Glenn Beck: Agent of Good or Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

[John81]

Glenn Beck has gone from relative OBscurity as a liberal on a liberal network to a conservative icon on a perceived-by-many conservative network in a relatively short period of time. In the process he's gained a national following and a great deal of clout.

Most here at least know some about him, others know a lot. If you give careful consideration to his overall message and what he's doing, what is your take on him?

Beck has a major event coming up in DC, I believe on 8/28, of which he's keeping much in secret. However, what is known of the planned event should give plenty of room for thought in itself.

Following that event, there will be various events across the land on 9/12 stemming from Beck's 9/12 project.

Is Beck delivering the right message to benefit America or not? Is Beck good for America, good for Christians, good for Christianity or is there something else going on?

[bzmomo7]

Glenn Beck has gone from relative OBscurity as a liberal on a liberal network to a conservative icon on a perceived-by-many conservative network in a relatively short period of time. In the process he's gained a national following and a great deal of clout.

Most here at least know some about him, others know a lot. If you give careful consideration to his overall message and what he's doing, what is your take on him?

Beck has a major event coming up in DC, I believe on 8/28, of which he's keeping much in secret. However, what is known of the planned event should give plenty of room for thought in itself.

Following that event, there will be various events across the land on 9/12 stemming from Beck's 9/12 project.

Is Beck delivering the right message to benefit America or not? Is Beck good for America, good for Christians, good for Christianity or is there something else going on?

Well, I think that he has got a lot of good information out there about what is going on in politics etc. that has largely went unreported by the media. However, I think as Christians, we have to be careful that 1. we realize this guy is very religious, but he is not a Christian.....he is a Mormon. 2. We do not get so caught up in politics that we forget that our mission on this earth is to spread the Gospel and serve the Lord Jesus Christ, not to fix the gov't. If 3/4 of our nation were truly saved and fruitful servants of the Lord, there would be no need to fix anything.

[HappyChristian]

I agree mostly with what bzmom said (the part about getting caught up in politics...I agree to a point, but I also believe that there are Christians whom God would have working in politics, just like in any area of life).

Beck is knowledgeable about a lot of things. And he is a showman who knows how to captivate his audience. But he is dangerous in one big area: he is ecumencial. He believes that anyone who believes in God should join hands with all others who believe in God and pray and work....sounds good, but big prOBlem is that he's prOBably going to convince a lot of folk that all they need to do is believe in God.

He is doing a good thing in that he is rightly pointing out that without God, our nation is kaput. PrOBlem is, he leaves out Christ. But he has to because, as bz says, he is a Mormon.

[John81]

Some talk radio and Christian radio, as well as internet sites, have been talking about Beck and his upcoming event a lot of late.

I agree Beck has put forth some great information that's not commonly known among historically illiterate Americans. This would be great if he were consistent with historical accuracy. Instead, Beck uses history to go after those he doesn't agree with while ignoring history that goes against what he's putting forth.

Beck has also been dishonest in this pursuit. He's commented that he's only interested in the truth and if he's ever in error and it's pointed out to him he'll make corrections. However, this is something he's not done. Beck has decided Lincoln and MLK are his heroes (among others, but these two are among the most well known) and made a plethora of false statements regarding them and even more egregious (and false) statements against those who didn't wholeheartedly support them. Beck has been personally sent, as well as having the information published online, the historical information and documentation to prove his errors yet has acknowledged none. Interestingly, some of the things Beck has attacked "progressives" for had their roots in both Lincoln and MLK yet he holds these two up while attacking those who learned their "progressive" ideas from them.

Worst of all is Beck's ideas of religious amalgamation. As has been pointed out, he's very ecumenical. Besieds attempting to push the idea that Mormonism is a form of mainstream Christianity, he's promoting the idea that everyone should put aside solid stands on the Word of God in order to join together to accomplish political goals.

Beck has managed to fool a great many professing conservatives and Christians into believing he's some sort of "conservative Christian white knight". All this even though he calls himself a libertarian (of course Beck also says true conservatives are libertarians) and he proudly proclaims himself to be Mormon (though he says things about Jesus which seem to easily dupe biblically illiterate professing Christians).

What is more dangerous, the wolf which growls and snarls as it heads towards the sheep in open view or the wolf which disquises itself as a sheep and sneaks in among the sheep?

[JerryNumbers]

I feel like many, he mixes to much truth with to many wrongs. And he is out for # 1, and he is enjoying the ride that those he fools are giving him.

Just another lustful man living in the flesh.

[ThomasCooper]

He is not a Christian, so he cannot be an agent for good.

Matt 12:30

[John81]

He is not a Christian, so he cannot be an agent for good.

Matt 12:30

Yet many professing Christians are behind this guy 100% and point out Beck says good things about Jesus so that makes him okay. Unfortunately, it's not only professing Christians from watered down or even somewhat liberal churches saying this, many so-called conservative Christians and those from solid churches are falling for this as well.

[John81]

Tomorrow is Glenn Beck's much hailed 8/28 event. David Cloud addresses this in his Friday Church News this week, which can be found here

We already know, or I hope we do, that Beck is an avowed Mormon and fully committed to Mormonism, yet many Christians are being taken in by him because he mentiones Jesus, even though the Mormon Jesus is NOT the same Jesus as of the New Testament.

Beck is planning to try and unite all religious groups and a variety of political persuasions to come together along with a diversity of others. In doing this Beck is willing to accept virtually any religious group regardless of the truth or error of their beliefs. He's also attempting to draw blacks and upset liberals by lifting the false Christian MLK up as a hero and bringing his niece into the event. Beck is clear that he's libertarian and he's seeking to draw conservatives, independents and liberals towards libertarianism.

It's interesting that Beck has been unwilling to announce who is on the list of diverse leaders from many religious and other groups who will be attending and speaking at the event. If nothing else, when we finally do discover who is yoking together for this, we may learn something new.

An otherwise fine Christian man from our little town went to DC yesterday in the hopes he can wait in line today for free tickets to the event. He has some sincere intentions, he likes the idea of the high priority of the Christian foundations of America involved in this event, and this is the main reason he's going because many of the sermons preached in America prior to the Revolution are supposed to be read/preached at the event. However, like so many others, he seems to be getting caught up in the idea that the unequal yoking may be a good thing and just what America needs.

Has anyone heard anything new about this event or does anyone know someone who plans to attend?

[Annie]

Tomorrow is Glenn Beck's much hailed 8/28 event. David Cloud addresses this in his Friday Church News this week, which can be found here

We already know, or I hope we do, that Beck is an avowed Mormon and fully committed to Mormonism, yet many Christians are being taken in by him because he mentiones Jesus, even though the Mormon Jesus is NOT the same Jesus as of the New Testament.

Beck is planning to try and unite all religious groups and a variety of political persuasions to come together along with a diversity of others. In doing this Beck is willing to accept virtually any religious group regardless of the truth or error of their beliefs. He's also attempting to draw blacks and upset liberals by lifting the false Christian MLK up as a hero and bringing his niece into the event. Beck is clear that he's libertarian and he's seeking to draw conservatives, independents and liberals towards libertarianism.

It's interesting that Beck has been unwilling to announce who is on the list of diverse leaders from many religious and other groups who will be attending and speaking at the event. If nothing else, when we finally do discover who is yoking together for this, we may learn something new.

An otherwise fine Christian man from our little town went to DC yesterday in the hopes he can wait in line today for free tickets to the event. He has some sincere intentions, he likes the idea of the high priority of the Christian foundations of America involved in this event, and this is the main reason he's going because many of the sermons preached in America prior to the Revolution are supposed to be read/preached at the event. However, like so many others, he seems to be getting caught up in the idea that the unequal yoking may be a good thing and just what America needs.

Has anyone heard anything new about this event or does anyone know someone who plans to attend?

I wonder if a little clarifying needs to be done with the word ecumenical. (I'm truly asking; I'm not at all familiar with how Beck is billing this event.) I've always been under the impression that the term ecumenism (ecumenicalism?) deals more with joining to worship rather than joining in common causes the focus of which is not corporate worship of God. For example, I can cheer for the same football team, play on the same basketball team, work for the same company, and vote for the same political candidate as unbelievers without being "unequally yoked" with them. How is what Beck is proposing different from these activities, which involve people of different faiths working together toward a common goal? Sure, if he's framing the event in such a way that the attenders, by their very presence, are conscientiously agreeing that "all faiths are one," and if, indeed, that one idea is the central idea of the rally, then I'd say the event is to be avoided by believers. I would not avoid the event, however (assuming that I agreed and supported its main cause), just because the organizer of the event doesn't agree with me about certain historical facts, or whether MLK was a Christian, etc. The Sarah Palin rally I attended carried a lot of the same assumptions as what you've described, but it didn't hinder us from going. There was an invocation...She made all kinds of all-inclusive statements about "all you God-fearing Christians out there" (thunderous applause from the couple who had just cussed up a storm), ETC. That's politics for you. Edited August 27, 2010 by Annie

[John81]

Beck is promoting the idea that the various religions and/or denominations can unite and bring America back to her Christian roots even though for such to happen all those involved must lower their faith to the lowest common denominator.

He's also calling Christian, those who are not Christian, while calling all to unite and yoke together under the banner of a worldly form of Christianity for the sake of political power while claiming doing so will bring the blessings of God upon the nation. This is a totally unbiblical concept.

Beck, who is a Mormon and not a Christian, promotes another non-Christian (MLK) as a means of getting more to be willing to yoke together unbiblically. MLK proclaimed Christ wasn't the only way to heaven, was a serial adulterer, promoted the breaking of the law, yoked himself with communists... Now Beck, who is a Mormon and believes in a Jesus not proclaimed in the Bible, is yoking himself with such and yoking himself with many other non-Christians, watered down Christians and worldly Christians, proclaiming we are all equal and through such united power those who yoke with them can gain political victory and restore America to being a Christian nation.

All of this is unbiblical and violates many biblical commands.

Christians supporting Beck has been one of the keys to Mormonism becoming so accepted now as another Christian denomination, which they are not.

[John81]

Dueling rallies in DC mark King speech anniversary
55 mins ago


WASHINGTON – Tens of thousands of people heeded broadcaster Glenn Beck's summons for his "Restoring Honor" rally Saturday from the same marble steps at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr.'s gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech 47 years ago to the day.

Civil rights leaders protested the event — organizers have a permit for a crowd up to 300,000, though the Fox News commentator and conservative favorite said he expects 100,000 — and scheduled a 3-mile plus march from a high school to the site of a planned King memorial near the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial.

Beck insisted it was a coincidence that his gathering, where potential 2012 presidential candidate Sarah Palin was to speak, overlapped with the King speech anniversary of King's speech. Organizers said their aim was to honor military personnel and others "who embody our nation's founding principles of integrity, truth and honor."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, leading the civil rights march, said Beck's demonstration was an anti-government rally that advocated states' rights — counter to the message in King's speech, in which the civil right leader appealed to the federal government to ensure equality.

"The structural breakdown of a strong national government, which is what they're calling for, is something that does not serve the interests of the nation and it's something that Dr. King and others fought against," Sharpton told C-SPAN on Saturday.

People began filling up the space between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, many waving American flags. The Washington-area subway system reported delays dues to crowding at some stations.

Click image to see photos of Glenn Beck's 'Restoring Honor' rally


AP/Jacquelyn Martin
Beck has given voice to those angry and frustrated with President Barack OBama and other Democrats this election year, especially members of the tea party movement.

A conservative blogger's assertion that parts of the capital should be avoided as unsafe, created an uproar on the blogosphere, drawing accusations of racism and a sharp response by angry city leaders.

___

Associated Press writers Brett Zongker and Nafeesa Syeed contributed to this report.

___

Online:

Beck rally: http://www.glennbeck.com/828/

Sharpton rally: http://www.nationalactionnetwork.net/

[John81]

While Sharpton isn't known for actually being right that often, he is right about the fact MLK called for the federal government to usurp States rights and use unconstitutional means to achieve his demands. This, of course, is totally opposite to what Beck claims to stand for. As well, this is another example of how Beck is quick to ignore the facts regarding those he chooses to hold up as heroes and role models even while attacking others who have done, or do, what his "heroes" did.

Another point, Beck is claiming the timing of his event with the 47th anniversary of the MLK speech at the same place he gave it is just a coincidence. Beck prides himself, and comments upon this often, as being one who fully researches everything before moving forward. It seems amazing that he expects folks to believe that neither himself (who now proclaims to hold MLK up so high) nor any of his myriad of researchers or any of the score of others involved in choosing of the date and site didn't know their choice landed on the anniversary date and in the same place as the MLK speech.

[1Timothy115]

He is not a Christian, so he cannot be an agent for good.

Matt 12:30

Pharaoh king of Egypt or Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon weren't Christians either; but, God used them for His own purpose and glory. Although I can't see how God will have the glory for Beck's broadcasts God will use Beck according to His own purpose.

I don't watch much FOX anymore but, I watch the others even less. Edited August 28, 2010 by 1Tim115

[John81]

Beck: Help us restore traditional American values
23 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Conservative commentator Glenn Beck and tea party champion Sarah Palin appealed Saturday to a vast, predominantly white crowd on the National Mall to help restore traditional American values and honor Martin Luther King's message. Civil rights leaders who accused the group of hijacking King's legacy held their own rally and march.

While Beck billed his event as nonpolitical, conservative activists said their show of strength was a clear sign that they can swing elections because much of the country is angry with what many voters call an out-of-touch Washington.

Palin told the tens of thousands who stretched from the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the grass of the Washington Monument that calls to transform the country weren't enough. "We must restore America and restore her honor," said the former Alaska governor, echoing the name of the rally, "Restoring Honor."

Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee in 2008 and a potential White House contender in 2012, and Beck repeatedly cited King and made references to the Founding Fathers. Beck put a heavy religious cast on nearly all his remarks, sounding at times like an evangelical preacher.

"Something beyond imagination is happening," he said. "America today begins to turn back to God."

Beck exhorted the crowd to "recognize your place to the creator. Realize that he is our king. He is the one who guides and directs our life and protects us." He asked his audience to pray more. "I ask, not only if you would pray on your knees, but pray on your knees but with your door open for your children to see," he said.


A group of civil rights activists organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton held a counter rally at a high school, then embarked on a three-mile march to the site of a planned monument honoring King. The site, bordering the Tidal Basin, was not far from the Lincoln Memorial where Beck and the others spoke about two hours earlier.

Sharpton and the several thousand marching with him crossed paths with some of the crowds leaving Beck's rally. People wearing "Restoring Honor" and tea party T-shirts looked on as Sharpton's group chanted "reclaim the dream" and "MLK, MLK." Both sides were generally restrained, although there was some mutual taunting.

One woman from the Beck rally shouted to the Sharpton marchers: "Go to church. Restore America with peace." Some civil rights marchers chanted "don't drink the tea" to people leaving Beck's rally.

Sharpton told his rally it was important to keep King's dream alive and that despite progress more needs to be done. "Don't mistake progress for arrival," he said.

He poked fun at the Beck-organized rally, saying some participants were the same ones who used to call civil rights leaders troublemakers. "The folks who used to criticize us for marching are trying to have a march themselves," he said. He urged his group to be peaceful and not confrontational. "If people start heckling, smile at them," Sharpton said.

Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia's delegate to Congress, said she remembers being at King's march on Washington in 1963. "Glenn Beck's march will change nothing. But you can't blame Glenn Beck for his March-on-Washington envy," she said.

Beck has said he did not intend to choose the King anniversary for his rally but had since decided it was "divine providence." He portrayed King as an American hero.

Sharpton and other critics have noted that, while Beck has long sprouted anti-government themes, King's famous march included an appeal to the federal government to do more to protect Americans' civil rights.

The crowd — organizers had a permit for 300,000 — was a sea of people standing shoulder to shoulder across large expanses of the Mall. The National Park Service stopped doing crowd counts in 1997 after the agency was accused of underestimating numbers for the 1995 Million Man March.

It was not clear how many tea party activists were in the crowd, but the sheer size of the turnout helped demonstrate the size and potential national influence of the movement.

Tea party activism and widespread voter discontent with government already have effected primary elections and could be an important factor in November's congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative races.

Lisa Horn, 28, an accountant from Houston, said she identifies with the tea party movement, although she said the rally was not about either the tea party or politics. "I think this says that the people are uniting. We know we are not the only ones," she said. "We feel like we can make a difference."

Ken Ratliff, 55, of Rochester, N.Y., who served as a Marine in the Vietnam War, said he is moving more in the tea party direction. "There's got to be a change, man," he said.

Palin told the crowd she wasn't speaking as a politician. "I've been asked to speak as the mother of a soldier and I am proud of that distinction. Say what you want to say about me, but I raised a combat vet and you can't take that away from me." It was a reference to her son, Track, 20, who served a yearlong deployment in Iraq.

Palin likened the rally participants to the civil rights activists from 1963. She said the same spirit that helped them overcome oppression, discrimination and violence would help this group as well.

"We are worried about what we face. Sometimes, our challenges seem insurmountable," Palin said. "Look around you. You're not alone."

Beck paced on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and spoke through a wireless microphone headset. "For too long, this country has wandered in darkness. ... Today we are going to concentrate on the good things in America, the things that we have accomplished — and the things that we can do tomorrow."

In one of his many references to King, Beck noted that he had spent the night before in the same Washington hotel where King had put the finishing touches on his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Clarence B. Jones, who served as King's personal attorney and his speechwriter, said he believes King would not be offended by Beck's rally but "pleased and honored" that a diverse group of people would come together, almost five decades later, to discuss the future of America.

Jones, now a visiting professor at Stanford University, said the Beck rally seemed to be tasteful and did not appear to distort King's message, which included a recommitment to religious values.

Both groups heard from members of the King family.

Alveda King, a niece of the civil rights leader, appealed to Beck rally participants to "focus not on elections or on political causes but on honor, on character ... not the color of our skin."

Martin Luther King III said at the site of the planned memorial that his father in 1967 and 1968 "was focused on economic empowerment. He did not live to see that come to fruition." King added, "We have made great strides, but somehow we've got to create a climate so that everybody can do well, not just some."

Beck had appealed to those attending not to bring signs with them. But Mike Cash, a 56-year-old Atlanta businessman, found a way around that. Over his polo shirt, he wore a T-shirt that read "Treat OBama like a used tea bag, toss him out now!"

"I wouldn't have missed it (the rally) for anything," said Cash, who drove up with his family. "We are here kind of protesting about our government, too. I'm a businessman and I'm worried about taxes going up."

Many in the crowd watched the proceedings on large television screens. On the edges of the Mall, vendors sold "Don't Tread on Me" flags, popular with tea party activists. Other activists distributed fliers urging voters "dump OBama." The pamphlet included a picture of the president with a Hitler-style mustache.

LaVert Seabron, 80, a retired federal public health officer who lives in northwest Washington, said he was at the 1963 march and made it a point to attend Saturday's rally. He recalled King as a "great orator" and said "because of what he did we're here." Seabron, who's black, said he was heartened to see many young people at Saturday's event.

"It's good to see the next generation is still participating," he said. "We've been through this. It's good to see so many young people, because they'll have to pick up the torch and carry it to the next generation."

Regarding the Beck rally, Seabron said: "That's part of a democracy — everybody gets a chance to say what they want."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100828/ap_on_en_tv/us_dc_rally

[John81]

Beck, a Mormon, who doesn't believe in the true God of the Bible nor in His Son as recorded in the Bible, Jesus Christ, calls on people to pray and look to God and professing Christians are in awe and rally around this man.

It's amazing how so many professing Christians are easily led astray by generic references to "God" or proclamations put forth by false religionists when they use terms familiar in Christianity.

Conservatives and most biblical Christians rightly stood against MLK and pointed out his unconstitutional proposals, his promotion of unlawfulness, his unchristian beliefs, his wicked lifestyle, etc. Yet today we once again hear supposed champions of conservatives proclaiming MLK as a hero; including Beck and Palin. Beck, who claims to want to correct historical lies and highlight historical truth has chose to ignore the truth in this area and echo the mythical lies built up around MLK by liberals.

So, we have Beck holding up an unchristian, anti-constitution, liberal icon as a hero; we have Beck drawing more professing Christians into the belief that Mormons are Christians and both serve the same God; we have Beck convincing Christians that yoking with non-christians in prayer will restore America to her Christian roots...etc....

Sounds rather akin to a false prophet.