Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 953; “Because of the angel Moroni’s role in restoring the everlasting gospel to be preached to all the world (cf. Rev. 14:6-7; D&C 133:31-39), the Church placed a statue depicting him as a herald of the Restoration atop the Salt Lake Temple, and later on the hill Cumorah near Palmyra, New York, where anciently he had buried the Book of Mormon plates. Copies of the statue have also been placed atop several other LDS temples.”
Isaiah 45:16; “They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.”
Placing a statue of a dead man on top of your place of worship is called idol worship. Especially since you’re going into that temple to do works for the dead. It’s a form of necromancy.
Independent
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 271; “Be just as independent as a God to do good. Love mercy, eschew evil, be a savior to yourselves and to your families, and to your fellow beings just as much as you possibly can, and go on with your independence and do not yield yourselves servants to obey an evil principle or an evil being. 15:7.”
Luke 18:9, 14; “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others…I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
The blasphemy just continues on with this teaching from Brigham Young. Independence implies you’re trusting in yourself. Doing this as “a god” tells us you’re a polytheist.
Nothing else you would have to say matters when those two things are part of the theology.
Indians are Becoming White & Delightsome
Improvement Era, Vol. 63, No. 12, Dec. 1960, pp. 922-23; “I saw a striking contrast in the progress of the Indian people today as against that of only fifteen years ago…. they are fast becoming a white and delightsome people…The day of the Lamanites is here! Young white missionaries throughout the Church are happy in the service, glad that they were called to this special mission…At last the Indians are suitable. I heard them bear their witness…they are now becoming white and delightsome, as they were promised…
The children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation…
At one meeting a father and mother and their sixteen year old daughter were present, the little member girl – sixteen – sitting between the dark father and mother, and it was evident she was several shades lighter than her parents – on the same reservation, in the same hogan, subject to the same un and wind and weather… These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness….One white elder jokingly said that he and his companion were donating blood regularly to the hospital in the hope that the process might be accelerated…
The day of the Lamanites has come…. today the dark clouds are dissipating.” – Spencer W. Kimball
James 2:9 tells us that if we show partiality towards someone (this includes one group of people) we’re living in sin. How is talking about Native Americans in this manner a godly attribute?
I’ve heard people say that it takes generations to cleanse a country from racism, but I have to disagree.
It only takes one. It begins with you and it begins with me. My parents are racist – I’m not.
My children have been raised to believe that a person is judged by what’s inside the person, not what you can see and I have to say it’s been one of the biggest blessings I’ve ever had to see them hang out with people of all races and from numerous cultures. PTL!
Indians Came from Abraham
The Joseph Smith Papers, 9-11 November 1835, Monday-Wednesday, Journal 1835-1836, p. 24; “…he [the angel] said unto me I am a messenger sent from God, be faithful and keep his commandments in all things, he told me of a sacred record which was written on plates of gold, I saw in the vision the place where they were deposited, he said the Indians were the literal descendants of Abraham…”
While it’s believable that something appeared to Smith, it’s obvious he brought a false message and Smith just passed it on to the unsuspecting.
Indians Come to America in 600 BC
Journal of Discourses 14:11-12; “Let me here observe that the Book of Mormon, which has been published for forty-one years, gives an account of the first settlement of this country by these inhabitants, showing that they are not the ten tribes, but they are the descendants of one tribe, and they came to this country about six hundred years before Christ. The people when they first landed consisted of only two or three families; and instead of landing on the north-west coast of North America, they landed on the south-west coast of South America. A history of the escape of these few families from Jerusalem is contained in the Book of Mormon.” – Brigham Young
Galatians 3:1-3; “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
Special note: Please read Jeremiah 42:1-22 which took place circa 600 BC.
One of the all time best bible studies I did was on the book of Jeremiah. I think every single Mormon and ex-Mormon needs to study Jeremiah because it’ll completely change your mind about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.
Either Jeremiah’s written account is truth or the Book of Mormon is truth but you can’t believe in both.
Inspired of God? – I give it as My Opinion
Alma 40:20; “Now, my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion, that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of the righteous, at the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.”
Jeremiah 5:31; “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”
You’d think that something as significant as when we’re resurrected wouldn’t be a mere opinion in scripture.
Inspired of God? – And So Forth
Alma 22:14; “And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king.” – BC 90-77
2 Peter 2:1; “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
How could this be inspired? They’re talking about Jesus in 90 BC, using phrases from the New Testament epistles Paul wrote and my least favorite…“and so forth”.
Inspired of God? – Non-descript Descriptions
3 Nephi 26:18; “And many of them saw and heard unspeakable things, which are not lawful to be written.”
2 Timothy 3:16; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
If this “scripture” is definitely from God then why would it be unlawful to write about it?
Inspired of God? Reformed Egyptian to Elizabethan English to 19th Century English
Mosiah 4:22; “And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.”
2 Timothy 3:16; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
Today I wanted to point out the vocabulary this guy Mosiah used; the message of what he had to say is for another day.
Why would God in His infinite wisdom choose to slip from Elizabethan English to the vernacular of Joseph’s day?
The Lord told us through His apostle Paul that scripture is given to us by His inspiration. Does this sound inspired to you?
Intelligence
October 2004 General Conference; “Some people exalt themselves above God and His annointed servants because of their learning and scholarly achievements. We must never allow our intellect to take priority over our spirit. Our intellect can feed our spirit and our spirit can feed our intellect, but if we allow our intellect to take precedence over our spirit, we stumble, find fault, and may even lose our testimonies.” – Apostle Joseph B. Wirthlin
Psalm 1:1-2; “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
No, why would you want reason to kick in? That was a gift giving to you from God Himself and you’re throwing it away.
Intelligences (mankind)
Life Before, pg. 39; “In 1833 the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that “man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” (D&C 93:29.).” – Brent Top
Psalm 8:3-5; “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”
I cannot imagine the Lord would tell Joseph that He was unable to create mankind or that He didn’t have the power to create the earth out of nothing.
Intelligence of Man Co-Equal w/ God
Latter-day Prophets Speak: Selections from the Sermons & Writings of Church Presidents, pg 3; “THE MIND or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God Himself… Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age, and there is no creation about it. – Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 353-354, April, 1844.”
Revelation 4:11 is a classic verse giving the Lord His due respect of who He is and our position. I love this verse! If you’ve ever wondered why you were created, this verse is one of several that answers this question.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
We need to remember who we are and who God is – He is the Potter, we are the clay and who are we to question?
Job 38:4; “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”
Isaiah 64:8; “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”
How could we be the work of His hand if we’re co-equal or co-eternal with Him? It’s impossible! Oh how He loves us beyond our comprehension but if we’ve not been told this great truth we’re led to believe a whole host of abnormal theories.
Internet: Centering on Jesus Christ
“Center Your Relationships on Jesus Christ”; “As you share online, focus on relationships and messages that bring you closer to Jesus Christ. Use the Spirit as you find ways to share the gospel online. Have courage to share your testimony of the Savior when you feel prompted by the Spirit. Try to help those you associate with online realize the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
“As you participate in this conversation and utilize the tools of new media, remember who you are—Latter-day Saints. . . . There is no need to argue or contend with others regarding our beliefs. There is no need to become defensive or belligerent. Our position is solid; the Church is true. We simply need to have a conversation, as friends in the same room would have, always guided by the prompting of the Spirit and constantly remembering the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, which reminds us of how precious are the children of our Father in Heaven.” — Elder M. Russell Ballard (“Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet,” Ensign, July 2008).”
Romans 12:2; “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
You’ll notice how they lure people in with the phrase “Center…on Christ”. That all sounds well and good doesn’t it?
The real truth is found after the luring to bring people in so let’s take a look at the vocabulary this man uses. I discovered the page listed above on the Church’s website (6/21/2013) and found some things they said to be confusing and misleading, thus my posting on this today.
1.”Use the Spirit”. I’ve gotta ask…what exactly does that mean? How does one go about using the Spirit and what Spirit are you using? As Christians we have the Holy Spirit residing inside of us and because of God’s omniscient and omnipotent power the Holy Spirit guides our thoughts and lives at all times. I’ve never heard of any Christian “using” the Spirit.
2. What is the “power of the Atonement”?
3. Why is the Church true? Specifically what makes this so?
4. Why must someone always remember the Atonement? What does this specific act do? What encompasses the act of the “Atonement”?
5. How does constantly remembering the Atonement remind us we’re children of God? Mormons already believe they’re children of God because they were spiritually begotten by God and a Heavenly Mother. I don’t need someone else’s action to remind me of who my father is. I already know this.
As I stated here that when we’re saved God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us and while I think about what He did for me every single day my focus is upon who He is, what He’s done and not just for me, but as a whole.
There are no specifics when they give directions on telling people to focus on the Atonement. The Atonement for a Mormon is that Jesus paid for some, but not all sins, in the Garden of Gethsemane. The other truth is that Mormons believe in a works based salvation that has no place in the true Sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross, not in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Internet not Allowed
“Can Ye Feel So Now?”, General Conference October 2012; “The constant portrayal of violence and immorality in music, entertainment, art, and other media in our day-to-day culture is unprecedented. This was dramatically described by a highly respected Baptist theologian when he stated, “The spiritual immune system of an entire civilization has been wounded.
Many who are in a spiritual drought and lack commitment have not necessarily been involved in major sins or transgressions, but they have made unwise choices…Some have immersed themselves in Internet materials that magnify, exaggerate, and, in some cases, invent shortcomings of early Church leaders. Then they draw incorrect conclusions that can affect testimony. Any who have made these choices can repent and be spiritually renewed.” – Quentin L. Cook
Isaiah 59:1; “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”
He’s right. Those who’ve participated in finding the truth can indeed repent and be spiritually renewed! Praise God for His unending mercy to us!!! Thank you Jesus!
The Baptist theologian he was speaking about was Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He said this during a presentation to religious leaders, New York City, Sept. 5, 2012.
It’s so interesting that he’d quote from a source the Church considers to be a “whore of the earth” and why would he be reading or listening to anyone other than his own leaders?
Wouldn’t that be in direct conflict with what he’s warning his audience about?
Why is he gleaning information from outsiders? This is hypocrisy in action!
He does know how the Southern Baptists feel about the LDS Church, right?
My, what a tangled web we weave…
Israel Jews didn’t Know of Nephites
3 N 15:19-21; “But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you. 20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them. 21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
Matthew 24:4-5, 23-24; “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
Just how believable is that Mormon story? What Israelite wouldn’t have known about one of the other tribes? The way tradition was in those days the story of one of the tribes getting on a ship and high-tailing it to another continent would’ve been in their stories they passed down from one generation to the next.
Furthermore, where is the story of Nephi or Lehi in any of the Old Testament before the Babylonian takeover? Can’t find it you say? It’s no wonder. And why would Jesus keep secrets? Jesus of all people not telling the whole truth is a big fish story to swallow indeed.
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