Where there's a Will, there's a way

I had this idea of doing a regular series of posts contrasting Glenn Beck's form of modern fascism (he even plays dress-up like one) with the theology of the Mormon church he belongs to. The flaw in my plan is that it would require listening to his program. But, I couldn't miss the headlines about Beck attacking churches who teach such controversial concepts as social and economic justice.

He even claims that social justice is counter to the teachings of Mormonism. What Beck apparently doesn't remember or comprehend is that the Book of Mormon (which Mormons accept as scripture along with the Bible) has much stronger statements in favor of social justice than even the four Gospels. One chapter sounds as though it were directed specifically at Beck and modern conservative attitudes about welfare.

In this story, an aging, righteous King gathers his people for a final sermon, which I'll excerpt here.

16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.

22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.

I suppose every rich conservative talk show host like Beck has taken his turn railing against "welfare queens" who don't deserve benefits. One of Beck's most frequent gripes is "illegal" immigrants receiving welfare and government services, as though God's compassion doesn't extend to those born beyond American borders. In a segment called "Anchor Babies" he complains that "in Los Angeles, nearly 100,000 children of illegal immigrants received free government aid this past January."

Children receiving free food and health care? Oh the horror!

Would God really call any of his children "illegal" humans or "anchor babies?" It appears to me that King Benjamin believed individuals with Beck's attitude are endangering their eternal salvation.