by: Mary Mostert, Analyst, Banner of Liberty (www.bannerofliberty.com)
August 15, 2001
It's been a slow news summer and many in the media are having a tough time trying to find something to write about. I know. I'm also in the media. But, when I pick up the week-end papers like the Salt Lake Tribune, which was founded, apparently, to write negative articles about the dominate religion of Utah state and find several articles and an editorial on religion, I have to comment. One article was about a University student who refused to use the words "God" and "Christ" as profanity; another article was about the dominant church's request to be called by its actual name, rather than a nickname, in news articles. A two page rambling, pointless article entitled "On Being Mormon, Male and Nonfundamentalist" and a dominant article in the Religion section about a "marriage" of homosexuals who, according to the article, were "True to their shared Mormon upbringings" by not moving into an apartment together until after the ceremony.
Of course, since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has what the Salt Lake Tribune calls "unswerving condemnation of same-sex marriages" they were not "married" in the Church of their youth. They "turned to gay-affirming Holladay United Church of Christ for their rites."
It even quotes what Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the 11 million member Church says about homosexuals and marriage - that "God ordained marriage is only between a man and a woman. He indicated that while homosexual desires are not sin, those who act upon them risk excommunication.
"We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems," Hinckley said, "But we cannot stand idle if they indulge in immoral activity."
That, incidentally, is exactly the same position that Gordon B. Hinckley and the Church takes on heterosexual desires. It's not the "desires" that are the problem. It's the action that's the problem.
Much of the rest of the lengthy article was devoted to the argument of an "Idaho State University emeritus professor of English and a Mormon" whose son died of AIDS. In a breath-taking display of illogic, the professor concludes that the Church's position on same-sex marriage somehow contributed to his son's death. Of course, it was by ACTING OUT his homosexual desires that the young man acquired AIDS, but that is never brought up in the article.
In every article and editorial the underlying issue being addressed by the Salt Lake Tribune is exactly the same issue that is being bandied around about the Boy Scouts of America: that the Church, and the Boy Scouts of America, should change their standards to reflect the humanist and atheist views of the newspaper. In fact, one of the articles "On Being Mormon, Male and Nonfundamentalist" uses nearly two pages of newsprint explaining how the author, James E. Sawyer, who claims to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, thinks the Church needs to adopt a "humanizing shift."
One would think that, given this great effort to "humanize" America that the humanists in our midst would support President Bush's call for a "Faith and Community based" program that would tap into a source of people "willing to serve" as he put it.. He said, in introducing the initiative shortly after his inauguration:
"There are so many people in need. The good news about America is, there are so many willing to serve. It's the great strength of our nation. There's no limit to the talent and energy and compassion of this great land. But sometimes the need is too great and the resources are too limited, and all of us, as private citizens and public officials, should help where we can."Today I'm sending to Congress a set of ideas and proposals that mark a hopeful new direction for our government. We will encourage community and faith-based programs, without changing their mission. We will eliminate barriers to charitable works, wherever they exist, and we will encourage charitable giving, wherever we can."
However, true to their usual illogic, it is the humanists among us who are the most determined to block Bush's Faith and Community Based self-help program. The other large group of opponents includes those who believe opinion, not action, is what gets them to heaven. This group fears that tax funds might conceivably go to some group that they don't like. The Rev. Pat Robertson fears that the "Moonies" might even get some federal money under the President's program.
Since the President's program is based on the results of an organization in problem solving, would it really matter whether or not groups like the Rev. Moon's Unification Church got money? To some, it certainly would.
And, of course, the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon is very much in the news these days after Moon performed the marriage for 71 year old Catholic Archbishop of Lusaka, Emmanuel Milingo, and Maria Sung, a 43 year old doctor from Korea.
This was followed by an extraordinary demand on the part of the Catholic Church that Milingo promptly divorce his wife. At this point Milingo is at the Vatican not communicating with anyone, especially the press and his wife is threatening to fast until death unless he comes out.
In a statement in May about his marriage, the Archbishop said of the Rev. Moon: "I can say from the bottom of my heart that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is a man of God. His ministry began in his youth with a calling from Jesus Christ. I have seen his effort and investment to unite people of all faiths and to break down racial barriers. I have prayed to Jesus for long hours about Rev. and Mrs. Moon, and the Lord has guided me to understand and appreciate their special ministry to build loving, God-centered families amongst people of all faiths, in the capacity of True Parents. I have observed that Rev. Moon knows the spirit world, as I have experienced it, in a profound way."
Then the Archbishop hoped that his action would move the Catholic Church away from its doctrine of a celibate priesthood in his behalf. James E. Sawyer thinks The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should move away from its doctrine of keeping politics out of Church instruction. His article in the Salt Lake Tribune appears to have been prompted by his running "afoul of local Priesthood leadership for including material on politics and economics" in lessons he was teaching in the Church.
And, of course, it seems that the media in general, not just the Salt Lake Tribune, is trying to move ALL the churches and the Boy Scouts of America towards a humanist doctrine. As both a journalist and a former humanist, I find the move towards humanism a bit amusing. Humanism is best summed up in a statement from the Unitarian-Universalist website, a prime humanist source, which shows a woman saying, "Instead of me fitting a religion, I found a religion to fit me."
Those opposing the standards of the Boy Scouts of America, or the Catholic Church or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints want the organizations to do just that. They want the organizations to change to fit them. And, there ARE organizations that advertise that they do just that - the Unitarian-Universalists being one of the oldest.
However, freedom of religion, or even freedom FROM religion is no longer in style. Today many people are demanding that ALL organizations fit them - including tax supported institutions such as public schools, the Boy Scouts of America, churches, the courts, the Congress, and the president of the United States.
That, I suggest, it a clear violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution that says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
We are being bombarded these days with demands that the Congress pass laws which establish humanism and that churches and schools and government programs establish humanism as public policy. Humanism IS a religion. Establishing it as public policy is establishing a state religion. The effort of humanists in the media, in politics, in public schools, and now in churches, to force everyone else, and every organization, to adopt THEIR philosophy is tyranny, not freedom.
To comment: mmostert@bannerofliberty.com