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| CONVERSATIONS WITH A MORMON |
| Nine Points Of Difference Between The Bible And Mormon Doctrine - PART 1 |
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The Mormon Challenge Friday, July 6 I was a little upset to read your unbalanced views on the Latter-Day Saints Church. All those things you claimed to be false are, in fact true although a little more explanation wouldn't have gone amiss. Take one point, Adam is the father of Jesus Christ inasmuch as Adam is the physical father of all mankind and, therefore, Mary and Joseph are the children of Adam. A tricky point but one which needed mentioning. Beyond that I liked your web site very much and I have put it on my favourites. I would love to correspond with you further on the other points if you wish. M — On Doctrine Reply
On Doctrine Reply Hello M —, I am happy to hear from you. There have been several responses to our website from [PLACE DELETED] in the last few months. I visited and [PLACE DELETED] in 1978 and had a wonderful time. I hope to get back again some time. As you noticed, I am not of the Mormon persuasion even though several of my ancestors . . . were converted to that belief while they were in [PLACE DELETED]. Many . . . still live in [PLACE DELETED] and virtually all are still in the Mormon faith. I am sorry you were upset with the notes that I placed on the site regarding the Mormon beliefs. They were placed there because I am using documents that contained information of a religious nature and represent a belief that is quite different from my own. I do believe that I represented the Mormon beliefs correctly, although I understand your concern about further explanations. The nine points that I noted are true as to Mormon doctrine, but they are not true in relation to Biblical doctrine and that was the point I was making. I will send you an e-mail explaining my position on the points in the next few days. I hope you understand that my opposition to Mormon doctrine is not based on a personal dislike of Mormon people, but is strictly doctrinal in nature. I have worked with and known many Mormons over the years and have never had a personal dislike for any one of them because of their belief. My neighbor is a Mormon, about whom I will explain in my note later. I am not a Mormon headhunter and I do not seek to proselyte Mormons to my belief system. However, I do believe that it is my duty to provide a notice, to those who might assume that because I present material from Mormon believers on my website, that I might be a believer in Mormon doctrine. If you are a Mormon believer, which I presume you are, I would expect that you would do the same. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to use the guest book and contact me. As per our privacy policy, your e-mail address remains confidential. One of these days I will have an actual guest book installed in which the entries can be read by the visitors. Thank you for your comments. Sincerely, Gary Hand On Doctrine Reply Hello M —, I mentioned in my e-mail that I would send an explanation of my position on the points posted on the . . . website. I noted those points because I felt they were representative of the differences that exist between Mormon doctrine and those traditionally held by the Christian church. There are many other points that could have been used, as there are many more differences, but I used the ones that were in my mind at the time. Sorry my reply is so lengthy, that is why I have sent it in three parts, it became a little larger than I anticipated, but the points cover a lot of territory. If you don't wish to plunge through so many words, I will not be offended. Sincerely, Gary Hand -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As to my persuasion: I would be considered a protestant, independent, fundamental Christian. My early background is Baptist and my later association is independent with an emphasis on Reformed theology. I don't know if I would be considered a 5 point Calvinist, but maybe a 4 and 1/2. My statement of faith is as follows: 1. BIBLE The Bible is God's Word, written as a revelation to humanity. It is verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit in every word and inerrant in the original documents. The Bible is infallible, sufficient, and the absolute authority in all matters of faith and conduct among men and that directed toward God. The Bible is the final, absolute and only revelation of the gospel to humanity, the complete and definitive plan for obtaining a state of reconciliation to God. Sola Scriptura. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31, 32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32; Hebrews 1:2 2. GOD God the Father is a person of spirit (the first person of the Trinity); infinite and personal in nature, perfect in holiness, wisdom, and love. He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent in His being. He infallibly foreknows, foreordains and brings about, by His sovereign will, all that comes to pass. He created the universe out of nothing and maintains it by His power. He hears and answers prayer. He concerns Himself. as a merciful Father, in the affairs of each person, providing a Redeemer in order to save mankind from the penalty of death and judgment for their sins, for all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Luke 10:21, 22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1, 2; 2:5, 6; 1 Peter 1:3 3. TRINITY There is only one living and true God, an infinite, all-knowing Spirit, perfect in all His divine attributes, one in essence of being, eternally existing in three Persons as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member equally deserving of worship and obedience. Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1, 3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19, 20; Ephesians 4:5, 6 4. JESUS CHRIST The Lord Jesus Christ is deity (the second person of the Trinity), the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity), born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life, worked miracles on this earth and taught the way of salvation and eternal life. His death and shed blood on the cross was substitutionary (in place of the spiritual death of man), and atoned for sins committed by man. He was raised bodily from the dead, ascended to heaven and intercedes to God, as the only great High Priest after the Order of Melchizedek, for those who confess their sins and trust in Him. Because of His sinless life, Christ had no sins which needed to be forgiven, therefore He was able to atone for the sins of everyone who would believe in Him. He will one day return visibly to this earth. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9, 10; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16 5. HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit is a person of spirit (the third person of the Trinity) who is sent to this earth by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin and to comfort, regenerate, sanctify and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. John 14:16, 17, 26; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22- 26 6. MAN Adam was created by God in His own image from the dust of this earth; Adam sinned and incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God. Adam is the Federal Head of, and progenitor of the human race after his own kind. As a consequence of his sin, all human beings are (1) born with an inherited sinful nature and (2) are sinners by choice. All human beings are under the condemnation of God as His justice demands. Persons who repent, forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, become new creatures, are delivered from condemnation, receive eternal life and become sons of God by adoption.. Genesis 1:26; 5:2; 3; 2:17; Ecclesiastes 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelations 19:3, 20; 14:15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:12-13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:1 7. SALVATION The salvation of man, who is sinful and lost, is instantaneous and accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the instrumentality of the Word of God, when the repentant sinner, enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation is accomplished in this life and occurs at the point of repentance when faith is exercised in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Salvation is the rescue, by God, of man from the sinful condition in which he is found, the forgiving of all sins and the removing of the penalty assigned for the commission of those sins. Salvation is wholly of God, given by grace alone on the basis of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human virtue, works or duties. All the redeemed are kept by God's power and are secure in Christ forever. Romans 3:21-24; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 9:11-14 8. CHRISTIAN LIFE As the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration, the Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, enables them to perform good works toward God and men, and seals them unto the day of redemption. 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1, 2; John 14:15, 23, 24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 1:9, 10; Ephesians 2:9 9. RESURRECTION There will be a bodily resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved; the saved unto the resurrection of life and the reign of Christ, the unsaved being resurrected after the reign of Christ to a resurrection of damnation. Revelation 20:5 10. CHURCH All persons who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church, of which Christ is the head. There is no single earthly church. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by building its members up in the faith, by instruction of the word, by fellowship, by keeping the two ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world. The formation of the church, the Body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own at the rapture. Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25 11. ORDINANCES The Lord Jesus Christ has delegated two ordinances to the local church, (1) baptism and (2) the Lord's Supper. The Christian should be baptized by immersion in water by into in the name of the Triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Lord's Supper is to be celebrated as a commemoration or memorial of His death on the cross. Neither ordinance is necessary to obtain salvation. Because these ordinances were directed to believers by Jesus Christ, they should be observed and administered out of love and honor until His return. 12. HELL At the judgment seat of Christ, all persons who have not believed the message that He taught, confessed their sins and followed Christ as their Savior, will be condemned because of the justice of God, sent to the Lake of Fire, along with the Devil and his angels, where they will remain in endless torment for eternity under the power of God. I have no axe to grind against the Mormon people. Every Mormon has access to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Journal of Discourses and other miscellaneous material, just as I have the same access. If one wishes to make a comparison of the Bible to the Mormon documents, in order to decide if there are differences, that can be easily done without my help. Mormons are responsible to God for what they embrace as a belief and certainly not to me, just as I am responsible to God for my beliefs and not to my Mormon friend. I make no claim to be an expert in Mormon doctrine, but at the same time I make no excuses for the fact that I am not. What I have noted is what I have found in my wanderings through various sources on Mormon doctrine. I may have made some errors, but I do believe that the core substance of Mormon belief is reflected in the following. I will stand corrected for errors of misstatements or misquotes, but not for reasons based on ecclesiastical spin. My neighbor of 35 years is a Mormon and we have been friends for these many years. He has raised his seven children and they have all moved to different parts of the country. One son, who was a dentist, tragically died young of a very unusual disease. We have taken care of his home while he was on holiday or away for other reasons, and he has watched our home while we were gone. He and some of his children who were in the area at the time attended the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents. He has earnestly tried to present the Mormon religion as the alternative to my beliefs; all to no avail. He is fluent and knowledgeable regarding his beliefs, more so than I am with mine but I know where I stand and I cannot do otherwise. His comment is that "We are so close in our beliefs..." But, the reality is that we are not close in our beliefs. We are radically opposed in our beliefs even though the words and names in the two religious systems are much the same. I am not opposed to him in any personal manner since he is a very pleasant, likeable neighbor and a man of character and integrity. Putting all the many and various doctrinal divisions aside, the reason we are radically and irrevocably opposed, in our beliefs, is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ, who is defined and revealed differently in the Bible and in Mormon doctrine. Because of the structure of Mormon doctrine, the Jesus Christ that is presented is not the same as the Jesus Christ in the Bible. Because of the revelation of the Jesus Christ in the Bible, I cannot accept the Jesus Christ of the Mormon church; they are two different and opposite persons. The following items are some of the non-negotiable revelations of Jesus Christ taught in the Bible and represent the heart of the differences in Mormon doctrine and Christian belief: I would say that only numbers: 13, 14, 16 and 17 could be adopted by both points of view, but even then there would be differences. Mormon doctrine would affirm #3 as "a God" and not "the God" as stated; a minor difference in the definite and indefinite adjectives, but a major difference in theology.
The following are a few reasons for my views on each of the points that I posted on the web site. I know that you may not agree, because that is the debate between traditional Christian belief and Mormon doctrine. However, I do not think that I have misstated the substance of any of the nine beliefs that I have noted as being part of the Mormon system of doctrine. My point in posting the statements was as a note to any reader who might think that traditional Christian belief and Mormon beliefs are the same. As you know, the beliefs are very different to the point of being opposite and therein lies the debate. The names and terminology in both systems are the same, but the definitions of the terms are not. As an example, "salvation" in Mormon doctrine means resurrection, while in Christian doctrine it means forgiveness and release from the penalty of sin; "eternal life" in Mormon doctrine means exaltation, while in Christian doctrine it is a state of being, granted at the point in which sin is confessed to God and faith is exercised toward the work and person of Jesus Christ, and extends from this life into the next for the time of eternity. So, on to the points: POINT #1 --------------------------------------------------------- 1. MORMONS STATE THERE IS NO TRIUNE GOD OR TRINITY, ONLY MANY SEPARATE GODS: POLYTHEISTIC BELIEF. "From the early days of Christianity, the erroneous doctrine of the nature of God had led to... the conception that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Godhead, were One, a unity...One point should be noted, that Joseph Smith in his handwritten 1832 account of the "First Vision" noted that he saw only the "Lord" (meaning Jesus Christ) and not the Father and the Son together or separately. The second revision of the "First Vision" was written by Joseph Smith in 1838 and published by the Mormon church in 1844. The fact that Joseph Smith did not state having seen the Father (the major personage in the universe) in his first account of the "First Vision" places a great strain on the credibility of the two versions. The doctrine of the Trinity was rejected in Mormon theology by Joseph Smith from the very beginning of the church. He taught at least two different doctrines regarding the nature of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Joseph Smith's second version of the "First Vision" lead the Mormon church to formulate the doctrine of two separate gods, the Father and Jesus Christ distinct from each other. Had the first version of the "First Vision" been adopted, by logic then, the Mormon church would have been forced to conclude that Jesus Christ was the only God and Father. The Book of Mormon speaks about the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, which sounds to be very Trinitarian. I believe that the statements in the Book of Mormon are Trinitarian in nature, however I will defer to those who have done considerable research and concluded that the terminology is essentially modalistic, referring to one God with three separate or distinct emanations or functions - there are not three separate beings. Mormon teaching regarding the godhead has progressed as follows: (1) One god (monotheism) in Joseph Smith's first version of his "first vision" in 1820. (1832 version) (2) Two separate gods (polytheism) in Joseph Smith's second version of his "first vision" in 1820). (1838 version) (3) One god (monotheism) that is modalistic with three manifestations or functions in the "Book of Mormon" (1830). (4) Three gods (polytheism) when Joseph Smith declared the Father, Son and Holy Ghost to be three separate gods in 1844. (5) Current Mormon theology is structured so that it must view the Book of Mormon not as modalistic, but as tritheisitc, meaning three separate gods; or polytheistic. Current Mormon theology is radically polytheistic. All Mormons have the potential, by following the teachings of the Mormon church, to attain to the highest exaltation; and at that point, they could all attain to godhood if they had all followed the guidelines correctly, although they will not all do so. Since this process has been going on from the infinity of eternity past and will continue through the infinity of eternity in the future, there are, and will be, an infinite number of gods in the universe. This is polytheism taken to the maximum. Since man can become a god, Mormon doctrine states that god was also once a man. He was exalted from his position as a human to that of a god by following the beliefs of the Mormon church on another planet. God is simply an exalted man. In that exaltation, the god of the Mormon church has a body of flesh and bone, however he and his wife propagate children while in that physical state, who are spirits and do not have bodies. In Mormon theology, there is no uniqueness assigned to the Father and Jesus Christ, but only as to their relationship to this earth. They are no greater than any of the other infinitude of gods that have gone through the "Eternal Progression" and possess their own planets and multitudes of children. The Mormon God is also not omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent and cannot create from nothing, but can organize existing matter into structures such as planets. These teachings are in opposition to the Bible, where God makes it very clear who He is in relation to humanity: "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"According to the Bible, God does not have a body, but is a spiritual being: "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."The Book of Mormon also teaches that God is a Spirit: "And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem? And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou this? And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these things, and I will believe thy words."Joseph Smith, the first prophet, president and seer of the Mormon church could not maintain continuity in his doctrinal position. In 1843 he stated that God the Father and the Son both had bodies of flesh and bones. However, in 1835, he taught the following: "There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things - by whom all things were created and made, ...they are the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of spirit, glory and power: possessing all perfection and fullness."The Bible also teaches that God is unique in that there are no other gods, and no one like Himself: "'To whom will you liken Me that I would be his equal', says the Holy One."POINT #2 --------------------------------------------------------- 2. MORMONS BELIEVE THAT CHRIST WAS ONCE A MAN LIKE ALL HUMAN BEINGS, BUT BECAME A GOD. According to Mormon doctrine, Jesus Christ was the first born of the spirit children of the Father on his home planet. This is the core doctrine of the Mormon church, in that it sets the stage for the teaching that all Mormons have the potential to become gods and rule over their own planet. That is the major point in the Mormon doctrine of Eternal Progression. Jesus Christ was the first "spirit child" of the Heavenly Father and was sent to earth to inhabit the "earthly tabernacle" (body) of the baby born to Mary who was fathered in a sexual manner by the Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead (salvation), has become exalted (eternal life) and become a god. Does Jesus Christ live on His own planet? It is not clear in Mormon doctrine, but His appearances to Joseph Smith would indicate that He still lives on the planet of His Heavenly Father. Mormon teaching also claims that Jesus Christ was polygamous and that was the reason He was crucified: "God the Father had a plurality of wives... The Son followed the example of His Father, and became the great bridegroom to whom Kings' daughters and many honorable wives were to be married."There is nothing in the New Testament narrative to indicate that Jesus Christ was married either to one wife or many wives, nor is there one word noting that he had children. The New Testament and the testimony of the Apostles is absolutely clear as to the reason for the persecution of the Apostles and the death of Jesus Christ, and it had nothing to do with polygamy. They [the Pharisees] conspired against Jesus Christ as to how they might destroy Him because He stated that He was Lord of the Sabbath and he healed on the Sabbath, violating the Jewish law and indicating that He considered Himself equal with God: Matthew 12:1-14 "... And the high priest said to Him. 'I adjure You by the living God, that you tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.' Jesus said to him, 'You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.' Then the high priest tore his roes and said, 'He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think ?' They answered, 'He deserves death!'"The statements of Apostle Orson Pratt and president Jedediah M. Grant are blatantly untrue. These statements are not just a difference in doctrine or a dispute over an interpretation, but are deliberate fabrications that were made in order to bolster the doctrine of polygamy which was then being taught. They make the Apostles of Jesus Christ liars, regarding the testimony that they wrote in the Bible, but make themselves into authorities without credentials. I cannot be kind or cordial in relation to their statements. Since Mormon doctrine teaches that all human beings have their origin as the spirit children of the Heavenly Father on His planet, then Jesus Christ is the brother of every human being previously born or to be born on this planet. This would include Satan and his followers who were also children of the Heavenly Father, who were not placed into bodies as a punishment for their rebellion. This is not a Biblical teaching, but a Mormon revelation that is presumed to supersede any Biblical explanation. Now, there appears to be several problems regarding the birth and nature of Jesus Christ in Mormon doctrine: (1) It is taught, as part of Mormon doctrine, that Jesus Christ became a God in the pre-existence, prior to obtaining a body, while at the same time it is taught that having a body is necessary in order to become a God. Therefore, in Mormon Doctrine, Jesus Christ came to earth, not just as a spirit child of the Heavenly Father, but as a God, presumably with a body of flesh and bone. How then did He inhabit the earthly tabernacle fathered for Him by the Father in Heaven if He was not a spirit? Or is Jesus Christ considered to have been a god without a body as is the current teaching about the Holy Spirit? How is not having a body a benefit for exaltation for the Holy Spirit, and for the pre-existent Jesus Christ, when punishment for the spirits who rebelled in the pre-existence is to be denied a body? Apparently Jesus Christ as a god, prior to his coming to earth was subject to the Father in Heaven, but after His resurrection he was exalted to equality with the Father in Heaven. (2) Since all human beings on the earth are brothers and sisters to each other, then Jesus Christ was born to his sister, since she was the spirit child of the Heavenly Father as was Jesus Christ. (3) The most disturbing teaching of all is that the Heavenly Father had sexual relations with Mary in order to produce the earthly tabernacle for Jesus Christ to inhabit. Do Mormons really wish to believe that doctrine? It means that the Heavenly Father had a sexual union with His spirit daughter, engaging in an incestuous relationship. This is not only a heretical teaching in relation to the God of the Bible, but it is blasphemy of the highest degree. Even if the Mormon church would claim that they worship a different God than that which is revealed in the Bible, the teaching is still blasphemy in relation to the Mormon God. There are precious few acts that a man can commit that are greater than incest with a daughter. (4) The teaching makes Jesus Christ to be the illegitimate and illegal Son of an incestuous relationship that was planned, instigated and carried out by God Himself. Even if the Heavenly Father and Mary were married, as is claimed by current Mormon teaching, the marriage would be invalid and the conduct immoral. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in the most literal sense. The body in which he performed His mission in the flesh was sired by that same Holy being we worship as God, our Eternal Father. Jesus was not the son of Joseph, nor was He begotten by the Holy Ghost. He is the Son of the Eternal Father."This is doctrine that has gone seriously wrong, reaching back to the gods of the Greeks and Romans whose conduct was of the same immoral character. It is difficult to understand how the Mormon church can continue to believe and teach such a doctrine of immoral behavior on the part of the God it claims is Holy. This should be a great embarrassment and cause the general authorities much concern. Brigham Young's Adam-God doctrine has been condemned as heretical, but at least Michael, who came to earth as Adam, did not father the spirit of Mary and he did not have sexual relations with her as his daughter but as a sister. Perhaps the Mormon general authorities need to rethink their pronouncement against Brigham Young and consider asking for another revelation from God clarifying this very serious and damaging teaching about the Heavenly Father. POINT #3 --------------------------------------------------------- 3. MORMONS BELIEVE THAT FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST WAS ADAM. I know that you took exception to this statement because I did not provide a further explanation. However I would not have explained the statement in the manner that you mentioned. Protestant Christians would also affirm that Adam was the father of the human race. My reference was to the "Adam-God" teaching of Brigham Young, who taught several generations of Mormons that Adam was the Father in heaven, and therefore Adam was the literal father of Jesus Christ. I have changed the point on the website to indicate that it was a doctrine formerly taught by the Mormon church. My apologies for that omission. The doctrine was taught by a prophet, Brigham Young, and not repudiated for many years. "Jesus, our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the garden of Eden, and who is our Father in Heaven... Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost."The question is, who was the "character" in the Garden of Eden who Brigham Young claims to be the father of Jesus Christ? There are three possibilities: A. Adam, after he died and became a god, left his planet to come to earth and father Jesus Christ. B. Adam's father, his "Father in Heaven", left his planet to come to earth and father Jesus Christ. C. Satan is the father of Jesus Christ. Option "C" could not be correct. Mormons would not believe that teaching. Option "B" could be correct (current Mormon teaching), but that was not what Brigham Young was teaching. Option "A" is correct, because Brigham Young was teaching that Adam was the Father. Because of the obvious contradiction to previous Mormon doctrine and the process by which Adam was considered to be the Father (since Adam would actually be the brother of Jesus Christ), Brigham Young's doctrine, that Adam was the God that should be worshipped by the inhabitants of this earth, was subsequently rejected by later Mormon officials. Therefore, today, the Mormon church rejects the Adam-God doctrine as a teaching of "deluded cultists". "We warn against the dissemination of doctrines which are not according to the scriptures and which are alleged to have been taught by some of the General Authorities of past generations. Such, for instance in the Adam-God theory. We denounce that theory and hope that everyone will be cautioned against this and other kinds of false doctrine."However, Brigham Young was the second prophet of the Mormon church and was affiliated with the organization very early in its history. To reject his doctrine and teaching is the same as claiming that Brigham Young was a false prophet; a very serious blow to Mormon credibility. On the other hand, to reject his doctrine and teaching without declaring him to be a false prophet accomplishes the same thing, because it gives credibility to the teacher of a false doctrine who was a president, prophet and seer of the church. On what basis does the church reject Brigham Young's doctrine and teaching if he is not declared a false prophet? Brigham Young's teaching was certainly aberrant in that it was not correct in relation to Mormon doctrine as taught today. I believe he taught the doctrine for a very good reason, as can be seen in point #2 above. But, as a result of the doctrine being declared as heretical, what does the church do with the people who believed the doctrine and worshipped the wrong God all those years. Does it matter which God they worshipped? Perhaps all can be corrected at the resurrection when they will have a chance to learn the real truth and believe in a proper God? [LATER ADDITION: What about the exaltation of those who believed in the false god? They did not believe correctly in the mortal life, so they cannot attain to the highest exaltation at the resurrection. They can never become gods. So, several generations of faithful Mormons are denied godhood by the teaching of a false prophet who has never been declared by the General authorities to be false.] POINT #4 --------------------------------------------------------- 4. MORMONS BELIEVE THERE IS NO "ORIGINAL SIN" BUT HUMANITY IS ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SINS COMMITTED IN THIS LIFE. "Divine justice forbids that we be accounted sinners solely because our parents transgressed."It is one of the cardinal doctrines of the traditional Christian church that humanity is placed under the actions of Adam as the Federal Head of the human race. It is the reason why traditional Christians believe that humanity is dead to God from birth, unable to respond to the spiritual world of the real God, and capable only of sin. It was Adam and Eve who reproduced themselves, in their sinful state, creating children after their kind. Had they not sinned, the children they would have produced would have been in the state of innocence in which Adam and Even were created, But that was not the case, and children were born of sinful parents into a sinful world in which the they were punished for their behavior and the ground cursed as a punishment to Adam and all of his posterity. It is not fair that men should be judged sinful because of the sins of their progenitors? It is God's prerogative, as the Creator, to declare to His creation the rules under which it must submit or be judged: (1) Was it fair that an animal be killed in order to provide clothing for Adam and Eve? (2) Was it fair that the snake was cursed when his body was simply being used by the devil? (3) Was it fair that the ground was cursed when it had no part in the sinful act? (4) Was is fair that all women would have pain in childbirth because of the sinful act of Eve? (5) Was it fair that the ground began to grow thorns and thistles in place of tender and beautiful plants? If fairness was the issue, then the justice of God demanded the immediate physical death of Adam and Eve for their transgression and the termination of the human race before it even had a chance to begin. The issue was the justice of God in relation to His great mercy and love. He did not terminate the lives of his two created humans, but instead pledged a means to forgive their sins and the sins of all who would follow them, by promising a Redeemer who would take on Himself the penalty for their sins that the justice of God demanded. "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel."Does the Old Testament and New Testament support a doctrine that considers human beings to be sinful even at birth? Without question, they do: Psalm 51:5 Psalm 58:3 Isaiah 48:8 Ephesians 2:3 Romans 5:12-19 POINT #5 --------------------------------------------------------- 5. MORMONS BELIEVE THERE IS NO HELL FOR THE UNREPENTANT. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, in Mormon doctrine, guarantees that all human beings will receive a general resurrection (salvation) after they die, a doctrine not taught in the Bible. All human beings are resurrected in Biblical doctrine, not as a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but as a result of the justice and mercy of God; the unrepentant being raised to judgment and the repentant believers in Christ being raised to eternal life. In Mormon doctrine, for the truly low persons, there is a resurrection to a period in hell, or purgatory, where they will be given the gospel of the Mormon church by persons from paradise and given a second chance (or first chance in relation to those who never heard) to accept the beliefs of the Mormon church. After a 1,000 year period of the Millennium for the people in Paradise, all persons will go through the Second Resurrection to Judgment, where the decision will be made as to the final destination of the individual. Not only will God and Jesus Christ participate in this judgment, but Joseph Smith will also have the ability to rule on the acceptability of an individual's performance. Mormons not married in the temple, other Mormons and exalted Mormons move on to various levels in the Celestial Kingdom. Men who did not accept the beliefs of the Mormon church, but who were honorable (like me?), move to the Terrestrial kingdom. Apparently not a bad place, but not as good as the Celestial Kingdom, since persons living there are servants to those in the Celestial Kingdom. Persons who did not accept the beliefs of the Mormon church and were also of bad character move on to the Telestial kingdom, still in their wicked state. Apparently not pleasant company. Satan, and his brothers and sisters (the sons of perdition) who were thrown down from the Father's planet (along with the exceptionally wicked of the world (Hitler, Stalin?) move on to the second death where they are presumably annihilated. So their "punishment" is "eternal" in that they are put out of existence forever, but it is not "forever" because they are not in existence to comprehend it. The Bible does not teach this view, stating that there are only two ultimate destinations for the individual; heaven or hell. There is no second chance to believe the truth in the next life, and there is no exaltation to godhood for persons who do believe the truth. All persons, no matter how good their character or deeds may seem to be, are naturally opposed to God, incapable of pleasing God by any action on their part, and will spend eternity in hell with the devil and his angels if they have not believed and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. POINT #6 --------------------------------------------------------- 6. MORMONS BELIEVE A PERSON CAN BE "SAVED" BY PROXY BAPTISM (BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD). By "saved" the Mormon church means resurrection. Baptism is one of the required ordinances of the Mormon church, being a necessary duty so that one can be placed on the road to the Celestial Kingdom. Therefore, it is necessary that all persons be baptized, and if deceased relatives have not been baptized, the work must be done by proxy, because after the first resurrection these people will be given the chance to hear the gospel and follow the precepts of the Mormon church.. The Mormon church also teaches that God will provide the names of those who have not been baptized (those lost to history or not included in genealogical records), after the first resurrection. The doctrine of the baptism for the dead is not mentioned in the book of Mormon at all, but is a later revelation. In fact the Book of Mormon does not support a second chance for those who rejected the Mormon doctrine in this life. For them, baptism by proxy would be a waste of time. "And behold, others he [the devil] flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none - and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment." "Book of Mormon", 2 Nephi 28:22-23, published 1924Only 2 years after the publication of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith re-wrote the words in a revelation, stating: "Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment."Church historian B.H. Roberts explained the revelation as follows: "Christians believed that to receive eternal punishment was to be punished eternally. This popular Christian error was corrected in a revelation to Martin Harris.."This is an attempt to place a semantical spin on the very clear teaching in the Book of Mormon and the equally clear teaching in the Bible. Redefining the meaning of words after the fact does not change the meaning of what was written. The attempt to say that no end does not mean forever but that endless torment means to an end or conclusion fails miserably. The "Book of Mormon" puts the attempt at a redefinition to rest: "Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to god, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his beast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment."So, it is written (contrary to the revelation by Joseph Smith) that there is "never ending torment". POINT #7 --------------------------------------------------------- 7. MORMONS BELIEVE THAT AFTER DEATH THEY WILL BE GODS, JUST LIKE CHRIST AND GOD THE FATHER AND WILL RULE OVER THEIR OWN DOMAINS (PLANETS). As I have noted above in #2, this is the point of the doctrine of "Eternal Progression". I am aware that, in Mormon teaching, not all Mormons will attain to godhood, because they have not all distinguished themselves in the performance of their duties. Some will be subservient in a lower lever of the Celestial Kingdom. POINT #8 --------------------------------------------------------- 8. MORMONS BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS OF "CONTINUING REVELATION" THROUGH THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH, THAT HAS ALLOWED THE MORMON CHURCH TO CONTRADICT EARLIER BELIEF, i.e., SIDESTEPPING THE DOCTRINE OF POLYGAMY WHEN IT WAS A DOCTRINE IMPLICITLY PREACHED BY JOSEPH SMITH. The Mormon church believes in the doctrine of the "living prophets". The doctrine spoken by a living prophet has authority over any prophecy or revelation of a dead prophet. My mention of the doctrine of polygamy is a point of reference directed to the changing doctrines taught by the general authorities, in that the doctrines of the dead prophets change, and doctrines also change even before a prophet is dead. The Book of Mormon specifically prohibits the practice of polygamy, pronouncing a judgment of cursing on any one who engages in the practice. "Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous that you; for they have not forgotten the commandment o the Lord, which was given unto our fathers - that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them."It is clearly apparent that in the Book of Mormon it is God, the "Lord of Hosts" who is speaking and directly condemning the practice of polygamy, forbidding its practice and issuing a curse if it is practiced. There can be no claim that the passages were not translated by "inspired" men, because they were translated "perfectly" by Joseph Smith. There can be no claim that the reader is wrongly interpreting what is said or the passages have been taken out of context. The denouncing of the practice of polygamy in the Book of Mormon cannot be denied. Joseph Smith, who translated the Book of Mormon, then practiced polygamy and taught the practice in the church as early as 1831, only one year after the publication of the Book of Mormon, and possibly earlier. When confronted, as a consequence of charges that were made against the church, specifically that the members and leaders were engaging in and teaching polygamy, a charge that was true, the Mormon church issued its "Doctrine and Covenants" in 1835, containing the following passage: "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband..."The statement by the Mormon church, with the approval of Joseph Smith, was positively false, as Joseph Smith continued to practice polygamy until his death at the hands of the mob in 1844. In 1876, Section 101 of the 1835 version of the "Doctrine and Covenants" was removed and replaced by Section 132. Section 101 had condemned the practice of polygamy; the new Section 132 not only approved of polygamy but commanded that it be practiced. The new Section 132 was a revelation, said to have been given to Joseph Smith on July 12, 1843. The doctrine was canonized by the church and is still the official doctrine of the Mormon church, still remaining in the "Doctrine and Covenants", never having been removed or repudiated. Mormon church historians believe that the 1843 date of the revelation is, in fact, only the date that it was written down as an official revelation. They believe that Joseph Smith was authorized (by revelation?) to practice polygamy as early as 1831, certainly before the 1835 version of the "Doctrine and Covenants" entry condemning the practice of polygamy. Why it was 12 years before the doctrine was officially noted is a mystery. This claim may be more to justify Joseph Smith's actions, by giving credence to the license he allegedly received from God, at an earlier date than was claimed by the Mormon church. If the revelation from God was not given until 1843, the documented proof of Joseph Smith's polygamous activity prior to that date condemns him as a wicked and sinful abomination to God, according to the Book of Mormon. It is not known exactly how many polygamous wives Joseph Smith had, but the number could be anywhere from 27 - 48 or more. It cannot be said that Joseph Smith has been wrongly accused of practicing polygamy when Mormon historians state that he did and his contemporaries and associates state that he did in their diaries from that time. In fact, Joseph Smith also practiced polyandry (the marrying of a woman who already had a husband) which is also to covet his neighbor's wife, a violation of 10th Commandment. Both actions are known better under the term bigamy, and was just as illegal then as it is now. "The exact date I cannot give you when this principle of plural marriage was first revealed to Joseph Smith, but I do know that there was a revelation given in July 1831, in the presence of Oliver Cowdery, W.W Phelps and others in Missouri, in which the Lord made this principle known through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Whether the revelation as it appears in the doctrine and covenants as [sic] first given July 12, 1843, or earlier, I care not. It is a fact, nevertheless, that this principle was revealed at an earlier date."According to Joseph Fielding Smith, who was a president, prophet and seer, Joseph Smith was teaching the doctrine of polygamy in 1831. It does not matter whether Joseph Smith received a revelation from God on the subject or not. The fact of the matter is that the statement in the "Doctrine and Covenants" in 1835 is completely false. The Mormon church. and specifically Joseph Smith, did teach polygamy, and it taught and practiced polygamy prior to 1835 and after 1835. The Prophet Joseph Smith practiced it prior to the statement of 1835 and practiced it after 1835, and his approval and participation in formulating the 1835 statement makes him an accessory and direct participant in a lie. Even if Joseph Smith received his revelation prior to any polygamous activity on his part, he still violated the teachings of the Book of Mormon in relation to the laws of the country. The God who gave him the revelation was apparently unaware that he had given a previous revelation about obedience to human law that would conflict with His command to practice polygamy: "Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land."The Mormon church had a valid reason to not practice polygamy, because it violated the laws of virtually every state and every possession subject to the laws of the United States. The Manifesto of 1890 was not even necessary because of the previous revelation. However, within the statement is a problem: God commands that the Mormon obey the laws of the land but at the same time He commands the Mormon to practice polygamy in Joseph Smith's revelation. God places the Mormon in an impossible position from which there is no escape and He did it by direct command. Did God forget what he said so that He was confused, calling on Mormons to obey two conflicting commands? Or was it Joseph Smith who was the author of the confusion, presenting his own agenda as a revelation from God? "... for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."POINT #9 ----------------------------- 9. THE MORMONS BELIEVE THAT WHEN THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN MORMON TENETS AND THE BIBLE TEACHINGS, THE BIBLE IS INCORRECTLY TRANSLATED AND MORMON TENETS TAKE PRECEDENCE. THE BIBLE IS AUTHORITATIVE ONLY WHEN IT IS CORRECTLY TRANSLATED (ACCORDING TO THE MORMON CHURCH) AND AGREES WITH PRE-DETERMINED MORMON DOCTRINES. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts four books as scripture; the 'Bible', the 'Book of Mormon', the 'Doctrine and Covenants', and the 'Pearl of Great Price'. These books are called the standard works of the Church. The words of our living prophets are also accepted as scripture."Since the Mormon church claims to accept all four books as scripture, then it would seem to be a logical conclusion to believe that all four books teach the same gospel, since all are accepted to be scripture. However, the view of the Mormon church regarding the Bible is very different than what has been stated. "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God"The Book of Mormon also condemns and ridicules those who believe in the Bible, 2 Nephi 29:3-10. It is difficult to understand how the Bible can be considered a source of doctrine when the claim is made that it cannot be trusted, has been altered, translated by uninspired men and those who believe it are fools. If the Bible has been translated by uninspired men, rendering the translation as a Gentile product, then why does the Mormon church claim that some parts are authoritative, but others are not. Are not all parts translated by the same uninspired men? There is a double standard here, in that the Mormon church does not equally question why its beliefs do not conform to Biblical teaching, while at the same time looking to Biblical references in order to support the Mormon doctrines. The criticism leveled against the Bible by Apostle Orson Pratt is also a two edged sword, because there are no original golden plates of the Book of Mormon to verify their existence or to verify that their translation was accurate. The men who claimed to have seen the golden plates had no means by which to verify that they were from God and had no familiarity with the "reformed Egyptian" language to know if they had been translated correctly. Just as Joseph Smith was fooled by the Kinderhook plates, they could also have been deceived by any number of means. There is also another problem, because the claim of lost books of the Bible is also made against the Book of Mormon and confirmed by the words of Joseph Smith and the words of God. The reality is that the first 116 handwritten pages of the Book of Mormon are missing and have never been recovered. They were probably destroyed by the wife of Martin Harris. They were not translated again, according to Joseph Smith, because God told him: "Now, behold, I say unto you, that because you delivered up those writings... into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them.... you also lost your gift at the same time; and your mind became darkened....Now the reasoning and argument used by God in this instance is certainly convoluted and strange. If the persons who stole the manuscript altered the words on it, then it would be easily detected. If they falsified a new manuscript, that could have been done in any case, without stealing the original. It could be done with any portion of the translation and at any time, even today. A forgery that could have been created should also have been obvious. Joseph Smith claims that God told him not to give the manuscript to Martin Harris, but he did it anyway. Why did Joseph Smith disobey God, and why didn't God tell Joseph Smith what would happen if he loaned out the manuscript? Joseph Smith feared that the original manuscript was still in existence, and since he could not remember what he had written word for word, he feared that to present a new translation, that differed from the original, would prove him a fraud when the original manuscript was then produced by the person who he believed had stolen it. But, if he could actually translate as he claimed, then a second translation would have been identical to the first and there would have been no controversy. Instead, there would have been a confirmation of his ability and the truth of what he had written. It appears that both God and Joseph Smith missed a great opportunity to provide proof to the world of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith made his own "Inspired Translation of the Bible" in which he changed and discarded many verses, but he did not add any lost books and he did not discard any books that had been added. If Joseph Smith translated the Bible, then it must have been translated by an "inspired man" and therefore must be "correctly translated". Yet, Joseph Smith's "Inspired Version of the Bible" has not been canonized in its entirety by the Mormon church. As you must see, I have great difficulty with Mormon doctrine and especially with the men who created it. Each of the nine points I have mentioned are doctrines accepted by the Mormon church that are radically different than what is presented in the Bible. The belief that the Bible has been changed, books deleted and added by corrupt Catholic priests will not stand under the weight of history and Biblical scholarship. It might have been a claim by the founders that supported ant-Catholic sentiment in its time, and could have then been made without fear of serious refutation, given the frontier nature of the Mormon settlements in the 1830's, but it does not stand the test today. In addition I have serious problems regarding the character and integrity of Joseph Smith. This is especially apparent in his claim to have translated the "Book of Abraham" from the Egyptian papyri that he had purchased. He claimed that the papyri were written by Abraham himself and were not copies. The original papyri that he used have now been found, examined and translated. The documents were copies of the Egyptian Book of the Dead called the "Book of Breathings" and had nothing to do with Abraham. It was also an impossibility that they had been written by the hand of Abraham himself, because Abraham predated the papyri by almost 2,000 years. It is believed that the papyri are about 1,800-2,000 years old. The claim that he translated the "Book of Abraham" was a lie perpetrated by Joseph Smith. The additional problem associated with the "Book of Abraham" is the fact that it was used to perpetuate the inferiority of Black persons and was used to deny them the priesthood in the Mormon church. The other problem with the "Book of Abraham" is that it has been canonized in the "Pearl of Great Price", and none of the presidents, prophets and seers who headed the Mormon church perceived that the document was a forgery by Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon states the following: "Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell the, O king, of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from god. an the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is call seer."The translation was declared to be incorrect and that characters had been altered in the original document, as early as 1860. Again, another major claim of fraud, fabrication and imagination was made in 1912, resulting in the book by Mormon apologist J.C. Homans (Robert C. Webb, Ph.D.). The book apparently satisfied the Mormon leadership, but did not deal with the reality of the translation, and J.C. Homans writing as Robert C. Webb, Ph.D., discredited himself by claiming he had a Ph.D. when he did not. However, at no time in the history of the Mormon church was any president, prophet or seer able to detect the fact that the "Book of Abraham" was a forgery. When the original papyri were discovered and presented to the Mormon church, the president of the church did not offer to translate the documents, but they were turned over to Dr. Hugh Nibley of Brigham Young University, and they were translated by other academicians. What a great opportunity it would have been to validate the claims to the unbelieving world, regarding the abilities of the president of the church. The opportunity is lost to history. The fact that the "Book of Abraham" was a forgery, was made public as early as 1968 in the "Salt Lake City Messenger", yet it is still part of the "Pearl of Great Price", still an official doctrine and scripture of the church 33 years after the disclosure. In addition, since the prohibition against persons of Black color attaining the priesthood was based on the "Book of Abraham" (and it was known as early as 1966 that the "Book of Abraham" was a forgery, possibly even much earlier than that) then the announcement that God had answered the prayers of the general authorities by allowing Black people to hold the priesthood was a sham: "... we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the upper room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.Well, they should receive the priesthood because it was denied to them based on a lie by a prophet and not by a command by God. The "revelation" came ten years after it was known that there was no original "revelation" given regarding the exclusion of Black persons from the priesthood. The "revelation" came 140 years after Joseph Smith made the false claim to have translated the "Book of Abraham". The "revelation" of 1976 is not understandable, in that it intimates that God finally changed his mind by allowing Black person to hold the priesthood, rather than revealing that the belief held by the Mormon church and supported by the presidents, prophets and seers for 140 years had been based on a falsehood perpetrated by the first president, prophet and seer of the church Joseph Smith. If the general authorities "... pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of ..." the Black people, then it is not reflected in the previous teachings of the Mormon church. The Mormon church was wholly opposed to the idea that Black people could attain to the priesthood, and this was especially apparent during the height of the period of civil rights unrest in the United States during the 1950's and 1960's, and is reflected in the writings and speeches of Apostles Mark E. Petersen and Bruce R. McConkie. To have announced the real reason why Black persons were denied the priesthood and to have apologized for the wrong treatment given to them for 140 years would have undermined the credibility and authority of the presidency of the church. If the presidents, prophets and seers of the church are charged with upholding the doctrine of the church, to insure its correctness and purity as revealed to them by God, then the "Book of Abraham" and the doctrine withholding the priesthood from Black persons would reveal the inability of the general authorities to accomplish the task. To admit that possibility would have brought the church to a crisis that the presidency and other general authorities were unwilling to face and still unwilling to face. If they admit to the fact that the "Book of Abraham" is a fabrication, then church leaders must face the possibility that the Book of Mormon and all revelations given by Joseph Smith are a fabrication also. This would be a disaster that no leader would wish to face. I know the issue is sensitive to current Mormon believers, but I must return to the issue of polygamy. I don't bring it up to present it as a lurid practice, but only as to the doctrinal implications inherent in its practice and non-practice. It was believed by the original founders of the Mormon church that the Father in heaven had many wives, perhaps even thousands. It was a necessary consequence of the doctrine that the Father and his wife (wives) produce the "spirit children" that are sent to earth in order to inhabit the bodies of earthly babies. It is unknown what the gestation period is for the "spirit children" but the original founders must have assumed it to be similar to earthly human beings. It was realized that the amount of time necessary to produce the number of children that had lived on the earth, up to the time of the founding of the Mormon church, would have been ridiculously long if only one wife had been involved. Given the birth rate on the earth today, the numbers of wives must be staggering. However, the point is that the doctrine establishing polygamy on earth became necessary in order for an exalted Mormon man to have enough wives to produce the numbers of "spirit children" necessary to populate a world. To insure this multiplicity of wives in the Celestial world, the founders instituted the practice of polygamy only two years after the publication of the Book of Mormon, in which the practice was strictly forbidden. I can only assume that in making the prohibition in the Book of Mormon, God had not completely thought about the reality of producing "spirit children" with only one wife, even though he had many wives. Had this not already been an issue when he had once been a man on another "earthly" planet? Or, was it Joseph Smith who had not considered the consequences of belief in a God who produced all the "spirit children" for every human being, both in the past and would for the future? In the Book of Mormon, a person who practiced polygamy was cursed, David and Solomon being singled out personally by God as an example: "And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son."In Joseph Smith's revelation, a person is cursed for not practicing polygamy, which is commanded. In the Book of Mormon, David and Solomon engaged in "wicked practices" by indulging in polygamy. However, in Joseph Smith's revelation, God is quoted as saying: ".. I the Lord justified my servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also Moses, David, and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives, and concubines..."The question is, were they cursed or justified for practicing polygamy and having concubines? Joseph Smith's revelation says they were justified, even for having concubines which are sexual partners not even linked to the person by a plural marriage. So the revelation states they were justified even for engaging in adulterous behavior, by having relations with women who were not their wives. Mormon doctrine cannot accommodate both revelations. Either the Book of Mormon is correct or the revelation of Joseph Smith is correct. If both revelations are correct, then God has lied in one revelation or the other. If Joseph Smith's Revelation is correct then the Book of Mormon was not a revelation. If the Book of Mormon is correct, then Joseph Smith's revelation is not a revelation. But as to the doctrinal implications of the practice: (1) It is commanded by God and must be practiced in order to fulfill the duty of obedience. (2) Failure to practice polygamy will result in a person not being able to achieve the highest exaltation (godhood). "... it will be seen that God has actually commanded some of his servants to take more wives, and... if they refused to obey this command, after having the law revealed to them, they should be damned. This revelation, then, makes it a matter of conscience among all the Latter-Day Saints; and they embrace it as a part and portion of their religion, and verily beileve {sic} that they cannot be saved and reject it."The United States extended its authority into Utah and the practice of polygamy came under increasing scrutiny and legal action, resulting in the Manifesto of 1890. The Manifesto, issued under the authority of President Wilford Woodruff and stated: "Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the church over which I preside to have them do likewise. ...and I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land."Was the Manifesto actually a revelation from God or an accommodation in order relieve the pressure of the United States Federal legal system? The declaration was presented as a recommendation by Mr. Woodruff to the constituents of the Mormon church. It had no binding authority on the church and indicated no penalties, such penalties not enacted until 1908, against members who chose not to follow the "advice" in the declaration. The original and official doctrine, regarding the practice of polygamy, was not changed, repudiated or removed from the "Doctrine and Covenants", still remaining as the official doctrine of the Mormon church today. President Woodruff claimed that God had given the "revelation" in order to stop the future persecution of members of the church, but that was not included in the substance of the Manifesto. If God was able to see into the future regarding persecution of the church, why did He give the revelation commanding its practice in the first place? Mormons who choose to follow the recommendation of Wilford Woodruff, do so at their own peril because they are commanded by God, through the revelation given to Joseph Smith, to practice polygamy under penalty of damnation and that is still the official position of the church.. If the Mormon does not practice polygamy, is he denied the highest exaltation - denied godhood? There are many questions as to the validity of the Manifesto as a revelation. President Woodruff, in sworn testimony to the United States Congress, indicated that the Manifesto applied as a prohibition against future plural marriages and prohibited the continuing unions of those who had plural wives prior to the Manifesto. It is certain that Mr. Woodruff did not follow his own advice and many others in the hierarchy of the Mormon church chose not to follow his advice also, despite what they told their constituents. While making sure that they were not in danger of damnation, by violating the revelation from God commanding the practice of polygamy, members of the Mormon hierarchy continued to personally practice the act after issuing the Manifesto, while, at the same time, telling the members of the Mormon church not to do so. (1) Fourth LDS Prophet and President Wilford Woodruff had at least 11 wives. "Dialog: A Journal of Mormon Thought", Vol. 27, No. 1, Spring 1994, p. 66. (2) Fifth Prophet and President Lorenzo Snow had as least 10 wives. "Dialog: A Journal of Mormon Thought", Vol. 27, No. 1, Spring 1994, p. 62. (3) Sixth Prophet and President Joseph Fielding Smith had at least 5 wives. He was charged and convicted of "unlawful cohabitation" sixteen years after the pronouncement in 1890 suspended the practice in the Mormon church. "Under The Prophet In Utah", Frank J. Cannon and Harvey J. O'Higgins, p. 268; "Deseret Evening News", November 23, 1906, as quoted in "The Changing World of Mormonism", Jerald and Sandra Tanner, p. 284. (4) Seventh Prophet and President Heber J. Grant was charged and convicted of "unlawful cohabitation" nine years after the pronouncement in 1890 suspended the practice in the Mormon church. In 1903 he fled from the United States to avoid arrest. "Daily Tribune", September 9, 1899; as quoted in "The Changing World of Mormonism", Jerald and Sandra Tanner, p. 284. Mormon leadership attempted to circumvent United States Law and violate their own Manifesto by approving and instigating polygamous marriages, by citizens of the United States, in Mexico and on the high seas. This is very strange and immoral behavior for men who claimed that the Father in heaven gave a revelation that polygamy was no longer required. Apparently they were not convinced themselves as to the validity of the Manifesto as a revelation. The claim by the Mormon church is that God is able to keep the church from apostasy and doctrinal error. Why did he not do the same thing with the original church? Was God too weak or preoccupied to protect His church? The claim is invalid, because the Adam-God doctrine of Brigham Young is a classic example of doctrinal error, the church authorities stating that the error was taught. The claim by Joseph Smith that he translated the "Book of Abraham" is another false teaching, and it was not realized or detected by the general authorities who claim to protect the church from error, but was discovered by persons outside the Mormon church. Both of these teachings were by the two most influential prophets in the church, and both were false doctrine. I am forced to conclude that the Mormon church does not have a doctrinally sound foundation. Doctrines that are one day believed, are the next brushed off. Revelations contradict revelations and living prophets contradict dead prophets. False doctrines are not detected by the authorities who claim to have the ability to do so. Revelations are given when no revelations are necessary. This is not a world in which I wish to trust the eternity of my soul. If I am wrong in my belief, and the Mormon church is right, then perhaps I will find a place as a servant in the Terrestrial world. Perhaps, after seeing the error of my ways, I will accept the beliefs of the Mormon church after the first resurrection. My concern for those in the Mormon church is, if I am right in my belief, that there is no hope for a second chance. Whatever decision is made in this life is forever fixed in the next life. In the resurrection, all will be judged in relation to the teaching about Jesus Christ in the Bible. A wrong view of Jesus Christ now will result in a judgment of eternal punishment for which no relief will be found. So, I hope you understand that I must hold to the teaching of the Christian doctrine that is found solely in the pages of the Bible. It is not possible to accept the Mormon view that the church went into an apostate condition 200 years after Jesus Christ, the world living in spiritual darkness without a revelation from God for another 1600 years, until the church was re-established through a revelation given to Joseph Smith. I cannot accept a God that is created in my image; a god who speaks falsely about what he previously revealed, a god who sexually abuses his own daughter, and a god who gives revelations about the priesthood when he should have condemned a prophet who lied. I cannot accept a church that has taught that there is one god, that there are two gods, that there are three gods and finally that there is a pantheon of gods. I cannot accept a church that allows a president, prophet and seer to teach that the sun and the moon are inhabited. I cannot accept a teaching that, matter is composed of very tiny entities with their own life and ability to think, who cohere together, through mutual agreement, in order to form everything that is, including the spiritual and physical. There are two beliefs in the Mormon church that have as their foundation a basis in law, or a commandment of works based on a standard of performance, which is a legal and binding standard. One is the Mormon belief that the Ten Commandments must be kept, and the other is that "... for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 2 Nephi 25:23 . Both of these duties are based on a standard of performance. That standard is to keep the Ten Commandments - perfectly. The standard to receive grace is to do - all. The standard is perfection of performance in both instances. Failure to keep the 10 Commandments even in the most minute aspect is a failure to attain to the standard of perfection. A failure to do all, meaning every possible item of performance, is a failure to attain to the standard of perfection regarding the definition of all. If tithing is part of the standard, and I fail to give one more penny than I could have been given, but I did not, then the standard of all is not met. Is there an ancestor who I failed to identify and for whom a baptism was not performed, because I did not spend the time to find them, but used that time for other pleasures? If there is such a person, then I have failed in the standard regarding all. Have I failed to give the gospel to every person with which I could possibly speak? If I have, then I have failed in the standard regarding all. Did I sleep 5 minutes longer than was necessary so that I missed a time of prayer or study? That standard of "all" is applied in every aspect of performance. If salvation is by grace, after accomplishing all, and I do not accomplish all, how shall I obtain grace? How many good works does it take to cover one sin in a lie? There is no number of good works that can cover a single sin, because perfection of performance is the standard (Titus 3:5). If one falls short of perfection, then there is no manner in which a person can become more than perfect in order to make up for the imperfection. (Romans 3:20) How may the good deeds that I do cover up for the sins committed in this life? The sins that I commit are not against other people or against commands or precepts but are rebellious acts committed directly against God Himself. (Psalm 51:3-4) I know that I should perform according to God's standard and not at the lower level of human accomplishment which may be convenient for me. (Galatians 2:15-16) How will I justify myself before God by my good works, when by my own decision, I have failed to be perfect? (Ecclesiastes 7:20) I am not opposed to the 10 Commandments, after all, they were given as a command by God. However, they were given in order to teach humanity the impossibility of attaining to a right standing with God through works, which the 10 Commandments represent. The 10 Commandments represent the moral values that are imposed on humanity, but they are impossible to keep perfectly. (Romans 3:19-28) I need a Redeemer to take rescue me from the position in which I cannot be made acceptable to God by my human effort and works, because I cannot stand before God as perfect in character, integrity and performance. (Isaiah 6:5; Romans 3:27-28) I need a Redeemer, perfect in character, perfect in integrity, perfectly sinless in performance and approved by God. (Hebrews 4:15) I need a Redeemer Who will stand in my place at the judgment because he died for me on a cross, paying the penalty for my sins, saying to the Father, "Forgive this person, looking at him as You look at Me, because he has placed his faith and trust in Me." (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:26) This is a different Redeemer than the one taught in the Mormon church. This is a different Jesus Christ. But it is the Jesus Christ taught in the Bible. Nine Points Of Difference Between The Bible And Mormon Doctrine |
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