Conservative commentator and Mormon "lightning rod" Glenn Beck's 8/28 "Restoring Honor" rally is now one for the history books. Easily a half-million people joined Beck on the Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C. this morning. My family and I gathered around my little Acer netbook with the eight inch screen and logged in to the Facebook broadcast of the event. Here are a few impressions I had about the rally and on what Beck achieved, both intentionally and unintentionally.
No matter what people tell you about Glenn Beck, he's the real thing. He isn't a put-on. He is a believer in God and in the American religion. That religion is the belief that all men are endowed by a Divine Creator with inalienable rights. It is a doctrine that transcends sectarianism and denomination. Beck's program was very much a religious revival, not a political rally. He called together patriotic Americans from all over the United States. For a moment, he was able to reach across boundaries of race and creed and bring people together--and together, they cried out to God for mercy, forgiveness, and his assistance.
A few blocks away, partisan civil-rights curmudgeons like Al Sharpton grumbled that the 8/28 rally wouldn't change anything and that Beck and the Tea Party Movement was trying to co-opt the legacy of Martin Luther King. The ironic thing is that, in four decades of hearing the rhetoric of ministers like Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, I don't ever recall them actually preaching the gospel. I never heard them preach repentance from sin. I never heard them encourage people to have faith in Jesus Christ. I never heard any of them tell their followers to shun sexual immorality, pornography, stealing, taking God's name in vain, or to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.
Glenn Beck, a rank-and-file elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, boldly invited Americans to come back to God. He called upon them to exercise faith, hope, and love. He called on them to practice charity and to tithe to their churches. He called on them to open their Bibles and to go back to their own churches. He challenged them with the words of Thomas Jefferson to "question with boldness the very existence of God." He urged them to put their families first and to set a good example. He asked parents to humble themselves and pray on their knees in front of their children. It was a pure gospel message.
The rally's focus was on the principles of faith, hope, and charity with a strong dose of 'honoring the troops" thrown in for good measure. The program was punctuated by inspiring speeches from speakers including Sarah Palin, who spoke as a mother of a veteran, not a politician. It featured Dr. Alveda King, pro-life activist and niece of the late Martin Luther King. There were presentations of medals for faith, hope, and charity to a lifelong pastor and civil rights pioneer, Rev. Rev. C.L. Jackson, baseball star Albert Pujols, and billionaire philanthropist John Huntsman. The rally featured patriotic music, traditional gospel music, bagpipes, and concluded with numbers from popular country artists.
During one symbolic moment, Beck introduced some 200 clergymen from various religions and denominations. He dubbed them the "Black-Robed Brigade," a reference to Revolutionary War America, where the preachers proclaimed "No king but Jesus" from their pulpits. Beck acknowledged that there would be inevitable doctrinal differences between these pastors, but they could find unity in knowing that God was the answer.
I believe that Glenn Beck's desire, in some measure, was to create a "King Benjamin moment." The Book of Mormon relates a landmark gathering of some of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas to hear the words of one King Benjamin. Benjamin declared principles of piety, humility, service, and faith to his people. He preached to them repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, who would be born in centuries to come, relative to his time. The result was a turning back to God by his audience that brought the Holy Spirit upon them. It was a moment of national renewal and personal recommitment to do good in God's name. This was Beck's template for the event that took place today.
As a Mormon, I have to consider an unintended message throughout Beck's work, which has culminated in this event. That message is: "Mormons are Christian believers." Despite nearly two centuries of misrepresentation and religious envy by sectarian Christianity, Beck has achieved the visibility, prominence, and has had the time day after day, week after week, to speak openly and truly about his core beliefs. Those statements of faith have disoriented and confused those who had previously believed the lies about Mormons. Just a few weeks ago, Beck discussed the heresies evident in "Liberation Theology" and declared his belief of individual salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. One confused person commented on Free Republic, a frequent forum for open Mormon-bashing, that "this would mean that Beck is 'born-again."
Jim Garlow, a popular and influential pastor who partnered with the Mormon faithful in California to defend traditional marriage was quoted recently in CNN's Belief Blog, saying, "I have interviewed persons who have talked specifically with Glenn about his personal salvation - persons extremely well known in Christianity - and they have affirmed (using language evangelicals understand), 'Glenn is saved...' He understands receiving Christ as Savior."
Hallelujah! The light bulb has been switched on after nearly two centuries! Every single member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that a person must be "born again" and receive Jesus Christ as his Savior and Redeemer. Our holy books teach that salvation comes only in and through the atonement of Christ and that there is no other way a person can be saved. Those beliefs obligate us to do our best to keep God's commandments and to follow the example of Jesus in doing good. Glenn Beck's beliefs are mainstream Mormon beliefs. Joseph Smith, the Church's founder, was a Christian prophet. He was an apostolic witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As Rev. C.L. Jackson said in his speech today after accepting the medal for faith, "God sent his Son to this earth so that we could all gather, and I think that's the dream and the vision of Glenn Beck." I myself have reacted, defensively and perhaps provocatively, to the attacks of Christian pastors on Mormons in the past. If anything, Glenn Beck has brought mainstream Mormonism into the public eye and has reached out to our fellow Christians in a powerful way. Perhaps it signifies the crossing of a threshold where Mormons and our fellow Christians can work together for good, to revitalize our country, and enshrine the principles of faith, hope, and charity--restoring honor once again to our familes, our communities, and our nation.
Comments
We are Not Mormons..will somebody out there get this message!
Even the elect will be deceived.....any Latter day Saint who would consider "following" Glen Beck and his band of cunning crafitiness is "deceived".
They seek the honor of men and soldiers and Not God. They "profess" Jesus as Saviour but in their heatrs they deny Him. The rally was for Christian Conservatism. And Christian Conservatives denounce Latter Day Saints as Christian. Go to any of their churches,Assembly of God, Baptist,Church of the Nazerines,Penticostel,Born Agains etcetc. Beck has deceived you and your family and the tens of thousands who "follow" him and not Jesus Christ. Like King Benjamin said of old "
But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not awatch yourselves, and your bthoughts, and your cwords, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and dcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not. "This does not mean the words of Beck!
As a Christian with Mormon friends, I can vouche for this statement. The underlying requirement of a religion to be called Christian is belief in the holy trinity. Although the godhead is similar, it does not fit in as a "Christian" religion.
The name chuch of Jesus Christ Of latter day saints fits very well though.
But, just agreeing with you that any catholic, Protestant, born-again or any faith that uses only the new testament without another prophet would not consider Mormon Christian.
Does that make glen beck a fake Mormon trying to decieve you though? Only time will tell.
Great article about Beck and his intentions Greg. Kudo's.
Glenn Beck is the real thing all right. He's a egomaniac who cares nothing about anything other than himself. He is the utter opposite of everything that Jesus Christ taught us, going so far as to tell his "followers" that if their churches preach social justive they should leave and find another place to worship. Churches are by their fundamental nature promoters of spreading social justice. If Jesus were living in today's society, he would definitely have liberal leanings!
Beck cares nothing for the betterment of America, but he does care about his Fox News ratings so he can continue to spew his hateful rantings all over television and into people's living rooms.
Charleston Spirituality Examiner
Glenn Beck practices his faith, and voices it in front of millions. I think believers or non-believers can respect him for that. The point of the rally was to bring us together as Americans, not to divide us further because of differences of religion. We, Americans, need real hope and for most of us that comes from our faith in God, which in turn guides our patiotism. Mr. Beck reminded us of that on Saturday and it needed to be brought to the attention of the masses. I'm thankful that he did. I was moved, not by the man, but by the message.
I have taught for years that mainstream X-tianity has just as serious theological and philosophical problems as the LDS Church has ever had, they just don't know what they are, and they are delusional about the weaknesses in their own theology. Free Will and Creationism are two of the biggest problems (not only have they not solved the first two biggest questions that leap off the first pages of the Bible, they actually have developed utterly contradictory models and explanations that make those thorny problems WORSE.....) that come to mind.
They cannot produce a consistent or sensical argument (apologetic) on the primary theological and philosophical issues of the Judeo-Christian faith, then deem to tell everyone in the world, dogmatically, about something so esoteric as ETERNAL SALVATION, while maintaining thousands of diametrically opposed sectarian views on what constitutes salvation. And then they call the Mormons cultists.
Yeah, Mormon theology has some real BONEHEADED doctrines and utterly laughable history. So does "orthodox" Protestantism and Catholicism. Yet, Mormon culture is pretty sublime, and can claim to be a truly indigenous American religion while other sects of X-tianity cannot (ref. Harold Bloom, The American Religion).
The two great pillars of both American Civil Theology and ancient Judeo-Christian Biblical Theology.....is FREEDOM AND LIBERTY.
Freedom (symbolism) = OT story of the Exodus, the central OT story
Liberty (symbolism) = NT story of Liberty from sin and death through the work of Christ Jesus
Those are two principles that we can unite behind, set aside the doctrine for the duration of the (T) t- ribulation (big "T" or small "t", the principles are the same, watchfulness, preparation, faithfulness, endurance,and the Blessed Hope of the Second Coming), defeat the Beast system by our TESTIMONY of Christ (be a Prophet Church, a witness of Christ in the end times).
That's the bottom line. You stay a rigid sectarian and put your faith in your denomination's superior theology (and ignore their giant errors whether you see them or not, or believe they exist or not), you will MISS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH, YOUR LIFE, YOUR VOCATION IN CHRIST, YOUR DESTINY AS A HUMAN BEING, and you will allow many people to DIE when they could have been saved by realizing the potential of that destiny and vocation ofd the Church in the world.
Christ is the Exemplar.
Your destiny, the Church's destiny, cannot be realized without.
His life, His vocation, was to defeat the Devil (1 Jn. 3:8) and show us how to have Joy (abundant life full life in God) in the MIDST of Tribulation, how to turn defeat into Victory, and glorify God as His Creation, with Christ as the head of that Creation.
That's it. There's no higher calling or doctrine. Freedom in Christ the Creator, Liberty from sin and death through Christ's work and resurrection life Creation-Fall-(redemption)Recreation, and continuing on forever living that Creation life in Paradise with God, unending relationship with our divine Family.
Sonny Craig
sonnyc@inbox.com
http://www.examiner.com/religion-society-in-phoenix/cleansing-the-americ...
One more thing, it is ironic that the leader of the Resistance and God's movement in the Church against this Evil in our country and world,is a Mormon member (not born one, but hid their away from the Evangelical crazies until he was needed). Why ironic?
The Mormon denomination is the only Christian denomination that has actually gone to war against the United States government.
Gen.Joseph Smith was also the only leader of an American Christian denomination that commanded a civilian army of militia to commit murderous atrocities in the name of God and their errant doctrines (see Nauvoo Legion (wikipedia) and Mountain Meadows Massacre (wikipedia).
This makes the LDS church UNIQUELY qualified to advise wisely how to resist righteously.......
or uniquely qualified to lead us into a MASSIVE FAILURE of our ministry and Victors and Peacemakers, if they advise a lead WRONGLY.
Interesting thought , huh?
Sonny Craig
Sir, please do not attempt to make mormonism the enemy. Can you not accept what happened here for what it is, an amazing gathering of people of ALL faiths. And to address what you said,
The Mormon Militia was created to defend the mormons against an assassination order given by the gov. of missouri. The US government went to war with us, because we refused to just hand over the state of utah to them. But we never did anything with that war, no shots were fired. Nothing. The Mountain Meadows Massacre did happen, and it was a tradegy. People acted on their own beliefs though, not by church order. People of all faiths have made mistakes like that, so you can not blame all mormons for that heinous trajedy. Besides, Joseph Smith was long sing assassinated before that massacre ever happened.
First, thanks for reading. The Mountain Meadows Massacre was indeed a regrettable incident--truly the only "black mark" on Mormon history. Although we have done everything possible to express sorrow and contrition for the event, historical researchers indicate that no leaders of the Church were responsible.
Second, your facts are wrong. The Mountain Meadows Massacre occurred in 1857. Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844. How would he order a massacre 13 years after his death?
Like most anti-Mormons, most of what you think you know about Mormons is wrong. You would be pleasantly surprised to learn what Mormons truly believe and what true history says about us. I cordially invite you to learn more by visiting www.mormon.org.
Let me make something clear. Going to a church doesn't make you anymore saved than going to a hospital makes you a doctor. Many claim to be saved and go through the motions in church, only to go on to do their own thing on Monday. A true and verbal acceptance of Jesus Christ and firm personal reliance on His promise of salvation is what makes you saved. I believe that in every denomination, there are those who are truly saved and those are the ones who have received Jesus into their hearts, not just their heads. But this also means that every denomination has members who are NOT saved because they give an outward appearance while their heart isn't in it.
Up until recently, I didn't consider Mormonism to be a Christian denomination, and to some degree, I still don't. That being said, there are many Mormon converts who grew up with a mainline Christianity foundation and still haven't learned much about the fundamentals of their new found religion. From my understanding, Mr. Beck grew up as a Catholic and as such may have an ingrained "salvation by grace" theology that couldn't be shaken by Mormonism even though it is incomplete salvation as far as the LDS Church is concerned.
Now I believe that Catholics are indeed Christians. There are other Protestants who disagree with me, but from what I have studied, Pope John Paul II said that Martin Luther was correct and that salvation comes by grace, and not deeds. While the Catholic Church does give special importance to Apostolic Saints and the Virgin Mary, they still believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation and that acceptance of any later person is not necessary. Do modern day prophets exist? Yes, but if they are true, then their prophecies always line up with the biblically revealed nature of God. This is why I have trouble considering Mormonism to be a Christian denomination. Now we are told in the bible to come boldly to the throne of Grace. Apostle Paul even notes his struggles in Romans to remain consistent in what he believes, says, and does.
Does Mormonism teach the true way to salvation? In my opinion, no.
Is Glenn Beck saved? In my opinion, yes.
How can I hold to those beliefs at the same time?
I believe that Glenn Beck became a Mormon because he saw hypocrisy in mainline Christianity. We are all guilty of it. We've all said we believe in Jesus and yet we've all disobeyed. While Mormon theology is void of true salvation teaching, the conduct of modern Mormons are sometimes more loving than that of Protestants and Catholics. Beck came from an abusive home and I'm sure that his Catholic family said they loved him but then demonstrated otherwise with their actions. If your only knowledge of love and Jesus came from an abusive parent and as an adult you were presented with an alternative though seemingly identical version of Jesus and the proselytizers actually demonstrated loving behavior, wouldn't you want to join too?
The hypocritical behaviors of Protestants and Catholics who teach the true path of salvation yet use it as carte blanch to do whatever they want is what makes Mormonism attractive to disaffected Christians. Even so, Mr. Beck said that he accepted the gift of Jesus' atonement for our sins. He said he accepted Jesus as his savior. Those are the bare-minimum basic requirements of salvation. It may even be that while he converted to Mormonism, he still maintained his belief in the traditional mainline Christian identity of Jesus. Mr. Beck did not seem to endorse this "baptism saves you" stuff which is interesting because up until the last 30 years or so, Catholics seemed to land on that side of the concept.
I was at the rally in person. I found the event to be more of a religious revival than a political event. I am not a Glenn Beck fan. I do not agree with his divisive "shock politics." However, I do hope that if nothing else, Glenn Beck is the man who finally convinces the evangelicals that Mormons are Christians.
http://www.examiner.com/abstinence-in-roanoke/restoring-honor-the-glenn-...
Since when is revealing the truth about what progressivism is, and what its goals are, considered divisive?
Glenn Beck has said that he is a man in search of the truth. He has also said that inconsistencies bother him. He has also suggested that the change must be in the heart and not just lip-service to God. He has also said that good works are the results of salvation and not a prerequisite for them. He said that nothing we can do can earn the grace of Jesus. Because grace is by virtue, a gift. And like any gift, grace must be received.
He is not in harmony with LDS leaders, but he speaks the truth nonetheless. I believe he will be the one to open the eyes of Mormons. In the meantime, we are to love all humans.
Even a cursory review of Mormon doctrine, particularly with respect to the nature of God, the condition of man, the person and work of Jesus - the heart of the Gospel questions and answers - clearly proves its irreconcilable difference from orthodox Christianity. It is "another gospel" for which Paul, Jude - and Jesus - warned his followers. While Glenn Beck's obfuscation through conservativism may confuse (or even dazzle) the nominimal Evangelical, it will not - and can not - make LDS theology "Christian". This isn't bigotry, it's fact.
Thanks for reading. You may also find these two articles interesting about the "other gospel" and the Book of Jude.
http://www.examiner.com/lds-church-in-national/gnostics-and-neoplatonist...
http://www.examiner.com/lds-church-in-national/the-book-of-jude-good-thi...
I would politely dispute your conclusion that your opinion is "fact." It's a matter of faith and Biblical interpretation. Fact is whatever the Holy Ghost confirms.
I appreciate your readership and value your opinion. I hope you will read the suggested articles and consider the assertions made in them.
Any belief system that teaches that Jesus and satan are brothers certainly qualifies as 'another gospel"...Any belief system that teaches that as Man is, God was and as God is, Man can become, certainly qualifies as "another gospel"...and on these two counts alone, mormonism is "another gospel"...this is not a matter of biblical interpretation, but rather mormon doctrine and theology which makes it foreign to what the Bible teaches, what Jesus said, taught, did, etc...All those who follow mormon teaching will spend all of eternity separated from God in a place called hell...sorry to let the facts get in the way of what you guys are trying to teach to gullible church members who never bother to learn the hellish doctrines you believe and try to hide from the general public...
Thank you for reading. I have written other articles for Examiner that deal with the claims that Mormons preach "another gospel," the nature of God, our eternal destiny, etc. I hope you and other readers will find them illuminating and factual. Please consider visiting the links below that deal with your assertions very directly. Again, thank you for reading my column.
http://www.examiner.com/lds-church-in-national/do-mormons-believe-jesus-...
http://www.examiner.com/lds-church-in-national/gnostics-and-neoplatonist...
http://www.examiner.com/lds-church-in-national/do-mormons-believe-they-c...
LDS are not Christians. They believe in pologomy, their bible has MANY revisions, the Christian Bible has remained the same for 2000 years, and., oh yeah, you cannot get to sit with the Lord by works, only by faith thrrough Christ Jesus, can one sit in the presence of the King of the Universe. The LDS church is a cult.
Thank you for reading my column. I have written other articles that deal specifically with the misconceptions you mention. Please consider reading these for correct information about our beliefs:
"Eight myths about the Bible"
http://www.examiner.com/x-12813-LDS-Church-Examiner~y2009m6d22-Eight-myt...
"Do Mormons practice polygamy?"
http://www.examiner.com/x-12813-LDS-Church-Examiner~y2009m7d3-Do-Mormons...
"Do Mormons believe in salvation by grace or by works?"
http://www.examiner.com/x-12813-LDS-Church-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Do-Mormons...
Most everything you wrote was fantastic. I just have TWO QUESTIONS:
Why do you say you believe in Jesus when you believe in a Jesus who was CREATED, not the CREATOR?
Why did LDS start calling themselves "Christians" in 1977, but denied it before that?
I'm with another anon comment.
I believe Beck is born again, and has not yet seen the difference in the LDS church and true Christianity.
There is something in what he says that convinces me of that.
I do not believe the LDS church is a mainstream Christian church, and Mormons need to quit trying to convince people that they are.
glenn beck is just another miss giuded morman,he hasnt done any research on the history of the church,it has so many diferent ways the revolation was given to joe smith,the truth is it was a botle of cheap whisky
- Joseph Smith taught that the Earth was created like a cake, from ingredients of different ages. Just like a cake was made from wheat that is a year old, eggs from a few days and milk fresh this morning from the cow, so too, the Earth is made from parts of different ages. See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 350-352.
- God created everything twice, just like Plato said. First there was a spiritual creation, and then there was a physical creation. See Moses 3:5, 6:51 and Endowment Ceremony.
- God did not create the physical Earth Himself. Actually, all of us helped out. Under the direction of Jesus and Adam, we created the Earth. Some of us created trees, others created rocks and still others created animals, based on God's blueprints. See Abraham 3:22-24, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, pages 74-75.
- God can't get his story straight about which order he created the Earth. The order of the days of creation in Moses contradicts the order given in the Temple Endowment, which are both inspired truth. The third day (creation of life, vegetation and seeds) and fourth day (creation of light, moon and stars) of creation are switched in the temple ceremony, whereas Moses matches the order of Genesis. See Moses 2:9-19 and Temple Ceremony (all versions).
W. Cleon Skousen, a former BYU professor, wrote:
Through modern revelation we learn that the universe is filled with vast numbers of intelligences, and we further learn that Elohim is God simply because all of these intelligences honor and sustain Him as such.... But since God 'acquired' the honor and sustaining influence of 'all things' it follows as a corollary that if He should ever do anything to violate the confidence or sense of justice' of these intelligences, they would promptly withdraw their support, and the 'power' of God would disintegrate.... 'He would cease to be God.' Our Heavenly Father can do only those things which the intelligences under Him are voluntarily willing to support Him in accomplishing (The First 2000 Years, pp. 355-356).
As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.
Author: Lorenzo Snow
Source: Gospel Through The Ages
Chapter: 43
Page: 105
Conclusion God was once a sinner according to Mormonism
In the Journal of Wandle Mace the following is recorded: "Joseph told them to go to Kirtland, and cleanse and purify a certain room in the Temple, that they must kill a lamb and offer a sacrifice unto the Lord which should prepare them to ordain Willard Richards a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles" ("Journal of Wandle Mace," p. 32, microfilmed copy at Brigham Young University Library)
.
Joseph Fielding Smith said that "the law of sacrifice will have to be restored.... Sacrifice by the shedding of blood was instituted in the days of Adam and of necessity will have to be restored" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.94).
God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end." ~Wilford Woodruff, Journal of Discourses Vol. 6:120
Omniscience is all knowing .....must mean they worship a god impotent
http://youtu.be/mKo_vqkayu0 Christians God mightier
'THE GATES OF HELL HAVE PREVAILED...'
4. It seems that the early Mormon leaders were queuing up to express their adverse opinions of orthodox Christianity. The Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt had this to say: "All other churches are entirely destitute of all authority from God; and any person who receives Baptism, or the Lord's Supper from their hands will highly offend God, for he looks upon them as the most corrupt of all people" ("The Seer," p.255) & in his "Pamphlets," (p.112): "THE GATES OF HELL HAVE PREVAILED and will continue to prevail over the Catholic Mother of Harlots, and over ALL her Protestant Daughters;...the apostate Catholic church, with all her popes & bishops, together with all her harlot daughters SHALL BE HURLED DOWN TO HELL. ..."
"Apostle" Orson Pratt stated, with regard to the churches of Christendom (JofD, Vol. 16, pp. 175-6):
New International Version (©1984)
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
New Living Translation (©2007)
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
And inasmuch as mine enemies come against you ... ye shall curse them; And whomsoever ye curse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies (Doctrine and Covenants, 103:24-25
W. Cleon Skousen, a former BYU professor, wrote:
Through modern revelation we learn that the universe is filled with vast numbers of intelligences, and we further learn that Elohim is God simply because all of these intelligences honor and sustain Him as such.... But since God 'acquired' the honor and sustaining influence of 'all things' it follows as a corollary that if He should ever do anything to violate the confidence or sense of justice' of these intelligences, they would promptly withdraw their support, and the 'power' of God would disintegrate.... 'He would cease to be God.' Our Heavenly Father can do only those things which the intelligences under Him are voluntarily willing to support Him in accomplishing (The First 2000 Years, pp. 355-356).
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