Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged bible, Creator, elohim, false gospel, God, gospel, mormonism, truth on 01/03/2011| 1 Comment »
January 3 – elohim. In the Hebrew this mighty name for God means creator and the fullness or the Deity of God. In Gen. 1:26 God said; “Let Us make man in our image, after our likeness”.
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As Christians we understand and know the Deity means Trinity. The other meaning for the word elohim means pagan gods, rulers, kings, or principalities.
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Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. In addition to this, they call their Heavenly Father, Elohim. Ask them which elohim they are worshipping.
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged false gospel, God, Jesus literal brother, Mary, mormonism on 12/19/2010| Leave a Comment »
December 19 – Mark 3:35; “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”
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We see here the simplicity of Jesus’ words. If you love and obey Him you are His brother and sister. The LDS Church teaches that their heavenly Father and heavenly Mother spiritually created all of us (Jesus and Lucifer included) through a sexual union; thereby making everyone literal brothers and sisters.
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“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. In that great concourse of spirit-intelligences, the Father’s plan, whereby His children would be advanced to their second estate, was submitted and doubtless discussed. The opportunity so placed within the reach of the spirits who were to be privileged to take bodies upon the earth was so transcendently glorious that those heavenly multitudes burst forth into song and shouted for joy.” James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pg. 8.
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged God, God incarnate, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miracle, virgin birth, Virgin Mary on 11/29/2010| Leave a Comment »
November 29 – John 2:7-9; “Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom.”
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Here we have the first miracle of Jesus! Isn’t it an amazing passage to think upon? There are many subjects to study within this small passage of scripture. From the meaning of the water in the waterpots; to the actual miracle itself and showing the servants that He had arrived! Mary obviously knew and now the world was about to experience the miracle of how He could change their lives. The LDS Church has tried to make this miracle into something it is not; degrading the Lord.
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“It will be borne in mind that once on a time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and on a careful reading of that transaction, it will be discovered that no less a person than Jesus Christ was married on that occasion. If he was never married, his intimacy with Mary and Martha, and the other Mary also whom Jesus loved, must have been highly unbecoming and improper to say the best of it….I will venture to say that if Jesus Christ were now to pass through the most pious countries in Christendom with a train of women…and unmarried, or even married, he would be mobbed, tarred, and feathered, and rode, not on an ass, but on a rail. What did the old Prophet mean when he said (speaking of Christ), “He shall see his seed, prolong his days, &c.” Did Jesus consider it necessary to fulfil every righteous command or requirement of his Father? He most certainly did…Was it God’s commandment to man, in the beginning, to multiply and replenish the earth? None can deny this, neither that it was a righteous command…Did Christ come to destroy the law or the Prophets, or to fulfil them? He came to fulfil. Did he multiply, and did he see his seed? Did he honour his Father’s law by complying with it, or did he not? Others may do as they like, but I will not charge our Saviour with neglect or transgression in this or any other duty.” Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols, 4: 260.
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged adoption, Bruce McConkie, false gospel, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, lies, mormonism, salvation, sons of god, truth on 11/28/2010| Leave a Comment »
November 28 – Romans 8:15; “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.”
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Strong’s says this about the word adoption from Romans 8:15; “the placing as a son, that is, adoption (figuratively Christian sonship in respect to God):—”
Adoption in Biblical times meant that when you adopted someone, by law, you could never disown them; whereas you could legally disown your own flesh and blood, this was not a possibility with adopted children. What a relief this verse and others like it bring to us! Knowing there is nothing we could do now or in the future, our placement is certain with Him! Read today how complicated the Mormon Church has made it for their followers to understand such a simple truth as adoption.
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“By the law of adoption those who receive the gospel and obey its laws, no matter what their literal blood lineage may have been, are adopted into the lineage of Abraham. (Abra. 2: 9-11) “The effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile,” the Prophet says, “is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham.” Such a person has “a new creation by the Holy Ghost.” (Teachings, pp. 149-150.)…Indeed, the faithful are adopted to the family of Christ; they become “the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters”; they are “spiritually begotten,” for their “hearts are changed through faith on his name,” thus being “born of him,” becoming “his sons and his daughters.” (Mosiah 5:7.)” Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 23.
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged bible, Eternla, exaltation, false gospel, God, godhood, gods, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, mormonism, polytheism, truth on 11/28/2010| Leave a Comment »
November 27 – Jude 1:21; “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
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Today we’re looking at the word eternal to see what it means. The Greek word for eternal from this verse is; aioônios. The transliteration for eternal from the Strong’s Concordance is: “perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):—eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).”
So today ask your Mormon friend what his understanding is of this word when Milton Hunter and Joseph Smith says that God is eternal, yet he was once a man like us and then became a god himself.
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“God Himself was once as we are now…It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us, yea, that God Himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did.”
Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel through the Ages, 105.
The meaning of the word eternal from the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary as found in the Gospel Link Dictionary; “Without beginning or end of existence. The eternal God is thy refuge. Deuteronomy 33.”
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged bible, false gospel, God, godhood, grace, joseph smith, LDS, Mormon Church, Mormon god, salvation, Teachings of Joseph Smith, truth on 11/21/2010| Leave a Comment »
November 21 – Jude 1:24-25; “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
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We all have our own favorite scriptures that we lean on for our strength when nothing else better could be said. These two in Jude are some of my personal favorites. Thank You Jesus for Your words, Your comfort, the salvation You gave to me and separating me from the LDS Church. Thank You for forgiving me when I believed the atrocities spoken here by Joseph Smith.
Ask the Mormon in your life what they think of Joseph Smith stating that he is their god. From what he said, it is clear they are not worshipping the One and Only True God of the Bible.
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“God is not willing to let me gratify you; but I must teach the Elders, and they should teach you. 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. (April 8, 1844.).” Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 363.
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged Book of Abraham, Doctrines and Covenants, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Mormon Church, Nephi, Pearl of Great Price on 11/15/2010| Leave a Comment »
November 15 – 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: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
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There are two problems with the Mormon quote today. First, they do not believe that Jesus created the earth; they believe he helped organize it (Abraham 4:1). Secondly, they do not believe in the Deity (D&C 130:22).
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3 Nephi 9:15-16; “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name. I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.”
Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged Adam, bible, Eve, Garden of Eden, God, lie, mormonism, original sin, righteousness, worship, worthy on 11/12/2010| Leave a Comment »
November 12 – Genesis 3:17; “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.”
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The doctrine of God is that Jesus is God incarnate and we should obey Him, there are no hidden agendas with God and no hidden meanings. If you love Him, obey Him. Because of the fall, the ground became cursed and worse yet there came a separation of God and man. They were kicked out of the Garden and an enmity was placed between God and us. The Mormons would have you believe that this was a glorious event. Nothing could be further from the truth! What kind of God would allow sin to be part of His plan if heaven is perfect?
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“The doctrine of Adam is the doctrine of Eve; their mission and purpose are one. “As she was at Michael’s side before the foundations of the earth,” wrote Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “so she came with him into Eden.” Together they performed the mission of the Fall, making the probation of life available to all. Chosen as the first wife and the first mother, her role in the salvation of their posterity is as vital as his. She is Adam’s counterpart and his crown. She is our glorious mother. With Adam she was set at the head to mark the way.” Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, eds., The Man Adam [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990], 85 – 88.
Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged bible, freedom, God, godhood, grace, guilt, Jesus, LDS, Mormon, mormonism, salvation, shame, truth, works on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »
GUILT AND SHAME
Mormons live life on the precept they must work for salvation. In Mormonism there’s a ‘general salvation’ given to all mankind, and after this comes the placement of souls which is dependent upon good works here on earth.
This may cause a myriad of problems as you might imagine, so our focus is on the impact this has on the soul.
There are several ways to work for salvation, but for now I’m only listing a few.
The Mormon will always feel shame if they’re not accepted into the highest level of heaven – this is known also as the Celestial Kingdom, and there are three requirements to get in; temple marriage, good works which includes proxy work for the dead, and the third requirement is to pay a full ten percent tithing.
The most important ‘must’ in getting to the Celestial Kingdom is making sure you are married in the temple. Yes, marriage is the way to salvation ladies and gentlemen. If you aren’t married in the temple, you lose your right to see your relatives in heaven, you’ll be placed in a lower kingdom; only to become a servant to those in the Celestial Kingdom.
There are the remaining two things required for “true salvation”, but keep in mind marriage is a definite must in the mind of every single Mormon. From the series, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:58-59 it says;
“Marriage, as understood by Latter-day Saints, is a covenant ordained to be everlasting. It is the foundation for eternal exaltation, for without it there could be no eternal progress in the kingdom of God…Marriage is the grandest, most glorious, and most exalting principle connected with the gospel. It is that which the Lord holds in reserve for those who become his sons and daughters; all others are servants only, even if they gain salvation. They do not become members of the household of our Father…”
LDS theology dictates you’ll receive a calling from the Lord to work in different areas of the Church. The bishop will take a look at his list of who’ served where, and for how long. If your name hasn’t appeared on the list of who’s worked in the nursery for example, you should expect your phone to ring. You cannot refuse this ‘calling from the Lord’.
The structure of the Church is made up of lay clergymen, and women, so there’s no compensation for your hours spent working until you’ve been called to the status of high priest, or above.
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p. 48 –
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized to benefit all who participate, and all are expected to assist in its labors (see Activity in the Church; Lay Participation and Leadership; Ward Organization). The Church is administered according to the principles of individual involvement, service, and self-government. There is no paid ministry in local wards or stakes, and the work of the Church is carried out through volunteer service by the members, who are called by priesthood leaders to contribute in various capacities.”
LDS theology also dictates you must tithe a hard 10% to receive a temple recommend.
These small slips of paper are coveted by members of the Church as their token of being righteous and worthy enough, to be in God’s presence. It is God’s permission slip for you to get in the doors.
There is no higher calling in the Church than to hold a current temple recommend and they can keep their recommend only if they have a good standing at the ‘annual tithing settlement’.
For those who haven’t divvied up by January, there’s a line at local banks with people applying for personal loans.
D&C 119:4 says;
“And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.”
Also see Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p. 1481 –
“At the end of each year, ward members meet individually with their bishop in a tithing settlement interview to verify Church records of their individual contributions and to declare confidentially to the bishop whether or not the amount contributed is a “full tithe.””
The members are obligated to pay their ten percent, and this amount goes solely to the Church for more church buildings, temples, supplies, etc. Additionally, once a month they hold a ‘fast and testimony’ meeting.
Members will fast from food for two meals before they attend these meetings, and take the money they would have spent on that food to donate to a benevolent fund. These funds go to help the needy in their local food banks, or if there are special needs within their own ranks.
There’s a fair share of people who won’t be able to meet the financial standards of giving the Church requires.
These things will produce the inevitable; guilt and shame. For others, there might be guilt and shame experienced if they’re a convert and get out of the Church.
Or there is the guilt associated with converting others into the Church, and/or bringing children into the mix. Many adult ex-Mormons are riddled with shame by watching their adult children making the choice of staying in the Church after they have been saved. It’s heart-wrenching no doubt, to see them still in the Church when you’ve found freedom in Christ.
Several years ago while working through my exodus, the Lord showed me an amazing truth. It’s an easy enough thing to remember which is good for me! But it also packs a powerful punch in the way of a learning tool for any of us in regards to our own spiritual life with Jesus. He showed me this:
Guilt and Shame are Never the Same.
It rhymes, making it easy to remember.
Guilt and God both begin with “G”. God convicts us of our sin – this is the guilt – we repent, and He remembers it no more as He promised us in Isaiah 43:25;
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
Shame and Satan both begin with an “S”. Shame is death to the soul dear one! Shame is experienced when you repent for the same sin repeatedly. Dictionary.com defines it this way –
‘…the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another to publicly humiliate or shame for being or doing something specified’.
Isn’t it sad this is what the Church would want for the majority of its members? Less than 10% of active Mormons are considered temple worthy! The bishop knows who’s worthy, and who’s not; and you can bet the farm everyone else in the ward will know as well when you don’t stand up to ‘bear your testimony’ about your temple experience last month. Yet no one gets together to compare notes because the temple experience is also considered ‘sacred’ and shouldn’t be spoken about in detail with anyone at all.
In Deut. 28:66 God warns the Israelites that He would curse them if they didn’t obey His commands of staying pure in the land of Canaan. The curse is not having a restful assurance of their lives.
Ask the ex-Mormon what kind of assurance they had for their salvation while being in the Church. I don’t know of one Mormon who can say for sure that they’re going to heaven.
They have no hope at all because of shame; they never feel as if they’ve been forgiven, or believe they’ve not done enough. Share with the ex-Mormon from the Bible how they can be assured of their salvation.
2 Tim. 1:12 – I know whom I have believed
Phil. 1:6 – He will complete the work
Heb. 13:5-6 – He will never desert me
1 John 2:12 – Your sins are forgiven.
Isaiah 40:8 – The word of God endures forever
© 2017 Life After Ministries, Inc.
Link for Chapter 11:
Posted in Mormon Ads, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, Christianity, false gospel, freedom, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, lds church, Mormon Ads, mormonism, promise, Psalms, truth on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »
In the past month you may have noticed the new Mormon ads popping up during the commercial breaks of your favorite television shows. This new ad campaign is a nationwide endeavor by the Mormon Church to inform the world they’re just like everyone else. I find this very interesting considering the whole premise behind Mormonism is that you aren’t like everyone else.
This coincidently goes against all I was taught sitting in the Mormon chapel for thirteen years. I was told I wasn’t like everyone else and special because I had the Mormon gospel; this alone made me different from any other person who wasn’t a member.
I was counseled how to set myself apart from the rest of the world. Obeying the Word of Wisdom (no coffee or sweet iced tea for meL), wearing temple garments and folding my arms during prayer served as a reminder to me that I was different. Their counsel even affected how long my shorts were and the length of my sleeves.
To prove the point the Church does everything it can to send out contradictory messages, along comes an article in the August 2010 issue of the Ensign. LDS Church leader Boyd K. Packer expressed his thoughts of how a member of the Mormon faith should conduct themselves.
“You will be safe if you look like and groom like and act like an ordinary Latter-day Saint: dress modestly, attend your meetings, pay tithes, take the sacrament, honor the priesthood, honor your parents, follow your leaders, read the scriptures, study the Book of Mormon, and pray—always pray. An unseen power will hold your hand as you hold to the iron rod.”(Boyd K. Packer, “Finding Ourselves in Lehi’s Dream,” Ensign, Aug 2010, pgs. 20–25)
Compare that with people in the ads saying they’re a mom, a doctor, a skate boarder, a surfer, a dad, etc, listing all their accomplishments and closing with “and I’m a Mormon”. How can you be a unique individual when you’re not even allowed to make your own clothing choices?
I can’t help but chuckle a little at the attempt they’re trying to make and yet feel a deep sadness for the individuals in the commercials. It’s so telling for me to hear these people boast about whom they are and what they’ve done. Their comments amplify what they’re being taught by church leaders like Mr. Packer; appearance is everything. Reality, on the other hand, is another story.
The impression I’m left with at the end of the commercials is if you join Mormonism you too will be a success, you’ll have a beautiful family, well behaved children, and find happiness. If I didn’t have a background in Mormonism or wasn’t grounded in God’s Word, I just might buy into what they’re trying to sell here. The method of conversion for the Church is to show how their religion brings happiness and success to those who convert. God never promised us “happiness”, but he did promise us joy.
“You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
(Psalm 16:11)
As with anything Mormon, the message is all about them and has little or nothing to do with Jesus Christ. These people live in a world where Jesus is nothing more than an afterthought. He sits on the back burner of their religion only to be taken off when their standing as a Christian is being called into question. They bypass God and give the credit for all their blessings to membership in the Mormon Church.
These ads are nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to shift the public’s attention from the core doctrines and history of Mormonism. I’m praying those watching the ads look beyond the appearance and won’t be deceived by what Mormonism is truly about.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes (melissa@lifeafter.org)
Posted in Bible, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, false gospel, freedom, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, mormonism, salvation on 10/19/2010| 8 Comments »
The Bible: Why Joseph Smith Hated the Word of God
Throughout the annals of history we can see a number of people who have despised and maligned the word of God. They’re kind of like missionaries, but with a twist. One of the most memorable for me (Mormonism aside) is found in the Old Testament during the time of the Babylonian takeover of Jerusalem. King Jehoiakim ordered the leaves containing the word of God to be burned in the fire at his summer home. Jeremiah 36:20-26.
Posted in Book of Mormon, tagged archaeology, bible, Book of Mormon, broken promises, God, Jesus, Nephites, salvation, truth on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »
Approach to the Book of Mormon, p. 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
I wrote an article a few months ago giving a synopsis on the Book of Mormon that you can read here http://www.lifeafter.org/cametopass.asp
My purpose in this article is to look at each of the claims I made in the in the previous one and provide the reader with the references of each. As the quote above says, the Book of Mormon should be tested, so that’s what we’re doing here.
Archaeology
Over all I’d have to say the Book of Mormon is a compilation of incomplete stories of fictional wars filled with fictional names of people and places.
Even the LDS Church agrees with this and to date there hasn’t been one single shred of any archaeological evidence found regarding the Book of Mormon. The quote below is only one of dozens of references from Mormon experts who’ve made the same public confession.
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
Grammar
Whoever wrote the Book of Mormon had horrible grammar and didn’t know how to spell correctly. Proof of this can be found in the following examples. For the sake of brevity I’ve only listed nine verses.
1 N 22:4; “…the more part of all the tribes have been led away…”
2 N 4:14; “…for a more history part are written upon mine other plates.”
Jacob 5:47; “…I have digged about it…”
Alma 51:33; “…sleep had overpowered them because of their much fatigue…”
Helaman 2:4; “…who was exceedingly expert in many words…”
3 N 7:26; “…thus the more part of the year did pass away.”
4 N 1:27; “…they did deny the more parts of his gospel…”
Mormon 6:11; “…and we having survived the dead of our people…”
Ether 14:7; “…which he did receive great strength to his army.”
Timeframe
The only reliable timeframe with real people in a real situation is at the beginning when Jerusalem was under siege c. 600 BC. Notice how this is diametrically opposed to what God said in Jeremiah 42:10-18.
1 Nephi 7:15; “Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them. And now, if ye have choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak.”
Conditional love
Sadly, this is a story of a god who only provides based on conditions and his conditional, short lived love is evidence he has no patience.
Alma 36:30; “But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.”
Broken Promises
The Book of Mormon habitually gives the reader a quick thrill of hope for the good guy only to be let down by the end of the chapter that their faith and works were all for naught. It seems no one knows how to keep a promise. (Alma 50:21)
The “Jesus” of the Book of Mormon promises that his church will always survive. This is obviously a lie since it died out by 421 AD.
Alma 34:10; “For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”
Alma 45:22-23; “Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren.”
3 Nephi 11:39; “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.”
Holy Spirit’s departure
The authors (Joseph Smith and friends) seem obsessed by giving repetitive, simplistic accounts of murderous bloodshed and venomous hatred between two sets of people groups who can’t seem to behave more than a half dozen verses. Each war is more violent than before and the promise of the Holy Spirit being with them vanishes into thin air on several occasions.
Moroni 9:4; “Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them.”
And it came to pass…
Just when you think you might gain further insight into one of the wars or travels by the Nephites or Lamanites, you’re met with the overused phrase “And it came to pass”; meaning no further light will be shed on that subject.
Mormon 2:25-26; “And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did stand before them with such firmness that they did flee from before us. 26 And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.”
Sin is necessary
One of Mormonism’s biggest lies is taught in the second book of Nephi. It is here you will find the damnable heresy that the fall of man was a necessary step in the life of mankind.
2 Nephi 2:25; “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”
Man is from dust of the earth
Another lie can be found in the book of Mosiah which contradicts the Mormon philosophy that man is an eternal being.
Mosiah 2:25; “And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.”
Ship building
One of their prophets had to remind God how to build a ship properly so they could sail here to the Jewish “promised land” of America. This supposedly took place c. 2240 BC, which is the same timeframe of the Tower of Babel. Mind you this was before the Israelites were in existence. Abraham was born around 1800 BC.
Ether 2:20; “And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.”
River Sidon, dead bodies and baptisms
There are times when the authors give you cryptic insights as to their location without divulging any geographical clues. Bodies were dumped “into the river” more than once.
Alma 2:34; “And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon.”
Alma 4:4; “And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God…”
God stops communications
Many times one of the “authors” of a book will tell the reader that what God has shared with them is too holy or sacred to share with others, or they’ll let us know that someday maybe someone will be able to share the great things of their god with everyone.
2 Nephi 32:7; “And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.”
Told to write because of his father – not inspired
On numerous occasions one of the “prophets” from the Book of Mormon will tell everyone it is through his own insight or the insight of his father he is writing the story he’s about to share. Obviously if it’s the idea of the author, it is not God-inspired.
1 Nephi 6:3; “And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.”
Omni 1:1; “Behold, it came to pass that I, Omni, being commanded by my father, Jarom, that I should write somewhat upon these plates, to preserve our genealogy—”
Jarom 1:1-2; “Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept.”
Jacob 1:2; “And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious…”
Moroni 10:1; “Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites…”
Mormon 8:5; “Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone.”
Not enough materials available to write “scripture”
Sometimes they’ll explain they don’t have the space to write what they should or they can’t write everything because they’ve changed the language – don’t laugh, I’m serious. How is this inspired?
Jarom 1:2; “And as these plates are small, and as these things are written for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites, wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my revelations. For what could I write more than my fathers have written? For have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you, Yea; and this sufficeth me.”
Mormon 9:32-33; “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. 33 And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.”
Bereft of details
Unlike many bibles, there are no reputable concordances or dictionaries provided that could shed light on the meaning of names or places. Missing are the important stories of Jewish traditions of feasts or festivals in the Book of Mormon. Detailed accounts of how the priests performed sacrifices in any of the synagogues or temples are glaringly non-existent. Passover is nowhere to be found in the Book of Mormon. The sound of chirping crickets comes to mind when I think about detailed information in the Book of Mormon.
There is nothing to suggest anyone was keeping an orthodox covenant relationship with the One True God of the Bible. You will not read of one single account where the righteous Nephites were offering an animal sacrifice to God to cover for anyone’s sins.
Names
Most of the fictional names for its cast of characters are not Hebrew. One has a Yankee name of Sam, at least two have Greek names (Timothy and John) and the rest are the product of Joseph Smith’s wild imagination.
Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Omni, Mormon, Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, Ether, Moroni, Seth, Sam, Samuel, Laman…for a complete list of names see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Book_of_Mormon_people
Words/phrases used at inappropriate times
Words and phrases are used inappropriately for the timeframe they’re supposedly living in, or they’re used excessively. An example of the latter is the word “exceedingly” being used 327 times and the Greek word Christ being used in the BC era 191 times. http://www.lifeafter.org/greeklatin.asp
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?” – BC 559
Mosiah 5:9; “And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.” – BC 124
Not a god of comfort
I would have to say the demeanor of the god of Mormonism can be safely portrayed in 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.”
That verse my friend, is a reflection of the kind of god they are worshipping. He’s a vindictive, malcontent, legalistic, brute of a god. The longer I’m out of Mormonism the more grateful I am for the One True God who saved me! I can’t see where any Mormon could find hope for themselves in any of the books, nor am I convinced they could stay awake while reading it.
Don’t worry about accuracy or history
The Church will tell you this is not a book about historical accuracy or figures.
Ensign, Jan. 1997, pgs 38; “Our primary focus in studying the Book of Mormon should be on the principles of the gospel anyway, not on the process by which the book came forth.” – Neal A. Maxwell
Boyd K. Packer, “The Mantle is Far, Far Greater Than the Intellect”, 1981, BYU Studies, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 259-271; “Church history can be so interesting and so inspiring as to be a very powerful tool indeed for building faith. If not properly written or properly taught, it may be a faith destroyer… “There is a temptation for the writer or the teacher of Church history to want to tell everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not…Some things that are true are not very useful.”
They’ll tell you it’s a book that points more to the message of believing in Christ. If you can’t trust or believe in the historical aspect of this writing, how in the world could anyone believe in its message of redemption from the sinless, perfect God of the Bible?
“And it came to pass”
Below you’ll find a list of each time the phrase “and it came to pass” occurs.
See the article here http://www.lifeafter.org/cametopass.asp
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 words used in the Book of Mormon, see our article on Greek and Latin words, demonic names in the Book of Mormon and archaeological evidences in the Book of Mormon here:
http://www.lifeafter.org/greeklatin.asp
http://www.lifeafter.org/demonic_names.asp
http://www.lifeafter.org/artifacts.asp
With Love in Christ;
Michelle Grim
1 Cor. 1:18
Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, false gospel, freedom, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joseph smith, lds church, Mormon testimonies, Mormon testimony, mormonism, Moroni, salvation, truth on 10/19/2010| 1 Comment »
Many new ideas stemmed from the visions of Joseph Smith. As we begin our foundation series I felt it was better to begin here with testimonies.
If it weren’t for the tesitmony of Smith, everything in Mormonism is all for naught.
“No testimony is more significant to us in our time than the witness of Joseph Smith.” – Robert Hales, Ensign, Nov. 2009, pg. 30.
Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, freedom, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, lds church, Mormon, mormonism, polygamy, salvation, truth on 10/19/2010| 2 Comments »
In the spring of ’92 I was expecting my third child in four years and wondering how many more babies I’d have to give birth to before the Mormon god would accept me. Half way through my pregnancy I went out for a walk with my 14 month old daughter Jacqui and noticed a couple of women about my age standing outside chatting with each other.
As I got closer I saw one of the women wearing a cross necklace. I thought of it as another opportunity to find out more about the all elusive cross that as a Mormon I was told not to worry about and directly told not to have in our homes.
The questions I asked Nancy set into motion the things I should have done years before. It had been a long road for me in the eleven years between the time I left Utah and Seattle. I had traveled the world, lived in many places throughout the states and quite frankly, I was tired. I was tired of trying to live up to the demands of what I had learned in my Mormon life of what it meant to go to heaven.
Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, false gospel, freedom, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, lds church, mormonism, Pearl of Great Price, pre-existence, salvation, truth on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »
This particular teaching of the LDS Church is one of the three main reasons I left the Mormon Church.
In order to believe in Mormonism, the acceptance of man living with God before the earth was created is a must. They teach that mankind was created spiritually through a sexual union between God and one of his billions of wives. Your behavior in the pre-existence determined which family you’re born into, where and when you would live your mortal life and what color of skin you’d have here. If you had anything less than stellar behavior there, the chances of you being born “white and delightsome” here were slim to nothing.
I was taught in countless Sacrament Meetings, Primary, MIA classes and LDS Seminary that my black curly hair, dark brown eyes and olive skin was proof I hadn’t been valiant. I always wondered what the millions of other people must’ve done to deserve being born in Africa or China. In the end my biggest question was why God suddenly liked my family in June of 1978 when we hadn’t changed anything in our behavior. Kimball’s revelation was the first time I started questioning the leadership.
Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, freedom, God, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, lds church, mormonism, salvation, truth on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »
In this part of our series on the “foundations of Mormonism”, we’re taking a look at the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit of Mormonism. I remember being around Christians as a Mormon and wondered where they got their effervescent personalities. They always seemed to be a “free spirit” without the shame ridden fears I carried around with me all those years.
Little did I know at the time I was witnessing the presence of the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit moved them in their lives and allowed those around them to see God’s love for His creation.
Not long after the day of my salvation I remember laying face down with arms stretched out on my living room floor in total adoration for God and the unspeakable gratefulness I held in my heart for the God of everything. It was the first of many times I’ve been in that position before my God.
A Mormon missionary asked me not long ago what if anything I felt when I “changed religions”. I shared that experience with him and how incredibly free I am in Christ. It is through His Holy Spirit that I have freedom to prostrate myself before Him and it is through the workings of the Holy Spirit I know that I am worshipping Him in spirit and in truth.
Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged bible, Book of Mormon, freedom, God, godhood, Jesus, joseph smith, lds church, lies, mormonism, salvation, truth, utah on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »
A few weeks ago an e-mail came through asking for my opinion on whom I believe the Mormons are praying to. You’ll find the original e-mail and my response below.
Dear Michelle,
I have been a Christian for many years, and along the way have had one family who were very dear Mormon friends. I do know about their false doctrines, as I have read many books on people who have come out of Mormonism, but something really puzzles me and I crave to have an answer for this question, please…WHO do Mormons pray to and when they say they receive answers, is this really true?…She talks so much about answered prayer…which is a wonder to me and it bothers me very much…can you give me an answer, Michelle?
Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged apostacy, bible Book of Mormon, Christianity, Christians, church, gates of hell, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joseph smith, lds church, Miormon Doctrine on 10/19/2010| 1 Comment »
People tell me all the time that Mormons are some of the nicest people they’ve ever met. I would agree with that up to a point. They’re very nice up until you disagree with their theology, then all bets are off and the gloves come on.
I still cringe whenever I think back to my life before the Lord saved me. I had the warmth of a buzz saw. I was in a bad mood 24/7 and no matter what I said outwardly, my thoughts were always filled with judgmental animosity for those who didn’t agree with me at any given time.
My grandfather used to tell us kids to “quit being ugly” and he wasn’t referring to the way we were dressed or the funky hair styles we loved back in the eighties. At the time I could never understand what he meant…hmmm…nowadays I am still dealing with the buzz saw personalities, but it’s through the e-mails I receive from those who are active LDS. Here are a few examples of what we see from many e-mails we receive every day.
Anyone or anything that disagrees with the LDS Church is considered anti-Mormon. Yet, the Church considers themselves to be a Christian church.
Why Joseph Smith hated the word of God
Scriptures that show Mormons can fully trust God's word!
Historical evidence proves Lehi & Nephi didn't exist!
20% of verses in the Book of Mormon contain the phrase "and it came to pass"
Almost 4,000 changes to the Book of Mormon and over 7,200 Greek and Latin words found
Book of Mormon Artifacts; Smithsonian & National Geographic says no artifacts found
Book of Mormon: broken promises, false prophecies, historically inncorrect, poor grammar...how can you trust this?
Does God speak to prophets with glowing stones in a hat?
Grab the info you need on several topics all in one easy access point!
More than 1/2 the witnesses denounced their testimonies! Find out who and why we shouldn't trust their testimonies.
How can the names in the Book of Mormon be holy if they're ungodly in the Bible?
News from around the globe about Christianity & the ministries God works through.
Are these incidents all coincidental, or well planned trickery?
The Lord says to disregard the prophet who speaks a lie in His name - Deuteronomy 18:20-22
See how the Mormon canon of scripture contradicts itself & the Bible
The Early Christian Church's Statements of Faith
The 10th Mormon president/prophet of the LDS Church called the cross 'repugnant'!
Why must Mormons follow a prophet and not God?
Who, or what, is the foundation of your Christian faith?
Why does Mormonism have so many false doctrines about our galaxy and the Lord?
Semi-annual reminders to follow the prophet
A look at the 3 gods of the Mormon godhead. Their godhead is nothing like that of the Christian Trinity - find out why!
Ishtar, an Assyrian and Babylonian Goddess known as the Queen of Heaven
Robert LeRoy Parker, aka "Butch Cassidy"
Moses 5:13; "And Satan came among them, saying, I am also a son of God..."
Ten questions about so-called apostacy
Witnessing tracts & handouts for missions and classes at your church
Why do Mormons attack the body of Christ if they're Christians?
How to Witness to a Mormon/Help for your Mormon friends & loved ones
Church leaders have said that without the vision of Joseph Smith, they'd have nothing so let's take a look at some of the things of Joseph
We know Jesus died for our sins, but what did Joseph die for?
Should we trust someone who's involved with these things?
Why would you place your salvation into the hands of a false prophet?
There are several versions of Smith's first vision; which one do you believe?
An examination of Joseph Smith's death
Kinderhook Plates and The Greek Psalter Incident serve as further proof Smith was a false prophet
Who was the real Joseph Smith?
LDS OT Sunday School Lessons
Mormon lives are busier than most. With meetings, temple attendance, food storage, the strive to be perfect - it's overwhelming and far from having peace in knowing Christ. Find out why!
The LDS Church doesn't ascribe to the orthodox belief in original sin; why is that?
Compare LDS doctrine w/ the Bible
Mormonism's True Agenda; Saving Souls or Ruling America?
Mormons are faced with confusing doctrine every time they open their scriptures.
Quotes & false prophecies from Mormon leaders
Why does Mormonism mimic so many religions? Astrology, witchcraft, Satanism, Masonry, Universalism, Hinduism...it's all there in one package called Mormonism. Why?
Jesus said; "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32
Moroni, Comoro off the coast of East Africa
Galatians 1:6-9 says not to accept another gospel from an angel of light, yet atop every LDS temple there sits an angel of light proclaiming a new gospel...
Why is talking to dead people condoned in Mormonism?
An examination of the LDS' latest teachings from the presidency to the women's groups. Find out why their monthly messages aren't biblical!
Why are there so many rules to obey for salvation if Mormonism is a Christian church?
Could this book cost you salvation in Jesus?
Why Doesn't the Church Practice Polygamy Today?
Ordained of God?
Find out what Mormon Church leaders really think of polygamy
All the rules of how to pray and what to say leaves no room for a conversation with the Lord!
"Prophet" John Taylor in prison for polygamy
Does a true prophet of God preach racism?
1978 Prophecy, Book of Moses, Curse of Cain, 2 Nephi 30:6, All are Alike Unto God...What is the truth?
Are comments like "blacks are slaves mentally" really from the God of the Bible or racist men?
Romans Road to Salvation
Mormon Salvation vs. Biblical Salvation. Find out why they're not the same!
Know the Difference between Christianity and pseudo-Christianity!
True Mormon salvation = godhood with multiple wives and countless spirit babies
A commandment from God or necromancy?
Sacred or secret?
How does swearing secret oaths glorify God?
The biblical temple and Mormon temples have virtually nothing in common; find out why
Mormon vocabulary is vastly different from the norm. If you're a Christian & feel you're speaking a different language, learn about the differences here.
How you can know and trust what God has to say in His word
A Collection of News Items and Prophetic Utterances from and about Mormonism
Mormonism & Christianity are not compatible - find out why.
"...for I know whom I have believed..." 2 Tim. 1:12
Would a true apostle say this? Heber C. Kimball; "I think no more of taking another wife than I do of buying a cow."
The Mormon pioneers trekking across America is re-enacted every year by faithful Mormons to honor the faith of their ancestors
E-mails, tweets, comments and posts
