Electroshocking gays to "cure" them is all I need to know about Mormonism and hiding pervert priest from civil prosecution is all I need to know about Catholicism.

Dear Counselor, et al:

Note: As Ye/Yo can See; Once WE[i], i[WE] Elect these two-face WORD-MERCHANTS of certain Politician-GANGs aka "USURPER"s, Then THEY DO WHAT They WANT. So There is

NO U.S. or State CONSTITUTION!! YES, Things Must Change, Not only Yes We Can hot air. DO, No Talk!!

Maybe SARA PALIN Ms. RIGHT is right (Not Wrong)?! Sarai Ain't Afraid to Break or Dirty Her finger Nails. Now That's Tough; So Sara Ain't No "Manicure-Babby", but a Lipstick Momma! eeeeeehaaaa!

Note: Sisstar SARAi is starting to look really good ('Platform/ticket', not only Lipstick & looks) soo maybe she should be our 1st LADY President, aye? OR/b>

Maybe Brother MiTT ROMNEY is the ripe Mr. RiGHT (NOt Wrong). Likewise; MITT is looking & Sounding GOOD too. A Good Politician & a Great BUISINEES MAN Who Will Save AMERICA from Poverty & out of Debt? Fix Amerika MITT! [Maybe "Joe The Plumber" can fit-in Somewhere, aye].

Note: MITT maybe should be our 1st MORMON (A Xrstian , but Persecuted People, NOt only AFRO-Americans) Prez aye??.

"WE, The People" Need To Take Our Nation Back & fix the Sick Constitution? This is NOt a Test! This is Real!!

Note: And GLENN BECK might be 1/2 or 3/4 right (NOt Left, oopps Wrong)? Hint; HE needs to REPLACING 'God', NOt "Restore" God" That's the Problem.

SUGGESTION: Maybe Ms. Sara Palin & Mr. Mitt should Marry (Politically) and Run as PREZ & V.PREZ ALL IN ONE (1 Ticket, 1 Platform!) aye? PS: With Obama & Clinton, There Will NO [permanent] PEACE in MIddle-East Just Yet. Maybe only a Patch-up Job so Hillary & Gang/Crony's can Fool "The-People" again? and get RE-Elected on a slate.

___VOTE:

"Peace/Huggs Rock-n-Roll, MiTT Romney"!!!

"Peace/Huggs Rock-n-Roll, MiTT Romney"!!!

"Peace/Huggs Rock-n-Roll, MiTT Romney"!!!

___ OR

"Peace/Dance Rock-n-Roll, w/ SARA Palin"!!!

"Peace/Dance Rock-n-Roll, with SARA"!!!

"Peace/Dance Rock-n-Roll, with SARA"!!!
--
GOOD-BYE OBAMA & CO! GOOD RIDDANCE NEPOTISTic Hillary et al!! Time fo a Real Man, or a Real woMan Prez!! Ya Ya!
--
Hailaluya! Praise the Holyi NO MON/WOM!

LOVE AMERICA! LOVE AMERICA! LOVE AMERICA..!

Let's look at Glenn Beck's faith compared to Islam.

1. Both believe in Jesus but believe a prophet came later to fully disclose the truth
2. Both believe women are subservient to men
3. Both are aligned with polygamy

Glenn Beck questioning the Christianity of other people is laughable at best, hypocritical at worst.

Although Joseph Smith did institute a theocracy some refer to as the Kingdom of God shortly before his death, it's purposes were not "to restore America to Christianity by rewriting the laws of the nation according to what God told him." On the contrary, one of the primary purposes according to Brigham Young was to "protect every person, every sect and all people upon the face of the whole earth, in their legal rights." See the quote in context at The Kingdom of God.

Restoration theology?

Until an astronomer finds Kolob, I'll assume Sam Harris is right about the recipe for Mormonism.

"This makes the Book of Mormon somewhat like the Muslim Qur'an."

A crucial difference is that there is no "last prophet" attachment to the LDS document. The hierarchy of that institution gives the right to further prophecy to the guy in the Elder Chair. That is how they finessed the entire polygamy issue. In fact it isn't even clear that Joe Smith's "Thus sayeth the Lord" document limits further prophecy to any one guy, thus there are a plethora of offshoot Mormon sects.

I don't hold much sympathy for the Saints but at least they have strong families and reproduce at a rate that we might field a Western Army at Armageddon. 8)

To those who think Joseph Smith had no ideas of theocracy, remember that as Mayor of Navahoo he closed down a newspaper that criticized him. He tried to succeed from the state, claiming nullification of other laws in his city of the restoration. He died turning coat and jumping out a second storey window to avoid being attacked by a mob of investors who had been bilked and were exercising what some have called "second amendment rights." The self-inflated importance of Glenn Beck comes as close to the example of Joseph Smith as anyone in public life today. (You want to buy some gold so Glenn can get a cut of the exorbitant fees?)

Perhaps we are witnessing the rise of the Palin-Beck 2012 Presidential ticket. If so, I wouldn't want to be Sarah.

The LDS took their cue from the supersessionist Christians and their supersessionist NT (sic), which supersedes the Tankah.

Indeed, the Christians have the arrogance to rename the Tanakh "Old" and to interpret it for the community for which it was written. This sort of thing, taking another group's culture, then imposing one's own interpretation on it and shoving it down the throats of the natives was for Said the hallmark of imperialism.

Glen Beck, Anthony, couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of people (remorseless)

Mr. Stevens-Arroyo, I am a practicing Catholic. I have been for as long as I can remember. I am also a huge fan of Mr. Beck's. To suggest that he is preaching "Mormon restoration theology" is absurd. All he wants and all that we who listen and watch him want is for America to return to the founding principles that she was founded on. It doesn't matter if you're Catholic, or Buddhist, or Mormon, or Muslim, these are the values and principles that all good men should want. It is people like you, Mr. Anthony Stevens-Arroyo, that make me ashamed of being Catholic. I do not believe that Beck is the second coming of Christ, or the Messiah, or even a prophet. I believe that he is a good man and a good Christian and a great American. Amen.

Is this the best WaPo can do? I am offended that this writer thinks your readers are so dumb. WaPo may want to score political points with their faith writers, but this one does not come close. You can do better.

Let's understand a key point: Religion in politics is simply the political opinion of people who are religious. And such citizen's opinions have impacted government and legislation in this country for centuries. In fact, when we make it a crime to steal, lie under oath, rape, commit incest and many other such "sins/crimes," we are legislating morality. Strong civilizations do this. And thank goodness. As for Glenn Beck: I like what he is saying, regardless of what his particular religion might be. If his Mormonism strengthens his Judeo/ Christian values, which clearly seems to be the case, then that is only good - good for him and, since he has broad influence as a major media personality, good for the country.

rlgreer1

And you believe you are Saints.

There is no degree of scorn that people can feel towards Mormans that is not multiplied many times and reflected back.

It is particularly useless to presume that we may act as instruments of God or that we are implementing His will. To dare presume is to try to justify not the higher calling but the inconceivable--and the misdeeds some of us would rather attribute to God.
For it is mostly when we act out what we believe to be God’s wrath that we fool ourselves into believing that we are implementing his will. Only very seldom do we act out His justice, kindness and patience, to really implement His will.
When the argument is made that God inspires someone's deeds or statements, there usually is something to behold: Beware!

Actually the great universal Deity Diffalumpior sent his angelic turtle Gifferiz to inspire Glen Beck! Prove I am wrong!

Interesting how holy rollers always start by lying about the role of religion in the formation of the Republic, which was primarily informed, of course, by the pagan (i.e. Greek) values of the Enlightenment as well as by Native American government (the Iroquois Confederacy).

The author demonstrates a fundamental ignorance of Mormonism. "Restoration theology" (a term Mormons don't use) involves the restoration of knowledge and priesthood authority that was lost with the demise of Christ's apostles. We simply refer to it as "the Restoration." Our theology is Christian, just like that of Roman Catholics.

Catholics claim they possess this authority. Mormons claim (with good scriptural and historical evidence) that it was lost, thus necessitating a restoration. This is something that required new revelation to accomplish.

Likewise the author apparently has no knowledge of the contents of the Book of Mormon. If he had any, he would not compare it with the holy Quran. Without any disrespect intended to our Muslim friends, the Book of Mormon differs from their sacred text in that it testifies very plainly that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. In that regard, the Book of Mormon is a book of Christian scripture that witnesses the divinity of Jesus.

The author would do well to conduct proper investigative research before writing such articles.

I personally do not believe God speaks at all and if s/he did I cannot possibly imagine that it would be through Glenn Beck.

This is arguing about fairy tales. Why does the Washington Post provide a place for such silliness?

A couple of observations:
1. Mr. Beck seems to share with St Paul a sense of grandiosity that is probably a matter of both of them having bipolar disorder, seeing visions and capable of great charisma during a manic high.
2. I have a lot of respect for members of the LDS church, their hard work and avoidance of chemicals; however, I find it puzzling that a church often persecuted for its alternative view of marriage (aacurtis omits that in his posting) has put its power and wealth behind efforts to deny the benefits of marriage to another group that has an alternative view, closer to the norm (1 on 1) than the church's former polygyny.

Does God speak through Glenn Beck?

Of course not. The question is stupid and insulting.

Mormonism is no more Christian than Buddhism. There actually is a Christian orthodoxy which has been accepted - even since Joseph Smith - and Mormonism doesn't subscribe to it. Mormonism even denies it by it's own theology.

As a practicing Mormon,I would correct a couple of errors regarding our beliefs. First, while a small thing to others, it is significant to us that the name of the church is often shortened by those outside the faith to eliminate Christ. The proper name is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Second, while we do believe in a future theocracy, it is not one of men, and not one of Glenn Beck. With the Second Coming of Christ a new era will commence under His rule. Third, the church's official statement (1835)on the role of government ought to stand on its own:
1 We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
2 We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.
3 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.
4 We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
5 We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.
Doctrine and Covenants, Section 134:1-5

The Catholic tendency to theocracy did not end with Leo XIII. The claim that modern Catholicism only seeks cultural change is disingenuous. In America the Catholic church lobbies strongly for laws that prohibit abortion, stem cell research, gay rights, and some treatments for the dying. Not long ago, the church wanted laws to prohibit birth control and to censor books and films. When a religion infiltrates its beliefs into a nation's laws, that is theocracy.

Glen is simply suggesting a tried and true method to return to civility in our national discourse.
Posted by: snowboydave
---------------------------------

Have you even listened to this guy? There is nothing "civil" in his Fox News "discourse" demonizing gays (calling them "F*GGOTS") and minorities, smearing the President and exploiting race, religion and even Jesus Christ for Rovian political wedge issues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7AmCtX-k-8

http://blog.themoviequotes.com/2009/08/25/glenn-beck-racist-comment/

Methinks you suffer from BDS

(Bush Delusional Syndrome)

Joseph Smith was a seriously flawed man: a man who was convicted of fraudulently taking money from others to find buried treasure; sold swamp land to, and took money and property from, his followers; joined, stole and re-hashed the teachings and handshakes of the Masons; fabricated revelations and translations of ancient writings; and illegally engaged in bigamy/polygamy in the state of Illinois while directing male followers to do the same.Anyone in a position of religious power who uses that power to secretly "marry" the wives and daughters of his followers, as Smith did, lives at a unique level of immorality (for more on Smith see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith,_Jr.) It's ironic and painful to see so many otherwise honorable people revere and honor such a person. How can Glenn Beck and the others stomach such behavior? And yet have the gall to so strongly ridicule the behavior and ideas of others?

"According to this shallow theology, God willed the Holocaust"

If God is infinity knowing and raises up leaders in every nation; then we can conclude that He raised Hitler to his position knowing full well what he would do. What Hitler did caused the Jews to do what they did: reestablish the nation of Israel as it states in Scriptures.

"Glenn Beck is the One, anointed by God as Messiah to America"

I believe Glenn Beck is called by his God, not to be the "Messiah of America" but to lead and inspire those called by God's name to return to Him. If you don't heed Beck's words then you are called to play a different role in the history of mankind.

"rewriting the laws of the nation according to what God told him"

This isn't Becks stand nor does he talk such nonsense.

I am a retired University Teacher and Administrator (BYU, Ariz. State Univ. Univ. of Montana) where I taught New Testament and World Religions. I also worked in the LDS Church Educational System for 38 years. I wish to confirm the e-mail above by aacurtis. His points about the political views and purposes of Joseph Smith are historically correct. Furthermore, how he views the present response of Mormonism toward Glenn Beck is accurate as well.
From my view and experiences as one deeply embedded in Mormonism for over 70 years, he is RIGHT ON! Thanks aacurtis.

Please know and acknowledge that Beck does NOT represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormons.
Do NOT set him up to be "Speaking for God."
The day he does that, he will be excommunicated. To know what this church does stand for, visit www.mormon.org or invite the local missionaries to tell you.

The Mormon religion was founded on a simple man's folk religion, and his many followers found satusfaction in this child-like characterizaiton of God, Jesus, Lucifer, and Heaven, and in the many simple and quasi-magical rituals that go along with this type of folk belief. It is what inexperienced unchurched people make of what they think traditional theology should be. That is what it was then, and that is what it is now. That is why it does not appeal to people who are more "grown-up" in their religious quest, and that is why Glen Becks seems like a simple fool.

If you want to see the America that Beck is urging on, you need only read his followers’ comments on this site http://wp.me/pNmlT-mI which is critical of Beck and his rally. They are cult like in their blind adherence to the Beck doctrine, and this despite the fact that for some, like the Tea Party, Beck's worldview contradicts their core belief in the Constitution and the separation of church and state! It is sobering to read and provides a warning we all need to heed.

Faith, Hope and Charity. These words have been preached from pulpits around the globe for longer than we have had means to record. Are we to believe that Catholics are to no longer subscribe to these principles, because the source may or may not be the mouthpiece of deity?

"Does God speak through Glenn Beck?"

The question is absurd and irrelevant on so many levels. The author is desperately attempting to find the motivation of Mr. Beck, and then with equal desperation, trying to imply that motivation is sinister. However there are no facts to support asking the question, let alone answering it.

Glen is simply suggesting a tried and true method to return to civility in our national discourse. Faith, a belief in something bigger than yourself. Hope, the desperate belief that there are good things to come. and Charity, taking care of those that need the assistance of others. These are messages that resound through the human race and cross all boundaries (real or imagined), they touch on the very things that define us as human.

If author is attempting to remove Catholics from the list of individuals that believe in these principles he will have to write a far better piece than this to do so.

Thanks for your piece, Mr. Arroyo-Stevens. You provide an important historical and theological framework through which to understand Beck and Mormonism as steeped in an American "restoration" myth.

My own view (as a young atheist convert to Catholicism) is that Beck's gesture fits within the larger conservative Protestant tendency to make a theo-political cult out of the American Founding Fathers.

Please take a look at my own take (sympathetic to yours) at my new blog: http://catholic-commentary.com/2010/09/01/the-gospel-according-to-glenn-beck/

Thanks for your piece, Mr. Arroyo-Stevens. You provide an important historical and theological framework through which to understand Beck and Mormonism as steeped in an American "restoration" myth.

My own view (as a young atheist convert to Catholicism) is that Beck's gesture fits within the larger conservative Protestant tendency to make a theo-political cult out of the American Founding Fathers.

Please take a look at my own take (sympathetic to yours) at my new blog: http://catholic-commentary.com/2010/09/01/the-gospel-according-to-glenn-beck/

I am a non-white, Catholic, female, Gen X, from Massachusetts and agree with much of what Glenn Beck stands for. I actually listen to what he is saying and not the talking head on The Evening News who tells me he is a bigot.

People think it's a popularity contest and cling to their parties like their local football team. Republican! Democrat! Just labels while they rob you of your hard earned pay to your freedoms.

If people stopped the hate mongering long enough to listen, actually listen, to what he is trying to say then maybe we could be a stronger country.

Come to the realization that your name calling, arguments, and finger pointing are exactly what the other man behind the curtain wants...an army of puppets.

I think it is clear that "restoring honor" are code words for restoring a white president who uses a perch of claiming to be more Christian and more American only to initiate policy that goes against Christian and American values.

Why else would Beck choose the same day and the same location of Martin Luther King's speech to gather their all white crowd (If Beck really did not know this as he claims, this only confirms his absolute ignorance and or total disregard for non-whites).

As far as Beck, Palin, and their followers going directly against American and Christian doctrine I will provide two very clear examples:

-Their insistence on merging Christianity with the United States government goes directly against the first amendment. Are they proposing we eliminate the first amendment and require all Americans to be Christians?

-The fundamental idea of Christianity is that anyone can accept Christ into their life and become a Christian. Beck, Palin, and their followers apparently believe there must be some fine print in the bible that says this does not include uppity blacks who dare to be president, especially if their father was born in Africa. Blacks may only be Christians if they have been enslaved and forced to live in poverty for a hundred years, and then only if they stay in their place.

I suppose I am a little tainted because I live in a state where many people are very proud to listen to Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, and Palin, and almost all of them refer to our president as the n-word president. They, like Limbaugh also hope he fails, however they are openly stating they hope someone ends his life.

Anyone who thinks Beck's so called movement is not almost entirely racially motivated is kidding themselves. He has all but admitted he is a racist, especially when he talks about our president. It is very sad we have so much blatant ignorance and prejudice left in our great country.

"Knowing that Beckian revelation could happen"

I stopped reading here, and I suggest everyone else do the same. Offer scientific proof as to the claim that "revelations" (in the religious context) actually CAN happen, and only then will the rest of the article be worth reading.

As a practicing Mormon, I'm concerned with a few conclusions the reader may take from this article:

The author makes it sound like Joseph Smith's presidential bid was an effort to change the American republic into a totalitarian theocratic state in which Mormon standards and doctrines would be enforced by law. My takeaway from reading of the writings of Joseph Smith was that the presidential bid was the result of an effort to bring assurances of religious tolerance and freedom to a minority religious group (the Mormons) whose unique faith, new england traditions, and anti-slavery politics, peppered with some common self-aggrandizement / pride had set them at odds with their frontier midwestern neighbors.

Smith's political efforts were intended to bring political redress to the loss of property / lives that resulted from the conflicts between the mormons and their frontier neighbors. But his platform was based on a fundamental right of religious expression (and not just for the mormons).

We could have another column regarding efforts by Christian leaders (Catholic, Mormon, Evangelical) etc. to legislate morality and discuss whether that constitutes theocratic ambition, but I think that's a separate issue from the central question of this article.

Second, I want to point out that not every Mormon is a Beckian enthusiast. Personally, I've not read Becks message closely, but I do know a number of practicing Mormons who disagree with his politics. I know others who do agree with him. I just want to caution against the broad brush labeling of all members of a religious group as following a particular political message.

Thank you.

Why bother using any rational thought or logic to determine religious belief? As soon as you do that, you realize very quickly that god was made up by human beings, not very long ago. And it's certainly a fool's quest to try and rationalize anything Beck or his fans do or say or think or believe. Unless, one can accept that they really are just cynical racists who want to create a justification for their pseudo-beliefs.

Here's what Glenn Beck (et al) is afraid of -- current demographic trends will not just make whites a minority in four decades, but the non-white population will consist primarily of groups less educated and well-off than whites who will vote themselves a universal welfare state.

What began in the 60s as affirmative action and a war on poverty, primarily to help blacks, has expanded to the doctrines of diversity and economic oppression that holds that every demographic except white men are victims with legitimate claims to benefits either from government or private enterprise. For this doctrine to win politically, blacks, hispanics and women have been included in the beneficiaries group.

"Democracies perish when the people realize they can vote themselves money." Beck et al fear that a liberal alliance has expanded to the point that the claimants can outvote the workers.

This seems to be a very irrelevant and somewhat offensive article. Can you not come up with any other angle for a very successful movement that is happening in our country? We are ready to recognize god...and no we don't believe that glenn is "Him".
"Amen"