Letter to the 820-AM Station Manager

The other day we received an email from the station manager at KUTR-820 AM, the Christian talk radio station in Utah. He had received the following letter that he wanted to share with us:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: 

I absolutely love your radio station here in Utah.  I especially enjoy listening to Dr. David Jeremiah.  Many of your preachers are so inspiring and uplifting.  I have ordered many materials from Dr. Jeremiah and have had some of them sent to a prison in Texas.  

However, I am so disappointed in the "Viewpoint on Mormonism" show.  They say that they discuss the Mormon religion with respect and gentleness but they don't.  The only thing they do is spend their entire time downgrading and humiliating the beliefs of the Mormon people. Those people have the right to believe what they want.  Their teachings are sacred to them and no one should purposely broadcast what they think their faults are.

Our country is based on freedom of religion and I certainly do not think that this show is supportive of that Constitutional right.  In fact, it is not Christ-like and in my mind constitutes a hate crime.  It irritates me to hear these two men judge and demean the beliefs of the Mormons.  The Mormons do a lot of good in the world and are taught to be loving and law abiding citizens.  Who on earth would want to spend their time, money and energy on bringing down people?

Once in a while, one of the other preachers will make a subtle or slight comment about the Mormon religion but not anything as contradictory to the example of Christ as these two men do.  I would love to make a contribution to the station to support it but not as long as that program is on the air.  I totally support all of the other preachers that I listen to on this station but turn it off as soon as that program comes on.  I think it is a crying shame to think that they put themselves above the Mormons when they are trying to bring them down.  You will never hear a program from the Mormon people that sits and condemns people for their belief.

Your friend in Christ

(Name deleted)


The manager, Russ East, wrote this excellent response back (everything in original, including the highlighting):


Dear (Name deleted),
 
Thank you for your email. Ideally, I would like to talk with you over lunch in light of your email, but in lieu of that possibility I would like to preface our time together with the following points.
 
1. In your email I don't read any specifics that would back up your claim.
 
2. As Christians, we have a responsibility to and a Constitutional right to share our beliefs on the airwaves that would educate people as to what Mormonism teaches. Bill McKeever always backs up his claims with quotations from Mormon sources. On what basis are you saying that if I or a broadcaster determines something inaccurate, that we are not right in airing it. I don't understand your reasoning. Jesus announced to the public his disdain for the teachings of the Pharisees in the Gospels. 
 
3. Only 10% at best of our programming (such as Viewpoint on Mormonism) deals with the specific pertinent issues that many people in Utah are dealing with in this state. Such as, determining if Mormonism is accurate and whether it is the one true church as it claims. Viewpoint on Mormonism is an excellent ministry that is helping Mormons understand their need for the Jesus of the Bible, not the brother of Lucifer or an imaginary Jesus. 
 
4. 1 Nephi 14:9-10 in the Book of Mormon states: 
 

 9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the ^adevil.

 10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save ^atwo churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the ^bother is the church of the^cdevil; wherefore, ^dwhoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the ^ewhore of all the earth.

Terri, Viewpoint on Mormonism will point out that The Book of Mormon clearly teaches that if I am not a member of the LDS church that I am a part of the chuch of the devil, the mother of abominations, and the whore of all the earth.  I will not sit back and allow that because it is false.

5. Although your offer for a financial contribution is appreciated, making mention of it in the context of your email below lessens my respect for your gift. Because it hinges on Truth Broadcasting in essence accepting your funds in exchange for us dropping Viewpoint on Mormonism, it lowers your gift to more of a bribe than a gift. 
 
I do hope that you will contact Bill directly, or write back with some specifics as to where you think he has misrepresented your beliefs. I do care about you and pray you will realize the gravity of knowing if your sin has been forgiven and if you can state as assuredly as that you are a resident of Utah...that you have eternal life.
 
In closing, I write these things above in love, with sincerity.
 
Russ East
Station Manager
KUTR-AM 820

I think Russ is exactly right, that this potential "gift" coming with strings is nothing more than bribery. Bill and I do our very best during this 15-minute daily broadcast (aired twice a day) to be as respectful as we can, realizing that we're airing in the capitol of the Mormon religion. Of course, not everyone likes our message, but we say what we do with gentleness and respect. . I thought Russ laid out an excellent foundation for answering this person, who on the surface appears to be an Evangelical Christian who regularly listens to Christian radio. I bet she would be shocked to know that Bill and I attended David Jeremiah's church for many years. In fact, I served for many years as the Bible department head of the high school located on the very campus of Jeremiah's church! 

But that's not the kicker. Imagine our surprise when we did a quick search on Facebook and discovered that the name used in signing the original letter did not own the email address from where this post originated. Instead, the lady who wrote this (with a completely different name) is a known Mormon who regularly contributes on sites defending Mormonism. Is this not a shady way to disagree?


If you would like to hear past broadcasts for yourself, visit http://www.mrm.org/podcast 

Stories that make the heart ache

Living in Utah is a different experience. Of course, there’s the cold—it’s been in the teens this past week and no snow in sight, so it’s a bit chilly  out there. There’s the inversion layer, which makes downtown skyscrapers look like fingers reaching into dirty water.  And last but not least, there’s the Mormon influence. Truly, there are so many people in Utah just entwined in this religion, never considering the idea that perhaps they have been misled.

One of the joys of working in ministry here is getting to listen to people’s stories. Last night, my friend Bill McKeever and I hosted a young couple from St. George. They have a zeal for living for God ever since they left the Mormon Church in the summer of 2010. It was a 16-month process for them to leave, but leave they did and now they are sold out for Jesus. Talking to them last night, they recounted the painful stories of dealing with family and the feeling of near-abandonment, where they visit close relatives who no longer speak intimately, just about the weather and other benign issues. (I understand what this feels like from a first-person perspective.) From their LDS friends, this couple has received little compassion, just questions, such as “Have you divulged temple secrets?” or “Have you properly disposed of your temple clothing?”  Trust has been lost. So superficial and so sad.

Today, I spent the afternoon manning the Utah Lighthouse Bookstore in Salt Lake City, which is run by Sandra Tanner. She’s in Tennessee at a television taping, so they needed help watching the store.  Yes, books are sold there, but even more important is having a visible place (right across from Spring Mobile Park, the home of the AAA Salt Lake Bees) where people from any persuasion can feel safe to come in and ask questions.

That’s exactly what 25-year-old  J____ did early this afternoon. He walked in the door as I was working on a chapter for the book Bill and I will have available this summer (Kregel Publications). My initial reaction? Honestly, it was, “Shoot, I’m smack in the middle of this, hope this guy doesn’t bother me.” Geez, what a carnal and selfish reaction, but hey, I sin, just like you! J_________ wasn’t in the store for more than 30 seconds when he looked at me and blurted out, “I’m LDS and I’m searching.”

I asked him to sit down and, for three hours, we conversed on a variety of issues, everything from the reliability of the Bible to the Trinity and authority in the church. He’d ask a question and I’d talk for 20 minutes. He’d ask another, more commentary from me. At the close of an issue, I’d ask if he understood my explanation. “Yes,” was the typical response. But when I asked him to tell me what I said about the Trinity, he still had a misconception (thinking the Father is the Son), so we had to work extra hard on that issue. Then he said, “You know, I think I’m getting this.” Progress was being made.

We were in the middle of our second hour of conversation—nobody else has bothered us—when a midde-aged couple walks in. In this small 700 square-foot store, there’s no whispering because you’ll be heard anywhere in the room. So I continued my talk with J______________. Meanwhile, I feel that this couple is superficially looking at the store’s book offerings but is listening to the conversation (which is fine). Finally, S_________ stands across the table, causing J_________ to look at her. I turn and ask, “Hi, ready to check out?” “No,” she said, “I’m just listening.”

Then she pulls up a chair and motions for J________ and I to continue our talk. So we did, for another 20 or so minutes. During a pause in the conversation, S________ hesitantly put her hand up and says, “I’m LDS, but I just found out last week that Mormonism is false.” Her words are a jolt to J_________ and I, as I think we assume this was an Evangelical couple. Tears fill her eyes. My heart became sad.

Then S_______ looked up at J_______ and asked, “Are you LDS?” “Yes, sort of still,” he said. “Oh, OK, I thought that might be the case. Let me tell you, if I had observed this conversation last week, I would have felt sorry for him (pointing at me). I would have thought, that young man is having to listen to this lost man who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. But I don’t think that anymore. Now I feel sorry for both you and me.”

It was apparent that I had an invitation to share the Christian gospel. The three Mormons in the room knew that their religion offers no hope and is not based in truth. But none of them were ready to jump ship quite yet. They all have searching left to do. The husband of S___________ decided that there is no God, that he’s tired of getting deceived, and therefore he wants nothing to do with God. He’s not arrogant, just hurt. (Unfortunately, we see more people jump into atheism after leaving the church—it’s a natural reaction to not be burned twice.) Meanwhile, the couple’s two kids (16 and 12) are fully engulfed in the church, not knowing that Mom and Dad are planning to abandon the faith they grew up in. They don’t know what to do and fear a splitting of their family. They are tempted to stay status quo and finish raising their children, but S_________ said, “How would I be able to look them in the face when they find out it’s not true?” She knows this is not a good choice, but how will she tell them? Will they be angry? Will this cause division in their family?

Before they left, I had a chance to pray for the couple, and then I finished the conversation with J_________. In just a few short hours, I was greatly reminded why I’m here in Utah. This is not a game, folks. So much is on the line. Even though he is 25 and served a mission, J_________ doesn’t want to disappoint his parents, as his dad is a bishop. What will the reaction be from his dad’s congregation when they realize that the bishop’s son is considering becoming an “apostate”? (None of his family or friends know about his search. Can you blame him?) And the couple feels burned. “What are we supposed to do after spending our entire lives in this church?” S_____________ asked. These are good people who just don’t know where to turn.

If you’re a believer, would you take a minute to pray for these folks? J__________ and S___________ can trace their genealogy to the days of Joseph Smith.  For the rest of the story, please know that I am asking a Christian couple who have been through a similar situation to call S___________ and her husband—they said it was OK. And Bill and I will have lunch with J___________ in a few weeks, as he took a copy of The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel and promises to read the first six chapters on the Bible. I bet he devours the book.

Perhaps I’ll go visit the bookstore tomorrow and see who’s next to come through the door.

Should I as an Evangelical Christian vote for a Mormon?

This is the question we at Mormonism Research Ministry hear more often than any other at church gatherings as well as phone and email. Christians are asking us whether or not we think it’s OK to vote for one of the two Mormon Republican candidates. Our easy answer: “We don’t know, should you?”

Honestly, we have been assailed on both ends, with one disgruntled gentleman telling us after a Virginia symposium last summer that we shouldn’t derail his favorite presidential candidate (a Mormon) by publicly speaking out against Mormonism. Meanwhile, another man at a recent Idaho church meeting was unhappy that we weren’t willing to tell people not to vote for Mormon candidates. Talk about a Catch 22!

Before I tell you what I think, let me preface the rest of this article by saying what follows is my personal opinion. You also ought to know that Mormonism Research Ministry is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization, meaning we cannot endorse a candidate or tell you who not to vote for.

With that out of the way, I believe that a candidate’s Mormonism should not be a litmus test for why you don’t vote for him/her. I know my position can be considered controversial, at least by some. And you may think I’m wrong, but please hear me out. I live in Utah. If I made a candidate’s Mormonism the one hot-button issue, there would be very few left from which to choose. After all, this is a state with 70 percent who are officially aligned with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If I made it my priority to vote against every Mormon, perhaps it would be simpler to just stay home on Election Day.

Let’s be honest. Since so many candidates claim to be “Christian”—quick, name the last U.S. President who didn’t claim this title—how am I supposed to determine whether or not someone running for President is sincere in his beliefs? Do I look into his views on the Trinity? Inerrant scripture? Calvinism? His preference for hymns or choruses? Tithing from gross or net? Again, I’m not sure which questions I’m supposed to ask.

When it comes to the past candidates who have run for (or won) the office of the U.S. President, I don’t think I have ever voted for a man whom I would consider a spiritual giant. Notice, though, that we’re not talking about voting for a pastor, a missionary, or even a seminary president. No, we’re talking about electing the person who will best lead this country in a moral way while standing up for the Constitution. Since America isn’t a theocracy, I think there is a difference.

When Bill McKeever is asked the question from this article’s title, his response is, “And who is this Mormon candidate running against?” It’s a good point. If I have a chance to vote for a Mormon who happens to be a conservative (which is typical, since there are few Latter-day Saints like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, out there) or someone claiming to be a Christian who espouses liberal socialism, I would vote for the former, even if I felt I had to hold my nose at the voting booth. Don’t get me wrong. I believe a voter ought not to totally disregard the candidate’s religion/religious views. This should be a consideration for determining the best candidate. At the same time, we might end up with a loser just because we stubbornly decide that no Mormon would make a good president.

The first president I voted for—Ronald Reagan in 1980—had his flaws as well. For instance, his attendance at church (both before and during his presidency) was admittedly few and far between.  Had you pitted Reagan with Sunday School teacher Jimmy Carter at a sword drill, it wouldn’t have been a pretty sight. And Nancy Reagan appeared to be an occultist, something that apparently even influenced the President himself during his years in the White House. Yet I still maintain that he was the right man for the job at a time when this country desperately needed a charismatic leader. Despite his flaws, I don’t believe America would be as powerful as it is today without eight years of service from the one they called “Gipper.”

So should a Christian vote for a Mormon? That’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself. Get informed and make the right choice.

For more, go to our website www.mrm.org.