Boy Scouts, Mormonism and Altar Moments with God
Part 1
The first part of our look at the Boy Scouts and Mormonism will be focused on our relationship with the Lord during these things. In the second part we’ll be taking a look at what happened to the Scouts and the influence Mormonism has had upon this Christian organization. With the intro out of the way let’s get started!
Each time we see a major shift in the moral decline of mankind the Lord takes me to the place I know I belong – to Him.
I’ve been told I should be more vocal about the social ills around us and while I’m fully aware of what goes on, I’m usually not compelled to react to the majority of things, but because this involved Mormonism and a Christian organization I’ve got to say something. The first thing I do when events like the Boy Scout scenario rears its ugly head is run to the Lord at the altar.
I made the comment the other day that only time will tell if this will play into future Mormon protocols and boy did I ever hear from my fair share of Mormons! Many asked the same thing – if the Church doesn’t change with the times, then does my comment qualify as a false prophecy. First of all I didn’t prophesy. Secondly, I didn’t promise anything to anyone.
To their comment/question I have to say with 100% certainty the moral degeneration of not only this nation but the world, will continue on. And that’s not a prophecy of mine. That’s what God says in His word.
The more people that inhabit this world the better chances are they won’t be following the Lord and it will continue to get worse. While many see that as pessimistic, I see it as VERY optimistic! We are that much closer to sweet Jesus’ return! Can I get an amen?!
I know which camp I’m in! As Christians we all know we’re with the Lord, not the BSA, not Mormonism, not liberal or conservatism, etc, we’re with the Lord! My good Christian friends down in Nicaragua haven’t a clue what the Boy Scouts are about and neither do all the kids we support down in Haiti or over in Ethiopia. What they know is the God they worship is the same God that was with the Israelites.
Today my pastor spoke on the relentless mercy of God and his message from Romans chapter eleven fit perfectly for those in Paul’s day just as it does for us today and just as it did for Elijah during the days of Jezebel. God’s mercy is relentless.
He never gives up. He never goes away. He never says I’m done with you! Rather, this God we worship is the ever consummate loving God that’s always provided for those who belong to Him.
Think back to the time before you were a follower of His and look at the times He intervened in your personal life. These are your altar moments!
I remember He manifested Himself to me from a very early age.
1. At eight years old I was given a Bible and told to go home and read it so I did just that. The only people I’d ever known belonged to the Mormon Church. I had me, the Mormons and God and He personally spoke to me through His word.
2. At 14 yrs old the Mormon god changed his mind about dark skinned people and overnight the god of my seminary class thought my skin color was acceptable. What happened? I’m not a chameleon. I was as dark that day as I was the previous one.
3. When I was 16 a bad experience in the Ogden Temple showed me the god of Mormonism and the God of the Bible weren’t the same. Demonic spirit behavior by those around me startled me enough to get my undivided attention. So much so, God told me never to return.
4. Then He gave me another altar moment when I lived in Oklahoma City and I saw the premiere of The GodMakers – I was 19.
5. When I was a tour guide in Germany and taught US tourists about Martin Luther and the Reformation even though I’d never heard of Luther or the Reformation, it prompted me to study. I’d also sit in the shadow of a cross near my home and stare at it for hours wondering why the Christian God was different from my Mormon god – I was 22.
6. And again when my daughter Mallory died in Las Vegas – I was 24.
7. My final altar moment if you will, took place here in Seattle – I was just shy of my 30th birthday. I opened my Book of Mormon and a Bible to compare the two Jesus’ mentioned in each book. I discovered they weren’t the same man. During this time while out on a walk with my daughter I approached some lady standing in the front yard of a neighbor. I saw that she was wearing a cross and I had been praying He would teach me what it meant so I went up to her and began asking questions.
The things that were going on in the world back in the 80’s and early 90’s when my come to Jesus moment happened are but a fuzzy memory in the minds of many today. Kosovo, Bosnia, Tiananmen Square, the Gulf War, Clinton…did we run to God or did we shake our fists at man and demand change?
Are we looking at these things through the eyes of God or us? I’m not saying we shouldn’t stand up for our rights or that we shouldn’t speak out to right a wrong. What I am saying is that when the inevitable happens we need to take stock in our surroundings.
When Jacob left his father Isaac’s place at Beer-sheba he went towards Haran. After traveling all day he stopped for the night, gathered some stones to use as pillows and during the night he had a dream. Yep, we all know the story of Jacob’s ladder! But do we stop and think of what happened after he woke up?
Jacob built an altar. It wasn’t just any ol’ altar. This was an altar of sacrifice and praise. The text tells us Jacob hadn’t even realized God had been with him during his frenzied flight from his brother Esau. His focus wasn’t determined or well thought out. He packed up and fled. It wasn’t until the next morning before he realized God was with him, right there at that place and at that moment. To commemorate the moment he built an altar. It would be a reminder to him and the Israelites that God was with them just as He always would be.
Genesis 28:11-16; “And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.”
Yes, we have life altering events that take place! It happens to each of us at one point or another. But do we stop to acknowledge them with an altar of praise? I know I’m guilty of putting on the self-pity party. Woe is me I got made fun of in seminary classes. Woe is me my daughter died. Woe is me the bloated fantasies of living happily ever after with my family in heaven didn’t materialize…Woe, woe is me…
But then! Yes, then! God in His relentless mercy wakes us up!!! We worry ourselves to death, we wonder ourselves to sleep and with pride filled hearts we ignore the obvious. God is right there with you. No matter the atrocity, no matter the pain. He is with you. Notice what God said in our text above. In verse 15 He said “I am with thee”. Let verse fifteen remind you of chapter fifteen in John’s gospel.
We are one with Jesus because we’re in Him. When we focus on Him and not us we can be reminded of His encouragement for and to us!
John 15:21; “But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.”
If Jesus’ statement was true back then how much truer is it for us today? There are more people, more societies, more civic groups, etc. We aren’t here to worry about us, but to worship Him. Where in the Bible does it say we’re going to behave our way to a blissful utopia?
With Love in Christ;
Michelle
1 Cor. 1:18
As a Christian mother to three boys two of which loved the Cub Scout program the thought of the Scouting program not being what it was is a little heartbreaking. As a former Mormon mother whose two older boys enjoyed the Cub Scout program I find the Mormon Church’s stance on the BSA vote to allow openly gay Scouts heartbreaking.
As I think about this I have to say it would be very hard for me to accept the church’s choice to stand by the BSA if I was still a Mormon. As a Mormon I believed homosexuality was a sin, and was something we shouldn’t accept.
I wonder how this will affect the membership of the church. Granted it’s already suffering because more and more people are doing their due diligence, and researching the history and doctrines of the church. This just might be the straw that breaks the camels back for a few members.
What will happen the next time a church member is “called” to be involved with the Scouting program at their church and they refuse based on this new decision? What if they decide to pull their kids out of Scouting altogether, will they be reprimanded by their church leaders for being unloving, and bigoted? My guess is they will be expected to sit down, zip their lips, and toe the line.
I’m so thankful my belief system rest in Jesus, and nothing or no one else. 🙂
I’ve wondered the same thing Melissa. If I had young sons I’d be very disappointed as well.
I’m not prophesying as I stated in the article but it does make one wonder what if anything the Church will do in the near future about the homosexual subject matter.
Just recently they produced a website to encourage open dialogue for gay Mormons and now this. History has taught me that when they’ve made moves like this something big is about to happen. Time will tell!
When my Mormon grandfather passed away at the age of 92, he was the “oldest Boy Scout” in America… He was born in 1898 and sworn in to “The Little Scouts” in England by the founder, Baden Powell. Our San Diego County Council (mostly made up by LDS troops) had an award named after him, “The Giles Davies Award”… the term “rolling over in his grave” applies here ten-fold.
Not only this, but what about the “gay-pride” parade they had in downtown SLC??? Speechless…
Camden –
I am always amazed at how the blinders come on when it comes to this type of thing. I can’t imagine what your grandfather would’ve thought to this one or the founder of BSA for that matter!
The gay pride parade is a bit surprising for SLC, but the shock value for that type of behavior was spent long ago for me with living in Seattle and all. In fact the summer solstice parade should be going on right about now and they ride bicycles naked in downtown Seattle with their gay pride flags trailing behind them. Lord come quickly – please! Oh yeah and I forgot to mention that next to the riding bicycles naked parade they’re having their hemp festival. And we wonder why…
Michelle