Jesus is Lord? Hewitt, Mormonism and Bigotry

Townhall.com ^ | June 3, 2007 | Frank Pastore

[Kaslin]

The first Christians were charged with blasphemy because they refused to confess “Caesar is Lord.” For this crime against the state, they were crucified, lit on fire, and served as human torches to light the evening parties in Caesar’s gardens.

Jesus was the first to teach the separation of church and state. His followers were instructed to “Render unto Caesar, that which is Caesar’s, and to God, that which is God’s.” This was a direct challenge to the unified powers of Caesar as both priest and king. It was required of Roman citizens to proclaim “Caesar is Lord.” But for Christians, only Jesus is Lord. For this reason, a person could not be both a Christian and a good citizen of Rome.

Plato addressed this theological-political problem in his Laws and it is elucidated in the nexus of the good man, the good citizen and the immoral law. In ancient Greece, each city-state had its own gods that demanded worship--and thereby laws to be obeyed, in order to be a good citizen in good standing. Plato raised the question, if a good citizen is one who obeys the laws of his own city, then what happens when he travels to another city? Is he no longer a good citizen in the foreign city? Can there be such a thing as a good man who is a good citizen in every city? If gods make the laws, and some laws are wrong, then are some gods wrong? That is, can there be a universal law that is higher than each particular, local law? Is there an Almighty God who is always right and the Author of the true moral law who rules over lesser local deities who are often wrong? If so, then can there be such a thing as an immoral law? Is there a universal morality that trumps the merely legal?

Our founders would refer to this highest moral law as “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God,” or, more simply, as Natural Law.

For Christians, the lessons are clear.

When there is a conflict between the moral and the legal, the moral must trump. For the legal is the attempt to codify the moral. When there is a conflict between the church and the state, the church must trump (when the state attempts to prevent the church from being the church). For Christians, ultimate allegiance must be reserved for Jesus and His Word. Anything short of this is compromise and idolatry.

On the question of “Who is Lord?” The Christian can only respond, “Jesus is Lord.”

In light of this, some thoughts regarding the candidacy of Mitt Romney and my good friend, nationally-syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt, author of A Mormon in the White House?

Hugh argues that the statement “I won’t vote for a X for President” is bigoted if the X is “female,” “black,” “Jew,” or “Mormon.” But what if the X is: “Democrat,” “liberal,” “socialist,” “abortionist,” “drug dealer,” “pornographer,” or “anti-war activist”? Is this bigotry or is it just voting as a conservative Republican? What if the X were: “polygamist,” “racist,” or “heretic?” What about the statement, “I won’t vote for a slanderer of Christianity for President?” Is this bigotry or is it voting as a Bible-believing Christian?

I’m a Christian-American-Conservative-Republican–in that order. I support Christianity first and foremost, everything else flows from that. I’m a Christian who happens to be a Republican, not a Republican who happens to be a Christian. I care more about people coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ than I do any political candidate. At the end of my life, the question I will be asked is not, “Whom did you help elect?” But, “Whom did you serve?”

Hugh says bigotry is exposed by simply inserting the word “Jew” for “Mormon” in suspect statements. This seems to imply that both stand in the same relationship to Christianity. This is not so. Jews and Christians worship the same God, Mormons worship different gods. And Jews don’t insist they are the restoration of Christianity after eighteen centuries of apostasy.

Since Joseph Smith so clearly misrepresents the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the Book of Mormon is antithetical to the Bible, why would it be bigotry if someone chooses not to support such heresy?

Hugh’s political point here is that any American is bigoted for rejecting a candidate simply because of his or her religion. My primary concern is that Christians will become excessively “tolerant,” that they will bend their knees to the Caesar of political correctness, that they will lose their confidence to confront a fallen culture, that they will be unwilling to say, “X is a false religion that teaches a different Jesus”—whether that X is Scientology, Islam, or Mormonism.

Hugh supports the idea that theology should have no place in political discourse. This, at a time when the world’s greatest threat is from political Islam? I argue that we actually need more public discussion of theology and religion, not less.

Perhaps Hugh’s point is, “Let’s not talk about this candidate’s religious beliefs, they’re not appropriate topics of political discourse.” I disagree. The issue is not Romney the man, but Mormonism the religion. Surely, every Christian has the responsibility to defend their faith, and what is Mormonism if not a public attack upon Christianity, the Jesus of the New Testament, and the Bible? What better opportunity to have this debate than when a Mormon is running for the presidency?

I wish Christians were as zealous and protective of the Gospel as some people are of political candidates.

As a political conservative, I like Romney more than I like Giuliani or McCain. If he wins the nomination, I’ll vote for him.

But my primary concern is as a Christian. This means that I’m concerned that should Romney win, public criticism of Mormonism will be chilled, the Gospel will be compromised, and Christians will have elevated the political expediency of the state above the eternal purposes of the church.

This must never happen. For to me, Jesus is Lord, not Caesar.

Every Christian should want Mormonism exposed for what it is to all the world. Even if it becomes the religion of the President of the United States.

The Frank Pastore Show is heard in Los Angeles weekday afternoons on 99.5 KKLA and on the web at kkla.com, and is the winner of the 2006 National Religious Broadcasters Talk Show of the Year. Frank is a former major league pitcher with graduate degrees in both philosophy of religion and political philosophy.

[DelphiUser]

Man, this reminds me of the pictures I used to draw of Snowmen in snowstorms...

[Truth-Miner]

In short, yep we teach, but we do so in their language, and by their culture, we assume their perspective to tech them and with God's word the harvest is great.
That's the reason some don't listen to you. You're not teaching from their perspective.

[Truth-Miner]

Whenever I have sinned, I knew it was wrong, and without fail it came back to bite me in the butt. Ha!

Consider yourself lucky. I know many that never did figure out how to tell the difference between "It feels right because I so desperately want it to be right so I'll be happy" and the resonance of peace God fills you with in answer to prayer. I had great difficulty after such a prayer telling me I'd find peace in my life when I did ...
The thing was I was terrified to do it. But sure enough I found peace after I did it.

[DelphiUser]

You Said: That's the reason some don't listen to you. You're not teaching from their perspective.

If their perspective is "Mormons bad, Mormons Evil" then there is not much room for me to teach them from.

What it boils down to is the Mormon assaulters are here to preach against Mormonism, I am here to defend it, the "proof" that I am doing well is in the people who click links to get books of Mormon, or request missionaries. Admittedly, I will never know how many there are who do that, but from the FM I do get from people with questions who do not want to be attacked in the public forum, the poo we have to walk through is worth it.

[MHGinTN]

I just put a small period up. Some like to hide little messages with white type so one must drag over the space to read the message ... like your post. LOL

No decoder ring needed.

[Saundra Duffy]

Peace, the peace that comes from knowing Him, our Savior, Jesus Christ. There’s nothing like it. You have no idea how grateful I am that Heavenly Father does not remember my icky past - all because of what Jesus Christ did for me. He died for me and my sins are washed away into the “sea of forgetfulness”. When my past sins pop into my mind, I have to remember that Heavenly Father is not holding them against me; in fact he does not remember them at all.

I was talking about consequences of our actions, though. For example, I have been divorced twice and even though I am forgiven, have repented, etc., my kids suffer the consequences of my actions. I have asked my kids to forgive me, too, and they try their best but . . .

[Truth-Miner]

I understand where your coming from. I just signed the final papers for my divorce. 20 years of marriage and 3 years of separation. All my kids forgive me for my part in it. Now I have the choice opportunity to help them through it.

However what I was talking about was how sometimes a person is led astray because they can’t tell the difference between feelings they generate themselves and the peace and love from God.

[DelphiUser]

I really like the new tag line, no need to reply.

[maine-iac7]

Mormons worship different gods

The ignorance continues....

I find it almost amusing that folk like you - so omnipotent - refuse to answer even one simple question: "Why is the actual name of the Mormon's church "The Church Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"?

You can't even answer that, let along why they reverence Jesus as "He lives, all glory to His Name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same. Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Why do they have the beautiful white marble statue of Jesus - "The Christus" in the vestibule of the Visitor's Center in SLC?

Why do they seem to be the ONLY church that NOT denigrate others??? Maybe they not only believe in Christ, but follow His teachings?

Why do not more people go to their web site or look at their broadcasts on their cable station and listen for themselves?

For ex: read this page on this link and see if you can find fault with it (do you own research, God gave you a brain every bit a good as others ;o)

http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=8215055b23710110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=90e402fc53b71110VgnVCM100000176f620a____

or read this page on the link titled: "God has a plan for your life." - that starts out: In the scriptures God's plan is called the plan of salvation, the plan of redemption, the plan of happiness. The plan is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

Let the Still small voice be your guide, not the shrill voices.

Amen

[Weeedley]

One out of 3 aint bad. That a .333 batting average,

[Weeedley]

The people sure should have their own religious test. Barool Husien Abomination is a closet muslim fronting himself out as a Chistian. That’s a hard and fast disqualification.