two homosexual pedophiles, Charles Jaynes and Salvatore Sicari, were convicted in the murder and rape of a 10-year-old boy, Jeffrey Curley on Oct. 1, 1997. “According to the Curley’s suit, Jaynes was a member of NAMBLA under an alias at the time of the slaying. Jaynes, the plaintiffs say, had viewed the NAMBLA Web site shortly before the murder. NAMBLA literature showing members how to gain children’s trust, gain access to children nationwide, and avoid police investigating pedophilia cases were also found in Jaynes’ car and apartment, the lawsuit alleges” (27). ...According to the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit, NAMBLA is the largest and most dangerous organization of pedophiles in the U.S.” (28).

According to the ACLU, people should be silenced that acknowledge that unborn children are human lives. But they defend criminal pedophile murderous organizations that aid pedophiles in finding children.
Source: Special reports

Footnotes from that source: 17. ACLU Policy Guide, 345-348, quoted in George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civial Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 80.

18. Hugo Adam Bedau, The Case against the Death Penalty, (New York: ACLU, 1984), 2, quoted in George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civil Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 80.

19. Ibid, 4. 20. Ibid, 3. 21. Ibid, 3-4.

22. Benshoof, 5, 18-22; and, ACLU Policy Guide, 87, in George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civil Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 82.

23. George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civil Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 80.

24. Benshoof, 11, 13, 16-17; and, ACLU Policy Guide, 87, in George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civil Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 82-83.

25. Benshoof, 13-14; ACLU Policy Guide, 87, in George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civil Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 83.

26. Butler Eagle, September 28, 1970; and Operation Rescue News Briefs, March, 1989, in George Grant, Trial and Error: The American Civil Liberties Union and Its Impact of Your Family (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1989), 83.

27. Robinson, Bryan. “Man-Boy Love Group Sued.” ABC News. August 31, 2000. Online: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/nambla000831.html.

28. Kenny, Matt....ACLU Defends Advocates of Man-Boy Sex.” Discerning the Times. Online: http://www.gostrategic.org/dtt/DTTP09B2000.htm.

Coming from a group that was founded as a theocracy.. this is a bit rich.

If there ever was a civil sin its joining the ACLU.

If President Young has his head stuck so far up out of the sunlight to not understand that the ACLU has nothing to do with religious freedom, then his case is hopeless.

Missed something in that man's thinking ~ if he wanted to be a passionate civil libertarian why would he join the quite Fascistic ACLU?

Is it the arm bands or something? Perhaps he prefers baby meat to pork. What a strange dude.

Whaaaaaat? The ACLU is one of the most anti-Christian organizations on earth. Turning to the ACLU to protect religious freedom is like trying to fireproof your house by soaking it with gasoline and lighting a match.

If President Young were in Germany in 1938, he’d probably suggest that Jews start supporting Hitler.

"the ACLU has nothing to do with religious freedom"

It's the opposite isn't it? The ACLU is actively working to diminish religious freedom. They are why religious freedom is declining.

Not Cool.

Whaaaaaat? The ACLU is one of the most anti-Christian organizations on earth. Turning to the ACLU to protect religious freedom is like trying to fireproof your house by soaking it with gasoline and lighting a match.

What do you expect?

The Mormon church is one of the most anti-Christian cultic organizations on earth!

From its get-go, the Mormon leaders labeled ALL Christians "apostates"...Smith in his founding vision, which a later generation of Mormons sought fit to sanction it as "scripture," called ALL of our Christian professing believers "corrupt..." and labeled ALL of our creeds as an "abomination."

The Mormon church & the ACLU are peas from the same demonic pod.

Telling a Christian to join the ACLU is like telling a black to join the KKK.

It looks like just another propaganda ploy to paint mormonism as being a "persecuted" organization, which is hilarious given it's racist past.

If the PR campaigns by the mormon church on TV, radio and the internet PLUS the 53,000 missionaries free to spread their propaganda is evidence of "civil liberties" being violated, I have an ocean-front property in Arizona for sale, cheap!

I suppose we'll be entertained here on the Religion Forum with numerous links to this article intended to paint FR as being "bigoted"....[oops...I may be giving someone ideas..]

Why wouldn’t they choose to join the ACLJ, which seems to be doing more to defend religious freedom (often AGAINST the ACLU) than any other group. Jay Sekulow of the ACLJ is about the most prominent attorney when it comes to defending religious freedom.

Lots of weirdness coming out of Utah lately.

The ACLU is one of the most anti-Christian organizations on earth.

Nothing unusual about an un Christian group joining an anti Christian one.

They might as well. Passing laws in Utah cuddling with illegals, they only elect liberals to office, partnering with islamic groups - seems like they would fit right in.

A union made in Hades.

Many, many Mormons are not Christians, they’re Mormons. Some LDS are Christians, but they were usually recruited to LDS AFTER being saved. One has to squelch the leadership of the Holy Spirit in order to take the soul-reins and seek salvation ‘after all that they can do.’

Had a freeper go on a tirade saying just how wonderfully conservative mormons were.

Yet here we have a highly placed mormon (an advisor on religions freedom to the mormon church) telling them to partner with the most liberal, anti-Christian organization out there.

The peep stone’s batteries must be out of juice.

I say, "Go for it guys!"

Then MORMONism will be even MORE despised in the world!

The ACLU is one of the most anti-Christian organizations on earth.

Then MORMONism would be a perfect fit!!!

Joseph Smith continues: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (, p.270).

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (, p. 119).

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" ( 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" ( 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" ( 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (, vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" ( 10:230).

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (, p. 255).

Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (, 18:172).

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (, vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (, 10:127).

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (, p.182).

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (, vol. 3, p.282).

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (, p.316).

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (, vol. 2, p.196).