I just saw Kos' quotation of Glenn Beck in which he encourages people to go to the web site of their church and look for the words "Social Justice" or "Economic Justice". If the words are found there, according to Glenn, it is time to leave the church.
So I decided to check the Web Site of Glenn Beck's chosen faith. And...uh-oh! That baby popped nine results. Then I searched for "Economic Justice" which resulted in 157 mentions.
Glenn Beck converted to Mormonism as an adult. He has said that it helped him deal with his addiction to alcohol. If that's true, then I say good for you, Glenn.
But we all know that this messianic asshole indulges in all sorts of strange behavior. In the name of protecting freedom, he wants to tell the rest of us exactly how to live and think and vote. This cracked comment about what churches to attend is a great but not solitary example.
So here are the details of what I did. I googled "Mormon" and then clicked on the link to LDS.org. In their search box, I entered the words "Social Justice" and I got 9 responses.
The first 3 results (arguably) are consistent with Glenn's point. It says the gospel of social justice doesn't offend Satan as much as the personal testimony of Joseph Smith does. Okay.
But the 4th one is more problematic for Glenn and his ilk:
By introducing the concept of linear historical progress—the idea that because history is leading to a millennial state, our actions matter in helping create a better world—the Old Testament inspired great changes in human history. Whereas other religions of the period never "produced a major social revolution fired by a high concept of social justice, ... ‘the prophets of Judah were a reforming political force which has never been surpassed.’ "
See, the Mormons think Social Justice is a good thing.
Mentions five through seven, also uses the phrase in a positive light. They each relate to the annoucement of an award bestowed on the famed Mormon Tabernacle choir:
Tabernacle Choir Honored with Mother Teresa Award
The late Mother Teresa once said, "The world is hungry not only for food but also for beauty." In November 2006, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was presented with an award named in her honor, recognizing "the achievments of those who beautify the world, especially in the fields of religion, social justice, and the arts."
"This is the only choir that has touched the entire world with its beauty," said Dan Paulos, director of the St. Bernadette Institute of Sacred Art, which bestows the Mother Teresa Award. "There are a lot of choirs out there, but none so remarkable. It's a gift of God, and it should be shared with the world."
The 8th reference is a more or less neutral reference to policies of the British government in the aftermath of WW2. And the 9th is another neutral usage of the word in a discussion about the meaning of the Koran.
Obviously I don't have time to read all 157 "economic justice" results but I will give you the first one. It comes from a letter written by Elder James E. Faust. Of the Quorum of the Twelve. (My understanding is that these 12 men represent the Apostles in the current church.) The letter is written to his grand daughters.
It is unfortunate that it is taking so long to bring full economic justice to women. The feminization of poverty is both real and tragic. That is why you should work very hard to prepare for your future by gaining some marketable skills.
The struggle to improve the place of women in society has been a noble cause, and I sincerely hope the day will come when women with equal skills will be fully equal with men in the marketplace.
grand daughters
Fee free to read the other 156 if you like. Obviously, I don't care where or if Glenn Beck goes to church. But I do hope someone points out this little instance of hypocrisy to him.