"Beck sermonized as if he were a Christian just like the Liberty students—just from a different denomination."

While I’m thankful for the good things that Liberty has done, discernment in has been a weakness from its beginning.

Jerry Falwell ignores his school’s published doctrine to defend Mormonism.

According to Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Liberty University’s doctrinal statement does not define Mormonism as a cult.

Liberty University fines students for not listening to cult leader.

Liberty University invited Mormon Glenn Beck to preach to its students at its compulsory convocation last week, handing out $10 fines to residential students who didn’t have a suitable excuse for not attending.

Liberty’s fines, Beck’s lie,and the students’ applause.

That all students are compelled to attend convocation should raise the stakes for the administration to ensure that they are honoring their students’ time and attention by bringing in speakers who can be profitably heard. Also, because Paul tells us to flee from false teachers like Beck, Liberty forces students to decide whether to obey university policy or follow Paul’s biblical instruction.

between this and Al Mohler at BYU?

[Don Johnson]

What’s the difference between this and Al Mohler at BYU?

A number of things.

http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/10/21/a-clear-and-present-danger-relig…

This is what brings me to Brigham Young University today. I am not here because I believe we are going to heaven together. I do not believe that. I believe that salvation comes only to those who believe and trust only in Christ and in his substitutionary atonement for salvation. I believe in justification by faith alone, in Christ alone. I love and respect you as friends, and as friends we would speak only what we believe to be true, especially on matters of eternal significance. We inhabit separate and irreconcilable theological worlds, made clear with respect to the doctrine of the Trinity. And yet here I am, and gladly so. We will speak to one another of what we most sincerely believe to be true, precisely because we love and respect one another.

So since Mohler presented the gospel, that makes his appearance at BYU the right decision? By reports, some of what Beck presented at Liberty was part of the Mormon gospel, don’t know how comprehensive it was, but sounds like there were elements of it there.

In any case, I am assuming that you are saying Beck’s appearance at LU was wrong (for whom?) and that Mohler’s at BYU was right. Is that a correct understanding of what you are saying? If that is so, why is one wrong and the other right?

It seems hard to be offended at Beck’s presentation of Mormon doctrine at Liberty if it is perfectly ok for Mohler to do the opposite at BYU. But maybe that’s just me. I’m looking for why you think there is a difference, a right and wrong moral difference, if there is one.

Jew Dennis Prager speaking at Bob Jones (2/20/2014) vs Glenn Beck at Liberty University.

Thanks

Larry Nelson mentioned this earlier

https://blogs.bju.edu/pr/2014/02/20/dennis-prager-to-speak-at-bju-tonig…

Since Don didn’t hesitate to drag Mohler’s name into this thread, allow me to bring up BJU hosting Dennis Prager in February.

I’m still puzzled about how BJU can have Dennis Prager, a non-believing Jew, speak on campus in February on the topic, “The Consequences of Secularism,” and BJU got a free pass from a number of people here at SI. Now there would have been a perfect opportunity for BJU to invite Mohler to speak at BJU. Mohler is widely acknowledged as an expert in the very topic that Prager addressed! Plus, In contrast to Prager, Mohler is a believing, conservative evangelical, Baptist–credentials which bizarrely apparently disqualify him from speaking at BJU.

Somehow in BJU’s application of separatism it is sometimes better to invite non-believers to address your campus than to invite believers…

[Addendum: Wow, Jim & I were on the same wavelength this morning. I was apparently composing my post at the same time that he was posting above.]

[Don Johnson]

So since Mohler presented the gospel, that makes his appearance at BYU the right decision? By reports, some of what Beck presented at Liberty was part of the Mormon gospel, don’t know how comprehensive it was, but sounds like there were elements of it there.

In any case, I am assuming that you are saying Beck’s appearance at LU was wrong (for whom?) and that Mohler’s at BYU was right. Is that a correct understanding of what you are saying? If that is so, why is one wrong and the other right?

It seems hard to be offended at Beck’s presentation of Mormon doctrine at Liberty if it is perfectly ok for Mohler to do the opposite at BYU. But maybe that’s just me. I’m looking for why you think there is a difference, a right and wrong moral difference, if there is one.

I’ll take a stab at this: How about because we (i.e. Christians) have been commanded to spread the Gospel, and I don’t believe there were any geographic restrictions attached. (See Matt 28:18-20; 2 Tim 4:2; Act 1:8)

Scripture may or may not address where or under what conditions non-believers may speak…but it seems clear in its instructions to believers.

Don,

Would there be a difference in your mind between Mohler doing what he has done at BYU and him extending a reciprocal invitation to the president of BYU to speak in chapel at Southern (which I am not aware he has done)? It seems that what LU has done with Beck would be far more similar to the second than the first.

from Burk’s article

Beck’s sermon invoked unity between his own faith and Liberty’s and downplayed differences. At one point during the message (14:37), Beck said this:

I share your faith. I am from a different denomination, and a denomination quite honestly that I’m sure can make many people at Liberty uncomfortable. I am a Mormon, but I share your faith in the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Beck also claimed to be worshiping the same God as the evangelical students assembled in the room. He said, “God is our God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Beck stressed unity, while Mohler did the exact opposite, and that to me is the difference.

Some who heard Beck would be fooled into believing his lies, while no one who heard Mohler would conclude that Baptists and Mormons “share” the same faith.

Other articles:

Glenn Beck preaches Mormon theology at Liberty University - Jonathan Merritt

Glenn Beck gives blueprint for life at final Convocation of semester - Drew Menard/Liberty University News Service

p.s. I thought I read somewhere that Beck changed his topic. Was going to speak on social issues but preached instead. Don’t have the time to go thru all the posts to find that info.

First, adding Prager to the mix is a fair question. I am not sure that it was a very smart thing to invite Prager to BJU, even for a non-religious talk. To ask a Jew to talk about secularism seems a bit odd. Besides, I can’t stand Prager. I doubt I’d ask him anywhere for anything.

Second, I am not the only one to wonder about Mohler. Read through the thread of comments in Denny Burk’s article (the one the OP links to). As of last night, a couple of people raised the issue, as far as I know Burk has not responded to either question.

Third, if it is true that Beck changed his topic, that might change the situation - but would call for strong denunciation from Liberty, so far not forthcoming as far as I know.

Finally, I don’t think there is a significant difference between the content of Beck’s talk and Mohler’s (other than the doctrinal disagreement). From my perspective, both were invited into enemy territory (so to speak) and gave legitimacy to each other and the impression that the differences between them are not so significant. But if there is a significant difference that you all can point to which show these events are not the same thing, I’d like to see it. So far your attempts have not convinced me.

• I applaud Mohler speaking at BYU … OK with that
• Prager at BJU doesn’t bother me
• Beck at Liberty does (because he equated his faith to mainstream Christian faith)

Trivia: I was at an University event (University of Buffalo) where Louis Farrakhan spoke. I was in the first rows. He pointed us “whities” out. I survived

[JohnBrian]

from Burk’s article

I share your faith. I am from a different denomination, and a denomination quite honestly that I’m sure can make many people at Liberty uncomfortable. I am a Mormon, but I share your faith in the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Beck also claimed to be worshiping the same God as the evangelical students assembled in the room. He said, “God is our God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

p.s. I thought I read somewhere that Beck changed his topic. Was going to speak on social issues but preached instead. Don’t have the time to go thru all the posts to find that info.

Here’s what I’d love to see happen: LU follows up with a public announcement of some sort sharply delineating precisely how & why Mormanism and Christianity are in fact NOT merely different denominations of the same faith.

Added: Pointing out exactly how Mormonism is NOT Christianity to a Mormon is not necessarily a pointless exercise. Bill, an ex-Mormon member of the Baptist church I belong to, will give anybody a hearty “Amen!” to that. A few years ago someone took the time to point out the differences to him, and he was gloriously saved.

The writer’s hagiographic coverage of (Mormon) Beck’s speech makes it sound like he’s a modern apostle Paul:

http://www.liberty.edu/news/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=118263