Bill Keller the founder of the controversial “LivePrayer” program running for the last eight years is no stranger to controversy. He has confronted the gay activists, Planned Parenthood, Muslim groups and even posted a video response to Osama Bin Laden.
The website is replete with a list of those who have decided to endorse Romney called “The Judas Gallery.” The endorsees listed make up a formidable list of lawyers, politicians, religious leaders, radio and TV talk show hosts and political pundits.
The list of names reflects a cross section of people including those thought to be politically conservative and evangelical Christians. Named are, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Ralph Reed, Paul Weyrich, Tom Monaghan, James Bopp, Ann Coulter, Bob Jones, Jay Sekulow, and Mark DeMoss.
When I spoke to Bill Keller he emphasized that the main purpose of the website is to “educate the American public on exactly what the Mormons really believe and practice.”
Bloggers have jumped into the controversy head first and the onsite forums have drawn both naysayers and former Mormons. The impassioned responses are proof that the issue is on the minds of more Americans than anyone may have imagined. Some of the forum responses include people with 40 years or more as former Mormons.
The flare of Keller’s new website may be attention getting but the ideas he puts forth are anything but new. Conservative Christian theologians, preachers and writers have long held that the Mormon religion is a heresy or a cult. One of the most famous theologians to point out the spurious nature of the Mormon religion is the late Walter Martin who is known for his work in uncovering the greatest heresies and cults of the last two centuries.
The origins of Mormonism are what come into question most often. Many books and websites are dedicated to uncovering the suspect beginnings of the Mormon religion. Sites like “Josephlied” have detailed outlines of the errors in the Mormon faith and although not as colorful as Keller’s site go a long way to educate an unsuspecting public.
Many believers who credit themselves with “testing the spirits” are inclined to think that Mormons may have salvation not because of their religion but in spite of it. Bill doesn’t entertain any of those ideas but refers to the Bible to support his position.
One of the tendencies of cults is to proclaim that they alone are the real thing and those in other religions are lost and hell bound. Mormons also espouse this claim but in contrast conservative Christian religions do not. Baptist, Presbyterians, Methodists, Pentecostals and independent Christian faiths generally see all those who profess Christ in their ranks as saved.
It is the Bible that becomes the unifying factor between all the various Christian denominations and faiths. Keller cannot be faulted for his position in the eyes of most evangelicals and others but with apostasy and the new more tolerant theology of the day he is not without his protagonists. Anyone who knows Bill Keller will understand that the best invectives won’t even slow the man down.
About knowing the man, Bill delivers a daily devotional every day to upwards of forty thousand people who have opted into his email list. He addresses every issue they bring up but more than that he communicates with them in a genuinely warm and human way. Keller will soon be setting up at the famous Florida State fair and ministering to thousands among which there will be quite a few Floridians who have been part of his ministry based in St. Petersburg for a long time.
When asked what the real message of his new site really is Bill replied with “Mormon theology is one hundred percent inconsistent with Biblical theology and a Mormon is no more Christian than a Muslim.”
While some Americans are sure that the only real issues are the economy, immigration and the Iraq war it must be noted that the three out of four Americans that claim to be Christians may see a candidate’s faith as a very important issue. Bill is trying to address that issue.
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