I just read a story by Paul Foy of the Associated Press about a statement released by a ranking Mormon official that expressed "profound regret" over a massacre of 120 people crossing Utah in an attempt to reach California back in 1857. However, the church leadership was quick to point out that they were not "apologizing" - only expressing "profound regret" that some church members were involved in the massacre. Well, "isn't that special?" - as the SNL "church lady" would say. Mormons call themselves "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." Jesus? Saints? huh? where? HOW? ONE HUNDRED FIFTY FREAKING YEARS have passed, and the leadership of this so-called "church" cannot bring itself to APOLOGIZE for the church's part in the slaying of 120 INNOCENT, UNARMED people 150 years ago!! This is as bad as the Catholics not apologizing for the Crusades. Who is the Jesus that these people are following? Really - I want to know, because it certainly cannot be the Jesus born among farm animals in Bethlehem and raised as a carpenter's son in Nazareth. It cannot be that Jesus. It cannot be the Jesus who spoke the words, "love your neighbor as yourself" and "what you do to the least of these, my brothers, you do to me." They cannot possibly claim to be following that Jesus. THAT JESUS must be weeping at the words and behavior of these so-called "church leaders." Surely the harsh words that Jesus spoke to the Jewish leaders of His time must be coming from His lips once again.
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." - Matthew 12: 36-37
2 comments:
As a Latter-day Saint myself I was grateful for the statement by Elder Eyring. I thought it was appropriate to the situation. No one living had any part in the massacre. It's clear members of the Church planned and executed the massacre. It is not clear the Church hierarchy had anything to do with the massacre, despite the claims of critics. They don't have any proof that anyone higher than local leaders were in on the diabolical plan.
Ok... so you are saying that if the elders/heirarchy of the church had no part in the planning and execution of the massacre, that the church should not apologize for the acts of it members? I find that very very odd. In all other churches that follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, the belief is that the believers ARE the body of Christ - the church. How does the church then escape the actions of its members? To me, this is hypocritical.
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