Several weeks ago I began formulating “An Open Letter Concerning Glenn Beck” that appeared in my last email update.
Like many of you, I have appreciated Glenn Beck’s research and his stand concerning public policy and politics. Knowing that he was a Mormon, I was genuinely hoping that he was an uninformed, peripheral Mormon who really didn’t understand the teachings and doctrines of the LDS Church. We now know that this is not the case.
There are so many facets to explore here, it’s hard to know just which ones to address first. Here are just a few of the moving parts to this story.
- Christian leaders who don’t understand (or who just want to ignore the fact) that Mormonism teaches false doctrine that includes a different Jesus, a different gospel, and a different spirit than that which is reflected in the Bible — exactly as 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 warns of.
- Christian leaders who shockingly don’t care that, by their presence at Beck’s late August events in Washington, DC, or on his TV program, they are in effect endorsing the mistaken notion that “Mormonism is Christian.” Regular viewers know that Beck has turned his attention to talking about “God” constantly, saying that “America’s only hope is God.” I concur! Only problem is, which God? Interestingly, on his September 17 TV program Glenn decided to make comparisons between the “revolutions” of Jesus, Moses, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.! Bringing Jesus down to earth sounded more like Brian McLaren and I’m wondering whether anyone else caught the clear implication of Universalism.
- Beck’s series of videos from LDS.org that clearly enunciate his reliance on and understanding of Mormonism, including his admission that the Mormon Temple ritual guides “80% of our marriage.”
- The backlash now being experienced by brave Christian leaders who have opposed Beck’s Mormon evangelism – even though each and every one that I know of has applauded his public policy stands.
- The general lack of discernment displayed by so many professed Christians concerning Mormonism and false doctrine in general. It’s like, “Glenn is a Mormon? Who cares! He’s our leader.”
- The thinking displayed by many Christians that, regardless of Beck’s recent bent to preach Mormonism, he alone can lead us to save the country.
- How grateful and exonerated Mormons are that Beck is (in their eyes) helping to inch closer to the fulfillment of Joseph Smith’s “White Horse Prophecy” and thus save the United States and our Constitution. (Smith said, “The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.”) I have asked, “Is Glenn Beck the ‘John the Baptist’ for Mitt Romney?”
- Today we are relatively free of religious persecution in America. Yet shocking numbers of self-professed Christians are now ready and willing to surrender biblical truth and principles in a perceived effort to save the country. In view of that, how easy it appears Antichrist’s initial work will be!
Every day I encounter the cry of “You are too narrow,” or “Don’t be so legalistic,” or the real capper, “You are judgmental and pharisaical.” As the letters we’ve received indicate, there are a lot of people upset that I and others have touched the sacred cow named “Beck.” However, what can I do? I am not saying “Don’t watch Glenn Beck.” I AM saying watch with biblically discerning eyes.
This is exactly what we said on Jan Markell’s “Understanding the Times” radio program back on August 28 when Jan, Brannon Howse, Ed Decker and I took two hours to examine the whole Glenn Beck phenomenon and controversy. We were careful to give credit to Beck for his courageous stand concerning America and the corruption that is currently gripping Washington. But we also gave the stern warning that many are confused by Beck’s marked turn into airing his religious beliefs. I asked on air that day if Beck could be “John the Baptist” for Mitt Romney in an attempt to normalize Mormonism for the Salt Lake City leadership? Today, nearly a month later, I believe even more that this could be the agenda. (God, please give us a candidate for President who knows You and will serve You!)
No matter what the penalty in the end, the choice for me is easy. I made the decision long ago that truth would always win over popularity. What is happening concerning Glenn Beck and Evangelicals is just the sort of mess that results when cultic doctrine is confused with Christianity — all in the name of a noble cause. I must reiterate that the bottom line for informed believers is the fact that many unsuspecting people are being led to believe that Mormonism is nothing more than a quirky or perhaps more enlightened Christian group. That thought cannot stand unchallenged.
I believe that Christians need to reevaluate the way we are thinking on issues like this. Regardless of how grieved we are over the current direction of our nation, our allegiance must be first to God and to His Word. As my friend, Pastor Sam Buckingham, said to me recently, “We are not the Republican Party, and the Church had better figure that out.”
Let’s remember that Glenn Beck chose to make religion a main aspect of his daily program. We may have been uneasy with the fact of his professed Mormonism, but I don’t know of anyone in discernment ministry who decided to just attack Beck. It’s not with Glenn where the problem lies, anyway. Its with Mormonism. However, Beck’s insistence on teaching Mormon doctrine and convoluting it as “Christian” must be answered, no matter how unpopular doing so may be with some. I trust that those who oppose us now will in time see my point.
I just pray that the price of backing Beck and ignoring the Bible doesn’t equate to souls lost for eternity. If I didn’t think that was already the case, I would never have taken up this issue.###
___________________
After spending two decades immersed in the world as a record producer, rock musician, drug addict, and New Ager, Eric Barger (pronounced Bar-jer) is now widely recognized in the area of Christian Apologetics Ministry. Eric’s Take A Stand! Ministries confronts both the culture and the Church, focusing on the Cults, World Religions, the Occult, Spiritual Warfare and most particularly the troubling unbiblical trends and doctrinal issues facing Christians in these end days. He is the author or co-author of numerous books such as the best-seller, From Rock to Rock, Entertaining Spirits Unaware: The End-Time Occult Invasion, and Disarming the Powers of Darkness. Eric has written for or been interviewed by hundreds of print and electronic media outlets. For more information, visit his website at www.ericbarger.com.
To watch a powerful video on Mormonism by former Mormon and expert on Mormonism, James Walker, click here.
To read a document delineating 33 discrepancies regarding the genesis of Mormonism and the outlandish claims of Joseph Smith, CLICK HERE.
“The Book of Abraham,” the confabulation of Joseph Smith, “was canonized in 1880 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as part of their Pearl of Great Price,” and thus “forms a doctrinal foundation for the LDS Church and Mormon fundamentalist denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement.” CLICK HERE to read the detailed Wikipedia article demonstrating the utter absurdities of the content and concepts of this publication by the founder of Mormonism.
Thanks for reading this article! If you enjoy the spiritually enriching articles on Spirit Life Magazine, please sign up to receive new articles via email immediately when they are posted simply by entering your email address in the "Articles Via Email" widget located on this page toward the top of the right-sidebar. Just below that widget is another widget—"Newsletter Sign-up"—you can use to subscribe to our newsletter we send out periodically to inform you of all our new articles and occasionally other information as well. Please know that we do not bombard your inbox with emails, and we hate SPAM just as much as you do, thus we will never sell/share your contact info with anyone else—rest assured it's safe with us! We hope you will subscribe to both lists because it's by far the easiest, fastest, and surest way to notify you of new posts. Thank you!
Spirit Life Magazine does not necessarily agree with the totality of the opinions, beliefs or philosophies of the authors of articles posted on the website, nor does the posting of articles represent an endorsement of authors other than our own authors/editors. Spirit Life Magazine is a publication of Real Truth Publications.
If you enjoyed this or any of the articles on Spirit Life Magazine, please click on the PayPal® Donate Button below to make a donation to help us with the costs of maintaining this online magazine. A PayPal® account is not required to use the PayPal® gateway, you can pay with debit/credit card or an e-Check from your bank. It's fast and secure! Thank you!
