Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith tangles with a quirk of Arkansas history

Washington Post ^ | May 20, 2012

[Colofornian]

“There’s families all scattered in through this area who had ancestors in that, so there is a tinge of anti-Mormonism in this area, a little bit of bias I suppose,” said Republican Roy Ragland...

SNIP

The Mountain Meadows Massacre remains one of the darkest episodes in the history of Mormonism...Romney addressed it during his 2007 presidential campaign in response to a reporter’s question.

“That was a terrible, awful act carried out by members of my faith,” he told the Associated Press. “There are bad people in any church, and it’s true of members of my church, too.”

SNIP

In northwestern Arkansas, at least two monuments commemorate the massacre, including a towering wooden cross erected just six years ago. On it is carved a biblical saying: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay saith the Lord.”

Historians believe the wagon train of 30 families, laden with cattle and other goods, set off in early 1857...

Their journey took them through Utah...

...local Mormon leaders decided to attack the wagon train with the help of a local Native American tribe, on whom they planned to lay the blame. After days of exchanging fire, a Mormon leader approached the camp to offer safe passage. But it was a ruse: The Mormon militia massacred the men and women and many of the children, 120 in all. Seventeen...were spared, and adopted by local families until federal authorities intervened to return them to Arkansas...

Descendants’ groups headquartered here...have...sometimes clashed with, the Mormon Church to create a public memorial at the site...which sits on church property...

“It’s an emotional thing for us,” said Phil Bolinger, president of the Mountain Meadows Monument Foundation. “When you come of age, when you mature, things to do with your own blood kin becomes more important and you become passionate about it.”...

[Elsie]

Why would he pronounce himself “King,” and then run politically for the opffice of the Presidency?

Why not?

He already had a whole lot of fools FOLLOWING him!

[Elsie]

As I said, have a good Sunday in yopur worsip of our Savior who taught that we should love one another as He loved us and apply the Golden Ruel. I hope to be able to do that better and better as I grow older and follow Him.

---

KJV

Galatians 1:6-9

6. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

 

ANYBODY???

Like this fine looking fellow???

 

2 Corinthians 11:12-15

12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

 

Like THESE guys??

 

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

 

---

---

Ephesians 2:1-2

1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

[Elsie]

As I said, have a good Sunday in yopur worsip of our Savior who taught that we should love one another as He loved us and apply the Golden Ruel.

 

"He (Joseph Smith) is the man through whom God has spoken... yet I would not like to call him a savior, though in a certain capacity he was a god to us, and is to the nations of the earth, and will continue to be."

 - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:321

 

 

"You call us fools; but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a god..."

- Herber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 5:88

 

 

"If we get our salvation, we shall have to pass by him [Joseph Smith]; if we enter our glory, it will be through the authority he has received. We cannot get around him [Joseph Smith]"

- (as quoted in 1988 Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, p. 142)

 

 

There is "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God"

- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190

 

 

"I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him. We have not got rid of him, but he stands there as the sentinel, holding the keys of the kingdom of God; and there are many of them beside him. I tell you, if we get past those who have mingled with us, and know us best, and have a right to know us best, probably we can pass all other sentinels as far as it is necessary, or as far as we may desire. But I tell you, the pinch will be with those that have mingled with us, stood next to us, weighed our spirits, tried us, and proven us: there will be a pinch, in my view, to get past them. The others, perhaps, will say, If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me. Then if Joseph shall say to a man, or if brother Brigham say to a man, I forgive you your sins, "Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them;" if you who have suffered and felt the weight of transgression—if you have generosity enough to forgive the sinner, I will forgive him: you cannot have more generosity than I have. I have given you power to forgive sins, and when the Lord gives a gift, he does not take it back again."

 - Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p.154-155

 

 

 

"It is because the Lord called Joseph Smith that salvation is again available to mortal men.... If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation,"

 - Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 396, 670

 

---

---

They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.

He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.

He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.

As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.

Who has made this so?

Have I?

Have this people?

Have the world?

No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.

If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.

If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.

Can you pass without his inspection?

No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.

In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.

They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?

They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?

 Brigham Young,

--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224

[Elsie]

As I said, have a good Sunday in yopur worsip of our Savior who taught that we should love one another as He loved us and apply the Golden Ruel.

HE did NOT tell us to IGNORE False prophets and False CHRISTS; but to expose them.

---

1. Joseph Smith
2. One of these guys in the picture:

[ejonesie22]

When its all you got...

[ejonesie22]

When its all you got...

[ejonesie22]

I know you are smarter than the rest of us, so can you share with us this “real truth” that is before us?

I mean since you seem to be holding the real truth and are the only one actually allowed to “judge” us buffoons?

Perhaps in your munificence we will find the grace we assumed we had and be enlightened why one such as yourself bothers his day with these petty fights in which you have no dog...

[CommerceComet]

Both don’t like Romney.

Just for the record, besides Ann Coulter, who admits to liking Mitt Romney? Not one Republican that I know, even those who are voting for him this fall, likes Mitt Romney or his policies. The only positive attribute that they can state about him is that he is not Barak Obama.

[Jeff Head]

Most of the endorsements for Romnney are people who are now endorsing him because he is now considered the winner of the GOP nomination, not because he was their choice in the primaries.

Howerver at that link, as yyou read the endorsements, there are quite a few who endorsed him bfore he won who do agree with the issue statements he has published.

In fact those statements represent a pretty good platform to base a conservative turn around on. The problem is of course, that many people are concerned how well Romney will stick to those commitments should the going get tough.

That is another reason why getting a strong majority (and with more and more Tea Party types) in the House and Senate is important.

[Loud Mime]

Perhaps you have missed the messages sent my way.

I’ll honor your request.

[Loud Mime]

Just for the record? My mom, my neighbors, the widow down the street all like Romney. None of them like Obama or Gingrich. I have friends who don’t like Romney. I’m happy, because I would refuse to live in a lockstep society.

[Religion Moderator]

I post to the first one I see which is often the last one posted. The Religion Forum guideline is that when one has been warned, e.g. to stop making it personal - then everyone else in the sidebar should consider himself warned. It’s based on the principle that two wrongs don’t make a right.

[CommerceComet]

I’m sure that you can find some people who like Mitt Romney and his policies - my statement was obviously hyperbole. Given that the Romney campaign has admitted that it has work to do win over the Republican rank and file suggests that my statement of general dissatisfaction with Romney is true. I live in a liberal enclave in a solid red state and even among the Republican Party regulars here with whom I interact constantly, the lack of enthusiasm for Romney is evident and readily communicated. In contrast, four years ago when there were some enthusiastic McCain supporters among the same people.

[CommerceComet]

that many people are concerned how well Romney will stick to those commitments should the going get tough.

Obviously, with his political history, this is a concern. A reputation of "saying whatever you think the people want to hear" doesn't just appear out of nowhere. If a man doesn't have firm political convictions, he will be blown around by every breeze.

That is another reason why getting a strong majority (and with more and more Tea Party types) in the House and Senate is important.

This is desirable, in and of itself, but I'm skeptical that it will reign in Romney's misguided policies.

If Romney wins by a healthy margin and Tea Party candidates win across the country, Romney is going to feel that his agenda was one that was endorsed. The same thinking that gets people to vote for a liberal Republican because he is OUR candidate will morph into support for his agenda because he is OUR President. The GOP-e will push this idea hard in order to avoid having a failed Presidency. Given the meekness of Republican members of Congress to even fight Obama makes me doubtful that an organized opposition will arise in the Republican Party to a Republican President's policies.

If Romney wins a narrow victory while conservatives down the ticket win by larger margins, Romney might well feel that he doesn't need the conservative vote. Romney could construct a left-of-center coalition to govern with RINO and Democrat votes to push through his left-leaning agenda. He can posture himself as the brave politician who stood up to the radical right and governs from the moderate middle. The media will of course eat this up.

What concerns me about Romney is that his policies aren't that different than Obama's but he'll put the Republican seal of approval on these liberal-leaning ideas. Obviously, Romney won't take it as far as Obama but could "institutionalize" misguided policies making them even more difficult to overturn. I see nothing good coming out of either Romney or Obama winning this election. Our nation is going to have a tough four years, IMO.

[Loud Mime]

I am an avid Sarah Palin fan; she carries the philosophy and accountability that this nation needs. I once said to my congressman’s staff that if McCain needed some bump to his campaign he would ask for her as his veep. Everybody in the office said “WHO?”

I see Obama as the head of an evil political movement. Anything to take his party, cult, faction, coven, whatever, out of power is an absolute necessity for the survival of this nation. We have one of two options now; Obama or Romney. Quit your complaining and focus. Your complaining doesn’t help anybody, anything, but your ego.

[CommerceComet]

I see Obama as the head of an evil political movement. Anything to take his party, cult, faction, coven, whatever, out of power is an absolute necessity for the survival of this nation.

I'm not apparently as fearful as you are. I'm not so pessimistic that I believe that one man, including Obama, can bring down our nation. I'm confident that our nation will survive the next four years regardless of which clown we elect. If Obama was so dangerous, how did we survive the last four years?

We have one of two options now; Obama or Romney.

Maybe you think that but I don't. I don't have to vote for either man and I don't intend to. Neither man deserves my vote.

Quit your complaining and focus. Your complaining doesn’t help anybody, anything, but your ego.

Focus on what? I have no horse in this race. How exactly are Tea Party people going to keep Romney in line if we can't complain about his policies? Are we supposed to wait until all you ABO Romney supporters give us a signal that it is okay?

Assuming that I'm doing something to bolster my ego is impugning motives and is prohibited by forum rules. (Seems you had problems with forum rules before.)

[Loud Mime]

Obama is not one man. He’s the head of a political movement which
needs to be stopped. He can do more things in the next four
years, and you downplay that horrible fact.

Enough.

We each have decided who the greater enemy is. For many on this forum
it is NOT Obama. It is other persons, even people like me. Think about it.

What does that tell you?

[CommerceComet]

We each have decided who the greater enemy is. For many on this forum it is NOT Obama. It is other persons, even people like me.

While I see Obama as an enemy of the good of this country, I don't see Romney as being much of an improvement. That least not enough to deserve my vote.

I don't consider ABO voters, like yourself, to be the enemy. Misguided but not the enemy. I only get offended by their position when they insist that I must adopt it as well. If Romney wins the general election, I suspect a great case of buyer's remorse will sweep over the Republicans as the initial jubilation of removing Obama is replaced by concern of what has been put in his place. The political history of Mitt Romney is anything but reassuring to conservatives.

[presently no screen name]

Keeping yourself busy by going around slamming others and calling them religious nuts? Seems like the heat comes from your contempt of anything good. Don’t blow up with that heat - who then will be the self imposed guru of the ‘nut cases’?

Sounds like a case of atheism. No wonder so much heat - TRUTH BEING SPOKEN - that it’s needed to be toned down for your comfort.