Jesus & US Constitution Artist a Mormon - Advocating Mormon Doctrine...
There is an artist (John McNaughton) who has become very popular in the culture among those identifying as conservatives. This artist tries to combine religion and politics in a work. As no one is neutral, either liberal or conservative or independent, it is always useful to ask: where is he coming from? I'm interested in this from the religion / faith angle.
When you watch the video he has about a piece, there is a "Jesus" combined with American figures such as portrayed by some of the Founders and JFK and a soldier around Jesus. This artist has a voice-over in the background, which says that the constitution of the USA is "divinely inspired." Boom! This is code.
This is a dead giveaway of classic Mormon theology, which holds that belief uniquely to my knowledge (I know some forms of liberal theology have long-ago, but even though some of those ancients are around, that is pretty much a dead enterprise in theology (thankfully)).
Conservative Protestant pastors and church people should not be supportive of a belief that any document -- besides God's Word in the Bible that we have today -- is inspired 'of' God.
II Timothy 3:16 speaks only to the canon of God's Word as inspired. The Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants that the Mormons have cannot be placed on that level (because they have historical misinformation and are contradictory to the Bible we accurately have). Definitely, the US Constitution should never be viewed as inspired. I think the Constitution is a great document, but the Bible is simply on another unreachable plane. Mormons have made up a belief about the Constitution as inspired, from a historic Christian standpoint, and are trying to sell it to the American public in the conservative quarters. Implications may abound, but one of them is that for us as committed followers of God's Word in the Bible, nationalism or patriotism should never supplant God's place in his letter to us, the Bible.
To be clear, as a reminder to all of us, only in history can the nation of Israel as it was back under the Law of Moses (it is not today based on the Law, despite photos and videos showing those rare Israeli orthodox Jews as if they made up the whole nation over there) could claim an inspired constitution. There is no other nationalism or patriotism that should be baptized as inspired, even among non-Mormons. Speaking for myself, I'm glad that the artist apparently is not liberal theology. Liberal theology (different than liberal politics) sends people down a slippery slope to unbelief and ultimately self-worship (result of pride in knowing what is "scripture" in the Bible and what is "not" depends on how you "feel," which is evil). My suggestion here is that no one be subtlely led to put their nationalism on the same shelf or a higher one than their love of God and faith in Christ Jesus.
Links on his artwork for your enjoyment/thoughtfulness:
http://jonmcnaughton.com/content/ZoomDetailPages/OneNationUnderGod.html
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/03/21/painting-of-obama-burning-constitution-sparks-controversy-free-speech-offensive-or-both/
When you watch the video he has about a piece, there is a "Jesus" combined with American figures such as portrayed by some of the Founders and JFK and a soldier around Jesus. This artist has a voice-over in the background, which says that the constitution of the USA is "divinely inspired." Boom! This is code.
This is a dead giveaway of classic Mormon theology, which holds that belief uniquely to my knowledge (I know some forms of liberal theology have long-ago, but even though some of those ancients are around, that is pretty much a dead enterprise in theology (thankfully)).
Conservative Protestant pastors and church people should not be supportive of a belief that any document -- besides God's Word in the Bible that we have today -- is inspired 'of' God.
II Timothy 3:16 speaks only to the canon of God's Word as inspired. The Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants that the Mormons have cannot be placed on that level (because they have historical misinformation and are contradictory to the Bible we accurately have). Definitely, the US Constitution should never be viewed as inspired. I think the Constitution is a great document, but the Bible is simply on another unreachable plane. Mormons have made up a belief about the Constitution as inspired, from a historic Christian standpoint, and are trying to sell it to the American public in the conservative quarters. Implications may abound, but one of them is that for us as committed followers of God's Word in the Bible, nationalism or patriotism should never supplant God's place in his letter to us, the Bible.
To be clear, as a reminder to all of us, only in history can the nation of Israel as it was back under the Law of Moses (it is not today based on the Law, despite photos and videos showing those rare Israeli orthodox Jews as if they made up the whole nation over there) could claim an inspired constitution. There is no other nationalism or patriotism that should be baptized as inspired, even among non-Mormons. Speaking for myself, I'm glad that the artist apparently is not liberal theology. Liberal theology (different than liberal politics) sends people down a slippery slope to unbelief and ultimately self-worship (result of pride in knowing what is "scripture" in the Bible and what is "not" depends on how you "feel," which is evil). My suggestion here is that no one be subtlely led to put their nationalism on the same shelf or a higher one than their love of God and faith in Christ Jesus.
Links on his artwork for your enjoyment/thoughtfulness:
http://jonmcnaughton.com/content/ZoomDetailPages/OneNationUnderGod.html
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/03/21/painting-of-obama-burning-constitution-sparks-controversy-free-speech-offensive-or-both/
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