Mormonism Somebody Help Me

Related:

Latter Day Ain'ts 

Mormons

 

Response to comment [from an atheist]:  "The BoM makes for a better read than the Bible."

Perhaps believing you will be a god has something to do with it?  It is the same lie from the garden "You will be like God". 

Well Dressed; Bad Doctrine--Mormons (Geraci).

See: 

Mormonism 

I Bear You My Testimony

Mormon Apologetics (MS Word), Changes in the Book of Mormon (MS Word), 50 Questions To Ask A Mormon (MS Word), Inconsistencies in Joseph Smith's First Vision Account (MS Word), Similarities Between Joseph Smith and Muhammad (Islam) (MS Word)  Calvary Aurora:  Apologetics

In Plain Site: Mormonism

Crime in the Church: Polygamy

Another Jesus

What do Mormons believe?

Response to comment [from an atheist]:  "Except that's not really in there (the BoM, specifically) that I recall."

Mormons teach a work-based faith which is sort of like an escalator.  You get on at a particular point.  Eventually you will be a god.  This is not biblical.  God will always be God and we will always be his creation.

"It tells a better story, and does so in a better way."

People love to be lied to.

"[T]he Bible was written by different people in different times with wildly different thoughts and expectations and intentions, and then collected by committee."

Wrong.  There is one theme throughout the Bible in every book--Jesus. 

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (Ti 3:16-17, NKJV)."

* The Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

* The Bible is made up of 66 different books that were written over 1600 years (from approximately 1500 BC to AD 100) by more than 40 kings, prophets, leaders, and followers of Jesus. The Old Testament has 39 books (written approximately 1500-400 BC). The New Testament has 27 books (written approximately AD 45-100). The Hebrew Bible has the same text as the English Bible's Old Testament, but divides an and arranges it differently.

* The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew, with some Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek.

* The books of the Bible were collected and arranged and recognized as inspired sacred authority by councils of rabbis and councils of church leaders based on careful guidelines.

* Before the printing press was invented, the Bible was copied by hand. the Bible was copied very accurately, in many cases by special scribes who developed intricate methods of counting words and letter to insure that no error had been made.

* The Bible was the first book ever printed on the printing press with moveable type (Gutenberg Press, 1455, Latin Bible).

* There is much evidence that the Bible we have today is remarkably true to the original writings. Of the thousands of copies made by hand before AD 1500, more than 5,300 Greek manuscripts from the New Testament alone still exist today. The test of the Bible is better preserved than the writings of Caesar, Plato, or Aristotle.

* The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls confirmed the astonishing reliability of some of the copies of the Old testament made over the years. Although some spelling variations exist, no variation affects basic Bible doctrines.

* As the Bible was carried to other countries, it was translated into the common language of the people by scholars who wanted to know God's Word. Today there are still 2,000 groups with no Bible in their own language.

* By AD 200, the Bible was translated into seven languages; by AD 500, 13 languages; by AD 900, 17 languages; by AD 1400, 28 languages; by 1800, 57 languages; by 1900, 537 languages; by 1980, 1,100 languages..." Full text:
 How We Got the Bible

"You act as if Mormonism is a cult simply because it does not fall within what you call Christian. What is the definition of a cult, to you?"

Mormonism is a cult.  What defines a cult is getting the nature of Jesus wrong (Jn 1:1).  As Gino Geraci says, "If you get it wrong about Jesus, it doesn't matter what else you get right."

Response to comment [from a Mormon]:  "... a bunch of wild-eyed, anti-Mormon websites."

Ad hominem--address the bad doctrine not the websites.

"Oh, and the childpro.org site isn't even about Mormons."

The site is about crime in the "church" (including polygamy).

Response to comment [from a Mormon]:  "But it isn't the Mormon church... It is another church and another religion."

The site advises of crime in any church--LDS (polygamy), Roman Catholics (pedophilia), etc. 

Response to comment [from a Mormon]:  "You keep associating the problems of polygamy with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Maybe you don't understand. The LDS Church / Mormons haven't practiced polygamy for almost 120 years..."

"The “new and everlasting covenant” of plural marriage is per­haps the best example of Mormon equivocation. In 1890, under threat of exile to Mexico, Mormons officially abolished polygamy in the earthly realm. However, in secret temple ceremonies, Mormon males continue to be sealed to multiple wives — in the heavenly realm.  Thus, the earthly practice of polygamy, publicly promoted by Brigham Young (who personally had 27 wives and 52 children), is now promised to those who attain the highest level of the celestial kingdom. Like their Heavenly Father, Mormon males may hope to one day, too, rule their own personal planets and enjoy endless, celestial sex with multiple goddess wives..." Full text:  The Basics Of Mormonism by Hank Hanegraaff

"In 1835 Smith announced a doctrine Quinn calls “theocratic ethics.” He used this initially to “justify his violation of Ohio’s marriage laws by performing a marriage for Newel Knight and the undi­vorced Lydia Goldthwaite without legal authority to do so” (88). Smith declared, “I have done it by the authority of the holy Priesthood and the Gentile law has no power to call me to an account for it” (88). Other illegal marriages of legally undivorced spouses followed, resulting in bigamous, polygamous, and polyandrous marriages, and Smith’s own secret sexual relationships with polygamous wives as young as 14 (89)...

Beneath the surface of Nauvoo was a polygamous underground known only to select members of the Mormon hierarchy hand-picked by Smith. In 1842 he estab­lished an “Anointed Quorum.” Sworn to secrecy, they were introduced to “the principle” — polygamy as a divinely revealed path to exaltation in eternity. In the spring of 1844, three months before his death, Smith also formed the ultrasec­ret “Council of Fifty,” which ordained him “King, Priest, and Ruler over Israel on Earth” (128). Quinn estimates that 90-95 percent of Mormons at the time knew nothing of the secret things of Mor­monism (170). Nevertheless, Smith was cautiously moving to show his hand to the uninitiated. A March 15, 1844 editori­al in the LDS Times and Seasons newspa­per criticized separation of church and state and concluded that “the church must not triumph over the state, but actually swallow it up” (122).

 

Smith had overstepped himself. Some members of the Council of Fifty, already uneasy about polygamy, “regarded Smith’s kingly ordination as treasonous” (137), and they betrayed him. His declara­tion in a May 12, 1844 public sermon that “I calculate to be one of the instruments of setting up the Kingdom of Daniel by the word of the Lord, and I intend to lay a foundation to revolutionize the world” (137) provoked a strong negative reaction within the Mormon community. A dissi­dent Mormon newspaper was formed (Nauvoo Expositor) to expose Smith’s promotion of polygamy and the attempt to make himself theocratic king and lawgiv­er. By the authority of the Nauvoo City Council, over which he presided, Smith immediately ordered the press and papers destroyed. Within days, in response to these actions, Illinois Governor Thomas Ford ordered Smith to turn himself in to the Carthage, Illinois jail. While he was awaiting trial a mob stormed the jail and brutally murdered him.

Quinn leaves it to his readers to decide the lessons of this disturbing saga. Surely one lesson for Christian readers is that if Smith’s opponents had allowed the judi­cial process to work its course (as Romans 13 dictates), both the prophet and his religious experiment would have been effectively exposed 150 years ago. Instead his martyrdom reenergized his movement. Mormon readers will have to decide whether their faith can survive with no genuine historical foundations for the restoration of priesthood authority. They will also be forced to come to grips with the essential role of secrecy and dis­honesty within Mormon origins..."  Full text:  The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins Of Power by Luke P. Wilson

 

"[Y]ou should stop associating specific sins with specific groups unless those groups actually endorse and encourage such things. And if you really can't resist the temptation, then go ahead and smear everyone; don't play favorites. There are enough kinds of sin so that every group can get their own, e.g., Protestant (adultery), Evangelical (homosexuality), unaffiliated Christian (idolatry), etc..."

 

Mormons Somebody Help

 

I agree with you.  Mormons are a cult (false teaching, work-based faith).  Roman Catholics are idolaters (false teaching, work-based faith) and Protestants are often corrupt as well.  The Lord will remove his lamp stand from those far from him (Re 1:12).  

 

Response to comment [from a Mormon]:  "Luke Wilson and Hank Hanegraaff are perfect examples of counter-cultists that don't really know what they are talking about. They are EXACTLY the kinds that Moser and Owen were talking about."

 

Ad hominem--address the bad doctrine not people.

 

They know about plenty about the cult of Mormonism.  Hank Hanegraaff had Sandra Tanner on his radio program.  She knows a thing or two as well.  Her great grandfather was Brigham Young.  Today, she is a Christian who works to shine the light of truth about Mormonism. 

 

"The Tanner’s research is foundational to most ministries which address Mormonism. Their research is voluminous and covers virtually every aspect of Mormon history and doctrine. Often attacked as “Anti-Mormon,” their research speaks for itself...Tanner’s, so meticulous in their research were not fooled by the “Salamander Letter.” The Tanner’s instead published a newsletter where they questioned the documents authenticity and first brought up the possibility of forgery. The current Prophet of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, and current President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Boyd K. Packer, were advisors in the purchase of these forged documents and were completely fooled by Mark Hofmann. Isn’t it ironic that the Tanner’s, derided as “Anti-Mormons,” were not fooled by Hofmann’s forged documents, and those sustained as “Prophets, Seers, and Revelators” of the Mormon Church were."  Full text:  Former Mormon Now Christian Defending Christianity From Mormon Doctrine

 

There are no "latter day saints".  The canon of scripture is closed.  If you want to know the truth found in the Bible.       

 

"[G]lad to know that you hate everyone and not just me."

 

Ad Misericordiam (appeal to pity).  Truth is hate to those who hate the truth. 

 

Response to comment [from a Mormon]:  "Ah, I can see why that might make Sandra the world's expert on Mormonism."

 

Ad hominem

Mormons Somebody Help Me