Editor's note: Letters continue to rush into our inboxes like a swollen mountain stream on a hot spring day concerning The Real Reason Why the Glenn Beck Interview was Pulled from Focus on the Family. Read that article here. Read yesterday's Letters to the Editor here.

Troubled About Dr. James Dobson's Anti-Mormon Views

When our children were young I became an instant fan of Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family when I first heard him on the radio. I would listen to his show often as I found great insight and helps with my role as a mother and wife. However, I was very troubled when a couple of years ago I found out Dr. Dobson had Anti-Mormon views. It troubled me that someone who proclaimed to be a Christian would have such views.

After Mitt Romney dropped out of the Presidential election, I found out that Dr. Dobson was a part of the Evangelical Ministers that worked so hard to degrade and discriminate against Mitt Romney. I decided to write to Dr. Dobson about my feelings and testimony of the restored Gospel. It is interesting that I got pretty much word for word the same explanation about the reason they do not believe we are Christians that was sent to Mary Wilson.

It is also interesting that they send me a newsletter every month now.

I was glad that I finally had an explanation as to why the other churches that refer to themselves as "Christian" did not consider us Christian. I do not believe that Dr. Dobson read my letter, which troubled me. I got the idea that the man who wrote back was the one who fielded it. I also go the idea that they use the same letter to send to anyone from our church who writes to them.

Your letter to them was well researched and if I did not have a testimony of the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from what Ron wrote and you wrote, I would have embraced what you wrote as it gives me the understanding that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ have bodies and passions like we do. That makes sense. I have had very personal experiences with both of them. No one can tell me they are the same person or all the things the Nicaean Creed states. And like you, from what I have heard those not of our faith who believe in Christ and God the Father, they do not believe what the Nicaean Creed teaches either.

I, like Joseph Smith, cannot deny what I know, nor would I want to. Let others say what they may, but, I, for one, will continue to hold fast to my testimony that the Spirit, not a committee of men from 325-450 AD has decided.

My mother-in-law attended another church (I will withhold the name of it). Suffice to say that it is a large and well-known church. I collected mail for her while she was out of town for a few weeks once. When I saw her church's newspaper I decided to read it. I was shocked that they were asking the members to give ideas on how to get the youth to come back to church. My mother-in-law said they did not have prayers in church because of the ACLU not liking it. It made me feel grateful for leaders who are called of God and who pray to know the Lord's mind and will for leading the Church.

Thanks for printing the letters and responses. I appreciated what you wrote that helped to educate us. God bless you for being a voice of reason in a world that is so full of confusion.

--Terry Olsen

Had to Hang Up the Phone

I am not in the least surprised by this. My experience with Focus on the Family started on early morning paper routes in 1996-1997. I would listen to their daily program on my routes; the information was helpful and informative. I enjoyed it so much that I called their toll-free number to pay them a compliment for an enjoyable program. The customer service attendant was very cordial, and upon asking me what church I attended, as soon as I told her, her demeanor changed completely. She literally started on what can be called nothing other than a rant about Mormons not being Christian. I was so taken aback I could say nothing but slowly hang up on her. It has been 12 years and it still bothers me to think about the utter lack of diplomacy/tact/manners this particular FOTF employee had. I haven't listened to that program since.

--Susie Clayton
South St Paul, Minnesota

Hypocrisy to the Nth Degree

It seems to me this intractable view of the so called "orthodox" Christian community is hypocrisy to the nth degree. What after all caused the schism in the Catholic Church but a revolt against the orthodoxy of the day? Had not Luther made known his problems with Orthodoxy there would have been no "Reformation", no Protestants, and hence Focus on the Family's theological foundation would not exist.

Until we as Christians can be united in deed and as brothers, the evil in the world can only be strengthened and encouraged. Fortunately Focus on the Family's view is not universal among the Christian community; there are good men and women who, although they may not accept our theology, do accept our conviction to serve our God and Creator.

 --Stuart Remali
Whiteland, Indiana

Helped Me to Get the Full Picture

Thank you for your article today.  I, too, have followed up on the articles here on the Meridian, and also emailed Focus on the Family, where I voiced my concern as to why they pulled Glenn's article.  Lisa Jackson responded in a very kind manner to my email.  I had voiced some of the same thoughts, although not even remotely as eloquently as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.  I really appreciated the article you ran on Constantine, and the Nicaean Creed.  This helped me to get the full picture of why the doctrine was changed (in my mind, that was a political and popularity reason).  A friend of mine, who is no longer in the church, and is actively working against the church, once mentioned this Constantine at church, while giving a talk.  He was very briefly explaining why we don't believe the same Christ as other Christians, and now I have the full story explaining why.

--Jenny Svendsen
British Columbia, Canada

Exact Same Response from Focus

I wrote to Focus on the Family as well, stating that I was sad that the interview had been withdrawn, also adding that it was sad that they would enlist Church members in causes, and then withdraw their support at the slightest little thing.  Granted, our differences about the nature of the Godhead are not slight, but that this was used as the “basis” for withdrawing the interview, highlighting that particular difference, instead of uniting people of faith in their similarities – faith in God and in His love—is looking beyond the mark.

They wrote me the exact same response they wrote you (I'm sure others received it).  History about the Nicaean Council needs to be studied – half of the religious leaders of the day didn't even attend the Council - firstly, because they felt like that man even “deciding” what God was, was ridiculous.  Secondly, the African Church and Arius had a different view of God than that of the eastern Churches and thirdly, they knew that Constantine , although warm towards Christians, was still a Pagan and would have a heavy say on the “definition” of God.  (He wanted the Christians to just get along.  It was political, for national unity, for him. )  They stayed home.  The Bishop of Rome stayed home, for one.

I feel sad that false doctrine has hung on for so long – that people believe in what was a political decision, instead of going to God himself, who gives liberally.  It's even sadder than they don't have the faith to do that.  We must pray for them that their hearts will be softened, so that they will look to Him, and have the faith to ask. 

--Cindy Huffaker

Opportunity for a Great Film

Your article "The Real Reason the Glenn Beck Interview was Pulled From Focus on The Family" was excellent, my friend. One of our grand dreams is a film that illuminates the sad fact that Christianity is NOT based on Christ at all but on what a bunch of misguided Bishops concocted in the spirit of political expediency 300 years after He died. Good stuff. Good work. Happy New Year.

--Kieth Merrill

Near-Death Experience Testified of Christ Having a Body

Since I have had first-hand experience with a near death experience, I know for a fact and therefore testify that Christ does have a body, as he held me in his lap with his arms wrapped around me and his cheek pressed next to mine for 2-3 hours of this life time, after I had bled to death, because I needed his love and indeed felt it. And since that time I know we know nothing about real love.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have no problem with how anyone sees Deity. They have their choice to believe how they wish, but do not say that we are not Christians and do not believe in Christ!  I don't know of a group of people who believe more strongly in Christ.

--Pat Kay

Feel Sorry for Those Who Don't Have the Whole Truth

Having also responded by email to Focus on The Family, I also received a like response from them like Mary Wilson as quoted in this article.  All I could do is to feel sorry for those who consider themselves Christian and have not the whole truth.  I did not ask for my name to be removed, thinking that it would only cause further division between us and the Evangelicals.  From your words in the article, I felt that you feel the same way.  I feel that Focus on the Family does great good. Thanks for the good doctrinal quotes by the brethren.  I enjoy the articles in Meridian more than I can tell you.

--Sharon P. Christensen
Rexburg, Idaho

Power of Studying the Book of Mormon Coupled with the Bible

As disturbing as the information on the disagreement on the physical bodies of God the Father and Jesus Christ by other Christian faiths seems to us as Latter-day Saints, we as a people need to realize that we don't believe in the same God and Jesus that they do. We have further light and knowledge on the subjects. They reject that light and knowledge. It hurts ... but does it really? I'm thankful to know that God is my Heavenly Father and that I look like Him. I was raised in another Christian faith and my mom told me that God floated around the universe and was like a big head. I think that is why I always felt so close to my Savior Jesus Christ as a little girl because I knew He was real and that He lived here on earth too and that He loved me so much.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that we need to get over the fact that they (the other Christian denominations) don't believe what we do about being a Christian and that is OK. That is why I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because we had the fullness of the Gospel and the True Gospel and we know what Jesus and God the Father look we do (only glorified and perfected).

--Janice Thompson

Call Us Non-Christians to Scare People Away from Us

“Orthodox” Christianity is Catholicism not Protestantism

I find it interesting that the people who run Focus on the Family would cite differences between Mormonism and "orthodox Christendom" as the reason that they pulled the Beck interview.

"Orthodox" Christianity is Catholicism -- indeed, they refer to the Nicene doctrine as being "the" Christian view, a doctrine which was inserted into Christianity by Catholic priests, hundreds of years after Christ's ministry and despite Christ Himself praying to His Father. Yet they, themselves are not Catholic. They use Latin to describe other "orthodox" beliefs, yet Latin is the language of the Roman Catholic Church.

Absolutely fabulous article on the Glenn Beck interview—I'm Paul Bishop's wife, Dell. Paul and I are both converts (Paul of only 6 years).  Both of us (and our son) are the only members in our families.  We have a multitude of non-member friends, just as you do.   We have not received persecution from our non-member friends, but from family members.  Both of us are only children and Paul's parents estranged themselves from us when he was baptized.  Ask why in the world would you estrange yourself from your then-49 year old son, who is such a wonderful, Christian person, because of his religion?   It's very sad as they are only 10 minutes from us and both in grave health, yet they prefer to be alone at holidays, solely because we are LDS.

It's because they do not consider us Christian.  It does remain a mystery as to why, as you so eloquently stated in your article.  We can tell others we are Christians, yet people will tell us we are liars….we are not Christian.  We would no more think of criticizing the religious beliefs of another, yet others continue to criticize our beliefs…rather than accept the fact we have different beliefs about the Godhead.

You said it all in your article….so much of what you said we've experienced on a personal level.  I have an evangelical cousin who will no longer have a relationship with me unless we discuss religion.   I have no desire to 'discuss' our religious differences.  She only wants to argue and 'save' me. 

-- Kathie Shepherd
Stansbury Park, Utah

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Stay tuned for more Letters to the Editor on the Glenn Beck issue.