The Mormon Advantage

Townhall.com ^ | 4/5/2007 | Maggie Gallagher

[Utah Girl]

Mitt Romney is riding high this week after his victory in "the first primary," which consists of raising cold, hard cash to compete: more than $20 million in the first quarter, $5 million more than his closest contender, Rudy "Lay off my wife!" Giuliani. John McCain came in a lackluster third with $12.5 million.

Romney's campaign benefited from two distinct donor networks, according to media accounts: Wall Street and Mormons. GOP front-runner Rudy, struggling with one of those weird media freak shows erupting around his wife, Judith (her alleged participation in future Cabinet meetings and former puppy killings), must be a little envious on both counts.

Why is it that all the Dem candidates are still married to their first spouse, while among the current crop of leading GOP contenders, the only guy with just one wife is the Mormon?

Truth is, I don't think this is just an accident. There's something about Mormons the rest of us ought to pay attention to: Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do much better than almost any other faith group at sustaining a marriage culture -- and they do this while participating fully and successfully in modern life. Utah is above the national average in both household income and the proportion of adults who are college graduates.

[sevenbak]

Mormonism placemarker (not Christianity placemearker)

Why don't we all change this to:

Mormonism and Christianity PEACEmaker. Could we, please? This is about to break 1000 posts!

[colorcountry]

You forget I was an innocent 16 year old that had never dated. This man was 24 and was married at the time (although I didn’t know it.) There was definite force involved, but he said that God had commanded it. I’m not going to try to maintain my total innocence, of course I liked the attention of an older man at first, and it led me into a situation I was not mature enough to handle in any way.

This is where I went to my Bishop and got that wonderful advice. Of course, now there is a name for that particular crime....statutory rape. In fact it probably would have been a crime even in that day (1970’s).

The age for marriage in Utah then was 13. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had both married very young girls. In the all-mormon community I grew up in, teen marriages were very common. No one suggested to me that I might have been a victim of a crime. Not until it became apparent that he still had a wife and child in Texas did the nature of his deception become apparent.

Now I recognize my part in this, and actually I am blessed because of my trials, but I must say that given the nature of the claims of Mormonism that the Bishop was the person I was indeed COMMANDED to go to in repentance (not God directly) I was a victim of the priesthood mentality that places men and their ability to talk to God for me through their ordained priesthood.

Things have changed somewhat since then in the Church and elsewhere. This situation was just part of the knowledge I obtained to let me know the error of placing ANYONE in a position between me and God, except Jesus Christ. He alone is my mediator...the final priest in the order of Melchizedek.
No one else holds that office. Not you, and no other man on earth. To claim that which is Christ’s is blasphemous IMHO. It is this type of blasphemy that I fight against.

Hebrew 6:16-20
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

[sevenbak]

Like I said in that last post, it doesn’t cause me to question my faith, is shows me you lacked faith. All of us are different, and have different levels of growth, questions, discernment, spirituality, obedience, etc.

Good luck you you!!

[restornu]

I’m not putting you into a “sinning box”.

I feel the same LR you had no control over your formative years.

And my "Food For Thought" was not met to be critical just was wondering if those tools were employed!:)

[tantiboh]

If he was already married, then your marriage to him was not legal; there are ways to annul temple marriage when necessary - though such a thing is not to be undertaken lightly. In which case, your current husband and you could theoretically be sealed and any children or yours would not be sealed to your first husband.

I am a neophyte in this particular category of doctrine; if even I know this, then you should have been similarly counseled. I don’t mean to be rude, but something isn’t passing the smell test here.

I refer to the following comment from your post #936:
“It was by becoming knowledgeable about my “husband’s” iniquity that I left HIM. I still maintained my status as an active Mormon, and indeed married a Mormon man at age 25. My new husband and I began looking into being married in the Temple...but I was already sealed to #1 and had children born in the covenant. This made our eternal destiny pretty much destitute of hope. I gave up my attendence and activity then at about age 26.”

[sevenbak]

Just one more thing CC. There are many men, both outside and inside the church who abuse power. It is human nature. The Lord gave a very specific warning to such men...

I really hope you will read this Color, it’s just a few verses, but it’s exactly what we are talking about here...

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 121: 36-46

36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.
38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.
39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.
40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.
41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by dlong-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—
43 reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwords an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

[sevenbak]

I agree. My own situation was similar, my Mom’s first husband abused her. After her divorce, (before I was born) she had a struggle to get her sealing canceled, but she took the right course, and met with the First Presidency. (this is how it’s typically done in such abusive cases, or at least it was way back then)

In my case, she was remarried to my dad, but still sealed to her first husband when I was born. You can see how we were similarly challenged here. As a wise steward of the church once said...

We make rules for the good of the many, and then we deal with the exceptions.

I think if you wanted to do it badly enough, you could deal with it, but I suspect since you don’t believe it anyway, dealing with it is the same as having your name removed from the records.

[restornu]

Thank you for you unkind words I still have reading difficulies.

sorry!

[colorcountry]

Your smeller may be off kilter. As you said in your next post, perhaps I received bum advice from those “in authority over me,” after all they were just men, and not true conduits of God as the Church professed them to be.

Can you imagine the loopholes of first getting marriage certificates for people (who are not me) from Nevada or Texas, since I wasn’t sure where the marriage had taken place. Then imagine you need information from a man who has basically dissappeared, and a woman you don’t know and will never likely cross paths with.

Just in case your nose needs to come down out of the air and get a real strong sniff of this mess, let me remind you that this “man” abandoned a very young woman and three children without any means of support whatsoever. I have seen him again just twice in the 27 or so-odd intervening years. I have called police on both occasions since the State of Arizona is also looking for him. He is always gone by the time they get there.

At least I have the consolation that he didn’t get to mess with my children.

[colorcountry]

Sorry, the post with referrences to these mouth-pieces of God being “just men” was seven and not tanti.

[restornu]

Aftre reading this again I think you are the meanest person I ever run into on FR!

[sevenbak]

You’ll have to tell me what I smelled, because I don’t remember that.

[colorcountry]

Did I post something about smell to you? Because my records show that it was tanti that brought up the insinuation that my story doesn’t smell right, and it was to tanti I responded.

I simply used your point about “just men.” Sorry about the confusion.

[sevenbak]

NP

[restornu]

I have known it had taken years to get this done for many reason. Changing of Bishop so you have to start all over again.

Another spouce holding up the change etc.

Maybe so the next time a person will be sure and not take it lightly!

Sorry for the exceptions

[sevenbak]

Thanks, but the exceptions are good. They need to be, all situations are different and there are cases that just can’t be lumped in among all the rest.

Cheers.

[tantiboh]

You probably have a point with the subjectivity part, LR; I did not, however, read her post as a personal attack. I thought it was earnest advice from someone showing genuine concern.

Her words: “ But in all honesty how many times did you read the Book of Mormon for your own council and I don’t mean with a fault finding heart!”

I understand where she’s coming from. A person (not you, specifically) cannot understand the Book of Mormon as it should be understood if he/she reads it with an eye toward tearing it apart. I don’t know whether or not you have done this. If you have, I would join Resty in encouraging you to try a different approach.

Her words: “How many times as a child did you on your own or had a desire to you kneel and pray to your Heavenly Father in Jesus Name?”

You have stated in your posts that when you were younger, you really sought to gain a testimony. Therefore, I must assume that the answer to the above question is “many.” As Sevenbak said, “Faith can be a funny thing.” The more I learn about it, the more I realize that I know nothing about it; I know that as a teenager, I certainly wasn’t approaching my testimony in the most productive ways.

I was fortunate enough to have moved forward regardless, and since have found very firm faith. You were unfortunate enough to have been in a very destructive situation. I can’t blame you for your reaction. There, but for the grace of God, go I.

“Besides, you are so unintelligible in so many of your posts that it would be a fools errand to respond to you any further, anyway.”

Resty does have trouble with the written word; this is not her fault, as she has explained. It is a testament to her humility and courage that she is willing to brave the ridicule and participate in discussions like this regardless. It takes a little understanding and patience on our part to fully comprehend what she means to say.

We’ve all built up such a common respect for one another over the last few days. It would be a shame to see that crumble because of what I interpret to be a misunderstanding of a poorly constructed comment.

[colorcountry]

I want to bring this discussion back (as LR wants to do), to the factual basis we had for leaving faith in the Church. While admitting that I have a sordid story, the facts of Mormonism had caused me to question since I was in my early teens.

I just tried to live the doctrine better. I tried to study harder, pray more, fast often, attend meetings....not only that but I tried to maintain perfection in school. It was this very act of trying to bring myself back in line with the doctrines and precepts that I got so entangled with the corruption of the priesthood. Plus the fact that I had been given a blessing that promised Temple marriage and a large family if I lived according to the gospel (which I was very good at doing BTW).

It was the false doctrine that led me into the pit of hell, from which my Savior has now extricated me. Now perhaps you can understand my motive for proclaiming the truthfulness of Christianity and the gift of Grace for the forgiveness of my sins through the atonement.

And regardless of whether or not you use the same ‘words’ to explain your gospel, it is not the same as Christ’s Gospel of the Bible. Christ has made me free.

I will never again be in bondage to the teachings of a false god, or false prophets, or false commandments. I will never be a god. Before my God, I am just a humble servant and that my friends brings me the greatest JOY imaginable. It far surpasses any “false face” of perfection I put on to present to the world the perfection of being a Mormon.

[tantiboh]

You certainly know better than I; I wasn’t accusing you when I said something didn’t pass the smell test. It just didn’t all quite fit; that’s all I was trying to say.

I can only sympathize with your situation; you’ve dealt with it better than I would have, perhaps. Still, I have faith that where we have a righteous desire, God will open up a way. It’s always worked for me, anyway.