Iow...the "spokesperson" for the Mormon church didn't tell the "fullness" of truth about Mormon theology.
Well, that was Huckabee in Dec 2007...Then fast-forward 25 months to late January 2010. Rexburg Idaho. Home of BYU-Idaho. An Lds "apostle," M. Russell Ballard, gives an unscripted fireside "convo" with Mormon students. See: Ballard speaks on Mormons in the media from the Rexburg Standard Journal, which covers the talk.
Ballard lets the "cat out of the bag": From the Rexburg article: "You remember Mr. (Mike) Huckabee (who was also vying to be the Republican candidate for president), who among other things said that Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil were brothers?" Ballard asked students. "Remember that? It went all over the media. "Well they are!" Ballard exclaimed to a laughing student body.
Ah, yes. When Mormons accused Huckabee of lying about this -- or worse. They were all offended. Get them behind closed doors, and they laugh about the reality of having Mormon worldviews pegged in the public square.
So, here, we have an Lds general authority conceding that -- to quote him "Well they are!" in reference to the issue of whether they cite "Jesus and the devil are brothers."
Now in case someone views that this information needs to be suppressed...not let it become aired out...or they think that we are overriding realities in our assessments of Mormonism, Elder Ballard concedes at this fireside chatm adding: "But they (the media and nonmembers) don't understand that, because they don't have the (LDS gospel) restoration. They don't understand the spiritual relationship that ... we are all sons and daughters of God, and that Lucifer was one of those and (that) he chose to use his agency in an unrighteous way."
Let's read what some Mormon leaders have had to say?
An LDS "Seventy" named Milton R. Hunter wrote: "The appointment of Jesus to be Saviour of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, Son of the Morning .... this spirit brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Saviour of Mankind." MILTON R. HUNTER (First Council of 70) The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15, 1958
Brigham Young said: Who will redeem the earth, who will go forth and make the sacrifice for the earth and all things it contains? The Eldest Son said: Here am I; and then he added, Send me. But the second one, which was Lucifer, Son of the Morning, said, Lord, here am I, send me, I will redeem every son and daughter of Adam and Eve that lives on the earth, or that ever goes on the earth. (Journal of Discourses, pp. 53-54)
As it's indicated in LDS Scripture, Book of Abraham, LDS do indeed believe that Jesus is the "elder brother" of Lucifer, and that Lucifer is also every Mormon's "elder brother."
In 1844, LDS author W.W. Phelps wrote: "And again, we exclaim, O Mormonism! No wonder that Lucifer, son of the morning, the next heir to Jesus Christ, our eldest brother, should fight so hard against his brethren; he lost the glory, the honor, power, and dominion of a God and the knowledge, spirit, authority and keys of the priesthood of the son of God!"
In 1949 this LDS Conference Report features LDS apostle Joseph F. Merrill, who says that Lucifer "is a spirit brother of ours and of our Lord Jesus Christ..." Here's the exact quote:
"Now there is another personality of which I desire to speak, ... that person is Satan, the Devil. But according to our understanding and teaching, Satan is a person with a spirit body, in form like that of all other men. He is a spirit brother of ours and of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Elder Brother in the spirit world. The earth was in course of development for the abode of man in mortality. A Redeemer was to be sent down and make it possible for the Father's children to return to him." (LDS Conference Report, April 1949, p. 27)
LDS "Apostle" John A. Widtsoe taught that Jesus is not only the brother of Jesus, but his "elder brother." Exact quote:
"The story of Lucifer is the most terrible example of such apostasy. ... He pitted his own plan and will against the purposes of God. He strove to gain the birthright of his Elder Brother, Jesus the Christ." (Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 209)
If Romney wins the presidency, what you’ll have is a Mormon forced to go along with the American culture which is a Christian culture.
American Christians will lead Romney and any religious baggage he brings with him. Not the other way around.
I havent always thought about this the way I think today. I voted for John McCain and I regret it. Hes not an across the board conservative and I dont believe he is a true born-again believer any more than Myth Romney is. Im done voting for pagan men I dont really support.
That said, I believe in Christian liberty and Im not going to beat up on the many Christians who see this issue differently. I recognize I often dont think as other Christians think. I live on a sparsely populated island.
If we look at the Old Testament standards for selecting overseers in Israel, Myth Romney doesnt come close to meeting them because hes a fundamentally dishonest man. Titus tells us an overseer must be above reproach. And I believe Romans 13:3-4 give Christians strong grounds to not vote for any non-Christian because Paul uses the same title for both civil authorities and Christian ministers.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
(Romans 13:3-4 NASB)
With that passage in mind, I do not believe the Apostle Paul would have supported ministers for office about whom he had said let them be accursed. I think he would ask us, as he did the Corinthians, why we tolerate those who spread a false gospel and another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
From Matthew Pooles (English theologian 1624-1679) commentary on this passage:
That is the end of his office. And for this reason God hath invested in him with His authority. The Scripture applieth the same title to him that preacheth the Word, and to him that beareth the sword; both are Gods ministers, and there is one common end of their ministry, which is the good and welfare of mankind.
Bible-believing Christians would never knowingly hire a non-Christian to minister to their church, so why are we so quick to support non-Christian ministers who beareth the sword?
I believe the biblical command is to do what is right and leave the results in His sovereign hands. The only reason I can find for a conservative to vote for Romney is fear of Obama because there is little commendable about Romney. Ultimately I fear the Lord, not men. My hope is in Him, not politicians. As the Psalmist said, Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. (Psalm 146:3)
Christians must recognize Obama is where he is because our sovereign Lord put him there. Since I cant know the mind of God, I can only guess what He is up to. Obama may be a rod in God hand, much like Assyria in Isaiah 10. Isaiah tells us that God used Assyria to punish Israel, so maybe God is using Obama to punish America. Or more specifically, maybe He is using Obama to punish Christians in America for our unfaithfulness. We can take heart in the knowledge that God will eventually deal with Obama and all other malevolent tyrants. Even though Assyria was the rod in Gods hand, He pronounced judgment and woe on them for their evil against His chosen people, Israel.
“When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.” (Isaiah 10:12)
Once the Lord was finished with His work against Israel, Assyria got what was coming to it, and one day, so will Barack Hussein Obama.