Journal of Discourses 13:15-19; “Go to the Christians and they have one God, but he has neither body, parts, nor passions; his presence is everywhere, but he exists nowhere. They have never heard nor seen him, and they do not know anybody who ever did, not even their ministers, whom, they claim, are sent of God. They are equally as ignorant in relation to their own existence and the ends of their creation. They say they are going to Heaven, but all they can tell you about it is that it is beyond the bounds of time and space.
This kind of doctrine does not suit me…that which is called the Gospel in the Christian world is not the Gospel, but a perversion of it. When Jesus came he came to do away with the law and to introduce the Gospel that their fathers had lost because of transgression. … Why, these Christians, so called, cannot trust their God in anything.” – John Taylor, Salt Lake City, March 14, 1869
John 15:18-19; “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
Right out of the gates we’re going to see a number of problems in John Taylor’s speech.
1.The first thing we see is the animosity in how he refers to the nature and character of the biblical God.
I’ve never seen any Christian speak of God like this, or berate another Christian in the manner Mormons have done over the years. Have you?
2.Taylor claimed Christians have never seen, or heard from God. He also went on by stating the same goes for all Christian ministers.
He’s right about not seeing God. God is spirit so it’d be kind of hard to see a spirit. Hearing from God, well now, that’s another thing! Christians hear from God all the time. We hear from Him when we open our Bibles, when we listen to a sermon, when we pray, when we receive advice, or an encouraging word from other Christians…
3.Mr. Taylor refers to Christians as being ignorant in relation to their knowledge of their existence and creation.
Contrary to Mr. Taylor’s accusation, I’ve not found any Christian who’s ignorant about their existence. When we open and read our Bibles, it’s all laid out and very clear to us. God doesn’t want there to be any misunderstandings, so He’ rather forthcoming in letting us know how and why, things are the way they are.
4.Taylor said the Christian gospel is a perversion of the real gospel.
In Mr. Taylor’s mind, the ‘real gospel’ is the gospel of Joseph Smith, not the gospel found in the Bible.
5.Taylor said ‘when Jesus came to earth to do away with the Law…’.
This is absolutely, 100% wrong! Jesus specifically said He didn’t come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it! Matthew 5:17
6.Taylor said ‘Jesus came to introduce the gospel that their fathers lost because of transgression…’.
???? Where does it say this in the Bible?
7.Taylor said ‘These Christians, so-called, cannot trust their God in anything…’.
The very term ‘Christian’ indicates a person has trusted God, so Mr. Taylor’s opinion is just that – an opinion.
Leave a Reply