Did Glen Beck "step in it?"

[Just_A_Guy]

What was worse than all of them was listening to Al Franken when he was on the air. Watching paint dry was more exciting.

Ya think Franken's move to the Senate helped C-SPAN's ratings? :)

[Palerider]

Ya think Franken's move to the Senate helped C-SPAN's ratings? :)

C-SPANN, now when I watch that I call for pizza and have it delivered and make sure I have 2 remotes in my hand, just in case I lose the first one.....LOL!!!!

[Guest Nikki_Elaine]

I was raised Jehovah's Witness, and honestly, I'm not a LD Saint, but I just thought I would inject their opinion on the religion involvement in politics. Not to call it superior, because I am an atheist, but just to express the opinion I believe a few here are trying to express from a faith more experienced at the political abstinence thing.

J-Wits do not vote, run for office, involve with the military, or many other things. When you get involved with politics you have to be a bad person. You have to be responsible for death, one way or another, and it causes great contention.

Mitt Romney is a lying, cheating, evil person that puts his own needs over the rest of America, honesty, and his soul. Offended? Don't be; I know this because he's a politician that almost made it to the top, and I hold the same sword to all his liberal counterparts. If he had gotten elected into office, either non-LDS would see him as forcing his views on America, or LDS would see him as abandoning his own faith or betraying the LDS church the moment he had to vote against President Monson's views on something.

The end result, as we saw with Kennedy and the Catholics, is that the religion would become mainstreamed. If you think there are a lot of Cafeteria Mormons now, you would flip your wig at the end result. As of now, religions like LDS and J-Wits are segregated from society, in their own little bubbles.. for better or worse. The product of this are people who are deeply integrated with the church, and are faithful.

I know many many Catholics, and many many 'Mormons'. The difference between them is that 'Mormons' know where their Church is, and attend it regularly. You turn it into just another religion, completely integrated.. and you can kiss the caffeine abstaining, honor-code following, tithing paying, BYU material people goodbye. Cafeteria LDS galore, with the church powerless to expel people who follow little beliefs because they would make up the majority, and it would be religious suicide. All for what? An elected official who will turn the masses against the church, or publicly disagree and disobey and thus creating an atmosphere for other LDS to stand opposed.

Now, I understand a lot of this is latent with opinion, as I drew from my own experiences. I am also willing to believe I may be mistaken, but this is currently what I believe. Abstaining from politics is a strength, that doesn't allow the integrity of the church to be compromised. That is my stand, draw from it what you will.

Addition: Also, it should be noted that this is mostly an opinion I developed while I was a J-wit, and doesn't represent them...save for but a portion of their members, and not leadership.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Nikki_Elaine
Addition

[marts1]

It would be more accurate if you said most people crumble when givin much power. You should also realise you cannot judge what a person will do in any givin situation.

[bytebear]

I would try to understand the phrase "in the world, but not of the world". I think LDS folks arethe best at this. To use the examples above, "Cafeteria" Catholics lean more toward being "of the world" and J-Wits preach being outside of worldky affairs, so not truly "in the world"

The simple fact is, you can be a politician and still be righteous. There is such a thing as a just war. The Bible is filled with examples.

[prisonchaplain]

Jehovah's Witnesses are indeed consistant in their view that the Devil runs "this world's system of things." So they abstain from all politics. They suffered tremendously in WWII Germany for their stance, earning their own prisoner-designation--the purple triangle.

And Lord Acton, in my sig, largely concurs--power tends to corrupt. Nevertheless, my own take is that rather than shrink back, we humbly ask God to direct us so we can be "salt and light," in a difficult world.

[rameumptom]

The Church has a different view than the JW Church. While they would abstain from all things worldly, we are commanded to "be in the world, but not of the world." It isn't an easy thing to do, and many fall through abuse of power. Still, it is a commandment.

We are encouraged by our Church leaders to take an active lead in politics. Why? Because all it takes for evil to win is for good men to do nothing (paraphrasing Edmund Burke). This is where JW and LDS disagree. They think God will save everything himself. We think God will save everything through the actions of His Saints. He has give LDS His priesthood authority and power, to act in His name. We believe we are the stone cut out of the mountain without hands (Daniel), which will someday become a giant mountain that overcomes all other kingdoms.

Mitt Romney and others get involved in politics because they believe they are called to do it from a living prophet. He has good experience in business, in saving the SLC Olympics, and in governing a liberal state. That won't make him perfect by any means. But it does mean God has given him talents and skills that would make him useful to God in the political arena.

[dorave]

GB is the best (and I think God's hand is in it) thing to happen on TV. And I think he answered his critics rather well regarding 'social justice' in recent episodes. Lot of his comments reminded me of LDS church doctrine. Funny thing is if you search 'social justice' on lds.org you get barely any returns.