Glenn Beck- a wolf in sheep's clothing- March 2010

Also from March 2010- another response to a friend who is also a Glenn fan

I fully understand what Glenn is saying regarding “charity vs. forced distribution of wealth”.  I understand the point.  I just don’t agree with it.

Have I watched the Glenn Beck show?  Yes, once…. Yesterday… for 20 minutes.  And I am REALLY glad I did because he said this:  “Go ask your friends ‘what if I am right’?”  I loved that, because I have done this exercise and here is where it landed me:

If Glenn is right and Health Care Reform/Education Reform/Global Warming/Emigration Law change is all a change being made in secret combinations and secret societies to take our country towards socialism and then Marxism and Communism (which is exactly what he was preaching at that moment I watched) then MY life and the lives of my kids and future generations will all be much different than what we have known in the past.  I have roughly 45- 50 mortal years left on this earth and IF he is right I suspect that the wealth and opportunities that have been available to me in the past will diminish. 

If Glenn is wrong and Jesus speaks His mind on the issue on Judgement Day and says something to the effect of “the poor were cared for, whether by charity or their government, it matters not to me, the result is the same”, where will this leave Glenn and those who tried to reject this plan?   My fear is that He will say “Did you learn nothing from what I taught you?  The Nephite communities were destroyed over and over again because of their pride.”  (Read 3 Nephi 6- it spoke very loudly to me this week.  Especially verses 10-13)

"The Constitution Hanging on a Thread and the Elders of the Church will save it/"

You are referring to the White Horse Prophecy.  In January 2010 the First Presidency stated that this account can not be substantiated and it is NOT church doctrine.  I got this directly from the Church website Newsroom. (This whole issue is highly alarming to me.  Are there Elders in the Church who think that they have been called to do this?  Does this mean that they are preparing for a revolution?  Am I going to see a news storyabout an Elder’s Quorum in some ward who is headed to the White House to take over?  Is this where this is headed?)

Church Statement on "White Horse Prophecy" and Political Neutrality
Posted By Lyman Kirkland
Two weeks ago The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement regarding the so-called "White Horse prophecy" in response to news inquires regarding comments made by an Idaho politician. The matter has received additional coverage in the news media of late and so we reiterate that statement here: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is politically neutral and does not endorse or promote any candidate, party or platform. Accordingly, we hope that the campaign practices of political candidates would not suggest that their candidacy is supported by or connected to the church."The so-called 'White Horse Prophecy' is based on accounts that have not been substantiated by historical research and is not  embraced as Church doctrine."

[quoting friend]   “I always wondered how the scriptures concerning the last day about "neighbor against neighbor, family member against family member (not a dirrect quote) would come to pass.  But I am now beginning to see how it can happen.” 

On this I agree.  In fact, if I have ANY concern or discomfort in all that is going on politically it is MY fear that there are some who are seeking to divide the righteous.  If I may be frank.  Glenn Beck was able to put me in “Satan’s Camp” in less than 20 minutes on his show today, simply because I don’t agree with him that we are headed for Communism.  I refer again to 3 Nephi 6.  It is the dividing of the righteous that will ruin this country.  I can speak with confidence when I tell you that there are MANY righteous and VERY good people (lds and non) who are not joining the Tea Party movement.  It is MY concern that this is where the danger lies.  It’s an extreme radicalism and it’s dangerous.

[quoting friend]  "You are an intelligent person, and I just want you to get your facts straight.  Where you are getting your information.?  You refuse you watch FOX network  -- the most watched network on TV. (There must be a reason for that.) " 

Oh… there are so many things I could say here.  But I will not.  I will simply refer back to what was written above.  I get my information from the news sources I stated above, scripture study, pondering and prayer.

[quoting friend]  "The pilgrims or the pioneers of this country would never have made it if they would not have carried their own load.  An able bodyied person could not have passed their responsibilities on for someone else in the wagon train or on the ship, while they sat around doing nothing, and have them all reap the same benefits.  Everyone is expected to carry on their own load.  Is life fair?" 

 I know.  And it is freaking me out that I heard him [Glenn Beck] say it and now you are quoting  it.  And in rebuttal I could offer this.  As preparation for our Pioneer Trek  this June I have read four histories and journals in the last month of the handcart pioneers.  Sure, one could say they carried their own load.  Or… you could consider this.  The Perpetual Emigration Fund.  Can I just rehash how it worked?  Saints who had ARRIVED in the Salt Lake Valley contributed to a Perpetual Emigration Fund whereby Saints in England, Denmark and other European Countries could have their ship passage, train passage and handcart paid for.  Upon arriving in the valley the Saint was to return what ever funds they received to the Perpetual Emigration Fund.  It worked for many.  One may call this a subsidy or a distribution of wealth?  In 1880 $337,000 of the outstanding debt was forgiven to those who John Taylor deemed were too poor to ever be able to pay it back.  In 1887 just before it was dissolved there were over 30,000 saints who had not repaid this fund.  So, did they really come on their own?  Hmmmm… or was there some help from those who were asked to contribute to the fund.

Today we have the Perpetual Education Fund.  In theory it works exactly the same.  (I know… voluntary, not forced… I get that.  But that point holds no value to me.)

Furthermore, do we not as a basic tenet of this gospel believe that ALL that we have… ALL THAT WE HAVE…  we have because it has been given to us?  

So does he (Glenn), do you, really believe they did it all on their own?

[quote from friend] "We want FREEDOM!  We do not want the government telling us what we can and cannot do -  and that is exactly what is happening." 

Ok, I know you don’t really mean this, because I don’t think I have to argue the reason we have laws  in order to live together in a society.  

[quote from friend] "We worried about 'the Russians coming.'  The Russians were communists, and the US was so worried about communism that we had 'bomb' drills in school as often as we had fire drills.Do you know what marxism or communism is?  That is where Obama and his Czars (who have to answer to no one) are taking us." 

This is one of those areas that your life experience is going to affect you.  The fear of those bomb drills must have been terrifying.  I am sure that it has left an impression upon your generation that is not upon mine.  

And this brings me to my final reason why I feel that I have found the right answer for me.  I have no fear- partially because I didn’t have the bomb scares in the 50s.  But mostly because I believe that my prophet would tell me… he would tell me at General Conference (where I intent to listen closely) if this were a REAL fear for our country.  He WOULD NOT tell me thru a man named Glenn Beck on a Cable News Channel.  This is not how the Lord works.

Until I am given a reason from my PROPHET to fear that we are headed towards communism I will refer to the lessons to be learned in the scriptures.  That lesson is that despite the things in our society that go on around me that are evil and wrong and seek to destroy the peace of the righteous, if I remain strong and steadfast in my faith and testimony… I have no reason to fear.

If I may quote Glenn Beck  “What if I am right?”