Tea Party, Publisher Scrutinized After Supporting Constitution in Schools
- Posted on May 25, 2011 at 7:33am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
MALTA, Idaho (AP) — America’s kids will be learning about the U.S. Constitution this coming school year with help from a decidedly conservative Idaho publishing house, if a tea party group gets its way.
The Tea Party Patriots, Georgia-based but claiming 1,000 chapters nationally, are instructing members to remind teachers that a 2004 federal law requires public schools to teach Constitution lessons every Sept. 17, commemorating the day the document was signed. And they’d like the teachers to use material from the Malta, Idaho-based National Center for Constitutional Studies, which promotes the Constitution as a divinely-inspired document.
The center’s founder, W. Cleon Skousen, once called Jamestown’s original settlers communists, wrote end-of-days prophecy and suggested Russians stole Sputnik from the United States. In 1987, one of his books was criticized for suggesting American slave children were freer than white non-slaves.
Interest in Skousen, a former FBI employee and Salt Lake City police chief who died in 2006 in Utah, soared in tea party circles after praise from talk show host Glenn Beck. Not surprisingly, groups battling the tea party — and Beck — warn that Skousen‘s center shouldn’t be teaching kids about American history.
“It’s indoctrination, not education,” said Doug Kendall, director of the Constitutional Accountability Center in Washington, D.C. “They’re so far from the mainstream of constitutional thought that they are completely indefensible.”
Though the National Center for Constitutional Studies is best known for its promotion of Skousen’s work, including “The 5,000 Year Leap,” a 1981 book that suggests Biblical inspiration for the Constitution, those materials aren’t included in the packet being touted by the Tea Party Patriots.
Instead, a $19.95 order buys “A More Perfect Union,” a movie DVD created by Mormon-run BYU in 1989 depicting the 1787 Constitutional Convention, as well as an accompanying teacher’s guide, a poster and a pocket-size Constitution.
Bill Norton, the Tea Party Patriots leader in charge of the group’s “Adopt a School” push, gives seminars for the National Center for Constitutional Studies. He says the BYU movie was endorsed 20 years ago by the federal Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, proving its educational merit.
“It has the stamp of approval of this federal entity,” Norton said, adding he’s not demanding schools use it. “It’s just a suggestion.”
But not everyone is convinced the film and study guide are the best resources.
David Gray Adler, who directs the University of Idaho’s McClure Center for Public Policy Research, said some of its assertions — that “Americans’ confidence in republicanism stemmed largely from their shared commitment to Christianity,” for example — exaggerates religion’s impact on the framers while neglecting European enlightenment figures who shaped early American views on government.
“Give them (the Tea Party Patriots) credit for urging adherence to the federal law,” Adler said. “But there are many other, better, more scholarly documents on the Constitution.”
Another constitutional education group, the federally funded Center for Civic Education in Woodland Hills, Calif., suggested those unhappy with the Tea Party Patriot’s choice of educational materials should promote alternatives.
“The Tea Party Patriots are doing what Americans are supposed to do,” said Robert Leming, who directs his group’s “We The People” program. “What that should do is encourage others of a different point of view to do the same thing.”
The current leader of the National Center for Constitutional Studies, Zeldon Nelson, met Skousen in the mid-1980s, when the author was raising money for his latest book, “The Making of America.” Nelson said he took over amid financial difficulties after sales-damaging criticism of the book, including from then-California Republican Gov. George Deukmejian, over its characterization of slavery.
Asked if the Tea Party Patriots’ push is helping sales, Nelson responded, “I would have to say, probably no.” But he anticipates business could pick up closer to the school year.
Today, there’s a question over whether Nelson has a right to distribute the BYU-produced materials. And further complicating matters is an acrimonious lawsuit between Skousen‘s adult children and Nelson over rights to Skousen’s work,
Three years ago, BYU canceled a longstanding licensing agreement with Nelson because he wasn’t paying royalties.
“They didn’t send in reports for some years,” said Giovanni Tata, director of BYU’s copyright department in Provo, Utah.
Nelson says he’s contacted BYU and aims to resolve the matter, though he hasn’t reached an agreement yet.
Meanwhile, Skousen’s sons are fighting Nelson in federal court in Utah after enlisting Glenn Beck to write a new preface for the “The 5,000 Year Leap.” After that, tea party adherents pushed the book to No. 1 on Amazon.com’s sales charts in 2009.
Now, Paul, Brent and Harold Skousen contend Nelson is selling a version without Beck’s preface without proper permission, interfering with their efforts to strike lucrative new deals.
Nelson, who farms 700 acres of wheat in this windy Mormon farming community near the Idaho-Utah border, says in a countersuit that Skousen granted publication rights to the center. He also maintains he contacted Beck first, but that Skousen‘s sons went behind Nelson’s back to cash in.
“Empires fall from within,” Nelson said, standing amid the boxes of Skousen literature he ships from his basement. “That’s where the jealousies originate.”
Nelson maintains Beck had been promoting “The 5,000 Year Leap” even before lending his name to the family’s version. That elevated profile, Nelson said, has helped him fulfill his life’s work — teaching that God inspired the Constitution — to an audience broader than just Skousen devotees.
“It’s helped us preach beyond the choir,” Nelson said.
The Tea Party Patriots’ Norton would also like to wrest the Constitution from the hands of secular scholars.
“They’re eliminating God out of the whole political discussion 100 percent, which is going to the other extreme,” he said.
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 586 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 414 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 375 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 372 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 414 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 372 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (95)
amerbur
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:56amCan the Blaze or the Insider extreme post the movie? I would like to see this movie and the one suggested by Kenall and Adler side by side.
Report Post »Marine4ever
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:48amI think that every American 6th grade and up should read The 5000 Year Leap. This is the best book I have ever read.
Report Post »Atilla
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:41amOh Wow, one day of Constitutional teaching. That leaves 179 for Communism
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:39amSometimes I have no words to describe how I feel…..or I can’t put the words in a sentence because if I do, I will not be able to post on this site……
Report Post »Andybetterideas
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:36amWait, somebody based in Washington D.C. is trying to tell US what the “mainstream” is? Riiiiight…
Report Post »BenInNY
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:32am“The Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) is a think tank, law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of our Constitution’s text and history.”
Report Post »http://www.theusconstitution.org/page.php?id=5
“Washington Post names Constitutional Accountability Center Interest Group of the Week
In the Loop
Washington Post
The political left, with backers that include billionaire George Soros, plans to launch a new organization today that will try to steer the federal judiciary in its direction.
The Constitutional Accountability Center will be headed by Doug Kendall, who for a decade has run the Community Rights Counsel, a public interest law firm and judicial ethics watchdog.” http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=115&mid=2
headbanger
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:31amDeny the teaching of the Constitution, the rock upon which America was built!! Well folks, that is SOCIALISM and this administration at its finest!!!!
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:27amWhat ever happened to having to pass the Constitution test before graduating 8th grade and AGAIN before graduating high school?? I still can recite the preamble.. My niece said they still taught and tested on it 2 years ago when she graduated.. and she lives in CHICAGO.. I hope they make it taught throughout the grades K-12 EVERYONE should learn about it to the age limit they are.. as well as WHY and HOW it came to be..
Report Post »sacrificeforkids
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:26amUnder my plan, Honoring a Soldier will nessasarly sky rocket’ . Sincerely, Barak Obama..<<
Report Post »dadsrootbeer
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:21am“America’s kids will be learning about the U.S. Constitution this coming school year”
OMG, how messed up is the school system full of progressive teachers that this statement is made and actually teaching children the Constitution is controversial.
Report Post »thecrow
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:21amhttp://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/a-tea-tray-in-the-sky/
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:20amThis is pushing too much, too quickly… Remember the progressives got where they are by slow and steady work…
I would prefer instead that someone teamed up with the Heritage Foundation and got them to send schools the Pocket Constitutions so these kids could take and carry them with them and be able to learn and understand the laws of our country.
I was disgusting at watch the video the other day of college students wanting to ban conservative hosts, yet said they were for “Free Speech” and when asked if they supported the 1st Amendment, many didn’t even know what that was… these are college kids for crying out loud, its pathetic!!!
Report Post »enemy of the statist
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:07amI too saw the video. And not all were college students. Some appeared to be university employees. And yes, it is disappointing.
Report Post »Oh, God!
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:15amCan not believe they are having a problem teaching the Constitution. What have we become as a Nation?
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:20amWhat have we become as a Nation? We have become too weak willed, spinelss, too PC, illinformed, we walk around with blinders on, refuse to look at the other point of view critically in order to make an informed decision, too afraid to take care of ourselves, by ourselves, we’ve lost all sense of how to manage on our own, we don’t have the cajones to say “No” or “Enough” or “Stop lying” or “You don’t get another chance!” We appease waaaaay to much for our own demise.
Report Post »thermonator
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:15amThis argument is very telling.
Report Post »—–
“David Gray Adler, who directs the University of Idaho’s McClure Center for Public Policy Research, said some of its assertions — that “Americans’ confidence in republicanism stemmed largely from their shared commitment to Christianity,” for example — exaggerates religion’s impact on the framers while neglecting European enlightenment figures who shaped early American views on government.”
—–
The rise of atheism is a relativity new attitude in this country and has been adopted by the left in order to promote their amoral social programs like abortion, gay marriage and government dependence.
SamIamTwo
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:13amWow they call teaching history indoctrination?? What the person said is we will control the thoughts of your children…start homeschooling co-ops…you have elderly retired people prob doing nothing and willing to contribute…simply evil intent on their part.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:28amIt‘s indoctrination when it ISN’T far leftist propaganda.
The communist teachers unions cannot stand the fact that students might really understand why and how our country was founded exposing their duplicity and disdain for freedom.
Report Post »John 3:16
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:13amAmerica was founded on GOD and the Constitution, This combination served our forefathers well in difficult times. We must stay with this combination if we want FREEDOM and LIBERTY. We must teach our children that there is no way to improve on a perfect combination.
Report Post »sacrificeforkids
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:13am“”‘ Launching Pad for attacks against Our People”"” yes that was Obama’s quote from his joint press event in London.. did anyone else catch that ,,. He was talking about attacks against his fellow Muslems’. He never mentioned attacks on our shore’s..
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:10am5000 year leap. Best book I have ever read on the Constitution. If you have not read it, you need too!
Report Post »enemy of the statist
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:32amIt is a very good book and does a great job at marrying the founder’s beliefs to our Constitution.
Report Post »Shellback
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:08amI was calling and emailing everyone I could about the 5000 Year Leap. Off the charts eye opener. Of course some the libs said that since Glenn recommended it, they wouldin’t read it.
Report Post »DaytonConserve
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 12:20pmBuy extra and pass them out to friends and family. Then go back to them a month later and ask them what they though about the book. Sad to report that about half will not have even opened it by then. We are on a lengthy journey to restore belief and reliance on the US Constitution. The enlightenment will not occur overnight.
Report Post »NuffSaid
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:05amNot sure whther thus article is for or against but the 5000 Year Leap is important. Probably not as important for youngsters to read as for the rest of it who’ve been taken freedom for granted our whole lives.
If you always had money, life looks pretty easy and you wonder why so many people complain. Like the black guy who spoke to Limbaugh today, he has a job, why should he care that the unemployment rate for other African Americans is 40%? That pretty much what it is to be part of the great silent majority.
If you’ve never known slavery, you”l just assume that freedom of choice, of movement, of lfestyle and of speech is just something you deserve. 5000 Year leap begins with a foreword entitle “Miracle in Philadelphia.” I really don’t know what the politics or the lifestyle or the religion of the authoer was, but I know what he describes in “leap” is worthwhile. Beck has taken the greater part of his method of explaining government forom Leap> Seems to me it would be easy and important to take the information from Leap and put it into important teaching for the children of this country. I just hate to feel like any one is bashing this book for any reason..
Report Post »sbleve
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:34amGood. Sin-loi though, for the man to govern himself one must not look for ready made dinners.
The 5000 year leap in man’s judgement. Was in the late 1700′s a phenomenon unknown to governmentalized man. What is smart and what is destined to failure.
In North America a new concept was born – can man rule himself? He must rule himself, otherwise a person of DNA – that which drives a human only utilizing feel-good portions of the 27 articles (don’t confuse with the 28 governance provisions of this book) in character-personality to become a tyrant. Tyrants all do not begin evil, but the stupor of power makes then drunk wanting more power.
All tyrants persecute the minority, those that do not conform to some belief. The tool that was designed in the late 1700′s to herd mans natural addiction to power was not a governance of positive articulation but that of negative-limiting authority. An inverted pyramid with the Base on top. Reflect back on the teaching introduction of Corporate/Company pyramid with the king-CEO on top – Pharaoh, and then include government configuration of today.
Are we there yet? No, but the platform of and through the book ‘The 5000 Year Leap’ could easily be formulated into a text, K-3, 4-6, 6-8, 9-10, 11, 12. Unknowingly cookie cutter teacher production mentality of academia (1950′s) generates some number of persons that teach text only.
Report Post »lakemom
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:05amWhy is it “indoctrination” when its conservative values, etc and “education” when its liberal? Get a clue people, we need more conservative “indoctinations/education” of our children before its too late to save our great nation. My 6 range in age from 4.5 to 25 and I’ve spent the last 15-20 years constantly explaining the “mistakes” and omissions in my children’s history lessons. It would be nice not to have to reteach everything they learn in school about the history of the US .
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:30amIf I had kids, there‘s no way they’d be in public schools. Sending kids to “most” public schools is insane because everybody continues to do it, yet expects things to somehow change for the better – yet the products from the schools continue to regress.
It’s like how many times must we ram our heads into brick walls before we realize what is causing the pain?
Report Post »americansfightingforcommonsense
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:03amMay God bless the Skousen family and the United States of America. This country will collapse if we don’t stand up and unite ourselves under the Constitution.
Report Post »SnowWolf
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:02amI believe its true that educators (should I put quotation marks around that?) have stopped teaching kids HOW to think and are now teaching them WHAT to think…..unfortunately the products of this “Education” are people like Ezra Kline the so-called journalist that opined why anyone would consider the Constitution when making law ’cause its like so old and all, that is just silly
Pretty scary isn’t it
Report Post »Locked
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:40amVery scary. Teaching them that God Himself inspired the Constitution is rewriting history at the least, blasphemy at its worst.
Report Post »Joshua Tyler
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 6:16pm“Very scary. Teaching them that God Himself inspired the Constitution is rewriting history at the least, blasphemy at its worst.” – Locked
As in, “John Locke”-d, I pressume?
Locke’d, I think you‘ll want to join the discussion that I’m about to start at the end of this thread. Thirty minutes.
Report Post »spirit of freedom
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 7:59amwho ever owns the mind of our youth through the schools, owns the future! this battle has been won by the left without ever firing a shot! America Wake Up!!!!!
Report Post »Arc
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 11:55pmBravo!!!!….something I’ve been ranting about for years. Bill Ayers told a crowd ( Chavez invitation) in Caracas Vz, that he wanted to bring a leftist revolution to the US. ^5
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 7:53amKids are supposed to learn (in Spanish ofcourse ) about how to overthrow the US Government.
Report Post »Its the 21st century…move on already
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:35amSad but true, my nephew is convinced to this day that the Constitution and a Republic represents nothing more than suppression, terrorism, and bigotry in the worst of ways humanly possible.
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:21amIt is by design. They have been following the Soviet plan of brainwashing the children. It started decades ago, and as many of these children have entered adulthood, they vote for a Marxist.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 7:53am“It’s indoctrination, not education,” said Doug Kendall, director of the Constitutional Accountability Center in Washington, D.C. “They’re so far from the mainstream of constitutional thought that they are completely indefensible.”
So WTH do they call the “progressive” garbage the Libs are indoctrinating the students with right now as we speak?
Oh, that’s right. It’s called PROPAGANDA, not an education.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:09amHow dare they try to teach kids actual history in school. How will they ever be able to get their socialist teaching done as well? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiuk0tLj-I4
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:34am@Biohazard:
Propaganda indeed, as the saying goes “Those who forget the past, are condemned to repeat it.”
So the progressives are use to rewriting history for their own agendas, twisting and crafting lies when and where they need to (which is most of the time), they no longer know what real history is. So to them, anything that is not ‘truth’ according to their view of reality, is indoctrination.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:38amWait wait wait… the issue isn’t teaching the Constitution… it’s teaching that it was divinely inspired. It seems this group has mixed up the Constitution and the Bible.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:39amShouldn’t school history books already contain a copy of the Constitution, or it comes with the history supplies? Maybe the teachers should be looking for it while the kids are singing the Obama songs.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 8:47am“Instead, a $19.95 order buys “A More Perfect Union,” a movie DVD created by Mormon-run BYU in 1989 depicting the 1787 Constitutional Convention, as well as an accompanying teacher’s guide, a poster and a pocket-size Constitution.”
I think they are freaked out by the “Mormon” produced DVD.
Report Post »Oil_Robb
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:25amUnion members = Socialist = Democratic Party = Abortions &Sodomey = Atheism = Eternal Damnation
for the most part..
Report Post »Its real simple why they dont want Christianity and structured values in the school, its called having company in HELL
Locked
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:38am“Its real simple why they dont want Christianity and structured values in the school, its called having company in HELL”
Or, you know, the law. That might be a factor (rolls eyes).
Report Post »HappyHaloHousewife
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 9:53amThat’s exactly what I was thinking, particularly in light of the courses available in AZ talking about revolting against the American capitalist devils!
Report Post »motes_art
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 10:04amThese are the kind of wackos that make the Tea Party look like extremists. The Constitution divinely inspired? The Pilgrims were communists? The Russians stole Sputnik? Slaves were better off than free whites? I am ashamed of Glenn for endorsing this crap. But, I’m not surprised – the guy is Mormon. I usually don’t have a problem with Glenn being Mormon, but every once in a while he does something weird as a direct result of his faith. This stuff does not belong in our schools. But, liberals calling it indoctrination is like the pot calling the kettle black.
Report Post »Susan Harkins
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 11:42amBut you know what is truly sad?
The very fact that this phrase actually shows up in information articles these days: “America’s kids will be learning about the U.S. Constitution this coming school year..”
This goes to show you just how far these LlBTARD progressives have shifted our school materials away from the fundamentals, over the past few decades.
We need to drag our kids back to the basics, kicking and screaming if needed, as they will be the next generation that will have to clean up this Progressive Cancer that has infected our great nation.
Report Post »SheriS
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 12:10pmMany moons ago when I was in school, before you could leave 8th grade, you had to pass a test on the US Constutition! Then as a Jr. in high school you had to pass another test of the US Constituion and the state Constitution so you would be able to graduate from high school! Something we as adults need to push for in our schools today! Might get rid of the some of the garbage and inept students today because our dumbing down of our kids education! Just look for your area’s SOL scores after the kids get out of school this year! You will be shocked how uneducated our children are today!
Report Post »DogTags
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 12:50pmIn order for our system of government to work, we need to have a people equipped with an inner moral restraint. I can ally with Mormons on political issues because their religion does provide an inner moral restraint. But on theology Mormons and Christians believe in different Gods. On that I will not compromise. When Beck, or Romney or Skousen talk about “God” they mean a man who attained god-hood and now rules his own planet and populates it with “spiritual children.” They believe they will one day become gods and populate their own planets. Mormons believe the same lie Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden: “You won’t surely die, for God knows when you eat of the fruit your eyes will be open and you will become like God.”
Their “Jesus” is the “spirit brother of Lucifer.” They deny his deity and equality with the Father. They deny Jesus claimed to be God even though he said “Before Abraham was I AM.”
So, even though Beck is right on when it comes to political policies and principles of self government, I cannot embrace him as a brother yet, because he has not had an encounter with the real Jesus. I pray that he does.
Report Post »VegasGuy
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 1:23pm“The Tea Party Patriots are doing what Americans are supposed to do,” said Robert Leming, who directs his group’s “We The People” program. “What that should do is encourage others of a different point of view to do the same thing.”
I love this response! It encourages people to educate themselves as opposed to those who feel it is their job to censor material. The 5,000 Year Leap opened my eyes. Everyone should read it.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 2:55pmI see a lot of knee jerk comments here. As Glenn says, “Do your own research.” Here’s an example from Wikipedia:
“While Skousen was alive, many of his ideas were met with fierce criticism, while his pronouncements made him “a pariah among most conservative activists”.[18] In one instance, the constitutional scholar Jack Rakove, of Stanford University, inspected Skousen’s books and seminars and pronounced them “a joke that no self-respecting scholar would think is worth a warm pitcher of spit.”[18] A 1971 review in the Mormon journal Dialogue also accused Skousen of “inventing fantastic ideas and making inferences that go far beyond the bounds of honest commentary,“ and advancing doctrines that came ”perilously close” to Nazism.[18] Moreover, in 1979, after Skousen declared President Jimmy Carter a puppet of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Rockefeller family, the president of the LDS church issued a national order banning announcements about his organizations.[18]” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleon_Skousen
He also believed the Soviets stole Sputnick from us, then launched it first. I think the guy is a fruitcake. I report, you decide.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 11:19pmYes, by all means do your own research.
And not just on wikipedia like JZS does.
Never believe everything you read on wikipedia
Report Post »http://conservapedia.com/Wikipedia
Faith Hope Charity and Truth
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 3:00amIt‘s interesting that those who oppose the principles laid out by Dr Skousen in his books on the founding of America don’t offer a single challenge nor alternative to those principles. Instead, they attack the messenger. What does that say about the strength of their argument? Volumes…
Report Post »Faith Hope Charity and Truth
Posted on May 26, 2011 at 3:18amDOGTAGS
Food for thought…
First: I don’t see where Mormon theology has anything to do with the topic at hand.
Second: If you are going to attempt to explain the doctrine of another religion, you may want to make sure that you know what you’re talking about before you simply start quoting anti-mormon liturature.
Third: It has been my observation that those who are less sure of their own spiritual convictions often seek validation of those convictions by attacking the convictions of another.
Principles and Values brother, let’s leave the theology debates to more appropriate venues.
Report Post »