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Posts Tagged ‘godhood’

Tip of the Day, February 4

Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 02/04/2011| Leave a Comment »

February 4 – 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”. 

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It’s always important to pay close attention to the wording of contracts, bosses, parents or anything else that is in authority in your life.  You may miss a key element that could cost you millions of dollars, cost you your freedom or ultimately your own salvation.

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Joseph Smith’s ‘New Translation’ of the Bible says in John 1:1, 14; “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son.  And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.  And the same 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”.

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Mormon Terminology

Posted in Mormon Terminology, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/23/2011| 2 Comments »

MORMON TERMINOLOGY

 One of the most commonly asked questions I’ve received over the years is the request for help in witnessing to a Mormon friend or relative.  The first thing the born-again Christian has to understand is that they are speaking a different Christian language than the Mormon.  The words that we’re comfortable with knowing from the Bible are totally different from what the Mormon understands them to be.

 When I got out of the Mormon Church and asked Jesus to be my only Savior the subject of the unique Mormon vocabulary began a life-long study for me.  It took me roughly five years to root out all of the incorrect English words from the depths of my soul and this was done through the patience of my close friends gently correcting me, listening to and answering thousands of questions from me and of course the Lord’s promptings for me to dig deeper!

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Heavenly Mother

Posted in Heavenly Mother, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/14/2011| 1 Comment »

The Heavenly Mother of Mormonism

 By Melissa Grimes

 One of the core beliefs in Mormonism is that not only do they have a Father in Heaven, but a Mother in Heaven as well.  This doctrine came from what they call “latter day revelation”, yet it isn’t something you’ll find in any of their extra scriptures.

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Joseph Smith Descriptions

Posted in Joseph Smith & Lucifer Compared, Joseph Smith Descriptions of, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/13/2011| 4 Comments »

Joseph Smith Descriptions

         Google the name of Joseph Smith and you’ll find a plethora of websites that either lauds the praises of Smith or those who show vehement hatred for the man.  My objective for this list of descriptions isn’t to show hatred towards him because I don’t feel hatred for Joseph Smith; however, I am saddened for my people that have chosen to believe in his odious lies.  Our objective for producing articles such as these is to inform and educate.

     Aside from the LDS hymn “Praise to the Man”, let’s find out just how much the Mormon people love the false prophet Joseph Smith.  If the Mormon will stay on this site long enough to see just one egregious falsehood about Smith and begin thinking about it, then I’ve done the job God has given me to do.  Our main objective isn’t to sensationalize, but to inform and lead my people into the ever loving arms of our God and Savior Christ Jesus.

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Tip of the Day, November 27

Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 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.”

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Tip of the Day, November 21

Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , 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.

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King and Queens in Embryo

Posted in Heavenly Mother, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 11/17/2010| 2 Comments »

Kings and Queens in Embryo

By Melissa Grimes

In the May 2010 General Conference Dieter F. Uchtdorf told the women of the Mormon Church-

“Sisters, we love you. We pray for you. Be strong and of good courage. You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your ‘once upon a time’ is now.” (May 2010 Ensign, page 127)

The first time I was told I would became a “queen” was during a Mormon temple ceremony when I was washed and anointed to become a queen and priestesses to my husband in the eternities. At this time I had only been a member of the Mormon Church for a little over a year, and the thought of becoming a queen in heaven was a very foreign concept to me.

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Cartoon Clip from The God Makers Movie

Posted in The God Makers, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 11/03/2010| 2 Comments »

The GodMakers books and films have led thousands of people to the Lord.  My personal experience with the series came about in 1983.  While living in Oklahoma City I was asked by a co-worker if I’d come over to her home and watch it on television. 

Half way through the film I was so aghast at what I was watching I got up from my chair, walked over to the television and spat upon the face of Ed Decker. 

My friends asked me if what he said was a lie and I emphatically told them that every single thing from the man’s mouth was indeed a lie from hell.

The problem with that scenario?  I knew I was lying.  While I wasn’t a temple worthy member of the Church at the time I wasn’t about to let anyone speak badly about my beloved heritage.  The other problem was the questions that kept swirling around privately in my head.  Everything the film pointed out was truth and convicted me of the same doubts I already had.

Eleven years after the introduction of GodMakers, I found myself sitting in the office of Ed Decker asking him if I could volunteer for Saints Alive.

Thank you Ed.  Thank you for telling the truth.  Thank you for not backing down to the nay-sayers and even those who would spit upon your face.

Love,

Michelle

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Jesus According to the Book of Mormon and the LDS Church

Posted in Mormon Jesus, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/23/2010| Leave a Comment »

     As is usually the case, I came across something interesting in the Book of Mormon while looking for something else.  This time I was reminded of what the Nephites thought of Jesus and His skin color in 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.” 

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 19

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

THE INFLUENCE OF JOSEPH SMITH 

To say the Mormons worship Joseph Smith in every sense of the word would be an understatement.  There are many subject matters within the doctrines of Mormonism that warrant a closer look and this is definitely one of those times.  The influence Joseph Smith has had on people is mind boggling.  His name alone throws my own mother into another frame of mind every time his name is mentioned.

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.” 

For my research on Mormonism I use the computer program “Gospelink”.  It’s sold through the LDS owned company Deseret Books.  In that program I have a file of no less than 106 quotes containing titles and/or descriptions of Smith made by leaders in the Church or Smith himself.  I can assure the reader that I’ve merely scratched the surface.

The following is an excerpt from an article I wrote after visiting my mother in Utah in the summer of 2005:

“The False Prophet Joseph Smith”

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 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.

The above scenario is typical of any Mormon you might meet.  Another phenomenon you may encounter while mentoring is when the new Christian has stories from the Bible confused with Joseph Smith.  This is caused from Smith and others using scripture to describe the greatness of Smith.  In their eyes he is superhuman.  Below are some of the descriptions of Smith.

Foreordained from foundation of the world  

DS 1:184; “Joseph Smith was chosen to stand at the head of the work of the Lord in the last days, and his work was assigned to him through the fore-knowledge of our Eternal Father in the eternities before he was born. He came in the spirit of Elias to prepare the way for the coming of our Lord. No prophet since the days of Adam, save, of course, our Redeemer, has been given a greater mission.”

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.”

Controls minds of believers

TPJS, pg. 341; “President Joseph Smith again arose and said—In relation to the power over the minds of mankind which I hold, I would say, It is in consequence of the power of truth in the doctrines which I have been an instrument in the hands of God of presenting unto them, and not because of any compulsion on my part.”

Holds endless priesthood 

LDS Hymn #27 & Joseph Smith, the Prophet, the Man, pg. 3; “Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.  Ever and ever the keys he will hold.  Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom, Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old.  (“Praise to the Man,” Hymns #27)” 

His name will never perish

 

Gospel Doctrine, pg. 479; “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.” 

Genius with no education 

Divine Authority or the Question, Was Joseph Smith Sent of God?, pg. 4; “How came Mr. Smith, if a deceiver, to think of all this? Did Martin Luther, Wesley, Whitfield, Swedenborg, or Irving think of this? Whence his superior intellect, his depth of understanding, his extensive foresight, that he should so far surpass all former impostors for 1700 years? John testifies that when the everlasting gospel is restored to the earth it shall be by an angel. Mr. Smith testifies that it was restored by an angel, and in no other way. This is another presumptive evidence that he was sent of God.” 

People studied at the feet of Joseph 

Joseph Smith, The Choice Seer, Preface #3; “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. In addition, we will rely occasionally on the clarifications and expansions of those who knew Brother Joseph firsthand and studied at his feet, as well as those apostolic and prophetic successors to whom is given the divine mandate to build on the doctrinal foundation he laid.” 

Joseph had more followers than Jesus 

 JD 14:202-203; “…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.” 

Reverence for Smith’s name advised 

Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book, pg. 181; “Whenever we speak of the Prophet Joseph Smith … it should be in reverent appreciation of the Lord who called him and whom Joseph served so well. (“‘A Choice Seer,'” p. 113.)” 

Confessing spirit of Smith is of God 

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 435; “Whosoever confesseth that Joseph Smith was sent of God to reveal the holy Gospel to the children of men, and lay the foundation for gathering Israel, and building up the Kingdom of God on the earth, that spirit is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that God has sent Joseph Smith, and revealed the everlasting Gospel to and through him, is of Antichrist, no matter whether it is found in a pulpit or on a throne. 8:176.” 

Joseph defies world to refute him

 

 TPJS, pg. 372; “The head God organized the heavens and the earth. I defy all the world to refute me.” 

Joseph is Heaven’s Gatekeeper

 

 JD 7:290; “Should not this thought comfort all people? They will, by-and-by, be a thousand times more thankful for such a man as Joseph Smith, junior, than it is possible for them to be for any earthly good whatever. It is his mission to see that all the children of men in this last dispensation are saved, that can be, through the redemption. You will be thankful, every one of you, that Joseph Smith, junior, was ordained to this great calling before the worlds were.”

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.”

Set aside some time to go through each description with the ex-Mormon. There are three reasons why you’d want to do this!

1.  Allow them to share their thoughts on what they’ve read and understood about that description.

2.  Help them to find a scripture to refute each example.

3.  If the person believed these things about Joseph Smith lead them in a prayer of repentance.

© 2010 Life After Ministries, Inc.

Link for Chapter 20

 Chapter 20. The Romans Road

http://lifeafterministry.com/2010/10/22/mentoring-handbook-chapter-20/

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 15

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

THEY NEED A CHURCH

Life After Ministries is a para-church evangelical organization.  We do not sanction one denomination over another, nor do we endorse sole propriety of salvation within one denomination.  However, we strongly encourage the ex-Mormon to get involved in the body of Christ through the means of a local church in their own neighborhood, city or town.  The following small list of questions is merely our suggestions when looking for a good church.

Does this church believe that Jesus is God incarnate?

Does this church believe the Holy Spirit indwells each believer?

Does this church believe that Jesus was born of a virgin through the miracle of God?

Does this church believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man?

Does this church believe in salvation by grace through faith and not by works?

Does this church believe that Jesus was crucified for man’s sin and raised on the third day?

Does this church believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven?

Does this church believe the Bible to be the inerrant word of God?

Can this church provide a financial statement for the year?

Can this church provide a concise constitution of beliefs?

If the answer is “no” to any of these questions then it’s time to move on and look for another church.  We ask our mentors to encourage the ex-Mormon to try attending a good Bible based church.  If they are not comfortable with the style of worship at the church you attend, perhaps you could accompany them to a service at a different church if they’re scared.  While that may seem a bit odd to the non-Mormon, it is a real experience for the ex-Mormon or soon to be ex-Mormon.  We’re not asking you to change churches, just accompany them for one service!

Share your personal experiences with them of what your church life has been like.  They will soon realize that what goes on in the Christian world is much the same even while being drastically different.  Seeing children run around inside the church building and women wearing pants in church can be quite alarming to the new Christian; but if they are encouraged along the way you’ll soon find out there is a highly dedicated new member amongst the ranks!  Now with all this being said let me also state that belonging to a man made religion does not bring you salvation.  Acts 4:12 says;

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

It is not uncommon at all for the ex-Mormon to be “gun shy” about joining any church.  I wandered around from the age of 18 to 30 before accepting the Lord into my life while being an inactive Mormon.  When I did get saved and began attending a church I refused to join on the day I was baptized.  Now this particular church usually had the members officially join at the time of baptism, but for me they made this exception which was very kind of them.  I realize now the circumstances were different from that of the LDS Church, but at that time what I needed was to be baptized without “having” to join as a member.  The unfortunate thing about what I did is that it was prideful sin.  To ease the mind of the new ex-Mormon explain why the Christian church does both of these things at the same time.

If you are an ex-Mormon the reason we encourage church membership is so that you can have a safe place for fellowshipping with others who love the Lord.  They can serve as mentors for you, while you in turn help them to understand Mormonism.  God will use you wherever you are and no matter what “stage” you’re in with Him!  However, church membership is not necessary for salvation.  The thief on the cross is proof of that!  Luke 23:39-43 says;

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

This simply means that if you accept Jesus into your heart right this moment and something happened that you died in the next minute, you would go to heaven my friend!  No good works are necessary, no church membership, no tithe, nothing but your heart.  The other topic in this department is the subject of denominations.

As mentioned earlier we do not advocate one denomination over another, but it is important to keep in mind that most Mormons do not understand the concept of how they work; why there are different denominations; and sometimes they’ve never been taught the differences between Catholics and Protestants.  Most of the Mormons I’ve mentored had never heard of Martin Luther or what happened in the sixteenth century.  This would be a good time for a short history lesson!

Many times this subject is going to be a tough one for the new ex-Mormon.  You may encounter a sense of uneasiness on their part created by distrust they’ve been taught to harbor in their hearts.  They’ve been taught the different denominations are living proof that a restoration was needed and that the Christian church was no longer in existence on the earth.  Joseph Smith said this in his personal testimony: Joseph Smith 1:18-9;

“My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak… then I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt…” –

Now compare that with what Jesus said in 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.”

In the book of Acts we are given an historical account of the beginnings of the works of the Church.  We see the martyrdom of Stephen, James, and a few other apostles; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the first Pentecost; the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus, the miracles performed, and the missions of the new Church.

The Good News spread rapidly and even the Gentiles were being grafted in to the people of God, just as Jesus had promised His disciples.  Why would these things all go to waste and not continue?  Have the ex-Mormon think about this for some time.

1. What were some of Joseph Smith’s excuses as to why the “Restoration” was needed?  (Give your understanding, not necessarily exact documentation of this).  __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

The apostle Paul traveled more than 3,600 miles in his missionary journeys while proclaiming the word of God to the Gentiles.  Some of the apostles stayed behind in Jerusalem while still others went with Paul or spread out in other areas.  There were many trade routes opened at this time because of the expansion of the Roman Empire.

Jerusalem was totally destroyed circa 70 AD by the Roman Empire in retaliation of the Jewish uprising and the Jews were scattered all over the earth as they fled for cover.  With the fall of Jerusalem another historical even took place.  Can you name it?

2.  ______________________________________________

Gently explain to the ex-Mormon how these things are not just a coincidence; using scripture of course!  Why was it that Jerusalem fell, the Jews were scattered, there were no more temple sacrifices and the Redeemer had prepared His children for all of it.  He went with them (believers) as they scattered and spread the gospel throughout the world.  In Luke 4:18 it says;

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”

If the theory of a restoration in 1830 is correct, then Jesus’ deliverance of the captives was a lie as is 1 John 3:8b;

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

These are just some of the basic things that need to be shown to the ex-Mormon.  Of course there is no way to teach them everything there is in the Bible, thus a solid Bible believing church is needed.  These few examples show the ex-Mormon how God did sustain His church and His people.

Teaching them that scriptures are meant to be used as personal promises to them from God is a blessing they’ve not yet encountered in life.  For example Philippians 1:6 is an assurance from God to us that the body of Christ will never perish.

“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.”

Now that you know what they need, it’d probably be helpful to understand why.  As we’ve mentioned before, Joseph Smith claimed in his vision that God appeared to him and said that all Christian denominations were wrong, thus the need for a restoration.  Throughout the history of the LDS Church the members have been taught to hate, mistrust and fear anyone who is not LDS and who claims to be a Christian.  The leadership of the LDS Church has toned down their abhorrence towards us in the past twenty or so years, but the damage has been done.  Incidentally, their “Standard Works” still contain the position of division.  The following are some examples of the true feelings they harbor towards the body of Christ.

D&C 1:30; “And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually”

For more examples see the end of this chapter.

One of the most important things to remember is again the mindset of the former Mormon.  From the examples we’ve given of the LDS doctrines it’s easy to see why they might have to work on their dispositions towards the Christians or attending a new church.  Pray with them asking God to reveal what may be hidden deep in their hearts in this matter.

HC 5:389; “Compare this principle once with Christendom at the present day, and where are they, with all their boasted religion, piety and sacredness while at the same time they are crying out against prophets… Why, they are just ripening for the damnation of hell. They will be damned, for they reject the most glorious principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and treat with disdain and trample under foot the key that unlocks the heavens and puts in our possession the glories of the celestial world.” 

Messenger & Advocate Vol. 1, Oct. 1834 No. 19; “Messenger & Advocate Vol. 1, Oct. 1834 No. 19; “That principle which actuates the children of men to revile, ridicule, calumniate and destroy the peace of one another, because they take the liberty to think for themselves in matters of religion, is certainly from beneath, and not from above…They are of their father, the devil, and his works they will do; and unless they repent, they must inevitably perish in some of the calamities that shall be poured out upon the ungodly.” 

Elder Orson Pratt, JD 18:172; “But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established…” 

Elder John Taylor 6:167; “There is not nation now that acknowledges that hand of God; there is not a king, potentate, nor ruler that acknowledges his jurisdiction. We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense. Men talk about civilization; but I do not want to say much about that, for I have seen enough of it…It is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol; it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work that the Christianity of the nineteenth century.” 

Brigham Young, JD 6:176; “Brother Taylor has just said that the religions of the day were hatched in hell. The eggs were laid in hell, hatched on its borders, and then kicked on to the earth. They may be called cockatrices, for they sting wherever they go. Go to their meetings in the Christian world, and you will hear them remark, “Our ministers dictate our souls’ salvation;” and they are perfectly composed and resigned to trust their whole future destiny to their priests…” 

Orson Pratt, JD 14:346; “How long is it since Zion ceased? For everybody will admit, among all Christian denominations, that there has been no revelation for some seventeen hundred years,—among all the Protestants of the present day, among all the Catholics that lived before them and that now live, and among all the different peoples and nations and tongues that have received the doctrines…They all admit that, they all testify and acknowledge that God has had no inspired men on the earth since the days of the Apostles…” 

EM, pg. 470; “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not see itself as one Christian denomination among many, but rather as God’s latter-day restoration of the fulness of Christian faith and practice. Thus, from its earliest days LDS Christians sought to distinguish themselves from Christians of other traditions. Other forms of Christianity, while bearing much truth and doing much good under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are viewed as incomplete, lacking the authority of the priesthood of God…” 

George Q. Cannon, JD 24:185-186; “…no thinking man can admit that Christianity so-called—I call it a false Christianity, untrue to its name—…You look in vain for those features that distinguished it, and that gave it power in the earth, and that made it the foe of Paganism and false religions existing in those days, and which gave it the wonderful success it achieved. It is destitute of these features… it nevertheless is destined to tumble with Babylon the great…” 

© 2010 Life After Ministries, Inc.

Link for Chapter 16

Chapter 16. Getting Baptized…Again!

http://lifeafterministry.com/2010/10/22/mentoring-handbook-chapter-16/

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 13

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION

You can memorize all the “instructions” I’ve written for you in this mentoring guideline, but that means nothing to the person you’re mentoring!  What passages from the Bible are the most comforting for you and why?  The Holy Spirit will be seen clearly with the passion you put behind the mood and tone of your voice.  Mormons have an innate way of picking up on those who aren’t being completely honest with them in this genre.  Now is the time to be as transparent as you possibly can be!

Ask any Mormon you know the following question:  “If you died today do you know with certainty that you would go to heaven?”  Ninety-nine percent of the time they will respond by telling you “I sure hope so” and then they’ll share Matthew 5:48 with you;

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Never mind they’re taking it completely out of context and never mind they haven’t really looked up the meaning of the word for perfect in this tense.  In their head they’re trying hard to be perfect so they can go to the Celestial Kingdom.

The Church’s role in propagating lies about salvation has been one of the keys to submission and confusion.  If you can keep changing the rules by just tweaking one or two of the “ordinances” in addition to adding a word here or there to another word which means something else, well then by golly, you’ve got yourself a person who is unable to think independently.  Confused again?  Remember, you’re not alone!

Case in point: what does the term “gospel ordinance” mean to you (the ex-Mormon)?  Write your answer below.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

To the Mormon its meaning encompasses everything having to do with their religion, in other words, “the plan of salvation”.

What is the plan of salvation according to the LDS Church?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Because Christ only died to fill in the gaps after “all you can do”, there is never any assurance.  If you really look back on your life honestly, can you say there wasn’t a day gone by that you weren’t lazy?  What about the times you’ve forgotten about; or when you didn’t want to “be nice” to the neighbor and hurried inside before they saw you in the front yard?

The LDS Church teaches the gospel has been around since the time of Adam, and since this time there have always been ordinances and principles that are to be followed if you truly want salvation.  In the book Gospel Through the Ages, intro pg. xvi it says;

“The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the “glad tidings” or “good news” concerning the Savior, the Kingdom of God, and the salvation of man. It consists primarily of the teachings of Christ and of the apostles as recorded in the New Testament and Book of Mormon…”

It goes on further to say; “Christians frequently use the word Gospel to designate their religion…” thereby letting everyone know the basics of their beliefs, i.e. “eternal nature of man, the atonement of Jesus Christ and the fall”.

This again is another place where you have to stop and clarify that man is not eternal, but created, and also to clarify what the word gospel means.  In reality the word gospel is the Greek word “euaggelizo” meaning “to announce good news, evangelize or preach glad tidings or good message”.  While the first portion of their “definition” of the word gospel is close to being correct, as we read further into their message you can see that they aren’t remotely close.

As a member of the LDS Church how did you define the “gospel”?

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

As a Christian, what is the “good news”?  Okay you have good news, what’s the news?

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

The following is from the same book we used above and the section is called “Scope of the Gospel”.  Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 3;

“[It] embraces every principle pertaining to life and salvation, for time and eternity, no matter who has it. If the infidel has got truth, it belongs to Mormonism. The truth and sound doctrine possessed by the sectarian world, and they have a great deal, all belongs to this Church. As for their morality, many of them are morally just as good as we are…Mormonism includes all truth. There is no truth but what belongs to the Gospel. It is life, eternal life; it is bliss; it is the fullness of all things in the Gods and in the eternities of the Gods.”

The entire point to the real gospel is, as you are well aware, the good news that a Savior has been provided for us; the sinners.  We can now feel assured that we are saved by believing on Jesus’ name that we are found without blemish.  And it is not by our own doing, but that of God’s, who gave the Ultimate Sacrifice; His Only Begotten Son.  See John 2:25, 3:17-19; Romans 10:4; Hebrews 9:26.

Have the following verses either printed or written out by hand on a sheet of paper.  Leave enough space between each for a place to write down what that verse means to them.  If there’s time also have them write down the LDS equivalent that refutes what the Bible says.

Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 2:20-1; Romans 1:16-7; Heb. 9:11-14, 10:9-14; 1 Cor. 1:18-9; John 14:23; Matthew 16:16-8; Col. 1:13-20…the list is endless because of how kind and generous our God is!

The good news is that we don’t have to worry about living under the Law!  The good news is that this has been accomplished for the rest of our lives!  And most especially the good news is that God raised His Son on the third day, while showing us that we will be raised with Him on that final day because death could not hold Him!

Oh, what an awesome God we serve!  Who or what could ever be that powerful?  How could we ever think that some earthly good deed could equal what God has done for us through His Son?  Everything pales in comparison and quite honestly causes me to blush with shame for ever thinking I could participate in my own salvation.

How could there be any doubt of our salvation knowing that God raised Jesus from the dead?  When Jesus said “It is finished” (John 19:30), He wasn’t referring to “just His work on earth”.  He was referring to the works of the Law forever!  There was no longer any need for works to be done because the Law had been fulfilled and God’s justice had been met!  By this we can know and have assurance of our salvation as the writer of Hebrews 10:22 said;

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

To walk everyday of your life not knowing if you’re saved is a curse my friend and isn’t of God!  The Lord Jesus would never want His people to be in doubt.  Do you think He hung on that cross doubting His decision?  Never before in history or since, has there been a more deliberate act of obedience and love!

© 2010 Life After Ministries, Inc.

Link for Chapter 14:

Chapter 14. Fundamentals of Mormonism: Is it a Lie or is it Biblical?

http://lifeafterministry.com/2010/10/22/mentoring-handbook-chapter-14/

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 10

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

GUILT AND SHAME

Witnessing Tip of the Day Guilt & Shame Is 617Mormons 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:

Chapter 11. Denouncing Mormonism

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Book of Mormon; Fullness of the Gospel?

Posted in Book of Mormon, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/20/2010| 1 Comment »

“Lord Increase Our Faith”, page 64; “The real focus on the Book of Mormon should be on the details of the book itself, not on the details of the process by which it came forth.  Although we do not know everything about the process of its coming forth or its translation, the Book of Mormon is open to full scrutiny.” – Neal A. Maxwell

Ensign, May 2007, pg. 88; “This ancient volume of holy scriptures is a sacred companion to the Bible, containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.” – L. Tom Perry

     My objective in this article is for members of the LDS Church to ponder the information presented here and honestly ask themselves if it makes sense the Book of Mormon is from God.  While I don’t agree with Mr. Maxwell’s opinion on how people should view the Book of Mormon (Galatians 1:6-9), we’re going to take him up on what he said about it being open to full scrutiny.

     All right, so I have an obsession with the book of Jeremiah; I’ll be the first to admit it!  If you’re a Mormon, have you ever read the book of Jeremiah?  There’s an important lesson to be learned in Jeremiah 36:20-32.  King Jehoiakim had decided he didn’t like God’s written word so he cut it up and burned it thinking that would take care of God, but he was sorely mistaken.

     I believe it was Matthew Henry who said “Those who hate it always seem to do things like this in life” …they either try to destroy or discredit God’s very words. 

     It was 600 BC and the prophet Jeremiah had been warning the Israelites for forty years that danger was lurking.  He told them God had an important message He wanted for them to hear and if they obeyed Him they wouldn’t lose their lives.  Times would be tough, but if they fled for Egypt on their own seeking safety, they would die by sword, famine or pestilence.  If they stayed put in Jerusalem (Jer. 42:10) God would protect their lives in the upcoming onslaught of the Babylonian takeover.  While they were in captivity for a time, there was a small remnant that was allowed to remain seventy years later.

     The certifiably insane King Nebuchadnezzar (descendant of Queen of Sheba and Solomon) marched the Israelites out of Jerusalem, chained some of them nude alongside a river while partying on a boat nearby and eventually went totally mad, living with animals.  He too hated God and turned the sacred scrolls into sacks filled with sand for the captive Israelites to carry into Egypt.  No one escaped his wrath.  (Eventually Nebuchadnezzar repented and worshipped God.)

     Now some 2,400 years later we have the story of Joseph Smith and the “golden plates” which he said contains the “fullness of the gospel”, otherwise known as the Book of Mormon.  One of the remarkable events about this story is the timeline.  It’s the story of a lost tribe of Israelites fleeing Jerusalem in 600 BC and guess what?  Yep, they’re headin’ for Egypt, seeking safety from the fall of Jerusalem.

     Okay, foregoing the arguments, let’s say God told everyone but this lost tribe of “Nephites” to stay put in Jerusalem; what about Joseph Smith’s other assertion about the Book of Mormon? 

     He said a lot of things about this work so his claims should be investigated as Mr. Maxwell suggests.  It’d be amazing if anyone escaped the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar, so these plates should be of significant value if true, right?   

     What do these brass plates tell us?  Does the Book of Mormon contain the “fullness of the gospel”?  Remember, parts of these plates are supposedly what the Nephites hauled over to the States when they sailed here.   

     Let’s begin with what Doctrine and Covenants 19:26, 27:5 and 135:3 says:

“And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the Book of Mormon, which contains the truth and the word of God—”

“Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim.”

“Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth…”

     As you can see, we have confirmation through the prophecies above; the Church does believe it’s the “fullness of the gospel”.  Now in light of those prophecies by Smith, we need to compare them with what the Bible says about prophets and prophecies, in addition to looking at a few core Mormon doctrines and see if they’re in the Book of Mormon.  If they’re not found on those plates, we ask in all sincerity – how can this be the fullness of the gospel if it doesn’t contain all the requirements for salvation?

What the Bible Says:

Deuteronomy 18:20-22; “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.  21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

Deuteronomy 13:1-5; “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. 4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.  5 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.”

     Mormons believe a true and full salvation can only be attained in the highest kingdom of heaven which they call the “Celestial Kingdom”.  The Celestial Kingdom is reserved solely for those who have been found worthy enough to become a god themselves after they have accomplished a number of works here on earth.  Below are a handful of requirements and beliefs each Mormon needs for a true salvation in the Mormon Church. 

What the Mormon Church Says:

Church Government

 3 Nephi 12 says the twelve Nephite apostles received power to share the gospel, baptize and give the gift of the Holy Ghost.  This is the closest we come to anything remotely close to the hierarchy we see in the Mormon Church today.

 There is no “first presidency”, no quorum of the seventies, no bishops, no bishopric, no wards, no branches, no stakes and no stake presidents, no area presidency…compare it with what the Bible says about church structure:

1 Corinthians 10:32, 12:9-10, 18, 29, 30; Acts 13:1, Romans 12:8, Ephesians 2:20, 3:5, 4:11 

God

Father God has a body of flesh and bones – D&C 130:22

God was once a man. – HC 6:305, Gospel through the Ages, pg. 105 

God has many wives/Mother gods – Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 25

God has a father – Gospel Truth, pg. 101; The Seer by Orson Pratt, pg. 132; Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 38

God had sex with Mary – Journal of Discourses 4:218 – Brigham Young, February 8, 1857; Journal of Discourses  1:50-51, 8:115, 11:268

God progresses/Eternal progression – Distinct Doctrines and Teachings of the Pearl of Great Price, pg. 76; Gospel through the Ages, pgs. 114-115; Articles of Faith, pg. 390 

Three Separate Personages in Godhead – Mormon Doctrine, pg. 576; D&C 130:22-23; Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 552; Mormon Doctrine of Deity, pgs. 9-10; History of the Church 6:474, June 16, 1844

gods/polytheism

Many gods and councils of gods – Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 348; Abraham 4:25

Man may become a god – Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs. 136-137; Gospel through the Ages, pgs. 105-106; D&C 76:58, TPJS 342-345

Man is a god in embryo – Miracle/Forgiveness, pg. 3

Heaven

Three levels of heaven. – Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 367; D&C 131:1-4

Jesus

 

Jesus chosen to become a god – Mormon Doctrine, pg. 129, Abraham 3:27-28

Jesus and Lucifer are brothers – Jesus the Christ, pg. 8; Gospel through the Ages, pg. 15

Jesus was Married – Journal of Discourses 2:82, 2:210, 4:259-26 

Jesus was a polygamist – Jesus was Married by Ogden Kraut, pg. 27; Journal of Discourses 13:309

Jesus Crucified for Polygamy – Journal of Discourses 1:346

 Polygamy

Polygamy Condemned – Jacob 2:24

Polygamy is true salvation – D&C 131:1-4, 132:4-6, 20-21; Journal of Discourses 5:204 & 282, 11:269, 12:262, 13:167-168, 13:189, 17:225; Doctrines of Salvation 2:67; Mormon Doctrine, pg. 219; Evidences and Reconciliations, pg. 390; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 332…

Pre-existence

Elohim populating earth through sexually begotten spirit children –

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 24; D&C 49:17, 93:23-29, 138:55-56; Mormon Doctrine, pg. 516; Abraham 3:22-28; Journal of Discourses 4:216; Melvin Joseph Ballard, Sermons and Missionary Services, page 247; Answers: Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel Questions, pgs. 5-6; Life Before, pg. 91; For Behold Ye are Free, pg. 42; Ensign, November 1997, pg. 65; Way to Perfection, pg. 29…

 

Salvation

Temple marriage a requirement for exaltation – Teens, Temple Marriage and Eternity, pg. 1; Doctrines of Salvation 2:62; D&C 131:1-4

President of Church Holds Keys to – Mormon Doctrine, pg. 591

Salvation after Death

Book of Mormon – none is available after death – 2 Nephi 9:15, 38; Alma 12:13-14, 34:31-34, 42:22-23

Other LDS teachings say it is necessary

Baptism for the dead – D&C 124:29-30, 128:15; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 191; History of the Church 4:568-569; Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 1258; Are Mormons Christians? pg. 19; Doctrines of Salvation 2:175…

     As the reader can plainly see, not one of those core doctrinal teachings is in the Book of Mormon.  The list here is brief in comparison to the hordes of all their teachings.  What we’ve presented here is enough to show the Book of Mormon certainly doesn’t stand up to the claims Joseph Smith and other Church leaders have made.

     How can the Book of Mormon contain the “fullness of the gospel” if their teachings are not to be found in the Book of Mormon?

     If you’re LDS we want you to know that we pray diligently for you each and every day.  We hope you’ll investigate these claims for yourself and see that God is not a God of confusion as it says in 1 Cor. 14:33.  Ask yourself and your leaders why there is such a huge contradiction in what D&C says and what the Book of Mormon doesn’t say.

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor. 1:18  …

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The Jesus of Mormonism

Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged , , , on 10/19/2010| 5 Comments »

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:15-16

Those two verses captured my attention as a teenager growing up in Utah Mormonism. I didn’t understand the meaning of the word Christ, but instinctively knew it had to mean more than what I was being taught.

Today whenever I meet a Mormon missionary, my question is always the same;

Whom do you think Jesus is?

Not surprisingly, I get a different answer from each and every Mormon I encounter.  When I think of the missionaries who come to my door I can’t help but think of a song by Hillsong called “Inside Out”. One of the lines says “…the art of losing myself in bringing You praise…”  It never would’ve crossed my mind to do such a thing as a Mormon, and the way the missionaries talk about Joseph Smith, I’m convinced it doesn’t for them either. So again, I am asking:

What did Jesus do in your life today?

Do you even know?

Have you even stopped to think of it?

(more…)

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The god of Mormonism

Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/19/2010| 1 Comment »

foundationsA 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?

(more…)

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The Bible and Mormonism

Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »

foundationsIn January of 1972 I sat on a platform in front of my local Mormon ward.  I was receiving the prayers and “laying on of hands” for the “gift of the Holy Ghost” and becoming a member of the LDS Church.  Twenty four hours earlier I had been washed in the baptismal font of the Stake building to receive a remission of my sins.  I was eight years old.

The remarkable point to this whole scenario is the real gift I received from the Church that changed my life forever and what was to become the beginning of the end for me and Mormonism.

(more…)

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