Our church is named The Church of Jesus Christ; easy mistake to make to think we are not CHRISTians (?)...but not acceptable for a blogger. I'm a happy convert from Catholicism, and I don't support Glenn Beck. Many of my church friends don't support him either.

Sweeping generalizations never make good arguments, but evidently they do get published. You should know that there will always be extremists. This is not news.

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to tie it with a religion is wrong and biased!!!

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You forget that the Mormon Jesus had plural wives during his earthly ministry.

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Why are the ppl hear so against G.B or religion per se? Perhaps you don't relize it but there are usually diiferent points of view & ppl here often come across as very bitter & very pissed off.
And you know what? Why doesn't Barry answer the call to simply show his "REAL" birth certificate insted of spending 1.5 million to keep it concealed? Don't ya think that would put an end to the nay sayers & dont ya find it odd he doesn't do thet? I do. The website "factcheck.org" is run by one of his buddies & the b,c they showed WAS NOT real.
And why doesn't ANYBODY from the W.H. dipute what F.n. says about them? If I were not guilty of the horrendes things they say about the czars & Barry, I be be pissed enough to at least rebutte the allegations wouldn't you? I'm just saying ;-D

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...for Christ sake.

(Even if you do have absolutely nothing of merit to say.)

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If Glen Beck would weep for something worthwhile, like the women and children suffering in Mormon polygamy, he could make a difference in the world.

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The Mormons are the best people I know and their family emphasis is needed in the world--but I can't understand how thinking people can accept their assumptions and the lack of evidence for their founding. I found the analysis of religious, scientific and philosophical thinking in the free ebook "In Search of Utopia" (http://andgulliverreturns.info) very enlightening. Book 4 made me look at my belief systems in depth.

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I don't see how anyone can honestly say with a straight face that they follow mormonism. Do people realize the farcical beliefs of this cult?

Have you been to the place where Smith grew up? I have, it's near my family's homestead in Vermont. Smith was a fucking psycho loser, who just happened to persuade more losers (like Beck) to follow him.

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The 'Mormons' or Church of Latter-Day Saints, is to many a preverse, Christian based cult. They have a well established history of racism, sexism, way to much into conversion of others into their faith, private rituals that are wierd to many and are far too self-rightous. They supported the death of many Native Americans, multiple wives, having too many children and are very selective and secretive as to their practices. They control too much in politics, especially in Utah and to a lesser extent in other states as we saw with their support of the infimous Prop. 8 in California last year. They also believe in self supporting welfare programs to their less fortunate members, but if you are not a member or not trying to be a 'perfect' one, you may not get that support.
There are serious issues as to this faith and it's practices. People like Glenn Beck are not true Mormons although he supports their absolutous view of the world and some of their worst values.

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I don't care what religion the man is. I only thank God he's not a Catholic. We've got enough problems as it is. The last thing we need is to waste good time apologizing for Glenn Beck.

Helath Care and Woe

Tom Degan

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Anyone even vaguely familiar with the mormom religion knows they are talking out of their hats.It's ingrained.

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"I was friendless,... a hopeless alcoholic, abusing drugs every day," Beck said "I was trying to find a job and nobody would hire me... couldn't get an agent to represent me."

That’s when Beck’s wife-to-be Tania suggested that the family go on a "church tour,"

Just one question, what woman in her right mind would want to marry a hopeless alcoholic / drug abuser?

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That those who are devoutly religious ARE mentally ill.

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Mormons, just like all religious people, live their lives based on belief and faith, NOT facts and reality. Why people listen to or elect anyone who is religious is simply crazy. Nuts rule this country and nuts rule the minds of the masses.

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in the mix of toxic religions; anti-human and based on some of the most astounding nonsense of any religion since the invention of Zeus by the early Greeks.

It is nothing more or less than insanity. If I went around telling people that angels were talking to me and showed me where to find some golden tablets on which are written a whole new set of religious books, my friends and relatives would probably do an intervention and try to get me to commit myself to a hospital, or at least to serious psychotheapy with an antipsychotic drug regimen.

But when millions of people believe this nonsesne - it isn't called what it is - delusional thinking - it is called religion and suddenly becomes above reproach and criticism. Time for us atheitst to take off the velvet gloves and call a delusion a delusion and psychotic behavior psychotic behavior. Religion is little more than mass psychosis. (BTW - I'm a graduate of Roman Catholic seminaries, and that's just for starters. Protestants and Orthodox Christians believe in the same fundamental delusional system.)

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There is only one thing more irrational than Chirsteranity: Mormonism. Beck is a typical Mormon, a dangerous lunatic.

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Religious convictions in the heart of Glen Beck? I don't think so. Why are we wasting so much time on this self-important punk, anyway?

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When promises are made to increase your personal wealth and gain you admittance to Heaven, you might convert to Mormonism--especially if the connections you make will further your career. The beliefs you have to accept might be extreme--Joseph Smith and his golden tablets, the checkered history of the early church, baptism by proxy, even the wearing of Mormon underwear--but you will do it because you have everything to gain and little to lose. Think of it: participating in a community of believers, furthering one's career, a free ticket to Heaven (nonbelievers, of course will stay behind), and the possibility of never having to think for yourself again about the deepest questions. Sounds like a winning formula to me!

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"Spiritual narratives of the I-once-was-lost-now-I-am-financially-sound variety are commonplace within Mormonism, which, like most of American Protestantism, has never been allergic to wealth."

These "spiritual narratives" aren't limited to those "religions" listed above. It does appear that it reigns throughout the "born again", "fundamentalist" cultures. Just look at the "Pimps in the Pulpit" on Sunday morning tv! Their claims of "miracle healings", and if only you "call in the name of Jesus" and by the way send them money - aren't these the same type that "Jesus" turned their tables over in the synagogues? I'm just saying, these are the false prophets that if these people actually read with understanding (their Holy Book) they would run away from!

There is a theatrical vein thru it all, waterworks, fainting, "supposed talking in tongues"- can you say "Academy Award". And the "religious herd" eat it up, because it follows the same line of bs that they are being fed at church! Frankly, can you say "Tax Exempt", as long as these "Pimps" are able to make money fleecing their flock, and people like Beck are able to soak it up and fleece a gullible public, this nation will continue to see more like him until the people wake up and turn them all off!

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There is nothing new about the Glenn Beck philosophy of individualism and his distaste of the “nanny state”. Some claim he borrowed it from the Mormon religion but that is not true. The cult of individualism has been around since the days of Cain when he stated: “ Am I my brothers keeper?. Beck`s audience is mainly made up of ignorant “white trash” who imagine that they are self reliant. But in fact many are in federally funded drug programs or are welfare recipients.

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"I was baptized on a Sunday, and on Monday"

Clearly Beck was not baptised in the LDS Church because those who have been baptised in the Church know when they were baptised and it is not on two days.

Moving on.

IT is a serious flaw in logic to think that matters of taste are facts of life. Not liking Mormons or Mormonism is often construed as a fact for an attribute regarding Mormonism or Mormons and this is a serious thinking error.

Calling Mormonism a cult and then deciding based on this fact that Mormonism cannot be a religion or a true religion raises serious elements about the entire populations that share similar concepts to Mormonism.

I will point to one:The Godhead


Catholics and Evangelists argue about whether or not there is an element of the Godhead existing as one form that mutates in three states. Why has this issue not qualified either one of these religions as true or untrue for its failure to conform to a more palatable notion of "The Godhead"?

People who shy away from asking these questions become prey to their own irrationale and they cannot push the blame on any one entire group of believers.

Mormons believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, The Holy Ghost and in Prophets. What does your christian, non-cult church believe in?

Because all world religions have a set of principles that "can be explained" outside reason, all of them run into similar pitfalls.Even religious scholars do not construe New Testament protagonists feelings and actions in the same way and yet to date christians have not devalued the Bible or those who follow it.

At the minimum Mormons or Mormonism following their religion are good people and contribute to the society in much the same way as do other good christians. Beck's story isolates itself from other stories of Mormons and because he is not speaking on behalf of Mormons, I have no idea how Beck equates to Mormon or Mormonism.

Anyone has a clue?

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The sooner we leave this Judeo-Christian-Islamic-Mormon-Glenn Beck world the better we will be. Religion has enslaved mankind since thunder was considered a God to offer sacrifices to so the ensuing rains might not destroy crops. Superstition and fear are at the foundation of all religion and god worship. No gods and no masters should be imprinted on all of us so we can move away and move on to a better world. Religions are used by the greedy and powerful to suppress the masses and control them. Glen Beck will not last long. He is going to make huge mistakes in the future that will bury him and his cohort Rush. When all that they have to say and preach about blows up in their face, listeners will move on. Beck is a virus that infects society and keeps them sick with fear and superstition. Move on.

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"With Obama now a mainstay in the national debate, the public is getting exposure to a peculiar strain of religious political thought as expressed by Rev Wright." Add to that his
studies of Saul Alinsky, his friendship with radicals like Ayers, which was recently documented in a new book, and his experience
in the halls of Chicago thuggery. What you have ia quite a potent combination.
It is less a worry to have the traits of Mormominism in a commentator who one can simply turn off on the radio or television to avoid, then in a man who is leading our country and making major decisions that will affect all of us.
The biggest threat Glenn Beck brings to this country is exposing what is really going on in
Washington and in particuliar in the Obama Administration. If he were on the liberal side of the aisle there wouldn't be a single article about him.

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Come on and get off the subject of Beck being emotionally moved to tears. It has already been shown that he rubs Vick's Vaporub under his eyes to make them water.

He is a charlatan and a deeply disturbed mental case.

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some years ago, my first thoughts were that the founder was a sexual predator and charlatan who found a way to make his appetites acceptable.
Whether he was sincere, confused, or guided by the neither regions is a good question. The tablet thing, and the book of Mormon say it all if one can work their way through it.

Not that an all powerful God would be limited by what I consider normal means of communication.

Having met many who profess that faith over the years, how has this effected my opinion? Not a lot. There seems to be good and bad as in any group. My problem is how badly women and children can be treated before it is considered bad by that group.

As for Beck..I cannot judge his conversion if it exists, but his actions speak volumes. And they hopefully are not indicative of Mormonism in general.

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Kindness to animals can be found in the early teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church. Joseph Smith (1805-1844), who founded the Mormon Church in 1830, preached the humane treatment of animals:

"God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He will glorify Himself with them.

"Kindness to the whole animal creation and especially to all domestic animals is not only a virtue that should be developed but is the ABSOLUTE DUTY OF MANKIND. Children should be taught that nature in all forms is our heavenly Father's Great Book of Life.

"Furthermore, he who treats in a brutal manner a poor dumb animal, at that moment disqualifies himself for the companionship of the Holy Spirit."

It appears even poisonous snakes were to be treated with respect. An entry in Smith's diary dated May 26, 1834, describes poisonous snakes found in the encampment: "The brethren took the serpents carefully on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the brethren not to kill the serpent, bird or animal of any kind during our journey unless it became necessary to preserve ourselves from hunger."

According to Mormon theology, humans are held responsible for treatment of every animal in their care. In Joseph Smith's inspired version of the Bible, Genesis 9:11 reads: "Blood of animals shall not be shed only for meat to save your lives; and the blood of every beast I will require at your hands."

Commenting on this verse, W. Cleon Skowsen writes in First Two Thousand Years, "God did not intend that the lives of animals should be subject to cruelty and abuse. The proper treatment of the animal kingdom is part of the human stewardship."

The Mormon scripture and Bible (Doctrine and Covenants, 49:21) says: "And woe be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need." It further states, "Man has been entrusted with sovereignty over the animal kingdom that he may learn to govern as God rules, by the power of love and justice, and become fit for his eternal destiny as a ruler of worlds." (Doctrine and Covenants, Commentary, section 47, p. 361).

The Mormon Church has also advocated a mostly vegetarian diet as part of its philosophy of health and reverence for life. This began in 1833, when church founder Joseph Smith received a revelation of such a health code as God's will, emphasizing grains as the staple for one's diet. Meat is meant to be eaten only rarely, such as in times of famine or extreme cold, when animals will likely perish.

The exact statement from the Mormon scriptures reads as follows:

"Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air,
I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with
thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used
sparingly;

"And it is pleasing unto Me that they should not be
used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."

---Doctrine and Covenants 89:12,13

Brigham Young, who succeeded Joseph Smith as head of the Mormon Church in 1847, taught that animals are a sacred gift from God and humans are obliged to respect them: "If we maltreat our animals, or each other, the spirit within us, our traditions and the Bible, all agree in declaring it is wrong...The more kind we are to our animals, the more peace will increase."

David O. McKay, former president of the Mormon Church, explains humanity's duties and responsibilities towards animals as follows: "A true Latter-day Saint is kind to animals, is kind to every living thing, for God has created all...In all teaching, the element of love for all of the creatures of the earth can be emphasized, and thus religion imparted."

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According to George Q. Cannon (1827-1901): "These birds and animals and fish cannot speak, but they can suffer, and our God who created them knows their sufferings, and will hold him who causes them to suffer unnecessarily to answer for it. It is a sin against their Creator.

"Children who are trained to respect the rights of the lower animals," taught Cannon, "will be more inclined to respect human rights and become good citizens. It has been observed that in places where special attention has been given in the public schools to the subject of kindness to animals, the percentage of crime has been lessened."

Joseph Fielding Smith, nephew of church founder Joseph Smith, and president of the Mormon Church from 1901 to 1918, has written:

"It was intended that all creatures should be happy in their several elements. Therefore to take the life of these creatures wantonly is a sin before the Lord.

"There is no inference in the scriptures that it is a privilege of men to slay birds or beasts or to catch fish wantonly.

"The domination the Lord gave man over the brute creations has been, to a very large extent, used selfishly, thoughtlessly, cruelly...

"Kindness to the whole animal creation is not only a virtue that should be developed, but is the absolute duty of mankind...But with this dominion came the responsibility to treat with love and consideration every living thing...

"Take not the life you cannot give. For all things have an equal right to live."

Hugh Nibley, a church leader in Utah, has written:

"Man's domination is a call to service, not a license to exterminate. It is precisely because men now prey upon each other and shed the blood and waste the flesh of other creatures without need that the world lieth in sin."

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Did they melt it down and give 10% to the church?

So many people believe in fairy tales!

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Bugs Beck is WEIRD. Keith Olbermann summed it up nicely when he said:"You're NUTS".
I seriously doubt the Mormon church can be blamed for beck's weirdness, bizarre as their beliefs are.He was pertty close to the edge anyway, and something else pushed him over long before he joined the LDS.
In my life, I've known and worked with and for several Mormons, none of whom remotely resembled beck.

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the stuff with the vicks under the eyes proves Beck is just a bullshitter. He probably converted to mormonism because the gop thinks it is the only way to hold down the west.

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As an old Mormon apostate I really appreciate the scholarship and depth of Ms Brooks' article. It gives an accurate and fair account of much that defines modern Mormonism. What it doesn't explain fully is how Beck's particular brand of extremism is related to his conversion. My personal belief has always been that the Mormons, in general, have a loving and decent civil community that is governed by an almost psychotic religious dogma. The real glue that binds them is the combination of their insular existence in the Rocky Mountains and their history of persecution at the hands of the government and gentiles (non-Mormons); somehow this has provided a nourishing milieu for a wide range of paranoid, extreme, and frankly screwy beliefs, such as those espoused by Beck.

Beck's conversion is more understandably if it is seen in terms of the fanatic proselytizing that has been pushed since the mid 19th Century. They really believe they are doing God's work when they reach out to strangers and misfits. When a little creep like Beck comes along they welcome him with open arms. It’s not the religious principles that attract converts; it’s the unconditional personal acceptance and the social network.

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Whats with the Christian bashing? And where is it written that ALL Christians be they LDS,Catholic, Lutheran etc all think alike?

Have some dear friends who are LDS and all are decent fun moderate minded folks when it comes to politics. No looneys in the bunch.

A year ago it was painting all Muslims with a broad paint brush. Now its LDS.

Every group has some odd balls. And I mean ALL groups!

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Please do not equate Beck's narcissistic and psychotic beliefs with the Mormon religion! If it was not disclosed that Beck was LDS or Mormon I would never have known it. Not only is Beck doing damage to politics, additionally he is also giving Mormons a bad name!

Not all Mormons are republican nor conservative. There are certain pockets of ultra conservatives in the Mormon church. These pockets are small and yes, they tend to be upper class, white and male.

Also, most Mormon ultra conservatives are located in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. The Mormon church leaders' beliefs are a far cry from what Beck spouts out daily. Mormons are not all rich or educated either and half of the Mormon faith's population lives in the United States. The Mormon demographic has changed and I suggest that you do fact checking (as should Beck and everyone else at Fox) and not blame what Beck does on a large population of Mormons. Then you are a lazy hypocrite too!

Let us do what we can to shut Beck up! Buzz Flash and other grassroot organizations have campaigns to shut up Beck and shut down Fox News. I find the hate speech from Beck beyond reproach and he loves attention which makes his tirades even worse.

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Anthropology posits that for any religion to succeed it needs to reflect the economy of it's culture (ex: animistic religions will revere the animals that sustain them; highly differentiated cultures with complex economic hierarchies have invisible gods; etc.). Mormonism is the only truly 'American Religion'--the only one to survive the religious revivalist movement of the 19th century. The 'cognitive dissonance' between capitalist-greed and 'Christian brotherhood' was bridged by Joseph Smith's unique sophistic interpretation of Christian mysticism. When evaluated from a modern historical/psychological perspective, would make it appear that the LDS religion was founded on the beliefs of a man who had experienced a total psychotic break from reality. In other words, Glenn Beck is clearly a legitimate heir of the founding LDS 'profit'.

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Whoa. Disappointing article. I read AlterNet because I live in Utah -- the 'reddest' state in the Union [and -- surprise, surprise -- I happen to also be a practicing Mormon.] I like to frequent a diversity of news sources and think about things.

I get the hate against religion in general but don't agree with it personally.

I strongly disagree with Beck in much of his political 'theatre' regardless of whatever similarities we may or may not share theologically. A year back or so, I was horrified to find that he was Mormon. I'[m still making peace with it lol.

Anyways, in Utah, there is a group-think culture that creeps up like anywhere else. A large portion of the population here likes to equate religion and politics just like this article does. But that portion are hypocritical idiots in that regard. Those of us -- and there are lots! -- that can't stand hate-radio 'conservatives', that cringe every time Romney is held up as a proto-typical Mormon, etc. etc. are people too ya know?

*Anyways I don't find much difference between an article like this and the diatribes pushed by the warhawks wherein all Islam is condemned as being indistinguishable from fringe terrorism and thereby used as an excuse for decades of 'preventative collateral damage' in the MidEast.*

Hate on particular Mormons or even particular Mormon viewpoints if you need to, but hating on an entire people or an entire religion never does the world much good imho.

Thanks.

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"We don't care how you bring'en, as long as you Bringham Young". Must have been quite an orgy out there in the desert of Salt Lake...Young had twelve wives. But that all stopped when they wanted to become a state in 1890's and call it Zion. The gov said you have to outlaw polygamy and not name it after a religious state. So they named it after the Ute nation which had been ripped off of their land by those hearty god fearin' pioneers.

What a bunch of self-righteous hypocytes! Notice how they try and glue the book of morons to the bible. Even calling themselves latter day saints is self righteous. What a fraud!!

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Leaving Beck out of this....
I have read most of these comments. All of the negative comments are lies, half truths, distortions, and just plain hatemongering.
I cannot type fast enough nor do I have the time it would take to refute all the ill comments made about the LDS faith or Mormons.
Yes, I am a member.
All I would say to those of you who think and say these negative things is to find and ask a practicing member of the Mormon faith to explain to you what the Church's belief is on your negative subject. You will be surprised or you will just think the answer is a lie and continue your hatemongering.

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"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel." Samuel Johnson

"Prayer. The last refuge of a scoundrel." Lisa Simpson

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hitler started out noble enough then what happened,(first person removed 4th person by proxy)any guesses out thair,no cuz you ain't really thair,now,live,quit talking to yer self,will ya please,ya know that is an indication of-?,OO,etc,etc,,,)extra terrestial Intellageinces aka eti/csi,thats what, way Too much TV,so lonely i so lonely(see the movie,TEAM-AMERICA)i'm tiried of being the mayor i think i'd rather be a rock,for those of our veiwers fluent in Franch that translates to uhm, power corrupts dynamically, seek out the opposition and engauge in the local customized ritual(have a drink on AC-DC and get to the heart of the matter,nothings sacreid and it's a regular fyrewalled set

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Thanks!

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Wow, Glenn Beck is a pretty funny guy dude!

RT
Ultimate Anonymity

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I converted to the LDS church in 1982, in hopes of saving my marriage and keeping my family intact. That didn't work, and even after it became necessary to force my husband to choose between his little sons and me, and his girlfriend, he chose her. So, divorce became necessary. I then became a definite second-class citizen in the church and ultimately became "inactive" because my feelings were so deeply hurt by those who ignored me and my children during time we needed major support (not financial.)

Then, in 2003, I began to become interested again and started attending LDS services and at first, everything seemed all right. There appeared to be an increase in the level of intellectual content in the weekly "lessons," and I was seeing a lot of diversity around me that had not been apparent before.

Then, there was an abrupt turn. "The Church" started preaching to us in various ways about the evils of homosexuality, that marriage must be between a man and a woman, that the institution of marriage was being threatened, that we should contact our congressmen and ask them to vote for an amendment to the US Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, and so on. This was enough for me to leave again, this time for good. I had not truly looked at the foundations of the Mormon Church's teaching, but what I saw is an organization that is hypocritical to the core, paternalistic to the core, using its members' money to pursue political agendas here, and probably elsewhere in the world. When such "leadership" positions itself to be the literal prophet of God, acting as an intermediary between God and humanity, how could any of this be true?

So I wrote a letter to the leaders, noting that I was seeing transgression of the church into matters that were of a purely secular nature, and joining forces with right wingers that would, if they could, bring the LDS church down, as they had tried to do in the 19th century. I ultimately received a letter back saying that my letter had been read and its contents noted.

So, all of that was enough for me to leave again, this time for good. Then came Proposition 8. The church and its members poured millions of dollars into defeating a California law that allowed same sex couples to marry. How can that be the work of anything that is good? If anything, it is the Mormons that are harming the institution of marriage, not the other way around.

So, my husband has also left, and he stopped giving anything to this monstrosity that calls itself a church. Our charitable giving is now going to causes we believe in, including to the Human Rights Campaign.

So, I suspect that there are others like us. We can no longer stomach what is being said and done in the name of something that calls itself a church and pretends to act in a way that Jesus would have us do. That is what is happening, and I suspect that Glenn Beck is nothing more than a double Trojan Horse -- a backdoor way of getting Mormons to adhere to and believe the rantings of the illiterate rabid "Christian" right, and also making those organizations think that Mormons must be OK.

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Mormonism, however strange and polytheistic its doctrines, has a brilliant formula for success:

1. The primary priest is the father in every family. The home is a kind of church.

2. The religion is primarily practiced in the home, with prescribed activities. Brilliant. This practice of religion at home is one reason Judaism survived against such cruel persecutions. Most Christians - Catholics, mainline Protestants - practice religion in the home less and less.

3. The strong emphasis on the father will attract many of those with no father, a cruel father, or an absent father due to obsessive careerism or emotional withdrawal. That includes many, many American families.

4. Living in contemporary society. Mormons dress the way the elite in a society dress, and can change with the times. They do not use medieval or Roman or other odd dress except in certain non-public rites.

5. The Mormons have eliminated churchiness. Their places of worship offer living-room like settings.

6. The Mormons believe that the Trinity is made up of three separate persons, and that faithful Mormon men become Gods and get their own solar system to rule. But they have been downplaying these doctrines and could easily moderate them through new revelations.

7. Mormons are dedicated to spreading their faith.

8. The missionary year is a great rite of initiation into adulthood, something now lacking in US culture.

9. So many of their missionaries are bilingual.

10. They are disciplined and send many of their young men to top MBA and law programs, the gates of real power in this country.

Other US religions are tired and ho-hum, or impose a non-elite culture on their followers. As strange as Mormon belief may be the Mormons impose a mainstream elite culture on its youth.

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Thank you for the post, i was really impressed, you have explained thing really well, I will be sharing this with my friends as well.

Medela symphony

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In this article you mentioned that Mormoms serve a compulsory two year mission. Just a correction nothing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is compulsory. The mission is all volunteer service, paid for by the young person and or their families. I don't think the LDS Church made Glenn Beck, I think he, as all people may, has been blessed for keeping the commandments.

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One of the characteristics of religious freedom is freedom from religion. It appears there is a battle going on for which religion is the our nationalist religion of church and state who would then get to control the values, laws, and morality of a Christian nation and reform our sharia-like laws and commandments.
George Washington is probably appearing to all of them but he really appears in the Capitol Rotunda as God with Lady Liberty and as long as he is cavorting with Lady Liberty we will probably not have a religious takeover of our nationalist religion and it's trust in war and devotion to military, merchants, and subserviant multi-denominational missionaries.
Repression by virtue of generalized religious legalization will continue and probably will continue to inforce monogamy with no good reason other than some churchs don't like the idea. Spiritual marriage shouldn't be the domain of the state as long as it one of consent, and age of consent is debatable. Brainwashing is also a questionable concept and the prevailing culture usually views it's culturalization process as proper upbringing. What is not acceptable is forcing your moral vision on others as the only correct or ultimate view and dominate others and keep them locked in conceptual prison.

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Glenn Beck is REALLY getting under the skin of the democrat (aka secular socialist) leadership.
Isn’t it amazing how Bush was above Air America and the hateful lefty TV loons while this administration cries like a baby when challenged by media conservatives?
Glenn Beck is EFFECTIVE. Why is Beck effective?
What tactics are so irritating to the secular socialists?
1…He makes simple, easy to understand presentations.
2…He does crackerjack research (aka fact checks).
3…He uses visual aids effectively.
4…He asks the audience thought-provoking questions.
5…He is sarcastic about demo-lies, distortions and omissions.
6…He directly challenges the socialist leaders to respond or contact him with corrections.
7…He uses logic and connects the dots.
These practices or tactics are (or have been) reserved for the secular socialist diaper-changing minion media and it greatly offends them to have a direct challenge with mostly their own approaches.
How often have you heard of a conservative (sincerely) being challenged by the socialist TV media to appear for a response?
Conservatives are eager to respond where socialists are dominated by arrogant cowards. Witness how (almost always) the socialist runs from the mike or insults the potential interviewer.
Always remember the modern socialists are arrogant COWARDS first. They know that their illogical rainbow dust thinking fails under scrutiny.
They sense the socialist over tax and over spend addiction is a “hard sell” to any thinking voter. That is why they run from mikes, call you names, change the subject or refuse questions. If they are SO smart, why do they act like that?
A fair reasoned public debate is the virus fatal to the modern liberal. The “good ole TV debate days” when a conservative was at the table surrounded by 3 or 4 loud insulting socialists is OVER. The Web, the radio talk shows and Fox have ended that BUT the current crop of crybabies wants the media rules changed so we go back to that biased outrage. They may succeed. They detest real free (non-secular socialist) speech.
http://conservablogs.com/theconservativecrawfish

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ago visiting my mom who was living in assisted housing and getting about $670.00 a month to live on. Some Mormon guy came by and she wrote him a check for about $65.00 for tithing as she did previous months. This mormon man had no problem taking that money from my mom. I spoke loudly. I don't think much of the mormon church.

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..it's the magic under pants that make him "think" & act as he does....

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... see All About the Mormons?

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 11.19.03
A Mormon kid moves to South Park and it's up to Stan to kick his ass. But when Stan and his dad meet their new Mormon neighbors, they become fascinated with how genuinely nice they are.

Peace.

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In nearly all religions there are those sects which have a morbid facination with the 'End of Days'.
Of course they will all be 'raptured' in some way, spared the wrath.
But their obsession is more focused on the punishment of others.They spend more time recounting the plagues and storms and wars, then the 'harps and clouds'.
Heres my question to any form of 'Apocalyptic' believer, If God is Almighty, the "One and Only One",The Creator (and destroyer) of Everything- why does God need Man to help defeat Satan? He created Satan
In fact Christ does with it with just The Word. Not weapons, Not armies and not Money or even political influence.
Only Satan needs a 'Game Changer' and help.
These people need to look up the definition of "Self Fulling Prophecy", and Monotheism.

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he was painfully excreted by a diseased camel in the most arid desert.
Beck is almost as stupid as George Bush,,, almost because Bush couldn't hold a talk show together. What they both have in common is, alcohol and screwed up genetic material.

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Pundits are saying it is Romney's time to be the presidential candidate of the GOP. I say, devoutly to be wished. That way, Obama could ask Romney about Mormon philosophy and quote Glenn Beck as a source, make both the GOPS and Faux Noise look like the greedy, unprincipled, thuggish louts that they always come off as when pontificating on TV.

For my take on Beck's "Conversion" see:
http://contrarianista.ning.com/
forum/topics/glenn-becks-conversion

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I had the great misfortune to move to a small town in Utah in the early 1990's. I was looking for an inexpensive place to live where my Social Security benefits would stretch. The day I arrived, I was nearly out of money, with just enough for a small apartment, but nothing for food. My landlady referred me to the local food bank to tied me over for a few days.

It was located in the local Mormon temple, and was suppose to be the state food bank. Well, I had on occasion in the past used state supported food banks, so I was surprised when I was given a form to fill out that requested my church/religious affiliation. I put Christian as the designation. When my turn came, the caseworker asked me what church I belonged to, and I said I did not belong to any church at the time, so she asked me if I wanted to convert to Mormonism. I politely declined, stating that I would be staying within my Church of Christ or Methodist doctrines depending on which church was closest. She started in on me about being saved by Mormonism, and how I needed to convert to keep from being damned. I told her that I did not fear for my soul, really was not interested in converting, and that all I wanted was enough food for a few days until I could get some money and some food. Then in true Mormon fashion (as I later discovered) she told me that since I was not Mormon I was not entitled to any of the food in the food bank! I pointed out that the food bank was a state agency, funded by federal dollars, and that it was against the law for her to deny me based on my religious beliefs. She stood up, looked down her pious nose at me and said "In Utah, the Mormons decides who eats and who does not! Perhaps fasting will help you see the light! Now get out, I have true believers to help!" I left just one step ahead of the thug she had signaled over to escort me out! (The thug turned out to be one of the local deputies who worked part-time there.)

I went back to my apartment, where my landlady came by to see if I had found the food bank. I told her what happened, and she was appalled. She went home and brought me game meat, vegetables, and a small dessert to help me out. She also invited me to her church - Methodist - in the next town, and apologized for the actions of the local Mormons.

Mormons are no more Christians than any other group that claims that moniker then shows themselves to be self-righteous bigots towards those who do not agree with them, and they have shown themselves to be even less so than most. Perhaps they should go and read The Beatitudes rather than their Book of Mormon if they want to claim to be followers of Christ! That they are behind Glenn Beck is not a big surprise. They are a perfect match.

View my video on tolerance (it is uploading today) on YouTube that was made in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City last week. Search YouTube later today under Devon Noll. It is entitled: Salt Lake City UT - A Question of Tolerance.

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as that diminishes him in the eyes who consider Mormons to be a cult. in the middle of the 325 comments that proceeded there was some discussion about the Catholics not being Christian either or identified with whore church. I definitely remember an newspaper advertisement paid for by Seventh Day Adventist splitoff group that pushed that line Babylon =Rome and Whore of Babylon is Roman Catholic Church stuff. as another pointed out: who decided what was in the Christian Bible if not the Catholic/Orthodox? therfore all Protestants could be considered cults by the Catholics: the cult of Luther, the cult of Calvin, the cult of Wesley. Heck, Christianity is the cult of Jesus as propagated by Paul. My impression is that Fox is dominated by Catholics (Murdoch is a Catholic) so it is interesting that Beck as a converted Catholic is a relative newcomer to Fox. I tend to think of American founded churches from 19th Century like Mormons, Adventists,Jehovah Witnesses, and Evangelicals in general to be more suceptible to cultism than older Christian churches.

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