Interesting Facts about the 3 – in – 1 – Part 3
We’re taking a deeper look at the claims of the Triple Combination for the sake of the Mormons as well as the Christians! So here we go with the third installment of Interesting Facts about the Triple Combination.
What’s in a Name – again!
2 Nephi 10:3;
“Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name.”
False Promises
I asked a few friends to help me count how many verses they could find containing Greek words in the Book of Mormon. Thanks to everyone’s help we came up with the discovery of several Greek words which appeared in 752 verses throughout the BC era of the Book of Mormon! The reason for pointing this out is twofold. First of all why were Greek words being used in the BC era?
Secondly, Smith publicly proclaimed the Book of Mormon contained no such thing! In Times & Seasons 4:194 it says;
“There was no Greek or Latin upon the plates from which I, through the grace of God, translated the Book of Mormon Let the language of that book speak for itself.”
Whenever I am reminded of this scenario I think of what the Apostle Paul told the Galatians in 1:6-9;
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
“Why or better yet how, could you not question these things?” This is the question I receive from Christians all the time when writing in to ask why their loved one has fallen into the trap of Mormonism. With all of the evidence of plagiarism, lies, and improbabilities, it is amazing that people do not question. When I was LDS I remember seeing these things and then blaming myself for not understanding or for questioning the Church. Remember though one of the other things the Apostle Paul warned us about in Ephesians 6:11-12;
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Eve Praises God for Their Sin
The contradictions found in LDS theology run rampant in regards to the subject of sin. The average Mormon truly believes two things that are diametrically opposed to what God declares. 1 – Man is inherently evil. 2 – They believe it was necessary that Adam & Eve sin.
As you dig deeper into Mormon theology, you can easily see how they keep members confused. The following two examples are found in the Pearl of Great Price. As you can see in the first example they are lauding Eve’s choice and in another instance they are being taught that by sinning you are choosing to be separated from God.
Moses 5:11; “And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.”
Moses 6:48-50; “And as Enoch spake forth the words of God, the people trembled, and could not stand in his presence. 48 And he said unto them: Because that Adam fell, we are; and by his fall came death; and we are made partakers of misery and woe. 49 Behold Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal, sensual, and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God. 50 But God hath made known unto our fathers that all men must repent.”
Compare this with what the Bible says in Romans 3:23;
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Also see Rom. 5:12;
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
The Making of Mankind
Moses 2:27;
“And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.”
If God created male and female after His own image and God is an exalted man as they claim in D&C 130:22, would this mean that God is also an exalted woman?
Timeliness is of the Utmost Importance…
Abraham 3:24 says;
“And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell.”
Where exactly is “down there”? Wouldn’t that mean there was already something down there that had been created and if so, wouldn’t that contradict Abraham 3:22 which says;
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones.”
Packing Your Bags…Travel Itineraries for Nephites & Jaredites
First Nephi tells us about the travels of the prophet Lehi and his sons, one of which is Nephi of course.
Is it reasonable that Lehi and his family could have left Jerusalem and walked 210 miles in three days to get to the Red Sea? See 1 Nephi 2:4-7.
Also note 1 Nephi 2:6, 8 which tells us Nephi & company traveled 3 days in the wilderness to get to the Red Sea and then set up camp next to a river called Laman.
1 – Most travelers in those days could travel roughly 15 miles on a really good day’s travel. The distance between the northern tip of the Red Sea to Jerusalem is approximately 153 miles. That’s roughly ten or so days and as you can see Nephi said he did it in three. Is this really possible?
2 – There has never been a river that has emptied into the Red Sea; even to this day. There are and have been canals built for shipping for the past 200-300 years, but no rivers.
The story in Nephi would be considered a false prophecy. I realize this is “tough language”; but we need to be honest here and call it what it is – a lie. A good concise map and data can be found at www.encyclopedia.com for info on this subject.
In the book of Ether we find Jared, his family and friends building and then packing their boat for the trip to the Promised Land. There are several items of note within this text that we could spend a good amount of time in, however let’s just look at a few interesting “facts”.
In Ether 2:2 it says;
“And they did also lay snares and catch fowls of the air; and they did also prepare a vessel, in which they did carry with them the fish of the waters.”
If they’re going to be sailing for a bit of time, why would they need to pack fish? Noah was out on the waters for about 370 days and the Bible doesn’t mention one thing about him packing fish of any kind to take with him. See Gen. 7:11-13 & Gen. 8:14-15 for length of time Noah was on the Ark.
Didn’t they (the Jaredites) have any food? If they didn’t need to eat the fish, where were they kept – an aquarium?
Ether 2:18-20 says;
“And it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me. 19 And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish. 20 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.”
Why didn’t the Lord remember to put air holes in the “barges” so they could breathe and why was there a “plug” in the bottom of the boat? How could air come into the boat if you’re using the plug in the bottom? Wouldn’t only water be coming through?
Why was there an Apostasy?
3 Nephi 28:1-18 is the account of when Jesus told three of the Nephites they would never die. (Also see “This is My Gospel, Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual”, pg. 185)*
Here we have a few people wandering the earth with the “truth” and no one intervenes to warn the Christians they were falling into an apostasy?
The history of Joseph Smith in 1:19 says that God told Joseph not to join any of the churches, for they were all wrong.
Joseph Smith History 1:19; “I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.””
For a concise explanation of what the Church considers to be “the Apostasy” see what the Apostle Bruce McConkie said in Mormon Doctrine, pg. 699;
“Existence of the sects of Christendom is proof positive of the universal apostasy. Truth is one; Christ is not divided; those who enjoy the Spirit, all speak the same things; there are no divisions among them; but they are “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor. 1:10-13.) When Joseph Smith retired to the Sacred Grove, it was to ask the Lord which of all the sects was right and which he should join. The answer: “I must join none of them, for they were all wrong.” (Jos. Smith 2:14-20.)”
Of course we know this is nothing but lies. Jesus promises us in Matthew 16:18 that His church will always stand the test of time!
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Dietary Laws for the People of the Book of Mormon
It is difficult at best to believe the Jewish people wouldn’t know or understand Torah. The life of a typical Israelite is lived obeying and observing it. The country they lived in or traveled through wouldn’t matter; they knew the Law just as much as you and I know the pledge of allegiance as it was ingrained in them from one generation to the next.
About Wine:
This first example puzzles me because here we have a direct example of how to take the Lord’s Supper using wine. Apparently this wasn’t a sin, but now it is? Also note how they prayed in the name of the Eternal Father. The god of Mormonism isn’t eternal.
Moroni 5:1-2;
“The manner of administering the wine—Behold, they took the cup, and said: 2 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”
About Raw Meat:
1 Nephi 17:2;
“And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.”
1 Nephi 17:12;
“For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not.”
Lev. 7:26-27;
“Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.”
Lev. 19:26;
“Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.”
About Swine:
Ether 9:18;
“And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.”
Leviticus 11:7-8; “And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.”
How Did Ammon Know to Quote Jesus in 90 BC?
Alma 19:10;
“And Ammon said unto her: Blessed art thou because of thy exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites.”
It’s obvious that Smith is plagiarizing Jesus. How would someone in Mesoamerica know to say something like this 120 years before it was said by Jesus Himself in Luke 7:9;
“When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
Personal Injuries
1 N 4:19-21;
“And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins. 20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury. 21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.”
Notice there was no mention of any blood found upon the body of Nephi from the beheading of Laban…Alma 44:12-16;
“And now when Moroni had said these words, Zerahemnah retained his sword, and he was angry with Moroni, and he rushed forward that he might slay Moroni; but as he raised his sword, behold, one of Moroni’s soldiers smote it even to the earth, and it broke by the hilt; and he also smote Zerahemnah that he took off his scalp and it fell to the earth…16 Now it came to pass that Zerahemnah was exceedingly wroth, and he did stir up the remainder of his soldiers to anger, to contend more powerfully against the Nephites.”
Zerhemnah gets scalped and all it says is that he’s “wroth”? I would imagine that I’d be a little more than angry if I got scalped.
Twelve years of war and not one person died… really? Alma 56:56;
“But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war.”
Living Under Law
The following verse in the Doctrine and Covenants make me absolutely heart sick for the Mormon people and angry with the leadership that will not tell the truth about God. Memories of my mother working herself almost to death for the sake of a false gospel has left me baffled on many an occasion.
If we were to work under the Law then why pray tell even bother with the Jesus side of things?
D&C 132:32;
“Go ye, therefore, and do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.”
There are two passages of scripture that keep coming to mind whenever I read this in the Mormon “scripture”. Romans 4:2-3 and Galatians 2:20-21;
“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
Clearly we are living under grace now, if you’ve accepted the Messiah actually delivered on His promises that is. The scripture is also very clear about living under the Law:
Galatians 5:3-4; “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
Romans 5:19; “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Notice how Paul said that by one man’s obedience. This demonstrates it isn’t by your works or my works, it is by one person’s obedience, that being Jesus Christ.
Deacons
The list of discrepancies, contradictions and outright lies are many in the teachings of the LDS Church, so when I’m going through my list of what to publish for these articles, I am trying to just pull out the most prevalent. This particular subject matter caught my attention because of its levity.
When we take communion it is a very serious event for those of us who participate in it. In fact the Apostle Paul said this in 1 Cor. 11:26-27 regarding the Lord’s Supper;
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 27Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.”
I could go on and on about the elements of bread & wine or juice in the Christian churches vs. the “Wonderbread” and water the LDS Church uses and the way they administer it with everyone just eating and drinking at their own will, but that’s for another time…
The LDS Church ascribes to the teachings of Joseph Smith by observing the perfunctory ordinances at each and every event, but I am left to wonder why they haven’t changed their “scripture” for this one.
D&C 20:58 says;
“But neither teachers nor deacons have authority to baptize, administer the sacrament, or lay on hands.”
This must have been a pretty important rule if Smith thought enough of it to make it “scripture”, so I have to ask the proverbial “why” on this one. Mormon Doctrine pg. 361 says this about the deacons and sacrament;
“Twelve-year-old LDS males usually receive the Aaronic Priesthood and are ordained deacons, continuing in that priesthood office until age fourteen. Deacons receive assignments from their bishops that may include distributing the Sacrament to the congregation, serving as messengers, collecting fast offerings, providing assistance to the elderly or disabled, and caring for the meetinghouse and grounds.”
Again, please know that we don’t publish our findings or write these articles to bash or demean the Mormon people. We love the people dearly and our prayer is that they will come to know the real Jesus Christ of the Bible who died for them.
With Love in Christ;
Michelle Grim
1 Cor. 1:18
*The following “note” appears at the end of page 185 in Gospel Doctrines Teachers Manual. It’s interesting how they teach their members to keep secret about things and to not discuss them amongst each other. Could it be they might logically come to the conclusion this was a fabricated story? “Note: Stories often circulate about the three Nephites who were translated. Members of the Church should be careful about accepting or retelling these stories. You should not discuss them in class.”
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We receive countless e-mails and phone calls on a daily basis asking us how to witness to a friend or loved one in Mormonism. While I’ve numbered the tips below for witnessing it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in order of importance.
1 – Word studies. See if your Mormon friends would be interested in doing a word study with you! These are great for the new ex-Mormon as well as for the Mormon. Just pick your favorite word/topic from the Bible, find all the places in the Bible where this word is used to get the full context and share with each other what you’ve learned. Make sure you both use a reputable concordance and dictionary. Also let them know their opinion counts, that what they have to say matters to you personally. You don’t have to agree with their opinion, but their spiritual condition obviously matters to you or you wouldn’t bother trying.
