Pierre Delecto

While many view him as a modern-day Judas, Mitt Romney sees himself apparently as Peter, the perfect stone — “Pierre Delecto,” a secret pen name chosen by his truly.

This is not the first time Mitt Romney has come off as self-righteous or strange. Remember when he was asked what his greatest weakness was as a presidential candidate?  His reply was that his greatest weakness was that he “had so few weaknesses.”

Is this kind of self-delusion a common theme among Mormons?  If so, what causes it?  Do we think ourselves superior because “we have the truth?”  Is it a feeling that we’re somehow extra special as God’s children with a manifest destiny to convert the world to Mormonism?  Is it because we’re clean-cut, well dressed, success-driven, and don’t drink or smoke?

Mitt Romney, sadly, is a terrible example of Mormonism in my opinion (and this is coming from someone who defended him and voted for him every time there was the opportunity) — he is traitorous, petty, self-righteous, lacking in discernment and judgment, duplicitous, backstabbing and disloyal.  In real life, he may be a really nice guy, but he is a pathetic advocate for truth at a time when our nation needs inspired leaders.  Maybe he does really like to hunt squirrels, but surely he will never ride a white horse and save the Consitution.

There are some today, apparently, who see themselves as beautiful stones in the Lord’s hands.  I don’t feel such a confidence in them or in myself.  Pierre Defecto would be a truer description for myself.

False Christs

I’ve always been curious about this idea of False Christs.  I personally have never heard anyone falsely claim that they were the Lord Jesus Christ.  I’m not familiar with any historical figure who believed himself to be the Savior, besides the Lord Himself.  I assume they exist, but surely it’s not a very common occurrence.

And yet in the scriptures, we’re warned to beware of False Christs that will come in the Last Days.

For in those days there shall also arise false christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant. Behold, I speak these things unto you for the elect’s sake (Mark 6:4).

The Words of Mormon 1:6 describes how pernicious these false christs were in ancient American times:

And it came to pass that after there had been false christs — and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes — and after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people — and all these having been punished according to their crimes — and after there having been much contentions and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people — for behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority, and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people — wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.

So what is a false christ exactly?  Does a person need to proclaim they are Christ in order for them to be a false christ?

A friend of mine recently shared the following helpful idea regarding this question:

Those who claim “leadership” and want people to ”follow” them put themselves in the place of Christ. They are, in effect, a false Christ. It was prophesied they would come in the last days to deceive the “very elect” as false Messiahs (see Matthew 11:3,6).

I also recently learned that “christ” simply means anointed or made holy.  Jesus Christ is simply the Greek form of “Joshua the Anointed.”

If we change the word to more aptly fit our day, we might say:

“Beware of people who say they are Anointed by God, but who are not, and thus who are false prophets and false christs.”

The 16th Chair

I think it would be a true statement that our leaders are “anointed” if in fact, Jesus visits them and personally anoints them.  Joseph Smith taught that a prophet of God is ordained by God Himself and not by a man.  If this is or was the case with our prophets, I think calling them anointed or Christened would be appropriate.

But IF they are not…

I was reminded this week that some members still believe Jesus DOES visit LDS Church leaders on a regular basis.

I met with a man who worked as a contractor in a Salt Lake Temple remodel.  He said he had been in the very room where the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles meet on Thursday mornings.  This is the room referred to when the Apostles speak of the Upper Rooms of the Salt Lake Temple.  It’s always referred to by them very reverentially.  This contractor told me he was puzzled when he counted the chairs in the room and noted there were 16, not 15 chairs.  He remarked that the large ornate chair in the middle was the one he assumed the Prophet sat in.

Then this man stated that he was related to an Apostle through marriage and at a later date was able to ask him why there were 16 chairs in this room. The Apostle then went on to explain that the large chair in the center was the Lord’s and that “He always attends those meetings.”  He went on to say that he was told “unequivocally” by this Apostle that the Lord leads those meetings, looks over blueprints, tells them where to buy land, makes political decisions, etc..  This sweet man, who I know has many personal trials in his life right now, became teary-eyed as he bore his testimony to me of these truths.

I looked at this man inquisitively and tried to have an open heart and mind.  I wanted to believe him.  I would have believed him 10 years ago before I became the bishop of a prominent Church leader.  And then came a flood of thoughts that quickly created quandaries for me:

If the Lord is literally in those meetings and is leading the Church in such a personal way, then why does the Church get so many things wrong?  E.g. Why flip flop on children of gay parents being able to be baptized?  Why struggle to know if we should stay in Scouting or not?  Why the need to make so many adjustments in the Temple ceremony?  Or to the structures of the Church?  Why change the garment?  Why remove threads and screenprint the marks?  Why buy the wrong websites, i.e. LDS.org?  Why use the word Mormon incorrectly for so long when referring to the Church? Why does the Church do things that seem politically expedient if being led, literally, by the Lord?

So, here’s where I think some Mormons make a very big mistake.  They have so humanized this Jesus, that they believe He is not much greater than the rest of us.  He’s our “Elder Brother” not much further along than ourselves.  Prone to mistakes and bad judgment apparently.  So human that He puts on His spectacles and rolls up His sleeves and sits in that 16th Chair and leads the Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ.org as THE CEO.  Surely He is never late to those meetings and hopefully, He wears the uniform of the Priesthood–a white shirt and a tie and a finely twined suit from Mr. Mac’s.

Is this why we see ourselves as Pierre Delecto rather than Dust Defecto?  Because Jesus is our CEO and we are not much less than Him as His leaders?

Pierre Delecto, I shall never vote for you again.