Life After Ministry

Reasons Starting with J

Jehovah

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 392; “Christ is Jehovah; they are one and the same Person. The word Jehovah itself is the anglicized form of the Hebrew Yahweh, which refers to the God of Israel. To Abraham the Lord said: “I am the Lord thy God. … My name is Jehovah.” (Abra. 2:7-8.) Later he revealed himself to Moses and others by the same name. (Inspired Version, Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2.) In general, in the King James version of the Bible, the name Jehovah has been translated Lord.”

Isaiah 48:16-17; “Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.  17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”

1. Jehovah is the Jewish national name of God.  Jehovah, the Lord.

2. Jehovah means He is self existent.

If Jesus (LORD) is self-existent how was He supposedly created?

(New) Jerusalem is in Independence, MO

D&C 57:2-5; “Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.  3 And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse.  4 Wherefore, it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the saints.. Behold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance.”

Zechariah 14:3-4; “Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.  4 ¶ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

This is actually a false prophecy by Smith.  Today there is still no temple in Independence, MO.  If they were to be there for an everlasting inheritance why aren’t they still there?  The Church does have some property there but only with a visitor’s center and  a plaque in the ground that resembles a grave marker.
Jesus Appointed as Savior Contested
Abraham 3:27-28; “And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.  28 And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him.”

Matthew 24:24; “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.”

Interestingly enough the Mormons will tell you in this passage that Satan wanted everyone to be saved.  Isn’t that what they’re doing now inside their temples being baptized for all the dead people so they can be saved?

Jesus Baptized in 600 BC

1 Nephi 10:10; “And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.”

Matthew 24:23-26; “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.  25 Behold, I have told you before.  26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.”

This vision supposedly took place in 600 BC.  These guys were still in Jerusalem with the Babylonians sacking their city and literally hacking the Israelites to death.  This is so random and out of place.

Jesus, Be Friends with

Journal of Discourses 8:339; “But the greatest and most important of all requirements of our Father in heaven and of his Son Jesus Christ, is, to his brethren or disciples, to believe in Jesus Christ, confess him, seek to him, cling to him, make friends with him.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, January 20, 1861

John 15:13-14; “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

I find this so odd.  The Church has always told their followers that it is a false doctrine to believe you can be friends with Jesus.  Growing up in the Church I always looked at having a relationship with Him like my Aunt Lulu had with her brother, Butch Cassidy.

http://lifeafterministry.com/2011/04/01/jesus-my-brother/
Jesus Became Master Over Elements

Sermons…of Melvin J. Ballard, pg. 177; “While Jesus Christ ministered among men in the flesh, he demonstrated power over all things, for he became master of elements. He had power over the winds and the waves. He could speak, and the trees would wither. At his command the dead came back to mortal existence. This was a glorious accomplishment.”

Matthew 8:23-27; “And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.  24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.  25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.  26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.  27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

Now Mormons believe Jesus is Jehovah which means self-existent.  How could Jesus become a master over the elements if he’s self-existent?

Jesus Begotten by Holy Spirit vs. not Begotten by Holy Spirit

Teachings of Harold B. Lee, pg. 14; “You asked about the birth of the Savior. Never have I talked about sexual intercourse between Deity and the mother of the Savior. If teachers were wise in speaking of this matter about which the Lord has said but very 11little, they would rest their discussion on this subject with merely the words which are recorded on this subject in Luke 1:34-35…Remember that the being who was brought about by [Mary’s] conception was a divine personage. We need not question His method to accomplish His purposes. Perhaps we would do well to remember the words of Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Let the Lord rest His case with this declaration and wait until He sees fit to tell us more. (1/2/69).”

Luke 1:35; “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Yes Mr. Lee, your thoughts are not God’s thoughts so keep your mind out of the gutter.

Jesus Begotten through Natural Laws

Journal of Discourses 8:115-116; “While brother Joseph was referring to the providences of God, I was led to reflect that there is no act, no principle, no power belonging to the Deity that is not purely philosophical. The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood—was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, July 8, 1860

John 1:34-36; “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.  35 ¶ Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

When the Mormons use the term “after the manner of the flesh” this is what they’re referring to; God had sex with Mary.

Jesus’ Birth

Promised Messiah, pg. 468; “There is no need to spiritualize away the plain meaning of the scriptures. There is nothing figurative or hidden or beyond comprehension in our Lord’s coming into mortality. He is the Son of God in the same sense and way that we are the sons of mortal fathers. It is just that simple.” – Bruce McConkie

Matt. 1:18; “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

Why can’t they just accept the fact that what God does is always beyond our comprehension?

Jesus’ Birth, Darkness at Day of

Answers  to Gospel Questions 3:45; “Not only was there a period of darkness at the death of Christ, but the prediction that there should be a day and a night and a day of no darkness on the American continent, also occurred, at the time of the birth of our Savior.”

Philippians 3:18-19; “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

Where does it say these things in the Bible?

Jesus’ Birthplace; Jerusalem or Bethlehem?

Alma 7:10; “And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.”

Luke 2:4; “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David).”

This passage from the Book of Mormon about Jesus being born in Jerusalem is still in their writings.  The Mormons will tell you that Jerusalem and Bethlehem are suburbs of each other.  Truth:  they’re 8 miles apart.

Jesus, Birthplace of

Companion to Your Study of the D&C 2:266; “Bethlehem had been the prophesied place of the birth of the Messiah at least since the days of Micah. (See Micah 5:2.) The statement by Alma that the Messiah would be born “at Jerusalem, which is the land of our forefathers” probably has reference to the greater land area rather than the exact city, as Jerusalem and Bethlehem are only about six miles apart, and both were part of the inheritance given to the tribe of Judah when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel. (Josh. 15.)”

Micah 5:2; “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

See what I mean?  They’re always making excuses for the lies.

Jesus’ Blood not Enough

Doctrines of Salvation 1:133; “The Latter-day Saints believe in the efficacy of the blood of Christ. They believe that through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel they obtain a remission of sins; but this could not be if Christ had not died for them. If you did believe in blood atonement, I might ask you why the blood of Christ was shed, and in whose stead was it shed? I might ask you to explain the words of Paul, “Without shedding of blood is no remission.””

Hebrews 9:13-14; “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

They do not believe in the efficacy of Christ or they wouldn’t add works.  The shedding of blood was what God demanded as a covering of sins in the OT.  Jesus fulfilled that and then this promise went even further with the Unblemished Lamb of God.  Your sins aren’t just covered, they’re washed away and forgiven forever, but it’s through His blood not ours.

Jesus’ Blood is Perfect Sacrifice

D&C 76:69; “These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.”

Romans 3:24; “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Why can’t they believe this?  The example from their D&C is just one of the ways they confuse their members.

Jesus Bows to Adam

TPJS, pg. 157; “Daniel in his seventh chapter speaks of the Ancient of Days; he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael, he will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the keys must stand before him in this grand council…The Son of Man stands before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family.”

Philippians 2:10-11; “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Blasphemy, blasphemy, blasphemy.

Jesus’ Character

August 1889, Contributor 10:368-369; “…When he appears again, he is a man, conscious of strange powers within him, conscious of his mission, conscious of the difficulties before him. He had learned since the days of his boyhood, that whatever road of life he should have to walk henceforth, he should have to go alone, all alone, not understood even by his mother, not appreciated by his people, without any support but that which he expected to have from Him that sent him. For by that time he had not only solved the problem of marvelous powers within him, he had also solved the yet more difficult one in finding out the purpose for which they had been given. This comprehension of the situation having gradually dawned upon him, he presents himself before John for baptism, “that all righteousness might be fulfilled…””

John 7:15-17; “And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?  16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.  17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (Discernment)

Strange powers within him that he had to figure out and find out how to use them?  God, please, have mercy on my people.

Jesus Comes with Angels

D&C 110:10-16; “And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen.  11 After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us…”

Matthew 24:30-31; “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Couple of questions with this prophecy that took place in the Kirtland temple.  Why wouldn’t the fame be about Jesus?  Why is the fame about the temple in Kirtland?  If Jesus was to return with the angels did those angels come with Him to Kirtland and how come nobody else in the entire world knew about it?

Jesus’ Conception

Mormon Doctrine of Deity, pg. 264; “When the time came that his first-born, the Savior, should come into the world and take a tabernacle, the Father came himself and favored that spirit with a tabernacle instead of letting any other man do it. The Savior was begotten by the Father of his spirit, by the same Being who is the Father of our spirits, and that is all the organic difference between Jesus Christ and you and me.”

Luke 1:37-38; “For with God nothing shall be impossible. ³⁸And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

What a degrading pictorial of God.

Jesus, Conception of Through Holy Spirit

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 822; “Our Lord is the only mortal person ever born to a virgin, because he is the only person who ever had an immortal Father. Mary, his mother, “was carried away in the Spirit” (1 Ne. 11:13-21), was “overshadowed” by the Holy Ghost, and the conception which took place “by the power of the Holy Ghost” resulted in the bringing forth of the literal and personal Son of God the Father. (Alma 7:10; 2 Ne. 17:14; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38.) Christ is not the Son of the Holy Ghost, but of the Father. (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 18-20.) Modernistic teachings denying the virgin birth are utterly and completely apostate and false.”

Isaiah 7:14; “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Someone is lying.  They’ve told us that Mary had sex with God and now they’re telling us that it was through the Holy Spirit so how could you ever trust anything they say?

Jesus as Creator vs. Creation

Mormon Doctrine pg. 127; “As far as man is concerned, all things center in Christ. He is the Firstborn of the Father. By obedience and devotion to the truth he attained that pinnacle of intelligence which ranked him as a God, as the Lord Omnipotent, while yet in his pre-existent state. As such he became, under the Father, the Creator of this earth and of worlds without number; and he was then chosen to work out the infinite and eternal atonement, to come to this particular earth as the literal Son of the Father, and to put the whole plan of redemption salvation, and exaltation in operation.”

Col. 1:15-17; “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

How can he be omnipotent if he had to progress to become a god?  How does he become the creator?  If he’s omnipotent why did he have to be chosen to do this work?  If he’s omnipotent how is he also the literal son of God?

Jesus Crucified for Polygamy

Journal of Discourses 1:346; “The grand reason of the burst of public sentiment in anathemas upon Christ and his disciples, causing his crucifixion, was evidently based upon polygamy, according to the testimony of the philosophers who rose in that age. A belief in the doctrine of a plurality of wives caused the persecution of Jesus and his followers. We might almost think they were “Mormons.”” – Jedidiah Grant, Salt Lake City, August 7, 1853

Romans 4:25; “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Just one example of the ugly underbelly of Mormonism; shame, shame, shame on them.
Jesus Crucified for Sins of Man

1 Nephi 11:33; “And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.”

John 12:32; “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

More Christian vocabulary filler words to confuse the Mormon people.

Jesus’ Death was Death of a god

Sermons…of Melvin J. Ballard, pg. 227; “And One only had the power to break the bands of death, and he, the Son of God, holds the power to break the bonds of death not only for himself, but for everyone that has been born into the world. He purchased the prize, acquired the prize, by giving his own sinless life; and his death was the death of a God.”

Heb. 2:14-18; “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

The author of Hebrews was so eloquent in describing what took place with the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  Why the Mormons feel they have to demean Him in this manner is beyond my comprehension.

Jesus Died for All Sins

D&C 132:27; “The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.”

John 19:30; “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

This Mormon teaching is telling you that murder is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and cannot be forgiven.  Praise God for His Son!  The words He spoke “It is finished” is comfort for my soul.

Jesus Grew into a Redeemer

Joseph Smith the Prophet, pgs. 12-13;“Without doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to the same condition as was required of each of us-he forgot everything, and he had to grow from grace to grace.”…so before him the Father himself was a Redeemer, having worked out the salvation of souls of whom he was a brother, not a father. This is deep water.”

Romans 3:10-13; “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.”

Yeah it’s deep all right Mr. Smith.

Jesus in the Book of Mormon/BC Era

Mosiah 16:7; “And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.  And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.” – BC 148

Ephesians 4:25; “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”

Why is this so-called man of God somewhere in South America speaking in past tense when it has happened yet?

Jesus in the Book of Mormon

3Nephi 20:9; “Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard.”

Matthew 15:7-9; “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

There are no definitive writings of what these people were actually doing in the Book of Mormon.  They were supposedly Jews but not following the Law…also, where in the Bible does it say Jesus went to the American continent?

Jesus is The Eternal God

Title page, Book of Mormon; “…And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the ETERNAL GOD…”

John 8:58; “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

Exodus 3:14; “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

Funny this would be on the title page of the Book of Mormon; they don’t believe what it says.

Jesus is God/Trinity

2 Nephi 26:12; “And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.”

John 8:24; “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

This was supposedly written in 559 BC.  And by the way, the Jews still aren’t convinced.

Jesus Christ is the God of this Earth

Mary Pratt Parrish, This is the Truth, pg. 46; “Jesus Christ is the God of this earth.  If you were to close your eyes and think about Jesus, what mental picture would come to your mind?  Would it be that of a man or a God?…You see Him as one who suffered hunger, thirst, pain and weariness, who was in His physical aspects much like those with whom He associated from day to day.  You fail to comprehend that He is the God of this earth.”

2 Cor. 4:3-4; “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Mary Pratt Parrish is a well known Mormon author and contributor to the LDS childrens magazine “Friend”.  So here we have another adult authority figure lying to little kids.

Jesus is a Saved Being

Lectures on Faith, pgs. 97-98; “…whatever constitutes the salvation of one will constitute the salvation of every creature which will be saved. And if we find one saved being in all existence, we may see what all others must be or else not be saved. We ask, then, where is the prototype? or, where is the saved being? We conclude as to the answer of this question that there will be no dispute among those who believe the Bible that it is Christ. All will agree that he is the prototype or standard of salvation, or in other words, that he is a saved being. And if we should continue our interrogation and ask how it is that he is saved, the answer would be that he is a just and holy being. If he were anything different from what he is, he would not be saved; for his salvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else.”

Acts 20:28; “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Jesus is NOT a SAVED BEING!  He’s THE SAVIOR!  How can you be saved if you’re the Savior?  That’d be like me saying I gave birth to my mother – good grief.

Jesus and Holy Spirit Created by God

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 548; “Yet God the Father is not one in substance with the Son or the Holy Spirit, but is a separate being. The Father existed prior to the Son and the Holy Ghost and is the source of their divinity. In classical terms, LDS theology is subordinationist; that is, it views the Son and the Holy Ghost as subordinate to and dependent upon God the Eternal Father. They are his offspring. Thus Joseph Smith referred to the Father as “God the first” to emphasize his priority in the Godhead (TPJS, p. 190).”

Colossians 1:15-16; “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”

Like the ugly truth of BP’s mistake in the Gulf is evident all around so is the disparity of Mormon teachings alongside biblical truths.  The two will never mix.

Jesus’ Identification with Us

Doctrines of Salvation 1:32; “Our Savior was a God before he was born into this world, and he brought with him that same status when he came here. He was as much a God when he was born into the world as he was before. But as far as this life is concerned it appears that he had to start just as all other children do and gain his knowledge line upon line.”

2 Cor. 5:20-21; “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

I post, publish and record many of these entries so it’s understood that I am not taking things out of context or exaggerating my findings.

The same awful lies are taught by all the leaders of the Church without giving any thought whatsoever to what God says in His word.

Jesus, Joseph Smith Related

“Jesus Was Married”, pg. 94, by Ogden Kraut; “Since Joseph Smith did hold the keys of the kingdom in the last days, (D&C 65:2, 115:19) and was the “Rod” from the loins of the Stem of Jesse, he would have the blood of Abraham, Jesse, and the Savior, according to the testimony of scripture and revelation.  It would be evident that Joseph Smith should also know these facts.  The Prophet did understand them—and more—but he was reluctant to tell them because of the traditions and ideologies of modern Christianity.”

Jesus’ lineage can be found in the books of Matthew and Luke; neither of these books says anything about Joseph Smith being in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Additionally there is Romans 9:7 which says; “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.”

Jesus and Lucifer are Brothers

Elder William H. Smart, Conference Report, April 1901, Overflow Meeting, p.53; “My mind goes back when I contemplate this principle of obedience, to that which we learn in the Pearl of Great Price, when in the councils of heaven the foundations of the earth and the building thereof were taken into consideration. Two plans were laid before the councils and because of the bumble and obedient spirit that was shown in Jesus Christ, He was chosen to carry out that plan, which His Father approved, and Satan rebelled because the trust was given unto his more meek brother Jesus.”

Hebrews 1:5; “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?”

Yes it’s true the Mormon Church believes Jesus and Lucifer are brothers.  When they try to dodge this teaching they are in fact denouncing their “sacred scriptures” produced by Joseph Smith himself.

Jesus and Lucifer are Spiritual Brothers

Jesus the Christ, pg. 8; “Thus it is shown that prior to the placing of man upon the earth, how long before we do not know, Christ and Satan, together with the hosts of the spirit-children of God, existed as intelligent individuals, possessing power and opportunity to choose the course they would pursue and the leaders whom they would follow and obey.” – Apostle James Talmage

Hebrews 1:5; “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?”

So this apostle is telling us that Jesus chose the life he would live and Satan is his brother.  Let it be understood this is a standard teaching in the Church.

Jesus & Lucifer, are They Really Brothers?

Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah; “On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother.”

Col. 1:15-18; “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Surprising isn’t exactly what comes to mind when thinking of that teaching.

Jesus & Man are Spiritual Brothers

Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 21; “Jesus is man’s spiritual brother. We dwelt with Him in the spirit world as members of that large society of eternal intelligences, which included our Heavenly Parents and all the personages who have become mortal beings upon this earth or who ever shall come here to dwell. In that spirit-creation, when we became children of God, Jesus was the “first-born,” and so He is our eldest brother.”

Luke 8:19-21; “Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.  21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”

So who’s our heavenly mother?  What’s her name and where did she come from?  How many sister-wives does she have?  Did I have the same heavenly mother that Jesus did?

Jesus was Married

Journal of Discourses 2:210; “I discover that some of the Eastern papers represent me as a great blasphemer, because I said, in my lecture on Marriage, at our last Conference, that Jesus Christ was married at Cana of Galilee, that Mary, Martha, and others were his wives, and that he begat children…All that I have to say in reply to that charge is this—they worship a Savior that is too pure and holy to fulfil the commands of his Father. I worship one that is just pure and holy enough “to fulfil all righteousness;” not only the righteous law of baptism, but the still more righteous and important law “to multiply and replenish the earth.” Startle not at this! for even the Father himself honored that law by coming down to Mary, without a natural body, and begetting a son; and if Jesus begat children, he only “did that which he had seen his Father do.”” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, March 18, 1855.

2 Tim. 4:3-4; “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Mr. Hyde I wonder if it ever occurred to you that you were worshipping a god from beneath.

Jesus Married

Journal of Discourses 2:82-83; “Jesus was the bridegroom at the marriage of Cana of Galilee, and he told them what to do.  Now there was actually a marriage; and if Jesus was not the bridegroom on that occasion, please tell who was. If any man can show this, and prove that it was not the Savior of the world, then I will acknowledge I am in error.” – Orson Hyde, October 6, 1854

John 2:1-2; “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:  2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.”

Mr. Hyde seemed to be obsessed with thinking that Jesus was as awful as he was.

Jesus Married

Journal of Discourses 13:309; “The Scripture says that He, the LORD, came walking in the Temple,   with HIS TRAIN; I do not now [sic] who they were, unless  HIS WIVES AND CHILDREN;...” – Brigham Young

This has been left blank on purpose.  This LDS doctrine is one of the most vile teachings there is about our Lord.

Jesus, Mormons Worship a Different

The Living Christ, Ensign, May 1977, pg. 26; “It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshipped by the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For example, from the Church of England’s Articles of Religion, article one, I quote: “There is but one living God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worships a God and a Jesus Christ with bodies, with parts, and with passions. We also believe that the trinity of the Godhead is made up of three separate personages—God, the Eternal Father; Jesus Christ, the Son of God—our Savior; and the Holy Ghost. These two concepts of the Trinity and their attributes are completely different.” – Bernard P. Brockbank, First Quorum of the Seventy

1 Corinthians 8:5-6; “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

All I can say to the entry above is, yep.  You do worship a different Jesus than I do.

Jesus Must Obey Ordinances

TPJS, pg. 308; “If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.”

Philippians 2:5-8; “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Joseph Smith is referring to obedience in the sense of being a polygamist.

Jesus NOT the Author of Salvation

Mormon Doctrine, pg 66; “Christ is not the Author of Salvation in the sense that he created the plan of salvation, nor in the sense that he supposedly presented a plan of his own in the councils in heaven, which plan the Father supposedly adopted in preference to a less desirable one formulated by Lucifer. Rather the Father is the Author of the plan of salvation, a plan which began to operate long before Christ was ever chosen to be the Redeemer.”

Hebrews 12:2; “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews specifically names Jesus as the author.  Again the Church is trying to take away the truth that Jesus IS God.

Jesus’ Name Used in 550 BC

2 Nephi 31:10; “And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?”

Matthew 1:21; “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Why would Jews in 550 BC be telling other Jews to follow Jesus?

Jesus, Name of

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—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him…”

Matthew 1:21; “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Ah-hem, Christ is not Jesus’ name.  It’s His title.

Jesus; Nature of

Doctrines of Salvation 1:18; “I believe firmly that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. He taught this doctrine to his disciples…Jesus is greater than the Holy Spirit, which is subject unto him, but his Father is greater than he!”

John 1:1, 14; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus is superior to the Holy Spirit?

Jesus on Council with Other gods

Behold the Lamb of God, pg. 17; “He was a member of the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. He participated in the Great Council of Heaven which decided that they should build a world, a world to which we might come as mortal beings and work out our salvation. I cannot but think that the same purpose had been present untold numbers of times for our Savior then to work out his world-creative work as he did for us. “Worlds without number have I created,” through “mine Only Begotten Son.”” – J. Reuben Clark

Mark 12:32-34; “And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.  34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”

This is polytheism.

Jesus, One of Many Redeemers

Journal of Discourses 14:71: “Sin is upon every earth that ever was created … Consequently every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter.” – Brigham Young, Ogden, Utah, July 10, 1870.

1 Corinthians 1:23; “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.”

So how many earths and redeemers are there Mr. Young?

Jesus a Polygamist

The Seer, pg. 172; “…the great Messiah who was the founder of the Christian religion, was a polygamist…marrying many honorable wives himself…God the Father had a plurality of wives…the Son followed the example of his Father…both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ inherit their wives in eternity as well as in time.” – Orson Pratt, 1857

1 Corinthians 5:9-10; “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

This Mormon teaching is a form of idolatry.

Jesus Preserves the Church

D&C 10:53; “And for this cause have I said: If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them.”

Philippians 1:6; “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Every generation has people with hardened hearts so this means he can’t ever establish his church.

Jesus’ Return

History of the Church 2:182; “…and it was the will of God that those who went Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh—even fifty-six years should wind up the scene.”

Matthew 24:3-6; “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?4 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.6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

Joseph Smith gave this prophecy in 1835.

Jesus’ Return in Independence, MO

www.prophetjosephsmith.org; “Joseph Smith was then told that the members of the Church should buy as much land as possible west from Independence up to the line that designated the land of the Native Americans. Learning that Jackson County Missouri was Zion meant much to Joseph Smith and the members of the Mormon Church.  According to Mormon belief, Zion is a place where the pure in heart live. This can mean that Zion can be anywhere, but when God referred to Jackson County as Zion he also told Joseph that this land would be the New Jerusalem. This means that it is the gathering place where the ten tribes of Israel will gather before the second coming of Christ. The saints were eager to begin building up Zion so that they could further the preparations for the coming of Christ.”

Zechariah 14:3-4; “Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 ¶ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

Also see D&C 57.  The “temple lot” stands empty of its prophetic calling which originated in 1831.

Jesus’ Second Coming/Jesus’ Numerous Appearances

3Nephi 18:39; “And while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. And the disciples saw and did bear record that he ascended again into heaven.”

Acts 1:11; “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

At this juncture in Mormon scripture it was the 3^rd appearance of Jesus after the resurrection.  So why does the Bible call his coming again the 2^nd coming?

Jesus Sired by God

Come Unto Christ, pg. 4; “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!” – Ezra Taft Benson

Matthew 1:23; “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

He makes the conception of Jesus sound like a lineage of horses.

Jesus to Stand Before Adam

TPJS, pg. 157; “Daniel in his seventh chapter speaks of the Ancient of Days; he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael, he will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the keys must stand before him in this grand council. This may take place before some of us leave this stage of action. The Son of Man stands before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family.”

Acts 4:12; “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Keep your eyes on the prize as Paul told us.  Here Luke gives us comfort in giving us the line of acceptance.  His message is direct, to the point and leaving no one to wonder if there might be others.

Jesus Volunteered for Atonement

Answers to Gospel Questions 1:32; “The means provided for our redemption from death were prepared in the plan of salvation before Adam and Eve were sent to the earth, and Jesus Christ volunteered to come and atone for this transgression and thus gain the victory over the devil.”

Revelation 13:8; “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

This teaching of Adam having to sin is called “dualism”.  It means that there are two independent divine beings or eternal principles, one evil and the other good.  (See dictionary.com)  Mormonism embraces this theory as do witches and Satanism.

Jesus was the Messiah

1 Nephi 10:17; “And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.”

John 10:30-33; “I and my Father are one.  31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.  32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?  33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

1^st Nephi took place in 600 BC.  Why is Jesus referred to as the Son of God who was the Messiah if He hadn’t come yet?

Jesus Wasn’t Perfect

Times & Seasons, 20 Jan. 1846; “…Jesus was not prepared to govern, till he was placed in circumstances that gave him experience. The scriptures say, it is necessary to the bringing of many souls to glory, that the Captain of our salvation should be made perfect [through] sufferings. So, he was not perfect before, but he had to come here to be made perfect; he had to come here to pass through a multitude of sufferings, and be tempted and tried in all points like unto us, because it was necessary…”

Jude 1:4, 18-19; “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.  19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.”

So if Jesus wasn’t perfect why was He without sin?

Jesus’ White Skin Color

3 Nephi 19:30; “And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus.”

Luke 2:7; “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Jesus was born to a Hebrew woman from the Middle East.  I’ve never met a white Hebrew from the Middle East.

Jesus Worked Out His Own Salvation

Doctrines of Salvation 1:32; “The statement of our Lord that he could do nothing but what he had seen the Father do, means simply that it had been revealed to him what his Father had done. Without doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to the same condition as was required of each of us-he forgot everything, and he had to grow from grace to grace. His forgetting, or having his former knowledge taken away, would be requisite just as it is in the case of each of us, to complete the present temporal existence.”

John 5:36-38; “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.  37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”

When we don’t know what Jesus knew we don’t make it up as we go along.  Instead, the righteous man will hold all thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ as Paul said in 2 Cor. 10:5.

Jesus Worships Another God

“The Nature of God in the Book of Mormon”; “People frequently assert that the Book of Mormon is trinitarian in nature, that the Book of Mormon really only refers to one God. But a careful reading of the text reveals references to Elohim, our Heavenly Father, as well as to his Son. Jesus, or Jehovah, is the central character of the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Mormon testifies, predominately, of him. But it is clear in the record that Christ worships another God.” – 1995 FARMS – Robert Millet

John 5:30; “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

Wow!  There it is in black and white.  The Jesus of Mormonism doesn’t worship the same God we go from the Bible.

Jesus’ Wounds, Multitudes Touched Them

3 Nephi 11:14-15; “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.  And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.”

John 20:26-29; “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.  27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.  29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Imagine that scenario for a moment.  How long would that have taken for a MULTITUDE of people to come put their fingers into Jesus’ wounds?  Does this sound realistic to you?

John 19:30 is Wrong

Journal of Discourses 23:174-175; “It is believed by many in the Christian world, that our Savior finished his mission when he expired upon the cross, and his last words on the cross, as given by the Apostle John—”it is finished,” are frequently quoted as evidence of the fact; but this is an error. Christ did not complete his mission upon the earth until after his body was raised from the dead. Had his mission been completed when he died, his disciples would have continued fishermen, carpenters, etc., for they returned to their several occupations soon after the crucifixion…” – Joseph F. Smith, Salt Lake City, June 18, 1882

John 19:30; “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

Jesus finished his mission upon earth by giving His body as a sacrifice for our sins.  Period.

John the Apostle Captured by Assyrians

Encyclopedia of JS Teachings, pg. 402; “The Spirit of the Lord fell upon Joseph in an unusual manner, and he prophesied that John the Revelator was then among the Ten Tribes of Israel who had been led away by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, to prepare them for their return from their long dispersion.”

Mark 1:19-20; “And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.  20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.”

How could this be?  Look at a history book and you’ll see that the Assyrians took over the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 700 BC.  The apostle John lived at the time of Jesus.

John the Apostle; Of the Lost Ten Tribes?

Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 264-265; “In addition to the spiritual manifestations already mentioned as having occurred at this conference of June 3rd-6th, it should be said that, according to John Whitmer’s History of the Church, ch. v: “The Spirit of the Lord fell upon Joseph in an unusual manner, and he prophesied that John the Revelator was then among the Ten Tribes of Israel who had been led away by Salmanasser, king of Assyria, to prepare them for their return from their long dispersion, to again possess the land of their fathers. He prophesied many more things that I have not written.” (HC 1:176.)”

Matthew 4:21-22; “And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.  22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”

The story of the “Lost Ten Tribes” can be read in any history book and also in 1 & 2 Kings as well as the book of Isaiah.  The Assyrian Empire and their takeover of the Northern Kingdoms (tribes) took place circa 735 BC, some 760 years before the Apostle John met Jesus. Additionally, the name “John” is the Greek form of Hebrew name meaning “Yahweh has been gracious”.  It is understood that John was a Jew from Palestine, the son of Zebedee and the brother of James.

John the Baptist; Office of

Orson Pratt’s Works, pg. 219; “John the Baptist is seems was the last person who held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, and, therefore, he would be a suitable person to restore that Priesthood once more to the earth. In order that John might be qualified to fulfill all the duties of his mission as the Lord’s messenger, God raised him with many others from the dead after the resurrection of Christ.””

Matthew 3:1-4; “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”

John the Baptist did not qualify to hold the “Aaronic” priesthood.  He did not dress or eat appropriately.  He did not keep his hair in the manner it was to be and he did not follow the marriage law that priests were held to.

Secondly, dead people do not appear to living people to pass on a priesthood they’re not qualified to hold.

Joseph Smith a god

Journal of Discourses 5:88; “You call us fools: but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a God, and also upon Brigham Young, our Governor in the Territory of Deseret.” – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, July 26, 1857

2 Timothy 3:13; “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

Here we go – veneration, adoration, worship, and praise for the founder Joseph Smith whom they revere as a god.  Their words, not mine!

Joseph Smith a god

Journal of Discourses 8:321; “When Joseph Smith rose in the majesty of his calling before God, he saw what we are now hearing of through despatches received from week to week. The nation is ruined, and will crumble to pieces. They will destroy themselves. Joseph rose up and said—”I will save them, if they will let me.” He stepped forth like a man and proffered his services to save the nation that is now breaking; and he would have saved it, if they had permitted him. What did they bestow upon him in return? They made a martyr of him—I would not like to say a saviour, although he is our benefactor. He is the man through whom God has spoken and revealed some of the most glorious principles that ever were revealed to the children of men; yet I would not like to call him a saviour, though in a certain capacity he was a God to us,” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, February 10, 1861

Titus 2:7-8; “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”

In 1861 our nation was a mess but there’s no way Joseph Smith could’ve “saved” anyone.  He was a racist among many other things.

Joseph Smith & Truth

Messages of the First Presidency 1:231; “Did I build on any other man’s foundation? I have got all the truth which the Christian world possessed, and an independent revelation in the bargain, and God will bear me off triumphant.”

James 1:26; “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

This is obviously a false prophecy.  His death in 1844 is proof.

Joseph Smith Combats Errors, Cuts Gordian Knots, God is Right Hand Man of

History of the Church 6:78; “The whole earth shall bear me witness that I, like the towering rock in the midst of the ocean, which has withstood the mighty surges of the warring waves for centuries, am impregnable, and am a faithful friend to virtue, and a fearless foe to vice,—no odds whether the former was sold as a pearl in Asia or hid as a gem in America, and the latter dazzles in palaces or glimmers among the tombs. I combat the errors of ages; I meet the violence of mobs; I cope with illegal proceedings from executive authority; I cut the guardian knot of powers, and I solve mathematical problems of universities, with truth—diamond truth; and God is my “right hand man.”” – Nauvoo, Illinois, Nov. 13, 1843

Hebrews 4:12; “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

My oh my – pride before the fall.  Proverbs 16:18.

Joseph Smith’s Consent Needed to Get into Heaven

Journal of Discourses 7:289; “…no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are—I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1859.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

It’s still so shocking to me that words like these came from the mouths of “holy prophets”.

Joseph Smith Declared a “Medium” by God

D&C 132:7; “…All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.”

Leviticus 20:6; “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.”

If this was the only time the phrase “a medium by God” was used in connection with Joseph Smith, I wouldn’t be bringing attention to this particular event.  However, when it is used repeatedly along with his behavior of going into the woods repeatedly to pray to a different god and then to return to find a different gospel every year on the same day the witches worship the earth…you get my point I’m sure.

Joseph or Jesus; Who is the Cornerstone of the Faith?

Discourses of Smith, pg. 22-23; “In a word, he did more in from 14 to 20 years for the salvation of man than any other man save Jesus only, that ever lived. (JD 24:14-15.)”

Eph. 2:19-20; “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”

Really?  You’d think he’d be humble about it or those around him wouldn’t boast so much about leading people away from God.

Joseph Smith, False Prophet

History of the Church 6:366; “When did I ever teach anything wrong from this stand? When was I ever confounded? I want to triumph in Israel before I depart hence and am no more seen. I never told you I was perfect; but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught. Must I, then, be thrown away as a thing of naught?”

Deut. 13:5, 8; “And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.  8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him.”

The teachings of Smith won’t be thrown away as a thing of naught but they most certainly will be exposed for the lies they are!

Joseph Smith Gives His Life

Ensign, June 1994 page 22 “The life of Joseph Smith was in some degree patterned after that of the Master, Jesus Christ. That pattern holds true even when extended to its tragic conclusion. Like his Master, Joseph Smith also shed his blood in order that the final testament, the reestablishment of the new convenat, might be in full effect.” – Robert Millet

Isaiah 46:5 “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?”

Tell me Mr. Millet whose life has been spared and whose sins have been forgiven because Smith was killed in a gunfight in Carthage, Illinois?  What purpose did it serve eternity when Smith shot and killed two people?

Joseph Smith; God to all

TPJS, pg. 363; “God made Aaron to be the mouthpiece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don’t like it, you must lump it. I have been giving Elder Adams instruction in some principles to speak to you, and if he makes a mistake, I will get up and correct him. (April 8, 1844.) —DHC 6:318-320.”

2 Corinthians 4:4; “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Uh, I don’t think so Joe.

Joseph Smith, Gratitude for in the Christmas Season

Ensign, December 1997; “This is a season for giving and a time for gratitude. We remember with appreciation the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which is celebrated this same month of December, two days before Christmas…We stand in reverence before him. He is the great prophet of this dispensation. He stands at the head of this great and mighty work which is spreading across the earth. He is our prophet, our revelator, our seer, our friend. Let us not forget him. Let not his memory be forgotten in the celebration of Christmas. God be thanked for the Prophet Joseph.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

Luke 2:30-32; “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”  (Also see all of Luke chapter two.)

Oh my.

Joseph Smith Greater than Isaiah & Moses

Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 7; “In thirty nations are men and women who look upon him as a greater leader than Moses and a greater prophet than Isaiah; his disciples now number close to a million [the present figure is over 3.5 million]; and already a granite shaft pierces the sky over the place where he was born, and another is in course of erection over the place where he is credited with having received the inspiration for his Book. (John Henry Evans, op. cit., introduction.)”

New Scofield Study Bible; “ISAIAH, whose name means salvation of the Lord, was the greatest of the writing prophets.  No other prophet has written with such majestic eloquence about the glory of God (see ch. 40).  Of all the O.T. prophets, Isaiah is the most comprehensive in range. No prophet is more fully occupied with the redemptive work of Christ. In no other place, in the Scriptures written under the law, is there so clear a view of grace.”  MOSES – Moses typifies Christ as Prophet (Acts 3:22-23), Advocate (Exo 32:31-35; 1 John 2:1-2), Intercessor (Exo 17:1-6; Heb 7:25), and Leader, or King.”

Excerpt from an article I wrote:

I asked my mother a couple of weeks ago which prophet of all time that she liked the best. She replied by asking me which one I liked. I told her I couldn’t pick but have a tendency to turn to Isaiah time and again. I told her that his words are comforting to me when he prophesied about Jesus in chapter 53, or when he spoke of the ‘Highway of Holiness’ in chapter 35. She had never heard of Isaiah, and then told me that Hinckley and Joseph had to be her favorites. I found it interesting that Mormons refer to Joseph Smith by just his first name and everyone knows who you’re talking about. Yet I can’t recall the last time my own mother referred to Jesus without calling Him by His title instead of by His given name.

http://www.lifeafter.org/JosephSmith.asp

Joseph’s Heart Large Enough for All Men

History of the Church 6:459; “A multiplicity of business keeps me from writing as freely to correspondents as I could wish; still my heart is large enough for all men, and my sensibilities keen enough to have compassion for every case when justice, mercy, virtue, or humanity require it.”

Proverbs 17:19; “He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.”

Wait, didn’t he call all learned men fools and dared men to question him?

Joseph Smith is a Friend

LDS Business College Devotional, November 16, 2005; “Now here is something that is hard for some people to understand: a prophet is a man. You can get close to the Prophet Joseph Smith because he is an individual—just like you are an individual. Start with him as a man—just like a neighbor next door—just like President Woodhouse or Craig Nelson or Matt Tittle. The Prophet is our friend in the same sense that the Savior identified us as His “friends”…. Brothers and sisters, Joseph Smith is your friend. You can relate to him as a friend, a man of God. He was and is a prophet of God. Can you see yourself as a friend of the Prophet Joseph? Consider him as your friend who sacrificed everything he had to lay the foundation of the Church and Kingdom of God so that you and I can have hope for the future.” – Richard Allen, Ph.D.

Acts 4:12; “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Ironically, Apostle Bruce McConkie made his infamous speech in March 1982 that it was considered blasphemous for LDS members to think of themselves as a friend of Jesus.

Joseph Smith is a Mason

History of the Church 4:550-551; “Tuesday, 15.—I officiated as grand chaplain at the installation of the Nauvoo Lodge of Free Masons, at the Grove near the Temple. Grand Master Jonas, of Columbus, being present, a large number of people assembled on the occasion. The day was exceedingly fine; all things were done in order, and universal satisfaction was manifested. In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office.”

1 Timothy 6:3-5; “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. “

This took place on March 15, 1842

Joseph Smith is a Mason

History of the Church, 4:552; “Wednesday, March 16.—I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree.”

James 5:12; “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”

This took place on March 16, 1842

550 – Joseph Smith & Inauguration of Masonic/Mormon Endowment Ceremony

History of the Church 5:1-2; “Inauguration of Endowment Ceremonies… And the communications I made to this council were of things spiritual, and to be received only by the I spiritual minded: and there was nothing made known to these men but what will be made known to all the Saints of the last days, so soon as they are prepared to receive, and a proper place is prepared to communicate them, even to the weakest of the Saints; therefore let the Saints be diligent in building the Temple, and all houses which they have been, or shall hereafter be, commanded of God to build; and wait their time with patience in all meekness, faith, perseverance unto the end, knowing assuredly that all these things referred to in this council are always governed by the principle of revelation.” – Wednesday, May 4, 1842

Matthew 5:33-34; “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne.”

This took place on Wednesday, May 4, 1842.

Could it be a coincidence the revelation for signs, tokens and handshakes were instituted into the temple endowment ceremony a mere six weeks after Smith became a Mason?  I think not!

Joseph Smith is a Psychic

Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1:88-89; “The fact was that Joseph Smith was not the only psychic in the vicinity of Palmyra. Men will say in scoffing explanation and in fancied refutation of the things here to be stated that the early decades of the 19th century were noted as a period of great superstition, and western New York was a locality where ignorance prevailed.”

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6; “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.”

Not being the only psychic in your neighborhood does not mean you’re a good person and it does not excuse your outlandish behavior.

Joseph Smith Promised in Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 3:5-6; “Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.  6 For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.”

John 15:1-5; “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Fixating on the Joseph of the Bible is a tool the Church uses to confuse its members.

Joseph Smith for U.S. Presidency

Messages of the First Presidency 1:190; “On Monday, January 29, 1844, Joseph Smith, his counselor Hyrum Smith, and the Twelve Apostles met “to take into consideration the proper course for this people to pursue in relation to the coming Presidential election.” They decided that they would be unable to support either of the presidential candidates of the major parties, Martin Van Buren and Henry Clay for causes which they stated. It was then moved by Willard Richards and voted unanimously-“That we will have an independent electorial ticket, and that Joseph Smith be a candidate for the next Presidency; and that we use all honorable means in our power to secure his election.” Joseph Smith in accepting this nomination by the General Authorities of the Church outlined a campaign that would cover the nation. He also began that day the dictation to his secretary, W. W. Phelps, of an outline for his “Views on the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States” which was to be his presidential platform.”

– Also see DHC 6:197-209

Romans 13:4; “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

Mormons have always believed that they will rule the United States someday.

Joseph Smith, Mission of

Teachings of Heber J. Grant, pg. 11; “After [Jesus’] crucifixion and the death of the apostles whom he had chosen, who suffered martyrdom at the hands of those who were opposed to the truths which he taught, it appeared that his mission and ministry had been a failure; but as time passed, and the doctrines of Christianity became better understood, thoughtful men turned to him as their source of light and strength…As time passed dissensions occurred in the primitive church. The laws governing the church established by the Redeemer, were transgressed, the ordinances were changed, the everlasting covenant was broken [see Isaiah 24:5]. Men began to teach for doctrine their own commandments [see Matthew 15:9]; a form of worship had been established which was called Christianity, but was without the power of God which characterized the primitive church. Spiritual darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people [see Isaiah 60:2].

Then there came another epochal period in the history of the world. The time had arrived, fore-ordained by the Lord, and foretold by his prophets…Again the heavens rejoiced, again heavenly beings communicated the will of the Father to his children who are here upon the earth, and men were made glad as the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times was ushered in.

Joseph Smith was the agent through whom the Lord saw fit to begin the great latter-day work.”

Psalm 1:6; “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

If Psalm 1:6 is true then Joseph Smith’s story is a lie.

Joseph Smith, Money-digging

TPJS, pg. 120; “—”Was not Joseph Smith a money digger?” Yes, but it was never a very profitable job for him, as he only got fourteen dollars a month for it.”

Isaiah 33:6; “And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.”

So because he wasn’t any good at it this excuses his behavior?

Joseph’s Name Known for Good and Evil

Joseph Smith History 1:33; “He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.”

Holman Bible Dictionary, Prophets; “The prophets did more than predict the future; their messages called Israel to honor God. Their prophecies were not general principles but specific words corresponding to Israel’s historical context.”

Exodus 3:10; “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

I can’t think of one prophet in the Old Testament who laid claim to being known for evil.

Joseph’s Name Will Never Perish

Gospel Doctrine, pg. 479; “JOSEPH SMITH’S NAME WILL NEVER PERISH – God lives, and Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God—living, not dead; for his name will never perish.”

Psalm 103:14-15; “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.”

“Gospel Doctrine” is a compilation of writings and teachings of the prophet Joseph F. Smith.  It was originally published in 1919, some 75 years after the death of Joseph Smith, Jr.  Joseph Smith is not living and wasn’t living at the time Gospel Doctrine was written.

Saying that he is living implies he is like God.

Joseph Smith; Prophet, Priest and King

Joseph Smith:  The Choice Seer; ““Indeed, the only way to ascertain the truth of those who claim prophetic status, in addition to knowing by direct and immediate revelation, is by their fruits-what comes of their labor, what works and blessings flow from their ministry. In this book we will focus on the fruits of Joseph Smith’s ministry in terms of three phases of his calling:

1. His role as a revealer of truth, one who sets forth fundamental and foundational doctrines;

2. His role as a legal administrator, one through whom priesthoods, keys, covenants, and saving ordinances are restored and put into effect; and

3. His role as a prophet and seer, one who penetrates the veil, expands the scriptural canon, and invites and prepares others to enter the rest of the Lord.

In assessing the marvelous impact of the Choice Seer’s work on this dispensation, we will turn first and foremost to the doctrinal teachings of Joseph Smith as set forth in his sermons, letters, revelations, translations, and narrations.”

Matthew 7:15-16; “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”

“Choice Seer”?  My it gets icky doesn’t it?

Joseph to Return to the Saints

Journal of Discourses 13:164-165; “Joseph Smith was what he professed to be, a prophet of God, a seer and revelator. He laid the foundation of this Church and kingdom, and lived long enough to deliver the keys of the kingdom to the Elders of Israel, unto the Twelve Apostles…Said he, “You have to round up your shoulders to bear up the kingdom. No matter what becomes of me. I have desired to see that Temple built, but I shall not live to see it. You will; you are called upon to bear off this kingdom.” This language was plain enough, but we did not understand it any more than the disciples of Jesus when he told them he was going away, and that if he went not the Comforter would not come. It was just so with Joseph. He said this time after time to the Twelve and to the Female Relief Societies and in his public discourses; but none of us seemed to understand that he was going to seal his testimony with his blood, but so it was…His works are before the world; they are before the eyes of the nation; they are before the heavens and the earth. The foundation that he laid we have built upon until the present day; and that foundation no power on earth or in hell will ever be able to remove…” – Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, December 12, 1869.

2 Peter 2:1, 4, 17; “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. 17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.”

To compare Joseph Smith to Jesus is just unbelievable.  How do they sleep at night?

Joseph Smith, Salvation Because of

New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pg. 1; “Salvation—blessed, hallowed, wondrous word—salvation is available to men on earth today because of Joseph Smith, the prophet and seer of the latter days. He is the one to whom the Lord revealed anew the fulness of the everlasting gospel in the dispensation of the fulness of times. He is the one who received anew the keys of the kingdom of heaven so that mortal men might have power once again to bind and loose on earth and in heaven. He is a new witness for the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel.” – Bruce McConkie

John 15:5; “…for without me ye can do nothing.”

Explain to me why they call themselves Christians.

Joseph Smith Saw Satan Fall from Heaven

Messages of the First Presidency 1:229; “I want you to pay particular attention to what I am saying. Jesus said that the Father wrought precisely in the same way as His Father had done before Him. As the Father had done before. He laid down His life, and took it up the same as His Father had done before. He did as He was sent, to lay down His life and take it up again; and then was committed unto Him the keys, &c. I know it is good reasoning.  I have reason to think that the Church is being purged. I saw Satan fall from heaven, and the way they ran was a caution. All these are wonders and marvels in our eyes in these last days. So long as men are under the law of God, they have no fears-they do not scare themselves.”

Luke 10:17-20; “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Few things to take note of here in Smith’s declaration.  First of all we must always look at things in context before making a full evaluation and quoting out of context.  Secondly, Smith has proclaimed he was with the Father and Jesus, thus making himself out to be God.  Third, men (Christians) live in the age of grace, not under Law.  Next, he is one gutsy dude proclaiming the things he does…

Joseph Sealed Testimony with Own Blood

Doctrines of Salvation 1:191; “Through him the predictions of ancient prophets have been fulfilled, and now are being fulfilled. He sealed his testimony with his blood, knowing he was going to his death for proclaiming the eternal truths of heaven. His testimony is now binding on the world. It cannot be ignored in safety, obedience to it has brought joy to thousands, and will yet prove to be a help in the salvation of other thousands who receive it with all their heart.” John 15:12-13; “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

This teaching was correct in one sense.  There were prophets who predicted that false teachers would be around.

Here we have another Mormon authority claiming Smith died for the people and brought about salvation for the earth.

Who if anyone, was saved by Smith’s death?

Joseph Smith Venerated

Selected Writing of Daniel H. Ludlow: Gospel Scholars Series, pg. 488; “Elder Neal A. Maxwell suggested that the word venerate might be appropriate for Joseph Smith: “The Prophet Joseph Smith, of course, was not a perfect man. There has been only one such—Jesus Christ. But Joseph Smith was a special witness for Jesus Christ. . . . We do not, as some occasionally charge, worship Joseph Smith, nor place him on a par with Jesus. But we do venerate him, remembering, hopefully that the highest and best form of veneration is emulation.””

1 Corinthians 2:2; “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

www.dictionary.com;

Venerate:  “to regard or treat with reverence; revere”.

Emulation:  “imitation of another”.

Would you venerate a murderer?  Would you try to emulate a liar?

Joseph Smith’s Work is from Eternity to Eternity

Gospel Doctrine, pg. 481; “The work in which Joseph Smith was engaged was not confined to this life alone, but it pertains as well to the life to come, and to the life that has been. In other words, it relates to those who have lived upon the earth, to those who are living and to those who shall come after us. It is not something which relates to man only while he tabernacles in the flesh, but to the whole human family from eternity to eternity.”

Ephesians 1:5-6; “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Well Smith’s work obviously cannot be associated with anyone before he began his “work”.  Certainly, his “legacy” will continue on as long as Mormonism is on the face of the earth.

Joseph Smith, World’s Debt to

Improvement Era, June 1916, Vol. Xix, No. 8; “For the same reason the Prophet Joseph Smith was the most important man of his generation. Some day he will be honored by the whole world as a man who restored the lost knowledge of the true and living God, and answered anew the all-momentous question: “What must we do to be saved?””

Joshua 24:14-15; “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.  15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

I like what it says in Joshua and that’s what every single ex-Mormon Christian has done.  They’ve put away the gods their fathers served.

Joseph Smith, Your God

Journal of Discourses 4:271; “A man cannot find out himself without the light of revelation; he has to turn round and seek to the Lord his God, in order to find out himself. If you find out who Joseph was, you will know as much about God as you need to at present; for if He said, “I am a God to this people,” He did not say that He was the only wise God. Jesus was a God to the people when he was upon earth, was so before he came to this earth, and is yet. Moses was a God to the children of Israel, and in this manner you may go right back to Father Adam.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, March 8, 1857

Philippians 3:17-20; “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.  18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The evidence is stacked against the prophets of the Church when they claim they don’t worship Joseph Smith.  The people who do these things are the enemies of the cross, just as Paul said in his epistle to the Philippians.

Joy

2 Nephi 2:25; “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4; “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Again, we see the truth.  This teaching is dualism.

Judgment Seat

Journal of Discourses 7:289; “Joseph Smith holds the keys of this last dispensation, and is now engaged behind the vail [sic] in the great work of the last days…no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1859

2 Corinthians 5:10; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

We will not be answering to Joseph Smith, a false prophet.  The scripture is clear; we will appear before Jesus and Jesus only.

Judgment (bema) Seat of Christ

2 Nephi 33:7-9; “I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat.  8 I have charity for the Jew—I say Jew, because I mean them from whence I came.  9 I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.”

John 3:18; “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Why is this Jew worshipping Christ in BC 544?

Justification, Sanctification and Sacredness

Website of www.lds.org says; “In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” prophets and apostles teach and testify of the sacred nature of the family.”

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan…Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”

Romans 10:2-4; “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

It breaks my heart they have made up some rules they follow that have nothing to do with God.

Reasons Starting with K:

http://lifeafterministry.com/2010/10/01/reasons-starting-with-k/

Link to Index:

http://lifeafterministry.com/2012/06/07/mormon-quotes-1000-reasons-to-leave-mormonism/

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Babies; When Baby Kicks Spirit Enters Body

Journal of Discourses 18:258-259; “When the body is prepared, at the proper time, the spirit enters the tabernacle, and all the world of mankind in their reflections and researches must come to this conclusion, for the fact is they can come to no other—that when the mother feels life there is an evidence that the spirit from heaven has entered the tabernacle.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 8, 1876

Genesis 2:7; “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Honestly, how many times must someone lie before the people finally say enough is enough???

Baptism for the Dead

D&C 124:29-30; “For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead—For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.”

1 Cor. 15:29; “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?”

Temples in the NT era are not made with hands and baptizing dead people is necromancy.

Baptism for the Dead

Ensign, April 2002, pg. 4; “What a marvelous thing that is that you, an ordinary boy or girl, can stand in the place of some great man or woman who at one time lived upon the earth but who is now powerless to move forward without the blessing that you can give to him or her. … There is no greater blessing that you can have than to stand as a proxy in a great service to those who have gone beyond. And it will be your privilege and your opportunity and your responsibility to live worthy to go to the temple of the Lord and there be baptized in behalf of someone else.”
— Gordon B. Hinckley

Leviticus 18:21; “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

No one except for the Creator of mankind can decide where man goes.  The only person who’s stood in the place for others is Jesus when He hung on that cross for all of us.

Baptism for Dead not Necessary

2 Nephi 9:38; “And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.”

Isaiah 64:6; “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

Every Mormon should question their faith based upon this verse from the Book of Mormon.

Baptisms for the Dead not Necessary

Moroni 10:26; “And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.”

John 3:5; “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Posthumous Baptism for President Obama’s Mom

Peggy Fletcher Stack, Salt Lake Tribune, May 6, 2009; “President Barack Obama’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, who died in 1995, was baptized posthumously into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints last year during her son’s campaign, according to Salt Lake City-based researcher Helen Radkey.

The ritual, known as “baptism for the dead,” was done June 4 in the Provo temple, and another LDS temple rite, known as the “endowment,” was performed in the same temple on June 11, said Radkey, who found the record while doing research in the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City.”

2 Thess. 2:10-11; “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”

So – did they marry her to Barack’s father or her second husband?  How does the “Families are Forever” program work now?  And because some of the people involved aren’t white does that make a difference?

Posthumous Baptisms for Murderers

Peggy Fletcher Stack, Salt Lake Tribune, June 3, 2009; “Prominent fundamentalist Mormons, most of whom were excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for practicing polygamy while they were alive, have been posthumously re-baptized in LDS temples, a Salt Lake City researcher says.

Helen Radkey said in a new report that she obtained church records on 20 fundamentalists — from murderer Ervil LeBaron to Joseph Musser to Rulon Jeffs — showing that they’ve been baptized and have had their plural marriages “sealed” for time and eternity by proxy LDS members, one as recently as this year.

Perhaps the most puzzling ordinances, Radkey said, are those that “seal” women to men whom they had divorced, mostly over the polygamy issue…”

Romans 1:28; “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

Interesting…according to D&C 42:79 murderers can never have forgiveness.

Baptism Mandatory

The Seer, p 255 (1854); “Baptism is just as essential to salvation, as Faith and Repentance. — Without being immersed in water no man can enter into the fulness of Celestial glory… But who in this generation have authority to baptize?  Only the Latter-day Saints. Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the “whore of Babylon.” – Orson Pratt

Luke 23:39-43; “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Baptism: No Baptisms for the Dead?

Ask your Mormon friend to explain what Alma meant when he said there’s nothing to save you after you die.

Be sincere! Tell them you’ve read a passage in the Book of Mormon that’s caused you to wonder about the Mormon practice of baptisms for the dead and wanted to get an idea of what this means from a Mormon and not an outsider.

They’ll appreciate being asked for their opinion and it gives them something to think about! This teaching in Alma contradicts everything they do in those temples.

Alma 34:33-35; “…behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. 34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. 35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.”

Baptism, Resurrection, Church; Circa 120 BC

Mosiah 26:2; “They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ.  4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God.”

1 Timothy 6:3-5; “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”

How could someone believe in Jesus, resurrection of the dead, be baptized and go to church in 120 BC?  Does this sound reasonable?

Baptism then Holy Spirit

Cowley’s Talks on Doctrine, pg. 110; “Having shown that faith, repentance and baptism are essential to the remission of sins, let us now consider the reception of the Holy Spirit. That this should follow, and not precede, the birth of the water must be evident to every thoughtful person.”

Acts 2:41; “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

The Holy Spirit doesn’t have to wait on a man-made ordinance to dwell inside a believer.

Baptism, When Did it Begin

Articles of Faith, p. 110; “The Establishment of Baptism dates from the time of the earliest history of the race. When the Lord manifested Himself to Adam after the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, He promised the patriarch of the race: “If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son…” – James Talmage

Holman’s Bible Dictionary on Baptism; “At some point close to the time of Jesus, Judaism began a heavy emphasis on ritual washings to cleanse from impurity. This goes back to priestly baths prior to offering sacrifices (Lev. 16:4, 24). Probably shortly prior to the time of Jesus or contemporary with Him, Jews began baptizing Gentile converts, though circumcision still remained the primary entrance rite into Judaism.”

Matthew 3:13-15; “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.”

For the sake of the argument let’s go ahead and say the Mormon teachings of baptism actually mean washings instituted in the book of Leviticus. That’s roughly a 2,400 year discrepancy.  Also notice God is telling Adam to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus.  Yeah, okay…

Baptism; Which Comes First – Holy Ghost or Baptism?

Preach My Gospel, pg 63; “After a person is baptized by water, one or more authorized priesthood holders lay their hands upon the person’s head and confirm the person a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They then confer the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Acts 10:44-48; “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

Baptized into Christ in 158 BC

Mosiah 18:13; “And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.”

Belief

Newsweek, “What Mormons Believe,” September 1, 1980, p. 68; “Mormon doctrine means that ultimately we are not dependent upon God for our existence. And since we can make ourselves as godly as the Father, we don’t feel any jealousy toward him.” BYU Professor James E. Ford

2 Tim. 2:16; “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

Every time I think I’ve found the most blasphemous teaching of the Mormon Church, another rears its ugly head.

Belief in Christ in 551 BC

Jacob 1:8; “Jacob 1:8; “Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi.” – 551 BC

Romans 1:30-32; “Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

B.H. Roberts’ Assessment of Book of Mormon: Tale by a Child

Studies of the Book of Mormon, by B.H. Roberts, p. 251; “If from all that has gone before in Part 1, the view be taken that the Book of Mormon is merely of human origin… if it be assumed that he is the author of it, then it could be said there is much internal evidence in the book itself to sustain such a view.
“In the first place there is a certain lack of perspective in the things the book relates as history that points quite clearly to an underdeveloped mind as their origin.  The narrative proceeds in characteristic disregard of conditions necessary to its reasonableness, as if it were a tale told by a child, with utter disregard for consistency.”
John 6:44; “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Bible

A Bible and the Jews

2 Nephi 29:3-4, 6 “And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible. 4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles? 6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?”

Luke 24:27; “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Bible vs. Book of Mormon

Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice, pg. 15; “Of the four great standard works of the Church—the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—I would particularly urge you to read again and again the Book of Mormon and ponder and apply its teachings. The Book of Mormon was referred to by the Prophet Joseph Smith as “the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man [and woman] would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”” – Ezra Taft Benson

1 John 5:13; “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

It’s blasphemous to lead others away from the Bible.  It’s a lie to tell people that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the face of the earth and it’s very telling when the prophets of Mormonism proclaim that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of their religion – obviously Jesus is not.

Bible

Journal of Discourses 2:6-7; “You believe Adam was made of the dust of this earth. This I do not believe, though it is supposed that it is so written in the Bible; but it is not, to my understanding. You can write that information to the States, if you please—that I have publicly declared that I do not believe that portion of the Bible as the Christian world do. I never did, and I never want to. What is the reason I do not? Because I have come to understanding, and banished from my mind all the baby stories my mother taught me when I was a child..” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 23, 1853

2 Timothy 3:13-15; “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

You don’t have to believe the Bible is the word of God.  Our Lord doesn’t force anyone to believe in Him even though He gives us ample opportunity to do so; the choice will always be left up to you.

However, when you begin leading others astray and lying to make your point the Bible verse Matthew 18:6 ought to readily be remembered.

Bible Bashing 101

Not My Will, but Thine; “Belief in Deity and in the literal resurrection are usually the first beliefs to be discarded when faith diminishes. Ironically, though we gratefully accept the Bible as the word of God, the very process of its emergence—resulting in a dilution or loss of plain and precious truths—has, alas, led to a slackening or weakening of the Christian faith on the part of some—naturally, with an accompanying diminution of obedience to God’s commandments. Because available Bible sources are not “originals,” however, but represent dated derivations and translations, the “other books” of scripture which have come to us directly are even more to be prized.” – Neal Maxwell

2 Timothy 2:3-4, 15; “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”

Bible, Changes Made by Joseph Smith to the

Ensign, December 1972, pg. 61; “Chapter 14 of Genesis, in the King James Version [Gen. 14], contains a brief account of Abraham and Melchizedek; but the new translation of this chapter adds 400 words about the greatness of Melchizedek, giving events of his life and ministry.

In the King James Version, Hebrews 7:1–3 strangely suggests that Melchizedek was a man without father or mother or lineage. This was corrected by the Prophet to say that it was the priesthood of Melchizedek, not the man, that was without lineage. This is certainly an improvement and draws the distinction between the Aaronic Priesthood, which in Old Testament times came down only through the lineage of Aaron, and the Melchizedek Priesthood, which is not confined to a precise lineage.

The Prophet also censored the Song of Solomon by declaring that it was not inspired scripture.” – Robert J. Matthews, Asst. Professor of Ancient Scripture, BYU

Hebrews 7:1-3; “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.”

There are times when something is so absolutely blasphemous the only thing someone can do is ask Abba for comfort – for me this is one of those times.

Bible has Errors, Book of Mormon does not

The Joseph Smith Translation, p. 12; “…the Book of Mormon remains secure, unchanged and unchangeable, a firm and steady witness of Christ and his doctrine. The Book of Mormon has been, is now, and will forever remain secure in the hands of the servants of the Lord, for which we are immeasurably grateful. But with the Bible it was not and is not so. It is now in the hands of intellectuals and unbelievers and ministers whose delight it is to twist and pervert its doctrines and to spiritualize away the plain meanings of all its important parts. And it once was in the sole and exclusive care and custody of an abominable organization, founded by the devil himself, likened prophetically unto a great whore, whose great aim and purpose was to destroy the souls of men in the name of religion.” – Monte S. Nyman, Charles D. Tate, Jr.

Bible is Eternal

2 Nephi 9:16; “And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away.”

Matthew 5:18; “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

If God’s word cannot pass away why were there almost 4,000 grammatical changes made to the Book of Mormon and why wouldn’t Isaiah 40:8?

Bible, Is it Trustworthy?

“A Bible, A Bible!” pgs. 16-17; “Early in the Prophet’s ministry the Lord instructed him to make a revision, or as he termed it, a “translation” of the Bible. This was not to be a translation in the usual sense, employing a knowledge of biblical languages, use of ancient manuscripts, and the usual procedure and paraphernalia of the scholar, but rather a translation in which Joseph Smith would discern the true intent of the Bible through revelation. It is now known as the Joseph Smith Translation, or JST…A major purpose of the new translation seems to have been the spiritual understanding that came to the Prophet as a result of his effort.” – Robert Millet & Larry Dahl

Hebrews 8:10-11; “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.”

2 Timothy 3:13-15; “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

This should be an alarming revelation to each and every Mormon.  What is the aversion to having a reliable translation of the Bible or relying upon the original languages?

Bible isn’t True

8^th Article of Faith; “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.”

2 Tim. 3:16; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

In this statement they’ve pulled the rug out from the authoritative nature of Bible, belittling it and advocating a false religion.

Bible; Joseph Smith Translation 1,000x Better than Other Bibles

Ensign, June 1999 pg 15; “In the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Joseph Smith Translation, or Inspired Version, is a thousand times over the best Bible now existing on earth.”” – Andrew C. Skinner

2 Timothy 3:16-17; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Bible; LDS Church doesn’t have to Rely Solely upon the Bible

A Marvelous Work and Wonder, pg 1; “The position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, will be discussed from the point of view that it is the only Christian church that does not depend entirely upon the Bible for its teachings.”

Galatians 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.”

Bible, Miracle of the

Ensign, May 2007, pg. 82; “Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable” (2 Timothy 3:16). We love the Bible and other scriptures. That may be surprising to some who may not be aware of our belief in the Bible as the revealed word of God. It is one of the pillars of our faith…We do not criticize or belittle anyone’s beliefs…And those who think that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not believe in Jesus Christ or in the Bible should take time to understand the Church, the significance of its name, and the power of its message…I am puzzled by any who would question this Church’s belief in the Bible and our position as Christians. The name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In our last general conference, here in this building, our Church leaders quoted from the Bible nearly 200 times. This Church is organized and functions like the Church that Christ and His Apostles established in the New Testament. Seated on the stand today are the prophet and the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I bear solemn witness that we are true and full believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His revealed word through the Holy Bible. We not only believe the Bible—we strive to follow its precepts and to teach its message.” – M. Russell Ballard

1 John 3:14-15; “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

I’m puzzled that this guy is confused why people think the Mormons don’t believe in the Bible.  His statement is a ruse to start talking about another lie.

Bible, Many Errors and Contradictions

Answers to Gospel Questions 2:161; “”No Man Hath Seen God at Any Time”—a Mistranslation.  No Bible student today believes that the Bible has come down to us in its perfect and original appearance in the manuscripts. Scribes left out words and phrases, just as we do at times in typing, missing one whole line and thus changing the meaning. Moreover, the scribes added or interpreted according to their own opinions at times. These things are quite generally understood. Therefore we find errors and contradictions in the Bible.  There are too many passages which declare very definitely that God did appear, “face to face,” with his ancient servants. Therefore, passages which declare that no man has seen him, must be in error.” – Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr.

Psalm 19:7-10; “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.  8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

This is the way most Mormons look at the Bible.  The statements made by Joseph Fielding Smith show the animosity they have in their hearts towards God and His sacred word.

Bible, Nations Need More than Just a

2 Nephi 29:10; “Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.”

Proverbs 30:5-6; “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

Why is an Israelite tempting another Israelite to read other works not from God?  Did Smith not know Jews don’t use the Bible and especially in 600 BC?

Bible not for Modern Times

Journal of Discourses 2:75-76; “The words contained in this Bible are merely a history of what is gone by; it was never given to guide the servant of God in the course he should pursue, any more than the words and commandments of God, given to a generation under one set of circumstances, would serve for another generation under another set of circumstances…The Bible is not a sufficient guide; it is only the history of the people who lived 1800 years ago. The history of our Church in this day, presents the scenes and transactions of this people—the revelations and words of God to them…” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1854

1 Peter 1:25; “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

So God lied?  If God’s words weren’t for the man to use as a guide from God then why did Jesus use it?

Bible Not Necessary

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, pg 40; “…the everlasting gospel could not be discovered

through reading the Bible alone… this is the only Christian church in the world that did not have to rely upon the Bible for its organization and government…if we had no Bible we would still have all the needed direction and information through the revelations of the Lord to his servants, the prophets in these latter days.” – LeGrand Richards

1 Corinthians 3:11; “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Bible/Testing the Bible with BoM

Church News, June 20, 1992; “The most reliable way to measure the accuracy of any biblical passage is not by comparing different texts, but by comparison with the Book of Mormon and modern-day revelations.” – “Letter Reaffirms Use of King James Version of Bible”, Presidents Benson, Hinckley and Monson

Matthew 5:18; “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Bible; The Measure of Accuracy

“The Bible, as it has been transmitted over the centuries, has suffered the loss of many plain and precious parts…Unfortunately, no original manuscripts of any portion of the Bible are available for comparison to determine the most accurate version. However, the Lord has revealed clearly the doctrines of the gospel in these latter days. The most reliable way to measure the accuracy of any biblical passage is not by comparing different texts, but by comparison with the Book of Mormon and modern-day revelations.” http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/22533/Letter-reaffirms-use-of-King-James-version-of-Bible.html

Acts 17:11; “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Biblical Prophecies about Joseph Smith

The Life of Joseph F. Smith, p. 34; “Second, Joseph was given the “keys of the kingdom” by a succession of heavenly messengers…With those keys, the Prophet Joseph Smith began the work of gathering the Lord’s elect, as he was commanded to do in Doctrine and Covenants 29:7…Malachi also prophesied of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s role as the Lord’s “forerunner” in the latter days, when he recorded the Lord’s words: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 3:1.)” – Joseph Fielding Smith

Malachi 3:1; “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Hmmm…this prophecy is about John the Baptist who would be telling the Israelites the day of salvation was upon them – it has absolutely nothing to do with Joseph Smith, the Mormon Church or the nineteenth century…

Bible vs Another Gospel

“My Words . . . Never Cease,” Ensign, May 2008, 91; “Some Christians, in large measure because of their genuine love for the Bible, have declared that there can be no more authorized scripture beyond the Bible. In thus pronouncing the canon of revelation closed, our friends in some other faiths shut the door on divine expression that we in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hold dear: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the ongoing guidance received by God’s anointed prophets and apostles. Imputing no ill will to those who take such a position, nevertheless we respectfully but resolutely reject such an unscriptural characterization of true Christianity.” – Jeffrey R. Holland

John 10:27-28; “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Hebrews 2:1; “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Bible Will Profit You Little

Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, pg 73; “You may hug up to yourselves the Bible, but, except through faith in it you get revelation for yourself, the Bible will profit you but little. (Hyrum L. Andrus and Helen Mae Andrus, comps., They Knew the Prophet, p. 101)”

1 Peter 1:25; “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Bible; Woe to Bible Haters

2 Nephi 15:24; “Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, their root shall be rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”

Psalm 19:7-9; “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.”

Bishops are the Judge of Your Worthiness

Young Women Manual 2, Appreciating the Bishop, pg. 41; “The bishop presides over every person in the ward and directs their local church activities. … All of your adolescent life you will be under the direction of the bishop. He will appoint teachers and supervisors to do his work, but he will be very much interested in your progress. Your life here will be constantly weighed by him, for he is the judge of your worthiness … to receive higher ordinances, and to be worthy to go to the Temple.”

Ephesians 1:6-7; “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

The comforting words from the apostle Paul should be shared with the Mormon people before they go in for their temple worthiness interviews.  It’d be a great idea to share this passage with the bishops as well!

Birth of Baptism

Ensign, Feb 1994; “Through the birth known as baptism, we are cleansed from sin and we become part of a new family — the family of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

– “The Birth That Is Baptism”

http://www.lds.org/ensign/1994/02/the-birth-that-is-baptism?lang=eng

John 3:5; “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Births of Mormonism & Jesus

Joseph Smith prophesied that Jesus’ birth happened exactly 1,830 years before the formation of the Mormon Church. That wasn’t a problem until…

In recent years it’s been discovered a mistake was made in keeping track of the correct year Jesus was born. Technically you need to add an extra 4-6 yrs to our calendar, making Smith’s prophecy false and not from God!

D&C 20:1; “The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April—”

Bishop Duties

www.lifeafter.org; “Another duty of a Bishop is to interview the people for the temple recommends. As of July 2000, a list was compiled of 15 questions every Bishop asks the member. Remember these men are considered the “judge” of these people; they represent God.  The questions are as follows: (The Bishops Manual)

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?
2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?
3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?
4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?
5 Do you live the law of chastity?
6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?
7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?
9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?
10 Are you a full-tithe payer?
11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?
12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?
13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:
Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in     accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?
14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?
15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?”

1 Corinthians 4:5; “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

These questions are so personal – I cannot imagine anyone but the Lord asking me these things.

Bishop Holds Keys to Cleansing Power

Morality, pg. 108; “For those of you inside the Church there is a way, not entirely painless, but certainly possible. You can stand clean and spotless before Him. Guilt will be gone, and you can be at peace. Go to your bishop. He holds the key to this cleansing power.” – Boyd Packer

1 John 1:7; “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Where in the Bible does it ever say a bishop holds the cleansing power of forgiveness?  It’s about the blood!

Bishop Must be Related to Aaron Unless Ordained

D&C 68:18-19; “No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant and the firstborn of Aaron.  19 But, as a high priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provided he is called and set apart and ordained unto this power, under the hands of the First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood.”

Titus 1:7-9; “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

So there’s always a way around the rules and if you don’t qualify for something well then, hey, we’ll just have a meeting and pray over you!  Good grief.

BLACKS

Blacks & the Church

Race Problems–As They Affect the Church, August 27, 1954, address at CES convention at Brigham Young University; “Think of the Negro, cursed as to the Priesthood. Are we prejudiced against him? Unjustly, sometimes we are accused of having such a prejudice. But what does the mercy of God have for him? This negro, who, in the pre-existence lived the type of life which justified the Lord in sending him to the earth in the lineage of Cain with a black skin, and possibly being born in darkest Africa if that Negro is willing when he hears the gospel to accept it, he may have many of the blessings of the gospel. In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get a celestial resurrection.” – Mark E. Petersen

Genesis 1:26-27; “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

The Mormon prophet Thomas Monson referred to Mark Petersen as someone who “personified righteousness” and “a giant among men”.  How could anyone who says the darker you are the more sinful the behavior, or that the black people will be servants in heaven?  How is this godly or righteous?

Imagine Mr. Petersen’s surprise when he died and saw that Jesus probably wasn’t white.

Blacks are Slaves Mentally

Journal of Discourses 5:217; “Elder Hyde inquired the situation of the negro. I replied, they came into the world slaves mentally and physically. Change their situation with the whites, and they would be like them. They have souls, and are subjects of salvation. Go into Cincinnati or any city, and find an educated negro, who rides in his carriage, and you will see a man who has risen by the powers of his own mind to his exalted state of respectability. The slaves in Washington are more refined than many in high places, and the black boys will take the shine of many of those they brush and wait on.” – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, September 6, 1856

1 Cor. 12:13; “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

So the “negro” has no soul?  Where does it say that in the Bible?

Blacks and Whites are Saved

2 Nephi 26:33; “…he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.”

Galatians 3:28; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

This is an example of how the Mormon Church confuses its members.  At the time this was written the Church didn’t like black people.  Additionally, this passage of “scripture” supposedly took place around 545 BC.  Jews and Gentiles were not alike unto God at this time.

Blacks Neutral in Pre-existence

Conference Reports, CR April 1939, Second Day‑Morning Meeting, pg 59; “PUNISHMENT OF THOSE NOT VALIANT

The negro is an unfortunate man. He has been given a black skin. But that is as nothing compared with that greater handicap that he is not permitted to receive the Priesthood and the ordinances of the temple…

What is the reason for this condition, we ask, and I find it to my satisfaction to think that as spirit children of our Eternal Father they were not valiant in the fight…

I cannot conceive our Father consigning his children to a condition such as that of the negro race, if they had been valiant in the spirit world in that war in heaven…

Somewhere along the line were these spirits, indifferent perhaps, and possibly neutral in the war. We have no definite knowledge concerning this…

I firmly believe that God had something to do with the recording of these events, and having them preserved and handed down to us from generation to generation, that we might read, and reading, profit thereby. We are under direct command of the Lord to search the scriptures, where these things are contained. We have been admonished in this conference so to do.” – George F. Richards

Blacks Not Born Innocent

Way to Perfection, pg. 102; “In the spirit of sympathy, mercy and faith, we will also hope that blessings may eventually be given to our negro brethren, for they are our brethren-children of God-notwithstanding their black covering emblematical of eternal darkness.” – Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith

James 2:1-4; “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.  2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”

The LDS book used above was written in 1949 by then apostle Joseph Fielding Smith who later became the tenth president/prophet of the Church.

Blacks are Satan’s Representatives after Flood

Gospel Kingdom, pgs. 103; “…And then the devil put on a long face and said, I imagined I had got rid of these fellows; but they are going to have a chance yet that I did not think of. And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham’s wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? Because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God.” – John Taylor

Genesis 6:10; “And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”

1. Ham’s name means “burnt”.

2. Cain lived circa 3979 BC.  Ham lived circa 2440 BC.

3. The Mormons teach that being black is a sin and therefore evil.

4. The Bible clearly states the curse was upon Canaan because of Ham’s behavior, not because of his color (Gen. 9:18-29).

5. The Bible never gives the name of Ham’s wife or her race.

Gospel Kingdom is a collection of thoughts and writings of John Taylor, 3^rd prophet of the LDS Church.

God Cursed People with Dark Skin

2 Nephi 5:21; “And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.”

Genesis 4:11, 15; “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”

Another example that the Mormon god hates dark people.

Blacks, Why They Were Accepted into Church

Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 353; “Under these conditions President Spencer W. Kimball began an exhaustive personal study of the scriptures as well as statements of Church leaders since Joseph Smith, and asked other General Authorities to share their personal feelings relative to the longstanding Church policy. Then he began to inquire of the Lord if the time was not right to extend the priesthood blessings to this restricted people. Recalling this period, President Kimball stated, “Day after day, and especially on Saturdays and Sundays when there were no organizations in the temple, I went there when I could be alone.” The result was a revelation on 1 June 1978.”

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.”

Truth:  the Mormon Church was being pressured by many to change their racist ways.  One example was the NCAA who was threatening to boycott the BYU football team.

Blind Faith

Improvement Era, June 1945; “When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan—it is God’s plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy. God works in no other way. To think otherwise, without immediate repentance, may cost one his faith, may destroy his testimony, and leave him a stranger to the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 15:14; “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

In other words no analytical thinking is allowed.

Blind Faith

Ensign, August 1979, pg. 2; “Recently, at the Churchwide fireside meeting held for the women of the Church, Young Women President Elaine Cannon made the following statement: “When the Prophet speaks, … the debate is over” (Ensign, Nov. 1978, p. 108). I was impressed by that simple statement, which carries such deep spiritual meaning for all of us.” – N. Eldon Tanner

Matt. 15:8-9, 14-15: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ⁹But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  ¹⁴Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

Oh it carries deep spiritual meaning all right.  I love my husband Kirk dearly, but if Kirk began telling me that black is actually white and vice versa, I’d be questioning him and doing some investigating straight away.

Blind Faith

Dialogue, Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 04, Number 1, pg. 92, Spring 1969; “Looking on from the outside, an observer might think Mormons are hopelessly mixed up.  If testimony is all that really matters, why worry about the historical evidence?  Since an airtight case would fail to convince believing Mormons, they should forget about proofs for the Book of Mormon and replying to the Reverend Mr. Walters and concentrate on their religious experiences and the satisfactions of their group life.

Granted that negative historical evidence would not destroy the faith of the faithful.  For those blessed with it, spiritual experience is the most compelling data. Honesty requires that one remain true to it even in the face of other evidence to the contrary. Were a case made against the Book of Mormon, our sense of balance and personal integrity would compel Mormons to hold their beliefs.”

Acts 17:11; “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/dialogue&CISOPTR=5163&REC=13

It is not a sin to read!

Blind Leading the Blind

The Essential Brigham Young, pg 90; “I think these preliminaries will satisfy me, and I feel prepared to take my text; it is the words of Jesus Christ, but where they are in the Bible I cannot tell you now, for I have not taken pains to look at them. I have had so much to do, that I have not read the Bible for many years. I used to be a Bible student; I used to read and study it, but did not understand the spirit and meaning of it; I knew well enough how it read.” – Brigham Young

Also see Conference Discourse, October 8, 1854

Matthew 15:13-14; “…Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

Blind Obedience

Conference Report, Oct. 1960, Marion Romney, pg, 78; “My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.” Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, “But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.””

2 Peter 1:10; “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”

My mother-in-law was a great seamstress and one of the lessons I learned from her was to always, always “measure twice, cut once”.

Blind Obedience

July 1972 Ensign, pg. 87, Joseph Fielding Smith; “Now, brethren, I think there is one thing which we should have exceedingly clear in our minds. Neither the President of the Church, nor the First Presidency, nor the united voice of the First Presidency and the Twelve will ever lead the Saints astray or send forth counsel to the world that is contrary to the mind and will of the Lord.”

Prov. 27:17; “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

This statement was an obvious lie – they’ve been misleading the “Saints” since the inception of the Church.

Blind Obedience to God or Man?

Journal of Discourses 9:150; “What a pity it would be if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by Him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation…” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, January 12, 1862.

Exodus 19:5-6; “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

Now they’re telling the people to investigate what the leaders say…interesting.  The Mormons also tell us that they don’t like referring to the Journal of Discourses even though it is quoted by modern prophets.

Blood Atonement

Journal of Discourses 4:220 “I have known a great many men who have left this Church for whom there is no chance whatever for exaltation, but if their blood had been spilled, it would have been better for them. The wickedness and ignorance of the nations forbid this principle’s being in full force, but the time will come when the law of God will be in full force.  This is loving our neighbour as ourselves; if he needs help, help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill his blood on the earth in order that he may be saved, spill it. Any of you who understand the principles of eternity, if you have sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except the sin unto death, would not be satisfied nor rest until your blood should be spilled, that you might gain that salvation you desire. That is the way to love mankind.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, February 8, 1857.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.”

Killing someone is being a good neighbor?

Blood Atonement

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol.15, No.4, p.96 in electronic files “The doctrine of blood atonement has had a checkered career which by itself could provide a rewarding study of the vagaries of Mormon literalism.  Unfortunately, the doctrine appears to be the result of an overly literal interpretation and elaboration of certain scriptures such as Hebrews 9:22 which states that “almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”  Accordingly, the doctrine [blood atonement] asserts that those who commit certain grievous sins such as murder and covenant-breaking place themselves beyond the atoning blood of Christ, and their only hope for salvation is to have their own blood shed as an atoning sacrifice.”

Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Leviticus 22:19 “Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.”

First of all the passage in Hebrews should be taken literally.  Secondly, the passages of Mormon teachings that have taught about blood atonement should also be taken literally because they were literally taking the lives of people for revenge or to fulfill the false prophecies of Joseph Smith and company.

Blood Atonement Needed for Salvation

Journal of Discourses 4:49-50 “Some have received the Priesthood and a knowledge of the things of God, and still they dishonor the cause of truth…I say, that there are men and women that I would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood. We have those amongst us that are full of all manner of abominations, those who need to have their blood shed, for water will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye.” – Jedidiah Morgan Grant, Salt Lake City, September 21, 1856

Matthew 7:1-3 “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”

Blood Atonement: Death to Thieves

Journal of Discourses 1:109 “If you want to know what to do with a thief that you may find stealing, I say kill him on the spot, and never suffer him to commit another iniquity.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, May 8, 1853

Exodus 20:13 “Thou shalt not kill.”

Blood Atonement or Not?

Ether 8:19 “For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man.”

Doctrines of Salvation 1:135 “Joseph Smith taught that there were certain sins so grievous that man may commit, that they will place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ. If these offenses are committed, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent. Therefore their only hope is to have their own bloodshed to atone, as far as possible, in their behalf. This is scriptural doctrine, and is taught in all the standard works of the Church.”

Which one is true?

Blood Changes at Conversion

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 149 “…while the effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the Holy Ghost. In such a case, there may be more of a powerful effect upon the body, and visible to the eye, than upon an Israelite, while the Israelite at first might be far before the Gentile in pure intelligence.”

Galatians 3:28-29; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Huh?

Boastful Claims

Arrogance of BY

Journal of Discourses 13:95; “I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, January 2, 1870

2 Peter 1:20; “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”

Every Mormon should know this LDS teaching by heart.

Arrogance of Joseph Smith

History of the Church 6:408-409; “Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on the top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.”

Deut. 34:10; “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.”

Deut. 28:66; “And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life.”

At the time of Smith’s boastful speech people had indeed left the fold.  As a matter of fact it was an address towards the dissenters of the Church on Sunday, May 26^, 1844.

Book of Abraham: Translation Problems in Book of Abraham

Ensign, “I’ve Got a Question”, July 1988, pg 51; “Why doesn’t the translation of the Egyptian papyri found in 1967 match the text of the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price?

The papyri in question are a part of the collection of Egyptian mummies and papyri that the Prophet Joseph Smith bought from Michael Chandler in 1835. After the Prophet’s death, the papyri were lost to the Church. But in 1966, Dr. Aziz S. Atiya, a professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Utah, discovered some twenty-two separate papyri fragments in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which were clearly part of Joseph Smith’s original collection.
…from paleographic and historical considerations, the Book of Breathings papyrus can reliably be dated to around A.D. 60-much too late for Abraham to have written it. Of course, it could be a copy-or a copy of a copy-of the original written by Abraham. However, a second problem arises when one compares the text of the book of Abraham with a translation of the Book of Breathings; they clearly are not the same…” http://www.lds.org/ensign/1988/07/i-have-a-question?lang=eng

Exodus 20:3; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon: BC 586 Israelites’ Deportation

1 Nephi 1:4; “For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.”

2 Kings 24:8, 10,12, 14,16-17; “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months… 10 ¶ At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon…and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17 ¶ And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.”

BC 575 – The end of Zedekiah

2 Kings 25:2, 7; “And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.”

Book of Mormon & 19^th Century Hot Topics

Infant Baptisms

Moroni 8:9; “And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.”

Galatians 3:26-27; “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Book of Mormon Absurdities

Absurd Scenarios in Ether

Ether 3:25; “And when the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4; “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Really? What purpose did this serve and what does it serve for the individual Mormon today?

And the Years Passed Away…

Helaman 11:21; “And it came to pass that the seventy and sixth year did end in peace. And the seventy and seventh year began in peace; and the church did spread throughout the face of all the land; and the more part of the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, did belong to the church; and they did have exceedingly great peace in the land; and thus ended the seventy and seventh year.”

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.”

Okay, here we go…there are a number of problems within this verse found in the Book of Mormon so we’re looking at each of those issues.

Our prayers for the Mormon people are for what Paul reminded us of in his epistle to the Romans. His words are a timeless reminder of what God will do with us when we turn to Him. Ask yourself if this verse in Helaman is allowing God to transform your mind and is it acceptable and the perfect will of God?

1. The phrase “and it came to pass” in this verse is only one of the 1,427 times it was used in the Book of Mormon (http://lifeafterministry.com/2010/10/21/and-it-came-to-pass). More than twenty percent of the verses in the Book of Mormon contain this phrase.

2. Notice the way they’ve phrased how many years passed away. If this book was originally engraved in brass or gold why would they phrase things this way? It seems like such a waste of space and effort.  Does this and the verse related to this subject listed below sound inspired? How would someone hold onto any truth or hope using this verse?

3. The year of this writing in Helaman supposedly took place in 12 BC and they’re using the term “church”. The true Christian church didn’t come about until fifty days after the resurrection of Christ.  Now you might say that 42+ years isn’t all that worrisome when we’re dealing with history so long ago, but I say take a look at what Jesus said in Matt. 16:18 when He spoke to Peter and the other apostles telling them that His church would be built upon Him.  Why do they have a church therefore in BC 12 when Jesus hadn’t established His church yet?

4. Unfortunately there’s a serious grammar problem throughout the Book of Mormon. The phrase “and the more part of the people” is one of the countless examples I’ve found. Does this sound inspired to you?

4 Nephi 1:6; “And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed away.”

Nameless Brother of Jared Sees Jesus 700 years Before Moses Sees God

The Improvement Era, Vol. 13, No. 1, November 1909, pg 78; “More than seven hundred years before Moses was shown the things pertaining to this earth, another great prophet, known to us as the brother of Jared, was similarly favored by the Lord. He was even permitted to behold the spirit-body of the foreordained Savior, prior to His incarnation; and so like the body of a man was His spirit in form and appearance, that the prophet thought he was gazing upon a being of flesh and blood. He first saw the finger and then the entire body

of the Lord— all in the spirit.”

http://ia600706.us.archive.org/3/items/improvementera1301unse/improvementera1301unse.pdf#page=75

Matthew 11:27; “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

They Fell to the Earth

3 Nephi 1:17; “And they began to know that the Son of God must shortly appear; yea, in fine, all the people upon the face of the whole earth from the west to the east, both in the land north and in the land south, were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth.”

Proverbs 12:17; “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.”

“Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.” – ESV

Book of Mormon & Isaiah: A Different Christ

The Book of Mormon contains large amounts of Isaiah’s writings. In 2^nd Nephi chapters 12-24 you’ll find a rewrite of Isaiah chapters 2-14. With the exception of Nephi inserting a thought of his own here and there this entire passage is identical to the KJV written in 1611.

Ask your Mormon friends how Nephi’s translation of Isaiah is so similar. How did Nephi’s writings translate into 1611 English when he lived circa 550 BC? If he was writing in Reformed Egyptian certainly there must be some variation in sentence structure, punctuation and words.

Why would it be exactly the same unless of course it was taken from the KJV Bible and not the golden plates?

Why didn’t the Lord have Joseph translate the Reformed Egyptian into nineteen century English instead of seventeenth century English?  Certainly God keeps up with the times doesn’t He?

Matthew 24:23-24; “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.”

Book of Mormon – Another Testament

Front Cover; Book of Mormon; “Another Testament of Jesus Christ”.

Gal. 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.”

Once again, I am convinced God knew exactly what words to use when He had His apostles write His message to us.  I’m also convinced Satan will go out of his way to use God’s word to trick many, many people.

Book of Mormon

D&C 20:9; “Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also.”

1 Cor. 15:1-4; “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

The record we need to pay attention to is the record Paul spoke of in his letter to the Corinthians.  The first thing he spoke about in the “resurrection chapter” was to be sure we are observing the gospel he preached to them and what they already believed.

Book of Mormon, Accept it or be Damned

Jan. 15, 1842, Times & Seasons 3:658; “…God inspired them to frame the American Constitution…This was also done to prepare the way for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon—the stick of Joseph—that he might lift it up (in connection with the Bible) as an ensign upan [sic] the moantains, [sic] and set it as a sign among the people for the purpose of gathering and uniting the whole house of Israel into one nation upon their own land, and also for the purpose of re-establishing the kingdom of God upon the earth with all its officers, gifts and blessings.”

Mark 13:22; “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.”

The American constitution wasn’t written so Joseph Smith could lie to thousands of people.  Joseph Smith down to all the other Mormon leaders have taken advantage of the blessings God provided for the people who would call this country home.

Book of Mormon Archaeology

Dialogue, A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 01, Number 1, Spring, 1966, pgs. 148-149;

“Where is Mormon thought on archaeology going?  After this rather discouraging display of the lack of progress on the topic is anything happening that is more dynamic and promising?  Yes, some things.  Increasingly young Latter-day Saints are feeling that it is desirable and respectable to become professionally prepared as archaeologists, at least for the New World, which means they must qualify as anthropologists….As long as Mormons are willing to be fooled by (and pay for) the uninformed, uncritical dribble about archaeology and the scriptures which predominates, the few LDS experts are reluctant even to be identified with the topic…Unfortunately, the Fifteenth Annual Symposium volume displays few encouraging signs.  It is relatively harmless, mildly diverting in spots, and no doubt gives comfort to some of its audience, but it is not important.” – John L. Sorensen

1 Timothy 4:1; “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

Wow!  Why would you as a Mormon believe the stories about the Book of Mormon when the Mormon experts don’t even believe it?

Book of Mormon Archaeology

Dialogue, op. cit. Summer 1969, pp. 77-78; “The first myth we need to eliminate is that the Book of Mormon archaeology exists…If one is to study the Book of Mormon archaeology, then one must have a corpus of data with which to deal with. We do not…no Book of Mormon location is known with reference to modern topography. Biblical archaeology can be studied because we do know where Jerusalem and Jericho were and are, but we do not know where Zarahemla and Bountiful (nor any location for that matter) were and are…a concentration on geography would be the first order of business, but we have already seen that twenty years of such an approach has left us empty handed.” – Mormon Archaeologist Professor Dee. F. Green.

Titus 3:8-9; “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”

I like to share this info with the missionaries when they come to my door and tell me there is ample evidence proving the Book of Mormon people existed.  Sadly, if the Book of Mormon is false then so is the rest of their “religion”.

Book of Mormon Authorship vs. Author of Our Salvation

Studies of the Book of Mormon, pg. 271; ““…There were other Anti-Christs among the Nephites, but they were more military leaders than religious innovators… they are all of one breed and brand; so nearly alike that one mind is the author of them, and that a young and underdeveloped, but piously inclined mind.  The evidence I sorrowfully submit, points to Joseph Smith as their creator. It is difficult to believe that they are a product of history, that they came upon the scene separated by long periods of time, and among a race which was the ancestral race of the red man of America.” – B. H. Roberts

Hebrews 5:9; “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

I left Mormonism almost twenty years ago and seeing evidences against Mormonism like this still makes my heart sad.

Book of Mormon, Biblical Prophecies of the

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 158; “According to a prophecy of Joseph in Egypt, preserved in the Book of Mormon (2 Ne. 3:4-21), two sets of records would be kept by two tribes of Israel-one (the Bible) written by the tribe of Judah and the other (Book of Mormon) kept by the tribe of Joseph (2 Ne. 3:12; cf. Ezek. 37:15-19).”

2 Peter 1:20-21; “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

The Bible wasn’t written by the tribe of Judah in the BC era.

Who or what is the tribe of Joseph?

Book of Mormon Brings Belief in God

“A Book with a Promise,” Ensign, May 2008, 105; “As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have the benefit and blessing of living scripture as declared by those sustained as prophets, as well as canonized scripture found in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. . . . Written scripture, especially the Book of Mormon, brings us to believe in God and ‘be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son’ (Jacob 4:11).” – Craig C. Christensen

1 Peter 1:25; “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Titus 1:13-15; “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

Book of Mormon Challenge

D&C 67:6-8; “Now, seek ye out of the Book of Commandments, even the least that is among them, and appoint him that is the most wise among you; 7 Or, if there be any among you that shall make one like unto it, then ye are justified in saying that ye do not know that they are true; 8 But if ye cannot make one like unto it, ye are under condemnation if ye do not bear record that they are true.”

Isn’t it interesting that the same challenge is made in the Quran –

Sura 10:38-39: “This Koran could not have been forged apart from God; but it is a confirmation of what is before it, and a distinguishing of the Book, wherein is no doubt, from the Lord of all Being. Or do they say, “Why, he has forged it’? Say: ‘Then produce a sura [scripture] like it, and call on whom you can, apart from God, if you speak truly.””

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.”

Book of Mormon, Changes Made to

Answers to Gospel Questions 2:200; “Are There Any Vital Changes in the Book of Mormon?

Question: “A minister of one of the churches told my husband that he purchased one of the earliest editions of the Book of Mormon for a thousand dollars and compared it to the later edition and found over a hundred changes. I know that the Book of Mormon was later divided into chapters and verses with references, but were there other changes made? Is the original manuscript of the translation with the Church?”

Answer: It is astonishing to what length the enemies of the Church will go in order to attempt to prove the Book of Mormon false. Instead of reading it prayerfully and asking the Lord for a testimony whether it is true or not, they close their minds against it and, in the bitterness of their souls, seek to destroy it. In this, of course, they will fail. No one can read the book with a prayerful heart and not receive the testimony that it is true. The evidence internally and externally is overwhelming…

TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS DIFFICULT TO AVOID There were bound to be some typographical errors in the first edition, and perhaps an omission of a word or two. Those who have published books under the most careful and favorable circumstances, have, to their dismay, found errors, typographical and mechanical, some of which occurred after the final examination of proof has been made.  In the case of the Book of Mormon, your attention is called to the fact that the publisher of it was unfriendly to the Church…A careful check of the list of changes submitted by these critics shows there is not one change or addition that is not in full harmony with the original text…but never has any alteration or addition changed a single original thought. ..I am sure that the mistakes or omissions in the first edition were in large measure the fault of the compositor or the printer. Many of these mistakes which were in the first proofs were caught by the Prophet Joseph Smith himself, and he made the corrections…There have been thousands of changes in the Bible in recent years, but people do not seem to complain about that. We have books in our library written by an atheist who treats the Bible in the same spirit which these critics treat the Book of Mormon, but his criticism does not prove the Bible false.” – Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr.

1 Corinthians 2:14; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1. The question isn’t about any so-called changes to the Bible.

2. There have been almost 4,000 grammatical changes made to the Book of Mormon from its original printing.  Grammatical, not typographical so Smith can’t blame that on the printer.

Book of Mormon, Changes Made to

1976 edition of Mosiah 21:28; “And now Limhi was again filled with joy on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God….”

1830 edition of Mosiah 21:28; “And now Limhi was again filled with joy on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Benjamin had a gift from God….”

Mosiah 6:5 – Benjamin died so the 1830 edition is not just a “typo”.  The change had been made by 1920 because Mosiah 21:28 has the name of king Mosiah, not Benjamin.  And in case you’re wondering…the 1908 edition is the “original” translation of the Book of Mormon the Reformed LDS Church publishes.  Their headquarters are in Independence, MO and the book of Mosiah ends at chapter 13.

2 Timothy 2:15-16; “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

There has never been anything bad said about those who study, compare and then decide.  In the previous entry the church claimed no changes had ever been made to change the meaning.  Here we have proof that they’ve lied again.

Book of Mormon Changes to Nephi’s  Writings

1 Nephi 13:40;

1830 Book of Mormon, pg 32’ “…the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world.”

Today’s Book of Mormon; “…the Lamb of God is The Son of the eternal Father, and the savior of the world.”

Book of Mormon Conflicting Messages

2 Nephi 2:22-23; “And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. 23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.”

2 Nephi 15:20; “Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

Revelation 21:8; “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Book of Mormon Conversion Stories

Alma 36:6-10; “For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way. 7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.  8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel. 9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God. 10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.”

Acts 9:4-9; “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”

My, how similar the stories are eh?

Question:  why was Alma seeking to destroy the Church of God in 73 BC when the Christian church hadn’t been established yet?

Book of Mormon Context Change/God or Son of God

We’re looking at another context change in the Book of Mormon. These seemingly small changes are anything but!  They’re a great took to use in a discussion with the Mormons to show how they were just typos, but carry with them significant implications!

Today’s Version

1 Nephi 11:32; “And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; 1yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.”

1830 Version

1 Nephi11:32; “And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying, look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Everlasting God, was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.”

Book of Mormon Context Change/Nature of Jesus

The Book of Mormon is fraught with changes, discrepancies, contradictions and plagiarisms. Oh, did I mention false prophecies?

Today’s dilemma will show one example of a change made to the BoM text which in turn changed the whole meaning of the message. The passage here is talking about the nature and character of Jesus.

Today’s Version

1 Nephi 11:18; “And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.”

1830 Version

1 Nephi 11:18; “And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of flesh.”

So is Mary the mother of God or the mother of the Son of God?

Galatians 6:7; “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Book of Mormon Decapitations

Ether 8:10-13; “And now, therefore, let my father send for Akish, the son of Kimnor; and behold, I am fair, and I will dance before him, and I will please him, that he will desire me to wife; wherefore if he shall desire of thee that ye shall give unto him me to wife, then shall ye say: I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king. And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore, when Jared had sent for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she pleased him, insomuch that he desired her to wife. And it came to pass that he said unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife.12 And Jared said unto him: I will give her unto you, if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king.13 And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?”

Matthew 14:6-9; “But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.”

Note to Reader:  Read all of Ether chapter eight and Matthew 14:1-12.

Book of Mormon Evidences

Teachings of Harold B. Lee, pg. 155; “Don’t be concerned over Book of Mormon geography. Some say the Hill Cumorah was in southern Mexico (and someone pushed it down still farther) and not in western New York. Well, if the Lord wanted us to know where it was or where Zarahemla was, He’d have given us latitude and longitude, don’t you think? And why bother our heads trying to discover with archaeological certainty the geographical locations of the cities of the Book of Mormon like Zarahemla? (66-07) The witness of the Book of Mormon is not found in the ruins of Central and South America. They may be outward evidences of a people long since disappeared. The real witness is that which is found in the Book of Mormon itself.  The Book of Mormon ought to be to you one of the most prized books you have. (73-21, p. 3)  The Book of Mormon is its own best evidence. So far as we are concerned, the best evidence in the world of the truth of the Book of Mormon is the Book of Mormon itself. (72-19).”

Ezek. 13:3; “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!”

I still remember the day I found out there was no archaeological evidence of the Book of Mormon.  I can still feel the heaviness in my heart from the devastating news.  When I took journalism in high school the number one rule the teacher taught was to make sure you have your location and quote correct.

Book of Mormon, Five Reasons for

Especially for Missionaries, vol. 1; “The purpose of the Book of Mormon is fivefold. First, it stands as a second testament or witness for Jesus Christ. Second, it authenticates the Bible. Third, it shows the goodness of God to his children. Fourth, it makes people aware of the promises that God has made to his children. And fifth, it restores to earth many plain and precious truths that have been lost since the fulness of the gospel existed.”

1 Peter 1:25; “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

1. The Bible tells us not to listen to other “testaments”.

2. The Bible stands alone and doesn’t need authentications from other books.

3. The Book of Mormon does not show the goodness of God to his children.  The theme of the Book of Mormon can be found in Alma 50:20 – you obey or you’re cut off forever.

4.  The Bible already told the people of the promises God made.

5. The last reason for the Book of Mormon actually negates the second reason.  Now you’re saying the Bible isn’t true but the Book of Mormon authenticates that?

Book of Mormon: Fullness of the Gospel?

D&C 20:9; “Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-4; “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Book of Mormon; God Commanded Jews to Flee to Wilderness?

1 Nephi 17:47; “Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father that he should depart into the wilderness; and the Jews also sought to take away his life…”

Jeremiah 42:9-11; “And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him; 10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.  11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.” (See vs. 7-22 for full story)

Why would Jews seek to kill other Jews, especially at this time in the history of Jerusalem?  The Babylonians were out to kill the Israelites, not their own people!

Book of Mormon god can’t keep promises

Mosiah 27:13; “Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.”

Colossians 2:16-18; “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” [Note: see all of passage Col. 2:16-23.]

Acts 9:2-5; “And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

Again, the Book of Mormon god can’t keep his promises, thus we have a partial promise.  This is always the case in the Book of Mormon.  He only loves you when you perform.  Is this the way you’d raise your kids?

Book of Mormon and Hamlet

Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1; “…whose bourn no traveller returns…”

2 Nephi 1:14; “…from whence no traveler can return.”

Romans 16:17-18; “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Plagiarism, plagiarism, plagiarism…

Book of Mormon Historically Reliable?

Joseph Smith’s History 1:34; “He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.”

Acts 17:11; “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Remember what the choice seer Joseph Smith said? To back his claims we have the official LDS website  and it says yes it is an historical account;

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/book-of-mormon

“Latter-day Saints also consider the Book of Mormon to be a record of great ancient-American civilizations.”

However, we see that we have a problem when Mormon apostle Russell Nelson said that it’s not a history book;

http://www.lds.org/friend/2011/11/how-can-i-be-a-missionary-now?lang=eng&query=%22book+of+mormon%22+history+novel

Book of Mormon and the Holy Spirit

“Because My Father Read the Book of Mormon”, Ensign, Nov. 2008, pgs. 15-16; “The Book of Mormon is a proof that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. Preach My Gospel teaches that ‘the Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit, is [the] most powerful resource in conversion’ ([2004], 104).” – Marcos A. Aidukatis

Titus 1:15; “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

The Book of Mormon is proof that Joseph Smith was a false prophet and trusting in a spiritual experience is dangerous.

Book of Mormon; How is this Inspired?

3 Nephi 2:4-5; “And thus did pass away the ninety and sixth year; and also the ninety and seventh year; and also the ninety and eighth year; and also the ninety and ninth year; 5 And also an hundred years had passed away…”

4 Nephi 1:6; “And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed away.”

Ps. 119:105-107; “105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. 107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.”

Book of Mormon; Inspired of God?

Moroni 1:4; “Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord.”

John 8:44; “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Book of Mormon, Keystone to Our Religion

Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov 1986, 4; “There are three great reasons why Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit.

The first is that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. This was the Prophet Joseph Smith’s statement. He testified that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon). A keystone is the central stone in an arch. It holds all the other stones in place, and if removed, the arch crumbles.”

2 Peter 2:18-19; “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

The keystone of a Christian’s life is Jesus.  The Book of Mormon has proven itself to be a false word from a false god.  Like I’ve said countless times before; take away the Book of Mormon and you have no religion.

Book of Mormon: Latin in the Book of Mormon

Alma 39:3; “And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel.”

Jeremiah 10:11; “Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.”

It may seem odd to use this verse from Jeremiah, but it stands as a reminder of what will happen to the Book of Mormon and the false prophet who authored it.

Joseph Smith claimed that neither Greek nor Latin was found upon the golden or brass plates, yet Isabel is a Latin term coined in the late middle ages.

Book of Mormon Lies

Buy Milk and Honey without Price

2 Nephi 26:25; “Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.”

Isaiah 55:1, 3; “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”

Righteousness in Jerusalem?

1 Nephi 17:22; “And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us.”

Jeremiah 2:11-13, 29; “Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. 12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. 13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.”

The Promised Land

2 Nephi 10:20, 22; “…but we have been led to a better land…For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time from the house of Israel…”

2 Thessalonians 2:3, 8, 9; “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition…8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

Book of Mormon; Fruit of the Loins

2 Nephi 3:12; “Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.”

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.”

Book of Mormon, Man Gets Nearer to God by

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 194; “Perfection of the Book of Mormon – Sunday, 28.—I spent the day in the council with the Twelve Apostles at the house of President Young, conversing with them upon a variety of subjects. Brother Joseph Fielding was present, having been absent four years on a mission to England. I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book. (November 28, 1841.) —DHC 4:461.”

Matthew 24:35; “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

For the Christian the way we get closer to God is by studying His word, worshipping Him and praising all the things He has done for us.

Book of Mormon, Mark Twain & Chloroform in Print

Roughing It 1872, pgs. 58-59; “All men have heard of the Mormon Bible, but few except the “elect” have seen it, or, at least, taken the trouble to read it. I brought away a copy from Salt Lake. The book is a curiosity to me, it is such a pretentious affair, and yet so “slow,” so sleepy; such an insipid mess of inspiration. It is chloroform in print. If Joseph Smith composed this book, the act was a miracle — keeping awake while he did it was, at any rate. If he, according to tradition, merely translated it from certain ancient and mysteriously-engraved plates of copper, which he declares he found under a stone in an out-of-the-way locality, the work of translating was equally a miracle, for the same reason.” – Mark Twain

http://www.lifeafter.org/cametopass.asp; “…you’ll find a list of each time the phrase “and it came to pass” occurs. We found it was used 1,384 times in 1,341 verses. And in case you’re wondering…there are 6,604 verses in the Book of Mormon*. Yeah, that means twenty percent of the verses in the Book of Mormon contains the phrase “and it came to pass”. Maybe Mark Twain was on to something…

For more interesting facts on the words used in the Book of Mormon, see our article on Greek and Latin words in the Book of Mormon here: http://www.lifeafter.org/greeklatin.asp”

2 Timothy 3:7-8; “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”

Thanks to Mark Twain I was inspired to count all the times the phrase “and it came to pass” appears in the Book of Mormon.

The sad part about this is that my mother sits and reads the Book of Mormon when she needs to take her naps and believes she is getting closer to God this way.

Book of Mormon Missionaries…in 90 BC

Alma 23:1-2; “Behold, now it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites sent a proclamation among all his people, that they should not lay their hands on Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni, nor either of their brethren who should go forth preaching the word of God, in whatsoever place they should be, in any part of their land.  2 Yea, he sent a decree among them, that they should not lay their hands on them to bind them, or to cast them into prison; neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them out of their synagogues, nor scourge them; neither should they cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to their houses, and also their temples, and their sanctuaries.”

Jonah 1:1-3; “Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”

Note:  It can be argued that OT prophets are “missionaries” for God and Israel’s calling as being God’s chosen people places them in the position of “every member a missionary”.

However, there is no conclusive evidence in the OT where teams of missionaries went abroad to witness of God’s work.  The daily life of the Israelites stood as a clear testament to the Gentiles of Whom the Israelites worshipped.  It is improbable at best these scenarios would have occurred.

BoM: Most Cunning, Wicked Imposition Ever Penned

Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon (Liverpool, 1851), 1-2; “This book must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God…. If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked…impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions.” – Orson Pratt

Jude 1:3; “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

Book of Mormon New World  Temple Building 

2 Nephi 5:6, 15-16; “Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words. 15 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. 16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land. wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.”

1 Kings 5:13-16; “And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. 15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 16 Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.”

1 Kings 6:38; “And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.”

Book of Mormon; Not Inspired of God (in other words…)

Alma 40:2; “Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption—until after the coming of Christ.”

2 Timothy 2:13; “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”

Book of Mormon Oddities

Alma 14:21; “And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we look when we are damned?”

John 7:17; “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

Gal. 6:7; “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

How does one go about gnashing their teeth upon someone?

Book of Mormon: Pillar of Fire and Another BoM “Coincidence”

1 Nephi 1:6; “And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.”

Exodus 13:21; “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.”

Book of Mormon Plagiarism; Alma and Paul

Alma 58:40; “But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come.”

Galatians 5:1; “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Book of  Mormon Plagiarism; Nephi & Isaiah

2 Nephi 12:4; “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Isaiah 2:4; “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Book of Mormon Plagiarism; Nephi & Malachi

1 Nephi 22:15; “For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.”

Malachi 4:1, 5-6; “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 5 ¶ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Book of Mormon Plagiarism; Nephi and Matthew

3 Nephi 14:6; “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

Matthew 7:6; “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

Book of Mormon Plagiarism; Nephi & Paul

2 Nephi 9:39; “…Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.”

Romans 8:6; “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Book of Mormon Plagiarism; Nephi & Peter

1 Nephi 22:20; “And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.”

Acts 3:22-23; “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”

Deut. 18:15-18; “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

Book of Mormon Plagiarism; Nephi & Peter

3 Nephi 7:8; “And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.”

2 Peter 2:22; “But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

Proverbs 26:11; “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.”

Book of Mormon Problems

2 Nephi 19:1; “Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations.”

Isaiah 9:1; “But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.”

Does this make sense geographically?

Book of Mormon: Praying for a Witness to the BoM

Whenever a Mormon asks you to pray for a witness that the Book of Mormon is true ask how praying about the BoM will tell you if the Church is true.

Teachings in the Book of Mormon cannot be found in Mormonism. Jesus is God is preached in the book of Mosiah and this clearly doesn’t reflect what’s going on in the Mormon Church.

Mosiah 15:1-4: “And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son— And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.”

Book of Mormon Reformed Egyptian

Mormon 9:32; “And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.”

Hosea 2:17; “For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.”

Book of Mormon: Self-fulfilling Prophecy of Joseph in BoM

2 Nephi 3:14-15; “And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise; 15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation.”

Deut. 13:1-3; “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Book of Mormon Siblings

1 Nephi 1:1; 2:5; “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.”

www.josephsmith.net says this about Joseph; “Born of Goodly Parents… His other siblings, in order of age… Alvin (b. 1798), Hyrum (b. 1800), Sophronia (b. 1803), Samuel Harrison (b. 1808), Ephraim (b. 1810), William (b. 1811), Katherine (b. 1813), Don Carlos (b. 1816), and Lucy (b. 1821).”

Psalm 58:3; “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

Just another proof the Book of Mormon is about Joseph Smith, not the people of South America.

Book of Mormon Slings

Alma 17:36, 38; “But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay him. 38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew none save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not a few.”

1 Samuel 17:50; “So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.”

Why are there so many similar stories in the Bible and the Book of Mormon?

Book of Mormon; Stalking Snakes

Ether 9:31-33; “And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. And it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla. 32 And it came to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward. 33 And it came to pass that the Lord did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents.”

2 Peter 2:1-2; “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. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”

Okay there are a couple of things needing some serious attention here!

Since when did snakes herd people or animals?  This is crazy!

According to the website of American Family Physician more than 8,000 people per year are bitten by snakes. Before the invention of antivenom in 1895 the death rate was basically 100%. Since that time roughly 6-8 people in the US die each year from snake bites. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0401/p1367.html

From the non-essential stats of snakebite deaths we now have an impartial understanding of how common this phenomenon is. And for the record, snakes are ecothermic, which means they rely upon their surroundings to control their body temps.  The further north you go, the fewer snakes you’ll encounter as snakes don’t adapt well to cold weather climates. The average snake can slither along at about 3-5 mph.

Book of Mormon Stories before Translation

History of Joseph Smith, by His Mother, pg. 83; “During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them.

On the twenty-second of September, 1824, Joseph again visited the place where he found the plates the year previous; and supposing at this time that the only thing required, in order to possess them until the time for their translation, was to be able to keep the commandments of God—and he firmly believed he could keep every commandment which had been given him—he fully expected to carry them home with him.”

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.”

Again, why is Joseph giving descriptions of these people if he hasn’t translated the plates yet?  At this point (1824), Joseph doesn’t even have possession of the plates!

Book of Mormon, Testing of

Approach to the Book of Mormon, pg. 16; “The Book of Mormon can and should be tested. It invites criticism, and the best possible test for its authenticity is provided by its own oft-proclaimed provenance in the Old World.” – Hugh Nibley

2 Peter 1:19-20; “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. ²⁰But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.”

Bravo!  Yes, everyone should test the Book of Mormon!  This is the most important thing you can ever do with your very soul!

Book of Mormon; The New World & Jacob’s Olive Trees

Jacob 5:4; “And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw that his olive-tree began to decay; and he said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not.

Romans 11:17; “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree”

Jacob seemed pretty adamant about vineyards as they show up again and again in the following verses as well:  27, 62, 64 & 6:2.              

Just looking at these verses by themselves we aren’t able to see the serious flaws they contain, but there are a lot of problems with Jacob’s teachings. 

First of all grafting of trees in the New World didn’t take place until well past the time of Columbus’ arrival. Jacob supposedly lived circa 544 BC.

Secondly, olive trees didn’t make it to the Americas until Antonio de Rivera brought seedlings over in 1560 AD and planted them in Lima, Peru.

Thirdly, grape vines weren’t something the locals were known for cultivating. While grapes were in the Americas, they were gathered at this time in history, not pruned.

Lastly, and most importantly, this vocabulary and teaching is from a New Testament setting. Israelites in the 6^th century BC wouldn’t have understood that Gentiles would someday be saved – vs. 74 alludes to this based on what Jacob said in becoming “one body”.

Book of Mormon, Three Witnesses to

Faith, pg. 2; “In the early days of the restoration of the Church, Sidney Rigdon did not retain his membership in the kingdom even though he had, with Joseph Smith, witnessed marvelous signs. Had he not participated in the great vision, and had he not been the recipient of many revelations? Yet despite all these manifestations from our Heavenly Father, he did not remain in the kingdom…Oliver Cowdery saw many signs. He handled the sacred plates; saw John the Baptist; received the higher priesthood from Peter, James, and John; and was the recipient of many great miracles; and yet they could not hold him to the faith.” – Spencer W. Kimball, Also see EM, pg. 1565.

Galatians 5:1; “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

If the original witnesses to the Book of Mormon left the Church, I’d think that would make anyone stop and think about the gravity of this information.

Book of Mormon; Translating the Book of Mormon

An Address to All Believers in Christ, pg 12; “I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine.” – Martin Harris

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg 210; “Little is known about the translation process itself. Few details can be gleaned from comments made by Joseph’s scribes and close associates. Only Joseph Smith knew the actual process, and he declined to describe it in public. At a Church conference in 1831, Hyrum Smith invited the Prophet to explain more fully how the Book of Mormon came forth. Joseph Smith responded that “it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; and…it was not expedient for him to relate these things” (HC 1:220).”

How very, very sad. While the Church goes about making excuses or worse yet, covering up for Joseph Smith’s translation process, the vast majority of LDS people truly believe Smith was given the supernatural ability to discern the meaning of each engraving upon those plates.  Many are unaware that the things he did were a form of divination.

Book of Mormon: Translating the Book of Mormon w/ Hats & Stones

“A Treasured Testament”, Ensign, July 1993, pg 61; “The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known. Yet we do have a few precious insights. David Whitmer wrote: “Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.” (David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12.)” – Russell M. Nelson

Galatians 1:8-9; “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.”

Well we have quite the problem here.

If Joseph wasn’t looking at the plates then he wasn’t actually translating them. 

Book of Mormon Translation Issues

Another proof the Book of Mormon can’t be a translation from the Nephites who died off circa 421 AD is found in the KJV.

Italicized words in the King James Bible were added by translators for the reader. As languages are translated from one to the other, filler words are sometimes needed because idioms and word meanings don’t translate directly.

Psalm 18:3 is a good example to see how the italicized words help to clear up any confusion:

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

When you read it without the italicized words above the verse reads that I’m going to God to be praised. That’s certainly not the intended meaning of what God wanted to convey!

So today our question is why the Book of Mormon contains the italicized words in the KJV which were added by translators from 1604-1611? Even if the gold and brass plates translated into KJV English from Reformed Egyptian (which is illogical), how did the italicized words make it into the translation as well?

Below are the texts from Mosiah chapter 14 and Isaiah chapter 53 for comparison.

Book of Mormon True?

3 Nephi 8:1; “And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we know our record to be true…”

Mormon 9:31, 33; “Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him… 33 … if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.”

Psalm 18:30; “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

So is the BoM true or not?

Book of Mormon: True or False?

Pamphlets, Latter-day Tracts, pg. 1; “This book must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God to man, affecting both the temporal and eternal interests of every people under heaven to the same extent and in the same degree that the message of Noah affected the inhabitants of the old world. If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will sincerely receive it as the word of God, and will suppose themselves securely built upon the rock of truth until they are plunged with their families into hopeless despair. The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; if false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it. Therefore, every soul in all the world is equally interested in ascertaining its truth or falsity.”

Proverbs 30:5-6; “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.  6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

Amen!  It is indeed one of the most wicked, bold, lie ever crafted to deceive millions!

Book of Mormon, Truthfulness not Through Studies

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pg. 47-48; “It never has been the case, nor is it so now, that the studies of the learned will prove the Book of Mormon true or false. The origin, preparation, translation, and verification of the truth of the Book of Mormon have all been retained in the hands of the Lord, and the Lord makes no mistakes…God has built in His own proof system of the Book of Mormon as found in Moroni, chapter 10, and in the testimonies of the Three and the Eight Witnesses and in various sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. We each need to get our own testimony of the Book of Mormon through the Holy Ghost.”

John 6:27-29; “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

This statement by Benson should be carefully paid attention to.  The Mormons have indeed set up a proof system as to the truth of the Book of Mormon.  When factual information proves you a liar, change the rules.

Book of Mormon, View of the Hebrews

Ethan Smith 1823, View of the Hebrews, pg. 136, 142; “…“I will hiss for them, (or call them,) and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they shall remember me from far countries; and they shall live, and their children, and turn again.”… to stand and behold the banner of salvation now erected for his ancient people…”

Isaiah 7:18; “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.”

Note:  Oliver Cowdery’s family attended the church that Ethan Smith pastored in Poultney, Vermont from 1821-1826 during which time Ethan Smith wrote and published his book View of the Hebrews.  Cowdery met Joseph Smith on or near April 5-7, 1829.

Book of Mormon Vocabulary

Mosiah 29:19; “And were it not for the interposition of their all-wise Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must unavoidably remain in bondage until now.”

Acts 4:12; “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

The etymology of the word “interposition” is from the Middle French in the sixteenth century making it too late to be on the original Reformed Egyptian plates.  Not only that, since French actually came from the Latin language this would mean Smith’s work of the Book of Mormon is false.

If this were true for the Nephites, why wouldn’t it have been true for those living anywhere else in the world at any time?

Book of Mormon Vocabulary

Helaman 9:20; “Saying unto him: Thou art confederate; who is this man that hath done this murder? Now tell us, and acknowledge thy fault; saying, Behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee thy life if thou wilt tell us, and acknowledge the agreement which thou hast made with him.”

1 Thessalonians 1:5; “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

Again, the Book of Mormon is proven to be a fraud based upon its vocabulary.  The term “confederate” is a Latin word derived from the fourteenth century.  The lack of an education is only part of poor Joe Smith’s problem in producing sloppy work.  The above example is a product of what was going on in the U.S. at the time he was writing it.

Book of Mormon; Weapons of Peace

Alma 24:19; “And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.”

2 Tim. 3:16; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Book of Mormon, Where Did it Come from?

The Book of Mormon, Historicity, and Faith, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol.2, Issue 2, 1993; “I feel we have every reason to believe that the Book of Mormon came through Joseph Smith, not from him. Because certain theological matters were discussed in the nineteenth century does not preclude their revelation or discussion in antiquity.

Unless. Unless we deny one of the most fundamental principles of the Restoration—Christ’s eternal gospel: the knowledge that Christian prophets have taught Christian doctrine and administered Christian ordinances since the days of Adam. “Taking it for granted that the scriptures say what they mean, and mean what they say,” Joseph Smith explained in 1842, “we have sufficient grounds to go on and prove from the Bible [that is, by utilizing the supplementary scriptural resources available through the Restoration] that the gospel has always been the same; the ordinances to fulfill its requirements, the same, and the officers to officiate, the same.”(5)

5 – Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons 3 (1 September 1843): 904; see also HC 2:15–18; 4:208.” – Robert Millet

Isaiah 59:20-21; “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.  21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.”

Question:  if the gospel’s been preached since the time of Adam why the need for a restoration?  The Mormons like to say the gospel is eternal, but deny God’s word endures forever.

Book of Mormon, Which Person Specifically is it About?

Doctrines of Salvation 3:210; “The Book of Mormon is the record of Joseph. It contains the history of the descendants of Joseph on this land, both of Ephraim and of Manasseh. It was in the hands of Ephraim when it was given to Joseph Smith, and it is still in the hands of Ephraim when our missionaries go forth proclaiming its truths to the world, for they also are of Ephraim.” – Joseph Fielding Smith

Hosea 9:11-12; “As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!”

1. The Book of Mormon is not about the people of Ephraim and Manasseh.

2. It wasn’t in the hands of Ephraim when Joseph Smith took charge of it.  He said he found it in the ground.

3. The people of Ephraim were destroyed, there are no descendants – read Obadiah.

Book of Mormon Witnesses: Did they Die?

Mosiah 8:9, 13; “And for a testimony that the things that they had said are true they have brought twenty-four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold. 13 Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, 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. And 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 called seer.”

Colossians 2:8; “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

In the Book of Mosiah you can read an interesting instruction about the person who will see and interpret the golden plates of Mormon.

First, they must be called a seer.

Second, those who see the records without being commanded will surely die.

Why didn’t the three witnesses die? Were they commanded to see them and if so why aren’t they referred to as seers?

BoM Witnesses; Evil or Good?

D&C 3:12-13 “And when thou deliveredst up that which God had given thee sight and power to translate, thou deliveredst up that which was sacred into the hands of a wicked man, 13 Who has set at naught the counsels of God, and has broken the most sacred promises which were made before God, and has depended upon his own judgment and boasted in his own wisdom.”

History of the Church 3:228 “God suffered such kind of beings to afflict Job—but it never entered into their hearts that Job would get out of it all. This poor man who professes to be much of a prophet, has no other dumb ass to ride but David Whitmer…”

History of the Church 3:232 “Such characters as McLellin, John Whitmer, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris, are too mean to mention; and we had liked to have forgotten them.”

Matthew 7:15, 18-20 “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

If Joseph Smith didn’t like these guys why does the Church still give glowing talks about them in their conferences and write about them in their teaching manuals?

Why should anyone believe the testimony of these fellows when they were all ex-communicated? A couple of them came back but still believed Smith was wrong on several doctrinal points, polygamy included.

If these guys were too mean to mention then why were they allowed back into the Church and not completely renounced?

Book of Mormon:  Witnesses’ Testimony

Book of Mormon Intro

From the last sentence of the last paragraph in the intro to the Book of Mormon testimony of the three witnesses it says;

“And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY

DAVID WHITMER

MARTIN HARRIS”

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 370 “I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”

Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

How could the 3 witnesses be credible if they didn’t believe there’s only one God? By following Smith they’ve condoned his teachings.

How could Joseph Smith be credible if he verified the witnesses’ testimony and deemed it good?

Is there only one god in Mormonism or are there many gods?

Book of Mormon, Writing on the Wall and Aminadi

Alma 10:2; “…and it was the same Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God.”

Daniel 5:13-16; “Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?  I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Again, another similar story from the Bible…

Book of Mormon, Wonders of Nature

1825 The Wonders of Nature, pg. 469; “I then requested him to leave me, as my time was short, and I had some preparation to make before I went hence to “that bourne from whence no traveller returns.” – Josiah Priest

2 Nephi 1:14; “…from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth.”

Psalm 101:7; “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.”

The Wonders of Nature by Josiah Priest was written in 1825 and Joseph Smith admitted he had read the book.

Book of Mormon, Weight of

Articles of Faith, pg. 237; “The Plates of the Book of Mormon as delivered by the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith, according to the description given by the latter-day prophet, were, as far as he knew, of gold, of uniform size, each about seven inches wide by eight inches long, and in thickness a little less than that of ordinary sheet tin. They were fastened together by three rings running through the plates near one edge; together they formed a book nearly six inches in thickness, but not all has been translated, a part having been sealed. Both sides of the plates were engraved with small characters, described by those who examined them as of curious workmanship, with the appearance of ancient origin.” – James Talmage

Luke 11:33-36; “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.  34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.  35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.  36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

According to Joseph’s claims of the golden plates, independent reports say the plates should have weighed over 200 pounds. Smith lifting and walking around with these things must have been a feat indeed considering Smith weighed around 185 pounds and was 6’ tall.

To be fair, there are many accounts of other witnesses who claim they weighed roughly 40-60 lbs.

Question, were they really made of gold and whose account is correct?  All witnesses publicly admit they never saw the plates, but through a linen frock Smith kept wrapped around his “find”

Book of Mormon Witnesses

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pg. 98; “Six of the original Twelve Apostles selected by Joseph Smith were excommunicated. The Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon left the Church. Three of Joseph Smith’s counselors fell-one even helped plot his death. A natural question that might arise would be that if the Lord knew in advance that these men would fall, as He undoubtedly did, why did He have His prophet call them to such high office? The answer is: to fill the Lord’s purposes. For even the Master followed the will of the Father by selecting Judas. (Title of Liberty, p. 217.)”

Proverbs 19:5; “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”

Let’s say the BoM witnesses were wrong to denounce Smith and Mormonism.  If that’s the case then we see in Proverbs 19:5 that God will take care of them.  But, if we look at the evidence we know with certainty the witnesses to the BoM retracted their statements and subsequently left the Church because they found out Joseph Smith was a false prophet.  So we see that Smith will be in the category of not being able to escape.

Book of Mormon Zedekiah Contradictions

II Kings 25:7; “And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.”

Heleman 8:21; “And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not all—”

Well who’s telling the truth here? And why would the Bible lie about such an event? There’s even further evidence from the Bible that all of Zedekiah’s sons were killed before they plucked his eyes out.

Jeremiah 39:6 “Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.”

Born Again

Mosiah 27:25; “And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters.”

John 3:5-7; “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

How can someone be born again in 100 BC?

Born Again

Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings; “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols. 3:392)”

John 3:1-16; “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews…For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Whosoever believes is saved, not by ordinances, not by your works…

Born Again

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 162; “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances.”

John 3:3-6; “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Ordinances are performed in the flesh, not the spirit.

Boy Scouts of America

Church Issues Statement on Boy Scouts of America, 25 April 2013 “For 100 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has enjoyed a strong, rewarding relationship with Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

Recently, BSA has been reviewing a possible policy change in its standards for membership and leadership. Now that BSA has finished its review process and has proposed a resolution for consideration, the Church has issued the following statement:

“Over the past several weeks BSA has undertaken the difficult task of reviewing its membership standards policy. In their own words, this undertaking has been ‘the most comprehensive listening exercise in its history.’

“While the Church has not launched any campaign either to effect or prevent a policy change, we have followed the discussion and are satisfied that BSA has made a thoughtful, good-faith effort to address issues that, as they have said, remain ‘among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.’

“The current BSA proposal constructively addresses a number of important issues that have been part of the ongoing dialogue, including consistent standards for all BSA partners, recognition that Scouting exists to serve and benefit youth rather than Scout leaders, a single standard of moral purity for youth in the program, and a renewed emphasis for Scouts to honor their duty to God.

“We are grateful to BSA for their careful consideration of these issues. We appreciate the positive things contained in this current proposal that will help build and strengthen the moral character and leadership skills of youth as we work together in the future.””

BSA; “The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness.

For over a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through over a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.”

The subject of scouting is becoming more and more volatile in recent months amongst various people groups who believe the BSA is discriminating against them because of their lifestyles. While I don’t want to get into the disparities they’re going through, I do have a keen interest in what the Mormon Church is doing.

For decades now the Church has been quietly infiltrating this organization – decades. Their overwhelming presence didn’t happen in a vacuum and now that it’s past the point of being ignored, things need to be looked at with an objective eye.  Nowadays that’s a long shot.

Brethren – don’t betray

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pg. 156; “O ye Twelve! and all Saints! profit by this important Key—that in all your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments and death, see to it, that you do not betray heaven; that you do not betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren; that you do not betray the revelations of God, whether in Bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is to come. Yea, in all your kicking and flounderings, see to it that you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, and you go down to hell. All other sins are not to be compared to sinning against the Holy Ghost, and proving a traitor to the brethren.”

Psalm 118:8; “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

What’s it going to be like for you when you tell God that you trusted mankind before you did Him?

Brigham Young and the Bible

Unpublished Brigham Young Discourse, LDS General Conference, October 8, 1854; “There are many duties, and callings spoken [of] in the scriptures, and there are many not written. Those, for instance, which are handed out to you by your President as circumstances require. Those imposed by the President of the Church of God, or by the President of any portion of it, are duties necessary to be observed as though they were written in the Bible; but these requirements, duties, callings etc. are changed with the circumstances that surround the people of God…

I think these preliminaries will satisfy me, and I feel prepared to take my text: it is the words of (p. 6) Jesus Christ, but where they are in the Bible I cannot tell you now, for I have not taken the pains to look at them. I have had as much to do, that I have not read the Bible for many years. I used to be a Bible student; I used to read and study it, but did not understand the spirit and meaning of it, I knew well enough how it read. I have read the Book of Mormon, the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and other revelations of God which [He] has given to his people in latter times; I look at them and contrast the spirit and power of them with my faithfulness. My clerks know how much time I have to read, it is difficult for me to snatch time enough even to eat my breakfast and supper, to say nothing of reading. I tell you my text is in the Bible and reads as follows.”

Deuteronomy 4:28-29; “And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.  29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”

LDS quote is from the website of http://web.archive.org/web/20061231213130/www.xmission.com/~country/by/100854_2.htm

This is why it’s important to follow God and not man.  They change the rules with the blowing of the wind and circumstances surrounding them.  Jesus’ yoke is light!

Brigham Young and Joseph Smith; How Great They are

Gospel Standards, pg. 18; “BRIGHAM YOUNG AND JOSEPH SMITH. While we honor Brigham Young as the great statesman, the great pioneer and colonizer, we must not forget that Brigham Young built upon the foundation, and fulfilled the predictions, made by the Prophet Joseph Smith. And Brigham Young, great as he was, on all occasions magnified the Prophet Joseph. I honor and love him for the reverence he gave to the man who was the instrument in the hands of almighty God of restoring the gospel to the earth.—Era, 4:690-691.” – Heber J. Grant

Proverbs 16:18; “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs says it all doesn’t it?

Brigham Young is LDS Dictator

Journal of Discourses 7:19-20; “What do you say, brethren and sisters? Do you not think it best for us to do right, each person individually being led by the dictations of the Holy Spirit, listening diligently to those who are appointed to lead, govern, and dictate this people? You know what I mean by this. President Young is our governor and our dictator. It is for me to walk with him, and for you to walk with those who go before you.” – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, July 16, 1854

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 17^th, “My goal is God

Himself … At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.”

I would think the best one to listen to would be the Holy Spirit don’t you?  Why should anyone submit themselves to a dictator?

Brigham Young Morphed into Joseph Smith

Chapter 47: “Praise to the Man”: Latter-day Prophets Bear Witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007), 541; “The members of the Twelve called a meeting of the Saints for August 8, 1844, at which Brigham Young, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, spoke. As he did so, an extraordinary event occurred that was witnessed by many Saints. President Young was miraculously made to appear and sound like Joseph Smith. “If Joseph had risen from the dead and again spoken in their hearing,” George Q. Cannon recalled, “the effect could not have been more startling than it was to many present at that meeting. It was the voice of Joseph himself; and not only was it the voice of Joseph which was heard; but it seemed in the eyes of the people as though it was the very person of Joseph which stood before them.” –

Ezekiel 2:6-7; “And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.”

Unbelievable.

Brigham Will be President of U.S.

Journal of Discourses 5:219; “The Church and kingdom to which we belong will become the kingdom of our God and his Christ, and brother Brigham Young will become President of the United States.” – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, September 6, 1856

2 Timothy 3:13; “…evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

Mr. Kimball along with countless others were deceived by the likes of Joseph Smith and they in turn spread the lies about God and believed everything the leaders said without checking the word of God.

Brigham’s Uncertainty

Journal of Discourses 16:70; “I do not know that I shall have a wife or child in the resurrection. I have never had any thoughts or reflections upon this, or cared the first thing about it. All that I have had in my mind has been that it was my duty to do the will of God, and to labor to establish his kingdom on the earth. I do not love, serve or fear the Lord for the sake of getting rid of being damned, nor for the sake of getting some great gift or blessing in eternity, but purely because the principles which God has revealed for the salvation of the inhabitants of the earth are pure, holy and exalting in their nature.” – Brigham Young, Logan, Utah, June 28, 1873

Proverbs 30:5-6; “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

If Brigham had just believed God’s word and not tossed it away like a used rag he wouldn’t be unsure!

Brigham’s Words are Scripture

Journal of Discourses 13:95; “I know just as well what to teach this people and just what to say to them and what to do in order to bring them into the celestial kingdom…I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good Scripture as they deserve. The people have the oracles of God continually.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, January 2, 1870

1 Timothy 4:1-2; “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”

I believe Young knew he was lying to the people and purposefully led many astray. There is no Celestial Kingdom, no families are forever, and definitely not a plan of salvation that includes men becoming gods.

Burning in the Bosom

D&C 9:8; “But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.”

Proverbs 28:26; “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”

Take a Rolaids if you feel a burning in your chest area and know that God doesn’t cause anyone to have feelings in their chest.

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Reasons Starting with C

Cain Became Perdition

Doctrines of Salvation 2:280; “Satan wanted him because Cain had a body, He wanted more power. A man with a body of course will have greater power than just a spirit without a body.  Cain sinned with his eyes open, so he became Perdition, the father of lies.”

Exodus 20:11; “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

Where in the Bible does it say the things the LDS Church claims here?  My what a tangled web we weave…

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Reasons Starting with D

Damnation

Doctrines of Salvation 2:227; “WHAT IT MEANS TO BE DAMNED. What is damnation? It is being barred, or denied privileges of progression, because of failure to comply with law. All who fail to enter into the celestial kingdom are damned, or stopped in their progression, but they will enter into some other glory which they are entitled to receive.”

Romans 8:1-4; “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Isn’t it “odd” the Bible will always have an answer for every false teaching under the sun?

Damned, Everyone but Mormons are

Discourses of Joseph Smith, pg. 270; “—Will everybody be damned, but Mormons?…Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness.”

2 Peter 3:2-5; “That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.”

All righty then.  I don’t think the others were liking Smith’s idea of “righteousness”, aka polygamy.

Daniel and the Lion’s Den

3 Nephi 28:22; “And twice were they cast into a den of wild beasts; and behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a suckling lamb, and received no harm.”

Daniel 6:22; “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”

Hmmm…what are the odds of this really happening here on the American continent circa 34-35 AD?

Danite Behavior

They Knew the Prophet, pg. 79; “On one occasion when the mob was on us and some of the brethren did things they should not have done, such as appropriating to their own use things that did not belong to them, Joseph called us together and said that he felt to censure because of the acts of men. “Some,” he said, “are doing things that will cause the blood of the brethren to be shed.”He referred to stealing.”

1 Cor. 15:33; “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

Again, here we are again with the Mormon idea of righteousness and revenge.

Danites

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 5:6; “I say to all such characters, if you come here and practice your iniquity, we will send you home quick, whenever we can catch and convict you. I wish such characters would let the boys have a chance to lay their hands on them. If men come here and do not behave themselves, they will not only find the Danites, whom they talk so much about, biting the horses’ heels, but the scoundrels will find something biting their heels.” – Salt Lake City, July 5, 1857

Matt. 5:39; “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

What can be said but Brigham Young had a temper and made it known through his sermons.  Imagine sitting in the audience and listening to that one.  I often wonder what my relatives must have thought…

Danites & John D. Lee

Elder John D. Lee (1812 – 1877), Danite and adopted son of Brigham Young, John D. Lee Diaries; “Punishment by death is the penalty for refusing to obey the orders of the Priesthood.  I knew of many men being killed in Nauvoo by the Danites.  It was then the rule that all enemies of the Prophet Joseph should be killed, and I knew of many a man who was quietly put out of the way by the orders of Joseph and his apostles while the church was there.”

Exodus 20:13; “Thou shalt not kill.”

Remember John D. Lee took the brunt end of the deal over the Mountain Meadows Massacre, giving his very life after they handed him a shovel to dig his own grave.

Darkness vs. Light

“The Quest for Spiritual Knowledge”, Liahona and Ensign, January 2007; “Oh, if I could teach you this one principle: a testimony is to be found in the bearing of it! Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that ‘leap of faith,’ as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and stepped into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two.” —Boyd K. Packer

1 John 1:5; “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

If we’re studying scripture and historical events from the Bible to gain further insight and learn about God why would it be considered a leap of faith into the darkness?  This statement is coming from a man who knows nothing about the true God of the Bible.

David Hyrum Smith to be King of Israel 

History of the Church 6:253; “Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received, and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage.”

Prophecy recorded March 10, 1844.

This prophecy by Smith was given when he told a number of people the child Emma was expecting would be the king of Israel. When the child was born they named him David, but as it turned out David Smith never did succeed him.

There were many meetings, discussions and not to mention deep concerns over this prophecy. People had been under the assumption that Smith’s namesake would take his place, but as you read the many personal journals of those involved it became clear they had accepted that David was favored over his elder brother Joseph.  

The prophet Joseph also prophesied and taught that couples who had children after they’d been sealed in the temple would bless the oldest son after the sealing with the covenant of the father. This promise and covenant therefore fell upon the shoulders of David

In fact David died at age 60 in 1904 spending the last 27 years in an insane asylum.  David was born about five months after the death of his father Joseph in June 1844. 

Also see Mormon Hierarchy Origins of Power, pgs 230-232 by D. Michael Quinn.

David (King) Went to Hell & Lost His Kingdom

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 339; “A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell. Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received, and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage.”

2 Samuel 12:13; “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”

Ah, forgiveness…how sweet the sound!  If David who was a man after God’s own heart would be cast to hell then what chance have any of us?

This teaching of Smith’s is another scare tactic and has no place with those who believe in the One True God who saves and delivers.

David (not) Saved from Death

D&C 132:39; “David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.”

2 Samuel 12:13; “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”

It’s unbelievable the Mormons don’t believe that David went to heaven.  Again their teachings are in direct conflict with the Bible.

David Unsaved for Murder

Discourses JS, pg. 62-3; “A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears for the murder of Uriah, but he could only get it through hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell.  Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fulness of the priesthood; and the priesthood that he received, and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage.”

Ps. 51:1-4; “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Also see 2 Sam. 12:13)

Just to prove we don’t pull things out of context here is another example of how the Mormons teach that David didn’t go to heaven.  David of all people, can you imagine?

Deacon

www.lds.org; “An office of the Aaronic Priesthood.  A boy is normally ordained a deacon when

he is 12 years of age or older. Some of a deacon’s responsibilities are to pass the sacrament

and collect fast offerings from the members.”

1 Tim. 3:8-11; “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, ⁹but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.”

Why is a twelve year old boy given a position of authority over a grown woman?  Additionally, deacons must have a clear understanding of the faith that must have already been proven.  What twelve year old qualifies for that?

Deacons

Deacon Must have Wife and Family

Journal of Discourses 2:89; “It is not the business of an ignorant young man, of no experience in family matters, to inquire into the circumstances of families, and know the wants of every person. … select a man who has got a family to be a Deacon, whose wife can go with him.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1854

Young Boys Ordained Deacons

Gospel Principles, pg 88; “A boy who has been baptized and confirmed a member of the Church and is worthy may be ordained to the office of deacon when he is twelve years old.” – 1988 edition

1 Timothy 3:8, 12; “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”

The Bible doesn’t say that a deacon must be married or have a family. The word for deacon means that man will be well studied and knows the word of the Lord.

The list of qualifications to be a deacon is quite lengthy; suffice it to say his main job is to be a servant. If he is married he must have only one wife.

Deacon in the Greek is diakonos, meaning servant.

Dead People Appear to Joseph Smith

Ensign, August 1978, pg. 12; “In addition to Moroni, the Savior himself, whose advent among the Nephites is central in the book, appeared to Joseph in the First Vision, at the time section 76 was given, and in the Kirtland Temple. (History of the Church, 1:5–7, D&C 76: 19–24; D&C 110:1–10.)

In addition to these visits, early chroniclers record other visits of the Savior. For example, Zebedee Coltrin, speaking to the School of the Prophets of the Salt Lake Stake—which included President John Taylor and other general authorities—said that the Savior had appeared during a meeting two or three weeks after the organization of the original School of the Prophets in Kirtland, Ohio. He passed through the room without speaking, and Joseph Smith identified the holy visitor: “That is Jesus, the Son of God, our elder brother.”

Several other Book of Mormon personalities came in relationship to the book’s publication. Parley P. Pratt, for one, said:

“Through that young man and the ministration of holy angels to him that book came forth to the world.” (Journal of Discourses, 9:212.)

Thus, Joseph Smith was apparently aided by the ministering of angels who had been Nephites during mortality.

Elder George Q. Cannon named two of these angels as, probably, Alma and Nephi. (Journal of Discourses, 13:47.) In a later address, Elder Cannon said Joseph was visited constantly by angels, including Moroni and the heads of various dispensations, that Joseph Smith’s mind “might be fully saturated with a knowledge of the things of God, and that he might comprehend the great and holy calling that God had bestowed upon him.” (Journal of Discourses, 23:362.)… Elder Orson Pratt, in a personal letter to John Christensen of Brigham City, Utah, testified:

“The prophet often received visits from Nephi, Moroni, Peter, James, John (the beloved), John (the Baptist), Elijah, Moses, the three Nephites, etc. etc.”

Let us make no mistake. Joseph Smith’s prophetic mission and the translation of the Book of Mormon were events for which righteous beings had waited and prayed for centuries. The unseen world was close during those crucial events. Those visits of instruction and inspiration to the young Prophet, spoken of with sacred reticence by himself and his colleagues thereafter, show him to be a seer second to none in this dispensation. The words of William Taylor, brother to President John Taylor, pay a fitting tribute to this great gift of the Prophet:

“He seemed to be just as familiar with the Spirit World, and as well acquainted with the other side, as he was here.” – Robert J. Woodford

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6; “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.”

One word:  necromancy.

Dead People Repent

D&C 138:58-59; “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,  59 And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.”

Luke 13:5; “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

How do dead people repent?

Death a Merciful Plan

Answers to Gospel Questions 4:59; “Before continuing with this discourse, let us pause and consider the expression that death comes to fulfil the “merciful plan of the great Creator.”… Many mortals do not believe that death is a merciful plan…The fall therefore was a necessary part of the plan of salvation, and Jacob speaks of it as a “merciful plan of the Creator.” Surely no one wishes to remain in mortality when he becomes old and helpless. Death comes to all as a merciful, and not a fearful thing, especially to the person who dies with the assurance of a righteous resurrection.”

Colossians 2:6-8; “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Death was never a merciful plan God intended for mankind and to teach otherwise is blasphemous.

Death to Chosen Whites when Mixes with Cursed Blacks

Journal of Discourses 10:110-111; “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so. The nations of the earth have transgressed every law that God has given, they have changed the ordinances and broken every covenant made with the fathers, and they are like a hungry man that dreameth that he eateth, and he awaketh and behold he is empty.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, March 8, 1863

Colossians 3:8-11; “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”

Where in the Bible does it teach this bigoted thought?  Death to the white who marries a black person?  Please…

Death Rates in Utah

Marvelous Work and Wonder, pg. 384; “The Mormons are interesting from an epidemiological standpoint because their “Word of Wisdom” forbids the use of tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea, and addictive drugs. Their religion also stresses a well-balanced diet, particularly the use of wholesome grains and fruits, and moderation in the eating of meat. One could reasonably expect Mormons to experience a low incidence of and death from various cancers, similar to that observed in the Seventh-Day Adventists.”

http://www.lifeafter.org/stats2008.asp; The above claim from the Mormon Church is insidious indeed.  Mormons may have a low incidence of death due to smoking and/or drinking, however the terrible truth is they hold one of the highest rate of suicide in the nation and have held onto this notorious position for decades now.  In many age categories suicide is the number one cause of death whereas suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death nationwide.

In Utah suicide was the third leading cause of death for ages 10 to 14 year olds from 2003 to 2007.  In 2008 a teenager in Utah was committing suicide every 11 minutes.  In 2009 suicide claimed its youngest victim; a little boy who was 9 years old.

Compare that with the leading cause of death in the U.S. which is heart disease.

2 Timothy 2:25-26; “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

There is always a way out!  We pray daily the Mormons will know this for themselves.

Deceivers

“He Lives”, Ensign, Nov. 1999, 89″; “As one of His Apostles, authorized to bear witness of Him, I solemnly testify that I know that the Savior lives, that He is a resurrected, glorified personage of perfect love. I witness that He gave His life that we might live with Him eternally. He is our hope, our Mediator, our Redeemer.” – Richard S. Scott

Romans 3:13; “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.”

Question: Is no one else allowed to testify of Jesus because this man is “authorized”, and if so where does it say that in the Bible?

Why did Jesus give us directives to go out and preach HIS gospel if we’re not “authorized” to talk about Him? Matt. 28:18-20.

Their personage of perfect love is a created polygamist and not the One True God of the Bible. This man is authorized to speak of that “redeemer”, but he’s certainly not authorized to present Jesus in the manner he does belonging to the Mormon Church.

Deity, Adoration for not Needed

The Best of Lowell L. Bennion, Selected Writings 1928-1988: pg. 79; “Christ was as humane and man-centered as any humanist in his concern for persons, but he also loved God and shared with him his love for man.  And so my loyalty to persons includes man, every man, I hope, but also Deity—the Father and the Son. They too are persons. I don’t know that they need my direct adoration and affection, but it is my simple faith that they suffer when men suffer and rejoice when men have cause to rejoice. So in a modest way, but with all my heart, I would diminish their suffering and enhance their joy.”

Psalm 95:3-6; “For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.  5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.  6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

God may not need your adoration Mr. Bennion but you certainly need to adore Him for you.  The comments he made here sound contrite until you remember he also thought he is going to be a god someday.

Deity, Mormon

Mormon Doctrine of Deity, pg. 11; “First, we believe that God is a being with a body in form like man’s; that he possesses body, parts and passions; that in a word, God is an exalted, perfected man.  Second, we believe in a plurality of Gods.  Third, we believe that somewhere and sometime in the ages to come, through development, through enlargement, through purification until perfection is attained, man at last, may become like God—a God.” – B.H. Roberts

Genesis 3:5, 23; “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.  Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.”

1. God is spirit.

2. God has never had sex.

3. God has never been man.

4. There is only one God.

5. You will not become a god.

Deseret or Utah; Where do You Live?

Journal of Discourses 5:161; “We are the people of Deseret, she shall be no more Utah: we will have our own name.” – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, August 30, 1857

Where is the truth in this? If they can’t trust in the little things how can they find comfort when times are tough?

Destroyed, This Generation Is (1830)

Joseph Smith Testimony, 1:45; “He commenced, and again related the very same things which he had done at his first visit, without the least variation; which having done, he informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before.”

Jeremiah 27:12-15; “I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.  13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?  14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.  15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.”

Smith “wrote” this in 1838.  We can see this is a false testimony and that he plagiarized part of Jeremiah.  It has been 172 years at the time of this writing from the time Smith wrote the prophecy that “this generation will be destroyed”.  A generation is typically seen as 40 years.

Dietary Laws/ 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.”

Exodus 12:9; “Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.”

Can you say e-coli?

Discernment or Criticism?

 ‘Criticism,’ Latter‑day Saint Student Association fireside in the Salt Lake Tabernacle;

 “Criticism is particularly objectionable when it is directed toward Church authorities, general or local. Jude condemns those who ‘speak evil of dignities.’” (Jude 1:8.) Evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed is in a class by itself. It is one thing to depreciate a person who exercises corporate power or even government power. It is quite another thing to criticize or depreciate a person for the performance of an office to which he or she has been called of God. It does not matter that the criticism is true.” – Dallin H. Oaks

Hebrews 4:12; “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

God’s word never fails to give us assurance!  We’re told to test the spirits in 1 John 4:11, shown how the Bereans checked scriptures daily to see if what they’d been told was true in Acts 17:11 and then we have an reminder from Paul who tells us scripture is given by inspiration of God and profitable for reproof and instruction in 2 Timothy 3:16.

Now where in any of those examples would it tell us not to question authority? Speaking evil of anyone no matter who it is will always be wrong. Questioning their teachings is NOT speaking evil of them – there’s a HUGE difference my friends!

This is another way this church holds its members in the chains that bind them. Threats and sometimes even outright promises of damnation scare members from thinking on their own which prevents them from seeing themselves independent of their organization.

God doesn’t want us bound to anyone or anything but Jesus! We live, breathe and do for Him and none else.

Disciplinary Actions by Church

Ensign, September 1990, pg. 12; “Members sometimes ask why Church disciplinary councils are held. The purpose is threefold: to save the soul of the transgressor, to protect the innocent, and to safeguard the Church’s purity, integrity, and good name.” – Russell Ballard

Titus 2:11-14; “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

1. The Church is not the savior of man.  Jesus is.

2. Who are the innocent?

3. If the Church is true then why worry about your purity?

Disciples

1 Nephi 12:8; “And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.”

Matthew 28:16; “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.”

Oh wow, where do we begin?

The word disciple is an interesting word in the Bible! In the OT it carries a different meaning than in the NT.  I’m posting part of my article on Greek and Latin words in the Book of Mormon here that describes this word and when it’s used.

Once again Joseph Smith went out of his way to confuse the Mormon people. Placing words in the wrong time and area prevents the Mormon from discovering the historical context of what God was doing and why Jesus used certain words and phrases with the people.

Here’s part of the article: lifeafter.org/greek-in-the-book-of-mormon/

I’ve pointed out the word disciples because it’s a Latin word and because of the timing in the Book of Mormon – the BC era. The word disciples can be found in the Old Testament in two places.  Isaiah 8:16 and 1 Chronicles 25:8.

The transliteration for disciple is: [someone who is] taught, instructed, a learner, or used.  It is # 3928 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the Hebrew word for this is “limmud”.  In rabbinic Judaism it referred to someone who was an adherent of a particular teacher. Their sole task and identity in life was that of a pupil.  They were there to learn, study and eventually pass on teachings from the teacher. The existence of a disciple included question and answers, memorization, repetition and more instruction.  Being a disciple was a lifetime commitment and over time through the meticulous study times they became totally devoted to the rabbi.

Smith used it incorrectly as meaning a person who is a disciple of Jesus Christ.  A person cannot be a disciple of Jesus before He was born. Furthermore, this word is another example of how Smith used words in the wrong place and time to confuse the reader.  The Mormon won’t have the benefit of learning about Jewish customs or rules that enhance the Christian’s understanding of the New Testament.

If Joseph Smith wanted to use the term disciple in the Greek sense of the word then he has uttered a false prophecy.

In the NT Jesus referred to the twelve as His disciples. In OT times the disciple could pick out the rabbi they wanted to follow and we see Jesus telling those He picked out to follow Him.

Following a rabbi meant leaving your family, home, career and literally everything in life to follow that teacher. Jesus’ words carried a heavy lifelong devotion and demanded a total and exclusive devotion to Him – Luke 5:27, 9:57-62.

The broader sense of the term disciples came when Jesus told the twelve to go out and make disciples of men in Matthew 28:18-20 and numerous incidents of when the Bible referred to believers as disciples. It was used 233 times in the Gospels and 28 times in the book of Acts.

Dissenters, Contend Earnestly Against

History of the Church 3:233; “Remember that whatsoever measure you mete out to others, it shall be measured to you again. We say unto you, brethren, be not afraid of your adversaries; contend earnestly against mobs, and the unlawful works of dissenters and of darkness.”

Jude 1:3-4; “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here we have the very brother of Jesus exhorting other Christians to stand up!  Notice Jude’s words; “…that ye should earnestly contend for the faith…”

In Mormonism they have it wrong.  Smith is busy telling his follower to contend against those who don’t believe in the doctrines of Mormonism.  It’s easy to see where their faith is placed and where their energy and time is spent.  Contending against those who don’t believe your edicts is not defending God’s good news of salvation.

Jude’s words are a prophetic warning of the coming apostasy and worthy for us living today to take heed of.

Divorce Brings Damnation

Doctrines of Salvation 5:65; “If men or women who are married by the eternal covenant should violate that covenant, they will, of course, have to pay the price, which is a dreadful one, for according to the word of the Lord, they will be turned over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of their redemption, if they do not lose the exaltation itself.” – Joseph Fielding Smith

Romans 8:38-39; “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Well Mormons are subject to hell for many things in Mormonism and if this brings damnation then why was Marie Osmond given another temple recommend for her third marriage when she remarried her first husband? 

It almost seems if you breathe wrong in Mormonism you’re subject to damnation.

Doctrine

Ensign, Nov. 1998, pg. 153; “”Didn’t the Prophet Joseph Smith say that this was contrary to the order of heaven to name high priests as presidents of the First Council of the Seventy?” And I said, “Well, I have understood that he did, but have you ever thought that what was contrary to the order of heaven in 1840 might not be contrary to the order of heaven in 1960?” He had not thought of that. He again was following a dead prophet, and he was forgetting that there is a living prophet today. Hence the importance of our stressing that word living.”

Hebrews 13:8-9; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”

If you only follow the living prophet then why do you study the “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” and why do you sing songs like “Praise to the Man”?

Doctrine & Covenants

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 405; “The Doctrine and Covenants is a compilation of revelations, most of which were received by the Prophet Joseph Smith for the establishment and governance of the kingdom of God in the latter days. It is a standard work of the Church…Its main focus is to build up the Church of Jesus Christ and to bring people into harmony with Christ’s kingdom. It is viewed as the capstone of the Church; its companion volume, the Book of Mormon, is seen as the keystone (Benson, pp. 83-85).”

Is. 59:21; “As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.”

The Bible doesn’t need any help.  It already points to Jesus and His kingdom and builds up the church.  If the D&C is the capstone of the Church and the Book of Mormon is the cornerstone o the Church, who is Jesus?

Doctrine & Covenants, Changes in

David Whitmer, one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, An Address to all Believers in Christ, p. 61; “When it became generally known that these important changes had been made in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, many of the brethren objected seriously to it, but they did not want to say much for the sake of peace, as it was Brother Joseph and the leaders who did it.  The majority of the members – poor weak souls – thought that anything Brother Joseph would do, must be all right; so in their blindness of heart, trusting in an arm of flesh, they looked over it and were led into error.”

Isaiah 57:13; “When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.”

If the original witnesses to Mormonism left the Church isn’t that cause enough to investigate these things for yourself?  We are praying all Mormons do so!

Doctrine Infallible

Divine Authority or the Question: Was Joseph Smith Sent of God, pg. 3; “If the Latter-day Saints are not what they profess to be, one thing is certain, that no one ever will be able to confute their doctrine by the scriptures; however imperfect the people may be, their doctrine is infallible. Can this be said of any other people who have existed on the eastern hemisphere during the last 1700 years? No.”

1 Corinthians 1:21; “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

This is obviously a lie.  The D&C used to be the Book of Commandments which have thousands of changes made to it and the Book of Mormon having almost 4,000 changes made.

Doctrines of LDS not Inconsistent

Doctrines of Salvation 1:189; “In the plan of salvation, as it was made known through Joseph Smith to the world, there are no flaws. Each part fits perfectly and makes the whole complete. Attacks have been made from the beginning to the present, and yet every one has failed. The world has been unable to place a finger upon anything that is inconsistent, or out of harmony in the revelations to Joseph Smith, with that which has been revealed before, or predicted by the prophets and the Lord himself.”

Titus 2:7-8; “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”

On the contrary thousands of people have left the Church because it does not line up with biblical Judeo-Christianity.

Doctrines of Mormonism

Repentance and coming to the Lord sums up the doctrines of Christ’s church in the summer of 1828 as we see here in Doctrine and Covenants.

D&C 10:66-68; “Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely. 67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. 68 Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.”

Joseph Smith wrote in the Book of Mormon the doctrines of God are to repent, believe and be baptized. This section of the Book of Mormon was written between April to June 1829 with Oliver Cowdery acting as scribe for Smith.

3 Nephi 11:31-33; “Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine. 32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. 33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Today we can see how the doctrines of “God’s church” have evolved significantly from the time of its inception. They’ve listed no less than nine doctrines essential for man’s salvation.

1. Godhead
2. Plan of Salvation
3. Atonement of Jesus Christ
4. Dispensation, Apostasy, and Restoration
5. Prophets and Revelation
6. Priesthood and Priesthood Keys
7. Ordinances and Covenants
8. Marriage and Family
9. Commandments

While Jesus gave us two commandments or ordinances to follow, these are different than doctrines.

Doctrines by definition are a group of teachings or policies taught by a group of people such as a church or government. Many churches and ministries, including Life After Ministries, have a statement of faith which are a set of doctrines.

The following items we’ve listed here are basic doctrines of Christianity. Because the body of Christ operates individually via each church and/or denomination there are no set doctrines over all. However, there are basic tenets the body of Christ does agree with even though each church is unique. 

See our statement of faith here

The Doctrines of Christianity

1. Deity of Christ

2. Salvation by grace through faith

3. Resurrection of Jesus on the third day

4. Gospel of Jesus Christ

5. One God

 6. Jesus paid for sins on the Cross at Calvary

Doctrine, Test the

Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Sept. 2007; “I plead with you, my brothers and sisters, that if you have any doubt concerning any doctrine of this Church, that you put it to the test. Try it. Live the principle. Get on your knees and pray about it, and God will bless you with a knowledge of the truth of this work” (meeting, Paris, France, May 28, 2004).”

2 Tim. 3:16; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Yes!  Test the doctrinal teachings of the Church and the Lord will indeed bless you!

Don’t Betray the Brethren

Journal of Discourses 5:83; “…the very moment that men in this kingdom attempt to run a head or cross the path of their leaders, no matter in what respect, the moment they do this they are in danger of being injured by the wolves.” – Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, April 9, 1847

John 14:6; “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

The only person I follow is Christ Jesus.

It’s not any “brethren” and it’s certainly not anyone that teaches anything contrary to what God Himself tells me to do in His word.

Dress Code

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President, November 2007 Ensign; “Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants. I have visited sacrament meetings in some of the poorest places on the earth where mothers have dressed with great care in their Sunday best despite walking for miles on dusty streets and using worn-out public transportation. They bring daughters in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts.”

1 Samuel 16:7; “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

How sad to put this kind of pressure upon people.  After the earthquake in Haiti the Church was “bragging” that the members spent all of their potable water to wash their Sunday clothes so they could go to church.  Sigh…

Dress Code

“Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament, Ensign, Nov. 2008, pg. 18; “How we dress is an important indicator of our attitude and preparation for any activity in which we will engage.” – Dallin H. Oaks

1 Timothy 2:9; “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.”

In other words you can’t approach God in blue jeans and a t-shirt.

Dress Code

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/efy-programs/efy/dress-and-appearance/young-women.cfm

“BYU Dress Code…Casual Dress Clothing – The following items of clothing are considered appropriate for casual dress: Blues jeans, blue jean jackets, cargo-style pants, tennis shoes, hiking or work boots, flip-flops, causal T-shirts, and brightly colored clothing.

Adherence to these standards will be enforced; participants will not be able to check-in at the program if they are not appropriately dressed and groomed.

** BYU–Idaho’s official policy does not permit bib overalls (all styles), flip-flops, and shorts (or capris) of any length on their campus. Denim or Levi–style skirts (which are not overly faded or grubby looking) should be considered casual dress.”

“Sunday Dress Clothing – Blouses must be modest in fit, extend below the waistline, and be long enough to cover the stomach and lower back, especially when bending over or raising hands or arms. If blouses do not meet the approved length, undershirts must be worn to assure modesty. Sleeves must cover the shoulders.

Dresses and skirts must be knee length or longer. Slits in dresses and skirts must not extend above the knee. Dresses with spaghetti straps are not permitted unless a shirt or blouse is worn underneath.”

Colossians 2:20-22; “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;   22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?”

What’s the aversion to sandals or Capri’s?  And why isn’t the Holy Spirit allowed to guide someone’s dress code?

Link to Reasons Starting with E 

Link to Index 

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Earth a Probationary State

Abraham 3:26; “And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.”

Romans 4:4-7; “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.  6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

Trying to work your way to heaven will only lead you to being judged under the Law.

Earth; Brigham isn’t Sure How Earth was Created

Journal of Discourses 14:116-117; “As for the Bible account of the creation we may say that the Lord gave it to Moses, or that Moses obtained the history and traditions of the fathers, and from them picked out what he considered necessary…no matter whether it is correct or not, and whether the Lord found the earth empty or void, or whether he made it out of nothing or out of the rude elements…it will remain a matter of speculation in the minds of men unless he give revelation on the subject.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, May 14, 1871

This man has already prophesied God didn’t make the earth out of nothing. This is a false prophecy and a false prophet.

Earth Conceives and has Parents

Journal of Discourses 6:36; “Does the earth conceive?  It does and it brings forth.  If it did not, why do you go and put your wheat into the ground?  Does it not conceive it….Where did the earth come from?  From its parent earths.  Well, some of you may call that foolish philosophy.  But if it is, I will throw out foolish things, that you may gather up wise things.  The earth is alive.  If it was not, it could not produce”. – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, November 8, 1857

Well…the earth provides us with the soil to plant our fields and God provides beautiful scenery for us through His creation of the earth.

I think it’s safe to say scientists haven’t found any baby earths, nor have they found the parents of this earth. 

These false teachers falsely believed they had the liberty to tell any story they wanted to. After all, who’s going to know at that stage in the game? No one had been to the moon to discredit the other lies of people living there.

It’s too bad these fellows didn’t spend more of their spare time reading their Bibles to prepare a sermon based on truth.

Earth Fell into Space

Journal of Discourses 17:143; “This earth is our home, it was framed expressly for the habitation of those who are faithful to God, and who prove themselves worthy to inherit the earth when the Lord shall have sanctified, purified and glorified it and brought it back into his presence, from which it fell far into space.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, July 19, 1874

Psalm 104:5; “Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.”

David wasn’t asking the question who laid the foundation of the earth – rather, he was stating the fact that God, who laid the foundations of the earth… 

This false prophecy, courtesy of Brigham Young, goes to show how far he’ll go to confuse the people. The man who hadn’t opened his Bible in years is telling people the earth just fell from space and bounced into existence is a deplorable prophecy and teaching!

Ensign, March 1997; “According to President Brigham Young, Abraham 5:13 [Abr. 5:13] also means that before the Fall of Adam, the earth was near the very throne of God. But when the Fall occurred, the earth literally fell or moved from the physical presence of God to its present position in our solar system. When all the effects of the Fall of Adam are finally overcome, the earth will literally move back into the presence of God.” – Andrew Skinner

Nehemiah 9:6; “Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.”

We have dozens upon dozens of scriptures we can use to show this Mormon prophecy is from the devil. The point is that nowhere in the Bible does it allude to the fact that the earth was hurled from its axis and fell into the universe.

Earth Formed Out of Other Planets

Discourses of Joseph Smith, pg 265; “The world and earth are not synonymous terms. The world is the human family.—This earth was organized or formed out of other planets which were broken up and remodeled and made into one on which we live. The elements are eternal… In the translation “without form and void,” it should read, empty and desolate. The word created should be formed or organized. (Richards and Little, op. cit., p. 271.)”

Joshua 24:14-15; “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

In the Old Testament we see how God went with the Israelites and led them out of Egypt. They in turn forsook the gods of their fathers and began serving the One True God.

Somehow along the way around thirty five centuries later there stood a group of people in the heart of America who made the decision to listen to the words of a man who wanted to be a god. And yet the Mormons didn’t see or didn’t want to recognize the gods of Joseph Smith were the same gods the Israelites rejected in lieu of worshipping the One True God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Joseph introduced these unknown earth gods who promised new found knowledge and in turn forsook the God of the Bible.

This gospel of unknown gods is milled out to the unsuspecting by no less than 50,000+ young men and women each and every year worldwide and all under the auspice of the “one true church on the face of the earth”. Strangely, none of its members question the claims of their leaders while claiming that knowledge is salvation.

We can’t serve the Lord in sincerity and truth without completely surrendering our life to Him. It can’t behoove us to study His word like it says the Bereans did (Acts 17:11) and most importantly it doesn’t bring glory to God when we aren’t true to His word. Part of the other problem with this scenario is the 50,000+ kids out there thinking they’re serving God when in fact they’ve rejected Him. 

There’s nothing in the Bible to back Joseph Smith’s assertion and in fact rejects the Lord with this and other teachings. 

This type of behavior is called unbelief masked in the accusation of a faulty translation of the Bible.  The Israelites’ proclamation wasn’t a reactionary impulsive act made on emotion, but a definitive one they committed themselves to for life. They saw God in action and knew He wasn’t a transitory god who changed with societal whims of the day.

Earth has a Spirit

Journal of Discourses 5:172; “Some say the earth exists without spirit; I do not believe any such thing; it has a spirit as much as anybody has a spirit.” – Apostle Heber C. Kimball,

Jeremiah 2:26-28; “As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, 27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. 28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.”

I have searched and searched the Bible f looking for anything that remotely suggests the earth has a soul or spirit. I also searched for anything in the Bible that spoke of people who believe this. 

The only people I’ve heard of that believes the earth has a spirit or soul in today’s age are Pantheists, Witches and Mormons.

Earth, How it was Created

Abraham 4:25; “And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.”

Isaiah 45:18; “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.”

I don’t know how a Mormon couldn’t question this “scripture”.  The thought of a group of “gods” is scary, not comforting and not in line with biblical teaching.

Earth: How was it Created?

Jacob 4:9; “For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?”

Teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 350; “Now I ask all who will hear me, why the learned men who are preaching salvation, say that God created the heavens and earth out of nothing? The reason is, that they are unlearned in the things of God…Now, the word create came from the word “bara”, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize…God never had the power to create the spirit of man at all.”

Genesis 1:1; “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

John 1:1-3; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Colossians 1:15-16; “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”

In scripture we see that God created the earth out of nothing.

Where in the Bible does it say God only organized elements to “create” the earth? Are there any other scriptures verifying this?

Which of Joseph Smith’s prophecies do you believe? If you say the one from the BoM then Joseph’s theory is wrong. If you say you believe Joseph’s theory then the Bom is correct.

And all that brings us to what God said. So again, which account do you believe? God’s or Joseph’s two contradictory revelations?

Earth is Dying

Doctrines of Salvation 1:72; “We have every reason to believe that the passing away of an earth simply means that it will undergo, or has undergone, the same definite course which is destined for our earth, and the Lord has made that perfectly clear. This earth is a living body. It is true to the law given it. It was created to become a celestial body and the abode for celestial beings.” – Joseph Fielding Smith

Titus 1:15-16; “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

There are many teachings in Mormonism that go beyond the explainable. The evidence of their teachings speaks for themselves in the unsubstantiated proof these things aren’t true.

 

Earth is Spirit World

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 376; “When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you going? Into the spiritual world. Are you going into Abraham’s bosom? No, not anywhere nigh there but into the spirit world. Where is the spirit world? It is right here. Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes, they do. Do they both inhabit one kingdom? Yes, they do. Do they go to the sun? No. Do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not. They are brought forth upon this earth, for the express purpose of inhabiting it to all eternity. Where else are you going? Nowhere else, only as you may be permitted. 3:369.”

Isaiah 45:11-12; “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.  12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.”

Brigham Young’s teaching is also in direct contrast to what Jesus told us in Luke 16:19-31.

Earth not Made out of Nothing

Journal of Discourses 14:116-117; “…to assert that the Lord made this earth out of nothing is preposterous and impossible. God never made something out of nothing; it is not in the economy or law by which the worlds were, are, or will exist…How long it has been organized it is not for me to say, and I do not care anything about it.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, May 14, 1871

I cringe each time I see a statement like the one Brigham made here. My reaction is because of what God must think. I just can’t imagine being in His presence when comments like this are made…

Earth Organized

Latter-day Prophets Speak: Selections from the sermons and Writing of Church Presidents, pg. 266; “It is true that the earth was organized by three distinct characters, namely, Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael, these three forming a quorum, as in all heavenly bodies and in organizing element, perfectly represented in the Deity as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. – Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:51, April 9, 1852”

Genesis 1:1; “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

The word create in Hebrew is ba-ra; meaning to create (qualified). He called into being out of nothing. 

Now if God called something (the earth) into being out of nothing, then what would He have been busy organizing if nothing was there?

Earth to be Resurrected, Celestialized & Redeemed

Doctrines of Salvation 1:88; “CELESTIAL DESTINY OF THE EARTH. At the end of the world the earth will die; it will be dissolved, pass away, and then it will be renewed, or raised with a resurrection. It will receive its resurrection to become a celestial body, so that they of the celestial order may possess it forever and ever. Then it will shine forth as the sun and take its place among the worlds that are redeemed… EARTH TO BE A CELESTIAL SUN.  It is my opinion that the great stars that we see, including our sun, are celestial worlds; at least worlds that have passed on to their exaltation or other final resurrected status.” – Joseph Fielding Smith

2 Peter 3:10-13; “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Nowhere in the Bible does it say the earth will become a celestialized sun! Peter’s pretty clear in this description of what will take place and he didn’t mention anything about the earth being resurrected (good grief) or that it’ll be exalted with other earths.

Earth’s Reaction to Jesus’ Death

3 Nephi 8:17; “And thus the face of the whole earth became deformed, because of the tempests, and the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the quaking of the earth.”

Matthew 27:50-53; “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”

The stories in the Book of Mormon are always bigger, badder and boastful. The “whole earth was deformed”?  Really? 

From verses nine to sixteen it said the “city of Moroni did sink” and everyone drowned. Verse ten tells us the earth was carried up upon another city and it became a “great mountain”. Further north of that place destruction hit the land that had never been known before and the “whole face of the land was changed”; and tornadoes and exceeding quaking struck the whole earth. Cities were sunk, burned and people slain while other cities were left desolate. The cities that remained had people carried away in tornadoes.

It’s odd because the Bible tells us of people who came out of their graves and lived again…hmmm…it makes one wonder what earth Smith was actually referring to.

Earth; Who or What has Existed Eternally

Joseph Smith – Seeker after Truth, Prophet of God, pg 158; “Here Joseph Smith again broke with existing false traditions. It had been taught that God created the earth out of nothing, by the fiat of his word. Instead, Joseph declared that the earth was made from existing materials. That is, the earth was organized rather than created. Latter-day Saints always speak of the “creation” of the earth in that sense.” – John A. Widstoe

Colossians 1:16-17; “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

All created things needs a creator which by default means the creator had to be in existence before the created thing.

Earth Will be Resurrected because It Keeps the Law

Doctrines of Salvation 1:73; “This earth is living and must die, but since it keeps the law it shall be restored through the resurrection by which it shall became celestialized and the abode of celestial beings. The next verse of this revelation explains this as follows: “For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand”” – Joseph Fielding Smith

Proverbs 18:7; “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”

Does the earth think on its own or have a mind to do so? Who’s in control here? Is it God or the very things He created???

Egypt in the Pearl of Great Price

Abraham 1:23; “The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden.”

Let’s begin with who “discovered” what.

Genesis 10:6, 8, & 10 tell us that Ham’s descendants were the first monarchy of the southern regions of the earth – this included Egypt and none of the players involved included females.

See Easton’s Bible and Holman’s Bible Dictionaries.

The Egyptians weren’t exactly God fearing people, but that isn’t what the book of Abraham would have you believe. Three verses later (1:26) it tells us Pharaoh was a righteous man as well as someone who judged his people “wisely and justly” and only lived to serve God.

Clearly we’re talking about a different Egypt and a different Abraham, right?  If this isn’t the case then once again we have another false prophecy from Joseph Smith.

Elder

www.lds.org; “An office of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Also used as a title for male missionaries or general authorities of the Church. Elders have authority to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands and to bestow priesthood blessings.”

James 5:14-15; “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”

Keep in mind the Mormon male missionary is 19 years old – enough said.

Emma Damned

Journal of Discourses 17:159-160; “I want to say to my sisters that if you lift you heels against this revelation…you will go to hell, just as sure as you are living women. Emma took that revelation, supposing she had all there was; but Joseph had wisdom enough to take care of it…Said she—”Joseph, you promised me that revelation, and if you are a man of your word you will give it to me.”…She went to the fire-place and put it in, and put the candle under it and burnt it, and she thought that was the end of it, and she will be damned as sure as she is a living woman. Joseph used to say that he would have her hereafter, if he had to go to hell for her, and he will have to go to hell for her…” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 9, 1874

Romans 2:1-3; “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?”

 I find this passage interesting each time I read another judgment from someone in the Church against anyone who disagrees with their philosophies.

Emma Smith

Brigham Young Sermon, October 1, 1866 and reported in the Utah Historical Quarterly, Volume 48, Winter 1980, pg 82; “The sympathies of the Latter-day Saints are with the family of the martyred prophet. I never saw a day in the world that I would not almost worship that woman, Emma Smith, if she would be a saint instead of being a devil… [We] would have been exceeding glad if the prophet’s family had come with us when we left Nauvoo… We would have made cradles for them… and would have fed them on milk and honey. Emma is naturally a very smart woman; she is subtle and ingenious…. she has made her children inherit lies. To my certain knowledge Emma Smith is one of the damnest liars I know of on this earth; yet there is no good thing I would refuse to do for her, if she would only be a righteous woman.”

James 4:11; “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.”

The Utah Historical Quarterly is a publication highlighting events past and present in Utah. In this particular publication they showcased a sermon of Brigham Young’s taken from a book called “The Lion and the Lady” written by Valeen Tippetts Avery and Linda King Newell. Their insight into the relations of the RLDS Church and that of the HQ in Salt Lake City is telling and gives us an idea of what was really going on. 

Their report on Brigham also tells us that he must’ve spent a fair amount of time thinking about the scenario at hand.  As James said you shouldn’t speak evil of another and this is especially true when you’re the leader!  Shame on him for saying anything about her at all!

Endowments

Reed Smoot Case, vol. 3, p. 185; “…the endowments have never changed and can never change; as I understand it; it has been so testified, and that Joseph Smith Jr., himself was the founder of the endowments.” – Senator Reed Smoot

Revelation 22:8; “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

The endowments changed within a year of its inception in 1842 and less than a decade before the Reed Smoot hearings they changed again to ensure all temples were performing the same endowments. 

Of course this doesn’t account for the numerous changes that have taken place since the hearings – the latest being in 2008.

Endure to the End…

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 456; “Enduring to the end, or remaining faithful to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout life, is a fundamental requirement for salvation in the kingdom of God. This belief distinguishes Latter-day Saints from many other Christian denominations, which teach that salvation is given to all who simply believe and confess that Jesus is the Christ. Latter-day Saints believe that to be saved a person must have faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrate repentance of sins, submit to baptism by immersion, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying-on of hands by those holding the true priesthood authority, and then remain faithful to all covenants, continue in righteousness, and endure faithfully to the end of mortal life (Heb. 3:6-14; 6:4-15; Mark 13:13). This enduring faithfulness makes it possible for a person to receive fully the grace of Christ. The Doctrine and Covenants states, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7).”

Romans 11:6; “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

For the Mormon there is no grace – ever.

Eleven Witnesses to the Book of Mormon

Oliver Cowdery; Oliver Cowdery was excommunicated from the Church on Friday, April 12, 1838 by a church court along with the Whitmers (his brothers-in-law), Hiram Page and William Phelps. (Far West Records for the LDS Church for April 3, 1838)

Martin Harris; Martin Harris belonged to more than thirteen denominations throughout his life.  The Cambellites in Pennsylvania being one of them.  Before he became a Mormon he belonged to at least five denominations and after his excommunication from the LDS Church he joined another eight.  He eventually rejoined the LDS faith and moved to Utah in 1870 and was rebaptized.  (“Martin Harris: Mormonism’s Early Convert,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 19 (Winter 1986):30-34.).  Also see Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg.

David Whitmer; Whitmer was excommunicated on April 13, 1838 for “possessing the same spirit with the Dissenters”.

From Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 1565; “A year before his death Whitmer wrote a pamphlet, An Address to All Believers in Christ (1887), apparently to justify his separation from the Church. In the pamphlet, he again gave witness to the truth of the Book of Mormon, but claimed that Joseph Smith drifted into errors after completing the translation. Whitmer rejected many later developments in the Church, such as the offices of high priest and prophet, seer, and revelator; the Doctrine and Covenants; and the doctrines of gathering and of plural marriage.”

Christian Whitmer; Baptized into church April 11, 1830.  Died Nov. 27, 1835.

Jacob Whitmer; Baptized April 11, 1830.  In 1838 he voluntarily left the Church.  He died on April 21, 1856.

Peter Whitmer, Jr.; Baptized on June 9, 1830.  He died on Sept. 22, 1836, almost two years before his family was excommunicated.

John Whitmer; Baptized in June 1829.  He was ex-communicated April 12, 1838.

Hiram Page (brother-in-law of Joe Smith, jr.); Baptized on April 11, 1830 and voluntarily left the Church in 1838.

Joseph Smith, Sr. (father of Joe Smith); Baptized into church on April 6, 1830.  Died in 1840.

Hyrum Smith (brother of Joe Smith, Jr.); He was baptized in June 1829.  Died in June 1844.

Samuel Harrison Smith (brother of Joe Smith, Jr.); Baptized into church May 25, 1829.  Became a Mason in 1842.  Died July 30, 1844.

Elias – #1

Mormon Doctrine, pg 219; “1. ELIAS OF ABRAHAM’S DAY. — As part of the restoration of all things, a prophet named Elias came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 3, 1836, and committed unto them the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham…Now what was the gospel of Abraham? Obviously it was the commission, the mission, the endowment and power, the message of salvation, given to Abraham. And what was this? It was a divine promise that both in the world and out of the world his seed should continue “as innumerable as the stars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye could not number them.” (D. & C. 132:30; Gen. 17; Abra. 2:1-12.) Thus the gospel of Abraham was one of celestial marriage (including plurality of wives); it was a gospel or commission to provide a lineage for the elect portion of the pre-existent spirits…This power and commission is what Elias restored, and as a consequence, the righteous among all future generations were assured of the blessings of a continuation of the seeds forever, even as it was with Abraham of old. (D. & C. 132.)”

Matthew 11:13-14; “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.”

Necromancy.

Elias – #2

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 220; “2. ELIAS A NAME FOR ELIJAH. — Elias is the Greek form of Elijah. This leads to some confusion and the necessity of determining whether Elijah or someone else is meant in each passage where the name Elias appears. Such a determination is not difficult, however, when the full doctrine of Elias and Elijah is understood.”

Mark 9:13; “But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.”

Necromancy.

Elias – #3

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 220; “3. SPIRIT AND DOCTRINE OF ELIAS. — Joseph Smith taught that a preparatory work, one that lays a foundation for a greater work, one that goes before to prepare the way for a greater which is to come, is a work performed by the spirit of Elias. This principle is called the doctrine of Elias. The Prophet explained that the spirit and doctrine of Elias pertain to the Aaronic Priesthood only. He used himself as an example…In the same way John the Baptist, he explained, served in the spirit and power of Elias; that is, as our Lord’s forerunner, serving in the lesser priesthood, he prepared the way for a greater work.”

Luke 4:26; “But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.”

Necromancy.

Elias – #4

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 221; “4. ELIAS OF THE RESTORATION. — Correcting the Bible by the spirit of revelation, the Prophet restored a statement of John the Baptist which says that Christ is the Elias who was to restore all things. (Inspired Version, John 1:21-28.) By revelation we are also informed that the Elias who was to restore all things is the angel Gabriel who was known in mortality as Noah. (D. & C. 27:6-7; Luke 1:5-25; Teachings, p. 157.) From the same authentic source we also learn that the promised Elias is John the Revelator. (D. & C. 77: 9, 14.) Thus there are three different revelations which name Elias as being three different persons. What are we to conclude?”

Romans 3:13; “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.”

Necromancy.

Elias – #5

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 221; “5. JOHN THE BAPTIST AN ELIAS. — No better illustration is found in the revelations of one who acted in the spirit and power of Elias — and yet who expressly disavowed any claim to being the Elias who was to restore all things — than that seen in the ministry of John the Baptist. Gabriel foretold that John would go before the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elias” (Luke 1:17).”

Matthew 17:10-12; “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?  11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.  12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.”

Necromancy.

Elijah

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 223; “Because Elijah has come in this dispensation, the fullness of salvation is again available for the living and the dead. He “was the last prophet that held the keys of the priesthood” in ancient Israel, the Prophet said. His latter-day mission was to “restore the authority and deliver the keys of the priesthood, in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness. . . . Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood; and without the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness.” (Teachings, p. 172.)”

2 Kings 2:1; “And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.”

Elijah did not hold any priesthood while on earth.  He was a prophet who lived in the ninth century BC.  Interestingly enough he placed the “mantel of prophet” on the shoulders of Elisha when the latter was out plowing a field.  1 Kings 19:19-20.

Endowment

www.lds.org; “A special spiritual blessing given to worthy and faithful members of the Church in the temple.”

www.dictionary.com; “Funds or property donated to an institution, individual, or group as a source of income”

Exodus 22:16; “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.”

The only time the word “endow” is used in the Bible is from the above scripture.  The Hebrew translation for this is to “bargain for” or “to wed”.

Endowments for Ex-communicated Members

Ensign, July 1999, pg. 65; “Excommunication: Ordinance work for deceased persons who were excommunicated at the time of their death requires First Presidency approval. For more information, contact Special Services…

Questions of worthiness: Temple ordinances may be performed for deceased persons one year or more after the date of death without regard to worthiness or cause of death.  This includes those who may have taken their own lives or the lives of others.

As you provide ordinances for your ancestors, do not try to determine their worthiness, whether they will accept the ordinances, or the feelings of other deceased persons affected by the ordinances. In order for these ordinances to be binding in eternity, they must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, and the people involved must merit them by their individual worthiness and accept them. These determinations must be made beyond the veil.”

Hebrews 9:12; “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

The reference above will not be found in the Ensign article listed.  The Ensign article lists the guidelines for the Endowment Ceremonies performed in the LDS temple.  The reference about the excommunicated members and thereafter is at the end of the list that was not published in the Ensign.  There are no other published works of this guideline except for what we found on the web which you can access here.

Enoch’s Age & Problems in D&C

D&C 107:49;  “And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he walked with God three hundred and sixty-five years, making him four hundred and thirty years old when he was translated.

Genesis 5:23; “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years.”

Oops. How many false prophecies will it take for members of the Church denounce all their false prophets?

Ephraim

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 461; “Many Latter-day Saints believe that they are of the branch of Ephraim, of whom Joseph prophesied (2 Ne. 3:5-16; D&C 133:30-34) and that the Prophet Joseph Smith is the “choice seer” (3 Ne. 3:6).”

Obadiah 1:10-11; “For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. 11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.”  (See all of Obadiah 1:1-21)

My mother is one of those many Mormons who believe they’re from the tribe of Ephraim.  It’s heartbreaking to know that she holds onto these lies.

Ephraim, LDS from Tribe of

Gospel Doctrine, pg. 115; “A striking peculiarity of the Saints gathered from all parts of the earth is that they are almost universally of the blood of Ephraim. If they have received the Holy Ghost they are of one spirit, so that whatever creates a discord in the spirit and unity of the Saints is of evil origin. The Spirit of God never begets strife, nor does it set up and insist on distinctions among those who have been its recipients.”

Hosea 9:11-12; “As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.  12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!”  (See entire passage Hosea 9:11-15.)

It’s peculiar all right.

Eternal Increase

First Presidency—Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, Charles W. Nibley; “Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so that undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God” (in Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, 5:244).” – Also see The Origin of Man

Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

It seems I use this passage from the Bible a lot! I still remember seeing it for the first time not long after I left Mormonism and its impact some twenty years later is still felt every day!

How can this Mormon god who doesn’t hold enough power to create the universe out of nothing extend godhood to men? Where is the rationale in this?

Eternal Life

www.lds.org; “…Eternal life, or exaltation, is to live in God’s presence and to continue as families (see D&C 131:1–4). Like immortality, this gift is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. However, to inherit eternal life requires our “obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3).”

John 17:3; “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

There is no such thing as the “laws and the ordinances of the gospel”.

Eternal Life vs. Immortality

Easter Thoughts, Marion Romney, Ensign, May 1975, pg. 82; “Great is the debt we owe to our Redeemer for our resurrection. But this is not the final goal. Attaining to immortality is a prerequisite to, but it is not necessarily the same as attaining eternal life. Immortality denotes length of life—deathless. Eternal life denotes quality of life—the quality of life God enjoys.”

Galatians 2:21; “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Got everything Mitt Romney’s cousin just told you in that entry?  Wow, the Bible is so easy!

Eternal Marriage for Salvation?

Mormon Doctrine, pg 118; “Its importance in the plan of salvation and exaltation cannot be overestimated. The most important things that any member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ever does in this world are: 1. To marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority; and 2. To keep the covenant made in connection with this holy and perfect order of matrimony — thus assuring the obedient persons of an inheritance of exaltation in the celestial kingdom.”

1 Corinthians 7:1; “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.”

Why would Paul tell the men in Corinth it was okay not to marry if marriage is essential to salvation?

Are there any examples in the Bible at all telling us we have to get married in order to be saved?

Eternal Progression

Distinct Doctrines and Teachings of the Pearl of Great Price, pg. 76; “He [the Father] will then take a higher exaltation, [that is, in glory] and I [Jesus] shall take his place, and thereby become exalted myself. So that Jesus treads in the tracks of his Father, and inherits what God did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all his children.”

John 8:58; “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

“Jesus treads in the tracks of his father”?  Honestly, just how convoluted will the lies become?

Eternal Progression

Gospel Through the Ages, pgs. 114-115; “…if we accept the great law of eternal progression, we must accept the fact that there was a time when Deity was much less powerful than He is today. Then how did He become glorified and exalted and attain His present status of Godhood? In the first place, aeons ago God undoubtedly took advantage of every opportunity to learn the laws of truth.…”

Isaiah 45:20-22; “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.  21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.  22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

I think Milton Hunter, the author if Gospel through the Ages, was surprised indeed at what he found out when he met his Maker.

Eternal Progression

“Faith of Our Father,” Ensign, May 2008, 75; “Continuing revelation is a fundamental feature of [the faith of our Father]. Joseph Smith’s first prayer is a powerful testimony of this. Revelation is a constant compass that keeps us always true to the will and the faith of our Heavenly Father.
Our Heavenly Father loves His children. He hears the prayers of the humble and sincere of every nation, tongue, and people. He grants light to those who seek and honor Him and are willing to obey His commandments. We joyously proclaim that the faith of our Father is on the earth today.” – Dieter Uchtdorf

Malachi 3:6; “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

Continuing revelation only keeps us true to the faith of man, not our Heavenly Father. Continuing revelation means we have to keep constant vigil to the people making the changes that may or may not come our way in life.

Eternal Progression; Why God is God

A Rational Theology, pgs. 24-25; “Why God is God. To determine this relationship between God and man, it is necessary to know, as far as the limited human mind may know, why the Lord is the supreme intelligent Being in the universe, with the greatest knowledge and the most perfected will, and who, therefore, possesses infinite power over the forces of the universe. It must be admitted at once that the mind of man can know God only in part…the Lord who is a part of the universe, in common with all other parts of the universe is subject to eternal universal laws. In some manner, mysterious to us, he has recognized and utilized the laws of the universe of which he is the chief intelligence. Therefore, if the law of progression be accepted, God must have been engaged from the beginning, and must now be engaged in progressive development…”

Revelation 1:8; “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Uhhh…the Lord is not subject to anything but our horrible behavior and even that is questionable.  He CREATED the laws of the universe and to equate God Almighty to a mere “intelligence” is rather ignorant.

The law of eternal progression is nothing but a bad sci-fi movie gone bad – God does not progress.

Eternal Progression

Orson Hyde JD 1:124; “Remember that God, our heavenly Father, was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we ourselves, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement; has moved forward and overcome, until He has arrived at the point where He now is.” – Salt Lake City, October 6, 1853

Numbers 23:19; “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

Again, where does it even remotely suggest such a thing in the Bible?

Evil in Heaven

2 Nephi 2:11, 13; “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things…13 …And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God…”

Revelation 22:3; “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.”

Who in the right mind would want to be in heaven and experience misery and evil?

Why should we work so hard here on earth for a future redemption if that’s what is awaiting us?

Evolving Religion

Millennial Star, No. 8, October 1, 1845, vol.6, p.121; “Joseph Smith in his lifetime did not receive everything connected with the doctrine of redemption, but has left the key with those who understand how to obtain and teach this great people, all that is necessary for their salvation and exaltation in the celestial kingdom of our God.” – Brigham Young

2 Peter 3:2; “That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.”

If Joseph didn’t have the whole story on how to get saved what exactly was his purpose on this earth?

Exaltation

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 479; “It is available only in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom and is reserved for members of the Church of the Firstborn. This exalted status, called eternal life, is available to be received by a man and wife. It means not only living in God’s presence, but receiving power to do as God does, including the power to bear children after the resurrection (TPJS, pp. 300-301; D&C 132:19). Blessings and privileges of exaltation require unwavering faith, repentance, and complete obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Romans 13:14; “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

This makes me so sad but I have to ask why the goal is to have sex all the time?  What’s the deal with that?  I wonder if the Mormons know there’s more to life & heaven than marriage and having babies.  What about enjoying the presence of Jesus and the Father?  What about worshipping at His feet?

Exaltation; Blessings of Exaltation

Gospel Principles, pg 277; “What are some blessings that will be given to those who are exalted? Our Heavenly Father is perfect, and He glories in the fact that it is possible for His children to become like Him. His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Those who receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ will receive special blessings. The Lord has promised, “All things are theirs” (D&C 76:59). These are some of the blessings given to exalted people:

1. They will live eternally in the presence of Heavenly Father and

Jesus Christ (see D&C 76:62).

2. They will become gods (see D&C 132:20–23).

3. They will be united eternally with their righteous family members and will be able to have eternal increase.

4. They will receive a fulness of joy.

5. They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have—all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge (see D&C 132:19–20).

President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “The Father has promised through the Son that all that he has shall be given to those who are obedient to His commandments. They shall increase in knowledge, wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until the fulness of the perfect day shall burst upon them.”

Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

Does it make sense to try and become a god to receive the same power, honor and glory that God does and still worship God? How does God receive all the honor when someone else receives honor for being a god?

Exalted, Learn What gods Learned to be

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 255; “If we could only learn enough to be self-preserving and self-sustaining, we should then have learned what the Gods have learned before us, and what we must eventually learn before we can be exalted. 9:169.”

Colossians 2:9-10; “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”

1. There is only one God.

2. To be self sustaining indicates no reliance upon God for anything.

3. The Bible tells us God is omniscient so what is there for Him to learn?

Excommunication

Ensign, July 1973, pg. 108; “There are some who claim that even though they are excommunicated from the Church, their priesthood and temple blessings are not taken away. Let us remind those persons that the power to seal is also the power to loose, for the Lord has said of his true servants that “whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19; D&C 132:46.) Excommunication takes away all rights, privileges, and blessings of the Church.” – Mark E. Petersen

Romans 14:16; “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

No, people who chose to resign from the Church find that their blessings are increased a hundredfold by the Lord.  The best thing people have found when they leave the Church – freedom.

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Reasons Starting with F

Faith

Faith, pg. 1; “Father Adam understood this basic principle: “An angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.” (Moses 5:6.) He showed his unwavering faith—and since the witness and the miracle follow rather than precede the faith, the angel then sought to enlighten him, saying: “This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father.””

Hebrews 11:1; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Okay.  Adam was sacrificing to God.  The angel asked him why he was doing this.  Adam said he didn’t know why, only that God told him to do it.  Adam then said, the testimony and God’s miracle comes after my faith.  The angel decided to clue him in and told him all this is a precursor of Jesus’ sacrifice…

Bear with me, sometimes it takes me awhile to sort through things.

My 17 years of studying yet limited experience with the Old Testament tells me that the story here sounds a lot like the Abraham experience with Isaac minus the mysterious angel in the book of Moses.

And where in the Bible does it say that Adam knew anything about Jesus?

Faith by Works

Wilford W. Andersen, April 2010 LDS General Conference, Saturday Morning Session; “Faith in the Savior requires more than mere belief. The Apostle James taught that even the devils believe and tremble. But true faith requires work. The difference between the devils and the faithful members of this Church is not belief but work. Faith grows by keeping the commandments. We must work at keeping the commandments. From the Bible Dictionary we read that “miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness.”

James 2:17; “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

How sad that the believers of a so-called “true religion” would be compared in such a lowly fashion to “devils”.

Faith, How to Find

Be Your Best Self, pg. 160; “How does one find faith? We do not find it by reading about it in a book; we must discover faith for ourselves. President David O. McKay taught: “The greatest battle of life is fought within the silent chambers of your own soul.” It is a good thing for us to sit down and commune with ourselves, to come to an understanding of ourselves and decide in that silent moment what our duty is to family, to church, to country, and to our fellowmen.”

Romans 10:14-17; “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!  16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

In the Mormon Church I had always been taught I was especially good because I was born in the latter days to a Mormon family.  I had held out and waited patiently for my family.  My faith had been great.

My family – have I ever told you about my family?  Oh my goodness!

Seriously I couldn’t figure out why I would’ve chosen that family or why I would’ve sinned against Jesus while I was with Him and then the reasoning started kicking in after having a bunch of babies…why would I want to be pregnant for eternity and after I began studying I started rethinking the whole “gods and goddesses thing”.

When I was Mormon there was also a popular saying “quit feeling sorry for yourself”.   Meaning if you begin any reasoning process in your mind then you’re feeling sorry for yourself and your circumstances so stop it.

Faith, Investigation of

George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses 14:217; “If a faith will not bear to be investigated; if its preachers and professors are afraid to have it examined, their foundation must be very weak. Those who come into the Church of Latter-day Saints, if they are faithful, learn in a short time, and know for themselves. The Holy Spirit and the light of eternal truth rest down upon them, and you will hear them, here and there, testify that they know of the doctrine, that they are acquainted with and understand it for themselves.” – Salt Lake City, August 13, 1871

John 5:39-44; “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.  40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.  41 I receive not honour from men.  42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.  43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.  44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”

It is weak indeed isn’t it?  The statement made here by Mr. Smith was nothing more than a ruse to divert the attention of outsiders and trick them.  Remember “follow the brethren”?

Faith (the Blind Kind)

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 2, Issue 2, pg. 13; “The Book of Mormon, Historicity, and Faith – Our faith in Christ is grounded in the work of redemption that was accomplished in a specific garden and on a designated cross in a particular moment in our earth’s history. It is not the exact site that matters so much as it is that there was such a site. If Jesus did not in reality suffer and bleed and die and rise from the tomb, then we are spiritually doomed, no matter how committed we may be to the “faith event” celebrated by the first-century Christians.” – Robert Millet

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12; “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Lies, lies, lies.  The historical truth is that Jesus did not pay for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, but on the CROSS!

(A) Fall Upward

2 Nephi 2:22-25; “And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. 23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. 24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

James 1:13-15; “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Joseph Smith has tried to introduce the idea that God set Adam up to fail. If it hadn’t been for Adam’s sin, man wouldn’t be…

This is nonsensical!  God abhors sin – Psalm 5:4-5; “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”

Why would God go to all the trouble of creating man and set him up to fail? Do you as a parent do that to your kid? That’s the meaning of malevolent! 

God is loving, judicious and full of grace and truth – John 1:14.

How can He be full of truth and tempt Adam to sin?

How could He be full of grace and set Adam up to fail by telling him he had to sin to fulfill all commandments?

The Fall

Ensign, Nov. 1993, pgs. 72-75; “Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall …Joseph Smith taught that it was not a “sin,” because God had decreed it…Brigham Young declared, “We should never blame Mother Eve, not the least” (in Journal of Discourses, 13:145). Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said: “I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin. … This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin … for it was something that Adam and Eve had to do!” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation…1:114–15). This suggested contrast between a sin and a transgression reminds us of the careful wording in the second article of faith: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (emphasis added).”

Result is Gen. 3:8; “They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”

Look at how brazen their comments are!  “…Christians condemn Eve for her act…Not the Latter-day Saints!”  My body literally groans at the implications of such a belief.  They celebrate sin and honor her disobedience…  There are times I just don’t have words and this is one of those times.

Fall of Man is Blessing vs. Curse

Articles of Faith, pg. 63; “It has become a common practise with mankind to heap reproaches upon the progenitors of the family, and to picture the supposedly blessed state in which we would be living but for the fall; whereas our first parents are entitled to our deepest gratitude for their legacy to posterity—the means of winning title to glory, exaltation, and eternal lives. But for the opportunity thus given, the spirits of God’s offspring would have remained forever in a state of innocent childhood, sinless through no effort of their own; negatively saved, not from sin, but from the opportunity of meeting sin…From Father Adam we have inherited all the ills to which flesh is heir; but such are necessarily incident to a knowledge of good and evil, by the proper use of which knowledge man may become even as the Gods.” – James Talmage

Gen. 3:15; “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

This clip of doctrine says it all about Mormonism.  In reality believing there must be opposites to learn is a form of Witchcraft.

Fall, Man Must be Redeemed from

Ether 3:13; “And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.”

Romans 6:23; “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Using little phrases in part from the Bible is what continues to confuse the Mormon people.  Most times the Mormon won’t stop to read an entire story in context but see little snippets of information and believe that is what is also taught in the Bible because the vocabulary is similar.

Falling from Grace

Mosiah 18:17, 20; “And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church. 20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.”

Gal. 5:4; “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

It’s supposedly 147 BC at the time of Mosiah’s writing.  Why are these people preaching Jesus saves and obedience to the Law at the same time?

Paul tells us in Galatians those who do such a thing are forfeiting their salvation! 

As Christians this would be a nightmare come true! Can you just imagine Jesus saying that you’ve fallen from grace? 

What wouldn’t you be ready to give up for Him? 

False christs Lead to False Gospels

Alma 46:41; “But there were many who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs suppose.”

1 Cor. 15:1-4; “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

It’s supposedly BC 72 so why are they believing in Christ and what purpose does this verse serve for those reading/believing in this and last but not least, how does this glorify God?

These are the types of stories people can and will believe when they don’t heed Paul’s words in First Corinthians!

False Doctrine, God Allows

Bruce R. McConkie, Letter written by Bruce McConkie to Mr. Eugene England dated February 19, 1981; “I do not know all of the providences of the Lord, but I do know that he permits false doctrine to be taught in and out of the Church and that such teaching is part of the sifting process of mortality”

Hebrews 6:18; “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.”

If it is impossible for God to lie then why would He ever condone false doctrine into His church?

False Gods, Better to Worship False Gods than Nothing at All

Mortal Messiah 2:177; “It is better, no doubt, to have a false religion and to worship false gods than to have no religion and no worship at all. Neutrality is as nothing, and indifference is denigrating and damning. Those who are lukewarm—who are neither hot nor cold; who take no affirmative stand; who do not seek the blessings available through worship—will one day be spewed out of the divine mouth, as it were, and find their place in one of the lesser eternal realms.” – Bruce McConkie

Romans 8:5-8; “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Never in a million years could I imagine my pastor standing up at the pulpit and telling the congregation what McConkie has said here.

False Prophecies

Church Property in Joseph’s Hands Until Christ Returns

D&C 104:1; “Verily I say unto you, my friends, I give unto you counsel, and a commandment, concerning all the properties which belong to the order which I commanded to be organized and established, to be a united order, and an everlasting order for the benefit of my church, and for the salvation of men until I come.” – April 23, 1834

Titus 1:9-11; “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”

Take notice of the wording here.  Smith prophesied that the Mormon properties would be in their hands forever.  Forty seven verses later the United Order was dissolved.

D&C 104:47; “And now, a commandment I give unto you concerning Zion, that you shall no longer be bound as a united order to your brethren of Zion, only on this wise—”.

False Prophecies/D&C

D&C 113:1-6; “Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah?  2 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.  3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?  4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.  5 What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?  6 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.” – Also see Isaiah 11:1-6.

Isaiah 11:10-11; “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.  11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.”

1. The tribe of Ephraim is no more.  Jesus is not a descendant of Judah, not Ephraim.

2. Joseph Smith does not rightly hold the priesthood.

False Prophecies, Earlier Revelations Deleted

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 406; “Over the years after the first printing, other revelations were received and some earlier materials were deleted. An 1835 edition, published in Kirtland, Ohio, was entitled Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints and contained 103 sections. In subsequent editions, more sections were added (see Doctrine and Covenants Editions). The most recent additions were sections 137 (1836) and 138 (1918) on salvation of the dead, and the Official Declaration 2 announcing the priesthood available to every worthy male member of the Church (1978). An article on marriage written by Oliver Cowdery in 1835 was deleted from the 1876 edition. Beginning with the 1921 edition, a set of lessons called the Lectures on Faith have not been included.”

1 John 4:1; “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

If the revelations were inspired of God why were they deleted?

False Prophecy

History of the Church 2:380-381; This large section tells us of a prophecy given by Joseph Smith in which he sees the twelve LDS apostles in heavenly glory.  However, if you dig a little deeper we learn that five of those apostles were ex-communicated from the fold!  Part of this revelation can also be found in D&C 88.

History of the Church 2:382; “…And I saw in my vision all of the Presidency in the celestial kingdom of God, and many others that were present…”

Lyman Johnson HC 3:20; “…and he was cut off from the Church.”
Luke Johnson HC 2:528; “Apostasy in Kirtland.  I returned to Kirtland on or about the 10th of December. During my absence in Missouri Warren Parrish, John F. Boynton, Luke S. Johnson, Joseph Coe, and some others united together for the overthrow of the Church.”
William McLellin HC 3:31; “…he had no confidence in the heads of the Church, believing they had transgressed, and had got out of the way, consequently he quit praying and keeping the commandments of God, and indulged himself in his lustful desires…”
William Smith HC 7:483; “William Smith who has published a pamphlet against the Twelve was excommunicated from the church by unanimous vote.”
Thomas Marsh HC 3:284; “…the following persons be excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, viz.: George M. Hinkle, Sampson Avard, John Corrill, Reed Peck, William W. Phelps, Frederick G. Williams, Thomas B. Marsh, Burr Riggs, and several others.”

2 John 1:10-11; “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

So we have to ask; did the apostles get saved or not?

False Prophecy

History of the Church 4:478; “”Some people say I am a fallen Prophet, because I do not bring forth more of the word of the Lord. Why do I not do it? Are we able to receive it? No! not one in this room. He then chastened the congregation for their wickedness and unbelief, ‘for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son and daughter whom he receiveth,’ and if we do not receive chastisements then we are bastards and not sons.””

1 John 5:3-4; “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

Didn’t God deliver the message of salvation even to those in Noah’s day and Noah was the only righteous person?

False Prophecy about Jews

2 Nephi 10:7; “But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.”

Matthew 24:4-5; “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.”

Well the Jews did go back to the land of their inheritance in Israel in 500 BC and again in 1948, but they still don’t believe in Jesus.  And why were they saying things like this about “Christ” more than 500 years before His birth?

False Prophecy, Kings and Queens Will Come to Nauvoo

History of the Church 4:605-606; “I now deliver it as a prophecy, if the inhabitants of this state, with the people of the surrounding country, will turn unto the Lord with all their hearts, ten years will not roll round before the kings and queens of the earth will come unto Zion, and pay their respects to the leaders of this people; they shall come with their millions, and shall contribute of their abundance for the relief of the poor, and the building up and beautifying of Zion.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10; “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Again this prophecy serves as a fool proof way of proving their authenticity.  How can it be a prophecy when in fact you already know it won’t happen?  Keep dangling that carrot…

False Prophets, Beware of in LDS Church

General Conference, October 1999; “When we think of false prophets and false teachers, we tend to think of those who espouse an obviously false doctrine or presume to have authority to teach the true gospel of Christ according to their own interpretation. We often assume that such individuals are associated with small radical groups on the fringes of society. However, I reiterate: there are false prophets and false teachers who have or at least claim to have membership in the Church… False prophets and false teachers are those who declare that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a duplicitous deceiver… They also attempt to redefine the nature of the Godhead, and they deny that God has given and continues to give revelation today to His ordained and sustained prophets…False prophets and false teachers are those who arrogantly attempt to fashion new interpretations of the scriptures to demonstrate that these sacred texts should not be read as God’s words to His children but merely as the utterances of uninspired men…” – Russell Ballard
Galatians 5:19-21; “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

So if a teacher in the Priesthood class points out a false prophecy of Smith or Young, that teacher is a false teacher?

False Teachers

Preach My Gospel, pg. 46; “Just as the Christian world was blessed by the courage and vision of the reformers, many other nations and cultures have been blessed by those who were given that portion “that [God] seeth fit that they should have” (Alma 29:8).  Teachings of other religious leaders have helped many people become more civil and ethical.”

1 Corinthians 15:33; “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

Oh the subtlety of the evil one.  The tone in their presentations is changing.  Ten years ago those “courageous Christians” he’s referring to now were the whores of Babylon who groveled in absolute darkness.

Familiar Spirits

Gospel Doctrine, pg. 435; “We are told by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that “there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.” Hence, when messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth.”

Leviticus 19:31; “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”

Angels are not resurrected prophets from the past.  Communicating with spirits is of the devil.

Familiar Spirits from Out of the Ground

Divine Authority or the Question: Was Joseph Smith Sent of God, pg. 8; “Mr. Smith, though an unlearned man, testifies that he was commanded to translate them, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, by the aid of the Urim and Thummim, and that the Book of Mormon is that translation. Now, Isaiah [Ch. 29] says to Israel…Thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.  Who cannot perceive the perfect harmony between Isaiah’s prediction and Mr. Smith’s testimony? Isaiah, as if to impress it upon the minds of those who should live in future generations, gives no less than four repetitions of the same prediction in the same passage, informing us, in the most definite language, that after Israel should be brought down, they should speak in a very familiar manner out of the ground, and whisper low out of the dust. Mr. Smith has been an instrument in the hands of God of fulfilling this prediction to the very letter. He has taken out of the ground the ancient history of one half of our globe-the sacred records of a great nation…”

Isaiah 8:19-22; “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?  20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.  21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.  22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.”

Again we see Satan using scripture in an inappropriate context and twisting it to sound good.  Scary indeed!

False Teachers Thrust to Hell

2 Nephi 28:15; “O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!”

The One God of this Earth is Adam

Journal of Discourses 4:1-2; “I have learned by experience that there is but one God that pertains to this people, and He is the God that pertains to this earth—the first man. That first man sent his own Son to redeem the world…” – Heber C Kimball, Salt Lake City, June 29, 1856

Revelation from God – Adam is God

Deseret News, June 18, 1873; “How much unbelief exists…in regard to one particular doctrine…which God revealed to me — namely that Adam is our father and God.” – Brigham Young

Church Denounces Adam-god Theory

“Our Own Liahona”, Ensign, October 1976; “We hope that you who teach in the various organizations, whether on the campuses or in our chapels, will always teach the orthodox truth. We warn you 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, is the Adam-God theory. We denounce that theory and hope that everyone will be cautioned against this and other kinds of false doctrine.” – Spencer W Kimball

Deuteronomy 18:20; “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.”

Well now, that’s a conundrum isn’t it? Ask anyone in the Church today about the eternal destiny of Brigham Young and they’ll tell you he’s in heaven with Joseph Smith.

Families are Eternal because of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith, The Prophet, The Man, pg. 6; “I thank him and love him for the sealing power of the holy priesthood that makes possible and certain the continuance of the family through eternity. I have said many times that if nothing else came out of all of the sorrow and travail and pain of the restoration than the sealing power of the holy priesthood to bind together families forever, it would have been worth all that it has cost.” – Gordon Hinckley

Romans 8:5; “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”

Here we have a “prophet” declaring he is thankful for a man who spread lies.  Smith doesn’t hold the priesthood anymore than I do.

Familiar Spirits

Today we’re taking a look at these familiar spirits, how the Church defines this phenomenon & why it refers to the Book of Mormon as the voice that’s a familiar spirit.

Cowley’s Talks on Doctrine, pg 185; “They literally came out of the earth, and righteousness in the personage of a holy angel came down from heaven and placed them in the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Isaiah speaks of the ancient seers being covered, and that in the latter days their speech should be “low out of the dust.” The Book of Mormon was written by seers upon the American continent.”

Under the entry of “familiar spirits” McConkie defined it this way:

Mormon Doctrine, pg 273; “See SPIRITUALISM”

Under spiritualism it said;

Mormon Doctrine, pg 760; “Those religionists who attempt and frequently attain communion (as they suppose) with departed spirits are called spiritualists. Their doctrine and belief that mediums and other mortals can actually hold intercourse with the spirits of the dead is called spiritualism.…Thus, no matter how sincerely mediums may be deceived into thinking they are following a divinely approved pattern, they are in fact turning to an evil source “for the living to hear from the dead.”…information revealed from spirits through mediums is not according to “the law and to the testimony.””

The Mormon apostle Orson Pratt insisted the BoM was either the voice Isaiah spoke of or it was an imposter…

Divine Authority or the Question, Was Joseph Smith Sent of God, pg 10; “Here it will at once be perceived that the Book of Mormon is actually the book predicted by Isaiah, or else it must be an imposter. The book mentioned by Isaiah was to have every characteristic which seems to accompany the Book of Mormon.” – Orson Pratt

The apostle Daniel Ludlow emphatically taught the interpretation of Isaiah’s prophecy is not a dire warning, but a promise to Mormons the Book of Mormon is something to look forward to.

Companion to Y our Study of the Book of Mormon, pg 16; “However, a careful reading of this scripture, particularly when read together with Nephi’s explanation, would indicate that the term it “hath a familiar spirit” means that this record (the Book of Mormon) would speak with a “familiar voice” to those who already have the Bible. In other words, Nephi is evidently saying here that the doctrinal teachings of the Book of Mormon would seem familiar to people who had already read and accepted the Bible.” – Daniel Ludlow

Again and again God warns us through His word of dangers in this life. Some of the prophecies in the Old Testament were announcements to the Israelites of impending doom and punishment. Other prophecies were for future events that will take place and to date; we’re still waiting on the Lord for those! 

What to do with prophecies in the past? 

We use them as examples of what God doesn’t want us to do. We study the historical aspects of the socio-economic era to determine Israel’s behavior pattern, what plagued them as a society, as well as their strengths.

This particular prophecy in Isaiah 29:4 was a pronouncement upon the Israelites at that time because of the riotous behavior they continued to engage themselves in. They bowed their knee to Ba’al. They had worshipped the creature instead of the creature (Ro. 1:20-25), and did so under the trees in a grove.

They made sweetcakes to the goddess Asherah and even painted her image on household oil flasks.  They paid homage to her because of the fertility powers they believed she held – just like we do today with “Mother Earth”.

They had also stooped so low they were worshipping Molech (aka Ba’al).  Molech was the god of the Ammonites who would sacrifice their kids in fires to appease their gods.

The passage from Isaiah 29 is referring to the upcoming events they (Israelites) should expect for rejecting God.

Other atrocities of the Israelites:

 They frequented the tents of soothsayers and witches looking for a message that a dead relative may have for them. Fortune tellers would take old wine skins and fill them half way which produced a spooky ghost-like noise. Doing this out of eyeshot of the intended “victim” the fortune-teller would then give their listening audience a fabricated feel good story about their deceased loved ones.

The Israelite then believed their dead relative was speaking from out of the ground where they had been buried.  The witches called these sounds and interpretations “familiar spirits”.

God called it idolatry.

Leviticus 20:6; “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.”

Isaiah 29:4; “And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.”

As we’ve seen in the Bible and outside historical sources, God wasn’t kidding. Israel was stripped of her dignity and almost wiped off the face of the earth.

Many who survived the Assyrian onslaught were taken captive and enslaved to a life of servitude to the Assyrian king. Others were split up and placed in outlying communities so far removed from others it was believed they’d starve to death. Still others were allowed to go south and join the two southern tribes of Benjamin and Judah.

With our history lesson behind us, let’s take a look at the text!!  Context is king and trumps all presumptions so what does it tell us?

Isaiah 29:3-5; “And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. 4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. 5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.”

God warns the Israelites their city would be under siege from outsiders. They were going to find themselves so humbled either through death, servitude to a foreign king or through the reality they’ve lost everything they know in life and are now wandering again.

Their voices would be low, as a whisper, so the enemy couldn’t detect them when they spoke and resemble the familiar spirits they had gone “whoring after”.  When all this was accomplished Babylon would do the same to the Assyrians (vs. 5).

So from ONE verse (vs. 4) the Church built an entire theory by claiming a punishment for worshiping demons in the Bible is the pet name for their false gospel (BoM). 

Oh please God have mercy on my people!  Place in their hearts a desire to read and know what these things mean. Give them a heart of curiosity to study Your word and give them means to purchase a dictionary.

Families are Forever

Higher Laws: Understanding the Doctrines of Christ, pg. 147 by Sen. Orrin Hatch; “Have you ever wondered what will happen to your family in the hereafter?…The family is the most important reason for living and enjoying this earthly life…One of the reasons for Mormon temples is the performance of sealings, or eternal marriages, for loving couples who dedicate themselves and their families to being worthy to be together forever.”

2 Timothy 2:14-16; “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.  15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

“The family is the most important reason for living…”?  Thanks but no thanks to your theology Senator Hatch.  I love my family so much but it pales in comparison to my love and adoration to Jesus.

Families Essential to Lord’s Plan

Liahona, January 2002, pg. 80; “Our family is the focus of our greatest work and joy in this life; so will it be throughout all eternity.

With the Lord, families are essential. He created the earth that we could gain physical bodies and form families (see D&C 2:1–3). He established His Church to exalt families. He provides temples so that families can be together forever (see D&C 138:47–48).”” – Russell Nelson

Psalm 19:1; “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.”  Also see Psalm 24:1, 148:1-5; Nehemiah  9:6; Exodus 20:11; Gen. 1:21, 25.

Ephesians 4:11-12; “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Also see Romans 12:4-8 & 1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 17-27

1 Corinthians 3:16; “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”  Also see 1 Corinthians 6:19.

As you can see there are many heretical statements made in that quote so the best thing to do is take it apart sentence by sentence for a rebuttal.  Nothing in what Mr. Nelson had to say was truth and in case you’re not aware, the Liahona is a magazine produced by the Church for children.

He was lying to little kids.

One more thing – isn’t our greatest work to love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself?  This is called “Shema” – Mark 12:28-31, Deuteronomy 6:4-6.

Families in Heaven

Ensign, November 1981, pg. 107; “With your companion, make it a family objective to all be together in the celestial kingdom. Strive to make your home a little bit of heaven on earth so that after this life is over, you may be able to say: We are all here! Father, mother, sister, brother, All who hold each other dear. Each chair is filled— We’re all at home. . . . We’re all—all here. (Charles Sprague, The Writings of Charles Sprague, New York: Charles S. Francis, 1841, p. 73.)”” – Ezra Taft Benson

1 Cor. 13:12; “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Matthew 22:30; “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.”

Romans 6:5; “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”

Note:  There’s no doubt we’ll recognize our loved ones in heaven.  The problem here is believing that being a family gains you salvation.

Family Proclamation

www.lds.org; “We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”

Genesis 2:24-25; “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

While God certainly ordained marriage here on earth, it is by no means the way of salvation.

Families are Forever

“Children”, Liahona and Ensign, November 2011; “I testify of the great blessing of children and of the happiness they will bring us in this life and in the eternities.” —Neil L. Andersen

Mark 12:25; “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

There are no marriages in heaven, no pregnancies, no watching over our own children and their families. If there were such things don’t you think Jesus would’ve told us so? This is a pretty important subject after all.

I’ve had questions about this teaching (Families are Forever) from the time my parents got divorced.

Because both of my parents were remarried to other people how does that work? And because my husband’s parents were never Mormon it just complicates things even more…whose planet do we live next to? I don’t mean any disrespect by saying that, it just doesn’t make sense.

Families Essential to Salvation

Today ask your Mormon friend if families are essential to salvation and godhood how did Jesus become God in John 1:1 before He came here to earth? He hadn’t been born yet.

John 1:1; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Families; Traditions of Men vs Commandment of God

“The Importance of the Family,” Ensign, May 2003, 42; “The Church has established two special times for families to be together. The first is centered around the proper observance of the Sabbath day. This is the time we are to attend our regular meetings together, study the life and teachings of the Savior and of the prophets. ‘Other appropriate Sunday activities include (1) writing personal and family journals, (2) holding family councils, (3) establishing and maintaining family organizations for the immediate and extended family, (4) personal interviews between parents and children, (5) writing to relatives and missionaries, (6) genealogy, (7) visiting relatives and those who are ill or lonely, (8) missionary work, (9) reading stories to children, and (10) singing Church hymns.’

“The second time is Monday night. We are to teach our children in a well-organized, regular family home evening. No other activities should involve our family members on Monday night. This designated time is to be with our families.” – L. Tom Perry

Mark 7:7-9; “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

How many family home evenings are enough? What if you get to heaven and you’re found guilty because you should’ve had one or two more FHEs???  (FHE: family home evening) What then? 

And what if you didn’t hold enough family council meetings, sing just the right church hymn or write to the missionary? Will you lose your salvation? 

What happens if you didn’t think to do the genealogy work for Aunt Matilda? Are you damned for that and is Matilda damned because some paperwork wasn’t filled out? 

Come on people – Jesus came into the world not to condemn, but to save – John 3:17! Jesus fulfilled the Law so that we can be released from it – Romans 7:6. Don’t fall into the traditions of genealogy which to God is useless – 1 Timothy 1:4. He already knows who you’re related to and their day of salvation is over with.  

Father and the Son Living in Man’s Heart is False

Messages of the First Presidency 1:168; “When the Savior shall appear, we shall see Him as He is. We shall see that He is a man like ourselves, and that the same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy. (John xiv:23.) The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.”

John 14:23; “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

The word “abode” in the Greek means “to tarry”.  I often have to wonder what made Smith think he could define what certain words meant when he only had a third grade education.  The above “instruction” was given by Smith on April 2, 1843 at Ramus, Illinois.

How very sad for people like my own mother who will continue to place their eternal destiny on someone who obviously knows nothing about God or His power.

Father, Who hath Seen the?

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 1123; “There is indeed indication that the intelligence dwelling in each person is coeternal with God. It always existed and never was created or made (D&C 93:29). In due time that intelligence was given a spirit body, becoming the spirit child of God the Eternal Father and his beloved companion, the Mother in Heaven. This spirit, inhabited by the eternal intelligence, took the form of its creators and is in their image (Ballard, p. 140).”

John 1:18; “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

In no way shape or form are we or could we ever be co-eternal with God!

Fear of God

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 505; “Latter-day Saints are sometimes described, because of an assumed overemphasis on works, as living in “fear and trembling.” The phrase is Paul’s (Phil. 2:12). Actually, Mormons aspire to follow Paul’s teaching and practice to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause,” but that anxiety is related to freedom and responsibility (see D&C 58:27). They strive to find and fulfill their callings and fear to fall short of the divine purpose in their lives. They are constantly charged to magnify their callings and not to be weary in well-doing.”

Philippians 2:11-13; “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

I remember being so afraid of God (Heavenly Father) that I would shut myself off from Him.  I remember being taught that if I wanted to know Him I had to be afraid of and fear Him.

Work out your own salvation means to allow Him who has “wrought all our works in us” to continue allowing Him to change us, to work in us to become more holy.

Fear of God isn’t meant to be sure you’re scared to death of Him.  Revere Him.  Be in awe of Him.  Have a healthy respect for Him, knowing He is God and you will never be.

Feelings

General Conference, October 2009, Richard G. Scott; “What may appear initially to be a daunting task will be much easier to manage over time as you consistently strive to recognize and follow feelings prompted by the Spirit. Your confidence in the direction you receive from the Holy Ghost will also become stronger. I witness that as you gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, your confidence in the impressions you feel can become more certain than your dependence on what you see or hear.”

Proverbs 28:26; “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”

I for one, do not want to be a fool, therefore, the Bible is my guide and not my ever changing attitude.

Fig Aprons & Hiding from God

Let’s take a look at what happened in the Garden of Eden at the moment Adam and Eve sinned.

Genesis 3:7-8, 14, 21; “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

Let’s see…they sinned and immediately covered themselves with fig leaves and hid from God. Now think about this. If you were to meet them in person, say on the streets of Salt Lake or the hometown where you live, wouldn’t you steer clear of anyone hiding from God?

Do you hide from God?

Why are Mormons wearing the same regalia in the most holy of places (LDS temples) that Adam and Eve threw together because of shame?  Are you shamed in the temple? 

God rejected their makeshift outfits and kicked them out of the Garden of Eden, but before He did all that He cursed them!  Cursed!  How is being cursed by God a blessing and something to emulate in your sacred ceremonies? 

Let’s take a look at that ceremony –

ADAM: What is that apron you have on?

LUCIFER: It is an emblem of my power and priesthoods.

ADAM: Priesthoods?

LUCIFER: Yes, priesthoods…

LUCIFER: See–you are naked. Take some fig leaves and make you aprons. Father will see your nakedness. Quick! Hide!

[Lucifer withdraws from view.]

ADAM: Brethren and sisters, put on your aprons.

[He waits until they have done so.]

[To Eve.] Come, let us hide.

The aprons represent two things.

1. Lucifer’s power.

2. Sin. 

Why would you engage in this behavior? You can read the ceremony in full here.

First Resurrection for Righteous & Unrighteous

D&C 76:50, 64; “And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just— 64 These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.”

Mosiah 15:24; “And these are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them. And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord.”

Acts 24:15; “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”

It’s no wonder Mormons are always confused. The first resurrection that’ll take place is for everyone. As Paul shows us in this verse everyone is called, and then comes either judgment before God or salvation. 

So if everyone that’s ever lived is resurrected and then judged what should this tell the Mormon people about the verse in Mosaih? That verse says some people may not have heard about salvation before their death, but according to the verse in Acts they must have.

First Vision

Doctrines of Salvation 1:188; “CHURCH STANDS OR FALLS WITH JOSEPH SMITH. Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who wilfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false, for the doctrines of an impostor cannot be made to harmonize in all particulars with divine truth. If his claims and declarations were built upon fraud and deceit, there would appear many errors and contradictions, which would be easy to detect. The doctrines of false teachers will not stand the test when tried by the accepted standards of measurement, the scriptures.”—Joseph Fielding Smith

http://www.lifeafter.org/vision.asp

John 8:44; “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Might I suggest that he was one of the biggest frauds the earth has ever seen?  Remember under the entry “cults” it lists Smith’s First Vision.

First Vision

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 515; “The First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith is the beginning point, the fountainhead, of the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation. This theophany occurred in a grove near Palmyra, New York, in the spring of 1820.”

Revelation 2:2; “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.”

Someday Joseph Smith’s “theophany” will be nothing but a distant memory for us all.

First Vision According to George A. Smith

Journal of Discourses 12:334; “Joseph Smith had attended these meetings, and when this result was reached he saw clearly that something was wrong. He had read the Bible and had found that passage in James which says “If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not,” and taking this literally, he went humbly before the Lord and inquired of Him, and the Lord answered his prayer and revealed to Joseph, by the ministration of angels, the true condition of the religious world. When the holy angel appeared, Joseph inquired which of all these denominations was right and which he should join, and was told they were all wrong…the Lord was about to restore the priesthood and establish His Church, which would be the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth.” – George A. Smith, Salt Lake City, November 15, 1868

Galatians 3:4-6; “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”

If the body of Christ – meaning all of Christianity – had truly disappeared then what do Paul’s words mean?

Mormons try and tell people they are the true Jews but this can’t happen unless you’re literally of Jewish descent. Therefore, Paul’s teaching here means that the Gentiles would be fellow-heirs when they believe in the Messiah (meaning Jesus). How can everyone who believes in Jesus whether they’re Jewish or Gentile all be deemed wrong and unworthy of God’s salvation? 

While Jesus’ promise to us that His church would always be in existence is important, there’s also things like this that must be taken into account. 

The existence of Christianity didn’t take place in a vacuum. Rather it was a well planned out event that God orchestrated and had been in the making for thousands of years!  God was at work in the hearts of mankind for a long time. 

Galatians 4:4-7; “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” 

Joseph Smith didn’t want to accept the dispensation of God’s saving grace had already taken place and Smith didn’t want to accept the fullness of time had already arrived. The truth is that Smith wasn’t the center of attention and he wasn’t humble enough to accept that. 

And besides all that – who appeared to Joseph Smith that first night and why can’t the apostles and elders remember this all important event? 

First Vision According to John Taylor

Journal of Discourses 10:130-131; “How did this state of things called Mormonism originate? We read that an angel came down and revealed himself to Joseph Smith and manifested unto him in vision the true position of the world in a religious point of view. He was surrounded with light and glory while the heavenly messenger communicated these things unto him, after a series of visitations and communications from the Apostle Peter and others who held the authority of the holy Priesthood, not only on the earth formerly but in the heavens afterwards.” – John Taylor, Salt Lake City, March 1, 1863

Psalm 119:89; “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

The verse in Psalms can’t be true if Joseph Smith’s story is true. And how do we know if Smith’s story is true or not if the apostles don’t remember?

What is truth in Mormonism? 

The apostles don’t recall how Joseph received the news of a new gospel so how would the followers know how it came to be? 

Being a leader comes with the added responsibility that you tell the truth. This is obviously an unreachable task in Mormonism.

First Vision: False Apostle’s Faulty Memory

Journal of Discourses 6:29; “Do you suppose that God in person called upon Joseph Smith, our Prophet? God called upon him; but God did not come himself and call, but he sent Peter to do it. Do you not see? He sent Peter and sent Moroni to Joseph, and told him that he had got the plates. Did God come himself? No: he sent Moroni and told him there was a record, and says he, “That record is matter that pertains to the Lamanites, and it tells when their fathers came out of Jerusalem, and how they came, and all about it; and, says he, “If you will do as I tell you, I will confer a gift upon you.” Well, he conferred it upon him, because Joseph said he would do as he told him. “I want you to go to work and take the Urim and Thummim, and translate this book, and have it published, that this nation may read it.” Do you not see, by Joseph receiving the gift that was conferred upon him, you and I have that record?” – Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, November 8, 1857

Proverbs 18:2; “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”

As a Mormon I used to think it was me and my faulty cognitive thinking whenever I’d read contradictory statements like the one seen here. Then I’d wonder what was wrong with me because no one else openly questioned these things. 

Today it makes me wonder if they published these things on purpose to confuse people and if so then why does the Church still quote from these guys today if they want to be seen as the “one true church”?

First Vision Memory Problems

Journal of Discourses 2:171; “But as it was in the days of our Savior, so was it in the advent of this new dispensation. It was not in accordance with the notions, traditions, and pre-conceived ideas of the American people. The messenger did not come to an eminent divine of any of the so-called orthodoxy, he did not adopt their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven, in power and great glory, nor send His messengers panoplied with aught else than the truth of heaven, to communicate to the meek the lowly, the youth of humble origin, the sincere enquirer after the knowledge of God. But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith Jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong…” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, February 18, 1855

Matthew 7:7; “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

There was obviously a huge disconnect between the leaders of Mormonism and the Lord. As Jesus told us in Matthew; if we ask, we receive. Does Joseph Smith’s story sound like he went to the Father like Jesus said to do? 

John Piper gives some great insight for the passage in 7:7-11. In his book Desiring God he lists 8 encouragements to pray given to us from the Lord. The notes I’ve listed here are taken from his book and video. I’ve listed his bullet points that I think are important for us to remember when/if someone new comes along preaching another gospel and we want to ask God if it’s true. 

1. “He Invites Us to Pray”. 

2. “He Makes Promises to Us if We Pray”.

3. “God Makes Himself Available”.

4. “Everyone Who Asks Receives”.

5. “We are Coming to Our Father”.

6. “Our Heavenly Father is Better than Our Earthly Father”.

7. “We Can Trust God’s Goodness Because He has Already Made Us His Children”.

8. The Cross is the Foundation of Prayer.”

By John Piper. ©2013 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org 

AMEN, AMEN & AMEN! 

In light of all that we need to ask if these men who give conflicting messages really have our best interest at heart. Are their words contradictory to what Jesus promised us in Matthew 7:7? 

If we go to our Father in Heaven will He give us a conflicting story like Joseph and Brigham did? A few days ago we also saw the Mormon apostle Heber Kimball who also contradicted Joseph’s original story – so who’s telling the truth and who isn’t? 

Followers, Who Had More?

Journal of Discourses 14:202-203; “…when we examine and understand the facts in relation to this personage whom we call the Savior of the world, there were not, strange to say, as many persons believed on him as have believed on Joseph Smith in the latter days. Not that Joseph was the Savior, but he was a prophet.” – Salt Lake City, August 13, 1871.

Luke 5:15; “But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 13, 1871

Fame:  The state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed.

Multitudes: A great amount or number, usually, of people.

Once again, the Bible destroys the wisdom of the “wise”.

Followers, Who Had More?

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 14:202-203; “…when we examine and understand the facts in relation to this personage whom we call the Savior of the world, there were not, strange to say, as many persons believed on him as have believed on Joseph Smith in the latter days. Not that Joseph was the Savior, but he was a prophet.” – Salt Lake City, August 13, 1871.

Luke 5:15; “But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.”

Fame: The state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed.

Multitudes: A great amount or number, usually, of people.

Once again, the Bible destroys the wisdom of the “wise”.

Following the Church

Doctrines of Salvation 3:295; “FOLLOW CHURCH, NOT THE WORLD…A great many of the members of the Church evidently do not realize the importance of the blessings we receive in the temples of the Lord…We should have some sympathy for people taught in the vagaries and foolish traditions of the world, when we discover how tenaciously members of the Church cling to foolish notions in spite of all that is written.”

Matthew 4:19, 25; “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.”

I’ve asked the question many times “Are you on your way to Jerusalem” and each day we need to pray the Lord will keep our hearts resolute to do just that.

 

Three years after Jesus introduced Himself to the disciples we read how Peter has denied Him. How many times had they publicly declared they’d follow Him to the ends of the earth and how many times did He try to tell them it was going to be more difficult than a childlike commitment is unknown. Their experiences are much like ours today.

We have the same power of God in our midst as He literally resides inside of us and yet we still find it hard. Each of us has had our own Peter moments in life, but we need to remember we’re not here to follow a church or a prophet!

As Christians we’re here to follow Jesus exclusively!

When someone asks you about your faith do you proudly tout “Oh I’m a Lutheran” or “I belong to such and such fill in the blank church”?  NO!  When people ask about our faith we proclaim Christ Jesus! 

The foolish traditions in Mormonism are many, but matter what they are, at the end of the day that’s all they are – traditions. 

Are you following Jesus or a church? If you’re following a church, i.e. Mormonism, okay.  It’d be sad, but you need to admit you’re following a church. If you’re following a church then why are you calling yourself a Christian? Christians are people who follow Jesus – not a church.

Following the Prophets

Journal of Discourses 4:368; “How easy it would be for your leaders to lead you to destruction, unless you actually know the mind and will of the Spirit yourselves. That is your privilege. And when you testify in this public congregation, or in your prayer meetings, testifying of the things of God that you know and understand, you are at liberty to speak freely upon those things which you believe.” – Brigham Young, June 28, 1857, Salt Lake City

Matthew 16:24; “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

In an earlier entry they said not to malign the leaders of the Church in public.

Food Storage; Mormon Jesus Says No!

3 Nephi 13:31; “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”

D&C 109:8; “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”

Matthew 6:31-32; “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

The 2 Mormon “scriptures” above are just another example of the contradictory teachings in the Church.

Forgiven Because of Faith in Christ, 544 BC

Enos 1:5-8; “And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.  And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away. And I said: Lord, how is it done? And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.”

2 Peter 1:16; “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

If God can’t lie then why was this guy forgiven by his faith in Christ circa 544 BC?

Forgiveness is Conditional

Articles of Faith, pg 99; “The first step toward the blessed state of forgiveness consists in the sinner confessing his sins; the second, in his forgiving others who have sinned against him; and the third in his showing his acceptance of Christ’s atoning sacrifice by complying with the divine requirements.” – James Talmage

Also see:

A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel, pg 46; “Nature of Repentance—The term repentance is used in the scriptures with several different meanings, but, as representing the duty required of all who would obtain forgiveness for transgression it indicates a godly sorrow for sin, producing a reformation of life, fn and embodies (1) a conviction of guilt; (2) a desire to be relieved from the hurtful effects of sin; and (3) an earnest determination to forsake sin and to accomplish good.” – Apostle Franklin D. Richards & Elder James A. Little, 1898

Romans 3:23-27; “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

Life is complicated in Mormonism. Just when you think you can’t possibly do anymore you find out you’re wrong. The efficacy of Christ’s perfect sacrifice is all for naught when we have to rely upon our own self determination and greatness.

Forgiveness is Conditional

Things of the Soul, pg. 116; “Forgiveness from the Lord is earned through great personal effort. It takes courage to face the reality of your transgression, accept whatever penalty is required, and allow sufficient time for the process to work. When that is done, you will be innocent again. The Lord said: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).”

Matthew 12:31-32; “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

According to the book of Enos from the Book of Mormon forgiveness is granted because of faith, not great personal effort.

Forgiveness is Earned

Enos 1:5-8; “And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.  And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away. And I said: Lord, how is it done? And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.”

Things of the Soul, pg. 116; “Forgiveness from the Lord is earned through great personal effort. It takes courage to face the reality of your transgression, accept whatever penalty is required, and allow sufficient time for the process to work. When that is done, you will be innocent again. The Lord said: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).”

According to the book of Enos from the Book of Mormon forgiveness is granted because of faith, not great personal effort. 

Telling two different stories about the same thing is called lying and qualifies as a false prophecy.

Forgiveness, None for the Adulteress

Miracle of Forgiveness, pg. 164; “In my years since then I have repeatedly heard people praise the Lord for his mercy in having forgiven the adulteress. This example has been used numerous times to show how easily one can be forgiven for gross sin. But did the Lord forgive the woman? Could he forgive her? There seems to be no evidence of forgiveness. His command to her was, “Go, and sin no more.” He was directing the sinful woman to go her way, abandon her evil life, commit no more sin, transform her life.”

John 8:7-11; “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

It is very dangerous to take things out of context and this is a classic example of why we don’t do these things.  Notice how they’ve conveniently left out that Jesus said “Neither do I condemn thee…”  It is Jesus that does the transforming of us, not the other way around.  Apart from Him we are nothing.

Forgiveness, None for the Thief of the Cross

Miracle of Forgiveness, pg. 164; “Another mistaken idea is that the thief on the cross was forgiven of his sins when the dying Christ answered: “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43.) These men on the cross were thieves. How could the Lord forgive a malefactor? They had broken laws. There was no doubt of the guilt of the two men, for the one voluntarily confessed their guilt. The Lord cannot save men in their sins but only from their sins, and that only when they have shown true repentance.”

Luke 23:39-43; “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

The Mormon Jesus is impotent.  If he can’t save you while you’re still a sinner then why is he a god?

Forgiveness not Available While in Sins

Ensign, April 2013; “…the Son of Man forgives sins! While this truth is readily accepted by all believers, not so easily acknowledged is the essential companion truth: the Savior forgives sins “upon earth” and not just at the Final Judgment. He does not excuse us in our sins. He does not condone our return to past sins. But when we repent and obey His gospel, He forgives us.

In this forgiveness we see the enabling and the redeeming power of the Atonement harmoniously and graciously applied. If we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the enabling power of His Atonement strengthens us in our moment of need, and His redeeming power sanctifies us as we “[put] off the natural man.”  This brings hope to all, especially to those who feel that recurring human weakness is beyond the Savior’s willingness to help and to save. See 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Alma 11:34, 37; Helaman 5:10–11.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10; “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Romans 5:8-9; “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

If Jesus can forgive your sins while you’re here on earth doesn’t that mean He’s forgiven you while you’re in your sin?

Forgiveness of Sins

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 1210; “Having one’s sins remitted is a vital part of the developmental process that results in godhood and lies at the heart of the religious experience of a Latter-day Saint.”

1 John 1:9; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Mormon who works towards godhood is working for nothing.  God is such a loving, giving Father.  Abba (daddy) is waiting and desiring for every single Mormon to come to Him.

Forgiveness through Living All Commandments/False Promises of Hope

The Miracle of Forgiveness, pg 164-165, 354-355; “…living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation…trying is not sufficient. Nor is repentence when one merely tries to abandon sin”.

Romans 16:17-18; “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Mercy divorced from judgment is evil and hope shouldn’t be held onto when perfection is required.

If we aren’t looking to Him who will save us from ourselves we’re doomed because there’ll never be enough time to work on bettering ourselves. The false prophet Spencer Kimball was right about one thing in his blasphemous book.

Merely trying to be good or trying to be repentant isn’t enough. We’re born with a sin nature and incapable of being good on our own. We need Jesus’ blood to wipe out our sin so we can find exemption for the judgment we deserve. And then we need the Holy Spirit to regenerate and renew our way of thinking. Without His supernatural power we won’t be forgiven.  But glory to God that He did for us what we can’t do for ourselves!  Thank You Jesus!

Forgiveness through Obedience

Miracle of Forgiveness, pgs. 208-209; “Eternal life hangs in the balance awaiting the works of men.  This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us.” – Spencer W. Kimball

Psalm 130:7-8; “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

The workings of God and eternal life do NOT hang in the balance awaiting what mankind might or might not do.

Forgiveness through Shedding Own Blood

Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4:128-129; “…the life of the flesh is in the blood, and that “the blood maketh an atonement for the soul,” make plain what is needful for the salvation of the soul where one’s sins place him beyond the reach of vicarious means of salvation—then it is the shedding of the sinners own blood that must here be referred to.”

Matthew 26:28; “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

How could anyone who calls themselves a Christian believe in the LDS teaching here?

Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet

1 – The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

1 John 2:27; “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Job 32:8; “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.”

2 – The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.

Matthew 24:35; “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Hebrews 2:1-3; “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.  2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”

3 – The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

Matthew 4:4; “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

4 – The prophet will never lead the church astray.

Psalm 82:5; “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”

5 – The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

2 Thess. 2:3-4; “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

6 – The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.

Ps. 12:1-8; “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.  2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. 3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?  5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.  8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.”

7 – The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

Ezekiel 13:2-3; “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!”

8 – The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

1 John 4:1; “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

9 – The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.

Deut. 12:29-32; “When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.  31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.  32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.”

10 – The prophet may advise on civic matters.

2 Peter 2:1, 19-20; “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.  19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”

11 – The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

Acts 17:2;“And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures.”

12 – The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

Jude 1:4; “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

13 – The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.

Luke 14:11; “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

14 – The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

John 14:6; “I am the way the truth and the light, no one comes to the Father, except by me”.

Free Agency

Mormon Doctrine, pg 26; “Agency is the ability and freedom to choose good or evil. It is an eternal principle which has existed with God from all eternity.”

Journal of Discourses 7:374; “Have we not a right to make up our minds in relation to the things recorded in the word of God, and speak about them, whether the living oracles believe our views or not? We have not the right. Why? Because the mind of man is weak…” – Elder Pratt, Salt Lake City, January 29, 1860

John 8:32; “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

If free agency is so important to mankind why is there so much controlling going on in Mormonism?

Why is it so difficult for a Mormon to leave the Church without being harassed by the leadership and court systems they must go through to get out?

If free agency is truly a mainstay in the Mormon Church why aren’t Mormons allowed to make their own decisions?

Instead you have leaders and prophets saying things like Pratt did in our example above and the notorious comment made at a General Conference “When the leaders speak the thinking is done”.  How does that comment equate to free agency?

Free Agency

 “Prayer and Promptings”, Ensign, Nov. 2009, 43-44; “We were given our agency. We must use it wisely and remain close to the Spirit; otherwise, we foolishly find ourselves yielding to the enticements of the adversary.” – Boyd K. Packer

John 14:23, 26; “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

I love this whole passage in John when Jesus is telling the disciples He wasn’t going to leave them orphaned. This particular verse with the word “abode” means to tarry, meaning He’s not going anywhere.

Mormon teachings would have you believe that if you don’t behave he’s leaving – there is apparently no room for error. Just as in the Book of Mormon, members of the Church are held to a standard God didn’t intend for anyone.

The clue in all this mayhem is that the Church doesn’t have the same Holy Spirit the Bible talks of.  The Holy Ghost/Spirit of Mormonism is fickle and leaves at a moment’s notice with the idea of someone not behaving the way they should.

And what lies underneath all this is how the Mormon Holy Ghost operates. The Mormon HG doesn’t indwell the believer. He is merely a force that can influence much like the sun does and isn’t omnipresent. In D&C 130:22 he can descend upon someone and not tarry with him.

The work of the Holy Spirit reminds us of how to behave just as it says in verse 26. 

Freemasonry and Mormonism

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 528; “Although some argue that Joseph Smith borrowed elements of Freemasonry in developing the temple ceremony, the Endowment is more congruous with LDS scriptures (especially the book of Abraham and the Book of Moses) and ancient ritual than with Freemasonry. Latter-day Saints view the ordinances as a revealed restoration of ancient temple ceremony and only incidentally related to Freemasonry. The two are not antithetical, however, nor do they threaten each other…”

Matthew 6:33; “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Everything McConkie said in this entry is an absolute lie.  Smith copied the temple oaths from the Masonic ritual oaths.

Fullness of Time

History of the Church 3:51; “”That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.” Now, I ask, what is a dispensation? I answer, it is power and authority to dispense the word of God, and to administer in all the ordinances thereof.”

Galatians 4:4-5; “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Smith couldn’t accept the fact that he wasn’t the Messiah.  His ego was so overblown that he had to lie about every single thing in the Bible.

It kind of reminds me of what happened on D-Day at Normandy.  Hitler’s advisors recorded that when they told him of the impending doom he laughed and said “it’s what we’ve been waiting for”.

Both are a sign of insanity.

Reasons Starting with G 

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Garden of Eden in America

Doctrines of Salvation 3:74; “GARDEN OF EDEN AND CITY ZION SAME PLACE. In accord with the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we teach that the Garden of Eden was on the American continent located where the City Zion, or the New Jerusalem, will be built. When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, they eventually dwelt at a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman, situated in what is now Daviess County, Missouri.  Three years before the death of Adam he called the righteous of his posterity at this place and blessed them, and it is at this place where Adam, or Michael, will sit as we read in the 7th chapter of Daniel.”

Gen. 2:8-15; “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

Why do LDS scriptures contradict the Bible and itself? Even the book of Moses 3:10-16 says the Garden of Eden is in the Middle East and mentions nothing of Daviess County, Missouri.

We’re praying someone in the Church today picks up on the discrepancies and makes the brave decision to gain their freedom in the real Jesus!

I’ve been to Daviess Co. Missouri and while it’s pretty I’d have a hard time equating it to what the Bible says about the Garden of Eden.

Garden of Eden in Missouri

Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, pg. 277; “Words of Wilford Woodruff: President Young said, “Joseph the Prophet told me that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson Co., Missouri.” (Wilford Woodruff, Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 1833-1898, 9 vols. 7:129; standardized).

Footnote #2 – Report by Wilford Woodruff of a conversation in the Church historian’s office, 30 March 1873.”

Genesis 2:10-14; ”And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.  14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.”

Why didn’t these two men get up and declare Joseph Smith a false prophet?

Garden of Eden in Missouri

Harold B. Lee, The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams, p.35; “The Garden of Eden was located in the area of present-day Missouri. It is not difficult for me, as we travel from Adam-ondi-Ahman down to Independence and back and forth to Liberty and up to Kingston and to Far West, to think of this as the Garden of Eden. It is in truth today a beautiful and verdant place. It may not be known to you people, but to us it is the center place because it is here where the commencement of the inhabitation of human beings upon the earth began.”

2 Peter 3:16-17; “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”

It’s as the apostle Peter said, they carry on to their own destruction.  I’ve been to Independence, Missouri and it is pretty, but honestly people – Eden?

Garden of Eden on American Continent

Evidences and Reconciliations, pg 127; “Latter-day Saints know, through modern revelation, that the Garden of Eden was on the North American continent and that Adam and Eve began their conquest of the earth in the upper part of what is now the state of Missouri. It seems very probable that the children of our first earthly parents moved down along the fertile, pleasant lands of the Mississippi valley.” – John A. Widtsoe

Genesis 2:8, 10-11, 13-14; “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 12 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.”

The three most important words in real estate is location, location, location. Those words also apply here! Mr. Widtsoe wrote these words in 1960 so it wasn’t like he wasn’t able to grab a map or a Bible for that matter to determine where God placed Adam and Eve’s dwelling.

I’ve been to Missouri and Illinois and I must say that while they’re pretty they certainly don’t qualify as the Garden of Eden! 

And what’s up with his statement that Adam and Eve began their conquest of the earth? What battles were being fought? God deemed everything in the Garden as good. What was there to qualify as bad and the need for a conquest?

Garden of Gethsemane

Selected Writings of Daniel H. Ludlow: Gospel Scholars Series: pg. 243-244; “The Fifth and Sixth Days (Thursday and Friday)…The Savior’s statement “the hour is come” was soon followed by his leaving the upper room and proceeding to the Mount of Olives and to the Garden of Gethsemane, where occurred one of the most important and transcendent events in the history of the world. It was here that he atoned for the original transgressions of Adam and Eve, and it was here that he took upon himself the sins of all mankind upon the condition of repentance of their sins.”

John 18:11; “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”

The bible verse above says it all…

Garments

Letter of the First Presidency, 10 October 1988; “The promise of protection and blessings is conditioned upon worthiness and faithfulless in keeping the covenant. Members of the Church wear the garments as a reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.”

2 Corinthians 3:5-6; “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

I’ve always said the Mormon god is an impotent god that can’t keep promises.  In this teaching given just over two decades ago the “prophet” is telling the Mormon people their blessings are up to them based on their behavior.

If I parented my daughters this way their life would be a living hell.  Honestly people.

Garments in 1916

Improvement Era 9:812, June 28, 1916; “The following is to be regarded as an established and imperative rule. The garments worn by those who receive endowments must be white and of the approved pattern; they must not be altered or mutilated, and are to be worn as intended, down to the wrist and ankles and around the neck. Admission to the temple will be refused to those who do not comply to these requirements.”

John 14:1; “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

Can you say Burqa?  Wow, I wonder what they’d think of the garments today.  Some of them are sleeveless!  Yikes!

Garments in 1906

Messages of the First Presidency 5:110; “The Saints should know that the pattern of endowment garments was revealed from Heaven and that the blessings promised in connection with wearing them will not be realized if any unauthorized change is made in their form or in the manner of wearing them.” – President Joseph F. Smith; 28 June 1906.

1 Corinthian 2:14; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Another example of the Mormon god changing his mind.

Gates of Hell

D&C 21:4, 6; “Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.”

Matthew 16:18; “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.”

How can the gates of hell not prevail against you when you obey a manmade rule?  Didn’t Jesus say that it was by His power the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against His church?

Gates of Hell Against the Church

3 Nephi 11:39-40; “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. 40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.”

Matthew 16:18; “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.”

The “scripture” above is the Mormon version of truth.  So very close that they’d believe a lie…

Genealogy – sacred responsibilities

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 538; “Genealogy is a record of lineage showing the descent of a person or family from an ancestor or ancestors. Searching for and compiling genealogical information are sacred responsibilities to Latter-day Saints. Therefore, extensive activity is conducted by the Church and by members to obtain and record vital statistical information, to compile family histories, and to strengthen family ties both on earth and in the hereafter.”

1 Timothy 1:4; “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”

They ought to check out the vital statistics of Utah.  Suicide is often the leading cause of death.

General Authorities, the “Need For”

Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part A, pg. 77; “Our Need for General Authorities –

Throughout history Heavenly Father has revealed His will to men on the earth through His prophets. This is true whether we are talking about the time of Noah, Moses, or Joseph Smith. Conditions may change, but the truth does not. Because of our continuing need for God’s direction, He has given us a prophet and apostles and other General Authorities to guide us today.”

Romans 10:9; “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

We are commanded to confess our sins, confess that Jesus is God and believe God raised Jesus from the dead.  We are encouraged to live our lives like we are saved being encouraged by other Christians (Heb. 10:24). It is only through Jesus and His word that we are guided today.  Conditions have changed only in the technological sense. And the condition of how we are saved was already changed when He spilled His precious, holy blood upon the Cross of Calvary.  We are still sinners and in need of Him only.

Gentile

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 541; “For Latter-day Saints, “Gentile” generally means “not Latter-day Saint,”.”

Eph. 3:6; “To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

Hmmm…the dictionary, encyclopedias and the Bible all say that Gentile means anyone who is not Jewish.

Gethsemane vs. the Cross

D&C 19:18-19; “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.””

John 18:11; “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”

If they’d only spend half the time in the Bible that they do in their false prophecies they’d see the prophecy in D&C couldn’t be true.

Gethsemane vs. Cross

Sermons & Writings of Bruce McConkie, pg. 208; “We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive, the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane…We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name…We know that an angel came from the courts of glory to strengthen him in his ordeal (Luke 22:43), and we suppose it was mighty Michael, who foremost fell that men might be.”

Luke 22:43-44; “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

To all Mormon teachers who propagate this abhorrent theology:  Liar, liar face on fire…

Glory of God is Intelligence

Gospel Standards, pg. 160; “We, of course, seek after knowledge, light, and intelligence and to inform ourselves upon all matters of importance. The glory of God, we have been told by the Prophet Joseph, is intelligence; and we desire to gain knowledge and to become as intelligent as we possibly can…—Era, 24:866.” – Heber J. Grant

John 11:40; “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

“Glory” in the Greek is “doxa” #1391 in Strong’s Concordance.  It means “glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literally or figuratively, objectively or subjectively):—dignity, glory (-ious), honour, praise, worship.”

How did Joseph Smith ever convince all these people that glory of God is intelligence?  Pray for them!

Gnosticism

TPJS, pg. 297; “It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it…The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the faithful and diligent; and every one that does not obtain knowledge sufficient to be saved will be condemned. The principle of salvation is given us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”

Isaiah 46:9-10; “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”

Okay, Smith said it’s not good to know everything at once.

We need to learn just a little bit at a time to understand it all.

The basics of knowledge are the basics of salvation.

This teaching can be understood by the true and faithful Mormons.

If you don’t get enough knowledge you’re damned.

The basics of salvation are received through what Jesus knows.

Huh?

How does your intellect save you?

Gnosticism

Abundant Life, pg. 35; “”It is religious zeal because education is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ as we understand and proclaim it. We believe that a man is saved in the kingdom of God no faster than he gets knowledge, that he cannot be saved in ignorance. We believe that the glory of God is intelligence and that every man’s glory will be determined by the quality and degree of his intelligence.”” – Apostle Hugh Brown

2 Corinthian 4:1-4; “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.  3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

The glory of God is NOT your intelligence!  The glory of God is His presence, His righteousness, His justice.  Our response is that of praise, adoration and honor.

God

Alma 11:44; “…every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.”

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 345; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves…”

Isaiah 3:9; “The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.”

My, what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive…didn’t Smith remember the words he “translated”15 years beforehand?  So much for being the “most correct book on the face of the earth”.

God

2 Nephi 31:21; “And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.”

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 370; “I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preach on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years. I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”

Isaiah 46:9; “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.”

Why couldn’t Joseph just make up his mind about this god that he proclaimed?  Were there more than one god in the godhead or were there not?

God, According to Joseph Smith’s Vision

“Foundation upon Which Church is Built”, Ensign, May 1991, pg. 64; “Joseph Smith was not only a great man, but he was an inspired servant of the Lord, a prophet of God. His greatness consists in one thing—the truthfulness of his declaration that he saw the Father and the Son and that he responded to the reality of that divine revelation. . . .”For the first time in eighteen hundred years, God had revealed himself as a personal being. Furthermore, the Father and the Son demonstrated the undeniable truth that they are separate and distinct personages. Indeed, the relationship of the Father and the Son was reaffirmed by the divine introduction to the boy prophet, ‘This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him.’ (JS—H 1:17.) Those who were baptized into the Church on the sixth of April, 1830, believed in the existence of a personal God; they believed that his reality and the reality of his Son, Jesus Christ, constitute the eternal foundation upon which this Church is built.”Once we accept Christ as divine, it is easy to visualize his Father as being just as personal as he. Christ said, ‘He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.’ (John 14:9.) Faith in the existence of a divine and real and living personal God was the first element that contributed to the perpetuity of the Church of Jesus Christ in ancient times, and it is the everlasting foundation upon which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built today.” – Howard W. Hunter

1 Samuel 15:29; “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

The quote by Mr. Hunter is chock full of lies.  Besides the fact that God is not a man Mr. Hunter was also wrong by proclaiming it was the “first time” in 1,800 years that “God had revealed himself as a personal being”…

The truth is that God had never proclaimed Himself to be a personal being!  The god that presented himself to Smith was in fact a false god.

God and Man are Immortal

Times and Seasons, vol. 5, No. 15, August 15, 1844, p. 615; “The soul, the mind of man, the immortal spirit. All men say God created it in the beginning. The very idea lessens man in my estimation; I do not believe the doctrine, I know better…The mind of man is as immortal as God himself…God never did have power to create the spirit of man at all.” – Joseph Smith

Genesis 2:7; “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Also see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs 352-354.

The god Smith is preaching is obviously not the God of the Bible so why did this man use the Bible at all except to deceive?  

God Became Flesh Because of Man’s Faith  

Ether 3:9-17; “And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?”

Job 38:4; “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”

When has God ever needed mankind for anything? What kind of God would He be if He had to rely upon His creation for things to get done? Is this the kind of God you want to worship?

And really do you truly believe this scenario?  “Did you see my finger – are you sure you didn’t see more than this?”  Hmmm…it makes ya wonder about Mr. Smith…

God: Beholding God

Moses 1:11; “But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.”

Joseph Smith Testimony 1:17; “It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Ask the next Mormon you see if Joseph beheld God with his natural or spiritual eyes.

If it was his natural eyes then how did he survive?

If it was with his spiritual eyes then why doesn’t his testimony reflect this?

God: Can God Lie?

Ether 3:12; “And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.”

2 Nephi 9:34; “Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.”

Abraham 2:22-25; “And it came to pass when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord said unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon;23 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise:24 Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.25 And it came to pass that I, Abraham, told Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me—Therefore say unto them, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.”

Numbers 23:19; “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

Genesis 20:2-3; “And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.”

Today’s dilemma is chock full of topics to explore, but we’re whittling our choices down to one.

Can God lie?

I’m going to just start out by asking the questions I usually do!

Why do Mormon scriptures contradict themselves?

Why do Mormon scriptures contradict the Bible as they do in Numbers and Genesis? God is not a man and His word tells us that He cannot lie. 

Our passage in Genesis puts a screeching halt to any notion that God told Abraham to lie! In fact God was the one who alerted Abimelech about Abraham’s tricky ways. They’re the ones that lied, not God. Abraham and Sarah are the guilty party who tried to take care of things with their own understanding.

If God commands someone to lie where does that put your level of trust in Him? How would we ever know in the future if maybe this is the time He lied again?

If you’re LDS which scripture in your canon do you believe? The passage in 2^nd Nephi says the liar is cast into hell. Does that verse apply to God as well?

What about the verse in Ether? It assures the reader that God can’t lie so why or rather how did God lie in the book of Abraham if Ether says it’s impossible for him to do so?

God Cannot be Seen

Answers to Gospel Questions 2:161; “Question: “How, as the Church claims, could Joseph Smith see God when the Bible clearly states in St. John 1:18, ‘No man hath seen God at any time,’ and in Exodus 33:20, ‘Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live?”…Answer: You quote from Exodus 33:20, “And he said, thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Yet in the same chapter, Verse 11, it reads thus: “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.”…It is to be hoped that you are aware that the Bible has come down to us through many translations and that it has been copied many times; moreover that there is no original manuscript of any of the books of the Bible. The scribes in the beginning and through the years had to write every word by hand. Moreover, the original manuscripts were not written as we write today with separate words but in uncials, that is to say, the words ran together in this fashion so that it became very difficult to discover the correct meaning, and errors crept in.”

Exodus 34:10; “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.”  (See other phrases for “face” such as presence, glory and countenance which all have the same transliterations.)

That’s right, blame the messenger because of your unwillingness to bend the knee.

God Cannot Change

Mormon 9:19; “And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.”

Ps. 102:26; “They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”

I use the Mormon verse above to witness to the missionaries.  I have them read it aloud and then explain to me how God was once a man.

God Changes Not

Mormon 9:9-10; “For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?  And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.”

Malachi 3:6; “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

This is another example of what I use to witness to the Mormon missionaries.  If God cannot change how did he become a god after being a man?

God Changing god of Mormonism

The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 438; “Now, my brothers sisters, as you read of troubles in so many parts of the world, remember that the Lord knew these problems would come, and that even with these problems he has foreseen the growth of this Church and its people.  Be of good cheer, for the Lord is guiding his Church.”

Hebrews 13:5; “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

It would be difficult at best to be cheerful following the god of Mormonism. Following that god entails a fair amount of trust in yourself to hold on and come up with a back-up plan in case things dramatically change as they’ve done in the past.

What do you suppose the early Mormons thought when it suddenly became illegal to have more than one wife? What were the inner thoughts and feelings of the children whose fathers were running from the law and hiding in the basements of their homes? Where is any comfort in such things?

If this church really was from God wouldn’t He have made provision ahead of time for members of the Church to be prepared before judgment upon polygamy fell in America? Families like mine when polygamy became illegal were suddenly on the wrong side of the law and certainly they’d never intended to be in such a compromising position before that time.

Where is God then?

The Bible gives us small glimpses of what it meant to always be faithful when following God. From Noah to the disciples we see a consistency with how God operates even when men change their minds and the laws of the land. The one thing that remains constant is Him.

When God changes His mind to whom do you turn to for comfort?

God Created the Earth vs. Organized

TPJS, pg. 350; “Meaning of the Word Create – You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing; and they will answer, “Doesn’t the Bible say He created the world?” And they infer, from the word create, that it must have been made out of nothing. Now, the word create came from the word baurau which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. fn Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos—chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.”

Isaiah 40:12; “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?”

Joseph Smith’s pride comes shining forth from his sermon noted above.  When I am in conversations with a Mormon about this I use dictionary.com and a Strong’s Concordance.

God Cursed the Waters

D&C 61:13-19; “And now, behold, for your good I gave unto you a commandment concerning these things; and I, the Lord, will reason with you as with men in days of old. 14 Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the waters; but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters. 15 Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters. 16 And it shall be said in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of Zion upon the waters, but he that is upright in heart. 17 And, as I, the Lord, in the beginning cursed the land, even so in the last days have I blessed it, in its time, for the use of my saints, that they may partake the fatness thereof. 18 And now I give unto you a commandment that what I say unto one I say unto all, that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters, that they come not in journeying upon them, lest their faith fail and they are caught in snares; 19 I, the Lord, have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree.”

Really?

God Didn’t Fight Their Battles for Them

Journal of Discourses 5:167; “Brother Heber has been prophesying. You know that I call him my Prophet, and he prophesies for me. And now I prophesy that, if this people will live their religion, the God of heaven will fight their battles, bring them off victorious over all their enemies, and give to them the kingdom. That is my prophecy. I said amen to all that brother Heber prophesied, for it is true; and he may say amen to all that I prophesy, for it is also true.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 30, 1857

God has not fought their battles for them. One of their most beloved doctrines (polygamy) was done away with in 1887.

God doesn’t Dwell in Hearts of Believers

D&C Section 130:3; “John 14:23—The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.”

John 14:23; “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Sadly the Church has chosen one of the most beautiful and comforting verses in the Bible to denounce and degrade.

The English word abode means to tarry in the Greek.  Tarry…it means to remain or stay, to sojourn, linger or wait.

What in that meaning of this verse is false?

What sectarian teaching makes this verse false?

Who said so and where is the proof?

What part of the Greek translates this verse into a personal appearance?

God Dwells in Eternal Fire

TPJS, pg. 367; “God Almighty Himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire.”Our God is a consuming fire.” When our flesh is quickened by the Spirit, there will be no blood in this tabernacle. Some dwell in higher glory than others.”

Psalm 123:1; “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”

If flesh and blood can’t go to the eternal fire where the Mormon god dwells how can he be an exalted man?

God Dwells in Everlasting Burnings

TPJS, pg. 361; “…for God dwells in everlasting burnings, and some shall rise to the damnation of their own filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment as the lake of fire and brimstone.”

Psalm 9:11; “Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.”

I am utterly grateful to the depths of my soul I am not worshipping the god of Mormonism today.

God Dwells in Heart of Believers

Alma 34:36; “And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.”

John 14:16-17; “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

There are a couple of things worth looking into with this verse in the Book of Mormon.

Alma stated that God told them He doesn’t dwell in unholy temples.

1. This is a New Testament phrase (he dwelleth not in unholy temples but in the hearts of the righteous…) and Alma supposedly lived in BC 74. Also see Heb. 9:11, Acts 7:48 and

1 Cor. 3:16-17.

2. Mormons do not believe the Holy Ghost is omnipresent so it’d be impossible for Him to dwell in the hearts of believers (Doctrines of Salvation 1:40).

God, Fury of

Helaman 12:3; “And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.”

John 3:17; “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Did God create a bunch of idiots?  Why wouldn’t His creation remember Him?

God Gives Man Heart to Know Him – (Knowledge of Christ restored)

Doctrines of Salvation 3:210; “KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST RESTORED IN BOOK OF MORMON. It was necessary in the restoration of all things that the people of this continent, who anciently had received the favor and blessing of the Almighty, should be brought to light through their history which contained the prophesying and commandments they received from God. Although it should be, as stated by one of their prophets, as a voice speaking from the dead, out of the dust of the ground, they were nevertheless to speak and bear witness for Christ.”

Jeremiah 24:7; “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.”

Listening to dead spirits from the earth isn’t how God relates to His people.  He does things supernaturally in a holy, righteous manner, not through evil ones.

God, Glory of

D&C 93:43; “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.”

Romans 1:18-23; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”

Again, the glory of God is His mere presence, His righteousness, His justice, His holiness.  The glory of God is also His omnipotence.  Sadly, the Mormons don’t believe He is omnipresent so how can they believe His glory is intelligence?

God Had Sex with Mary

Doctrines of Salvation 1:102; “”When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family; and when he [Christ] took a tabernacle, it was begotten by his Father in heaven, after the same manner as the tabernacles of Cain, Abel, and the rest of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve….”

John 1:15, 18; “John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

Lord Forgive them, for they know not what they do…

God Has a Father

The Seer by Orson Pratt, pg. 132; “We were begotten by our Father in heaven; the person of our Father in Heaven was begotten on a previous heavenly world by His Father; and again, He was begotten by still a more ancient Father ….“

1 Corinthians 12:3; “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”

Like I’ve said before…Mormonism is based upon two things; sex and godhood.

God has No Blood

Matthias F. Cowley, Cowley’s Talks on Doctrine, pg. 73; “The Latter-day Saints regard our Heavenly Father as possessing an actual tabernacle of flesh and bones (not blood), and that in His image man is created. Our views respecting this important subject are based upon the revelations of God to man in ancient and modern times, and regarding which there is no contradiction in the testimony of the prophets. “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” (Gen. i: 26, 27.)”

1 Samuel 15:29; “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

The people making these types of statements either do not know Hebrew or they’re outright lying.

God has No Origin

He wasn’t created and wasn’t on a council of other gods. He doesn’t have to act a certain way so that He doesn’t upset the sensibilities of others. He’s self existent and operates independently of everything!

God, If God Didn’t Exist…

Lowell Bennion, Unknown Testament, pg. 30; “Even if God did not exist, our human life would be rich with good and loving things; but those things would be overshadowed by the ultimate futility that would come with the inevitable end of life. The Old Testament is reassuring about God’s existence and about the purposefulness of human experience. It affirms God’s nature and being as one that thoughtful, sensitive human beings can worship with confidence and with fervor. It is those attributes, as revealed by the Old Testament, that succeeding chapters will explore.”

2 Timothy 2:16; “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

WHAT??????????  What makes you think you’d even be in existence?  To even mouth the words “if God didn’t exist” is blasphemous.  His words are from an unknown testament uttered from an unknown god.

God Incarnate on Earth

2 Nephi 25:12; “But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks.”

Luke 4:12; “And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Why would they be talking like this in 500 BC?  And why would Smith put this in the Book of Mormon when they don’t believe it?

God is “a” Spirit

Are Mormons Christians, pgs. 80-81; “Actually John 4:24 should be translated “God is Spirit” rather than “God is a Spirit,” for there is no indefinite article (a, an) in the Greek language, and it is always a matter of subjective judgment as to when the translator should add one… Like first-century Jewish Christians, the Latter-day Saints do not understand the categories of “spirit” and “element” to be mutually exclusive. According to Joseph Smith, “there is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes” (D&C 131:7). Thus Latter-day Saints understand the term spiritual to mean “infused with spirit,” whereas Hellenized Christianity would under- stand it to mean “incorporeal.””

John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Spirit is not matter.  John 4:24 is inspired by God Almighty and who are you to say what it should have said?

God is a White Man?

Juvenile Instructor, Vol. 3, No. 20, p. 157; “We understand that when God made man in his own image and pronounced him very good, that he made him white.” – George Q. Cannon, October 15, 1868

Gal. 3:28; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Well since Adam’s name means red and he was made from the earth I would venture to say he probably wasn’t white…all things are possible with God but confusion isn’t one of them. 

Furthermore, when the Bible states that God made man in His own image this doesn’t mean God is a man. This phrase is an allegory. The verse in the Bible says; “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” – Gem 1:27

Since Jesus told us in John 4:24 that God is a spirit we know that God isn’t a man so the phrase in Genesis isn’t talking about physical attributes. 

God is Giant or Monster

TPJS, pg. 372; “Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God anyhow—three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization. “Father, I pray not for the world, but I pray for them which thou hast given me.” “Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are.” All are to be crammed into one God, according to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God—he would be a giant or a monster.”

Psalm 111:2-4; “The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.  4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.”

Shame on you Joseph Smith.

God is Immutable

Moroni 8:18; “For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.”

James 1:17; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

So which is it?  Is the Mormon god an exalted man or not?

God, is Omnipotent

Ensign, May 1973, pg. 3; “In section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants, which directed the Prophet Joseph Smith to organize the Church again in this dispensation, we have a revealed summary of some of the basic doctrines of salvation. As to Diety the revelation says: “… there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them.” (D&C 20:17.)… God is our Father; he is the being in whose image man is created. He has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s (D&C 130:22), and he is the literal and personal father of the spirits of all men. He is omnipotent and omniscient; he has all power and all wisdom; and his perfections consist in the possession of all knowledge, all faith or power, all justice, all judgment, all mercy, all truth, and the fullness of all godly attributes.” – Joseph Field Smith

Psalm 139:7-10; “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Indeed God knows everything and is everywhere present!  How comforting it is to know He is our consummate Provider!  I am so grateful I know the One True God of the Bible as opposed to the god I used to worship in Mormonism.

As you will see in the entry below about the nature of God the Mormons have contradicted themselves once again.  If God is omnipotent and omniscient as they claim in the Ensign article noted above, wouldn’t it stand to reason that He is also omnipresent?

God is not Omnipresent

Journal of Discourses 2:345; “Every one knows that it is absurd to believe in a personage being present in two places at once.”But,” says one, nothing is impossible with God.” But I beg to differ with such persons, and inform them, that if the Scripture be true, there are things which are impossible with God; for it is said that it is impossible for Him to lie; and if so, it would be impossible for Him to act inconsistent with truth; He could not place His body in Europe and America at the same time, for that would be inconsistent with the simplest principles of truth.” – Orson Pratt, February 15, 1855, Salt Lake City

Mark 3:29; “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”

Here we go again.  How can God be omnipotent if he’s not omnipresent?

God is Our Literal Father, Brigham Makes Scripture…

We all know how it is with Mormonism.  After studying it for any length of time the shock value wears itself thin and then every once in awhile something I’ve not seen before comes slithering across my desk – such is the case with the speech given here by Mr. Brigham Young.

Every couple of days or so we’ll look at some excerpts from this all important speech which further solidified core doctrinal teachings of the Church. 

The Essential Brigham Young, “I Propose to Speak Upon a Subject that does not Immediately Concern Yours or My Welfare” A Sermon Delivered on 8 October 1854, pgs 89-90; “I feel prepared to take my text; it is the words of Jesus Christ, but where they are in the Bible I cannot tell you now, for I have not taken pains to look at them. I have had so much to do, that I have not read the Bible for many years. I used to be a Bible student; I used to read and study it, but did not understand the spirit and meaning of it…My clerks know how much time I have to read, it is difficult for me to snatch time enough even to eat my breakfast and supper, to say nothing of reading.”

It sounds like Mr. Young had his priorities out of sync. While there are indeed more responsibilities when you’re in a leadership position – the first thing you must do is read His word and be on your knees. 

His words are rather telling…he’s a prophet of God yet he hadn’t read the Bible in many years?

“I tell you my text is in the Bible and reads as follows. “And this is Life Eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.””

Well that verse is from Jesus’ own mouth in the Lord’s Prayer. He prayed this prayer for the disciples after taking communion and partaking of the Passover supper.

John 17:3; “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

“I will now put another text with this and then offer a few remarks, it is one of the sayings of the Apostle Paul. “For though there be that are called gods, whether in Heaven, or in Earth (as there be gods many and lords many) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

The scripture he quotes here is from Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians to abstain from the vanity of idols.

1 Corinthians 8:5-6; “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

We must remember the Ten Commandments at all times. Living in the age of grace doesn’t exclude us from being obedient to His word! 

Exodus 20:3; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

While the Mormons may tell you they only worship the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4 is a good verse to point out), the whole idea they believe another god existed before the One and Only God of the Bible is indeed breaking the 2^nd Commandment!

In Paul’s exhortation he wanted to make it clear that God doesn’t want us to worship any other thing or god other than Him. He’s invited us into His spiritual presence to partake of His blessings and goodness. Working to become a god yourself is turning your back on Him.

We’re called to come into His presence through the workings of the Holy Spirit. How can God impart His Spirit to us when we’re busy working to build our own kingdoms for a future event? Our focus is then shifted from Him to us (me).  

Remember Mark 12:29 – Hear O Israel our God is One!

“This God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of our spirits. I feel inclined here to make a little scripture. (Were I under the necessity of making scripture extensively I should get Brother Heber C. Kimball to make it, and then I would quote it. I have seen him do this when any of the Elders have been pressed by their opponents, and were a little at a loss…”

Wow – alarm bells, red flags and blow horns should all be going off in your head at about this point!

He’s going to make a little scripture? And when he doesn’t do this then Kimball does?  Did God tell them to write more scripture? If Young hadn’t read the Bible in years and didn’t know the location of the scripture he was quoting how would he know if the scripture he’s coming up with is from the Lord?

“This God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ precisely as He is our Father varying from mortality to immortality, from corruptible to incorruptible, and that is all the difference. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, both body and spirit; and He is the Father of our spirits, and the Father of our flesh in the beginning.”

Again the red flags, blow horns and loud screeching noises should be going off all around you!!! 

How exactly is God the father of our flesh?

“You will not dispute the words of the Apostle, that He is actually the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father of our spirits[.] You may add these words to it, or let it alone, it is all the same to me, that He is not only the Father of our spirits, but also of our flesh, He being the founder of that natural machinery through which we have all obtained our bodies.”

And this is scripture? What machinery is he talking about?

God is the Father of our spirits through adoption as Paul told us in Romans 8:14-16; “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

If we’re children through the physical act of man then what did the Apostle John mean in his gospel when he was explaining the nature of Jesus’ existence before His birth?  John 1:12-13?

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

“Do you wish me to simplify it?”

Oh dear…

“Could you have a father without having a grandfather; or a grandfather without having a great grandfather? I never heard of [but] one circumstance that varied from this rule, and that was a son of the Emerald Isle who said he was born of one of his aunts.”

Let’s forego the whole Emerald Isle thing and look at what he’s implying here since he told us this is now scripture.

So God must’ve come here to earth to impregnate a female to get the whole human family off and running.  This teaching is alluding to the false teaching of Adam being God. By this time Young had already introduced this teaching two years prior (See Journal of Discourses 1:51). Today the Church denounces this theory and has cautioned members from believing the teachings of Young in regards to this.

“Does this unlock to your understandings how the Lord Almighty is our natural Father; He set the great machine to working. If you cannot see this truth now, you will if you are faithful, and patient.”

What is clear now is that Mr. Young is a false prophet and because of that we aren’t to trust anything he has to say – ever. 

God is Physical Man

TPJS, pg. 345; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another.”

Hosea 11:9; “I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.”

What happened to Moroni 8:18?

God is Progressing

Journal of Discourses 6:120; “God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end. It is just so with us.” – Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, December 6, 1857

Hebrews 13:8; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Where in the Bible does it say God progresses or that there’s more than one god?  While some of us humans do increase in knowledge there’s a fair amount of us that somehow don’t. Ah-hem.

God is Sovereign

TPJS, pg. 345; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man…”

Exodus 18:11; “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.”

What happened to Moroni 8:18 and Mormon 9:9-10?

God; Man Created God in his Own Image

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 471; “Brother Kimball quoted a saying of Joseph the Prophet, that he would not worship a God who had not a Father; and I do not know that he would if he had not a mother; the one would be as absurd as the other. If he had a Father, he was made in his likeness. And if he is our Father we are made after his image and likeness. He once possessed a body, as we now do; and our bodies are as much to us, as his body to him. Every iota of this organization is necessary to secure for us an exaltation with the Gods.”

Genesis 1:27; “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Mormons and atheists have something in common. They both need to prove God doesn’t exist as the Bible states. Atheists need to prove He doesn’t exist at all and Mormons need to prove He exists in a familial setting. Neither scenario is biblical.

God, Mary Were Married

The Seer, pg. 158; “If none but Gods will be permitted to multiply immortal children, it follows that each God must have one or more wives.…The fleshly body of Jesus required a Mother as well as a Father. Therefore, the Father and Mother of Jesus, according to the flesh, must have been associated together in the capacity of Husband and Wife; hence the Virgin Mary must have been, for the time being, the lawful wife of God the Father.…He had a lawful right to overshadow the Virgin Mary in the capacity of a husband, and beget a Son, although she was espoused to another; for the law which He gave to govern men and women was not intended to govern Himself, or to prescribe rules for his own conduct.”— Orson Pratt

Revelation 2:9; “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”

What a miserable existence to live and have to worship a god like the one portrayed by Orson Pratt.

God: Mormon god Keeps Changing His Mind

Alma 46:21; “…or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression…”

Romans 3:13; “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.”

I’ve discovered dozens of verses in the Book of Mormon with this scenario of the Mormon god changing his mind. Of course there’s a fail proof verse in the Book of Mormon that also says if there are errors it’s the errors of man, not God.  Yeah…right…

God: Name of God

The next time you have an opportunity to share with your Mormon friends and loved ones ask them about their Heavenly Father’s family.

What is the name of the Mormon’s Heavenly Father’s dad?

Did they go through all the endowments & ordinances?

Did they have temples like the Mormon temples we see today?

Why isn’t this talked about in Mormon scripture?

The Mormon Heavenly Father has the name of “Elohim”. This god is an exalted man of flesh and bones (D&C 130:22) who also had a father, who had a father, who had a father….

If all these resurrected exalted men serve as the example of what Mormons are aspiring to why aren’t their names in the annals of Mormon history?

God; Nature of

D&C 130:22; “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”

1 Tim. 6:16; “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

Here we have the basics of Mormonism that says it all.

God Needs Our Permission

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 65; “The eternal laws by which he [“God”] and all others exist in the eternities of the Gods decree that the consent of the creature must be obtained before the Creator can rule perfectly. 15:134.”

1 Corinthians 2:14; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

How could you ever believe that Almighty God who created us would need the stupid opinion or permission of man?

God Needs Satan/Dualism

Encyclopedia of Mormonism pg. 380; “What Satan did not realize in Eden was that what he did in attempting to destroy the Father’s work was actually the very thing needed to fulfill the Father’s plan (Moses 4:6). People could not demonstrate their love of God and their willingness to do the work of righteousness sufficiently to qualify them for exaltation unless they were subject to, and able to overcome, evil and devil adversaries, such as Satan and his hosts (2 Ne. 2:11-22).”

Rev. 20:10; “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

This is so utterly disgusting.  God doesn’t need anything much less evil from a fallen angel.

God of Christianity vs god of Islam

Journal of Discourses 3:39; “…instead of saying that Mahometanism prevailed against Christianity, and that Christianity was in danger of being done away by its prevalence, we would rather say, that where Mahometanism prevailed, it taught and established one truth at least, viz., the true and living God, and so far as this went, it did preserve people from worshipping idols. And had the crescent waved on the tower of London, or on the church of St. Paul, instead of the cross, and had the Mahometan religion been enforced instead of the Roman religion that was enforced for a series of generations, and had tradition riveted what the sword enforced, then that nation and the surrounding nations would have been worshippers of one true God instead of idols; they would have recognized it in theory at least, whether they would have worshipped Him in spirit and in truth or not. But now [Christians] do not recognize Him in theory, for they acknowledge as their god an imaginary being without body, parts, or passions.” – Apostle Parley P. Pratt

Genesis 21:10; “Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.”

Romans 9:7; “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.”

John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Colossians 1:14-16; “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”

If Islam is worshipping the one true God then why aren’t Mormons Muslim?  What is it about the God of the Bible that was so horrible?

Why couldn’t the Church accept Him then and why do they continue to reject Him today?

It seems the seer stones of witchcraft, the hieroglyphics of Egypt, the sword of Islam and yes, even the god of Masonry is always more acceptable to Mormonism before our dear Lord, Christ Jesus.  May He have mercy on my people.

God: Mormon god’s Word Doesn’t Last Forever

Alma 37:21, 24; “And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them…and that ye preserve these interpreters. 24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled…”

1 John 1:5-7; “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Alma 37:21, 24 has been changed.  It used to read directors, not interpreters.

God Names Himself, I AM

In Exodus 3:14 God told Moses to tell people “I AM has sent me to you”. I AM. This name, I AM, is God’s name, Jehovah or Adonai. It literally means the unchanging, eternal, self-existent God.

God certainly isn’t dependent upon the gratitude or good behavior of creation! He created everything in spite of itself, just as Jesus hung on the cross at Calvary. He hung there regardless of whether or not you’d accept Him as the perfect sacrifice because this act is what God deemed necessary, not us!

If God existed or acted on things in this manner He’d be no God at all.  He’d be like the power of Asherah the Israelites would depend on.  Her influence was known in the days of before Christ, but who knows of her now? Practically no one. We read about her in history books and that’s the extent of her. The same can be said of Mulek. He was a very popular god in the days of the Ammonites but that has passed as well. These gods were but a vapor in the scheme of things, yet the Great I AM is still here, He’s still existing just as He did in the days of Moses!

God of This World

Journal of Discourses 4:1; “I have learned by experience that there is but one God that pertains to this people, and He is the God that pertains to this earth—the first man. That first man sent his own Son to redeem the world, to redeem his brethren; his life was taken, his blood shed, that our sins might be remitted.” – Spencer W. Kimball – Salt Lake City, June 29, 1856

2 Corinthians 4:3-4; “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

It’s always amazed me how the very words used by Mormon leaders are the same words in the Bible that condemns their teachings.

God: Omnipotence of God

D&C 19:3; “Retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.”

Isaiah 40:28; “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”

If God is omnipotent as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants then why does he need a body like we do? The human body consists of a system that filters bad things from entering it and when it receives fuel it has strength to perform daily tasks and expels things no longer needed.

Why would God need this type of system if he’s omnipotent?

God; One God in Book of Mormon

Alma 11:27-29, 44; “And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. 28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God? 29 And he answered, No. 44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.”

God or Man – Who Came First?

Gospel Through the Ages, pg 104; “Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the Eternal Father was once a mortal man who passed through a school of earth life similar to that through which we are now passing. He became God—an exalted being—through obedience to the same eternal Gospel truths that we are given opportunity today to obey.”

Genesis 21:33; “And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.”

How could God be eternal if he was once a mortal man?

How did he become a god and who came first…was it another god or was it man?

Our example from the Bible is just one verse where God is referred to as everlasting or eternal.

Furthermore, there are NO verses in the Bible stating God was once a man, on the contrary, we have countless verses emphatically teaching us that God is not a man and there are no other gods before, beside or after Him (Isaiah 43:10-11).

God Reproduces after His Own Kind

Adam, Who Is He, pg. 54; “The Almighty, in creating various forms of life, commanded all to reproduce after their own kind. Man also was commanded to reproduce himself. He could bring forth only after his kind according to the law of God, and he was “after the kind” or order of his Eternal Father in heaven. No lower forms were involved… This is interesting in view of the previous scripture in which all life was commanded to reproduce only after its own kind. Now he says that all forms of life remained in the sphere in which he created them. There was no transfer from one species to another.” – Mark Petersen

Galatians 3:26; “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

I often wonder what the leaders of Mormonism think when they die and see God face to face.  Talk about scary.

God Revealed All Truth on Earth through LDS

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 2; “Embraces All Truth—Our religion measures, weighs, and circumscribes all the wisdom in the world—all that God has ever revealed to man. God has revealed all the truth that is now in the possession of the world, whether it be scientific or religious. The whole world are under obligation to him for what they know and enjoy; they are indebted to him for it all, and I acknowledge him in all things. 8:162.”

Romans 16:24-26; “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”

If this statement by Brigham Young was true then why were there still diseases around and no technology in his day?

God, Rising to the Station of a

Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, pg. 95; “Although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before. . . .”

Isaiah 45:5-6; “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.”

1. You will never become a god.

2. Why would you want to be separated from God?  He doesn’t live in everlasting burnings.

God: Self-Existent God of the Universe

The First 2000 Years, p. 355; “The universe is filled with vast numbers of intelligences, and we further learn that Elohim is God simply because all of these intelligences honor and sustain him as such…if He should ever do anything to violate the confidence or “sense of justice” of these intelligences, they would promptly withdraw their support, and the “power” of God would disintegrate. He would cease to be God.” – W. Cleon Skousen, Former BYU Professor

 Isaiah 44:24; “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.”

Romans 11:33-36; “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his ounselor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

God, Strange Acts of

D&C 95:4; “For the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to prune my vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my strange act, that I may pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”

2 Cor. 3:12-17; “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.  15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.  16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.  17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

1. The Holy Spirit had already arrived.

2. Why would pouring out the Holy Spirit be listed as a “strange act”?

God; Teaching Mormon Youth about the Godhead

The LDS Church has instituted a month long program on teaching Mormon youth about the Mormon godhead.

What I found interesting was a one paragraph synopsis of what young men will learn about their “divine heritage” by discovering the nature of their god.

“In learning about the nature and roles of each member of the Godhead, young men can better understand their identity and divine heritage…”

As a created human being our heritage includes our sin nature. There’s nothing divine about sin and nothing divine in us. To believe otherwise is nothing short of prideful heresy. Those being taught these things can’t be held accountable, but those teaching it and subsequently believing the lies place us on a road that separates us from the One True God.

Pray for all those who sit in these classes this month. The young men aren’t the only people affected. These things are being taught to females as well.

And to make matters even worse the Church has chosen to highlight a brother and sister from Ghana in a video about this teaching series. Their shameless behavior knows no bounds. Not only are they lying to the young folks there about the nature of God, they’re lying to them about being accepted by the Church while being black.  Shame.  These people live in a 3^rd world country, typically destitute, and the Church is exploiting their circumstances because accepting people of all races is the politically correct thing to do nowadays.  Where was the Church 40-50 years ago?

Also pray for the many people leaving the Church and getting saved in Kenya!  We’ve planted another chapter of Life After Ministries in Northern Kenya just last week and looking forward to seeing the fruits God will produce in setting His people free!

God the “Great” Spirit

Alma 22:9-11; “And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem? 10 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? 11 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.”

Why does Alma disagree with Joseph Smith?

History of the Church 6:305; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!”

In the book of Abraham we encounter another problem. Here we find “ancient” teachings from Egypt proclaiming the gods organized the earth.

Abraham 4:25; “And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.”

Also see 18:24-28 & 19:25 which says God is a Spirit as well. 

So we went from God being a “Great” Spirit to an exalted man to the idea there are many gods.

If you’re LDS do you believe God is a spirit?  Do you believe He created all things?

The term “Great Spirit” is similar to the way Native Americans refer to God so why is this in the Book of Mormon and is it the way you as a Latter-day Saint refer to God?

Which story do you believe in and hang your hat on at the end of the day?

The Bible tells us that God created the earth – Genesis 1:1 and that God is Sprit – John 4:24.

God vs. Council of gods

Abraham 4:25; “And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.”

Isaiah 40:13-14; “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”

The book of Abraham sounds so creepy.  Why would you believe in a pantheon of gods?

God was a Sinner Like Us

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 24; “It must be that God knows something about temporal things, and has had a body and been on an earth. Were it not so, he would not know how to judge men righteously, according to the temptations and sin they have had to contend with. 4:271.”

Hebrews 4:14-15; “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Well God has been on earth – His name is Jesus! Sadly the Mormons won’t accept this because it’s not good enough and they believe His word has been translated incorrectly. Even sadder is how they either won’t divulge or don’t know what scriptures have been mistranslated so they disregard all of them when it doesn’t align with Smith’s unfounded revelations.

The god Mr. Young is referring to is their heavenly father, Elohim. eõloòhŒòym of the Bible has never been man as the word tells us, rather the God of the Bible is spirit – John 4:24 – came to earth in  the form of a man – John 1:1, 14 – and dwells inside each believer – John 14:16-26.

The God of the Bible knows only too well what suffering we go through with our sin!  Proof of His understanding is found in the sacrifice of His Son so we don’t have to wallow in our former selves!

God was Resurrected

Doctrines of Salvation 1:76; “Now what is a spiritual body? It is one that is quickened by spirit and not by blood. Our Father in heaven and our Savior and all those who have passed through the resurrection have physical bodies of flesh and bones, but their bodies are quickened by spirit and not by blood, hence they are spiritual bodies and not blood bodies.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11; “He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Ecclesiastes 11:5; “As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.”

Where do these men get their ideas from? Yikes!

1. God has never been resurrected. God is Spirit – John 4:24 and God is not created.

2. First our bodies were created and then our spirits – 1 Cor 15:44-47.

3. God clearly tells us no one knows the exact time our spirits enter our bodies.

4. Where in their teachings are they glorifying God or point to an exact place in the Bible where their teachings can be found?

God Will Destroy the Temple of God:  You

D&C 93:35; “The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple.”

John 14:16-18; “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

Again, there is absolutely no hint of mercy following this type of god so why would you?

God without Body Parts is Nothing

TPJS, pg. 181; “”That which is without body, parts and passions is nothing. There is no other God in heaven but that God who has flesh and bones. John 5:26. As the Father hath life in himself, even so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. God the Father took life unto himself precisely as Jesus did.””

Deuteronomy 4:15; “Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.”

This God of the Bible may be nothing to the Mormon, but for those of us who believe He is EVERYTHING!

God; Who is God?

Alma 31:15; “Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.”

John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

My heart is saddened when I read verses from the Book of Mormon like the one here today. What Mormon believes God is a spirit? If the Mormon god is a spirit then who is the exalted man who begat all the spirit babies in the pre-existence?  Oh my what a tangled web we weave…

God: Who is the Mormon god?

3 Nephi 11:14; “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”

Alma 20:28; “And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?”

D&C 20:19; “And gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship.”

Abraham 4:1; “And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.”

The Mormon people are given so many conflicting messages about their god it’s no wonder there’s confusion in the minds of its members.

In 3^rd Nephi they’re told Jesus is God.

Alma said the Great Spirit is god and created everything in heaven and earth.

In Doctrine and Covenants  their Heavenly Father is the only god.

In Abraham there are countless gods.

If they’re to believe in the one and only true god (heavenly father) ask them which one of the gods their heavenly father worships and if they’re worshipping Jesus as their god or their heavenly father.

God’s Appearance in America circa BC 2,200

Ether 12:20-21; “And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith. 21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.”

Mark 2:16-17; “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Smith wasn’t content with the grandiose story of Jesus showing up in America just after the resurrection, he’s taken it to new heights (or is that lows) with the story in Ether.

The Jardites who supposedly lived during the Tower of Babel fiasco built a ship after being scattered. They sailed to the American continent, settled in and saw many wars just like their counterparts in the Book of Mormon Nephite people.

The Jaredites, named after their leader Jared, also had God visiting them, but with a twist. This time around only the nameless brother of Jared saw God “with an eye of faith” as the Mormons would say…and he alone got to see the finger God showed to him.

God’s Love: Conditional or Not?

Ensign, Dec. 1971; “To love completely with a wholeness even as Christ loved, to manifest a mature and unconditional love in all human relations, would minimize many fears.” First Presidency Message: “With an Eye Single to His Glory” – Editorial, Elder Ronald E. Poelman

Ensign, Feb. 2003, p. 20; “Understanding that divine love and blessings are not truly ‘unconditional’ can defend us against common fallacies such as these: ‘Since God’s love is unconditional, He will love me regardless…’; or ‘Since ‘God is love,’ He will love me unconditionally, regardless…’ These arguments are used by anti-Christs to woo people with deception.
The full flower of divine love and our greatest blessings from that love are conditional – predicated upon our obedience to eternal law.” – Russell Nelson, “Divine Love”

Romans 8:38-39; “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Why would the Lord who’s put so much time, effort and energy into giving us life not love us unconditionally?

If you’re a parent you can appreciate unconditional love and how it works. Parents love their children regardless of their actions. The amount of love I have for my daughters isn’t determined on their behavior. And if we’re like this how much more is God’s love for us?

God’s Love for Us

Helaman 12:7; “O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.”

Romans 3:21-23; “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Do you honestly believe God looks at His creation of mankind as being less than the dust of the earth?  Who would want for their child to die for something less than dirt?

The god of the Book of Mormon is so very fickle.  God’s righteousness isn’t dependent upon man’s behavior, yet the Book of Mormon’s theme say otherwise.

God’s Omniscience

Moroni 7:22; “For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.”

Journal of Discourses 1:124; “Remember that God, our heavenly Father, was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we ourselves, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement; has moved forward and overcome, until He has arrived at the point where He now is.” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1853

Psalm 147:5; “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”

If you’re LDS which God or god do you believe in? The God of the Bible is an uncreated God and has always been God. There never was a beginning or an end for God.

The Book of Mormon god was a “Great Spirit” and a triune type of god that kind of resembled the God of the Bible. As we saw earlier this week though, he isn’t the God of the Bible.

How can this god be everlasting and know everything yet at the same time had to grow in knowledge?

God’s Plan Failed/Better for One Man to Die than a Nation

1 Nephi 4:13; “Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.”

James 4:2; “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Now this story from the book of Nephi is when Nephi went to Laban’s home, found him passed out drunk and summarily decapitated the guy after feeling the Spirit of God told him to kill. Had this Nephi fellow gone to the God of Israel this probably wouldn’t have happened.

The problems in Joseph Smith’s narrative are many; suffice it to say this passage prophesies that Laban had to be killed so the nation of Israel would live.  However, the problem is that every single member of the righteous Israelites turned Nephites died. Every single one.

Why did Laban have to die if all the Nephites died in the end? Wouldn’t God have known they were all going to die off?

God’s Plan for You

Neal Maxwell, That Ye May Believe, pg. 10; “If we criticize God or are unduly miffed over sufferings and tribulation, we are really criticizing the Planner for implementing the very plan we once approved, premortally (see Job 38:4, 7). Granted, we don’t now remember the actual approval. But not remembering is actually part of the plan!”

Jeremiah 29:11-12; “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.”

Oh how convenient we “wouldn’t remember”…ugh…lies from the pit of hell is all this is.

God’s Power

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 18; “God is the source, the fountain of all intelligence, no matter who possesses it, whether man upon the earth, the spirits in the spirit-world, the angels that dwell in the eternities of the Gods, or the most inferior intelligence among the devils in hell. All have derived what intelligence, light, power, and existence they have from God—from the same source from which we have received ours. 8:205.”

Proverbs 25:26; “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.”

Why the obsession of talking about evil spirits in hell? Early Mormon leaders tended to talk about this subject quite often and compared them with their religion or the body of Christ. Why isn’t the focus upon the good things our Lord has created? The Bible tells us to test the spirits to see if they’re from God so why is this man saying otherwise? 1 John 4:1.

Not all power comes from the Lord – evil ideas and power can come from Satan himself – 2 Cor 11:14.

Demonic spirits are ruled by evil in their every thought and action – clearly this is not from our Lord. Jesus even told the people that He wasn’t casting out demons with the power of Beelzebub so His power isn’t being used by those from beneath. Luke 11:14-23.

The other problem in this teaching is the talk of gods. Where in the Bible does it mention there’s an eternity of gods?

God’s Residence

D&C 130:8-9; “The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. 9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s.”

Isaiah 66:1; “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?”

The Bible says nothing about the earth being a giant crystal.  This comes from the mind of a crystal gazer and those participating in witchcraft. 

Godhood?

“You Matter to Him”, Liahona and Ensign, November 2011; “”This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.”” —Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Proverbs 14:5; “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.”

We will not become a god and it’s not God’s job to help us try and become a god.  Liar, liar, face of fire as my kids used to say. 

Godhood

The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, pg. 1; “As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.”

Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.  11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

To the Mormon who teaches this false doctrine:  liar, liar pants on fire!

Godhood and Propagating Spirit Babies

Journal of Discourses 6:275; “After men have got their exaltations and their crowns—have become Gods, even the sons of God—are made Kings of kings and Lords of lords, they have the power then of propagating their species in spirit; and that is the first of their operations with regard to organizing a world.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 28, 1852

2 Thessalonians 3:6; “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”

Again, this is not biblical. There is nothing we’ve learned from God that this is part of our salvation or why we call ourselves Christians. To believe the teachings of Mormonism you will have to completely disregard the Bible and live a life separated from God and Jesus.

Godhood; Becoming a god Like Jesus

Life of Heber C. Kimball, pg 513; “A man may become a God as Jesus Christ did. For this he must prepare himself while in the flesh, that he may be enthroned as a judge is enthroned. I have a desire that my children be crowned, and if I be enthroned I want to have the privilege of wafting myself by the power of God, to visit my children. Everything we see here is typical of what will be hereafter.”

Exodus 20:4-5; “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”

Psalm 135:4; “For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.”

Isaiah 42:8; “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

If God wouldn’t give up His glory to any other god why would it be okay to become a god and have your spirit children give you glory and honor?

God loves us and is jealous over us. It’s not the type of jealousy you and I know here on earth. God’s jealousy isn’t because of envy, but because of His zealous love for us.  The word jealous in the Hebrew means just that – zealous. God can’t sin and jealousy for God isn’t the sinful jealousy we feel as men.

God wants our undivided love and devotion to Him because He has chosen us.

We’re not going to be gods and we’re not going to have polygamous forever families in heaven.

Godhood: Becoming gods

PBS “The Mormons”; “The other bold idea of Mormonism is the idea that man can become God. What does that mean?

It is bold, bold doctrine. It is easy to see why, cavalierly said … that it would be deeply offensive. There is nothing in this that is intended to offend. Where this starts with us is we take literally the fact that we’re children of God … and if children, then heirs, heirs of the Lord Jesus Christ. …

It does not mean any displacing of God. I think that’s one of the first great offenses is that this looks like God is replaceable or removable. There is no teaching of that. Our God will always be our God forever and forever and forever. And Christ will always be Christ forever and forever and forever. But then we would say that we’re divine, at least in spiritual heritage. That’s why we call him our Father in Heaven. And we believe that we have a destiny with him in his company … given growth, the idea of progression and development eternally. … How much time that takes, how much effort is required to achieve that, I do not know and wouldn’t presume to know. … It’s to hope that people will see the divinity in women and men and achieve that — pursue it, live for it, act like it, want it. That’s as much as I know to say about that part of destiny.” – Jeffrey Holland

Isaiah 44:6; “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

What is there in Isaiah’s words that might be misinterpreted? It’s very clear. Very concise and to the point. Nice word placement and proper adjectives have been employed. What is it about this or the myriad of other verses where God describes Himself that’s confusing?  

There is no other god than the King of Israel!  Nada. Nil. No other god. Why must they teach and believe these lies? Oh, Satan is a deceiver and clever indeed! He tricks the minds of even the elect and uses catch phrases that makes us feel all good inside to rule out logic and most importantly God Himself. I wouldn’t be nearly as worried about offending mankind as I would be about offending my Maker.

Godhood: Earning Godhood & Father Adam

Journal of Discourses 6:275-276; “This is a key for you. The faithful will become Gods, even the sons of God; but this does not overthrow the idea that we have a father. Adam is my father; (this I will explain to you at some future time;) but it does not prove that he is not my father, if I become a God: it does not prove that I have not a father.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 28, 1852

Proverbs 25:26; “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.”

And so go those in Mormonism. They were worshipping the God of the Bible in their homelands across the ocean and believed they’d find new truths of the same God here in the States.

Whether they didn’t dare leave or decided they liked the idea of becoming gods themselves is something only the Lord knows.

Either way they forfeited their place with Him in eternity for a false message coming from a false prophet.

Godhood for Keeping Whole Law

Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ, pg 19; “Those who keep the whole law of the whole gospel finally, in celestial exaltation, know God in full. They then think as he thinks, say what he says, do what he does, and experience what he experiences. They are Gods and they have eternal life, which is the name of the kind of life he lives.” – Bruce McConkie

Galatians 2:16; “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Did you get that? No one. No one is justified by the works of the Law.

And don’t forget what James said! If you live by the Law and fail in just one, you’re guilty of them all.  Is this how you want to live your life?

If so then why call yourself a Christian?

James 2:10; “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Furthermore, you, me, your neighbor, nor your bishop will ever become a god! There is only ONE God!

Godhood is Man’s Inheritance

Mormon Doctrine of Deity, pg 257-258; “Thus perfected, the whole family will possess the material universe—that is, the earth and all the other planets and worlds, as an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. They will also continue to organize people and redeem and perfect other systems which are now in the womb of chaos, and thus go on increasing their several dominions, till the weakest child of God which now exists upon earth will possess more dominions, more property, more subjects and more power and glory than is possessed (presently) by Jesus Christ or by his Father; while at the same time Jesus Christ and his Father will have their dominions, kingdoms and subjects increased in proportion.

With these hopes and prospects before us, we say to the Christian world, who hold to immateriality, that they are welcome to their God—their life—their heaven, and their all.

They claim nothing but that which we throw away, and we claim nothing but that which they throw away. Therefore, there is no ground for quarrel, or contention between us.” – BH Roberts

Psalm 103:19; “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.”

If God’s throne is established in the heavens and His kingdom rules where are these other so-called kingdoms going to be?

The arrogance of this philosophy is mind-boggling.  Have mercy on those who’ve been deceived!

Godhood Means Salvation

Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 153; “Each command we obey sends us another rung up the ladder to perfected manhood and toward godhood; and every law disobeyed is a sliding toward the bottom where man merges into the brute world.”

Every single thing a Mormon does in his/her life is because they feel they’re working their way to becoming a god or goddess someday. Without this achievement there is no true salvation for the Mormon. Sadly they don’t trust anything from the Bible unless their inspired leaders have given them the okay to believe little passages here and there. And they typically don’t trust information from any outsiders. 

Imagine isolating yourself and then believing that if you’re not perfect you keep sliding down to hell.

Living a righteous life is admirable, but living righteously apart from God and believing you’re going to heaven is fooling yourself.

Godhood: Mormonism & Godhood

Journal of Discourses 10:251; “…it [Mormonism] embraces all truth, wherever found, in all the works of God and man that are visible or invisible to mortal eye. It is the only system of religion known in heaven or on earth that can exalt a man to the Godhead, and this it will do to all those who embrace its laws and faithfully observe its precepts.” – Brigham Young, October 6, 1863, Salt Lake City

Isaiah 44:6; “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

Brigham Young’s astute observation should be an indicator to those seeking to know and please the One and Only God there is something wrong with the LDS theory of who God is!

First of all there’s the issue of lying on the part of Brigham Young. Mormonism isn’t and wasn’t even in the days of ol’ Brigham, the only religious system that afforded godhood to its followers. Spiritualists and the Native Americans held tight to a polytheistic view of the divine.

Secondly, why would you want your “religion” to embrace anything manmade?

Thirdly, appreciating and desiring the position of being exalted to a “godhead” isn’t indicative of having a humble spirit or heart. It’s rather difficult to truly worship and/or honor God fully when you believe you can become just like He is.  That’s what got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden of Eden!

Last and most importantly, if Mormonism embraced all truth, they wouldn’t have lied about their participation in polygamy, Joseph Smith wouldn’t have committed arson by burning down the Nauvoo Expositor, and its leaders wouldn’t continue to lie to its adherents about the Bible!

Godhood, Work Towards

Church News, July 4, 2009; “We are charged with the responsibility of getting people out of their ruts and routines, out of their problems and their pain, out of their earthly little arguments and ignorance and sins, and take them to the Gods — to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost — ultimately we are to take them toward their own Godhood.” – Jeffery R. Holland

Deuteronomy 4:35; “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.”

People getting out of the ruts and routines, their problems and pains have the awesome blessing of having the Holy Spirit to help them with these things – not your agenda or programs set up to keep them so busy they don’t have time to sit and think about them.

Gods, Becoming

David O. McKay, Pathways to Happiness, pg. 240; “The great secret of human happiness lies in progression. Stagnation means death. With man’s attitude toward service to his fellow men, with his heart compassioned and free from selfish endeavor, he will march on to the goal that is his—to become master, creator, God…this is the mainspring of the actions of the people, embracing all the powers necessary in performing the duties of life.  Discourses of Brigham Young – 133-34.”

1 Kings 18:21; “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

Polytheist: “One who believes in a plurality of gods.” (See www.dictionary.com)

Gods, Born to become

Eternal Man, pg. 41; “To the degree that Christendom denies the genuine fatherhood of God and the genuine sonship of man’s spirit (and both Christendom and the major world religions do deny them) they have lost the image of man’s real origin and therefore the image of his real destiny. They deny the “power of godliness.”All the rapturous things that are said about the love or agape of God who sent His Only Begotten in the flesh are hollow when coupled with the dogma that He did not so love us that He distinguished us from the rest of creation by implanting in us the potential of His own likeness. The dogma “lessens man.” But, as any reference to a contemporary book on theology will show, it also lessens God, even while claiming to dignify Him. Shall we reject the shining truth because it is so shining?” – Truman Madsen

Genesis 3:5; “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

If everyone in the whole Christian world believes one thing and you (the Mormon) are the only one that believes otherwise doesn’t this cause you to pause.

Gods, Council of

TPJS, pg. 348; “I will transpose and simplify it in the English language. Oh, ye lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want to let you know that the Holy Ghost knows something as well as you do. The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds which were created at the time.”

Romans 11:33-36; “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

Please, stop and think.

Are these the words of a humble follower of the Lord?

This was part of the “King Follett Discourse” given just a few months before the death of Joseph Smith.  Many experts on Mormonism believe he was certifiably insane by this point.  The vocabulary he employed shows a man almost desperate with anger in wanting people to believe his theories.

Gods form Worlds of Spirit Children

Orson Pratt, The Seer, pg. 37; “Each God, through his wife or wives, raises up a numerous family of sons and daughters; indeed, there will be no end to the increase of his own children: for each father and mother will be in a condition to multiply forever and ever. As soon as each God has begotten many millions of male and female spirits, and his Heavenly inheritance becomes too small, to comfortably accommodate his great family, he, in connection with his sons, organizes a new world, after a similar order to the one which we now inhabit, where he sends both the male and female spirits to inhabit tabernacles of flesh and bones. Thus each God forms a world for the accommodation of his own sons and daughters who are sent forth in their times and seasons, and generations to be born into the same. The inhabitants of each world are required to reverence, adore, and worship their own personal father who dwells in the Heaven which they formerly inhabited.”

Isaiah 45:5-6; “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:  6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.”

Again, this is a classic example of polytheism.

Gods; Each god has Millions of Children

Orson Pratt, The Seer, pg. 37; “As soon as each God has begotten many millions of male and female spirits and his Heavenly in heritance becomes too small, to comfortably accommodate his great family, he, in connection with his son, organizes a new world after a similar order to the one which we now inhabit, where he sends both the male and female spirits to inhabit tabernacles of flesh and bones.”

Hosea 10:12-13; “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.  13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.”

Oh my goodness, can you just imagine such a scenario?

Gods, Each World has Their Own

Journal of Discourses 2:346; “One world has a personal God or Father, and the inhabitants thereof worship the attributes of that God, another world has another, and they worship His attributes, and besides Him there is no other; and when they worship Him they are at the same time worshipping the same attributes that dwell in all the personal Gods who fill immensity.” – Orson Pratt, February 18, 1855, Salt Lake City

Isaiah 47:12-14; “Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.  13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.  14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.”

Unbelievable.  How?  Why?  Where is your mind?

Gods in Embryo

Miracle/Forgiveness, pg. 3; “…Through him God has abundantly confirmed that man is the supreme creation, made in the image and similitude of God and his Son, Jesus Christ; that man is the offspring of God; that for man, and man alone, was the earth created, organized, planted and made ready for human habitation; and that, having within him the seeds of godhood and thus being a god in embryo, man has unlimited potential for progress and attainment.”

Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “Idols”; “Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes.”

After reading things from Kimball, Smith, Young and Pratt why is it I feel like I need to shower?

Gods Formed Before the Only True God

Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 105; “As early as February 16, 1832, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith the sublime truth that “men may become gods.” Among many other important truths revealed to Joseph and Sidney Rigdon that day, God showed them a vision of the three degrees of glory and explained to them who should be assigned to each degree.”  (Also see JST Is. 43:10-11)

1 Kings 18:21; “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

Yeah, Smith’s thoughts were sublime all right.

Gods, Galaxies

Answers to Gospel Questions 2:143; “In the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith the idea throughout the world in relation to the universe was exceedingly vague. Great discoveries were made during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The knowledge is now revealed that there are throughout the universe millions, in fact, innumerable galaxies—island universes—of stars…Evidently each of these great systems is governed by divine law; with divine presiding Gods, for it would be unreasonable to assume that each was not so governed. As the discoveries increase—and we have learned but a few of the principles concerning them—more and more knowledge may be imparted, but the fulness will never come to mortal minds restricted to mundane things. The time will eventually come, when time and mortality are changed and immortality comes, that all things will be made known to those who have obtained the exaltation.”

Isaiah 44:24-25; “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; ²⁵That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish.”

So who are all these gods?

Gods, How to Become

Journal of Discourses 6:275; “I expect, if I am faithful with yourselves, that I shall see the time with yourselves that we shall know how to prepare to organize an earth like this—know how to people that earth, how to redeem it, how to sanctify it, and how to glorify it, with those who live upon it who hearken to our counsels.  The Father and the Son have attained to this point already; I am on the way, and so are you, and every faithful servant of God.  One of the greatest queries on the minds of the Saints is to understand the nature, the principle of the foundation of our existence.” – Brigham Young, August 28, 1852

Psalm 16:4; “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.”

The sorrows of Brigham Young that the Bible speaks of have unfortunately been passed on down to the ninth generation now.

Gods; Knowing Your Egyptian Gods

Abraham 1:9; “And it came to pass that the priest made an offering unto the god of Pharaoh, and also unto the god of Shagreel, even after the manner of the Egyptians. Now the god of Shagreel was the sun.”

The Egyptian sun god was Ra not Shagreel, whatever that is.

Gods; Lots and lots and lots of gods in Mormonism

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 370; “I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preach [sic] on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years. I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”

1 Timothy 2:5; “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

So how many gods are there in Mormonism; one or three? And technically aren’t there more than three when you believe the Mormon god had a father who had a father who had a father…?

In reality and what you won’t hear much talk of lately is that Mormons believer there are billions upon billions of gods, not just one and not just three.

Who’s telling the truth?  Is it Alma or Joseph Smith?

Gods Make up the Godhead

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 576; “Three separate personages — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost — comprise the Godhead. As each of these persons is a God, it is evident, from this standpoint alone, that a plurality of Gods exists. To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three are the only Gods we worship.” – Bruce McConkie

Exodus 20:3; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Technically this is called polytheism.  If you believe more than one god exists you are a polytheist.

Gods: Personality of Your god

Journal of Discourses 2:346; “One world has a personal God or Father, and the inhabitants thereof worship the attributes of that God, another world has another, and they worship His attributes, and besides Him there is no other; and when they worship Him they are at the same time worshipping the same attributes that dwell in all the personal Gods who fill immensity.” – Orson Pratt, February 18, 1855, Salt Lake City

Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

While Isaiah sounds pretty clear and direct, to the Mormon it means there are no other gods or saviors for this world/earth. 

Gods; Plural Gods of Mormonism

Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:31-32; “All the times of their revolutions, all the appointed days, months, and years, and all the days of their days, months, and years, and all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times—32 According to that which was ordained in the midst of the Council of the Eternal God of all other gods before this world was, that should be reserved unto the finishing and the end thereof, when every man shall enter into his eternal presence and into his immortal rest.”

2 Samuel 7:22; “Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

How does the Mormon go throughout their lives believing in Mormonism and reading scriptures like this in the Bible?

I know for me personally I couldn’t reconcile the discrepancies in my heart or mind. My heart goes out to those who feel trapped and see no way out. 

Pray for those who are in that kind of life. Pray the Lord gives them strength to do what they know they must do and pray for their protection.

Gods; Plural Gods of Mormonism – again

D&C 132:19-20; “…and if ye abide in my covenant… 20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.”

1 Cor. 6:9-10; “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Joseph Smith qualified himself to be in the categories of over half the descriptions in those two verses from Paul. 

I’ve always wondered…if you’re going to be a god someday to whom does the worship go to when you have your own planet with people? Mormons say that God won’t lose any worship when this happens, but how can this be if others are worshipping you and not him?

Gods: Redeemed Gods

The Seer, pg 23-24; “The Gods who dwell in the Heaven from which our spirits came, are beings who have been redeemed from the grave in a world which existed before the foundations of this earth were laid…These Gods, being redeemed from the grave with their wives are immortal and eternal and will die no more. But they and their wives will be supremely happy. All the endearing ties of conjugal love which existed in the bosoms, when terrestrial and fallen beings, are now greatly increased and perfected which serve to swell their souls with feelings of rapturous delight, and unbounded love towards each other, and with joys that are everlasting.” – Orson Pratt

Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

This is my absolute favorite passage of scripture where God definitively expresses Himself to us and repudiates the notion of godhood status!

As a Mormon I’d never seen this before so you can imagine my surprise – I’m sure it’s like that for all ex-Mormons! 

There is no god before God.

There is no god beside or alongside God. 

There is no god after God. 

God alone is God, He always has been and always will be!  PTL!!!

Gods: The gods Organized the Earth

Abraham 4:1; “And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.”

Jeremiah10:11; “Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.”

While doing my Bible study the other day I came across this verse in Jeremiah that I hadn’t noticed before and immediately thought about the book of Abraham and Mormonism.

What ever will they do when confronted by the Lord about their gods that didn’t organize or create the earth?

My heart hurts for those who believe the lies. Everything they believe in is refuted by none other than God and He’s made it pretty simple for us to see and know what to expect.

Gods; Ye are gods

LDS Hymns #301, I am a Child of God;

“I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here.

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him some day.

I am a child of God,

And so my needs are great;

Help me to understand his words

Before it grows too late.

I am a child of God,

Rich blessings are in store;

If I but learn to do his will

I’ll live with him once more.”

Note:  The Biblical Reference cited at end of this hymn was Psalm 82:6.

Psalm 82:5-7; “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

The sad part of this song isn’t only that it’s blasphemous but that they have ingrained these words into each and every little child in their midst.

Gods; Ye Shall be

D&C 132:20-21; “Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.  21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.”

John 10:34; “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”

Like I’ve said before; Mormonism is nothing but a belief in sex and godhood and you can’t get one without the other.

Gods, You May Become

Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual, p. 358; “Bretheren, 225,000 of you are here tonight.  I suppose 225,000 of you may become gods.  There seems to be plenty of space out there in the universe.” – President Spencer W. Kimball

John 1:1; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

I wonder how many of those missionaries ended up leaving the Church.  History tells us that more than 50% will leave the Church when they return home.

Gold and Silver Grow

Journal of Discourses 1:219-220; “Gold and silver grow, and so does every other kind of metal, the same as the hair upon my head, or the wheat in the field; they do not grow as fast, but they are all the time composing or decomposing.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1852

Revelation 21:8; “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

False prophecy.  Leave him alone; don’t believe a single word that came out of that man’s mouth.

Golden Plates

History of the Church 1:16; “Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crosswise of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them.”

Matthew 6:24; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Smith was fixated with treasures in the earth.  Interestingly enough he recorded he went back to the same place on the same day every year for four years.  The day was the Autumnal Equinox – a sacred day for witches who worship in groves.

Gold Plates: Were the Golden Plates Real?

D&C 17:1-4; “Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea. 2 And it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old. 3 And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with your eyes, you shall testify of them, by the power of God; 4 And this you shall do that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., may not be destroyed, that I may bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men in this work.”

Proverbs 14:12; “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

If the golden plates of Mormonism were real, why would they need faith to see them? I don’t need faith when I see my husband or kids to know they’re my family!

Why was it necessary for the witnesses to testify of them in order for Joseph not to be destroyed?

What word were they to rely upon to see the plates?  I thought they just needed to have faith to see the plates. This says they must rely on God’s word and have faith they’d see the plates. 

Gold Plates; Where are the Golden Plates?

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 327; “Moroni deposited the plates in the Hill Cumorah in about 421 A.D., and then as a resurrected being revealed the hiding place to the Prophet on September 22, 1823. Four years later the Prophet was permitted to obtain possession of them, but the actual translation of the portion we now have as the Book of Mormon did not take place until between April 7 and June 11, 1829. Thereafter the plates were returned to the custody of Moroni. (Jos. Smith 2:27-65; D. & C. 27:5; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, pp. 215-226.)”

Jeremiah 31:33; “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Psalm 40:8; “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”

This God of the Bible – (our God!)  – has done so much for us! From the time of the Law to the last word penned by the Apostle John, the Lord provided direction for everything and in the bargain gave us assurance of our salvation. 

What is there to gain in anything else but God’s word? Where is the eternal promise of God in a gospel with continuing revelations?

If there’s anything tangible in this new revelation from God then where is it and why can’t we see it? While original texts from the Bible are no longer extant we have enough available to verify what the Bible says – not to mention the findings of the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls showing us that 99% of our Bible is textually pure. See more info on this in our Mentoring Handbook here.

God doesn’t just have people write things down and then demand they be given back to some mysterious angel.

Where is Hill Cumorah or the cave these golden plates were originally buried in? 

Why didn’t anyone ever physically handle, touch or see the plates but Joseph Smith? 

Why won’t any credible non-LDS Egyptologist substantiate that Reformed Egyptian is a verifiable language of Ancient Egypt? 

And finally, why wasn’t the Bible good enough for Joseph Smith? What proof did he have our Bible wasn’t translated correctly and showing us that God is unreliable? 

His word tells us that it’s trustworthy. Paul told the Corinthians to hold onto the gospel that he preached. The Bible reminds us to continue in the faith that we learned and knew as children – 2 Timothy 3:14-15. Isaiah told us His word endures forever – Isaiah 40:8. 

And of course we can’t forget Jeremiah. It’s here when God told His children that He’d write His law on our hearts and make a new covenant with the Israelites. This happened with the advent of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.  

Why would God just out of the blue introduce this evolving gospel on golden plates that no one can verify? And why would He change the game plan after giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins?

Golden Plates: Where are They?

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 327; “Moroni deposited the plates in the Hill Cumorah in about 421 A.D., and then as a resurrected being revealed the hiding place to the Prophet on September 22, 1823. Four years later the Prophet was permitted to obtain possession of them, but the actual translation of the portion we now have as the Book of Mormon did not take place until between April 7 and June 11, 1829. Thereafter the plates were returned to the custody of Moroni. (Jos. Smith 2:27-65; D. & C. 27:5; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, pp. 215-226.”

Deuteronomy 18:10-12; “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”

How convenient there is no evidence.  With the Bible we have ample evidence to prove the writings are authentic.

Good Friday

Mormonism Ignores Good Friday Mormon Dilemma 71

Answers to Gospel Questions 5:155 “Question: “Can you please tell me why members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not observe Good Friday as other Christians do?”

Answer: The reason why we do not observe Good Friday should be clear enough.  Easter is taken from a pagan spring holiday, that was governed by the moon. The Roman Catholic Church connected the birth of the Savior with this pagan ceremony. As you know, Easter is governed by the moon, and this spring pagan festival was celebrated according to the moon, any time in March and the end of April.  THE RESURRECTION DATE DID NOT VARY.

Now as you well know that the resurrection did not vary and it is foolish to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord at the end of March or the first of April, or middle of April or near the first of May, and put Good Friday the Friday before the Easter Sunday. I think you are wise enough to see the foolishness of it. The resurrection of the Savior does not vary year by year but it is a constant thing. Why should we follow the silly custom rather than to have one day for the resurrection?”

1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 23-24 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

It makes my heart sick to read the response given in the LDS reference.  May we always remember to pray diligently for my people and as the song goes, “May we follow God’s own fool, believe the unbelievable, and come be a fool as well…”  (© Michael Card).

Amy Carmichael once said; “If I covet anything but the dust at the foot of the Cross then I know nothing of Calvary Love”.

Gospel

Ensign, November 2008, pg. 34; “All the knowledge of the gospel which is meaningful for our salvation can be summarized in a few points of doctrine, principles, and essential commandments.” – Gérald Caussé

Romans 5:8; “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Shema.  Salvation is found in Jesus and obeying the two things He commanded us to do.  Love God and your neighbor.

Gospel

The Life and Teachings of Jesus & His Apostles, p. 351; “But the Lord, through his grace, appeared to man, gave him the gospel or eternal plan whereby he might rise above the carnal and selfish things of life and obtain spiritual perfection.  But he must rise by his own efforts and he must walk by faith.”

Romans 6:22-23; “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

How do you raise yourself up when there is no hope?  Jesus is the lifter of our heads.  If it were by our own merits that we should walk then no one would be worthy.

Gospel

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 1; “The Gospel of the Son of God that has been revealed is a plan or system of laws and ordinances, by strict obedience to which the people who inhabit this earth are assured that they may return again into the presence of the Father and the Son. 13:233.”

Romans 10:9; “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

1. The gospel means the “good news”.  What is the good news in finding out you still won’t be worthy without a lifetime of works?

2. We’ve never lived with God in heaven.

Gospel in BC Era

Gospel Through the Ages pg. 86; “The Nephites came from Jerusalem and brought with them the practices of the Law of Moses; yet it seems that their religious life was governed during the first 600 years by a combination of the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Prov. 1:24-28; “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.  28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.”

Common sense tells us this is nothing but a fabrication in an imaginary world.

Gospel Always the Same

TPJS, pg. 264; “Now taking it for granted that the scriptures say what they mean, and mean what they say, we have sufficient grounds to go on and prove from the Bible that the gospel has always been the same, and the officers to officiate, the same; the ordinances to fulfill its requirements, the same, and the signs and fruits resulting from the promises, the same…”

1 Peter 1:25; “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

The meaning of the word “gospel” is “good news”.  The good news is that we are saved by grace through faith and not works.

Gospel; Any Other Gospel

History of the Church 6:365; “…I beseech you to go forward, go forward and make your calling and your election sure; and if any man preach any other Gospel than that which I have preached, he shall be cursed…”

Galatians 1:6-8; “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.”

Well there are a few things to look at in this passage of Mormon history.

1. Why is he quoting the Bible if he doesn’t trust it?

2. He left out the part of Paul’s warning about an angel delivering another gospel – hmmm…I wonder why.

3. Would the prophets of Mormonism today be accursed? The gospel of Joseph Smith’s day is not the gospel of 21^st century Mormonism. No polygamy, no restrictions on people’s color, temple ordinance changes have been made and Mormon sentiments towards Christianity (at least publicly) have all changed drastically over the years.

Gospel Cannot Change

Church News, pg 16 (June 5, 1965); “When the Lord commands us to become like Him, He really intends that we shall do so.  But since He never changes, and since human nature is always the same, identical conditions are required to bring that human nature into harmony with the unchangeable God.  “For that reason, the Gospel must always be the same in all its parts.”  To say that the Gospel may be changed is to say that either God has changed, or that human nature is no longer human nature.”  It is obvious, therefore that no one change the Gospel, and that if they attempt to do so, they only set up a man-made system which is not the Gospel, but is merely a reflection of their own views. And since only God can save, only His Gospel can save, and if se substitute “any other Gospel,” there is no salvation in it.”

Matthew 7:15; “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

1. The Mormon god is always changing. He once was man, now is a god, therefore, he can’t be unchanging.

2. The Mormon gospel is always changing. They’ve done away with polygamy, the ban on blacks, and the temple oaths change…

3. The Mormon plan of salvation doesn’t include “by grace ye are saved”. It is through works of man that man is saved.

4. The Mormon gospel is a new gospel introduced by an angel of light, Moroni, to an uneducated teenage boy in upstate New York. 

Their news almost sounds okay, but as Jesus said, “inside they’re ravening wolves”!

Gospel Free to Everyone

Journal of Discourses 20:267; “Again, we are told to go and preach the Gospel to every creature; and there is a great deal of pains being taken to do this. What is it? The Gospel of life and salvation. Is it free to all? Yes, free as the streams that pass your city, and all are invited. Some do not like it. What of that? We cannot help that; we are going to perform the work that God has set us at, and we will treat all men right.” – John Taylor, Ogden, Utah, March 2, 1879

Romans 6:23; “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The Mormon gospel of salvation is as free as the Gulf of Mexico is free of oil right now.  You can see them both clearly but they’ll never mix well together.

Gospel: Man is Self-existent and Can Advance

TPJS, pg. 354-355; “The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge…This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. They are given to my by the revelations of Jesus Christ; and I know that when I tell you these words of eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know that you believe them.”

Matthew 5:3; “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

How can you be self-existent and be with God  This makes it sounds like God just woke up after a drunken stupor one day and found himself surrounded by a bunch of people.  How pathetically sad.

Gospels, Men with Other; the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 574-575 and Faith, pg. 2; “Martin Harris (1783-1875), a New York farmer, was one of the Three Witnesses to the divine origin of the Book of Mormon…In June 1829, Martin Harris, along with Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, prayed and received no answer. Harris blamed himself for the failure and withdrew. The Prophet, Cowdery, and Whitmer prayed again and were shown the gold plates of the Book of Mormon by the angel Moroni. Subsequently, the angel appeared to Harris and Joseph Smith. In this vision, Harris heard the voice of God say that Joseph’s translation was correct, and Jesus Christ commanded Harris to testify of what he had seen and heard. The testimony of the Three Witnesses is printed in the Book of Mormon (see Book of Mormon Witnesses).”

“In the early days of the restoration of the Church, Sidney Rigdon did not retain his membership in the kingdom even though he had, with Joseph Smith, witnessed marvelous signs. Had he not participated in the great vision, and had he not been the recipient of many revelations? Yet despite all these manifestations from our Heavenly Father, he did not remain in the kingdom…Oliver Cowdery saw many signs. He handled the sacred plates; saw John the Baptist; received the higher priesthood from Peter, James, and John; and was the recipient of many great miracles; and yet they could not hold him to the faith.”

Ezekiel 13:2-4; “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!  4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.”

After reading the accounts of those grown men having visions out in a forest somewhere, why would you believe a word they had to say?

Gospel Message is Timeless

Church News, March 31, 1990; “The Church was barely 20 years old when Apostle Parley P. Pratt spoke those words in general conference on Friday, Sept. 6, 1850… The concerns then seem to be largely the concerns now. And while the Church’s circumstances since have changed vastly, the message of the gospel proves timeless, adapting readily from words spoken before a shaded pulpit to today’s satellite-beamed signals.”

1 Corinthians 2:4-5; “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

For the Mormon, the gospel was first spread by Adam.  Be careful of what they say and read between the lines.

Gospel of Mormonism, Meaning of the

3 Nephi 27:14; “Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil”

2 Timothy 1:9; “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”

1. The Mormons do not believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins.

2. Why would you have to stand before Jesus to be judged if you’re a believer?  You’re only judged by your works if you don’t live under grace.

Gospel Ordinance

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 548; “Most of these rites and ceremonies, as illustrated by baptism and celestial marriage, are essential to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God; some of them, such as the blessing of children and the dedication of graves, are not ordinances of salvation, but are performed for the comfort, consolation, and encouragement of the saints.”

Hebrews 10:10-14; “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

In an earlier entry the Mormon teachings claimed the gospel life is free.

Gospel Ordinances

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 1032; “One is fully accepted of God and is “of God” if, and only if, she or “he obey mine ordinances” (D&C 52:14-19).”

Luke 9:33; “And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.”

Like Peter the Mormons don’t know what they’re saying.

Grace

Ensign, April 1981, pg. 17; “While all of us were born into a situation where we are separated from God because of Adam (this we shall recognize as a form of spiritual death), we (only those who are accountable, of course) remain in that state because of our own personal fall which results from our own sins. The Doctrine and Covenants clearly points out, however, that we could enter back into God’s presence in this life if we would but purify ourselves from sin—or, in the terms we are using, overcome the effects of our own personal fall. (See D&C 67:10, D&C 88:68; D&C 93:1; see also Ether 3:13.) This purification from sin strongly involves the role of works—works of repentance and obedience are indispensable to the achievement of such a high and holy privilege.” – Gerald N. Lund

Titus 3:5; “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”

Told you so – it’s all about works if you’re a Mormon.  Their religion is a works based salvation religion which means NO GRACE! 

Grace is a Lie

Miracle of Forgiveness, pg 206; “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation. Along with all the other works necessary for man’s exaltation in the kingdom of God this could rule out the need for repentance. It could give license for sin and, since it does not require man to work out his salvation, could accept instead lip service, death-bed “repentance,” and shallow, meaningless confession of sin.” – Spencer W. Kimball

Well I really don’t know how he’d explain this one to the Lord.  Funny thing about this is how non-believers hold to the same philosophy this man did. 

All of the Old Testament points to the crowning events in history that Jesus would die on the cross for the sins of man and be resurrected. All of the New Testament focuses upon these two events as well.

What more could God do for mankind than what He’s already done? Why isn’t the cross enough and why aren’t God’s promises held in the Bible enough to sedate man’s inquiries regarding their purpose in life and eventual destination?

Graven Images: Seagulls, Joseph, Brigham & Hyrum

Mosiah 12:36; “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.”

Exodus 20:4; “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.”

Why are there statues in Salt Lake City of seagulls, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young?

Moreover, why are there statues in Carthage, Illinois of Joseph and Hyrum?

Why are there engraved images of stars, moons and the sun on Nauvoo and Salt Lake Temples?

If you’re LDS do you understand or have you studied what the graven images mean on the outside walls of the Salt Lake or Nauvoo temples?

Grease Spot Prophecy

Millennial Star, Vol. 22, No. 29, (July 21, 1860), pg. 455; “I prophesied by virtue of the holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government and God shall damn them, and there shall be nothing left of them – not even a grease spot!“.

2 Timothy 2:25-26; “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

That prophecy was actually made in December of 1843.  It has been 167 years since he made that claim and here we still are in 2010 putzin’ right along.

Great Apostasy

Restored Church, pgs. xxiii-xxiv; “It was the leadership of great Jews, men like Peter, James, John, and Paul, who, during the first century, by sheer weight of personality, and the fervor of their testimony, held the churches in some semblance of order. When these great Jewish leaders were silenced by death there were none to replace them. The Jewish nation had rejected the Gospel, and the Greek and Roman converts though often exceedingly brilliant and capable, nevertheless lacked the fundamental foundations in tradition and training to comprehend the spiritual Kingdom established by Jesus Christ.” – William E. Berrett

Acts 7:51; “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”

What about Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Digellius Saturninus, Speratur, Donata, Perpetua, Origen, Fabian, St. Lawrence, Cassian…?  These are but a few of the martyrs that went to their death confessing Christ Jesus as Lord and God.  All of the examples here lived and breathed their very lives proclaiming Jesus.  Cassian lived circa 298 AD.  To get an exhaustive list of how Christianity grew and thrived click here.

Greatest Responsibility of Mormons

Missionary service

Preach My Gospel, pg. 13; “Surely taking the gospel to every kindred, tongue, and people is the single greatest responsibility we have in mortality…” – Howard W. Hunter

Seeking after the dead

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 356; “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead.”

So which is it? Necromancy in the temples or missionary service to bring in more converts? This is the problem with not telling the truth, things get confusing after awhile.

Groves

From the website www.josephsmith.net; “”On the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring” of 1820, young Joseph went into these woods to pray, to a place where he “had previously designed to go.”  Here, God the Father and His resurrected Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith to commence the Restoration of the gospel in the latter days.

Joseph Smith’s family moved away from this farm in 1830. The Church acquired the land in the early 1900s. The exact location of Joseph Smith’s First Vision is unknown, but it occurred somewhere within a 10-acre forest on the western boundaries of the farm. This forest has been referred to as the Sacred Grove since 1906.”

1. Joseph Smith—History 1:14.

2. Joseph Smith—History 1:15.

Deut. 16:21-22; “Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.  22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.”

Note:  You can read the entire account of Smith’s experience in Joseph Smith’s History located in the Pearl of Great Price.

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