Religious Freedom and public colleges

According to today's USA Today, Vanderbilt University's non-discrimination policy has got a faith-base group in a bind.  Vanderbilt Catholic, a 500-member group, is being asked by Vanderbilt University to let anyone run for leadership, not just Catholics.  P.J. Jedlovec, the president of Vanderbilt Catholic, says, "If we were open to having non-Catholics lead the organization, we wouldn't be Catholic anymore" (Smietana, Bob, "Vanderbilt bias policy drives groups off campus", USA Today, Monday 2 April 2012, 3A).

This attempt to shut down religion in public life has happened elsewhere on college campuses throughout the United States.  "The University of North Carolina-Greensboro refused to recognize a Christian group called Make Up Your Mind because it discriminated on the basis of faith for leaders.  The school relented after being sued" (Ibid.).


Apparently, the aforementioned colleges do not understand either the Constitution of the United States or the fact that not letting someone into leadership because one doesn't qualify is not discrimination.  Let us look at look at the Constitution itself for an example.  Article II, section 1 of the Constitution reads, "No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States."  Does this mean that the United States is discriminating against, say, a Canadian-born, naturalized-American citizen who is 34 years of age and wants to run for the Presidency?  No!  That person could never run for it, because, even after he turns 35, he is not a natural-born citizen.  Is this discrimination?  Not in the least!!

Let's take The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as another example.  In July of 2009, "Derek Jones and his partner, Matthew Aune, were holding hands as they passed through the pedestrian mall east of the Salt Lake Temple as they returned home from a concert at the Gallivan Center.  Aune hugged and kissed Jones in the plaza, at which point church security asked the men to leave because they were being inappropriate" (Norlen, Clayton, "2 men cited in trespassing on LDS Plaza", Deseret News, 11 July 2009).  Was the LDS Church being discriminatory when they asked these persons to leave the LDS-owned Main Street Plaza (private property) because they were violating Church teachings?  No!  It is not discrimination to have policies, laws, and rules.

Is it discrimination if I am pulled over by a Black cop in Harlem because I run a red light?  No!  I broke the law, and should pay the penalty.  Laws, especially Constitutional laws, exists to keep all people safe.  Hence, Vanderbilt University is in the wrong for kicking the group Vanderbilt Catholic off of campus, because Vanderbilt Catholic clearly was exercising Constitutional law.

Philosophy of "babies raise stress, reduce happiness" false

What is the impact of children on a relationship?  Today's USA Today report on 25 separate studies done over the past two years.  We read, "'Kids do lower marital satisfaction and there's not much we seem to be able to do to prevent it,' says Brian Doss, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. . . . Ninety percent of the 218 couples in an eight-year study Doss co-authored experienced a decline in satisfaction, he says" ("Years of research point to strain kids put on relationships"). 

No, one can't blame USA Today for reporting on the results of this survey; however, the "results", if one may call them such, are scholarly, but nevertheless false and foolish.  We must, in this situation, rely on the words of the Prophets, both ancient and modern.

Adam and Eve teaching their children, by Del Parson

What does our glorious Mother Eve have to say about children and the blessing they are?  Saith she, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed [children], and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11).  Indeed, the Psalmist saith well that "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward" (Psalms 127:3).  Was not Mary amply rewarded in being the mother of the One Perfect Child?  Indeed she was.  All those who think children are a burden must talk to Eve when they get to Spirit Prison and behold their error!

The Mormon Eagle need only cite the words of the venerable Prophets and Apostles of our day.  It is written, "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. . . . The family is ordained of God. . . . Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World").

Men and women are free to choose to believe what they will, but I, Clark LeRay Herlin, know that marriage is God's creation, and that children are truly "an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3).  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 46 - "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism"

The prophet Nephi prophesied of our day, he having seen it in vision.  He prophesied, "And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God" (2 Nephi 28:8).  The Mormon Eagle will examine the correctness of Nephi's prophecy as seen today in the national press.

"After the Image of His Own God . . ."
In the Tuesday 13 September 2011 issue of USA Today, "religion statistics expert George Barna . . . laments, 'People say, 'I believe in God.  I believe the Bible is a good book.  And then I believe whatever I want.''"*

We read the words of Nadine Epstein, an editor and publisher.  Concerning the Jewish magazine Moment, she states, "The September edition of Moment asks, 'Can their be Judaism without God?'  And most say yes.  It's incredibly exciting.  We live in an era where you pick and choose the part of the religion that makes sense to you.  And you can connect through culture and history in a meaningful way without necessarily religiously practicing."*

Lastly, Rusty Steil of Denver, Colorado remarks, "I don't find much comfort in imagining there's an all-powerful God who would allow people starving and all the natural and man-made disasters."*

These opinions of Mr. Steil, Ms. Epstein, and observation by Mr. Barna, although sincere, are wrong, and will garner the hot displeasure of Jehovah.  Speaking of the inhabitants of Earth, He saith, "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall" (D&C 1:16).

"One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism"
We at The Mormon Eagle will address the above three quotations, expose the falsities of religious secularism, and throw open the door to let in some light.  We will address both concerns of George Barna and Nadine Epstein at once.  They both make remarks saying Americans think they can believe in God (or not believe in Him), do what they want, and all will turn out right in the end.  This is a fallacy of the most hellish hue.  Nephi warns, "And others will he [the devil] pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell" (2 Nephi 28:21).

There are certain facts, which cannot be wished away, when it comes to religious matters.  We will list those that counter the quotations found herein, which quotations were pulled from USA Today:

1.  God exists as a Personal Being, with a body of flesh and bone.  God loves all His children, no matter the race, political persuasion, sexual orientation, nationality, or creed (or lack thereof).  Heavenly Father loves His children, and wants them to choose for themselves how to act, whether those actions are to help an old lady across the street or to murder and kill one another.  He holds all accountable to Himself for their actions (or lack thereof), yet He will not intervene in the actions of His children, no matter how evil or good they may be.  He has said, "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon" (Abraham 3:25-26).  He wants us to become Gods as He is a God.

2.  The Bible is true, not just a good book.  In it (as well as in the Book of Mormon) we find the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Messiah the Jews have long since hoped for, even the Redeemer of the world.  In the Bible and Book of Mormon, we learn what we must do to gain salvation and exaltation with Christ and God.  The Bible and Book of Mormon are evidences that God has a concrete organization to His kingdom, and that one must join it (through ordinances) or one cannot be saved; that Kingdom is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

3.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's Church, restored as prophesied in Acts: "And he [God] shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:20-21).  To restore means to bring back something in its original state.  Why would Peter say the Church of Christ need be brought back unless the Lord took it away?  Indeed the Lord did take away His Church, but has restored it through His servant Joseph Smith the Prophet.

The above three verities the world must accept or they cannot be saved in the Celestial Kingdom of God; they must accept the above or they cannot be united as families for eternity.  This I know, through careful study and prayer, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

*Quoted in "More Americans customize religion to fit their personal needs", USA Today, 2A

A Lie About Human Nature

In the 29 June 2011 issue of USA Today, Maggie Gallagher wrote a forthright commentary on the gay marriage issue, and what it all really means.  She wrote, "USA Today's editorial board is bending over backwards to find a way of engaging the marriage debate that escapes the key question: Is there a reason why marriage is the union of husband and wife, not only in our culture, but in almost every known human society?"

I answer that the reason why marriage is only between one man and one woman is because the Holy One of Israel hath spoken it.  In Genesis 2:24-25, we read, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."  Our dearly beloved Brother Paul also hath said, "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet" (Romans 1:26-27).

The above scriptures agree with the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that homosexual relations are grevious sins.  Well did President Boyd K. Packer state,

We teach a standard of moral conduct that will protect us from Satan’s many substitutes or counterfeits for marriage.  We must understand that any persuasion to enter into any relationship that is not in harmony with the principles of the gospel must be wrong. . . . there are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God’s laws and nature.  A law against nature would be impossible to enforce. ("Cleansing the Inner Vessel", Ensign, November 2010)
 
Sister Gallagher stated in her article also that "Gay marriage is not an increase in liberty; it is a government takeover of an institution [marriage] that government did not create and should not redefine.
 
When the government endorses a lie about human nature, there will be consequences."
 
I say also that there will be consequences when finally the United States sinks into this debouchary known as gay marriage.  The Mormon Eagle warns that unless the Fulness of the Gospel as taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is followed in a strict and saintly manner by the people of the United States, God will stand aloof from this nation because of our choice to disregard His words.  He will then cease to protect and help us, for He hath said through His servant Moroni,
 
And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall b swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them.  And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity. . . . Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written. (Ether 2:9, 12)
 
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 1 - Godhead

In the Wednesday edition of the Deseret News, dated 14 September 2011, is an article which speaks about the Mormon version of Deity, and how many Christians are skeptical of a Mormon being elected President of the United States.  Therefore, The Mormon Eagle feels disposed to proclaim the True and Living God as attested by the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Apostle Paul.

Teachings of a Modern Prophet
President Joseph Smith, Jun. taught, "There are three personages in the heavens who hold the keys of power, and one presides over all" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 312).  He also taught, "I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods" (TPJS, p. 370).  Joseph Smith put it in another way, namely, "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.  Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (D&C 130:22).  In his First Vision, the Prophet wrote, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.  One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son.  Hear Him!" (JS-H 1:16-17).  He also wrote in another account of the same vision, "I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon day" (HC 4:535-536).  Additionally, he testified, "I kneeled down, and prayed, saying, 'O Lord, what Church shall I join?' Directly I saw a light, and then a glorious Personage in the light, and then another Personage, and the first Personage said [of] the second, 'Behold this is my beloved Son, hear him'" (Interview by David Nye White, Aug. 1843, published in "The Prairies, Nauvoo, Joe Smith, the Temple, the Mormons, etc.," The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, Sept. 15, 1843, 3; reprinted in The Papers of Joseph Smith, ed. Dean C. Jessee, 2 vols. [1989–92], 1:444).

Words of the Savior on the Godhead
Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world.  He also testified of the separate Beings which comprise the Godhead.  He said, "I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I" (John 14:28).  Here it is, from the Son Himself, that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct Personages, as the Prophet Joseph Smith also testified.  The Savior also said, "I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17).  Also, this saying of the Redeemer, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).  Here we have three instances of Jesus Christ publicly testifying that His Father and Himself are separate Beings.  He distinctly refers to another Personage, even God His Father.  This clearly shows that the True and Living God is taught by the Latter-day Saints, and no other Church.

The Apostle to the Gentiles
Our beloved Brother Paul has some very telling verses, the which testify of the separate Beings which comprise the Godhead, and that there is no such things as the Trinity.  Paul taught, "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him" (1 Cor. 8:6).  Paul uses here the phrase "one God, the Father . . . and one Lord Jesus Christ" to emphasize their separate nature - that they are not one in body nor substance, but distinct and separate Beings, although one in purpose.  Paul also taught, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ . . . and the head of Christ is God" (1 Cor. 11:3).  Here Paul states that Christ rules over mankind, even as God the Father rules over Christ.  Simple enough to have proven my point. 

I have indeed shown the True and Living Gods, that God the Father is a separate Being from His Son Jesus Christ, and that the doctrine of God and Jesus being one substance is a false and foolish notion.  I know what I have taught is true.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.