MiserereNobis Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 Hello all, I've been reading much on the atrocities being committed by ISIS in Iraq/Syria. The media is focusing heavily on the Yazidis, but the terrible acts of violence are not limited to them. Non-Muslims of all types are being targeted, including Christians, who have been beheaded, crucified, and also forced to flee as refugees (some sources say as many as 100,000 Christians have been displaced). The images available online are heartbreaking -- there are many martyrs for the Christian faith in Iraq and Syria today. I'm tempted to speak about this immense evil, but my point in this post is different. I was wondering how often the President of the LDS church speaks about current events -- political, global, etc. I did a quick google search and did not find anything said by President Monson about this crisis, but I also realize that his words are not going to be reported as widely as, say, Pope Francis, simply due to the quite smaller size of the LDS church. If he doesn't speak out on such events, is there a particular reason? Is it cultural or doctrinal? Thanks, and may God bless our Christians brothers and sisters who are being horribly persecuted for the faith, and may He protect all those who are visited by evil. 4
wenglund Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) According to Sharon Eubanks, head of the Charity department for the LDS Church, at least $100k has already been approved by the Church to assist the displaced Christians in Iraq. Thanks, -Wade Englund- Edited August 11, 2014 by wenglund 4
Calm Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) That was the immediate response to help out the vicar of the Anglican church in the main city where refugees are gathering among the Kurds feed the 5000 refugees gathered under his roof. It was authorized after a telephone appeal by a senior missionary couple in the area doing their best to get the resources where they are needed. It sounded like that was just the first response to an immediate need for basics and that it would be likely more would follow as they figured out how best to approach the problem. Edited August 11, 2014 by calmoriah 4
Popular Post mfbukowski Posted August 12, 2014 Popular Post Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) According to Sharon Eubanks, head of the Charity department for the LDS Church, at least $100k has already been approved by the Church to assist the displaced Christians in Iraq. Thanks, -Wade Englund-To an ANGLICAN Vicar!! Horrors! He doesn't even hold the priesthood, apostate devil! I have learned that some don't understand my posts. I was not being serious. We love even Anglicans. Edited August 12, 2014 by mfbukowski 5
MiserereNobis Posted August 12, 2014 Author Posted August 12, 2014 To an ANGLICAN Vicar!! Horrors! He doesn't even hold the priesthood, apostate devil! I'm with you, mfb... those Anglicans are scismatics AND heretics! Horror! (yes, Anglicans and Catholics have a bloody history with atrocities committed on both sides, and yes, the Catholic Church holds that Anglican sacraments are invalid, but we've managed to get along now for a little while... look at Northern Ireland as an example of the progress made) I have learned that some don't understand my posts. I was not being serious. We love even Anglicans. Well, it's nigh impossible to understand a post-modern relativist 4
Calm Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 Most of the comments on world issues that I remember are about supporting those in need through contributions, prayer and fasting. 1
mfbukowski Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 I'm with you, mfb... those Anglicans are scismatics AND heretics! Horror! (yes, Anglicans and Catholics have a bloody history with atrocities committed on both sides, and yes, the Catholic Church holds that Anglican sacraments are invalid, but we've managed to get along now for a little while... look at Northern Ireland as an example of the progress made) Well, it's nigh impossible to understand a post-modern relativist I know. What do you say to an alleged human being who doesn't even believe in TRUTH? All you can expect are lies, obviously.
Guest Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 Hello all, I've been reading much on the atrocities being committed by ISIS in Iraq/Syria. The media is focusing heavily on the Yazidis, but the terrible acts of violence are not limited to them. Non-Muslims of all types are being targeted, including Christians, who have been beheaded, crucified, and also forced to flee as refugees (some sources say as many as 100,000 Christians have been displaced). The images available online are heartbreaking -- there are many martyrs for the Christian faith in Iraq and Syria today. I'm tempted to speak about this immense evil, but my point in this post is different. I was wondering how often the President of the LDS church speaks about current events -- political, global, etc. I did a quick google search and did not find anything said by President Monson about this crisis, but I also realize that his words are not going to be reported as widely as, say, Pope Francis, simply due to the quite smaller size of the LDS church. If he doesn't speak out on such events, is there a particular reason? Is it cultural or doctrinal? Thanks, and may God bless our Christians brothers and sisters who are being horribly persecuted for the faith, and may He protect all those who are visited by evil.They talk about things going on in the world at almost every General Conference.
Spammer Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 I believe the Anglican vicar in question is the subject of this report. It's well worth your time to watch. http://www.vice.com/vice-special/the-vicar-of-baghdad-part-1-484 1
Calm Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) They put a transcript up but be sure and watch the video if you get a chance, well worth a few bucks is if it isn't free:The relevant section..." In the middle of that, I got a phone call because the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is marching and going through cities and they are purging out Christians. And so, you have got 800,000 Christians that have fled these cities and they are up in Northern Iraq where the Kurds live. And they are showing up. And as they leave the cities they are from, their houses are confiscated. There is a big Arabic word on their house that says this now belongs to ISIS. And as they walk out of town, their belongings are searched and everything of value is taken from them. Their money, their clothing, their cellphones, their passports, all their identity papers, their wedding rings. And then they are kicked out of town and they are told “If you come back, you will be executed.”Now think about if this was happening to us. You have got men and women. You have 15-20 people crammed into a tiny little vehicle, and all their luggage is strapped on top. It is everything they have in the world. And they are fleeing into the Kurdish region or they are walking on the road carrying suitcases. And when they get there, where do they go? Well, they show up in the church. There are 5,000 people in the vicar of Baghdad’s Anglican Church. Think about your stake conference and then quadruple it, and all those people are there and they don’t have anything to eat that night. And the vicar is saying, “What do I do?”Well, we have one missionary couple up in Kurdistan. A very intrepid couple from Salt Lake, Walt and Peggy Plum, and they are calling me on the phone to say, “What do we do?” Now I’m not trying to be funny and I’m not trying to be aggrandizing about my job, but these are the issues that are going on."And then later in the question period:"This is why I had to leave that meeting yesterday. The church authorized an emergency funding, $100,000, to just buy oil, beans, rice, and bedding. I got a picture last night of a woman, she is probably seventy years old. And she is lying on the street on some kind of a foam pad with a pillow and she has her slippers, she has a tin cup, she has a bottle of water, and she has a flashlight. And she is not able to stand up. And she is just lying between a window, a wall, and the street where the traffic is going by. And I think that is the condition all over the city. So it’s not the amount of money. It’s finding people who can deliver the aid. And so we will continue to do that. We authorized the $100,000. We will continue to authorize that money as fast as they are able to distribute. And yesterdays’ money will go up to that vicar who has five thousand people in his church yard and is looking every day to say “How do I feed these five thousand people?”And we will continue to do that. We are also doing the same thing in Gaza. But it is very hard to spend money in the right kind of way that it actually helps the people with a good transparent partner. Thanks for the question about that." Edited August 12, 2014 by calmoriah 2
rodheadlee Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 Cool! I know this is off subject a bit but my wife works at the Bishops Storehouse and at least 50K (purely an eyeball estimate) a month goes out feeding many people from this one storehouse. So it's not like our tithing money is not doing some good. 2
erdoch Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 President Monson and the other members of the First Presidency and Twelve Apostles really don't have much of a tradition of speaking out about specific current events. Usually, things are only spoken of in generalities, with some exceptions such as 9/11, the war in Iraq, the 2004 tsunami, etc. (I would actually love to see the day when church leaders address current events more fully). In any case, the Church does send humanitarian aid to a lot of these places in need of help - so even if no official statements are made about these matters, quietly the Church does contribute.
thesometimesaint Posted August 12, 2014 Posted August 12, 2014 ISIL/ISIS is a terrorist organization too extreme even for Al Qaeda. So far they have killed or threatened to kill everyone not in their sect within Islam.
Coreyb Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 It seems to me that president Hinckley spoke on current events much more than president Monson has
Duncan Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) Well according to John Dehlin Pres. Monson has dementia so anything coherent coming from him would be a miracle (if you believe that of course). But what would Pres. Monson even say? 'We condemn the mess that is going on in the Middle East', like do we need a prophet to state the obvious? Edited August 14, 2014 by Duncan
Storm Rider Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 Hello all, I've been reading much on the atrocities being committed by ISIS in Iraq/Syria. The media is focusing heavily on the Yazidis, but the terrible acts of violence are not limited to them. Non-Muslims of all types are being targeted, including Christians, who have been beheaded, crucified, and also forced to flee as refugees (some sources say as many as 100,000 Christians have been displaced). The images available online are heartbreaking -- there are many martyrs for the Christian faith in Iraq and Syria today. I'm tempted to speak about this immense evil, but my point in this post is different. I was wondering how often the President of the LDS church speaks about current events -- political, global, etc. I did a quick google search and did not find anything said by President Monson about this crisis, but I also realize that his words are not going to be reported as widely as, say, Pope Francis, simply due to the quite smaller size of the LDS church. If he doesn't speak out on such events, is there a particular reason? Is it cultural or doctrinal? Thanks, and may God bless our Christians brothers and sisters who are being horribly persecuted for the faith, and may He protect all those who are visited by evil. You have hit on one of my desires - that our prophets would speak more often to the world at large. Granted, admitted, and accepted that fewer people would listen when compared to the pope and many other religious leaders, but people do listen and it would be news. I think there may be some reasons why this type of ....."culture" among the leaders exists, but it is something I would like to only study historically rather than live. 2
MiserereNobis Posted August 14, 2014 Author Posted August 14, 2014 I don't think it could possibly do anything but have a positive effect. Yes, everyone knows that things like ISIS are evil, but the more religious voices expressing it, the more power behind action...?
Paddy Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 I am not sure it should be the role of the prophet to constantly speak about current affairs, with exceptions of course. The church leadership will just end up a social commentary team rather than getting to the business of saving souls. I think a lot of these things are spoken about at area levels which is where it should be done. Our area presidency does a half decent job of addressing current affairs and social issues.
Tacenda Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) They are prophets for the membership only, it seems. And sometimes it's just to keep things in check. Not that they have never had good messages about the Saviour or love, but it would seem that our church could come out against say, human trafficking, or other current atrocities. Or might that put a target on our missionaries? Ok, take back what I said. And add, it could be a reason to not publish financial statements. Edited August 14, 2014 by Tacenda
Duncan Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 The other thing is what and how many current events should he speak about? Should he say something about Lauren Bacall's recent passing, Pres. Obama, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, school elections in New Hampshire etc.
thesometimesaint Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 The other thing is what and how many current events should he speak about? Should he say something about Lauren Bacall's recent passing, Pres. Obama, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, school elections in New Hampshire etc. I'm reasonably sure that they can comment on whatever they want to.
Duncan Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 I'm reasonably sure that they can comment on whatever they want to. oh for sure but out of the million billion current events which is the one to pick? their are so many choices!
thesometimesaint Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 oh for sure but out of the million billion current events which is the one to pick? their are so many choices! True. Probably the one or two that they feel has the most impact on the Church. 1
cinepro Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) Hello all, I've been reading much on the atrocities being committed by ISIS in Iraq/Syria. The media is focusing heavily on the Yazidis, but the terrible acts of violence are not limited to them. Non-Muslims of all types are being targeted, including Christians, who have been beheaded, crucified, and also forced to flee as refugees (some sources say as many as 100,000 Christians have been displaced). The images available online are heartbreaking -- there are many martyrs for the Christian faith in Iraq and Syria today. I'm tempted to speak about this immense evil, but my point in this post is different. I was wondering how often the President of the LDS church speaks about current events -- political, global, etc. I did a quick google search and did not find anything said by President Monson about this crisis, but I also realize that his words are not going to be reported as widely as, say, Pope Francis, simply due to the quite smaller size of the LDS church. If he doesn't speak out on such events, is there a particular reason? Is it cultural or doctrinal? Thanks, and may God bless our Christians brothers and sisters who are being horribly persecuted for the faith, and may He protect all those who are visited by evil. While not the most recent pronouncements, President Hinckley did speak out about the movie "Chicago", and President Monson complained about the Beatles...* *Yes, I know he was quoting someone. Edited August 14, 2014 by cinepro 1
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