Editor's note: Yes, we continue to have letters on why the Glenn Beck interview was pulled from Focus on the Family's site. Meridian readers have a great deal to say, and although most comments have been edited and cut way down, we have tried to capture the gist of the comments that have come in. If you have not read the original article about the Glenn Beck interview being pulled you may read that article here. Read Monday's Letters to the Editor here. Read Tuesday's Letters to the Editor here.

Presbyterian turned Mormon: Still Christian

I was a member of the Presbyterian Church for my first 33 years.  I have been a member of the LDS Church for 31 years.  I consider myself to be a Christian for all my 64 years because I believe in Christ .  I now know Christ and his life and his gospel teachings. I now know why I'm here and I know how to live my life so that I can return to my Heavenly Father.  Yes, Focus, Mormons are Christians! 

 --Jo Ann Mickelson
Flagstaff, Arizona  

Feeling the Love of God

I have often felt troubled and confused as to why the larger Christian community thinks of us as non-Christian. I have gained so much insight from your article and from the many wonderful responses by your readers. As I have pondered and studied this issue more I have been able to feel the love of God and the confirmation of the Holy Ghost that this truly is His Church and that He is what Joseph Smith helped us to understand: our loving Heavenly Father, and that He yearns for all of His children to know Him as He truly is. Thank you so much for your efforts in making these difficult issues more clear and for sharing the responses and testimonies of your other readers- it has truly blessed my life.

--Wendi Cheney
Orem, Utah

Clearly Three Separate Beings

If God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are not separate beings of flesh and bones, then why did God, talking to Jehova (his Son who actually made the earth under the direction of God (John 1:1-2) in Genesis 1:26 say, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, etc. etc.?  Why when Jesus was baptized did the Voice from heaven say, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased?  Why did Jesus pray to His Father on the cross?  Why did he say His Father had sent Him?  Why did He urge Mary not to touch him after His ressurection, because He had not yet assended to His Father in Heaven?  And a multitude of other scriptures wherein he refers to His Father as a separate being from Himself.  The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are three separate beings working together as one. They are the highest functioning trio in existence, but they are three separate beings.

I would much rather believe in the visions and revelations and experiences of righteous men (not just Joseph Smith, but many of his apostles and followers as well), who saw God the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ and heard their voices, than a former atheist, Roman Emperor Constantine, whose religious background was questionable.  It took 125 years and three more councils to come up with the trinity as practiced today.  There is no evidence that anyone had received direct revelation on this issue.  They simply grew tired of constantly rehashing their theories and had a vote.

--Shirley Marshall  

Doctrines Created by Councils of Men

I was very saddened to read the response from Focus on the Family why the Glen Beck interview was pulled. Frankly, I find it hard to understand how so many who claim to be Christians keep clinging to doctrines created by councils of men long after the Savior and his Apostles. The trinity they worship was not the trinity of Christ's early church as most honest biblical scholars could tell you.

Frankly, I'm sick and tired of the Saints being concerned with the title of Christian as defined by the creeds of our day. If they want to believe in a version of God created by a council of Roman hacks, then let them. As long as they do, they will never accept us into the Christian family, something I'm not real concerned about anyway.

When I explain my beliefs to my non member friends, they have no problem seeing that we believe in Christ, that we view him as our Savior, and that only through his atoning sacrifice is it possible for us to be saved. That is good enough for me. They can call me a Mormon, a Latter Day Saint, or a Christian; it really doesn't matter to me.

--Jason Orton
Stratford, California

Glenn Beck's Book Thought Provoking and Tender

I just finished Glen's book and am amazed at the response of Focus on the Family. There are some spiritual themes in his story but I didn't find them overtly theological to the point that people should have cause to take offense. His account was thought provoking and tender, and personally, if he writes another book, I would read it and will look for his earlier books that I haven't yet read. I am not impressed with any organization that seeks divisive issues such as Focus on the Family has done. This idea that some are and some aren't Christian simply because we have a different perspective is why there are so many different churches and so little unity among them.

--Gail Wasden
Petaluma, California

Mormons are not Fundamentalist Christians

Just a few thoughts after reading the Glenn Beck article: Focus on the Family has long held the views expressed. The only surprise I felt with the whole episode was that a Mormon, no matter how much he adheres to fundamentalist Christian political views, had positive contact from them at all.

After I moved out of Utah I began to wonder why, as a Mormon, I ever felt any special connection to fundamentalist Christians. In our community it is fundamentalist Christians who show anti-Mormon (as well as anti-Catholic, anti-Muslim, and anti-science) movies in their churches. They are the ones who are afraid of and want to suppress anything that doesn't fit their view of the world, from other cultures and religions, to science and technology.

I have no problem with Focus on the Family distancing themselves as far from us as they can. I only wish Mormons would in equal measure realize that we are not fundamentalist Christians.

--Mandy Boody

Fear of Losing Their Own Followers

Glenn Beck doesn't need "Focus on the Family" to continue to be successful. A primary reason main-stream "Christian" ministers don't want to acknowledge the LDS Church or its constituents, especially a successful, well-known personality like Beck, is that they fear losing their own followers. They are in essence, businessmen (or businesswomen), operating a business (church) that they rely on for their livelihood. If they lose their constituents, as the minister in "Shepherd's Fellowship" is afraid of doing, what would become of them? It won't be the last prejudice that Glenn Beck will face now that he has joined the Church.

--Steve Nielsen

Some Progress?

Seems like Apple is in our camp...Tonight I decided to download some MoTab to my iPod Shuffle.  Browsed the iTunes Store, and where did I find MoTab: Under 'Christian & Gospel', not under Cult and Blasphemous. 

Hmmmm...

--Rich Roper

First Principle to Know the Character of God

I appreciated reading the Glenn Beck article and the feedback.  Let me say that of the things I've most enjoyed about Glenn Beck is his openness about his religious convictions and his values in his media work. 

Joseph Smith said "“It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God.”  Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City : Deseret Book Co. 1938, p. 345.)

In my experience, discussion of this question more than any other can quickly and sharply bring into focus the fundamental difference between Latter-day Saints and their Christian friends.  It is not surprising that this is a distinction drawn by FOTF in pulling the Beck review.  

As we are about our Father's business wherever we go, we need not contend.  We can work for the common good with men and women of goodwill who share that goal.  Goodwill or not, we will cheerfully continue on about our business. 

--Debra Liening
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Misunderstandings will Never Cease

I am not at all surprised by the Focus on the Family response. I am surprised, however, by the number of members of the LDS church who think that if we just do enough good works, including supporting FOTF's mission, that all persecutions and misunderstandings will cease, and we will all live together in peace and endless harmony in La-La Land . Misunderstandings and rejections will never cease, unless we give up our uniqueness in an effort to be acceptable to everybody else. Joseph and Hyrum did not die so we could be just like every other “Christian” church.

If we start demanding that everyone we help agree with us theologically, we will not be helping anyone anywhere soon. Sorry, Indonesia – too many Muslims. Sorry, China – too many atheists. Sorry, Florida – too many Jews and Catholics.

So Focus on the Family has drawn a circle that draws us out. Let us draw a circle that draws them in.

--Kent Brooksby
Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona

Mormons Not Allowed in National Day of Prayer

Thank you for the excellent article. While I was a strong supporter and listener of their programs for years, I became weary when I came to understand that Dr. Dobson's wife led the program, "National Day of Prayer" and instructed those participating to not let LDS members offer prayers at events held under the name "National Day of Prayer" as we “are not Christians.” It is sad.

--Susie Fluckiger
Pipe Creek, Texas

We Worship the Same Jesus…

I have trouble with the phrase "worshipping a different Jesus," which I read both in the letter from Focus on the Family and in a reader response by Curt Burnett.  The way I see it, we do not worship a different Jesus, we worship the same Jesus, but simply have different understandings of Him and His doctrines.  I think using the "different Jesus" phrase is in itself misleading and tends to increase rifts where bridges could be built instead.  There are not multiple Jesuses, there are simply multiple understandings.  I am grateful to have the restored gospel which gives us a clear picture of this great Savior whom we worship!

--Janice LeFevre

Why Should We Be Offended?