Mormon Coffee

Yesterday the Florida Baptist Witness published an article about the recent book When Worldviews Collide by Ergun Caner. Worldviews tackles the subject of Global Apologetics and defending the Christian faith. The article states:

The Worldviews study seeks to equip Christians to “confront your culture with truth and compassion” by understanding the basic belief systems of four major world religions, as well as leading cultural philosophies.

Dr. Caner, raised in a Turkish Muslim family, converted to Christianity as a teenager in 1982. Today he is the President of Liberty Theological Seminary at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. When he talks about Islam, he knows what he’s talking about. That’s why I found the following section of the Florida Baptist Witness article really interesting.

Caner’s book not only examines where world religions came from, but also outlines ways to reach the people. He said while Islam may seem unfamiliar, it can best be described as medieval Mormonism.

“Anything Joseph Smith (the founder of Mormonism) did, Mohammed had already done,” including believing a “corrected” version of the Bible, calling Jesus a prophet, turning salvation into a works based religion, and turning women into sexual slaves.

“Did Joseph Smith know Islam? No, but it was the same demon inspiring,” Caner said.

According to early LDS Apostle Thomas B. Marsh, Joseph Smith knew a little bit about Islam — or at least about Mohammed. In an affidavit dated October 24th, 1838 Mr. Marsh swore:

“The Prophet inculcates the notion, and it is believed by every true Mormon, that Smith’s prophecies are superior to the laws of the land. I have heard the Prophet say that he would yet tread down his enemies, and walk over their dead bodies; and if he was not let alone, he would be a second Mohammed to this generation, and that he would make it one gore of blood from the Rocky mountains to the Atlantic ocean; that like Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was, ‘the Alcoran or the Sword.’ So should it be eventually with us, ‘Joseph Smith or the Sword.’” (History of the Church, volume 3, page 167)

If this topic interests you, check out the 36-page booklet Joseph Smith and Muhammad by Eric Johnson available from Mormonism Research Ministry.

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An article on Salt Lake City’s KUTV.com reports on the findings of a U.S. Census Bureau survey released on Tuesday. According to the 2005 American Community Survey Utahn’s continue to hold the record for getting married and starting families at a younger age than people in other parts of the country.

Behind the state’s large households — 3.07 individuals, compared with 2.6 nationally — is its nation’s highest fertility rate, 2.5 children per woman in 2004 compared to the national rate 2.0.

Also noted in the KUTV article is a statistic regarding the percentage of Utah households that are married couples with children: 32.4 percent, compared to the national rate of 21.7 percent.

BYU associate professor Sam Otterstrom has a name for the Utah trend toward young, traditional families: “the Church effect.”

The article states,

Demographers say the main factor that contributes to young marriages and large households is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church says its members account for 72 percent of Utah’s population.

Everyone knows Mormons place a high value on families. They strive to live together in strong, committed family relationships. But Mormons aren’t unique in this. Virtually all of my Christian friends also value their families. They understand their children are gifts from God and they have a blessed responsibility to raise those children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

So what is it about Mormonism that’s different? What causes Latter-day Saints to marry younger, marry often and have larger families than people of other faiths or America at large?

Consider this recent teaching from LDS Apostle Tom L. Perry:

Eternal life is God’s greatest gift to His children, and it is obtained only through a family relationship. …The marriage covenant is essential for the Lord’s plan and is the purpose for which He created the heavens and the earth. (Ensign magazine, June 2006, page 89. Emphasis added.)

At the 2006 April General Conference of the LDS Church, Seventy H. Bruce Stucki said,

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught us: “The family is divine… Only through its organization can the purposes of the Lord be fulfilled.”…

I sincerely believe that in the sanctity of the family our love, loyalty, respect, and support for each other can become the sacred shield that will protect us from the fiery darts of the devil. (Ensign magazine, May 2006, page 98. Emphasis retained from the original.)

These doctrines regarding the family are the core of Mormonism. How different from the biblical teachings on children, families, salvation and spiritual safety. While the Bible tells us that families are good and desirable, it never makes the family “divine” or the focus of our future hope. Here is one example highlighting the biblical focus:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Here, contrary to the LDS priority of marriage and family, God puts the focus on Himself, truth and faith. I believe this is at the heart of the matter. This Mormon propensity to virtually deify family is “the Church effect.”

Joel Kramer, director of Living Hope Ministries, was arrested Friday night near Logan, Utah as he attempted to film portions of the LDS pageant, Martin Harris: The Man Who Knew. The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Joel Kramer, 39, was arrested and booked for disorderly conduct after he told a Cache County sheriff’s deputy he was not violating any laws by videotaping the pageant. The pageant depicts the life of Martin Harris, an early disciple of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“These are free pageants, so there’s no copyright violation and I’m within my rights to be on public land,” Kramer said. “I feel like it was the LDS church influence. That’s the reason I was arrested.”

Mr. Kramer’s ministry has produced several excellent videos aimed at evangelizing Mormons including “DNA vs. the Book of Mormon” and “The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon.” His filming of The Man Who Knew (and other LDS pageants) was done with the intention of including clips in his future video productions. Mr. Kramer has talked with the police while filming at other LDS pageants, but has not been arrested before.

At the beginning of each pageant, an announcer asks the audience to refrain from taking photographs or video, Kramer said.

“It sounds like law, but it’s a request,” Kramer said. “It would be like me announcing over a loudspeaker that I would like them not to show the pageant.”

Friday night, Kramer said he and three other men from Living Hope Ministries turned off their cameras and tried to reason with the sheriff’s deputy, especially when told the [Clarkston] cemetery amphitheater had been leased by the city to the Mormon church. They also changed locations in the cemetery, moving farther away from the amphitheater, but Kramer was still arrested.

“I told (the officer) you just arrested me for breaking the LDS rules,” Kramer said, who added that none in his group went to the pageant to proselytize.

At the time of the news report prosecutors had not yet formally charged Mr. Kramer with a crime; nor was it clear whether they intended to do so.

I thought it was interesting to see the different ways this incident was reported. The Salt Lake Tribune seemed to achieve objectivity in their article. But the Logan Herald Journal report is another story.

The Salt Lake Tribune headline reads “Minister arrested after taping Mormon pageant.” The Herald Journal headline says “LDS critic arrested at pageant” and goes downhill from there. Take a look at a few excerpts from the article:

• Pastor cries foul, others smell publicity stunt at Martin Harris show

• A 39-year-old Brigham City man who calls himself a “missionary to Mormons” was arrested Friday night at the annual Martin Harris pageant on a charge of disorderly conduct.
• Kramer’s Brigham City-based ministry aims to convert Latter-day Saints to his brand of Christianity and produces Web-based videos aimed at “people of the Mormon faith.”
• Kramer called the arrest unjust and religiously motivated, while a Cache County Sheriff’s Office spokesman characterized Kramer’s presence at the pageant a publicity stunt.

Though the Herald Journal reporting is a bit biased, the story does include some information that seems to support Mr. Kramer’s opinion that his arrest was influenced by the LDS Church factor:

Sheriff’s Lt. Matt Bilodeau said Kramer told deputies at the scene that his group did not believe in the tenets of the church and intended to “make a statement.”

“Our deputies were under the knowledge that they [the Living Hope Ministries team] were against the church,” said Bilodeau. Officers contract to provide law enforcement presence at the scene.

This raises the question: If it had been an LDS filmmaker rather than an evangelical one, would he have been arrested?

I don’t know the laws that govern this specific incident, but I have experienced LDS Church-influenced harassment by police and LDS security several times. I have never been arrested in these disputes, but I have been threatened with arrest, and once assaulted by LDS security, all while keeping my behavior well within the law. It has been my experience that in these situations the actual law isn’t the issue. The issue is the wishes of the powerful sponsor of the event — in these cases the LDS Church.

The mindset that allows people to run roughshod over Constitutional rights is evident in some of the comments left by readers at the KSL TV web site. Here are a few excerpts from what people are saying about Mr. Kramer’s arrest:

• He is a very anti-LDS minister
  I’m sure he was going to use the tape in a negative way against the LDS church

• Convert
  If we were to send Missionaries out, to stand in front of THEIR church, during one of their meetings, they would cry foul and try to have the missionaries arrested, so why should they be allowed to do whatever they want, when they come to town ?
• It’s not a matter of legal or illegal, it’s about being kind to others
  I’m really tired of people playing the “civil rights” or “free speech” card when it pertains to someone who is trying to tear something down. True, it’s not illegal to bad mouth someone, or someones, but that is where the laws of government differ from the teachings of Christ. Any minister or preacher who teaches hatred toward others certainly is not being a very good Christian…
• Causing hate and discontent
  Look what they do at Conference meeting’s in S.L.C., you know he was only there to cause trouble…

But sandwiched inside these comments are a few voices of reason. I particularly liked this response from Rachael C.:

Are you suggesting that this guy deserved to get arrested just because he is “very anti-LDS” and he MAY have used the tape to show the LDS church in a negative light? Are we living in Saudi Arabia here? Are Utah residents EXEMPT from practicing our civil liberties and rights? Wake up…UTAH is STILL in America, whether you want to accept it or NOT!!!!

Thanks, Rachael.

And thanks be to God for the freedom guaranteed to citizens in the U.S.A.

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Back in February I blogged about Utah’s quest for a new state slogan (see Marketing Utah). The Salt Lake City advertising agency which was working on creating the slogan promised that it

“will reveal ‘the look of Utah,’ ‘the soul of Utah’ and ‘the sound of Utah,’ all composing the ‘emotional core of Utah.’”

The new slogan has been chosen and is now firmly in place. It is, “Utah: Life Elevated.”

The Utah Office of Tourism explains,

The Utah experience can be summarized with two words: LIFE ELEVATED. In Utah, you stand on top of King’s Peak looking down from nearly 14,000 feet and you are breathless. Or you stand at the bottom of a slot canyon in The San Rafael Swell, enveloped by rock walls, and look up 300 feet for a sliver of sunset. Utah is peaks and Utah is valleys. Utah is snow and Utah is sunshine. Utah is very red, yet it is also very white and green and a whole palette of color. Utah is Life Elevated.

Life Elevated is not just a slogan. It is not just a tag line. Advertising experts call it the expression of our brand voice. It is a summary of a wide range of Utah experiences that have the power to lift the heart and stir passions. It is a quick, easy way to remember what Utah does best: put you on high ground and provide you with a new set of eyes.

As I wrote before, Utah is a beautiful state. The mountain peaks and rocky valleys make me think about God and the grandeur of His creation, an expression of Himself. I agree that the beauty of Utah is accurately reflected in the new slogan.

Yet when I first read the explanation of Life Elevated I thought the slogan was leaving out another very prominent aspect of the state — “Utah’s hottest tourist destination,” Temple Square. How is the unique element of a state populated and governed by a majority religion reflected in the slogan that is a “summary of a wide range of Utah experiences”? Utah doesn’t want to be known as “the Mormon state,” but you can’t very well sum up Utah without at least an honorable mention of the LDS Church.

As I thought about it, I began to wonder. Could it be that Life Elevated includes Mormonism after all? Perhaps the slogan is a nod to the LDS doctrine of eternal progression. The Salt Lake Temple (and all 10 of the other LDS temples in Utah) exists for the purpose of “providing the ordinances necessary” for people to achieve Godhood.

I’d say the goal of temple Mormons — evolving from a sinful human being to exaltation as a ruling God over a self-created planet — would easily qualify as “life elevated.” This is what Mormonism promises those who are considered worthy by LDS standards.

The new Utah slogan might reflect the promise of exaltation to Godhood, but be careful. Branding and advertising are vehicles used to entice people. It’s very well-known that advertisers often make promises that cannot be kept.

On Monday I blogged about a letter to the editor that appeared in USA Today. The Mormon author of that letter, Jeff Byrd, made some sweeping accusations regarding the ministry of Christian missionaries often conducted on the streets outside public LDS proselytizing events.

Keith Walker of Evidence Ministries has prepared a timely and articulate response to Mr. Byrd’s letter. I don’t know if USA Today will publish it, but I’ve been given Mr. Walker’s permission to publish it here on Mormon Coffee.

Mr. Walker has also blogged about Mr. Byrd’s comments on the Evidence Ministries blog. It’s worth taking a look.

Here is Mr. Walker’s response:

USA TODAY,

I read with great interest the article titled, “Reaction to Gibson is hypocritical” in the 8/3/06 editorial/opinion section. Jeff Byrd assumes that Christians who pass out literature in front of Mormon temples are somehow protesting the Mormon religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have participated in five such outreaches and will travel to Sacramento this week to do the same thing there. Byrd is wrong when he states that our goal is to deny Mormons their freedom to practice their religion. I would be interested in knowing how the act of passing out a paper on public property is denying Mr. Byrd of practicing his religion.

Our primary focus is to lovingly and peacefully distribute free Christian literature to the public that discusses some foundational doctrines of the Mormon faith in contrast to historic Christianity. Our position, which compels us to this action, is that Mormonism consistently misrepresents itself to the public as a Christian denomination by purposely withholding doctrinal information. We hope to provide the information needed to enable people to make better-informed choices about their future involvement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If the Mormon Church were more forthright about their teachings that men have the potential to become Gods, there would be no need for us to be there. The public has a right to know about the world view of Mormonism and since the Mormon Church will not provide that information, we will.

Sincerely,
Keith Walker
Evidence Ministries

Mr. Walker has made some claims contrary to those asserted by Mr. Byrd. If you remember from Monday’s post, Mr. Byrd said the critics outside the Sacramento LDS Temple will be:

• Protesting the Mormon religion;
• Trying to deny Mormons their right to practice their religion;
• Protesting against people attending the LDS event; and
• Displaying anti-Mormon hate

Mr. Byrd’s ideas are pretty common. Many people, non-Mormons and Latter-day Saints alike, toss any and all public questioning of Mormon teachings into the category of “bigotry.” For instance, consider this.

Lighthouse Christian Fellowship is an evangelical church in Twin Falls, Idaho. It’s affiliated with Calvary Chapel and is located in a community with a large Mormon population. Some time ago members of the church went door-to-door distributing the video DNA vs. the Book of Mormon produced by Living Hope Ministries. Fast-forward to today. The Times-News of Twin Falls reported that Lighthouse Christian Fellowship has purchased a large building in town which has stood mostly vacant since 2002. The church plans to remodel and move into that building by 2008.

The Times-News welcomes comments on their stories. Beginning with the second comment left by readers the discussion has moved from the topic of the article — the purchase of the building — into the supposed bigotry of Lighthouse Christian Fellowship.

Pam, a reader defending the Christian church wrote:

“I for one, appreciated the video that was placed on my door and hope they will do the same with the new video that has come out, regarding the same organization! Kudos Lighthouse and congrats on your potential purchase!”

To which a woman identifying herself as a non-Mormon replied:

“It’s bigotry. If you had received a video regarding race, creed, color, or sex you might have been offended. But religious freedom doesn’t fall under our constitutional right?? Yeah, the video is free speech and I respect that, but NOT when it is dropped on my doorstep. Funny how we can justify religious bigotry in this day and age. Nice, Pam. What makes you think YOU are so right? Not everyone believes as you do.”

Lighthouse Christian Fellowship distributed the DNA video for the same reasons Christians are distributing literature outside the Sacramento Temple. Lighthouse has provided a very thorough explanation on their web site. It’s right in line with Mr. Walker’s statement, “Our primary focus is to lovingly and peacefully distribute free Christian literature to the public that discusses some foundational doctrines of the Mormon faith in contrast to historic Christianity.”

I think the public is just uninformed about the issues. They seem to jump to conclusions, assume the worst possible motives, and condemn Christians without cause.

So let me encourage you to be different. Read the literature Christians are distributing outside the Sacramento Temple. Ask the questions:

• Is there anything disrespectful in this publication?
• Is it hateful?
• Are people being persecuted via the distribution of this newspaper?
• Is the paper bigoted?
• Are the contents comparable to anti-Semitism?
• Should Americans be outraged over the free and peaceful distribution of this material?

After becoming educated, take action. There are at least two things you can do.

1. Send a letter to the editor of USA Today expressing your informed opinion.

2. You’ll find a list of ministries on page 4 of the Sacramento Temple Outreach literature. Pray for and encourage a Christian missionary today.

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Most people aware of Mel Gibson’s arrest last week for driving under the influence and his unfortunate behavior during that arrest (read the story). On August 3rd USA Today online posted an opinion (letter to the editor) titled Reaction to Gibson is hypocritical. The author, Jeff Byrd of Sacramento, California, wrote:

I am writing to point out that while actor/director Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic remarks were wrong, America’s reaction to them is hypocritical.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Without exception, at every public event that the Mormon Church sponsors, protesters are sure to be there. What are they protesting? Our religion.

They might be exercising their right to free speech, but their goal is to deny us our freedom to practice our religion. Shouldn’t all Americans be as outraged over anti-Mormonism as over anti-Semitism?

Have the Jews been persecuted even to the point of attempted extermination? Yes, they have. Have the Mormons been persecuted to the point of death? Yes, we have. Even the governor of Missouri in 1838 signed our “extermination” order.

As I write this letter, I am preparing to attend a public open house of our new temple in Sacramento. There will be protesters against my actions. I would hope America feels the same way about their anti-Mormon hate as they do about anti-Semitism.

It’s really unfortunate that Mr. Byrd’s assertions have been so widely disseminated without challenge. His remarks are untenable and wholly ill-informed.

I have attended numerous public events sponsored by the Mormon Church at which no protestors or critics of any kind were “on the job.” While I have witnessed (and sometimes participated in) Christian outreach at LDS events, I have not observed people protesting (for an exception see the June 20th Mormon Coffee post); Christians are there merely providing information from another perspective for those who are interested.

Mr. Byrd asserts that the goal of the so-called protestors is to deny Mormons their freedom to practice their religion. I’d like to know what makes him think so. How is distributing information an act that restricts someone else’s freedom? When the LDS Church distributes the Joseph Smith Testimony, is the goal to deny people their freedom to practice the religion of their choice? Is that what LDS missionary work is all about? The very idea is ludicrous.

I can only think that Mr. Byrd has never bothered to read the information Christians hand out at Mormon proselytizing events. If he had, he would understand that his assumptions are way off base. Of course, I don’t have exhaustive knowledge of the alleged “protests” about which Mr. Byrd writes; but all the material I have seen at these events has been respectful in its presentation while still critical of the doctrinal claims of Mormonism.

Is this a description of persecution? Should America be outraged over non-Mormons publicly questioning the theological claims of the LDS Church? Are the peaceful, respectful actions of LDS critics equivalent or comparable to anti-Semitism? Shame on Mr. Byrd for minimizing the historic and continuing hostility against the Jewish people in this way.

As Mr. Byrd attends the Sacramento Temple open house I hope he recognizes that nobody there is protesting his right to do as he pleases. He enjoys complete freedom to go to the Temple open house; he may accept or reject the information offered him by non-Mormons; he may practice the religion of his choice. This is made possible for Mr. Byrd by the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which not only guarantees him freedom to choose his religion, but also gives him the right and freedom to publicly condemn LDS critics.

Even if he chooses to do so in ignorance.

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