I just finished watching all three hours of Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally on the footsteps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., on this August 28th. I found it to be inspiring. The rally opened with prayer and gave a pledge of allegiance to "one nation under God."
The rally was sponsored by Glenn Beck and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. To those unfamiliar with the SOWF, it is an organization devoted to taking care of wounded Special Operations soldiers, and giving college scholarships to family members of Special Operation soldiers who have been killed in action. They are a most worthy organization.
The rally was devoted to a singular purpose: calling citizens to return to the religious roots of this country.
The rally appeared to attract several hundred thousand people, although I do not know the official number.
Appropriately, the rally paid special attention to Martin Luther King Jr., who 47 years ago gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the same location. Given King's strong pacifist orientation, he might have been uncomfortable with the strong pro-military themes of the "Restoring Honor" rally. Even so, it is hard to imagine that he would not have identified with most of the other rally themes.
The event was pitched as apolitical, but Sarah Palin gave a long speech, mostly as a representative "military mother." She paid homage to several wounded soldiers. She called them to the podium and gave them hugs.
Beck created three "merit" medals to honor individuals with special devotion to "Faith," "Hope," and "Charity." Pastor C.L. Jackson from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (Houston, Texas) received the "Faith" medal. Major League Baseball player Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals) received the medal for "Hope." Jon Huntsman Sr. received the medal associated with "Charity," and was described as being committed to giving away his total wealth of two billion dollars.
There were many speakers from a wide variety of Christian faiths. The music largely had a "Protestant" flavor. I very much enjoyed the bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace."
Interestingly, Glenn Beck challenged his audience to donate tithes to their churches. He argued that the strength of America is based in the devotion to God by its citizens.
I found very little to complain about in the event. Glenn Beck does not always represent my political or religious views. Even so, this event reminded me of the following passage found in the Doctrine & Covenants 98:4-7:
4 And now, verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them.
5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.
6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;
7 And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.
The rally had a strong Constitutional emphasis. Beck repeatedly quoted the last words of the Declaration of Independence: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." Under these words were the signatures that enacted the document. Our forefathers knew they were pledging their lives for the sake of the country, and they sought God's protection in doing so.
This rally reminded me of an important fact. If we Latter-day Saints are to be engaged citizens whose work strengthens this country, then we BETTER be prepared to work cooperatively with other religious groups and give to them the respect and the voice that they well deserve to have. If we prop ourselves up as religious know-it-all's, then we deserve to fall flat on our faces. Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally is a good example of how differing faiths can work cooperatively to strengthen this country.
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18 comments:
I saw about 90 minutes. I thought it was well done. I enjoyed reading and agree with your post.
A couple of points:
You state that "The rally was devoted to a singular purpose: calling citizens to return to the religious roots of this country." The only problem with such a purpose is that this country was not founded on "religious roots" and inasmuch as the majority of the Founding Fathers were indeed religious men, it was a religion very, very different from that espoused by Glenn Beck and his predominantly conservative evangelical audience.
Secondly, allusions to Martin Luther King, Jr. are certainly appropriate (especially on this day), but leading up to the rally, Beck has repeatedly emphasized that he and his followers are the legitimate heirs of the civil rights movement. This past week on his radio show he promoted the rally by bragging that "we will reclaim the civil-rights moment. We will take that movement, because we were the people that did it in the first place!" As columnist Leonard Pitts aptly put it:
"Beck's contention that his "we" were the architects of the civil-rights movement is worse than nonsensical, worse than mendacious, worse than shameless. It is "obscene." It is theft of legacy. It is robbery of martyr's graves."
Indeed it is. It is despicable. In both the stated purpose of the rally and the invocation of MLK's legacy then, Beck is not innocently attempting to promote faith, hope, and charity, but rather intentionally distorting history and manipulating the memory of not only King but the Civil Rights movement itself.
Lastly, I think you mean Jon Huntsman, Sr. (not Jr.) was honored. Huntsman, Jr. (Utah's former governor) is currently serving in the Obama administration as ambassador to China, and Beck wouldn't be caught dead honoring any member of this administration. And I cannot imagine Huntsman, Jr., political moderate of voice of sanity and reason that he is, probably would prefer to not be associated with the likes of Beck.
Christopher:
Thanks for the correction. I changed Huntsman Jr. to Sr.
True, there never was a "national" religion, but the country was certainly founded in religion with religious freedom as a central factor. The Plymouth pilgrims and their nonorthodox religion provide just one example of a founding impetus.
When we stray from religious tolerance and freedom, then we end up arguing where Mosques can be built, as well as LDS temples. Thus, it is best we Americans realize that this country has a special relationship with religion (in general).
I don't know or care what Beck said about civil rights yesterday. I would only say that all Americans who enjoy civil rights now owe a lot to Martin Luther King, Jr. and his followers.
Pitts is welcome to his opinion, but he has put Beck in a double bind. If Beck praises MLK, then he is stealing a legacy. If Beck failed to mention MLK, then he would be insensitive and disrespectful. Critics love such double whams.
By the way, I detected no distortion of MLK history during the rally.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts. I do appreciate them.
I wonder if "traditional American values" can be quantified and if so, can they encompass the tremendous diversity in our nation today? Diversity has always been viewed as a strength, but are there limits to that? Can our "traditional American values" be cherished by all or are they too exclusionary without modification? I wonder if what Glenn is calling tradition American values is better described as traditional *Christian* values. If we view ourselves as a primarily Christian nation established on Christian values, what does that say about our diversity? Is the alternative to have only those values shared in common with all religious and non-religious Americans? The lowest common denominator so to speak. Is that what Glenn and his movement are fighting?
You are aware that Beck has come out in opposition to the proposed Islamic community center/mosque, right? He and his followers are not in favor of protecting religious freedom. They're in favor of shoving their own narrow brand of conservative religio-political Christianity down everyone else's throats.
Stan:
The rally definitely had the feel of a Christian revival. Even so, I was impressed with the variety of denominations involved. I don't believe the word "Mormon" was ever mentioned, however. The rally would have been strengthened by Jewish and Islamic representatives at the podium.
Christopher:
As stated in my essay, I do not align my politics completely with Glenn Beck. Nonetheless, I believe I have the right to have enjoyed his rally. I did.
Yes, I find it paradoxical when Mormons want their temples placed at certain locations with their high spires brightly lit, and yet would hedge at the construction of a mosque.
But, that particular controversy did NOT get raised in the rally. Sorry.
I'm not disappointed that the issue of the mosque did not get raised at the rally. But you raised it here in your praise of Beck, implying that Beck's rally drove home the point for you that "When we stray from religious tolerance and freedom, then we end up arguing where Mosques can be built, as well as LDS temples." I was simply pointing out that Beck and his followers have no interest in protecting religious freedom or exhibiting any degree of tolerance toward anyone that does not fit their narrow-minded conception of what constitutes a "true American." This is what drives his desire to contest the memory of a figure like MLK, it is what drives him to buy into the half-baked theories of self-appointed experts like David Barton, it is what underlies the anger and hostility directed at the current administration, and it is what the rally yesterday was really about--"restoring" to America the "honor" it supposedly once possessed when white Christian landowning men ruled.
You have every right to have enjoyed the rally. But certainly attempting to contextualize what you observed yesterday by taking into account Beck's larger agenda might be wise before so unabashedly and uncritically heaping praise on the man.
Christopher:
I thought I was heaping praise upon the rally, not upon Beck. Sorry to have confused you. Well, not too sorry though.
.
Re: "not founded on religious roots"
I have always understood that somewhere down near the roots of this country is the Constitution which Jesus Christ himself "established" by the hands of men whom He, Jesus Christ, "raised up unto this very purpose" (D&C 101:80).
I remember President Spencer W. Kimball saying, "The ideals on which the nation is founded stem from him who is the author of Liberty."
President Ezra Taft Benson agreed. He said the United States is a "great Christian nation — a nation with a spiritual foundation."
But Benson warns that "we must return to a spirit of humility, faith in God, and the basic concepts upon which this great Christian nation has been established under the direction of Divine Providence."
He explains that "the Founding Fathers recognized the importance of vital religion and morality in the affairs of individuals and governments, and they turned to religion in order to give their new experiment a sense of direction. They were well aware that the principles of moral, intellectual, and spiritual integrity taught and exemplified by the Savior are the perfect guide for the conduct of countries and of individuals. It is no accident that the principles of Christian religion are the foundation of the Constitution of the United States."
He also explains that this country is "founded on the truth of Christian principles" and he asks, "Whence have come our blessings of influence and success, and what assurance do we have that these blessings may be continued? Have they not come as a result of a humble and devout recognition of the overruling power of Almighty God in the establishment of this nation, and the willingness of the founding fathers to conform their actions to divine law?"
Elder Dallin H. Oaks served as law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren and later was himself a justice on the Utah Supreme Court. Surely Oaks knows something about this country's roots. I find it noteworty, therefore, that Oaks emphasizes President David O. McKay's warning about the Supreme Court wrongly "leading a Christian nation down the road to atheism."
Elder M. Russell Ballard has cautioned that, "The battle continues as efforts are under way to preclude the display of the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, a public school, or on other public property. These very commandments are the same ones James Madison, the chief architect of the Constitution, spoke of when he said: 'We have staked the future of American civilization, not upon the power of the government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments.' "
Ballard goes on, "George Washington agreed with his colleague James Madison. Said Washington: 'Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.' "
Ballard continues, "John Adams, another of America's Founding Fathers, insisted: 'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.' "
Years ago, the United States Supreme Court itself outlined a "volume of unofficial declarations" and a "mass of organic utterances" that all unanimously proclaim "this is a Christian nation."
Thanks, R. Gary!! Great contribution.
I am sorry I mistook you for someone capable of critical analysis and thoughtful debate.
Christopher, I was at the rally in DC and found it to be spiritually uplifting. The Spirit was indeed there. People were happy, helpful, and joined in a common purpose of becoming better people through living values and principles espoused by our Founding Fathers.
I don't know what your obsession is with constantly deriding Glenn Beck. I've listened to/watched him for a few years now and wish more commentators would have as much passion for what they honestly believed in. Beck repeatedly prods his listeners to pray, to serve others, to seek revelation, attend Church, be better parents and citizens, and study things out in their own minds. If only more commentators would promote such behavior we would certainly have a better society.
And what's up with your last comment, "I am sorry I mistook you for someone capable of critical analysis and thoughtful debate"? S.Faux has been nothing but respectful to you even though you two share some disagreement. I'm certain S.Faux is "capable" of critical analysis and debate, he just may not want to debate with you. Move on.
Christopher:
Most of your rhetoric boils down to ad hominem attack on Beck. Fine. De gustibus non disputandum est. I like Beck more than you do. What is there to argue about???
By the way, I make a living doing critical analysis. ;)
I certainly praise anyone who wishes for our country to return to it's strong Christian roots and values. In saying that I do not mean disrespect to any nondenominationl religion or non-christian religion. It is true that we need to return to what this country was founded upon. The principles of hard work, faith, hope and charity and a general love for fellow mankind is essential if this country and the whole world is to progress to fulfill its destiny and become the Zion that God wants it to become. Many may say that our founding fathers were this or that, but at least they properly understood mans position with his Creator.
rob osborn
Thanks, rob osborn: you and I agree!! It is fun when we do!!
On his radio program when the mosque at ground zero was first in the news, Glenn Beck said he had no problem with a the mosque being built, bringing up the fact that temples from his own church had been unfairly discriminated against. He only criticized the mosque when later research revealed the ulterior motives of the Imam that would be over the mosque and his less than moderate views of America, as well as possible government funding of the mosque. And his argument is not that they don't have a right to build it. It is that it should not be funded in any way by the government and it is in very poor taste to have an Imam who has been quoted as saying America was in part responsible for the attacks on 9/11 running a mosque there.
Also, there were Rabbis and Imams among the clergy who he brought on stage during the rally as the "black robe regiment" who were united in working together to guide their congregations in turning our hearts back to God in order to heal our nation. One Rabbi spoke the previous evening at the event Glenn Beck put on at the Kennedy Center.
Trisha:
Thank you very much for the excellent clarifications.
Enjoyed the comments!
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