Reflections on Glenn Beck's "Honor Rally"
I have been asked a number of times about my thoughts on the "Honor Rally" led by Glenn Beck in Washington this weekend--so I felt compelled to write about it:) If you missed the news--estimates from 300,000 - 500,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in a call to prayer to remember our nation’s "Divine Destiny". There was hymn singing, scripture reading, and a challenge for national repentance before God. Sunday, I voiced my admiration of a premier athlete like Albert Pujols using his moment of honor as platform to talk about Jesus Christ (he's the "mang"). When I get a chance, I listen to the Glenn Beck show and I even share many of the socially conservative views that Beck champions. Yet from what I've seen and read, "Restoring Honor" looked more like a spiritual revival meeting than a political rally. I believe that was the intent. Perhaps you know that Glenn Beck is a devout Mormon and that LDS teachings guide his faith (check out- http://www.glennbeckmormon.com/. That should give Christians a discerning cause to pause--
To whom are we bowing in prayerful repentance and what divine destiny are trying to spiritually revive?
Here is a proclamation from former LDS prophet/president, Gordon B. Hinckley, directly from their website:
“We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.” http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=1aba862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a_
___&vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Yikes! That “divine destiny” is grounded in heresy. I want to encourage you to use discernment when influential voices like Beck proclaim their brand of faith in God. Mormon theology is not grounded in Biblical Truth. They may use the same terms, but they have been redefined all of them. If you want firsthand insight, visit their website and look at their core “gospel” principles (in particular Exaltation--WOW!): http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=02df1f7962d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a
____&vgnextoid=d7561b08f338c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
You will find that these are substantiated by their “authoritative” extra-biblical writings found in The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price--all books believed to be more authoritative than the Bible you study.
As discerning Christians, the Bible says--
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. I John 4:1-2
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Galatians 1:1-9
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
So, what are my thoughts? I think we need to be careful that we don’t compromise Biblical truth on the altar of our political views. The Scriptures must guide our social values (ahem...and vote), but we must be careful that spiritual deception does not distort Biblical truth when aligning ourselves with those social views. I think the rally was crossing that line to brand Mormonism as mainstream (if not mainline) Christianity.
The devout Mormon worships a God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit that’s all together different than what is proclaimed in the Bible. The rally was actually a revival and that should be concerning. No matter how impressive the rally and how eloquent the prayers, we must be certain we are crying out to the Living God and to the Christ revealed through the infallible, incorruptible Word of God inspired by Holy Spirit.
Thanks for reading my ramblings. I’ve connected a link an article that explores this topic a little more--
http://worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=6439
Live for Jesus--
Pastor Karl
