Welcome to Community of Christ.

Thank you for your comments. Of course, this is an interpretation of the LDS gospel – and at times may appear “out of line” with accepted truths. I do not call it Latter-day Saint. I call it Latter-day Satyagraha: meaning I combine mormon ideas and cultural beliefs with the principles taught by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, and other advocates of nonviolence. You would have to agree with the two latter in addition to Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson to start regenerating your life in that direction. I was myself in the military, and realized that it was not in harmony with the Christian gospel as taught by Christ. I would say here that we ought to, as a people in the latter days, begin to go the extra mile.

Of course, you are entitled to put into your body whatever you like – that’s free agency. So although we are free to eat what we want, we cannot avoid the consequences this has on us or the environment. The food industry has gotten it all wrong, and by not being critical as to where the food comes from or appreciative of the lives that were sacrificed so that I could have meat on my plate, or value properly the labor that went into preparing it, I am part of sustaining the negative and harmful consequences of my consumption. You can be even healthier and kinder towards the environment around you by starting to questioning your eating and purchasing habits.

In this post, I was trying to be as specific and practical as possible, which is in line with mormon thought and practice of the gospel. What would a Latter-day Satyagrahi need to do to be prepared for when He comes? We need to follow the prophet, yes, but we shouldn’t need to be commanded in all things either. And the things we have been commanded to do, many of us don’t do them. I think that we do not see the urgency of now. If we put the emphasis on the spirit of the law, we would realize the purpose for why we are admonished to do the things we need to do. We would do what the Lord wants us to do. By keeping to the letter only (and not even that for some), we end up not reaching our full potential in this life or the next.

May 17, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Like most of what Beck says, this call to nonviolence really makes no sense whatsoever, especially considering the fact that just this past week he gave a talk at a National Rifle Association meeting, urging all the firearms fanatics in the audience to be ready with their guns because “revolutionary marxists” are plotting to destroy American freedom. He also is a vociferous supporter of the U.S. invasion and occupation of the middle east, so I guess his nonviolence doesn’t apply when the violence is directed against Arabs, Persians, Kurds, and South Asians. Heck, he is one of the few people in the country willing to defend Arizona’s racist SB-1070, so I guess he doesn’t mean for cops who attack immigrants to denounce violence. Interesting, though that he used Martin Luther King Jr. as his reference point, considering that MLK was the paragon of the “social justice preachers” that Beck instructed his followers to avoid. Perhaps Beck doesn’t realize that MLK stood for everything that Beck opposes. MLK wanted a more equal distribution of wealth and he spoke out against the Vietnam War. MLK didn’t just want integration, he wanted an entire transformation of our social and political institutions (see his letter from Birmingham prison). MLK stood for everything that Glenn Beck fears.

When I say that Glenn Beck is an unstable nut, I’m not just using hyperbole or joking around. I really do think that the guy is mentally unstable. How else could he call for nonviolence one day, and then call for NRA members to arm themselves to fight “marxists” the next day? How could he tell everyone to leave their “social justice” churches one day, and then pretend to be down with the social justice church leader Martin Luther King Jr. the next day? He has absolutely no concern for consistency or clarity. If you’re looking for a prominent, well-known LDS example of Gandhian nonviolence, keep looking because it aint Glenn Beck, that’s for damn sure. Glenn Beck is the same guy who supports “I shoot wolves from a helicopter” Sarah Palin. He is like a drunk guy in a bar who says whatever crazy thing pops into his head, no matter how stupid or nonsensical it is, and, apparently, that makes FOX News alot of money so they keep paying him a fortune to do it.

But, if you still don’t believe me that Beck hasn’t actually put any thought or consideration into his call for nonviolence, then ask him if he wants to abolish military and police. Ask him if he takes back what he told the NRA and if now he believes that NRA members should lay down their arms. A person who believes that military and police are great, is a person who really isn’t that much of a pacifist after all, and the NRA rolls its eyes at the idea of nonviolence.

To put this call into context, it sounds to me like he is simply urging dumbass teabaggers to be nonviolent at their tea party rallies, and that’s all. He’s worried that all these teabaggers showing up to rallies with guns slung around their backs are making the teaparty “movement” look stupid (although it still looks stupid even without the guns). He’s not a pacifist in any sense of the word, so don’t get your hopes up.

Reply

Mormongandhi said

May 18, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Thanks Tariq. I will post your reply at the end of my article. For what I’ve seen and heard of this guy over the last few days, it’s really beyond weird. I don’t get it – and yet, 50’000 people signed up? As you say, “He’s not a pacifist in any sense of the word, so don’t get your hopes up”.

http://bycommonconsent.com/2010/02/28/teaching-the-war-in-heaven/

I’ve just uploaded two rare interviews with the Catholic activist Dorothy Day. One was made for the Christophers [1971]–i.e., Christopher Closeup– and the other for WCVB-TV Boston [1974].

Day had begun her service to the poor in New York City during the Depression with Peter Maurin, and it continued until her death in 1980. Their dedication to administering to the homeless, elderly, and disenfranchised continues with Catholic Worker homes in many parts of the world.

Please post or announce the availability of these videos for those who may be interested in hearing this remarkable lay minister.

They may be located here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/4854derrida

Thank you

Dean Taylor