American Elitism

I know I should be better at ignoring it. But sometimes there are attitudes of a minority of American members that really riles me. I shouldn't let it. But it does.

Recently, on a message board I participate in, one poster made the following comment:

15 Nov 2013 - 1:22 PM:

...I suppose all of this boils down to whether or not the present day United States is the promised latter-day promised land prophesied of in the Book of Mormon. I believe it is very likely that the US is that prophesied promised because it can be demonstrably shown it fits the scriptural description promised land, regardless of whether or the Nephites actually made their abode here or not . Among the many, many indicators that the US is most likely the Prophesied promised land, I've listed some below:

1 The first vision took place here.
2 The Book of Mormon was buried and discovered here.
3 The Book of Mormon was translated and published here.
4 The Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods were restored here.
5 This is the place where the Restored Church of Christ was established and organized.
6 This is the place where many angels of heaven came to restore the gospel and its keys.
7 This is the place where the Doctrine and Covenants was written.
8 This is the place where the Book of Moses and Book of Abraham were restored.
9 This is the place where the Lord commanded His latter-day servants to establish and build Zion.
10 This is the place where the first temples of the dispensation of the fullness of times were erected.
12 This is the place where the world headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is located.
13 This is the place where the center stake of latter-day Zion will be built.
14 This is the place where the New Jerusalem, and the great temple complex, planned by Joseph Smith, will be built.
15 This is the place where the religious pilgrims, who fled the captivity of the European nations of the Gentiles, came as their new promised land, just as described in the Book of Mormon.
16 This is the place where the divinely inspired Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States were produced.
17 This is the place, spoken of in the Doctrine and Covenants and Book of Mormon, that was prophesied to miraculously prevail in war against the oppressive Gentile mother lands of captivity in Europe.

My point? Though in some technical sense the United States may not be the Book of Mormon's latter-day land of promise, it may as well be because it fits the description so very well. Even so, like I said, I'm keeping and open mind on the matter; but the United States sure does seem to fit most, if not all, of all the descriptions of the latter-day promised land foreseen in the scriptures. And to top it all off, Apostle Perry, in a recent address, said the US is the latter-day promised land prophesied in the Book of Mormon.

I couldn't help myself and replied:

Wow. You really believe this don't you? You really believe that the United States of America is a divinely appointed, special country.

Genuine question, is this just the belief of Mormons or do lots of Americans also believe in the divine approval of your country?

I squirm at that attitude. That somehow the country and, by implication, the inhabitants, their policies, their expansion plans and global interference, are special, superior and receive divine approval. It's a worryingly scary attitude.

By the way, you missed the Garden of Eden and Adam's altar from your list. You might as well claim to be the origin of the species. The Neanderthals would be happy to give that crown up to the Americans. Once you don a helmet and throw an oval ball with pointy ends onto a field there's little discernible difference. Either that or put a gun in your hands.

And Taffy. Surely taffy is evidence of USA being the best in the world at everything?

I have to remind myself that people like this are not the church. They don't represent the church. They simply represent one perspective in Mormonisms big tent.