Glenn Beck's Shockingly Absurd Retelling Of Polygamy History...

[Senator]

 and can't stand to listen to him.  I wish he would shut up.  

 

Don't listen to him.

 

Why does he have to shut up?

[Tacenda]

Whoa!  ...he wasn't LDS?  What?  I just Wikipedia'd that.  He was a Methodist.  Where on earth did the Mormon thing come from, then?

 

And he died at such a young age!  43!  Wow.  I guess the good really do die young.

He may have Utah ties or something because my neighbor knew him as a youngster. 

Edited April 21, 2014 by Tacenda

[mnn727]

That is what I thought when I first joined the Church 20+ years ago. In fact while I was investigating the Church one of my missionaries confirmed that was the reason when I asked him.

 

Further research taught me the error of my ways, would it have made a difference had I learned the truth when I was investigating? not sure, it may have, at the least it probably would have slowed down my already long trek towards baptism.

[Gray]

I heard that explanation multiple times as well. It seems pretty universal, but I think it's also a crowdsourced explanation. I don't know that I've ever seen it in a manual anywhere.

[Garden Girl]

I've read through this thread and am somewhat surprised at the "nastiness," as one poster called it, by which posters refer to Mr. Beck.  I've listened to him on occasion, enough to know I don't agree with everything he says but some things I do agree with (yes TSS, I listen occasionally) though I do not class myself as a real "fan" so to speak.  But I know he's a good man and his testimony is quite moving... I suggested in an earlier post that some of you might want to visit his website and leave a message as to his mistake regarding polygamy... it would be doing him a service and save him from publicly making the  same mistake in the future.  If you're all so charitable, do that...  

Incidentally, I too remember the "not enough men" teaching... and as Canard78 pointed out, he recently heard a  branch pres teach this in a packed 5th Sunday lesson... so maybe the branch pres should do more research also... and the many others who probably still accept the teaching...

 

GG

[The Nehor]

_{I understand Glen Beck is a convert to the Church.}

 

_{From time to time, we hear from people who are mad at the Church and claim victimhood because they didn't find out for a long time that Joseph Smith practiced plural marriage.}

 

_{If somebody can spend years in the Church of Jesus Christ and be oblivious to a fact that is "hidden in plain sight," as it were, in history books and in the Doctrine and Covenants. I think I can excuse a relatively recent convert like Glen Beck for not being acquainted with all the ins and outs about a rather complex subject in Church history like plural marriage.}

I could excuse him if he were just ignorant. I have less sympathy for people who publicly mouth off about something they know little to nothing about. This is the Information Age. You literally are a couple of clicks away from being able to fact-check at all times.

[Senator]

I'd really be interested in just what his source(s) is for this.

[Scott Lloyd]

I could excuse him if he were just ignorant. I have less sympathy for people who publicly mouth off about something they know little to nothing about. This is the Information Age. You literally are a couple of clicks away from being able to fact-check at all times.

One need look no farther than this board to notice that knowing little about a subject doesn't stop some people from mouthing off about it. The difference is that most here take cover behind a screen name and Beck doesn't.

[The Nehor]

One need look no farther than this board to notice that knowing little about a subject doesn't stop some people from mouthing off about it. The difference is that most here take cover behind a screen name and Beck doesn't.

"Everyone is doing it" is not an excuse and there is a difference in magnitude between a random forum post and a nationally syndicated radio show host being blatantly wrong.

[Scott Lloyd]

I dislike his style, the way he throws in unnecessary insults for cleverness like at Chicago (used to live there, it was a good place with good people), media as the Big Bad, can't listen to him long enough to figure out his politics in details.

Otoh, I heard him bear his testimony once in person and was impressed by the sincerity, humility and kindness there so it troubles me that he resorts to negativity so much and makes it an us vs. them approach.

My husband used to like him for a time, some of his stuff...being a teacher he appreciated the attention getting stuff and he is very good at ignoring what he doesn't agree with and finding the good. He is not a fan anymore, has gone too extreme in his view.

It may seem paradoxical, but God often grants a genuine witness to an individual whose behavior may seem unpalatable in some respects. I suppose that's why we have such creatures from opposite ends of the spectrum as Glen Beck and Harry Reid among the active members of the Church.

It's also a truism that having a testimony does not make one perfect or even converted, necessarily.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

"Everyone is doing it" is not an excuse and there is a difference in magnitude between a random forum post and a nationally syndicated radio show host being blatantly wrong.

I don't buy that for an instant. Any Internet forum is potentially accessible by millions around the world. A comment can be just as hurtful or contemptible if it is done under cover of anonymity and, if anything, it is even less respectable than if one stands behind it with his/her genuine identity.

[The Nehor]

I don't buy that for an instant. Any Internet forum is potentially accessible by millions around the world. A comment can be just as hurtful or contemptible if it is done under cover of anonymity and, if anything, it is even less respectable than if one stands behind it with his/her genuine identity.

So your argument is that it is better to tell falsehoods openly?

I stand by my argument that telling falsehoods at all is bad.

[Tacenda]

I emailed him on a Customer Support page, I doubt it will reach him, but he needs to be stopped.  It just makes him seem like he really is just a social LDS.  Doesn't really read doctrine, actually somewhat like I use to be, lol.  But at least I wasn't out front and center in front of thousands spewing this misinformation.  

[Scott Lloyd]

So your argument is that it is better to tell falsehoods openly?

I stand by my argument that telling falsehoods at all is bad.

I never disputed that. What I don't accept is that someone cowering behind a screen name while making reckless or irresponsible statements is any the more excusable than someone who does it in the full light of public prominence.

[Scott Lloyd]

I emailed him on a Customer Support page, I doubt it will reach him, but he needs to be stopped. It just makes him seem like he really is just a social LDS. Doesn't really read doctrine, actually somewhat like I use to be, lol. But at least I wasn't out front and center in front of thousands spewing this misinformation.

I've seen you make comments here about Mormonism that are less than accurate, Tacenda.

[Tacenda]

I've seen you make comments here about Mormonism that are less than accurate, Tacenda.

CFR   

[The Nehor]

I never disputed that. What I don't accept is that someone cowering behind a screen name while making reckless or irresponsible statements is any the more excusable than someone who does it in the full light of public prominence.

I concede that there are people more morally bankrupt then Glenn Beck. Child rapist-murderers for instance. Not too much more morally bankrupt though. After all most of the "go to hell" lists in scripture put both liars and murderers there.

[Scott Lloyd]

I concede that there are people more morally bankrupt then Glenn Beck. Child rapist-murderers for instance. Not too much more morally bankrupt though. After all most of the "go to hell" lists in scripture put both liars and murderers there.

I think you've gone over the top with this. The advantages of anonymity.

[Gray]

I'm kind of glad that Beck put this myth out there to be publicly scrutinized. Maybe it will finally stop being used as an explanation for polygamy. 

[The Nehor]

I think you've gone over the top with this. The advantages of anonymity.

If I posted my real name it would not be over the top?

People on this and other boards have figured out who I am. It is not a huge secret.

[Scott Lloyd]

CFR

I'll do you a favor and not dredge anything up.

[Scott Lloyd]

If I posted my real name it would not be over the top?

People on this and other boards have figured out who I am. It is not a huge secret.

If you don't think there's a problem with your remark, and your identity is not a secret go ahead and disclose who you are here and now.

By the way, as long as we're discussing differences in magnitude, you might consider the difference between making a fact error through carelessness or deficiency in information or understanding and intentionally telling a falsehood.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Scott Lloyd

[The Nehor]

If you don't think there's a problem with it, and if it's not a secret go ahead and disclose it here and now.

Nah.

[Tacenda]

If you don't think there's a problem with your remark, and your identity is not a secret go ahead and disclose who you here and now.

By the way, as long as we're discussing differences I magnitude, you might consider the difference between making a fact error through carelessness or deficiency in information or understanding and intentionally telling a falsehood.

I'm surprised by your prodding Scott.  What is it saying about the rest of us that aren't exposing our true identity including yourself in a way, no pic!  I think it's a rare thing to do, just Ahab, Kenngo, and one or two more have done so.  So Nehor isn't alone, there might be repercussions for exposing oneself, enough so that one shouldn't kowtow to this prodding.  What if there is a crazy out there that wants to track down someone, all it takes is a name to get an address usually.  So one might be putting their family in jeopardy too.  I've thought it would be fun for all of us to put our pics up for a day, haha.  But not our real names.  And in your situation you're already out in the public, as is Glenn Beck, it's your job.       

[Walden]

Not sure what is more surprising, that Glenn Beck got his "facts" wrong regarding church history, or that anyone here really, honestly thinks that Glenn Beck is concerned with facts at all, whether it be LDS facts or general historical facts.

 

Beck is a professional provocateur, a carnival barker who would be completely anonymous if not for his absurd, sometimes non-sensical twists on American history and politics.

 

Beck is the Al Sharpton of the right, though I doubt many here would defend Sharpton's intentions like they do Beck's.