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Latter day taint

How Glenn Beck is driven by Mormonism — and why his fellow faithful (including Mitt Romney) should be worried
By ADAM REILLY  |  October 10, 2009

0910_beck_main

Fifteen years ago, Glenn Beck was a small-market DJ with a drinking problem, no friends, and bleak professional prospects. Today, he’s a Fox News superstar averaging 2.4 million viewers (in a mediocre time slot, no less), an inexorably successful author (his new book, Arguing with Idiots, is the fourth Beck opus to top the New York Times bestseller list), and the leader of a popular movement that condemns government in general and President Barack Obama in particular. What’s more, he’s gotten under the skin of politicians from both parties. Just last week, the White House took vigorous issue with Beck’s criticisms of senior Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina ripped Beck’s cynicism and teary tendencies in an interview with the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg.

Notwithstanding Beck’s reckless asininity — e.g., his infamous claim that Obama has a “deep-seated hatred for white people” — that’s an impressive career arc. And the media, naturally, have been striving to grasp the Beck phenomenon: witness Time magazine’s credulous September 28 cover storya sharp column by the New York Times’ Frank Rich, an earlier Times profile, and sundry other treatments ranging from the academic (Columbia Journalism Review) to the middlebrow (CBS’s Katie Couric).

Beck’s would-be interpreters occasionally note that he’s a Mormon: he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as an adult, in 1999, with his wife and children. But in contrast with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, whose Mormonism was discussed in great detail during his failed 2008 presidential bid, the ramifications of Beck’s faith has gone largely unexplored. That’s unfortunate — because a case can be made that Beck is to Mormonism what Father Charles Coughlin was to Catholicism in the 1930s, when the “radio priest” peddled nasty, faith-based opposition to another ambitious Democratic president.

Given the ease with which this discussion could degenerate into Mormon-bashing, this reticence may be understandable. To fully get Beck, though, it’s necessary to understand just how many of his beliefs have specifically Mormon roots, or are conveyed in uniquely Mormon ways — from his embrace of former Mormon leader Ezra Taft Benson’s insatiable anti-communism to his Mormon-bred suspicion that the government is the agent of Satan. For some of Beck’s co-religionists, these links are obvious. Back in March, for example, writing at the Mormon-history blog the Juvenile Instructor, Christopher Jones — a doctoral student in history at William & Mary — noted that Beck seemed to be plumbing the disturbing depths of Mormon millenarianism, and marveled at the press’s seeming disinterest.

Once the link between Beck’s faith and politics gets made, intriguing questions emerge. Without his unsettling brand of Mormonism, would Glenn Beck still be Glenn Beck? Should members of the LDS Church be cheering or lamenting Beck’s protracted moment in the spotlight? Could Beck’s forays into stealth Mormon sermonizing make his conservative evangelical fans rethink their loyalty? And if Beck’s religiosity finally becomes a story, what might that mean for the lingering presidential hopes of 2012 Republican contender Mitt Romney?

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  Topics: Media -- Dont Quote Me , Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck, Glenn Beck,  More more >
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Comments
Re: Latter day taint
Glenn Beck's work has been absolutely heroic...  Maybe not if you are ACORN or the New York Times (now "fringe" media), but as America's future goes, we would have little clue if it were not for his investigations.  If Glenn's religion has anything to do with it, all the better, although the idea that Mormonism is somehow as wound up about current events as he is could be confused.I think Glenn's patriotism has as much or more to do with his devotion to the Constitution and forefathers as it does to anyone in the Mormon church.  He described to Katie Couric his relationship to the Chuch, saying it "helps him stay sober."  In other words, it is his Prozac, not his Caffeine or nightly Martini.  He might even say it saved his life.If Glenn can transfer any of the good he claims he gets out of the Church into America, he should be praised. Romney, while quieter than Glenn about his faith, is also better for its moral and family values.  Instead of being a weakness, it actually reflects very well on his character.  I would go so far as to say it is the reason he is interested in public service in the first place.  He learned the value of volunteerism from his father, former Governor of Michigan and Presidential Candidate George Romney, who George Bush, Sr. called "the father of volunteerism."  (Martin Luther King had nice things to say about him, too, even endorsing him.)  Where did George get the spirit of volunteerism?  Almost certainly years of service volunteering in the Church.  (And his country.)Mitt served Massachusetts well as Governor and Utah and his country with the Olympics in 2002, and remarkably, he did both for no pay.  (As if it were a church calling.  Mormons are not paid for Church service, with the exception of hired janitors.)
For more info on what Mormons believe about the proper relationship between God, government, and man, I suggest reading this VERY significant section in the Doctrine and Covenants://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/134/1-3,5,7-9,11-12#1You may also be interested in reading the 12th Article of Faith (of 13):"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."//scriptures.lds.org/en/a_of_f/1  and the 11th if you get the chance...
  
By JedMerrill on 10/07/2009 at 5:44:30
Re: Latter day taint
THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, SECTION 134
A declaration of belief regarding governments and laws in general, adopted by unanimous vote at a general assembly of the Church held at Kirtland, Ohio, August 17, 1835. HC 2: 247–249. The occasion was a meeting of Church leaders, brought together to consider the proposed contents of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. At that time this declaration was given the following preamble: “That our belief with regard to earthly governments and laws in general may not be misinterpreted nor misunderstood, we have thought proper to present at the close of this volume our opinion concerning the same.”
1–4, Governments should preserve freedom of conscience and worship; 5–8, All men should uphold their governments, and owe respect and deference to the law; 9–10, Religious societies should not exercise civil powers; 11–12, Men are justified in defending themselves and their property.
  1 We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
  2 We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.
  3 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.
  4 We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
  5 We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.
  6 We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men show respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker.
  7 We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.
  8 We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.
  9 We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.
  10 We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world’s goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship.
  11 We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded.
  12 We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world; but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them contrary to the will and wish of their masters, nor to meddle with or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.
Source: //scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/134/1-3,5,7-9,11-12#1
By JedMerrill on 10/07/2009 at 5:54:50
Re: Latter day taint
This is an interesting view of how one man uses teachings from The Church of Latter-day Saints in his personal crusade.  Thanks for noting Mitt Romney's different flavor of practicing our religion.  Please also note that Orrin Hatch, the Republican Senator who spoke at Ted Kennedy's memorial, also is LDS. A yet more-balanced view of this foundation would have been offered by noting that Harry Reid, Democrat and current Senate Majority Leader, also is a practicing Latter-day Saint.  His five children attended BYU.  You can hear or watch his 9 Oct 2007 talk at BYU on their website here: //www.byub.org/findatalk/details.asp?ID=5698 Thanks also for noting our belief that the drafters of the U.S. Constitution received divine inspiration in this work.  This hardly sets us to believing that the government is an evil enemy, although like most of our neighbors, we may view some people *in* the government as opposed to what we believe is right.  Isn't this why incumbents sometimes lose elections? As for the so-called "White Horse Prophecy," whatever Joseph Smith did or did not say, the wording that is extant was drafted ten years after his death by two men who recorded their best recollections, it never has been accepted by the Church as doctrinal, and Joseph F. Smith, nephew of Joseph Smith and a successive President of the Church said, rather quaintly, in on of our semi-annual General Conferences: "The ridiculous story about the 'red horse,' and 'the black horse,' and 'the white horse,' and a lot of trash that has been circulated about and printed and sent around as a great revelation given by the Prophet Joseph Smith, is a matter that was gotten up, I understand, some ten years after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by two of our brethren who put together some broken sentences from the Prophet that they may have heard from time to time, and formulated this so-called revelation out of it, and it was never spoken by the prophet in the manner in which they have put it forth.  It is simple false; that is all there is to it."   (Conference Report, Oct 1918, p. 58)
By manaen on 10/07/2009 at 6:53:36
Re: Latter day taint and there is ALOT of taint

Bad for Mitt Romney? Could this be a reason? Glen Beck political guru has been Cleon Skousen, the former FBI guy who became interested in communism after leaving the FBI and working at Brigham Young University.

Beck wrote an intro to the re-published book “A 5000 Year Leap”, which no doubt is filling the Skousen heir’s pockets full of cash.  Beck who is also Mormon… well, it doesn’t seem to strange he would promote a fellow Mormons book.

 

Cleon Skousen’s FBI files has few glorious things to say about Skousen, mostly they received many inquires on Skousen due to his embellished view of his federal career.

Look like Skousen lied. Skousen never received training or worked in investigations into communist subversion. Skousen was a lower level administrator, and never worked closely with Hoover as he claimed, and never had the titles in the FBI he claimed, because the titles never existed.

 

Cleon like his peer and fellow high ranking Mormon Paul H. Dunn both have been discredited on the emblements of their accomplishments as well as careers. Cleon books do contain many of the ‘White Horse Prophesies’ which many LDS people firmly believe in. That they will save the constitution and the political authority of the American government will be passed to the Mormon Prophet and the elders of the LDS Church.  For a look at Cleon’s FBI file,

The FBI recently released over a thousand pages of Skousen’s file.  The FBI felt Cleon’s activities damaged real investigations into subversion, as Cleon filled his pockets with money.

 

Glen, has not fessed up to the fibs. So, much for honesty within the LDS group.

 

 

//ernie1241.googlepages.com/skousen

By TaggRe on 10/07/2009 at 7:26:55
Re: Latter day taint and there is a lot of taint

The other thing which is very strange about Cleon Skousen’s sudden fascination with Communist subversion once he was at BYU, is the LDS Church was under some criticism for being pro communist, due to its doctrine of the United Order, from it’s early practice, and the teaching the United Order would be restored.  The United Order, instead of the political government owning all production, the LDS Church Bishops were given all production, and dispensed it according to the ‘needs’ of his flock. It didn’t work, the honest Bishops and leaders, kept the best and most for their family and friends.

 

We will wait and see if Beck, with all the honesty the members claim they have, fesses up to Cleon Skousen’s distortion of the FBI record, and credentials, as well as the Skousen family.

 

   

By TaggRe on 10/07/2009 at 8:05:54
Re: Latter day taint
  J Edgar Hoover hired Mormons for FBI agents because they were untouchable.  They didn't need bribe money to support addictions because they didn't drink or gamble. During the time communism took a hold of our country it allowed mobsters to rule and drug us through a 13 year depression.    No one gained anything from communism, because it drove all the world  into a depression.  If you're leery of reading Cleon Skousen read J Edgar Hoover's books on communism. It seems that everyone wants to be a communist except for the former communists.


By Glenda on 10/08/2009 at 1:55:14
Re: Latter day taint
TaggRe,If that is the best case you can come up with against Skousen, he's lived a pretty honorable life.You know, I served in the military.  I did a lot of interrogation training, but can prove very little of it.I never met this Skousen, but I've met one of his brothers, Royal, and I believe one of his sons.  (Someone from that next generation, anyway--a documentary filmmaker.)  They are an extraordinarily gifted and very scholarly family.You should take advantage of a dead man's scholarship instead of attacking someone who can no longer defend himself.None of us is perfect, but Mormons at least have the right role model--Jesus Christ.
 Jed.
 
By JedMerrill on 10/08/2009 at 2:00:41
You embellish too much Merrill
You mean like the Mormon FBI agent, who sold out to the Russians, and was caught sleeping with a subversive?  You mean untouchable like Cleon who lied ? How can it be rationally said Merrill, such a blanket statement, that they are 'untouchable'? How about the Mormons who are covering up their activity with Russians, all the abuse done to cover it up?  There would not be abuse, unless something was wrong and wrong doing, think on that Merill. How about the ones who refused to investiage corruption of their own church, because their department agency had too many LDSers who would not do so? Untouchable, no, that is why some were kicked out of the agency.  Do you really believe because you have been brainwahsed Merrill, the world will fall in line with you?  If you believe in following the law, why did Brigham Young do everthing he could to go around it?  Merrill because you say so, doesn't make it so.  Why do some brake the law, by using wrongful influece to intimidate, abuse in attempts to slience and cover up. Think on that Merrill, and have Rose think on that also. Glen Beck is wearing two cross in his photo, Mormons do not believe in the symbol of the cross, the early leaders of the LDS Church made that clear when they torn the cross down marking Christians graves, Christians who were slaughtered by Mormons. Mormons who called Christians 'gentiles'. Think on that Merrill.  Glen Beck has promated Skousen, Skousen who misrepresented his FBI record and fabricated a false story about himself --- and you think that is 'untouchable'? 
By TaggRe on 10/08/2009 at 6:41:43
Re: Latter day taint and they have A LOT of taint

Jed Merrill, you must be the poster who was posting here at the link below, on Beck and Skousen, you seem to have got caught with wrong statements here at this site also.

//washingtonindependent.com/60224/rick-perry-mitt-romney-and-w-cleon-skousen

Why such a strong need to misrepresent facts, Jed?

By TaggRe on 10/08/2009 at 7:50:18
Re: Latter day taint

Wow!  Jeb you say they are talented, intellectual, great scholars, yet the credentials claimed are not reflected in Cleon’s file,  or in reality. In fact to the contrary, there are many negative and derogatory statements on the falsehoods Skousen was presenting to the public, while making a lots of money.  Could this be a case of?

 

“narcissist with sociopathic tendencies. Narcissists generally see themselves as special, uniquely talented individuals compared to other people in society. They also have a well developed skill for deception.”

 

Troubling when people have a pattern of embellishment, grand statements of behaviors which in the light of day, are not met, especially when it is wrapped up in deception, when the façade begins to crack, people either become violent to protect the deception, and continue the deception,  or they confront the truth and acknowledge the foundation was build on a falsehood.

 

Isn't this what is really in cultural Mormonism?  Of, course it is. 
 

By TaggRe on 10/08/2009 at 8:45:04
Re: Latter day taint
 "To fully get Beck, though, it’s necessary to understand just how many of his beliefs have specifically Mormon roots, or are conveyed in uniquely Mormon ways — from his embrace of former Mormon leader Ezra Taft Benson’s insatiable anti-communism to his Mormon-bred suspicion that the government is the agent of Satan."I must have missed that Sunday school lesson...hmmmm.    This is the worst falsehood in the piece.  First of all, the dislike of communism is widespread in ANY democracy...in this instance, correlation is not causality.  This is the kind of logic you can expect from a liberal columnist.     
By blandinbasement on 10/08/2009 at 11:58:49
Re: Latter day taint
Why do so many people try to put the Mormon church as the source of what people are "pushing". Here's your proof that the Mormon church is not influencing the agenda of Romney, Beck, or Marriott Hotels:Harry Reid - If what you say is true, that these people are pushers of Mormon doctrine in their roles in the public - how do you explain Senator Reid? Ever notice how his Mormon religion has NEVER been an issue for him? Why is that? Because it's an easy excuse/target to discredit someone you don't like by making the argument. And since Reid is on the Liberal's side, it's all ok for him.No better evidence of the double standard.
By jacksbr on 10/08/2009 at 12:12:42
STAN
 Jacksbr, your belife system of the constitution will hang by a thread, and will only be saved by the elders of the Latter-day Saints, and when it is saved by the Latter-day Saints, the power of the goverment will pass into LDS hands, is what Beck, and Hatch have clearly been quoted in the article referring to. Also, please note among the first comments someone felt so strongly, they had to print the" Articles of Faith" and make  grand and sweeping statements of how 'untoucable' Mormons were. Mitt believes it is his calling to be president, he has been spoon feed that in his family. It is why DNA is mentioned, and ya, dah, ya, pedigree, Mitt the chosen spirit sent to the Romney family for a special purpose.   Frankly, the influence the LDS Church can pull the strings of the people who have been involved in Skousen's Freedom Foundation, as well as their own membership giving them additional influence. The Church ran many people and political leaders through Cleon's foundation, without them knowing the details of the Mormon belife system.  The LDS church  covered some of their most abusive conduct and doctrines, under the guise the Commies were after the LDS Church.  And have you noticed the strongest critics are people who have been inside the church and know the deception which goes on? Mitt will try to limit and dodge issues of his belief system, but he will object to the Muslim faith because of its.  There should be no difference, Romney should be judged on his belief system as well as all of his other postions, because he has been a Bishop, takes counsel for SLC, and will act in SLC protection, which may not be the best interest of the American people. 
 
By TaggRe on 10/08/2009 at 1:00:26
Re: Latter day taint
In reply to Jed. You wrote: "You should take advantage of a dead man's scholarship instead of attacking someone who can no longer defend himself." Have you read my Skousen report which is based, primarily, upon Skousen's FBI personnel file? If you read my report, you will see sections devoted to analyzing several examples of what you consider "Skousen's scholarship". If you are an honest individual, you must acknowledge after seeing the data in my report that Skousen's understanding of the communist movement was deeply flawed and certainly was not, as he claimed, informed by his FBI career because most of that career was spent in administrative matters and subjects unconnected to communism. Skousen's "expertise" was in such matters as juvenile delinquency, police training schools, FBI administrative rules and procedures, writing manuscripts, interviewing applicants, VIP tours of FBI HQ, speeches before various organizations about FBI crime fighting, etc. Recently, a Skousen admirer posted a message on-line which I have seen many times which claimed that Skousen was #3 in the FBI. That is a total falsehood. If he was #3, #4, #5, #6, or #7 -- he would have been an Assistant Director but he never achieved any status beyond Special Agent. Skousen admirers also often claim that he was "for many years a top aide to J. Edgar Hoover". Also totally false. He had no direct contact with Hoover. (My Skousen report reproduces the actual FBI memos which state he was never a "top aide" to Hoover). So you have to ask yourself, why are people making these false assertions? Obviously, they want to lend more weight and importance to what Skousen presents -- but once you strip away the mythology about Skousen's FBI career, it becomes obvious that he had no special knowledge or experience within the FBI regarding communist matters. Check it out for yourself: //ernie1241.googlepages.com/skousen Also, recently revised, is my 91-page report on the John Birch Society. Skousen endorsed the JBS and was a paid speaker under the auspices of the JBS Speaker's Bureau. See: //ernie1241.googlepages.com/jbs-1
By ernie1241 on 10/08/2009 at 1:17:05
Re: Latter day taint
ernie1241,Thanks for the direct reply.Skousen, although fairly well known within the LDS community, has not become a national figure until after his death.  I give weight to what he says because I have listened to it (a friend got me The 5000 Year Leap on CD) and it all makes perfect sense.  Skousen clearly knows more about the founding fathers than our current judicial system, and takes it more seriously than our legislative branch.  He is a good man.  Bad people don't write books like The 5000 Year Leap.  If someone else, like your Skousen admirer, says something that is inaccurate about his qualifications, I think that is good to bring up.  Since most of us did not know him in life, it is fair to have a balanced perspective of him in death.  I don't think any of it discredits his research.My perspective is colored by the current mess (war on taxpayers between health care and cap/trade) that is going through Congress and by Obama seeking to erase the defense measures and political advantages/gains Reagan made.  I don't expect Skousen not to have been colored by the Cold War era and his experience in the FBI, whatever it may have been.  His book was written 30 YEARS AGO!
Again, much of my experience in the military was administrative as well, but it doesn't mean I didn't do amazing things on the military intelligence side.Thank you for your research on Skousen.  I hope that for all of the human elements you may have found, you also found some respect for the man.  I did not meet him, but I know the caliber of his family and admire him for his book. God bless you both!
By JedMerrill on 10/08/2009 at 3:21:44
Re: Latter day taint
" Again, much of my experience in the military was administrative as well, but it doesn't mean I didn't do amazing things on the military intelligence side"---  ------ That is how Mitchell and Jessen felt, who are also LDS, and many people disgree with them.    
By TaggRe on 10/08/2009 at 6:08:09
Re: Latter day taint and there is a lot of taint

Merrill, outside of the Cleon’s FBI record, Steven Benson also claims Skousen lifted Benson’s work and plagiarized his work.  Benson in the article he wrote, was not just a little miffed at Skousen.  In reading Skousen’s response to Benson on the plagiarized material, Skousen’s character appears less than honorable, this character issue, of misrepresentation, is not to be brushed aside as quickly as you wish Merrill.  The SLC Mayor claimed Skousen a man who is not to be trusted, “…does not tell the truth, and cannot be relied upon.”  Ernie also has posted information on the mayors statement.  

 

 Mark Skousen was strongly criticized   for his work at FEE, for mis-using the position for personal gain and critically written about by J.H. Huebert.  Huebert, was critical about Mark. …”amid much self-produced fanfare, to turn the institution from a quiet haven for serious students of serious ideas, to an attention-seeking, noise-making,…….”

 

Embelliousments, false statements, mis-representation is not something which shows character, or caliber, and can give rise to bad behavoirs; as  a juvenile delinquency expert, Skousen should have had this knowledge.
 

By TaggRe on 10/08/2009 at 6:44:08
Re: Latter day taint
JED; I disagree with your comment that Skousen was not a national figure until after his death. 1. His 1958 book, The Naked Communist, sold more than 1,000,000 copies. The American Legion Americanism Commission placed it on their recommended reading list as did many right wing organizations. 2. He gave hundreds of speeches each year all across the country under the auspices of Fred Schwarz's Christian Anti-Communism Crusade and the John Birch Society and, often, he spoke to thousands of people at each location and received extensive local publicity. 3. The FBI received hundreds of inquiries about his post-FBI activities from all over the country. In fact, even while in the FBI he gave speeches around the country which resulted in letters of commendation----so people were aware of him. 4. With respect to 5000 Year Leap, there are comments in his book which can be challenged with respect to factual accuracy. 5. The bottom-line is this: Skousen may have been a sincere person with an above-average education and above-average understanding of American history but, nevertheless, he endorsed the conspiratorial views of the John Birch Society which his former employer (Hoover and the FBI) described in FBI memos as "irrational", "extremist", "irresponsible", "lunatic fringe" and "fanatics"
By ernie1241 on 10/09/2009 at 8:08:48
Beck Lies
 Thank you for carefully illustrating the intellectual dishonesty of the right wing's number 1 glory-boy.  The man needs to go back to the basics to learn that just because he can find a shred of evidence or a Mormon Doctrine quote to support his wild conspiracy theories, and just because he wishes that they were true, it doesn't make it so. Thanks for showing by example that Beck cherry-picks out of context from speeches, writings, scripture, or anything else he can lay his man-baby hands on to build his wakko-babble.When you're dealing with messianic creeps like Beck and his followers, it's hard to nail them down exactly because they are such liars.  You cannot approach a topic with the rulebook of logic in one hand and facts in the other.  They weasel out by changing the subject, pleading the persecution complex, or blaming you for being part of the very conspiracy theory you are trying to debunk.  I know this from a discussion thread on the Messenger and Advocate, which is the site that brought me here.  If you have a chance and are interested in this topic, I recommend you take the time to read the blog post there and the just over 200 comments on it.  Half of them are a Beckerhead's defense of Beckerheadism.  For those of you who are interested in a light-hearted yet deadly serious approach to debunking Glenn Beck, please visit my website, www.GlennBeckReport.com where you are encouraged and welcome to comment and help me build content concerning Glenn Beck.  I try to stay on top of it, but he's such a prolific and outrageous liar that it's a difficult task for one person.  Thanks again to The Phoenix and journalist Adam Reilly for this well-researched piece on Beck. People who are curious will benefit greatly from reading it.  Beckerheads will gnash their teeth and quote Mormon BS to debunk it.  But sometimes the truth hurts.-Wexler
By WWWexler on 10/09/2009 at 11:16:02
Tainted Journalism
Your recent cover story on Glenn Beck and his "dark brand of Mormonism" (the published subtitle in print not found on your website) fails to convince (despite a seemingly objective approach) due to the clear intentions of the author and the Phoenix: the underlying reason to publish such scholarly trash (many references and appeals to "authority" in a highly selective and biased manner). When one steps back and asks the question what is Phoenix's agenda in writing this article, besides it's attempt to earn money off of tantalizing covers, is clearly biased by liberal politics. What if Phoenix had attached "dark brand of Judaism" to a public figure? That would be unacceptable and a low blow. Many who have commented online have got it right in illuminating the bias and complete ignorance or withholding information that would better inform your readers rather than confuse ( (ie. Senator Rhead is also Mormon, LDS beliefs to uphold any government, and quoting a falsified revelation by Joseph Smith that was negated by church officials as a fabrication). It is an attempt to blindsight the readers from the truth found within Becks statements that are purely American and Libertarian rather than Mormon. Thanks for all you hard work on misinforming the public.
By abacus7282 on 10/10/2009 at 9:02:38
Re: Latter day taint
 There's a vicious rumor that Glenn Beck raped and murdered a young girl in 1990. I don't claim to know the truth -- only that the rumor floating around saying that Glenn Beck raped and murdered a young girl in 1990 should be discussed. So I'm going to do my part to try and help get to the bottom of this.

Why won't Glenn Beck deny these allegations? I'm not accusing Glenn Beck of raping and murdering a young girl in 1990 - in fact, I think he didn't! But I can't help but wonder, since he has failed to deny these horrible allegations. Why won't he deny that he raped and killed a young girl in 1990? glennbeckrapedandmurderedayounggirlin1990(dot)com
By gigowiz on 10/11/2009 at 10:53:28
Re: Latter day taint
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}  WWWexler, In all likelihood Beck will find himself distanced from the Church, a liability.  The link below gives the sources where Beck and Skousen were/are heavily influenced by LDS doctrine.  The link gives many of the doctrinal quotes and where they are located in LDS prophesy and doctrine. Why are some members so ashamed and deny their doctrine? Beck is only repeating what he is being taught. “Prophecy of Joseph Smith, according to Orson Hyde: The time would come when the Constitution and the country would be in danger of an overthrow; and . . . if the Constitution be saved at all, it will be by the Elders of this Church. (Source: Journal of Discourses, Vol.6, p. 152, January 3, 1858) Prophecy of Joseph Smith, as recorded by Parley P. Pratt (January 21, 1841): The government is fallen and needs redeeming. It is guilty of blood and cannot stand as it is now is, but will come so near desolation as to hang as it were by a single hair! Then the servants go to the nations of the earth, and gather the strength of the Lord's house! A mighty army! And this is the redemption of Zion when the saints shall have redeemed that government and reinstated it in all its purity and glory![D&C 101:43] (Source: George A. Smith Papers, Church Archives, Box 7, Folder 5; D. Michael Stewart, Ensign, vol. 6, No. 6, Jun 1976, pp. 64-65) For others:

//www.rogmo.com/99.html   

By TaggRe on 10/14/2009 at 9:42:43
Re: Latter day taint
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}  WWWexler, In all likelihood Beck will find himself distanced from the Church, a liability.  The link below gives the sources where Beck and Skousen were/are heavily influenced by LDS doctrine.  The link gives many of the doctrinal quotes and where they are located in LDS prophesy and doctrine. Why are some members so ashamed and deny their doctrine? Beck is only repeating what he is being taught. “Prophecy of Joseph Smith, according to Orson Hyde: The time would come when the Constitution and the country would be in danger of an overthrow; and . . . if the Constitution be saved at all, it will be by the Elders of this Church. (Source: Journal of Discourses, Vol.6, p. 152, January 3, 1858) Prophecy of Joseph Smith, as recorded by Parley P. Pratt (January 21, 1841): The government is fallen and needs redeeming. It is guilty of blood and cannot stand as it is now is, but will come so near desolation as to hang as it were by a single hair! Then the servants go to the nations of the earth, and gather the strength of the Lord's house! A mighty army! And this is the redemption of Zion when the saints shall have redeemed that government and reinstated it in all its purity and glory![D&C 101:43] (Source: George A. Smith Papers, Church Archives, Box 7, Folder 5; D. Michael Stewart, Ensign, vol. 6, No. 6, Jun 1976, pp. 64-65) For others:

//www.rogmo.com/99.html   

By TaggRe on 10/14/2009 at 9:43:06

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