This is some of what a local enviromental lawyer, Raymond Takashi Swenson, has put in public print for the Post Register, today:
Few reporters seem to understand that Huckabee’s actions are profoundly contrary to biblical teachings, attacking Romney and other Mormons, bragging in TV ads about his “Christian leadership” and proclaiming during debates that he’s the only candidate with a “theology degree” (the theology MA program he dropped out of). He is telling Iowans: “Vote for me, I am holier than thou.”
Bearing false witness violates the Ten Commandments. Jesus renewed the Old Testament commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself” by applying it to a Samaritan, a member of what the Jews saw as a sect of heretics practicing a “false religion.”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus denounced “hypocrites” who publicize their own righteousness by blaring a trumpet to show off their acts of charity, and by praying on street corners so people can see their holiness.
In Chapter 4 of Matthew, Jesus is taunted by Satan. Jesus is standing on the “pinnacle” of the Jerusalem Temple. This was the southwest corner of the temple, built up with huge stone blocks to form a high, level platform. The pinnacle was 80 feet above the ground and visible to much of the city, and to the crowds walking up the grand temple staircase. Satan proposes that Jesus demonstrate that he is the Son of God by throwing himself off – bungee jumping without a rope – to force God’s angels to catch him and provide a spectacular introduction. Christ rebuffs Satan’s temptation to vanity. However, it appears that the Rev. Huckabee has decided to take Lucifer’s advice and jump off, relying on the Evangelicals in Iowa to catch him.
We know from Matthew the answer to the question “What would Jesus do?” The Rev. Huckabee, on the other hand, has decided to be the brother of Satan.
Now, this is what we get to hear in the northern I-15 corridor over and over again. And Raymond is so excited today, he has to tell Ann Coulter about it.
But in other parts of the country, you hear things, today, like this.
Go figure.
(Sigh)
I realize that anytime a conservative evangelical (especially a minister) questions the one-true Church in the corridor, he is in league with Satan (an LDS spirit brother on the dark side).
Raymond is beating the religious war drums to defend the Church against all slurs. But I am more intensely interested in defending the biblical nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I would love to get in a discussion with Raymond on how much he thinks that we desperately need the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. Or does he think we need to have our own righteousness to establish celestial worthiness?
Thinking of heart issues this Christmas . . .
Jesus in Idaho Falls 
Todd,
I plan on discussing God’s dikaisune in one of my segments on the New Perspective on Paul (NPP). I sincerely disagree that there is any such doctrine found in the bible (and especially not in Paul) as “imputation of Christ’s righteousness” as the Reformed/Lutheran interpretations have historically taught it. When I get to that segment, I will be sure to let you know.
Yes, it seems like there are good reasons for keeping religion out of politics. It is a messy business and religion just provides too much easy to abuse fodder.
I also regret the whole school of thought wherein people try to show you how hypocritical or contradictory your own beliefs are.
Dart, I will read it. This is one of those fundamental canyons between us as we interpret Christ’s work. Christ’s righteousness freely offered is the big idea, the core gift of Christmas.
http://www.asoftanswer.com/2007/12/20/southern-baptists-vs-mormons/
this is interesting.
I think that in the corridor, some LDS would rather speak more positively of Satan than Huckabee.
I don’t necessarily think you are wrong. Just remember that for a Mormon to point out that Huck and Lucifer are brothers is only to say that we are all the children of God.
I noticed you did not address my main point, which is that Reverend Huckabee is a lousy example of a follower of Christ’s teachings, even as he holds himself out as an exemplary Christian. In other words, he is a hypocrite.
The second fact is that very few people in the Iowa electorate and the news media seem to have noticed this contradiction between Huckabee’s claims to be a super Christian and the actual teachings of the Bible. Reporters, who are overwhelmingly non-religious liberals can be assumed to be ignorant, but what about people who read the Bible and attend Sunday School and should know better? Do they lack insight into the bahavior of themselves and fellow Christians? Or do they assume anyone who is a Christian can do no wrong? Is the occasional hypocrisy and failings of members of their own faith invisible to them?
Is it even possible for you to contemplate this conclusion, or do you believe that any former Christian minister is automatically sacrosanct and cannot be criticized for his deviation from the principles of behavior taught and exemplified by Christ?
Mormons who act hypocritically will get criticism from both Mormons and other Christians. No Mormon candidate could get away with bragging about his righteousness in a political campaign. My former law professor, Edwin Brown Firmage, at a time when he was an LDS Bishop and ran for Congress, put out a flyer noting his relationship to his maternal grandfather, Hugh B. Brown, for whom he was named, and people jumped all over him for using his Church membership in his campaign. Are other Christians willing to point out real hypocrisy in the political campaigns of their co-religionists?
On your statement that you want to discuss the need for Christ’s atonement with me, I wasn’t aware of your desire until I came across your web site by accident, during another search.
The answer is that, like other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (including Mitt Romney), I read and study the Bible and the Book of Mormon, both of which teach with great emphasis that the only means to being worthy to reenter the presence of the Father is to repent, be baptized and rely on the merits and mercy of Christ. I have taught Sunday School for some 125 years in California, Utah, Washington and Idaho, and that is what the standard LDS curriculum teaches, over and over again. I taught LDS Seminary to teenagers for four years in Omaha, and that is what the curriculum teaches. I taught people in Japan for two years, and that is what the missionary discussions explained. We have no hope for salvation without Christ.
This dependence is reemphasized every Sunday for every practicing Mormon by taking the emblems of the body and blood of Christ, explicitly for the purpose of remembering his atoning sacrifice for our sake.
Of course, Latter-day Saints believe that if we turn back to our unrepentant mindset, if we reject humility and embrace pride, if we lose sight of our dependence on Christ, we can lose our opportunity for the fullness of salvation that only comes through Christ. I have known Christians who have told me that people who have once looked to Christ for salvation will keep that salvation even if they turn back to their old, anti-Christian beliefs and actions. I see no warrant for that view in the New Testament, where Peter criticizes those Christians who, like dogs returning to their vomit, turn back to their former wickedness. Paul’s epistles are full of admonitions to the Christians he converted to not betray Christ’s love and grace by returning to their former evil practices.
I certainly believe that Mike Huckabee can still be saved despite his hypocrisy if he recognizes it is wrong and repents of it. Certainly his sin is of less consequence than that of various Christian ministers who patronized prostitutes or stole money from their congregations, all things that have happened in the past decade. But it is still clearly a sin, in direct contradiction to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
I didn’t even mention the fact that Huckabee’s campaign web page posts comments that lie about Mormon beliefs and slander Mormons as liars. That is a violation of Christ’s reaffirmation of the commandment to love our neighbors, especially including those who are “heretics” like the Samaritans. Huckabee endorses hatred of neighbors as long as they are Mormons.
As Doug Robinson of the Deseret News pointed out recently, slander against all Mormons is tolerated by alleged Christians in a way that slander of racial and other religious minorities would never be allowed. As Richard Mouw said, Evangelicals have a whole heap of apologizing they need to do to Mormons for bearing false witness against their neighbors, rather than truly loving them.
Are Mormons oversensitive about religious persecution? Recall that during the 19th Century, being a Mormon was a basis for denying you the most basic civil rights in Idaho. In Missouri, driving while Mormon was a capital offense subject to summary execution. Other nations in the 20th Century have banned Mormons and even confiscated Church buildings.
The comments of many Huckabee supporters make clear that they favor denying Mormons full civil rights, including the right to run for political office. Pardon us Mormons for being a little skeptical about the “Christian” nature of such people. Apparently, to those people, embracing a creed that was written by anonymous Catholic priests in the 4th Century is more important than embracing the Sermon on the Mount.
Raymond, thanks for popping in. I haven’t looked at Huckabee’s campaign web page to see what he says about LDS. I will take a peek.
It is hard to know what is true slander against Mormons when I am still trying to determine what is orthodox LDS teaching. I get quite a variety of ideas on Christology, etc., even here in Idaho Falls.
Slander against the orthodox understanding of how Jesus the Savior defines himself in Scripture is fundamental. But of course, you know how this can run wild by people in a lot of different directions.
Over and over and over again I am told that a 4th century creed is my foundational authority on Jesus. Is this accurate?
In regards to denying LDS the right to run for political office, you won’t have to worry about me, I have voted for most of them the majority of my voting record in Idaho Falls.