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- Chris Fabry
- Married to Andrea since 1982. We have 9 children together and none apart. Our dog's name is Tebow.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The LDS Church has had a successful media campaign with their phrase, “…and I’m a Mormon.” Slick ads with real people talking about their faith. Yesterday at an evangelical church in California, Glenn Beck changed the slogan.
Let me first say, I like Glenn. I think he’s funny, well-read, a family man, and I’d want him as my neighbor if he moved to Arizona. I think he’s right about getting our country back to the Constitution. He was certainly right about buying gold a couple of years ago.
But when Glenn stood in a church yesterday and held up a Bible and said, “This is what we need to get back to,” and the 2,000 in the congregation applauded, something felt off.
Glenn’s Church thinks the Bible has been corrupted. Perhaps mistranslated is the better term. They say it can’t be trusted in certain places. That’s why you need other books. Their books.
Glenn said, with a wry smile, “I’m a Mormon. Get over it.”
There was some applause. Some scattered laughter.
There are two ways to interpret this statement:
Interpretation 1. “Look, I believe something different about God than you evangelical Christians. I don’t believe in the Trinity. My Church has other books, other testaments we add to the Bible. And there are many more differences theologically. But let’s not let our theological differences keep us from joining hands and working for the common good of our country.”
If this is what Glenn meant, I understand and agree. I have Mormon neighbors. One helped me with my irrigation line in our front yard over the weekend. Our kids play together. We can join hands and work together for the common good, no question.
Interpretation 2. “Look, I’m a Christian just like you. I believe in Jesus. He’s my Savior. I pray to him every day. He talks to me. God is leading us together. Get over my Mormonism.”
If Glenn meant this, I have a BIG problem. Because Glenn is not just talking about “common good,” he is talking about a “common Lord.”
Here’s why I’m leaning toward Interpretation 2:
Immediately following his statement, “I’m a Mormon. Get over it,” he said he believed in the same “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” that Christians do. He also said to a room with 2,000 believers, “We are the team. We are the ones to prepare the way of the Lord.”
Really? Which Lord? Which coming? I’m confused.
After the Restoring Honor rally in 2010, Chuck Colson pondered some good questions on Breakpoint. He wondered what “gospel” was being spread at the Lincoln Memorial. “What ‘God’ are we supposed to turn back to?”
They were good questions then. It’s a good question now. This is a Chuck Colson moment. What “team” are we on that’s preparing the way of which “Lord?”
I’m not trying to be divisive. I love and respect the pastor who organized the Sunday event in California. I know he wants us to get our country on a good path. Perhaps he regrets this small part of what went on there yesterday.
But we stand at a crossroad bigger than the next election. We stand at a crossroad of truth and error. And the path we choose and the way we lead those who follow have eternal consequences.
Let me first say, I like Glenn. I think he’s funny, well-read, a family man, and I’d want him as my neighbor if he moved to Arizona. I think he’s right about getting our country back to the Constitution. He was certainly right about buying gold a couple of years ago.
But when Glenn stood in a church yesterday and held up a Bible and said, “This is what we need to get back to,” and the 2,000 in the congregation applauded, something felt off.
Glenn’s Church thinks the Bible has been corrupted. Perhaps mistranslated is the better term. They say it can’t be trusted in certain places. That’s why you need other books. Their books.
Glenn said, with a wry smile, “I’m a Mormon. Get over it.”
There was some applause. Some scattered laughter.
There are two ways to interpret this statement:
Interpretation 1. “Look, I believe something different about God than you evangelical Christians. I don’t believe in the Trinity. My Church has other books, other testaments we add to the Bible. And there are many more differences theologically. But let’s not let our theological differences keep us from joining hands and working for the common good of our country.”
If this is what Glenn meant, I understand and agree. I have Mormon neighbors. One helped me with my irrigation line in our front yard over the weekend. Our kids play together. We can join hands and work together for the common good, no question.
Interpretation 2. “Look, I’m a Christian just like you. I believe in Jesus. He’s my Savior. I pray to him every day. He talks to me. God is leading us together. Get over my Mormonism.”
If Glenn meant this, I have a BIG problem. Because Glenn is not just talking about “common good,” he is talking about a “common Lord.”
Here’s why I’m leaning toward Interpretation 2:
Immediately following his statement, “I’m a Mormon. Get over it,” he said he believed in the same “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” that Christians do. He also said to a room with 2,000 believers, “We are the team. We are the ones to prepare the way of the Lord.”
Really? Which Lord? Which coming? I’m confused.
After the Restoring Honor rally in 2010, Chuck Colson pondered some good questions on Breakpoint. He wondered what “gospel” was being spread at the Lincoln Memorial. “What ‘God’ are we supposed to turn back to?”
They were good questions then. It’s a good question now. This is a Chuck Colson moment. What “team” are we on that’s preparing the way of which “Lord?”
I’m not trying to be divisive. I love and respect the pastor who organized the Sunday event in California. I know he wants us to get our country on a good path. Perhaps he regrets this small part of what went on there yesterday.
But we stand at a crossroad bigger than the next election. We stand at a crossroad of truth and error. And the path we choose and the way we lead those who follow have eternal consequences.
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9 comments:
Spot on. This question is going to be asked for at least the next 7 months and the answers won't get any better than what you have given here. Unfortunately, both the media and the nominal Christians across the land, and even committed Christ followers lack discernment and truth will be significantly compromised as the days roll by.
A good example of the problem is how the media portrayed Chuck Colson in his AP obit. They (the Media) are so jaded or dismissive of Christian conversion that they concentrate on the old news of Chuck's Watergate past rather than the marvelous work of his Prison Fellowship redemptive work. But the Master knows, and in the end, that is all that matters for any of us.
Great words and a needed reminder. Thank you!
Indeed, any impurity makes anything previously pure polluted. Doctrine divides truth from error. We must be sure to guard what's been entrusted to us. Do we have everything right about what's right? No. But is there a right that can't be denied? Yes.
Thank you Chris for being willing to acknowledge the ultimate battle (truth / lies - light / darkness - right / wrong) is one we must embrace.
May the difference Chuck Colson made continue to be made in and through the lives of those who are also lovers of truth.
Thanks Chris,
The holy righteous personal God deserves/demands to be honored/worshiped with correct truth. Not with mythical doctrines and deception. Jesus MUST be Divine to be the Redeemer and Savior, the only ACCEPTABLE sacrifice for the sins of His children.
Because all is of grace found in Christ alone. ~Julia
Are you saying that an evangelical pastor turned the sacred desk of his pulpit over to Glenn Beck on a Sunday? Or was this an event organized by the pastor and held outside of the church?
Chris, you're right. As a former Mormon I can say you hit the Mormon beliefs right on. And this has to be brought to light. The sad thing is, and it breaks my heart as 95% of my family members are deceived by Mormon theology, I believe that most Mormons really do think that they believe in the same God as Biblical Christians. There is a lot of misinformation in the LDS church and you are taught not to look at anything written by outsiders because it will lead you astray. Oh, there is way to much to go into here but it is a system that firmly keeps you from the Truth while believing you have it. I remember saying things like "we all believe in the same God and Jesus", "we're Christians too", etc. and really believed it with my whole heart. It was only AFTER God opened my eyes and lead me out of that religion that I was able to see just how completely different the real God and Jesus are. When speaking with a Mormon you have got to actually define what you mean by Jesus and other common Christian terminology. Ask them to tell you who they think he is and then you can share the real Jesus with them. But don't just talk to a Mormon and ask them if they believe in Jesus. They'll say they do but you'll be talking about apples and oranges. Trust me. I was there. I'm so grateful to be truly saved by the real Jesus! This is a discussion we've got to have. Thanks again Chris.
Very perceptive, Chris. Like Becky I am a former Mormon and know that when I was Mormon, I couldn't understand why Christians couldn't just overlook our doctrinal differences because of our exceptional lifestyle, work ethic, and morality.
Isn't that what Glenn and Mitt Romney are asking us to do?
Bless you, Chris.
Latayne C Scott
www.latayne.com/mitts-mormonism
Christian need to be smart sheep not dumb once, Great post :) I find truth in Matthew 7:15 KJV
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
I am of the belief that Mormons are misled individuals. Christians need to be able to discern truth from false prophecy and/or false teaching.