and had to get it up after
reading this article about
Jon Huntsman this morning.
Jon Huntsman this morning.
I am here to tell you that any Mormon who says
that his religious tenets "are tough to define"
is a Jack Mormon.
Jack Mormons are people
who are Mormon in name only.
They don't believe
or aren't interested
in living all the tenants of the faith.
or aren't interested
in living all the tenants of the faith.
Get in or get out,
but don't be a fence sitter.
Don't say I am a mother
but then turn around and neglect your kids.
Also, any Mormon who backs gay marriage is a Jack Mormon.
I take offense when Mormons publicly support gay marriage,
while simultaneously tooting their Mormon horn.
It's not offensive because I am a homophobe
because it is quite the contrary,
but because I have had a very personal inner struggle
to define my own beliefs.
I have a cousin who is gay.
I have a really good friend
who has struggled his whole life
with homosexuality.
who has struggled his whole life
with homosexuality.
My cousin left the church,
as well as some of his family members
as well as some of his family members
because they knew that his desire
to claim his homosexuality
to claim his homosexuality
would never be approved by the church.
He was right.
Not in leaving the church
but in the fact that
it is never going to be approved.
it is never going to be approved.
I have struggled for years about
where I should stand on the issue.
where I should stand on the issue.
I don't want to be on the wrong side of a civil debate
and I don't want to come across as a hater,
so I have wanted to cross the line.
I have wanted to say,
"I stand with you gay, lesbian, bisexual community."
I want to do that because I do believe in equal rights
and I do believe that all people should be loved.
But, when it comes down to it,
loving a person doesn't mean
you have to agree with what them.
you have to agree with what them.
I cannot in the same breathe say,
"I love my God"
and then
"Sure, you and I can act however we want."
It just doesn't work.
No matter how much I wish it would.
If I say I believe in God
then I better know what it is
that God requires of me.
then I better know what it is
that God requires of me.
And I sacrifice every day
to love my God the best that I know how
in doing what He has required of me.
to love my God the best that I know how
in doing what He has required of me.
I get criticized, mocked,
and even called unChristian
and even called unChristian
because I believe the way I do.
So, you can understand how hard it is for me
when someone wants to use Mormonism
for the good parts
for the good parts
but throw it by the wayside
when it comes to any personal pain.
when it comes to any personal pain.
I was appalled when I found out that
Romney will not be backed by Evangelicals.
Romney will not be backed by Evangelicals.
It's a story that I am familiar
with as I lived in the South
for the past eight years.
with as I lived in the South
for the past eight years.
You know that South,
where Mormons aren't Christian.
where Mormons aren't Christian.
During 2008, I backed Romney.
My post about him was even linked
on the most popular political blog Instapundit.
It was a proud moment for me.
And a jealous moment for some.
Wide grin.
Romney is a good and smart guy.
He is the right guy for our struggling economy.
He was definitely the right guy in 2008.
When I think of how people
have suffered in the past 3 years,
including us,
have suffered in the past 3 years,
including us,
it makes me crazy.
But, since 2008
I have become totally leery of politicians.
I have become totally leery of politicians.
Sure, you look like a good guy,
but you are a politician.
And you are running for President.
And you are running for President.
Therefore,
I know you have made under the table agreements.
I know you have made under the table agreements.
You are bought with a price.
It's the only way to win nowadays.
And I think it is a disgrace to Americans.
So I have balked out of politics all together.
Call me unpatriotic,
but until I think there is something
that I can do that will actually change things
that I can do that will actually change things
I choose to butt out
and keep my sanity.
Religious beliefs are funny.
While recently attending my high school reunion,
I got a few minutes to catch up
with a good friend of mine
with a good friend of mine
and Christian preacher Matt Tague.
I questioned him about Mormons
being excluded from his definition of Christian.
being excluded from his definition of Christian.
I have a deep testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and believe that "He is the only way, the truth, and the life."
My total trust and dependence on my Savior is what draws me to The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, but this book of scripture (I am always surprised how people will put the book down without ever reading it) and my other belief in a living Prophet as a mouthpiece for God on the earth, are the very things that exclude me.
I am shocked that while I am excluded,
Methodists who allow homosexuality,
Lutherans with women called to the Priesthood,
Baptists who all have different interpretations of the Bible,
and even Catholics who believe in a Pope are in.
Methodists who allow homosexuality,
Lutherans with women called to the Priesthood,
Baptists who all have different interpretations of the Bible,
and even Catholics who believe in a Pope are in.
Why, I asked?
"Because they are willing to come to my congregation and say that I am saved; if you would come to my congregation and say I know I am saved through Jesus Christ, then you would be in too."
Well, I could do that.
No problem.
"Well, you would also have to denounce
The Book of Mormon and your prophet."
The Book of Mormon and your prophet."
Oh, I see how this goes.
It should be of no surprise to me that mainstream America
would even entertain the idea of electing a Jack Mormon.
I think a lot of religious people have turned Jack, if you will.
They take what works for them and leave everything else behind.
I hate to be the one to break it to you all,
but God doesn't work that way.
There is a scripture that says
"eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die."
It's not a commandment how we should live
but how we shouldn't.
I am also a little hopeful in Americans
as Romney is way ahead of Huntsman in the polls.
Maybe it is also important to other people that
people have integrity?
The following video jokes about Hunstman and Romney.
Cobert can be pretty funny.
This is what he had to say about the issue:
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Yahweh or No Way? - Mormons & God's Poll Numbers | ||||
| ||||
I was told recently by a friend
that I have victim mentality when it comes to my faith.
Ironically she told me this after mocking my religion.
Here are some other recent mockeries that have bothered me:
Hey Mormon who plays the organ.
Mocked in Memphis.
Mockeries to my faith happen often.
They started with the church's inception.
The founder Joseph Smith was martyred.
Hundreds of the earliest Mormons were murdered in cold blood.
Of course I think it is a crying shame.
I also think it goes with the territory.
If one is to decide where God is
solely by the amount of mockery His followers receive,
I think you would be right to investigate my faith.
Once in a while though they get it right.
Thank you to CNN for reporting with dignity.
Thank you also to Catholics for being nice.
Above Colbert talked about the I'm a Mormon campaign.
In case you are interested here is my profile on Mormon.org.
Oh, and if you aren't going to vote for someone
because of their religious beliefs,
then don't vote for Romney
because he deserves a non-vote more than Huntsman.
Since Huntsman claims 10 religions.
Or vote for Huntsman for being the better man
because he jumped in the race as a favor to Romney
to allow Romney's faithful dedication shine.
added a few hours after original post:
My brother Adam just messaged me congratulating me for hitting the maximum amount of sensitive subjects in one post. Why not get them over with all at once?
And, Adam, thanks for reading my blog.
Some good things occurred as a result of negative publicity in Memphis. Bob McBride (who is a very nice man) was given the opportunity to give the facts of our faith: http://faithinmemphis.com/2011/07/15/bob-mcbride-clarifying-mormon-beliefs/. -Jennifer
ReplyDeleteThe definition of a jack Mormon has changed. It used to mean a non-Mormon supporter of the church. That was back in the beginning though.
ReplyDeleteColbert is always funny. I like how he had to "fight" not falling into the church. He always cracks me up.
Anytime I read anti stuff, I have to laugh because of how ridiculous it all is. I am always amazed at how willing people are to bash us when they have absolutely no knowledge of what we believe.
Adam's congratulatory note is what linked me here. Loved this post. Well done, Alice! You are amazing at standing for truth. I admire you very much. Love your LDS profile too! Here is mine: http://mormon.org/me/3R9K/
ReplyDeleteI've lived in the south a long time now and most of the people here are good and kind Christian people. When I've answered questions or cleared up misconceptions about the church, they are often very Christlike and open minded even when they still don't agree. I've seen hearts soften simply by being a good friend and not being trigger happy. And seriously, the worst most militant anti-Mormons I've ever run into have ironically been in Utah, Salt Lake City/Sandy in fact, no where near the south.;) And you know, sometimes I laugh because we are kind of weird!
ReplyDeleteWe're all Jack Mormons sometimes.
What about people who are not Mormons nor have any interest in your religion? How do they vote? Did you opt out of the last election over religion or *race*??! I appreciate people who have strong values, but these blog posts often border on bigotry.
ReplyDeleteBecause Jon Huntsman does not define his Mormonism according to the official Salt Lake City brand you shun him and call him names. Then you proceed to whine about persecution.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever read your own posts?
Anon,
ReplyDeleteI never read my own posts. Ever.
I don't persecute people for their beliefs unless their beliefs are different than my own.
No I don't persecute people for their beliefs unless they are wrong.
Scratch that. I don't persecute people for their beliefs, only when they say they believe but they really don't.
And yeah, you have to follow the Salt Lake definition of Mormonism just like you had to follow Moses to be in the House of Israel.
I won't be voting for Huntsman. Not because he is a flake in his own religion, but because I just don't think he has what it takes to lead the country in a direction I feel it needs to go. I didn't like him as governor either.
ReplyDeleteI do love your post. I love that you are gutsy enough to put it out there and that you have found the cowards named "Anonymous." They are entertaining to me, anonymous, that is.
Please be more wise in your posts
ReplyDeleteVery sad
Just in case you didn't catch the satire I was kidding when I said that I only persecute people who don't believe like I do.
ReplyDeleteAnd, anonymous, thank you so much for your advice, I will try to be more wise. Heck, I am already trying. May not be succeeding according to you or my husband who says I was pretty harsh on Jon Huntsman.
And I am judgemental.
Thou shalt not judge Jack Mormons.
I will put it on my to-do list.
And my husband says that I used to be a Jack Mormon.
I say that's why he married me because he needed a little excitement in his life.
And your excitement gets stomped dead when you convert your Jack Mormon wife to your boring ways.
P.S. LG says his idea of excitement is not being called a perv or a freekazoid.
PPS I love you democrats.
Oh my heck... by your standards I am a jack mormon.
ReplyDeleteToOdLeS.
But Sheila, unlike Jon Huntsman, you make jack mormons look good.
ReplyDeleteLove you to pieces, even if you are a jack mormon.
and like renee said we all are jack mormons a little bit.
And you have officially lost another reader due to your extreme ignorance. I gave your blog a month or so because it said you were funny. Actions speak louder than words though, and you have proven that you are not funny at all, but merely ignorant and uninformed. You take yourself and the world around you far too seriously. As an LDS women, do you not have better things to do than to use the internet as a forum for your hate?
ReplyDeleteWhat if an investigator of the LDS Church visited your blog? And saw the hateful way that you address members of your own faith? If you judge members of your own faith so harshly, I cringe to think of how harshly you judge members of the many hundreds of other religions out there. Blogposts like this must make Satan grin, because this is exactly what he is hoping Latter-day saints will do: mock and ridicule one another.
How dare you define me or any other Mormons as "Jack Mormons" according to your own narrow-minded views?! Since when do you get to be the judge? Since when has any prophet told us we had to think a certain way in order to find favor in the sight of God? Oh, that's right, someone did say that, but I don't think it was a prophet. Oh, that's right, it was Satan again.
You said in your post that you cannot in the same breath claim your love for God, and also say that you and I can act however we want; that it doesn't work. It not only does work, but it is one of the most fundamental principles of the Gospel that you claim to believe in. Has anyone ever taught you about agency? "Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself." Or: "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil." God has not, and never will take away our ability to think, reason, and act for ourselves! And I'm pretty sure He did not appoint you judge (unless I missed the memo).
I appreciate your desire to stand for something, but perhaps you should do it in a more private forum until you become less ignorant. You mentioned that you are bothered by mockeries of your faith. So am I. And this post was perhaps the biggest mockery of my faith that I have read in a very long time.
Oh Laura. So sad to see you go when you are so nice to me.
ReplyDeleteJust in case you didn't catch the irony, you were just the first one to throw a big old stone of judgement at me.
In my defense, I never said that Jon Huntsman isn't a good person or that he won't make it heaven or that I even dislike him. (all favors that you didn't afford me)
I just stated the fact. The guy is a Jack Mormon. If he isn't willing to claim his religion then he is a Jack Mormon...does that make me love him any less? No.
I apologize for being harsh in my first post. I actually agree with your opinion about Jon Huntsman (not with the rationale behind it, but I agree nonetheless). He didn't earn my vote as governor and he hasn't earned my vote for president. Of the Republicans running for president, I think Romney has the greatest ability to do good.
ReplyDeleteI'm much more concerned with your attitude toward regular Mormons, the ones who think for themselves and may or may not have developed opinions outside of theMormon culture, particularly with what you said about gay marriage. If I believe that all people should have the right to marry in this life, does that make me a Jack Mormon? I don't think so, because I still feel like my standing with God is good, and I claim my religion 100%. ("Jack Mormon" isn't even a real phrase, it's something we Mormons invented to throw stones at each other). I believe that God condemns the act of homosexuality, but that is for Him to take care of in His own time. We as people should not condemn anyone, nor should we withhold rights from people simply because they believe differently.
Go get em sis. Love the post.
ReplyDelete