A recent article entitled “GOP Rivals have Different take on Mormonism” highlights Romney and Huntsman as being polar opposites in how they practice their Mormon faith. They share how Romney was a local LDS leader and all his sons served missions while Huntsman has shown support of other religions by attending their meetings and encouraging their kids to learn about other faiths as well. The article goes on to state that Huntsman could be doing damage politically by not fully embracing Mormonism.
One of the main attractions for me to Mormonism is the fact that God loves and supports all people of all faiths. In the Bible as well as Book of Mormon, it is quoted that God is not a respector of persons, meaning he reaches out to all people. In the Doctrine and Covenants (another LDS scripture), it goes on further to state there are degrees of glory in Heaven for people of all beliefs (albeit the ones who profess faith in Jesus get a “better” glory). I can’t imagine a God who would thrust someone to Hell who never did have a chance to hear about Jesus.
If Mormons truly believe that there are many variations of belief that one can have, yet still receive a “glory” or place in Heaven, then they shouldn’t condemn Huntsman. It appears to me that people within the Mormon community who judge Huntsman for not being “Mormon” enough are judging on the same criteria those outside the Mormon faith are: they have to have served an LDS mission, pay full tithing, go to church every Sunday, hold a church calling, believe everything in the same way that everyone else in the Mormon faith does and declare “the church is true” with every breath.
Personally, I think it is refreshing that Huntsman is being who he is and being open about his religious beliefs, even if they’re not a cookie-cutter Mormon approach. It shows that someone can be a Mormon and not have to believe everything the same way as other Mormons. People both within the Mormon church and without seem to have the same stereotypes of what being a Mormon means and maybe Huntsman will at least show people that not all Mormons are the same and help remove the black and white mentality that many people have.
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September 1, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Doug Dwyer
You are a wonderful guy but you tend to be gracious to a fault! A life lived is the greatest sermon-and if you are not seeing fruit there is a problem. Huntsman is less a product of the LDS faith and more a by-product of a pluralistic American culture that is all around us. I’m praying for a candidate who has deep convictions about his (or her) faith.
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September 1, 2011 at 9:55 pm
graceforgrace
Hi Doug,
The article brought up the point that you bring up as well….that people are looking for someone who has convictions about their faith and how that could hurt Huntsman. Judging from the polls, that is exactly the case.
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September 1, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Sanders
“One Utahn put it this way: Romney is Brigham Young University, Huntsman is the University of Utah.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48753.html#ixzz1WjY2cPp1
Enough Said! (For me, since I am BYU Alum) Ha Ha
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September 1, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Deidra
We have friends who were going to a BBQ hosted by the husband’s professor for professors and cohorts. Another LDS member in the same program was not attending, and when he said that he wasn’t going because they didn’t do those types of things on Sunday, the host professor said, “Well [the other member] is coming!”
The friends were baffled, because the other guy uses terrible language, but feels it’s not okay to go to a social activity on Sunday. I guess we all have our levels of what we’re okay with and how we manifest our devotion to the Lord and to our religion. I imagine we’re all trying to do the best we can with what we feel is right. For some, it’s strict obedience and others it is reaching out and including others.
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September 2, 2011 at 8:41 am
Cal
I don’t know how strong Huntsman’s convictions are, but by showing “support of other religions [I hope that means other Christian denominations] by attending their meetings and encouraging their kids to learn about other faiths as well” Huntsman is doing well as long as he & his kids don’t get hopelessly confused.
I think Huntsman & his kids can learn that Mormonism needs progress in its accuracy of gospel revelation just as other Christian denominations do. The kids may also become inspired and equipped to be bridge builders.
Deidra said, “I imagine we’re all trying to do the best we can with what we feel is right. For some, it’s strict obedience and others it is reaching out and including others.”
Hopefully, we can do both at once!
———
Since we’re on the topic of people having “many variations of belief . . . yet still receiv[ing] a ‘glory’ or place in Heaven,” I’d love to hear comments on how a Mormon missionary and an evangelical missionary might handle a joint mission!
This is my idea on how to handle such a venture:
Before leaving on the trip we decide we are going to stress those basics that we agree on (i.e., Jesus is Lord), we are going to leave alone those issues on which we disagree AND which we both consider minor, and we are going to present both viewpoints when it comes to those issues on which we disagree and both consider important (i.e., hell for unbelievers).
When we present opposing views, we will tell the people to study the Scriptures & ask God which view is correct, finding out for themselves who is right.
Then we will set an example of how Christians can worship and work together in spite of differences.
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September 3, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Tim
“I hope that means other Christian denominations…”
Why? He has at least one adopted child who came from a non-Christian background–if he’s supporting other religions, wouldn’t it make sense for him to support that non-Christian religion? Even non-Christian religions have great worth and deserve support.
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September 4, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Rachel
My parents did the same thing when I was little. We attended Buddhist, catholic etc. Yet we were very active Mormons. I appreciated this experience and found it gave me a wonderful depth to my life. I think it’s silly to say that just because Hunstman takes his kids to other religions he is less of a Mormon.
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September 4, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Doug
Cal-you really think outside the box! While I have a hard time with that visual it sure is fun to think about-kind of like that crazy LDS movie: Baptist at the Barbeque.
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September 4, 2011 at 7:48 pm
Cal
Doug,
Never heard of Baptist at the Barbeque. A comedy? I’m laughing already. Should I watch it?
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September 5, 2011 at 5:37 am
Doug
You would love it! It’s a pretty wild movie-the line in one of the songs is something like “I don’t like you and you don’t like me-but let’s get together and have a party.” It’s about a town that have the same number of Baptist and LDS-check it out! It’s a lot of fun.
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September 5, 2011 at 5:59 am
Cal
OK! I see I can get a copy for $2.21 at Amazon. 🙂
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September 6, 2011 at 12:50 pm
graceforgrace
Cal,
You bring up some great points.
From my perspective on Mormonism and from what I believe, I agree with Tim and Rachel. Although I do not believe that Hinduism and other non-Christian religions have complete truth, I believe that they have some truth and God still blesses them according to their faith.
As for going on a joint mission with a fellow Christian, for me, it is not hard to imagine doing a mission with a fellow Christian as long as we focused on the beliefs that we both share: through faith and repentance and prayer, we can gain a relationship with Jesus. Where the key differences would arise would be issues with authority because Mormons believe the authority to baptise was removed from the Earth but later restored to the LDS Church of Jesus Christ. Mormons also believe that baptism is essential for salvation.
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September 8, 2011 at 9:49 am
Jettboy
This Mormon/other Christian – Mission thing by holding to shared beliefs is impossible. The more I talk with them, the more they refuse to admit any kind of even basic beliefs as similar. Strangely enough, they have a point. Their concept of even having a relationship with Christ is so far off from what Mormons mean that its like a omnivore and a vegan getting together to discuss the importance of Nutrition. There definition of the basics are much more restrictive and specific. It would have to be a very liberal Christian to do such a mission, and there are serious problems with that as well.
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September 8, 2011 at 10:46 am
What one observes on the internet . . . « Interstate 15 for God's Glory
[…] I don’t understand Cal’s ecumenism at […]
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September 8, 2011 at 3:42 pm
hthalljr
Cal, thanks for your interesting post. (Hat tip to Tod Wood: http://bit.ly/pUc1QS)
As I see it, we are already, in fact, serving a joint mission. You perform a great work in bringing the Jewish Testament of Christ to the world, and we add to that the Nephite Testament of Christ.
(The Bible was written entirely by Jews: 2 Nephi 29:4-5 http://bit.ly/omubCF , 3 Nephi 29:8 http://bit.ly/pGQ1qJ ). The Nephites and Lamanites were neither Jews nor a Lost Tribe, but rather a “remnant of Jacob” through Joseph. (http://bit.ly/q2U2Km, http://bit.ly/q5nMAg)
The Book of Mormon teaches that one must accept the testimony of the Jews in order to accept the testimony of the Nephites. (1 Nephi 13:23 http://bit.ly/qXEDHL, 2 Nephi 33:10 http://bit.ly/ntoDrk)
For many years, Mormon missionaries taught primarily from the Bible (Terryl Givens: http://bit.ly/oliIiD), and Mormon folklore tells of angels preparing the way for our missionaries by teaching from the Bible. (http://bit.ly/p3oZam, http://bit.ly/rlQEjH)
So in all sincerity, I believe that your labors to spread the Gospel are an essential, divinely-approved complement to ours.
As long as we’re tip-toeing out on an ecumenical plank, let’s speculate about the future coming forth of the Lost Tribes’ Testament of Christ. (John 10:16 http://bit.ly/mVAx67, 3 Nephi 17:4 http://bit.ly/pZbKpp, 2 Nephi 29:13 http://bit.ly/np4rZa). The Doctrine & Covenants speaks of “their prophets” and of their bringing “forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants” – the LDS. (D&C 133:26-30 http://bit.ly/nD3kcu)
It appears that the Lord will raise up independent prophets among the Lost Tribes to restore their sacred records. Is he already doing so? If their Testament of Christ comes forth independently, will it be easier for the world to accept it than if it came through the LDS? And will Mormons themselves have a hard time accepting it?
Tracy Hall Jr
hthalljr’gmail’com
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September 9, 2011 at 7:02 am
Cal
Tim & Rachel, I should clarify that I see a difference between visiting a non-Christian church and supporting one. It seems Jesus wasn’t afraid to go anywhere sinners were, but I can’t imagine him helping the devil’s crowd accomplish their devilish deeds. Satan & God are perfectly opposed to one another.
I think another factor here is that you may put the Catholicism, for example, and Islam in the same bag (do you?), whereas I see them coming from two different spirits. Islam does not believe in the Christian essentials of following Jesus as their #1 Lord and as the Son of God. They don’t believe he died on a cross for our sins and that salvation is through the Atonement; Catholicism does.
graceforgrace said, “Although I do not believe that Hinduism and other non-Christian religions have complete truth, I believe that they have some truth and God still blesses them according to their faith.”
Yeah, there is a nuance here between the LDS view of non-Christian religions and the evangelical view. I’m still exploring this shade of difference. You can tell me more if you like.
I can see Hindus bringing temporal blessings upon themselves through “good” behavior, that is, what Romans would call “keeping the law.” But I see more of a black & white world: heaven or hell, enemy of God or friend of God, spiritual life or spiritual death. I think of 1 John 3:14: “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.”
If I’m correct, the LDS has the three kingdoms of heaven & only a few spending eternity in hell. So there’s a real difference there that needs to be ironed out.
——-
If we go on a joint mission, graceforgrace, I’ll let you do the baptizing! . . .
Oh, and I forgot to tell you . . . we’re leaving next Tuesday. 🙂
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September 9, 2011 at 7:15 am
Cal
Jettboy, I almost forgot you.
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, when non-Mormon Christians meet with you folks, they often get into an argumentative state where their beliefs look more far off than they really are. Our Heavenly Father will give you grace for us!
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September 10, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Cal
It’s funny—the last two comments of Sept. 8 did not appear here at the time I wrote my comments of Sept. 9. Am I going crazy, getting old, or something else?
Thanks for your comments, Tracy Hall. Interesting. You have a lot to discuss there. Some of it beyond me. I’ve never heard of the Lost Tribes’ Testament of Christ.
I like your description of what you & I are doing: “As long as we’re tip-toeing out on an ecumenical plank.” It made me laugh.
I appreciate your seeing our common ground. The basics of my position are beginning to take shape at EvangelicalsandMormonsforJesus.com.
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