Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Mormon Running for President Debacle.

On Sunday I saw a Catholic Priest on television proclaim that Mormons are Christians, I saw a Jewish rabbi define a cult, in such a manner that I thought it fit Mormonism perfectly, and then say that was a reason I should not call them a cult. I read an article by an Episcopalian claiming they are a cult because they won't accept our baptisms, we don't accept theirs either. Nor should we. No one ever gets around to thinking that maybe Christ should define what it means to be a Christian, though Christ got there a few times, and when you deny that he is God, of which there is only one, you call him a liar. But then, Baptists aren't really exemplary in getting the doctrine of the Trinity right either. I've watched many a Baptist go cross eyed at the thought that Jesus is God. I cringe to think Lutherans probably do the same in many cases. I'm not sure the doctrine of the Trinity, and its importance for the doctrine of salvation is emphasized near enough these days, even in Christian Churches. This is a major cancer in the church today. If we don't call Mormons Christian because they mess up the doctrine of the Trinity, we can't call the female Episcopal priest baptizing in the name of the "Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier" Christian either. But then today's mantra is "Deeds not Creeds", doctrine supposedly doesn't matter, it's how you live. In fact, doctrinally, there is a sense in which Mormonism is just American Evangelicalism on steroids. Sure they have some other weird beliefs about who God the Father is, their conception of him is a man like us, who urinates in the erect position, but is just better. This precludes any ontological unity with the Father on behalf of Jesus. Practically speaking though, Mormons and Baptists, American Evangelicals don't disagree on what the Christian life is supposed to be about or how one gets to heaven,or the celestial kingdom, just the details. Mormons forbid the drinking of coffee as well as drinking and smoking. They both have a tendency to add to God's law, and ignore God's law at the same time. Baptists have WWJD, Mormons have CTR,(choose the right) essentially the same thing. Baptists talk of Free will, Mormons of Free Agency. This more than anything, I believe, is why for all the evangelical mission work in Utah, there is not much progress. To watch them debate is like watching brothers squabble. Let this be a call to clean up our own doctrinal back yard. On the other hand, I loathe the prospect of a Mormon president. Political differences with Romney aside, the Mormon question looms large. Most today would not want a Muslim president. They recognize that Islam is as political in nature as it is religious. Well, a few years in Utah have taught me that Mormonism is much the same in that regard. Jeffres is right when he talks about it giving credence to a cult. Mormons use that sort of thing all the time. But so do Baptists and Episcopalians. Thing is, Mormonism is extremely political, and political in the sense of using politics to further the aims of their "church." Romney lost credibility with me in the last election the minute he said "the church knows it's sphere, and I know mine." Anyone in Utah could tell you that's a lie, if they aren't Mormon. If they are Mormon they think "the church's" business is politics. When the survey came out saying some 20 % of Americans would not vote for a Mormon, Mormons were outraged. It played on the news for weeks here. (Martyr syndrome is big here.) Yet in Utah, accept for a few pockets in which the Mormons are outnumbered or equalized, you won't get elected to a state office unless you are a Mormon. I thought they should understand the bias more than anyone. Here, bills don't get passed in the state legislature unless they get a nod from the "Presidency" or the "Quorum of Twelve". And to further dispel this notion one needs only look at their participation in the prop.8 debacle of California. But what do you expect in a state where the first governor, was also "the prophet," Brigham Young, a man who also had his cult declare war on the United States. Of course, this is a religion that regards the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to be religious documents, inspired of God. Sounds good until you see what they do with other religious documents of theirs, totally ignore them, basically with a doctrine akin to the Muslim doctrine of abrogation. New prophecy usurps. Mormons don't believe the Book of Mormon, not in the sense that Christians believe the Bible. At least Baptists, though their interpretation stinks, find the Bible to be normative and are open to revisiting and revising their beliefs should they be shown to be wrong with use of the Bible. Mormons have ongoing prophecy, and are at the whims of another man, even more so than Catholics are to the Pope. This animal is not the same.

3 comments:

Lora said...

I've found very few people outside of the area where Mormons are common actually can fathom what it really is like in Utah.

Lora said...

My whole reasoning why I wouldn't vote for him is the "two year store" and the prophecy that goes around it. President Hinkley commanded the people to keep a storehouse of two years supply of food because someday the government is going to collapse and the Mormons are going to do such a good job of surviving that the government will turn to the LDS church for help, and then they can rule and restore proper order.

Sounds to me like ruling in our government is something they covet. Romney is a Mormon from outside of Utah, and they are generally a different animal...not taught the same doctrine, not held to the same level of trust, but he still reveres the teaching and those who teach it.

Bror Erickson said...

Yes, Lora, they do covet it, and there is also that white horse prophecy thing where a Mormon is prophesied to save the constitution, though it looks more like Romney would destroy it.