The Mormon issue is in the news everyday. The media and Christians can't leave it alone since Mitt Romney announced his run for President. You read all kinds of things, some positive and some negative. You find Christians who can't vote for a Mormon and you hear people who claim they know all about the Mormon religion and how truly "whacked" we are. Some even hate us. There are anti-Mormons just as there are anti-Semites.
But some have come to our defense -- like Dennis Prager and Michael Medved and Hugh Hewitt and others.
When there was a great public outcry for Romney to release his tax returns, the only thought that went through my mind, was, well I hope he paid his tithing (and of course his taxes.) Turns out he paid his tithing and generously donated to charity.
It Reminds me of a Brigham Young quote,
"You 'Mormons' scare us. You are here in the mountains, and this expedition would not have been sent against you, but you frighten us by taking such big strides. 'Mormonism' is but a few years old, and it has circumscribed the globe...
To which Brigham replied, "If the people will let us alone, we will preach the Gospel in peace, civilly, kindly, mildly;... But will they let us alone? No. And you think we take large strides."
He rose from his chair, saying, "You take ten or twelve strides at once...Every time you kick 'Mormonism,' you kick it up stairs: you never kick it down stairs...let me tell you that what our Christian friends are now doing for us, makes more for the kingdom of heaven than the Elders could in many years preaching." (JD 7:145)
It Reminds me of a Brigham Young quote,
"Every time you kick Mormonism you kick it upstairs..."The story goes like this-- A gentleman said to Brigham Young,
"You 'Mormons' scare us. You are here in the mountains, and this expedition would not have been sent against you, but you frighten us by taking such big strides. 'Mormonism' is but a few years old, and it has circumscribed the globe...
To which Brigham replied, "If the people will let us alone, we will preach the Gospel in peace, civilly, kindly, mildly;... But will they let us alone? No. And you think we take large strides."
He rose from his chair, saying, "You take ten or twelve strides at once...Every time you kick 'Mormonism,' you kick it up stairs: you never kick it down stairs...let me tell you that what our Christian friends are now doing for us, makes more for the kingdom of heaven than the Elders could in many years preaching." (JD 7:145)
Brigham Young had quite a sense of humor, he claimed the Mormons would settle back and be less committed if left alone,
"Let us alone, and we will send Elders to the uttermost parts of the earth, and gather out Israel, wherever they are; and if you persecute us, we will do it the quicker, because we are naturally dull when let alone, and are disposed to take a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little rest. If you let us alone, we will do it a little more leisurely; but if you persecute us, we will sit up nights and preach the Gospel." (JD 2:320.)
Brigham Young:
Interesting article with a ubiquitous tone of fairness. Good blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing that. Brigham Young always put it so well.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, thanks!
ReplyDelete