Posted on 08/31/2010 6:42:35 PM PDT by Gamecock
I really like Glenn Beck. Though I have never met him in person, I have often watched his television programs and thought it would be so nice to have that kind of a guy as a friend. I imagine that he is far too busy and way too inaccessible for that to become a reality, but I do genuinely like the man. He is insightful, articulate, funny, and seems to want some great things for his family and our nation. I do think that sometimes he has one or two conspiracy theories that may not be fully justified - we shall see - but all in all, Glenn seems to be a really nice guy.
I share many of the same goals as Glenn. I speak as one born in England but now very much a U.S. citizen. All my children were born here in these United States and I live and pray for America to become in all reality, "one nation under God." I love America. I sincerely believe Glenn does too.
But I do have a problem - not a problem with him as a person in any way at all, but when he asks me to join him in praying for the very same things I wish for my country, I just cannot. I can pray for these things privately, and with fellow Christians, of course, and I do. I just cannot stand with Glenn in a public setting and be comfortable while I know he is praying to a false god. How could I ever say "Amen" at the end of his prayer that people would turn back to the god he serves? I just cannot do it. That is because Glenn Beck is a Mormon. The "god" he prays to is not in any way the same God as mine.
I know.. I know.. even saying this is politically and religiously incorrect, but I cannot help but say it. When Glenn Beck speaks of "god" we need to remember that he uses a different dictionary to Christians. The God of the Bible is One in essence and eternally exists in three co-equal Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mormons reject this completely, believing that there are many worlds controlled by different gods and the god of this planet was once a man. The Jesus of Mormonism is the begotten offspring of this exalted man in sexual union with one of his many wives, and this god lives on a planet circling a star named Kolob, and his "gospel" is the message of how you, too, can be exalted to godhood. Christianity is Monotheistic. Mormonism is the most polytheistic religion in the world. Doctrine matters folks and deceived people, deceive people!
A dear fellow Christian, in coming to understand where I am on this issue wrote to me today saying, "I like Glenn Beck and appreciate his effort to bring America back to her godly roots. He is doing a great job in uniting government, church, and media. He does speak from a Mormon perspective but still has a heart of seeing America return to God even though he might not have the same theological view as we do."
I responded by saying, " I understand you - but I cannot agree that Mormonism is in any way "godly." According to the Bible, there is nothing at all godly about false religion. Godliness is not just about acts of service, honor, integrity, courage and the like, as wonderful as these things are, but it also includes worship of the One true God and the avoidance of all forms of idolatry. Mormonism is idolatrous worship and when Glenn Beck prays, despite his intentions, he prays to a false god who cannot help either Mr. Beck or America."
I can remember reading about the worshippers of the golden calf. They had high family values and were absolutely sincere in their worship. Now I may not be the sharpest tool in the drawer, but I do tend to get the distinct impression that God didn't like the worship - yeah, the ground opening up and swallowing the worshippers.. hmmm... it does lead me to believe that God was somehow ticked, wouldn't you say?
And then I wonder what God would feel about a "prophet" in the Old Testament asking Baal to bring Israel back to its godly roots. I think in such times, he would be stoned. In Deuteronomy 18:20 God says to His people, "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die."
God often tested His people by seeing if they would be true to Him even as false prophets tried to lure them away from Himself. God says, "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst" (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).
Thank God for grace!!! (we don't stone false prophets now) but I believe God's feelings about false worship have not changed. As Glenn Beck calls this nation to pray for some very valuable, important and even vital things, I ask now, is God testing us in the same way today? Perhaps God has raised Glenn Beck up for this very purpose, to test our hearts. Just a thought!
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, the one and only God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the eternal One, Yahweh, the great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, who is from everlasting to everlasting.
So, though I really like you Glenn, thanks for the invite, but I cannot join you.
You say that you are a Christian, do you think that Mormonism is Christian, if it isn’t, then what happens to a Christian that knows Christ and then becomes a Mormon?
By mainstreaming a non-Christian cult that poses as Christian, that goes door to door to convert Christians to it’s non-Christian religion by convincing them that Mormonism is just another Christian denomination, by using the Mormon and Beck technique of “milk before meat”, what the Muslims call Taqiyya, what happens?
Glenn Beck has turned himself into the biggest religious leader in America, to what end?
our right to believe?
____________________________________
We dont have a right to believe...
We have freedom of religion...
My religion is Christianity...
Glenn Beck’s is mormonism...
Mormonism is not Christianity...
mormonism is closer to Islam than it will ever be to Christianity...
“mormonism is closer to Islam than it will ever be to Christianity...”
OMG...unbelievable! Even for one of your ‘hate all the mormons’ rants! We have threats killing this nation by the day, and all you can see is those terrible Mormons!!!!
To the best of my knowledge, the Catholic Church will recognize the baptisms of other Christian denomination who’s doctrines are generally in line with the fundamentals of overall Christian faith - Trinity, Salvation, etc. and the method of baptism - use of the Trinitarian formula, water, etc. So the acceptance is rather broad. The best official statement is found here
http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P2W.HTM
which basically says a non-catholic baptism can be accepted unless there is serious reason for doubting the validity of that baptism.
The interesting fact is that the mormon church is the only one that the Catholic Church as specifically singled out by name as having an invalid baptism.
(SIGH)
Why do these folks think this nation is under such threats? Because God is all sorts of happy in his heaven with us and the devil is on the run?
I guess there is a scale somewhere of false religion rankings. “Well Mormon hell is much nicer than the Hell the Muslims might lead you too so we should leave them alone for now, any one who gets dragged in is just a victim of bad timing, we are busy afterall...”
“And anyways God and the Devil called a time out in the eternal battle for souls until Americans get their act together...”
Sheesh, American Christianity has lost its ever livein’ mind. No wonder we are falling apart.
‘A great shaking in the Church’
Yes, and oddly enough people can’t see the relation between that and the great shaking in our nation and the rest of the world...
Catholic...yes...not universalist. And because I stand in the midst of a nonbeliever and pray to God for a particular cause...does not take away from the efficacy of my prayer.
Yes
judgement has begun in the House of the LORD...
I mentioned the shaking has began the other day and got snakes and eggs..
The devil is not happy...
God is in control
Wow. Who could have predicted you wouldn’t join him. Imagine the odds.
Lol. I read the first page. Jump all the way to the end and its the usual haters throwing a party. Lol. Have fun.
Only partially true.
As I’ve said before, politically I am with him. But when he trots out issues of faith, no how no way.
I know. It can be terrible when he encourages you to get closer to God. The nerve.
And I’m sure you get goose bumps about being called to draw near to a Mormon god. Would you be equally impressed by an Iman calling for you to do the same?
That one is particularly applicable to religion threads, of course you will see it as applying to Mormons, where I see it applying to all opponents of every religion, truly they (anti’s of all stripes) produce nothing of value.
If an Iman called me to get closer to what I believe God to be why would I care?
Nice post, The Key is to disagree without being disagreeable.
As for me, I find it interesting that Many will tell me that I am not a “Christian” when I clearly am, what they should be saying is that I am not an “Orthodox Christian” the first strips me of my God, the second I would readily agree with. perhaps it is just semantics, but to quote from the last emperor “Words are important because a gentleman always means what he says, and you can’t mean what you say unless you can say what you mean.”
Have a great day and God bless
BTW, when I was a missionary in Taiwan, I graduated from a Buddhist monastery, it made me more effective as a teacher of Buddhists, and I learned all about their jingo. As a Mormon in the US, I attended Seminary in my church and bible study classes in many other churches, I'll never forget the Catholic priest who, said I had a wonderful understanding of the bible and Gospel, and tried to get me to join the ministry ... until he found out I was a Mormon, he then banned me from his classes which were supposed to be open to all.
My advice to any one who wants to convert Mormons away from Mormonism is to study our religion, understand us, then when you can “speak our jargon” you will have a better chance at convincing us from the inside, that attack posture just isn't too convincing.
BTW, there are many here who will ward you off, they are afraid you'll be deceived or some such. I guess they either are afraid we have the truth, or that your faith is too week to see what we believe. Anyway, i for one love learning about everyone’s religious beliefs, it helps me to understand my own better.
Have a great day!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.