Mormons, Sharpton and a Complete Lack of Biblical Literacy
I really don't have the time to be writing this posting, so forgive me if I don't cite every source necessary to make this authoritative. If I have the time I'll come back and put in the pin cites as needed.
Recently, our good friend Al Sharpton has made statements some have interpreted as being bigoted. In a debate with a noted athiest, Sharpton remarked that Mitt Romney had no chance at winning the presidency because:
"And as for the one Mormon running for office, those that really believe in God will defeat him anyway. So don't worry about that. That's a temporary, that's a temporary situation."
Some interpreted that as saying, "According to Sharpton, if you're a Mormon, you don't really believe in God." I myself interpreted it that way and was rather outraged (most of my close and extended family are Latter Day Saints). However, Sharpton in subsequent interviews put the remark in context, stating that what he meant to do was distinguish himself from the athiest with whom he was debating, not imply that Latter Day Saints do not believe in God. Going back and looking at the context, I was ready to believe him and let him walk away from an otherwise inflammatory gaff.
However, Mr. Sharpton managed to destroy his entire exculpation when he stated on CNN's Paula Zahn that by definition, Latter Day Saints did not worship God because up until at least 1978, they were a bunch of racists:
"If prior to '65, '78, whenever it was, they did not see blacks as equal, I do not believe that as real worshippers of God, because I do not believe that God distinguishes between people. That's not bigotry, that's responding to their bigotry."
Now, I'm not here to argue whether or not the L.D.S. Church is racist. Credible arguments can be made for or against that proposition. What I wish to dispute is the belief that "real worshippers of God" must see all races as equal in the sense that they are temporally entitled to the same spiritual benefits in this life. While such an argument may not be as intellectually satisfying as attacking Sharpton head on, ultimately it undermines his credibility in ways much more long-lasting than any defense of the L.D.S. faith.
In Old Testament, God explicitly called the Children of Israel (a race if ever there were one) his "chosen people," blessed above all others. He commanded His people to have no dealings with other races (Egyptians, Canaanites, Pheonicians, etc.) and chastised them sorely when they did so. Moreover, throughout the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, God commanded his people to remain pure from the taint of other races, as they would only corrupt and defile them.
Perhaps more importantly, Jesus Christ himself REFUSED to preach His Gospel to any peoples other than the Children of Israel, going so far as to call a Samaritan woman a dog, unfit for the meal of the table reserved for His chosen people. It was only after Christ's death and resurrection that he commanded his Apostles (through revelation to Peter) to preach the Gospel to all peoples, regardless of their race.
I'm not saying any of this is right in a moral sense. Nor am I saying that God sees a difference in his children based on race in any eternal sense. What I am saying is that throughout Christian history, for whatever reason, God has made a big deal of race and accorded his blessings along racial lines, according to the Bible. In this light, LDS teachings - while arguably wrong or racist - are not completely outside any Christian tradition and certainly don't preclude them from being "real worshippers of God." As a "Christian" and a "Reverend," Al Sharpton should know that.
The end result: racism is wrong, God works in mysterious ways, and Sharpton is an idiot.
Now back to studying for my Antitrust exam.
Recently, our good friend Al Sharpton has made statements some have interpreted as being bigoted. In a debate with a noted athiest, Sharpton remarked that Mitt Romney had no chance at winning the presidency because:
"And as for the one Mormon running for office, those that really believe in God will defeat him anyway. So don't worry about that. That's a temporary, that's a temporary situation."
Some interpreted that as saying, "According to Sharpton, if you're a Mormon, you don't really believe in God." I myself interpreted it that way and was rather outraged (most of my close and extended family are Latter Day Saints). However, Sharpton in subsequent interviews put the remark in context, stating that what he meant to do was distinguish himself from the athiest with whom he was debating, not imply that Latter Day Saints do not believe in God. Going back and looking at the context, I was ready to believe him and let him walk away from an otherwise inflammatory gaff.
However, Mr. Sharpton managed to destroy his entire exculpation when he stated on CNN's Paula Zahn that by definition, Latter Day Saints did not worship God because up until at least 1978, they were a bunch of racists:
"If prior to '65, '78, whenever it was, they did not see blacks as equal, I do not believe that as real worshippers of God, because I do not believe that God distinguishes between people. That's not bigotry, that's responding to their bigotry."
Now, I'm not here to argue whether or not the L.D.S. Church is racist. Credible arguments can be made for or against that proposition. What I wish to dispute is the belief that "real worshippers of God" must see all races as equal in the sense that they are temporally entitled to the same spiritual benefits in this life. While such an argument may not be as intellectually satisfying as attacking Sharpton head on, ultimately it undermines his credibility in ways much more long-lasting than any defense of the L.D.S. faith.
In Old Testament, God explicitly called the Children of Israel (a race if ever there were one) his "chosen people," blessed above all others. He commanded His people to have no dealings with other races (Egyptians, Canaanites, Pheonicians, etc.) and chastised them sorely when they did so. Moreover, throughout the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, God commanded his people to remain pure from the taint of other races, as they would only corrupt and defile them.
Perhaps more importantly, Jesus Christ himself REFUSED to preach His Gospel to any peoples other than the Children of Israel, going so far as to call a Samaritan woman a dog, unfit for the meal of the table reserved for His chosen people. It was only after Christ's death and resurrection that he commanded his Apostles (through revelation to Peter) to preach the Gospel to all peoples, regardless of their race.
I'm not saying any of this is right in a moral sense. Nor am I saying that God sees a difference in his children based on race in any eternal sense. What I am saying is that throughout Christian history, for whatever reason, God has made a big deal of race and accorded his blessings along racial lines, according to the Bible. In this light, LDS teachings - while arguably wrong or racist - are not completely outside any Christian tradition and certainly don't preclude them from being "real worshippers of God." As a "Christian" and a "Reverend," Al Sharpton should know that.
The end result: racism is wrong, God works in mysterious ways, and Sharpton is an idiot.
Now back to studying for my Antitrust exam.
