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Posts Tagged ‘lies’

LDS Contradictions: BoM Says Law Doesn’t Save; Mormonism Says It Does

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

 Today we’re looking at simple comparisons of works, v. grace.

Our objective in doing so is for Christians to have the tools/resources to share the truth with a Mormon they might know.

If you’re LDS, we humbly ask you look over the evidence given, and ask yourself if God would really send so many conflicting messages to you. We promise beloved, this isn’t how the God of the Bible operates!

Please, pray for Mormons to know the difference, and for Jesus to intervene!

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor. 1:18

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LDS Contradictions: The Sin of Adam and Eve 

Genesis 2:16-17 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Genesis 3:23-24 “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”.

One of the biggest tragedies of Mormonism can be found in their doctrines about the Fall of mankind. The word ambiguity doesn’t come close to describing how contradictory their beliefs are on this topic. We pray that all Christians will take the time to share truth with a Mormon, and tell them of the love you have for Jesus! (more…)

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March Witnessing Tip of the DayMarch 11 – Acts 2:2; “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”

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March Witnessing Tip of the DayMarch 8 – Matthew 11:21-2; “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes”.

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March Witnessing Tip of the DayMarch 6 –The first time the followers of Jesus were called Christians is recorded in Acts 11:26b; “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”

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Mormon Decisions 10Mormon Portraits, p 228; “The Affidavits of 1833-1834…Peter Ingersoll…Joseph told me, on his return, that he intended to keep the promise which he had made to his father-in-law, “but,” said he “it will be hard for me, for they will all oppose, as they want me to look in the stone for them to dig money,” and, in fact, it was as he predicted.

 

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Mormon ScripturesThis morning I came across a Facebook page titled “I Love the Book of Mormon”. My question to Mormons is why do you love this book? What’s so special about it?

The mormon.org website describes the Book of Mormon as “another witness that Jesus Christ really lived, that He was and is God’s Son. “ As I read that statement alone a couple of questions came to mind such as:

Why is another witness needed?

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J. SmithGetting a grasp on who Joseph Smith was makes understanding Mormonism a bit easier. We pray looking at his life and rap sheet will open eyes to this manmade religion.

We’ve documented and written about Smith’s life from the time of his first vision to the day he died.  And then we looked in the Bible to learn what God thinks of writing new scriptures, polygamy, lying to the government, and digging for buried treasure and compared those things with Joseph Smith.  As we looked deeper into his story we saw all those things plus adultery, witchcraft, and Masonry.  Sadly, it seemed the list would never end.

You can access those articles here or over on the right sidebar there’s a new widget called “All about Joseph”!

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VITAL STATS 2006

Every eighteen months or so for the past several years I have compiled a set of reports from varying agencies that describe the health and well being of Utah.  It’s been my experience with the findings that I am saddened each time by the results.  I am more convinced with each report that being a member of the LDS Church plays a major role in the dismal outlook for the residents of Utah, both physically as well as spiritually.

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March 13 – Gen. 3:24; “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim’s, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life”. 

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Next to John 3:16, the Genesis scripture should be at the forefront of every believer’s mind.  Man was separated from God, thus the need for John 3:16.  It was not God’s intention for this to happen.  He knew it would happen, but it doesn’t mean that He willed it to happen.  The Mormon believes man had to sin in order to know joy, sadness and to even procreate.  They believe this sin commandment came from God.

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“In conformity to the will of the Lord, Adam fell both spiritually and temporally.”  Mormon Doctrine, pg. 268.

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February 17 – Hebrews 1:5 is clear about what God said in relation to angels and Jesus Christ.  “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, THOU ART MY SON, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE?  And again, I WILL BE TO HIM A FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE TO ME A SON?”

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Mormons believe that Jesus and Lucifer are literally spiritually begotten by God and the Heavenly Mother.  Ask them what they think about this verse.

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“The contention in heaven was-Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; and the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ.  So the devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down, with all who put up their heads for him”.  Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 357.

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Joseph Smith’s Character

Will the Real Joseph Smith Please Stand Up?

 By Mark Grote 2004

 Born on December 23, 1805, Joseph Smith could run faster, throw farther and jump higher than the other kids in Sharon, Vermont. If you tour the sites in Nauvoo, IL., the place of his death, that’s what you’ll hear of Joseph Smith as you move about the historical landmarks.

 But if you are interested in facts, instead of legends, you might find yourself questioning whether it’s a good idea to put your eternity in the hands and beliefs of this man.

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LIGHT OF CHRIST

     As of late the Mormon term “Light of Christ” has been on my mind.  As a member of the LDS Church, I heard this used many times in reference to an individual possessing it.  It’s amazing how differently I think about things now versus a year ago when I was newly out of the LDS church. Back then I never would have contemplated what the word “light” meant from a biblical point of view.

     I’ve discovered several passages and examples in the Bible where God teaches us who He is and how He manifests Himself to us through His word. 

     The first mention of “light” is in Genesis 1:3, when God says “let there be light”.  Then in Psalms 119:105 it says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.  Another example is found in 2 Samuel 22:29 which says; “For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness”. The “light” mentioned in the latter verses are referring to the Word of God.

     We learn from John 1: 1-5, 7 that Jesus is the Word of God, that he is the light.  In John 12:16 Jesus says, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”  As I will explain later, the “light” that people see in us is the Holy Spirit that dwells in us when we are saved. Before we are saved we are in darkness.  In the hymn Amazing Grace we sing “…Was blind, but now, I see…” Jesus tells us about this “light” in Luke 11:34-36.

     The phrase “light of Christ” doesn’t appear in the Bible, but is used often in the LDS community. They believe that we are all born with “the light of Christ” in us.  Neal Maxwell said;

 “It is possible for all to develop such love, because carried within each soul born on this planet is the Light of Christ, which can illumine the landscape of life, even if the carrier does not understand that light within (D&C 93-2)( All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience pg 51-70)

      What the Mormon Church isn’t telling you in the above reference is their belief that being born with “light of Christ” goes hand in hand with their belief about original sin.   The Church teaches that everyone is literally a child of God, born without sin. 

     A couple of years ago I recall being in a meeting with a group of Christian ladies (I was LDS at the time) and somehow we got on the topic of sin and children.  When I said, “How can babies sin? They are perfect” the ladies just kind of stared at me.  I obviously hadn’t been taught and didn’t understand the doctrine of “Original Sin”! 

     I was taught that we would “be punished for our own sins not for Adam’s transgressions” (The  Articles of Faith #2).

     In the Improvement Era, Dr. James E. Talmage said:

 “The Church holds that children are born to earth in a sinless state, that they need no individual redemption; that should they die before reaching the years of accountability, they return without taint of earthly sin; but if they attain youth or maturity in the flesh, their responsibility increases with their development.” (Improvement Era, 1901 Vol. Iv. April, 1901. No 6)

      I have a son that is almost two years old and I know that he is capable of sin!  Whenever he doesn’t get his way he has a temper tantrum. Other times as I tell him not to touch something he will look right at me and touch or reach for the thing I told him not to. Children are not without sin. God has given to us the responsibility of teaching our children to obey.  Proverbs 22:6 says:

 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

     God knows that we all of us are born with a sin nature. No one ever had to teach us to sin; it was in us from the very beginning having inherited our sin nature from Adam. Romans 5:12 states;

 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

      Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savoir the Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in our body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says:

 “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your boys and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

      Many times you will hear LDS say that they can see or could see the “light of Christ” in an individual. They are referring to the “good works” that they see in this person and their personality. The truth is we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 says; “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”.  Once we are saved people can see the workings of God in us and this is known as the Holy Spirit.  It is what attracts the unbeliever to us!  Remember though that this is not us – it’s Him!  In Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie states;  

 “The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a Personage of Spirit, a Spirit Person, a Spirit Man, a Spirit Entity. He can be in only one place at one time and he does not and cannot transform himself into any other form or image than that of the Man whom he is, though his power and influence can be manifest at one and the same time through all immensity.”  (Mormon Doctrine pg 358-359)

      God teaches us in the Bible that McConkie’s statement is wrong by showing us the Holy Spirit is in fact omnipresent, like in Psalms 139:7;

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”

      Here’s what Ephesians 2: 17-18 and 1 Corinthians 12:13 say respectively about this subject;

 “And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

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

     The teaching of the “light of Christ” dwelling in us is not biblical. The things people see in you once you are saved comes from the Holy Spirit. These qualities are known as the “fruit of the Spirit”; Galatians 5:22-23.  Additionally, Ephesians 5:18-19 shows that when a person is filled with the Spirit they have a joyous and cheerful attitude toward God.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit: Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

      I pray that if you are LDS and are reading this article you will come to know the true Jesus as your Savior.  We’re praying for you.

 In Christ,

Melissa Grimes

melissa@lifeafter.org

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Christian or Cult?

 This is one of the handouts we provide at our workshops.  It’s a simple side-by-side comparison of Mormonism vs. Christianity.

 Who is God?

 Bible:  John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

LDS:   D&C 130:22; “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”

 Who is Jesus?

 Bible: 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.”

LDS:  Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 724; “Jesus Christ, whose main title was Jehovah, was the firstborn spirit child of God the Father and thus the eldest brother and preeminent above all other spirit children of God.”

 Who is the Holy Spirit?

 Bible: John 14:17; “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

LDS:   Doctrines of Salvation 1:39; “I have never troubled myself about the Holy Ghost whether he will sometime have a body or not because it is not in any way essential to my salvation. He is a member of the Godhead, with great power and authority, with a most wonderful mission which must be performed by a spirit. This has satisfied me without delving into mysteries that would be of no particular benefit.”

 Salvation

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

LDS:  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…”

 Other teachings of the LDS Church

 All churches but the LDS Church are the whores of the earth

 1 Nephi 14:10; “And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.”

Jesus said this about His Church – 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.”

 Joseph Smith is god to the Mormons

 “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.” – Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 363.

God said this about other gods – Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

 No Need For LDS Members to Think

 In the June 1945 issue of Improvement Era Magazine, pg. 345 it says; “When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done”.

Paul tells us this about thinking – 2 Tim. 3:16; “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

 Joseph’s Consent Needed for Entrance to Heaven

 From Journal of Discourses 7:289 it says; “…that no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith.”

 Book of Mormon Most Correct Book

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

 By the late 1980’s there had been 3,913 changes made to the Book of Mormon that changed either the doctrine, the meaning or the full message of what was originally said.  These changes are not of the typographical sort.

 False Prophecies

 God tells us in 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.  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  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.”

 No river has ever emptied into the Red Sea, yet it says the following in the Book of Mormon:

 1 Nephi 2:8 says; “And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.”

 Joseph Smith prophesied the following

 “Inhabitants of the Moon are more of a uniform size than the inhabitants of the Earth, being about 6 feet in height.  They dress very much like the Quaker Style and quite general in style, or the one fashion of dress.  They live to be very old; coming generally near a thousand years.  This is the description of them as given by Joseph Smith the Seer.” – The Oliver Huntington Journal, Book 14; also found in The Young Woman’s Journal, published by the Young Ladies’ MIA, 1892, 3:263-4.

 Jesus was married

 Journal of Discourses 4:259-60 says; “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.”

 Jesus and Lucifer are brothers

 From the book Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 15, it says; “The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning.”

 God had sex with Mary

 Journal of Discourses 4:218 says; “When the time came that His first-born, the Saviour, should come into the world and take a tabernacle, the Father came Himself and favoured that spirit with a tabernacle instead of letting any other man do it. The Saviour was begotten by the Father of His spirit, by the same Being who is the Father of our spirits, and that is all the organic difference between Jesus Christ and you and me.”

 Pre-existence & Heavenly Mother

 From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 1123 it says; “There is indeed indication that the intelligence dwelling in each person is coeternal with God. It always existed and never was created or made (D&C 93:29). In due time that intelligence was given a spirit body, becoming the spirit child of God the Eternal Father and his beloved companion, the Mother in Heaven. This spirit, inhabited by the eternal intelligence, took the form of its creators and is in their image (Ballard, p. 140).”

 No cross, just Moroni, an angel of light

 Bible:

1 Cor. 1:18 says; “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

 Mormon:

“…the cross, with its focus on the death of Christ, does not symbolize the message of a living, risen, exalted Lord who changes the lives of his followers. Thus, President Gordon B. Hinckley, counselor in the First Presidency, stated that the lives of people must become a “meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship” (p. 92).”  Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 345.

 Bible:

2 Cor. 11:14; “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

Gal. 1:6-8; “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

 Mormon:

Introductory page of D&C (1976) says; “…In September, 1823, and at later times, Joseph Smith received visitations from Moroni, an angel of light, who revealed the resting place of the ancient record from which The Book of Mormon was afterward translated.”

 True Salvation to the Mormon

 Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 116, 119; “Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you… namely, by going from one small degree to another…”  (Also see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 346).

“Marriage is not only a righteous institution, but obedience to this law is absolutely necessary in order to obtain the highest exaltation in the Kingdom of God.”

 Bible – Isaiah 45:22; “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

 What is “scripture”?

 Members of the LDS Church have what they call the “Standard Works”.  This compilation of four books constitutes their scripture.  These four books include the Bible (as far as it is translated correctly), the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.  This is what they’ve said about the Bible:

 Doctrines of Salvation 3:190; “We are informed in the Book of Mormon that the Hebrew scriptures went “forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God,” and after they went forth from the Jews many changes were made, and “many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.”  (Also see 1 Nephi 13:23-32).

 Bible – Isaiah 40:8; “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

 If this doesn’t look or sound like the God of the Bible that you’ve been taught; you’re not alone!  The reason we have written this paper is to warn as Jude 3 tells us to do and because our hearts are broken over the false doctrine of the LDS Church.  After being a Mormon from Utah and spending 30 years in the Church I can assure you that everything we’ve presented is indeed truth.  We’ve checked and double checked to make sure all of our research is well documented for the investigator to review on their own.

 If you’re a Mormon, our first concern is that you know we’re not here to bash you or to make you feel as if we’re out to get you.  Our concern for your salvation is so heavy on our hearts that we have provided this information for you.  Please keep in mind that it’s not the Mormon people we have an issue with; it’s the doctrine of the LDS Church and you are not a church!  Please know also that there are thousands of people in the body of Christ who pray for you every single day!

 If you have a burden to reach those lost in the Mormon Church, we could use your help!  Please write to receive materials that you can share with your friends.

 If you’ve never asked Jesus to be your Savior and God it is easy to do!  Just sit for a moment and ask Him to come live in your heart.  Tell Him you’re in need of a Savior, you’re a sinner and you want a relationship with Him.  Next thing to do…share your news!

 You can reach us at:

 Life After Ministries

PO Box 901

Woodinville, WA  98072

 Phone:  425-939-6013  or  877-362-2751

Email:  www.lifeafter.org

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Book of Mormon Artifacts;

Smithsonian & National Geographic Response to Inquiry

Book of Mormon 3      This is the one subject about Mormonism that I put off the longest.  It was such a huge undertaking in my mind that quite frankly, it scared me!  I’m not an archaeologist, nor am I a theologian; but, the one thing I’ve been gifted with is literacy.  I can figure out when/if something isn’t sound and make a determination if the information provided can be deemed trustworthy.

     I looked at countless Christian, aka “anti-Mormon” websites, in addition to FAIR and FARMS to get a collective list of which things were questionable in the Book of Mormon and came up with nineteen items.  I’ve used the official websites of dictionaries, encyclopedias, universities and research analysts of various fields to retrieve the data needed and have listed my findings here.

     As I’ve already said, I’m a simple person.  I raised a couple of kids, a couple of Rottweilers and I like to study.  Additionally, I’m a nosey person and I want to know why things like silk, iron or horses weren’t in the Americas during the time of the Book of Mormon and that is what drives me to get each question I have answered.

     I want to know when these things arrived here or how long they’ve been known to be here in America and I want to be sure I personally know for an absolute certainty from historical records that each of my findings is correct.  For every website I’ve listed there were at least five others that I went to for corroboration.

     I think it’s also important to see what the original source has to say about themselves so what does one of the greatest thinkers of Mormonism have to say about the Book of Mormon?  From B.H. Roberts himself, here is an analysis of Joseph Smith’s work.

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

    If this guy doubts the authenticity of the Book of Mormon shouldn’t we?

 1 – Barley

 Mosiah 7:22;And all this he did, for the sole purpose of bringing this people into subjection or into bondage. And behold, we at this time do pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount of one half of our corn, and our barley, and even all our grain of every kind, and one half of the increase of our flocks and our herds; and even one half of all we have or possess the king of the Lamanites doth exact of us, or our lives.

     CFW (Cereal Foods of the World) has an incredibly detailed account of the history of food grains on their website.  (1)   Yeah I know it might sound boring from that explanation, but it is interesting to find out who ate what and when.  The massive amount of work performed by these people serves as proof barley was not in the Americas until the arrival of Columbus’ second visit here in 1494, more than one thousand years after the end of the Book of Mormon story.

     This particular site is provided by C.W. Newman and R.K. Newman from Newman Associates, Inc. Bozeman, MT.  Performing a basic search on the net in addition to his site you’ll learn that Mr. Newman is cited in several works regarding the history of barley and “received his Ph.D.  in animal science at Louisiana State University in 1965”.  He did “extensive work and research exploring the food and feed value of barley”.  Here is part of what he had to say regarding barley;

 “Columbus brought barley to the North American continent in 1494 on his second voyage (27).  The original introduction site was not conducive to barley culture, and there were no further reports of production in the area.  Later there were two additional pathways through which barley was introduced more successfully in North America.  Barley was brought to the East Coast colonies from England at the turn of the 17th century and into the Southwest during the Spanish mission movement (29).  There is little or no indication that barley was used for food during these early years; most of the crop was grown for malting, and the remainder was used as animal fee.  The same pattern continues today in the United States, with the majority of barley used for animal feed (65%) and malt and alcohol production (30%) and the remainder consumed as food (1.5%) or used for other purposes (15).”

2 – Bees 

beeEther 2:3; “And they did also carry with them deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey bee; and thus they did carry with them swarms of bees, and all manner of that which was upon the face of the land, seeds of every kind”.

According to Tom Turpin, professor of Entomology at Purdue University, the honey bee didn’t arrive in America until they were imported here by European settlers around 1622.

 – Bows and Arrows

 1 Nephi 16:14; “And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows, and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea.

     From the many websites I visited throughout this research it was generally agreed that bows and arrows didn’t come into the Americas until the late Woodland (500 AD) or early Mississippian (800-1100 AD) time period.  The dates listed here are an average from data collected.  As you can see this is at least 400 years after the story in the Book of Mormon ends!

     Typically arrows were made from the rudimentary carving of various sharpened stone while bows were made from hickory, ash or black locust woods that could have “a pull weight of about fifty pounds”.

     The iron hatchet came with the arrival of the white man in the eighteenth and nineteenth century which greatly changed the scenery of warfare in the lives of the American Indians.  Up until the fifteenth century American Indians had pretty much stayed to themselves in their own villages, with the remnants of palisades being found from the southeastern part of the U.S. to north of the Ohio valley.

     Historical warfare periods weren’t known to the American Indians until the arrival of the white man.  There were the occasional “Indian raids”, but these never consisted of more than a few hundred men at a time, nothing in scale to what the Book of Mormon claims.  (2)

 4– CEMENT

 Helaman 3:7; “And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.”

      I keep learning the older I get, the less I know in life and this is a perfect example.  Ha!  Cement is an ingredient in concrete.  I’ve always thought they were the same thing and used the words interchangeably not knowing my ignorance…sigh!  From the website of www.dictionary.com it says this about cement;

 “Any of various calcined mixtures of clay and limestone, usually mixed with water and sand, gravel, etc., to form concrete, that are used as a building material.

      Cement became very popular during the Roman Empire during the time of Nero, circa 60 AD.  It was used to build palaces, malls and temples like the Pantheon.  Aside from these large structures people didn’t use it to build homes or other buildings with it, but used it only as the glue between bricks or stones.  (3)

     And just when I thought learning about cement would bore me to death I learned something very curious which caught my immediate attention;

 “Construction of a system of canals in the first half of the 19th Century created the first large-scale demand for cement in this country. In 1818, a year after the Erie Canal was started, Canvass White, an engineer, discovered rock deposits in Madison County, NY, from which natural hydraulic cement could be made with little additional processing. He produced large amounts of this cement for use in the Erie Canal.”  (4)

      Hmmm…it makes me wonder if Smith used the idea of cement homes from the local construction sites surrounding his neck of the woods…certainly he would’ve heard about this and/or read about it in the local papers!

 5  – CHARIOTS

 Alma 18:9; “And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.

      There were a number of uses for the chariot most of which included war battles, racing, parades and games.  The first recorded location of chariots is believed to have been in Mesopotamia, but even that is disputed.  It seems the last recorded use of a chariot was circa 540 AD timeframe and by that time in history they were only being used in parades.  (5)

     The website of www.encyclopedia.com gives a good concise explanation of the origin, uses, and geographical spread of the chariot.  Nothing I found said anything about the chariot being in the American continent at any time so that pretty much negates the story of the father of Lamoni gathering the chariots to go for a feast!

 6 – Chickens

 2 Nephi 5:11; “And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind”

      While I am fully aware that the word “chickens” was not used in the Book of Mormon the verse above indicates that this is most probably what they were talking about.  However, according to the National Geographic Society and every reputable website out there we read otherwise.  As noted they have recently found fragments of a chicken bone in Chile which they believe is around 1550 – 2000 years old.  It was one chicken bone in Chile…were the Book of Mormon people ever known to have been in Chile?  (6)

     In defense of using the chicken in this article the reader might also want to read an interesting book written by LDS author Paul Cheesman called “Book of Mormon: The Keystone Scripture”, pg. 191.  It is in this chapter that Cheesman defends early voyages from China and other eastern countries at or around the sixteenth century AD.  Keep in mind they are eastern countries some 1200 years after the end of the Book of Mormon stories…

 7 – CIMETER (SCIMETER)

 Jarom 1:20; “And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God…and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.

      I wanted to address two items of interest in this section.  One is the topic of the National Geographic Society and their official statement of “finds” in Mesoamerica and the other topic is the scimeter.  Now the scimeter is an old-world weapon that would be categorized as a curved spear or sword that is typically held by two hands.  For a list of Aztec weapons click on the link below.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scimitar#Scimitars_in_history)

     The LDS apologists will tell you that Smith was referring to the Mesoamerican cimeter but these are made of hardwood clubs, not spears made of steel that Smith claims.  The spears that people in the Mesoamerica areas used were made of stone that had been sharpened.  These proved to be a formidable weapon; however they weren’t made of any type of metal.

     We’ve already established through the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institute that the Book of Mormon has never proved to be reliable in any archaeological sense (7).  This is part of what Ms. Walker from the National Geographic Society said to me through an e-mail:

 “The National Geographic Society has not examined the historical claims of the Book of Mormon.  We know of no archaeological evidence that corroborates the ancient history of the Western Hemisphere as presented in the Book of Mormon, nor are we aware of empirical verification of the places named in the Book of Mormon.”

      So why does the LDS Church have people like John Sorensen saying things like this?

 “When Cortez crossed southern Mexico during his epic journey to Honduras, he discovered fortifications around the Laguna de Terminos area very similar to those Moroni erected in the first century B.C. (Alma 53:1-5) in the east coastal lowlands only a few score miles from Cortez’s route.

      Sorensen is a gifted writer as we can see and he has the gift of being able to twist words to make it look as if these two places match up in identity, therefore authenticating the Book of Mormon.  Sorensen goes on to say:

 “The Book of Mormon describes a ditch being dug around the protected area; the excavated earth was piled inward to form a bank. Atop it a fence of timbers was planted and bound together with vines. That very arrangement is now well documented archaeologically. The National Geographic Society-Tulane University project at Becan in the center of the Yucatan peninsula has shown the pattern to be very old.”  John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, 261.

      Pay close attention to this previous section because Sorensen made it sound like the National Geographic Society from Tulane authenticated the Book of Mormon claims, but they did not!  What they documented is what Cortez discovered when he went to Honduras.  And Cortez never said anything about Laguna de Terminos being similar to what Moroni supposedly built!  When the average Mormon reads something like that, they’ll assume the National Geographic said it was true!  On the very next page of Sorensen’s book it says this about the cimeter;

 “The Mesoamerican parallel would be the weapon the Aztecs called the maccuahuitl, a hardwood club edged on both sides with razor-sharp obsidian blades. The Spaniards called this feared weapon a “sword,” said it was sharper than their own weapons, and learned with dismay that one blow with it could cut off the head of a horse. Bernal Diaz, among the conquering Spaniards, also reported “broad swords” distinct from the maccuahuitl, but these are not elsewhere described, as far as I know.”  John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, 262.

      The truth is that these two weapons are vastly different.  They were made by two different cultures, from two different types of material.  (8)  And the National Geographic Society never authenticated what the Book of Mormon says no matter what BYU says.  From what all the well respected archaeologists and scientists have said it is even more unlikely the Middle East and Mesoamerica even knew of each other during the years that Smith claims this was going on!

     To the Mormon:  it is easy enough to be startled when reading or hearing anything from F.A.R.M.S.  They make it sound so good, but the true evidence has always proved otherwise…there will never be any evidence with proof the lands of the Book of Mormon existed.  As B.H. Roberts said, the only place they did exist is in Joseph Smith’s own mind and Satan’s of course!

     For further reading on this subject from the Maxwell Institute please read what they have to say here.

    8 – COMPASS

 1 Nephi 18:12; “And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.”

      Here are two examples of this word in the Bible and how they are used.

 Exodus 27:5; “And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.”

 Exodus 38:4; “And he made for the altar a brazen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.”     The Hebrew word for compass is: karkob.  It means rim or top margin.  In the New Testament we see it used in Acts 28:13;

 “And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli.”

      The Greek word is perierchomai.  It means: to come all around, that is, stroll, vacillate, veer—fetch a compass, vagabond, wandering about.

     Now let’s look at what 1 Nephi 18:21says about the word compass which supposedly took place circa 589 BC;

 “And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.” 

      We can see from this passage of First Nephi that they are referring to a navigational device.  After spending about 10 minutes searching on the internet for information on who invented the compass I came upon the website of Smith College History of Science.  Here is what they said about the compass:

 “Earliest records show a spoon shaped compass made of lodestone or magnetite ore, referred to as a “South-pointer” dating back to sometime during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE).”  The report goes on to say; “…By the time of the T’ang dynasty (7-8th century CE), Chinese scholars had devised a way to magnetize iron needles, by rubbing them with magnetite, and then suspending them in water (early 11th century)…during the Sung dynasty (1000 CE) many trading ships were then able to sail as far as Saudi Arabia without getting lost.”

      The Europeans didn’t use compasses for navigation until the twelfth to thirteenth century (9), so why did the Nephites have them some 1,800 years before the Europeans and at least 400 years before it was invented by the Chinese?  In addition, why when it broke was no one able to fix it except one person?

     You can find the Smith College History of Science website here.

     So from what the Bible says about the word compass and its transliterations, and from what we can learn by just reading a history lesson of sorts, we can see there is no way at all the “Nephite” Jews were using a compass to guide themselves around.

     Granted, Joseph Smith didn’t have access to the internet back in 1830 but certainly if this was theopneustos (God breathed), Joseph Smith would have had access to God!  Wouldn’t God know when the compass was invented?

 9 – Cows

 1 Nephi 18:25; “And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.”

      As we can see from the two sites below there is at least an eleven hundred year discrepancy between what the Book of Mormon claims and historical facts are. (10)

     The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy reports the Pineywoods descends from Spanish cattle and were one of the first breeds brought to America in the early 1500’s. (10)

     And in case there was any doubt as to what type of cattle or dairy cows we’re talking about there is also this site that tells us about the first dairy cows that were brought to America;

 “Dairy cows first arrived in America in 1611 which helped end severe starvation in Jamestown Colony.”  They also report “In 1623, two Devon heifers and a Devon bull were imported to the Plymouth Colony from Britain. These three cattle were probably the first purebred cattle to reach North America. Devon cattle were highly valued as oxen in the American Colonies.” (10)

      Interestingly enough we also see in Studies of the Book of Mormon, pg. 99, B.H. Roberts quoted well respected Mr. W. H. Holmes from the Bureau of American Ethnology who thought it was interesting that the characters in the Book of Mormon never mentioned drinking milk;

 “…Strange, this absence of the use of milk as a diet since the Book of Mormon peoples were immigrants into the New World from regions where the use of milk was a common diet, and came to a land of “cattle and cows,” yet no mention is made of the use of milk as a diet in the Book of Mormon.”

 10 – Donkey/Ass

 Mosiah 5:14; “And again, doth a man take an ass which belongeth to his neighbor, and keep him? I say unto you, Nay; he will not even suffer that he shall feed among his flocks, but will drive him away, and cast him out. I say unto you, that even so shall it be among you if ye know not the name by which ye are called.

      The simple explanation below gives proof the ass/donkey wasn’t in the Americas when Joseph’s story in the Book of Mormon claims they were.  I wonder how many times things like this have to appear before a member of the Church gets sick of having so many “coincidences” of things not being right?

 “Equines had become extinct in the Western Hemisphere at the end of the last Ice Age. However, horses and donkeys were brought back to the Americas by the Conquistadors. In 1495, the ass first appeared in the New World when Christopher Columbus brought four jacks and two jennys. It is from this bloodline that many of the mules which the Conquistadors used while they explored the Americas were produced.” (11)

 11 – Elephants

 Ether 9:19; “And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.”

      The evolution explanation of the elephant in America is listed below.  I found it rather interesting that their surmising of what happened with the elephant sounds a lot like the surmising of what took place in the Book of Mormon…they “multiplied astonishingly and then became extinct…”  Remember what God told us in Ecc.1:9?

 “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

      From the website of “Revolution Against Evolution” it states;

 “The mastodon elephant arrived in America during the Miocene epoch, according to the texts, multiplied astonishingly, and then became extinct. Assorted explanations have been offered, including the theory that early hunters wiped them all out. Various dates, for example, 4500 B.C., are given when the last elephant in America died. A far more recent date is suggested by the following. Near Concordia, Columbia, a complete skeleton of a mastodon was found in an artificial salt pond, which had been constructed by Indians. The pond, with its bottom of paved stones together with the animal, had been entombed by a sudden landslide (Victoria Institute, 1886, 22:151).” (12)

 12 – Glass

 Ether 3:1; “And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass…”

      A couple of things should be noted for this section just to make sure we are fair when looking at this subject.

     First, according to the website of www.inventors.about.com it says that glass is thought to have been first created around 3,000 BC during the Bronze Age (3300 – 1200 BC).

     Secondly, because we’re dealing with a type of window glass for this particular study, the information I found for this invention took place during the Imperial Period (44 BC).  The website of Met Museum says this about window glass;

 Glass windowpanes were first made in the early imperial period, and used most prominently in the public baths to prevent drafts. Because window glass in Rome was intended to provide insulation and security, rather than illumination or as a way of viewing the world outside, little, if any, attention was paid to making it perfectly transparent or of even thickness. Window glass could be either cast or blown.”  (13)

      So we see from what the Met Museum reports there is little to no chance that windows were readily available for ships or boats at the time of the Jaredites which supposedly dates to 2,700 BC to 600 BC.  The main story of the Jaredites can be found in the book of Ether.

     American glass has an interesting story if you’re so inclined to read a synopsis of that!  The contributor to this site is Steve W. Martin, Ph.D., Professor of Materials, Science and Engineering, Iowa State University.  (14)

     In part this is what Dr. Martin reports on this site;

 “Early American glass. The first factory in what is now the United States was a glass plant built at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1608. The venture failed within a year because of a famine that took the lives of many colonists. The Jamestown colonists tried glassmaking again in 1621, but an Indian attack in 1622 and the scarcity of workers ended this attempt in 1624. The industry was reestablished in America in 1739, when Caspar Wistar built a glassmaking plant in what is now Salem County, New Jersey. This plant operated until 1780.”

 13 – Horses

 2 Nephi 12:7; “Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.”

      The verse above supposedly took place between 550 and 545 BC; however, this is a huge problem with archaeological studies and evidences according to researchers.  From the website of the Columbia Encyclopedia it said;

 The Spanish conquistadors brought horses to the New World, where Native Americans soon acquired them from ranches and missions. The Plains Indians of North America quickly developed a horse culture that led to their ascendancy in numbers and power. Horses were used for hunting buffalo and other game, for warfare, and for pulling loads on a travois . Escaped Indian horses were ancestral to the mustang , the so-called wild horse of the W United States.”  (15)

     Now if you’re a Mormon and believe in the validity of the Book of Mormon then you’ve got a problem according to the website mentioned above.  If you believe that horses were in the Americas before the time of the Conquistadors then you have to believe in evolution.

     If you look at the side in favor of Mormonism you’ll see what they continue to say at FAIR about the horse.  I find the majority of their insights to be totally lacking factual evidence based upon what their own apologists state.  The reader will also notice how they typically try to explain away the problems for the lack of evidence by making excuses for what the Book of Mormon actually claims.

 From FAIR it says; “Non-LDS Canadian researcher, Yuri Kuchinsky, also believes that there were pre-Columbian horses…Unfortunately, however, such theories are typically seen as fringe among mainstream scholars. Due to the dearth of archaeological support, most scholars continue to believe that horses became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene period. Is it possible that real horses lived in the Americas during Book of Mormon times? And if so, why does there seem to be no archaeological support?

First, it is important to recognize that the Book of Mormon never states or implies that horses roamed the New World in large numbers–in fact, horses are mentioned very infrequently…”

      See what I mean?  The above explanation is case in point.

 14 – Iron

 2 Nephi 5:15; “And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.” – BC 588 – 570.

      The findings for this particular subject matter are just as damning as all the others in Joseph Smith’s story of the Book of Mormon.  In the tenth chapter of a book called “History of the Manufacture of Iron in All Ages, pgs. 100-103, by James Moore Swank it says;

 It would not be profitable to inquire minutely whether the mound-builders or any other aboriginal inhabitants of the United States, or the aboriginal inhabitants of any other part of the American continent, possessed a knowledge of the use and consequently of the manufacture of iron. It may be said with positiveness that it has not been proved that they possessed this knowledge even in the slightest degree, if we except the very rare vise of meteoric iron. Antiquarians have not neglected a subject of so much importance, but their researches have produced only negative results. Rude hatchets and other small implements of iron have been found in situations which give color to the theory ‘that they may have been of aboriginal origin and may have been made from iron ore, but the weight of much concurrent testimony is wholly against this supposition.  Foster, in his Prehistoric Races of the United States of America, says that “no implement of iron
has been found in connection with the ancient civilizations of America.”
 (16)

      I highly encourage the reader to investigate this claim by the Book of Mormon in addition to reading the entire chapter of the book mentioned above.  It gives quite an extensive history of the early American Indians, the mounds throughout Mesoamerica and northern America regarding their use of iron.  The book was written in 1892.  You can read a pdf copy at the link provided or see the real thing at Stanford University Library.

     The Mormon Church will tell you of course the archaeologists have definitively found direct evidences of just the opposite of what all other researchers have to say.  In Milton R. Hunter’s book, Archaeology and the Book of Mormon, chapter six, pg. 127 it says;

 “The inhabitants of ancient America not only used steel, but they also mined and refined numerous metals, including iron. After the colonists had arrived in America and Nephi had become the leader of the Nephites, he taught them many industries.”

      What is so incredulous about this is the fact that the LDS archaeologists are purportedly down in Mesoamerica in the temples of people who performed human sacrifices and they’re claiming these are the holy people of God in the Book of Mormon?!  If these are the people of their god I am utterly grateful that I got out of Mormonism!

 15 – Millet

 Ether 9:17-18; “Having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things;18 And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.”

      The reason I bring up the subject of millet is because of what the Book of Mormon claims they used.  As you can see in the passage above they claim they grew grains of all kinds.  Millet is a grain that has been around since BC 4,500 so it stands to reason they would have this on hand coming from the Middle East.  (17)

     Yet once again here we see how the experts from the Church speculate on what Smith may have meant when he “translated” the plates while downplaying a written work by Deanne Matheny about the topography of the Tehuantepec Geography called “Does the Shoe Fit?”  In FARMS review of Books, vol. 6, no. 1 (1994): pg. 337 it says;

 “…millet, introduced by the Spaniards in Yucatan and said in the sixteenth century to grow “marvelously well,” could not be located at all in the Carnegie Institution’s botanical inventory of the area early this century. The same might have been the case with the seeds brought with Lehi’s party and planted (but, realize, only after at least nine years of being hoarded through the Arabian desert; they may or may not have been healthy by then, and the new moist tropical environment would hardly welcome desertic Near Eastern grains). Yet realize that nothing is said in the text about the species those seeds represented…”

      It is one thing to have to defend the works of what you believe in, but why do you have to defend every single thing that continually defies logic and the historical truth?  While mankind will never be able to explain every single thing in the Bible, I believe there’s a huge difference between taking what God says on faith and because He’s proven Himself time and again; to defending things over and over that never prove themselves to be true at all.  It must be exhausting to say the least.

 16 – Pigs/Swine

 Ether 9:18; “And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.”

      There are times when I go out of my way to try and give Smith the benefit of the doubt; this is not one of those times!  Every time I see the above verse I am reminded of an eye-opening experience I had with my mother in Ogden, Utah while ordering an Egg-McMuffin of all things at a McDonald’s.

     We pulled up to the drive through window and I placed our order, with the direction that I wanted only the egg with no meat on my sandwich.  When we got to the pick-up window I checked my order and sure enough my sandwich had a slice of ham on it.

     While they were exchanging my order, I made an off-hand comment out loud.  I said; “What if I were Jewish and I couldn’t eat it”?  I had never seen such a blank look on my mother’s face before.  After a few moments of silence she told me that I was being very rude to the Jews.

     I then asked her what she meant by that and she told me she couldn’t explain it, but wondered what the Jews had to do with my order.

     This is when the absurdity of the Church irritates me to no end.  Here I have my own mother not knowing enough about Jewish culture to know that they don’t eat pork, good grief.  Thanks a lot Joe. My heart just broke for her and the other Mormons who’ve bought into this lie.  How very sad.

     Shouldn’t a man of God who is supposedly translating a holy work for the people know that Jews don’t eat pork?  And why wouldn’t you be teaching your congregants about Jewish culture if you’re proclaiming that you’re the true Jews?  (See Mormon Doctrine, pg. 311.)

     It is well documented historical fact that the swine came to America from Europe through the Spanish explorers.  (18)  From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources it says this about the domestic pig in America;

 “Domestic pigs were introduced from Europe to the Americas by Spanish explorers. Over time, some pigs escaped or were intentionally released into the wild. Subsequently, free-ranging, feral populations established themselves on American soil.”

      I also found further information on the domestic pig on a Google timeline website and it said;

      1493 – North American pigs originated from wild stocks still found in European, Asian and North African forests. Wild pigs are not truly native to North America but are believed to have been introduced after Columbus’ second journey in 1493. Domestic pigs are …North American pigs originated from wild stocks still found in European, Asian and North African forests. Wild pigs are not truly native to North America but are believed to have been introduced after Columbus’ second journey in 1493. Domestic pigs are categorized according to three basic types: large-framed lard types with a thick layer of fat; bacon types that weigh about 150 pounds; and pigs prized for their meat.”  (19)

 17 – Rice

 Enos 1:21; “And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats and also many horse.”

      Now in the above description provided by the Church, you’d have to believe the Nephites had all types of grains; rice included.

     If someone in the Church tells you there is no proof they had rice ask them what grain exactly they are talking about.  Have them be specific, just as the Bible is!

     It is a known fact that rice didn’t make an arrival to the Americas until 1694.  It was imported through Madagascar and grown primarily in South Carolina and Georgia where there was an abundance of slaves.  The slave owners did this purposefully as they knew full well they’d have someone to cultivate this crop at a prolific rate considering the slaves already knew how to grow rice.  (20)

 18 – SILK

 Alma 4:6; “And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel.”

      Surfing around on the net I found many interesting facts about silk but I think the most concise explanation of it came from the official site of the Silk Road.  With the information I was able to glean, it became painfully obvious there was no way the Nephites had the ability to have silk in their possession in 37 BC.

     What also convinced me this was impossible is when I learned how arduous of a process it was to produce silk.  You have to wonder how Nephi could’ve kept this up and then passed down the traditions all the way to Alma which is where we see the first sign of the people in possession of silk.

     According to reports silk was first produced in China circa 3,000 BC and could only be used for the emperor, his family and selected dignitaries.  This went on until 550 AD when two Nestorian monks smuggled some of the silkworm eggs out in hollow bamboo staves.  Once this took place China’s complete monopoly on the silk trade was done and allowed the industry to spread to the Middle East.

     This website reports that silk was a very demanding process which needs very close attention and while this takes place two things must be adhered to; perfecting the diet of the moth and prevention of the hatching out of the moth.  The eggs had to be kept at 65 degrees Fahrenheit being raised gradually to 77 degrees so they could hatch.

     While maintaining the same temperature once the baby worm hatches they must be fed every half hour around the clock on fresh hand-picked white mulberry leaves which are unique to China.  At this time they said the baby worms are kept on trays stacked on top of each other while it multiplies its weight 10,000 times within a month and sheds its skin several times.  (21)

     On the contrary this is what the Church says in FARMS Review of Books, vol. 4 (1992): pg. 209 while denouncing the Tanners work Mormonism, Shadow or Reality.  Once again we have an explaining away of the evidentiary truth.

 “The term silk is not limited to the fiber produced y the Asian moth, but can also refer generally to something silk-like.  There were a number of substances in pre-Columbian Central America that would have fit this Book of Mormon description.  Silk-like fiber was gathered from the pod of the Ceiba tree in Yucatan and spun.  The wild pineapple plant in tropical America produced a silky fiber that was greatly prized by Mesoamericans.  The Aztecs even made silk-like fabric from rabbit hair.  Some of the earl conquerors referred to these substances as “silk”.  Certainly, any number of such substances could fit the Book of Mormon designation of silk (Alma 1:23; 4:6).

      If the material that the Nephites made were silk-like then why doesn’t it say so?  How difficult would it have been to include such a thing?  You really think that someone like my mother would know that it wasn’t really silk?

 19 – Steel

 Jarom 1:8; “And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war.”

      According to the Wikipedia website on the history of ancient steel it says;

 “Some of the first steel comes from East Africa, dating back to 1400 BC.[10] In the 4th century BC steel weapons like the Falcata were produced in the Iberian Peninsula, while Noric steel was used by the Roman military.”  (22)

      The article goes on to say this about modern steel making in America;

 “The modern era in steelmaking began with the introduction of Henry Bessemer‘s Bessemer process in 1858[20]. This enabled steel to be produced in large quantities cheaply, so that mild steel is now used for most purposes for which wrought iron was formerly used.

      There doesn’t seem to be getting around this one!  How would the Nephites have the knowhow to make this type of steel here in America circa BC 420?  Another great website on the history of steel making can be found at the link below.

 http://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/def_en/kap_5/advanced/t5_1_4.html

      As you can see from all the items I’ve listed here I did not use all items the National Geographic Society or the Smithsonian cited in their letters about the Book of Mormon.  I left out just a few items that are easy enough for anyone to do a search for on the internet for further study.

     If you are LDS and have questions there are other resources available to you that goes into much greater detail than what I’ve provided here.  We have a DVD that we can send you at no charge if you’re interested in taking a look at what the experts have found, it’s called DNA and the Book of Mormon.  Above all, know that we provide this information to you out of love and we pray for you daily.

 With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor. 1:18

1 – http://www.aaccnet.org/cerealfoodsworld/samplepdfs/CFW-51-0004.pdf

2 – http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-576

http://arkarcheology.uark.edu/indiansofarkansas/index.html?pageName=How%20People%20Came%20to%20Hunt%20Animals%20(Caddo)

http://www.msarchaeology.org/maa/periods.pdf

http://www.angelfire.com/tn/paleoarrow/history.html

3 – http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/arts/cement.htm

4 – http://www.rumford.com/articlemortar.html

5 – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot_racing

6 – http://www.scientificblogging.com/news/did_chickens_reach_america_before_columbus

7 – http://www.lifeafter.org/smithsonian.asp

8 – http://www.aztec-history.com/ancient-aztec-weapon.html

9 – http://transportationhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_compass

10 – www.albc-usa.org

(http://www.cyberspaceag.com/farmanimals/dairycattle/dairyhistory.htm)

11 – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey

12 – http://www.rae.org/ch06tud.html

13 – http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/hd_rgls.htm

Citation for this page

Trentinella, Rosemarie. “Roman Glass”. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/hd_rgls.htm (October 2003)

14 – http://www.texasglass.com/glass_facts/history_of_Glass.htm

15 – http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-horse.html

16 – http://books.google.com/books?id=qeoJAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=history+of+iron#PPA100,M1

17 – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millet

18 – http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/PUBL/wlnotebook/Pig.htm

19 – http://www.google.com/archivesearch?rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7DKUS_en&q=of+domestic+pig+in+america&um=1&scoring=t&sa=X&oi=archive&ct=title

20 – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice

21 – http://www.silk-road.com/toc/index.html

22 – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel#Ancient_steel

Responses to the Book of Mormon

For years we have heard from the missionaries that the Smithsonian Institute and National Geographic have both corroborated the historicity of the Book of Mormon.  I’ve been told by countless missionaries that all I had to do was contact them for the information so that is what I did via e-mail.  The following are their responses to my inquiry.

9/10/2004

Dear Sir or Madam;

I am looking for information from the Smithsonian Institute that will help me verify that you do/do not have anthropological evidence that there was a large civilization that supposedly existed in the Americas that the Book of Mormon claims.  I’ve been told by countless people that your organization holds maps, etc of said finds.  I’ve also been shown letters from you to other people that there is no such evidence of the Mormon Church.  Any help you could provide me with would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Michelle Grim

Life After Ministries

10/27/2004

Dear Michelle Grim:

National GeographicThank you for contacting the National Geographic Society.

The National Geographic Society has not examined the historical claims of the Book of Mormon.  We know of no archaeological evidence that corroborates the ancient history of the Western Hemisphere as presented in the Book of Mormon, nor are we aware of empirical verification of the places named in the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is clearly a work of great spiritual power; millions have read and revered its words, first published by Joseph Smith in 1830.

Yet Smith’s narration is not generally taken as a scientific source for the history of the Americas. Archaeologists and other scholars have long probed the hemisphere’s past, and the Society does not know of anything found so far that has substantiated the Book of Mormon.

In fact, students of prehistoric America by and large conclude that the New World’s earliest inhabitants arrived from Asia via the Bering land bridge.

(Lower sea levels during ice ages exposed the continental shelf beneath Bering Strait, allowing generations of ancient Siberians to migrate east.) National Geographic carried the article “Hunt for the First Americans” and the map supplement “The Dawn of Humans: Peopling of the Americas” in the December 2000 issue, perhaps on your library’s shelf.

You might want to write the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and ask for their latest statement on this topic.  You can write the museum in care  of P.O. Box 37012, Washington, D.C.  20013-7012.

I hope this information proves helpful.

Sincerely,

Lisa Walker

Research Correspondence

Dear Sir or Madam;

I am looking for information from the Smithsonian Institue that will help me verify that you do/do not have anthropological evidence that there was a large civilization that supposedly existed in the Americas that the Book of Mormon claims.  I’ve been told by countless people that your organization holds maps, etc of said finds.  I’ve also been shown letters from you to other people that there is no such evidence of the Mormon Church.  Any help you could provide me with would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Michelle Grim

Life After Ministries

This letter from the Smithsonian’s Department of Anthropology is in response to your inquiry regarding the Book of Mormon.

Smithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian considers the Book of Mormon a religious document and not a scientific guide. The Smithsonian Institution has never used it in archaeological research and has found no archaeological evidence to support its claims.

You might wish to consult the following publications:

Coe, Michael D. and Rex Koontz.  Mexico.  5th rev. and expanded ed. Thames & Hudson, 2002. (A well-written, authoritative summary of Mexican archeology.)

Coe, Michael D. The Maya.  6th fully rev. ed. Thames & Hudson, 1999.  (A general summary of the archeology of the Maya.)

Coe, Michael D. and Richard A. Diehl. In the Land of the Olmecs. 2 vols. Univ. of Texas Press, 1980.

Fagan, Brian. Ancient North America: The Archaeology of a Continent. 3nd ed. Thames & Hudson, 2000.

Kingdoms of Gold, Kingdoms of Jade: The Americas Before Columbus.  Thames & Hudson, 1991.

Freidel, David, Linda Schele, and Joy Parker. Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand years on the Shaman’s Path.  1st Quill ed. William Morrow & Co., 1995.

Hammond, Norman.  Ancient Maya Civilization.  Rutgers Univ. Press, 1982.

Hunter, Milton R. and Thomas S. Ferguson.  Ancient America and the Book of Mormon.  Kolob Book Co., 1950.  (The Mormon point of view is presented.)

Jennings, Jesse D. Prehistory of North America. 2nd ed. McGraw Hill, 1989.

Jennings, Jesse, editor.  Vol. 1. Ancient North Americans. Vol. 2. Ancient South Americans.  W. H. Freeman, 1983.

Lamberg-Karlovsky, C. C. and Jeremy A. Sabloff.  Ancient Civilizations; The Near East and Mesoamerica. 2nd ed. Waveland Press, 1995.  (Chapter 4 discusses the first Mesoamerican civilization and its origin. Very readable.)

Larson, Stan. Quest for the Gold Plates: Thomas Stuart Ferguson’s Archaeological Search for The Book of Mormon. Freethinker Press, 1996.

Marcus, Joyce.  Mesoamerican Writing Systems: Propaganda, Myth, and History in Four Ancient Civilizations.  Princeton University Press, 1992.

Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation. Brigham Young University, 1952-. (Published results of archeological investigations in Mesoamerica by the Foundation, supported by the Mormon Church.)

Riley, Carroll L. et al., editors. Man Across the Sea: Problems of Pre-Columbian Contacts.  Univ. of Texas Press, 197l.  (A collection of articles, mostly by well-qualified specialists, concerning transoceanic contacts.)

Sabloff, Jeremy A. The New Archaeology and the Ancient Maya. Scientific American Library, 1994.

Sabloff, Jeremy A. Cities of Ancient Mexico: Reconstructing a Lost World. Thames & Hudson, 1990.

Schele, Linda, and David Freidel.  A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. William Morrow & Co., 1992.

Schele, Linda. The Inscription on Stela 5 and Its Altar. Copán Mosaics Project, 1987.

Wauchope, Robert.  Lost Tribes and Sunken Continents. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1974.  (Chapter 4 covers Mormon theories, setting them in the context of other nonscientific schemes.  Author is a well-qualified specialist on Mexican archeology.)

Williams, Stephen.  Fantastic Archaeology:  The Wild Side of North American Prehistory. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 1991.  (See the chapter “Archaeology and Religion: Where Angels Fear to Tread.”)

Thank you for your interest in the Smithsonian Institution.

Department of Anthropology

Smithsonian Institution

2004

 

 

 

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Jesus & Mary Magdalene Sealed in Temple

     When the Mormon tells you that anyone speaking out against the “sacred” teachings of the Church are a bunch of “anti’s”, remember what they’ve done in the name of Jesus.

     Today I was alerted to an article written by Helen Radkey that will be posted at the end of this article.  For those of you not familiar with Ms. Radkey’s work, she is an investigative reporter.  She’s written extensively about the Mormon Church’s workings for the dead in their temples and most of her work has been in the Salt Lake Tribune.  Her article featured here was copied from Free Republic (1). 

     As you will read for yourself, Ms. Radkey was researching the names of whom the Church does proxy baptisms for when she discovered the Church baptized and married Jesus to Mary Magdalene by proxy in the Salt Lake temple.

     Miscreant doesn’t seem to do justice in describing the behavior of the LDS Church.  Just when you think you can no longer be shocked by the unbelievable actions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, surprise, their deviant behavior rears its ugly head once more.

     It makes me sad for people like my mother and others like her that the Church is leading astray.   I’m reminded of what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 18:6;

 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

   I just have a few questions regarding this and I’m sure you do too!  Ask your Mormon friends and loved ones:

 Why would they baptize Jesus if He’s alive? 

 Does this make Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist null and void?

 If the Church is a “restoration” of Jesus’ original church then what’s the deal with the baptismal do-over?

      Many people are shocked when they learn there is actually a book about Jesus’ marriage to multiple wives.  It’s called “Jesus was Married”, written by Ogden Kraut.  The news of Jesus’ baptism and subsequent marriage in the temple shouldn’t really surprise us, but then again…it’s just so blasphemous.  Here’s an example of what is in that book by Mr. Kraut when he quoted Jedidiah Grant, an apostle of the LDS Church;

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

      Here are some thoughts on Jesus being married by other leaders of the Church:

 Journal of Discourses 2:82-83; 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.” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1854

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

 Journal of Discourses 4:259; 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.” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City

 Journal of Discourses 13:309; This same truth is borne out by the Savior. Said he, when talking to his disciples: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;” and, “I and my Father are one.” The Scripture says that He, the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with His train; I do not know who they were, unless His wives and children; but at any rate they filled the Temple, and how many there were who could not get into the Temple I cannot say. This is the account given by Isaiah, whether he told the truth or not I leave every body to judge for himself.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, November 13, 1870

 The Seer, pg. 172; “… it will be seen that the great Messiah who was the founder of the Christian religion was a polygamist… the Messiah chose… by marrying many honorable wives himself, to show to all future generations that he approbated the plurality of wives under the Christian dispensation in which His polygamist ancestors lived.
“We have clearly show that God the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His First Born, and another being upon the earth by whom He begat the tabernacle of Jesus, as his only begotten in this world. We have also proved most clearly that the Son followed the example of his Father, and became the great Bridegroom to whom Kings’ daughters and many honorable wives were to be married. We have also proved that both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ inherit their wives in eternity as well as in time… And then it would be so shocking to the modesty of the very pious ladies of Christendom to see Abraham and his wives, Jacob and his wives, Jesus and his honorable wives, all eating occasionally at the same table, and visiting one another, and conversing about their numerous children and their kingdoms. Oh, ye delicate ladies of Christendom, how can you endure such a scene as this?… If you do not want your morals corrupted, and your delicate ears shocked, and your pious modesty put to the blush by the society of Polygamists and their wives, do not venture near the New Earth; for polygamists will be honored there, and will be among the chief rules in that Kingdom.
” – Orson Pratt

     If you’d like prayer or further information about the LDS Church e-mail michelle@lifeafter.org or call us toll free @ 877.362.2751. 

    With Love in Christ;

Michelle Grim

1 Cor. 1:18

Leading Mormons to the Real Jesus Christ …

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 1. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2526324/posts

 Jesus Christ was baptized and “sealed” to Mary Magdalene in the Salt Lake (Mormon) Temple

 By Helen Radkey © Copyright 2010, Helen Radkey June 1, 2010

 Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, or simply Jesus, is the central figure of Christianity. The life and sermons of Jesus form the basis of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ is recognized by believing Christians as God incarnate, the Son of God who was raised from the dead—the Redeemer of mankind—the most important figure in history.

 According to Mormon doctrine, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. However, it seems that even the perceived Savior of the world is not exempt from LDS temple rituals. Proxy rites for Jesus Christ were performed in the Salt Lake (LDS) Temple in Utah, in April 2010.

 The Salt Lake Temple, located on Temple Square in the heart of Mormon-dominated Salt Lake City, was dedicated on April 6, 1893—three years before Utah became a state in 1896—and is one of the oldest of the 132 currently operating temples that are owned and maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS.)

 New FamilySearch is the online genealogy database of the LDS Church that contains updated details of LDS temple ordinances that have been done for dead people. There are multiple listings for Jesus Christ in New FamilySearch—under different versions of his identity—which have been submitted by individual Mormons. It is not known how many times Jesus has been subjected to LDS rites because all New FamilySearch records for him—including combined records—show LDS ordinance details as “Not Available.”

 On May 27, 2010, there were two similar records for Jesus in New FamilySearch which had been submitted by the same person. One listing was titled “Jesus Christian,” and showed “Jesus Christian” was born “before 1500 Bethlehem, Israel,” and died “before 1550 Jerusalem, Israel.” LDS ordinances were tagged as “Not available” on this record.

 The other entry was for “Jesus Cristian,who was born “before 1502 Bethlehem, Israel,” and died “before 1539 Jerusalem, Israel.” The entry for “Jesus Cristian” gave a description of LDS ordinances, along with the name of a spouse“Maria Magdelena.”

 “Jesus Cristian” was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church by proxy on April 8, 2010 in the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple.” “Jesus Cristian” was also subjected to initiatory temple ordinances on April 8, 2010; an endowment ceremony on April 9, 2010; and a marriage “sealing” to “spouse” “Maria Magdelena” on April 9, 2010—all rites occurred in the Salt Lake City Utah Temple.”

  It appears the submissions for “Jesus Christian,” and “Jesus Cristian” were attempts to manipulate the identity of Jesus Christ through the LDS temple system. The misspelled “Cristian,” instead of “Christian,” could have been a typo, or a deliberate error. It may have been intentionally entered as “Cristianto get around a computer program that automatically blocks submissions that contain the names “Jesus Christ.” That would explain why the entry for “Jesus Christian” shows LDS ordinances as “Not available.”

 While both New FamilySearch records in question lack complete birth and death data, and give imprecise “before” years of these events—the first name “Jesus” combined with the surnames “Christian” and “Cristian” (both spins on the name of “Christ”) are signs that “Jesus Christian” and “Jesus Cristian” are pseudonyms for Jesus Christ.

 Other indicators on the New FamilySearch records that point to Jesus Christ are the birth place, “Bethlehem,” and the death location, “Jerusalem.” (Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and died outside the walls of old Jerusalem.) Another clue to the identity of “Jesus Cristian” is the name of his “spouse”—“Maria Magdelena,” a misspelled variant of Mary Magdalene. “Maria Magdelena” is not listed on the “Jesus Christian” record.

 Because “Jesus Christian” and “Jesus Cristian” have similar names and identical birth and death locations—“Bethlehem” and “Jerusalem,” they are probably the same person.

Their birth and death years are similar, but not the same. The estimated dates listed for these events look like they have been fabricated. According to their New FamilySearch records, “Jesus Christian” and “Jesus Cristian” were born and died in the 16th century. “Jesus Christian” lived roughly 50 years, while “Jesus Cristian” died in his thirties.

 On May 27, 2010, “Maria Magdelena” was listed in New FamilySearch with her birth date as “1504 Israel,” and death date as “before 1540 Israel.” Both years are likely inventions. Along with “spouse” “Jesus Cristian,” “Maria Magdelena” was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church by proxy on April 8, 2010 in the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple.” She was subjected to initiatory temple ordinances on April 8, 2010; an endowment ceremony on April 9, 2010; and the marriage “sealing” to “Jesus Cristian” on April 9, 2010—all rites were done in the Salt Lake City Utah Temple.”

 Mary Magdalene is described in the New Testament as a faithful follower of Jesus. Because the concept of marriage is strongly emphasized in LDS teachings, the notion that a spousal relationship existed between Jesus and Mary Magdalene is common among Mormons—although that belief is not formal LDS doctrine. There is no reliable historical evidence to indicate that Jesus was married—to Mary Magdalene, or anyone else.

 LDS Church officials have publicly stated that the New FamilySearch program is a technological deterrent to improper submissions. Yet—under their very noses—on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Jesus Christ—under a false name—two millennia after his birth, was offered Mormon salvation and an erroneous eternal marriage sealing.

 Sometime late in the day on May 27, 2010, the individual entries for “Jesus Cristian” and “Maria Magdelena” were scrubbed from New FamilySearch—concealing the evidence that LDS rites had recently been performed for these two names in the Salt Lake Temple. The sudden disappearance of these records is a strong indication that “Jesus Cristian” and “Maria Magdelena” represent Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene.

 © Copyright 2010, Helen Radkey—Permission is granted to reproduce, provided content is not changed and this copyright notice is included.

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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.

(more…)

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Studying the Book of Mormon 9 

Fourth Nephi

 Highlighting the Writings of Nephi, Amos, Amos, Jr., Ammaron, and Mormon

 My purpose this week is to show the basic facts of this book in addition to asking the Mormon people a few questions to mull over in their own private times.  Most of the verses in this book are so ridiculous that it’s hard to believe people are actually comforted or encouraged by God when they read through it.

 4th Nephi has 49 verses

 Verses with the phrase “And it Came to Pass”: 20

 4 Nephi 1:1; “And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about…

 1:1, 2, 4, 10, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, 27, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48

 Verses describing years that have passed: 19

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

 1:1, 2, 4, 6, 14, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 34, 35, 36, 40, 41, 44, 45, 47, 48

 Verses with grammar problems:  8

 4 Nephi 1:27; “…they did deny the more parts of his gospel…

 1:6, 22, 25, 27, 34, 40, 42, 48

 Verses with No Contentions/Peace:  6

 4 Nephi 1:2; “…and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.

 1:2, 4, 13, 15, 18, 20

 Verses with partial sentences/phrases from the Bible: 3

 4 Nephi 1:3; “And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

 1:1, 3 (3x), 30

 See Acts 2:38, 44; Acts 4:32; Galatians 3:28; Hebrews 6:4

Questions for 4th Nephi

 If there were multiple authors of this book, why is the writing style of each so much alike?

 Why do they make the same grammatical errors?

 Why is the phrase “and it came to pass” used so much?  What purpose does it serve in “scripture”?

 If these folks are engraving their message upon plates of brass, why do they have so much time on their hands and materials to write long drawn out verses of how much time had passed?  Is it because there’s nothing else to write about?

 Is it possible for God to make grammatical errors?

 Fourth Nephi is a short little book emphasizing the lives of the Nephites and Lamanites living in peaceful times and then walking away from their god.

 This is exactly the opposite of what Jesus tells us in the Bible.  John 14:23 says He will come to tarry with us and make His abode with us.

 The most remarkable items of interest are:

 Every single person became a believer (vs. 2).  Really?  Again, the stories in the Book of Mormon are bigger and better than the Bible.

 In verse ten, Nephi tells us the Nephites did “wax strong and did multiply exceedingly fast and became an exceedingly fair and delightsome people”.

 Exceedingly is used exceedingly too much, don’t you think?

 Why did they become white when they believed God?

 If you’re a person of color and a member of the LDS Church, how do these types of verses make you feel about God?

 I have to tell you, when I was Mormon and read this stuff it made me feel less than a dog.  I was convinced God was less than pleased with me and my coloring was proof of his disdain.

 Ten verses later some of the people would revolt, and decide to become Lamanites (up to this time it was peaceful living and there were no more “ites” – vs. 17).

 Truth: real believers don’t revolt against God.

 Mormon also reports that people had multiplied exceedingly and became “rich because of their prosperity in Christ” (vs. 23).

 Moral to this story?  It seems that God only likes rich white people who have lots and lots of kids.  For the life of me, I saw absolutely nothing in this “work” that would provide hope for a Mormon or give a continued reason for faith in God.

 I can’t figure out what this story has to do with God.  If you do, let me know!

 A little over the halfway point in this story the Lamanites threw the Nephites into prisons which were “rent in twain”; Nephites were also thrown into furnaces of fire where they didn’t get burned and dens with wild beasts where the disciples of Jesus played with them “as a child with a lamb” (vs. 32-33).

 By the time this book ends, Amos had died and his brother Ammaron was keeping the records of Nephi.  People everywhere were living in sin, except of course, a few righteous Nephites.

 It’s 321 AD.

 And finally, why were these people using Greek and Latin words in addition to lifting phrases from the KJV while living in Mesoamerica speaking “Reformed Egyptian”?

 Why did the translation come out in Jacobean English which wasn’t part of the American English language used during the early nineteenth century?

 Confused yet?  That’s exactly where the LDS Church wants for their followers to be.

 I just returned from my niece Felicia’s funeral in Utah this week.  At that funeral the bishop quoted from the Book of Mormon, telling those of us in the audience that someday we’d all “return to our Heavenly Father” to become like him.  No one in the audience was placated, in fact my other niece Angie (Felicia’s sister), sobbed aloud at the end of his short talk.

 That scenario is what I think of when reading through these empty passages in Joseph Smith’s literary endeavors.  There is nothing of substance to any of this.

 Pray with us won’t you?  These dear people need our compassion and our ongoing desire to see them come to the real Jesus.

With Love in Christ; Michelle Grim

1 Cor. 1:18

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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.

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 WILL THE ONE TRUE CHURCH PLEASE STAND UP?

      The one thing I always believed as a Mormon was that I belonged to the “only true church on the face of the earth”.  By birthright alone I was “special” and had advantages that no one else did.  By birthright alone I would be in heaven and by birthright alone I was a superior being.  All other churches were the whores of Babylon and only thought they knew God.

The Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics, Baptists, Nazarenes and yes, even the Pentecostals were all going to the Telestial kingdom (lowest kingdom) because they weren’t members of the LDS Church.  They were going to be serving those of us in the highest kingdom of heaven (Celestial Kingdom) because they either didn’t understand or chose not to be a part of the one true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  To understand why there is such a huge stumbling block in the mind of the Mormons on this topic, we need to take a look at what causes it to begin with.

Joseph Smith maintained the body of Christ could no longer be found on earth.  He claims he went to the grove of a forest near his home in Palmyra, NY to ask God which church he should join and God told him to join none of them, that every single church on the face of the earth was wrong. (Joseph Smith’s Testimony chapter 1.)  He was then told he must wait to receive the golden or brass plates which held the story of a forgotten people from Jerusalem that came here to the Americas to escape persecution.

It was also at this time Smith claims to have been told by God to translate some old papyrus that a traveling salesman sold to him.  This papyrus supposedly held the story of the creation and the pre-existence that we read in the book of Abraham.  In reality, the papyrus is what Egyptologists call a “funerary breathing”. (How to perform ceremonies at mummification.)  As time went by the Church continued to evolve, but already the heresies had been born.

While the vast majority of the public believed Smith was a false prophet, there were on the other hand, those who believed his story.  The little group of believers grew as they continued to believe that God Himself had actually visited Smith and revealed to him the new commandments and the way to salvation.  After all, assurance of salvation is much easier to achieve and believe if you took care of things yourself; and Joseph had them convinced this was the “only true way to salvation”.  This was the mindset needed for the LDS Church to flourish and indeed it did!

The other mindset needed for a vulnerable flock, is for the belief that you are being persecuted all for the sake of the Lord.  From the beginning the Church has insisted this has been their lot in life, thus the need to continually flee to the next town while at the same time the warrants for Joseph Smith’s arrest began to stack up.  For a chronological detailed account of Joseph Smith’s life, be sure to visit the website of www.josephsmith.net to find an abundance of informative stories, historical documents and pictures to keep anyone occupied for a long time!  Keep in mind this website is a “pro-Mormon” site and you will not find all of his arrest records or complaints filed against him at this site.  (1)

The LDS have always held a very strong position in asserting their civil rights and pointing out their patriotism for America.  They are defensive when someone brings up religion in conversation and they will inevitably bring their rights as Americans into the equation every time.

Granted, it’s not against the law to invoke your First Amendment Rights to worship as you please.  However, it is unlawful to practice polygamy, to create and distribute your own monetary system; invoke Martial Law based on your own whims; and to arbitrarily burn down buildings when newspapers publish the details of charges that are being brought against you.

These charges, amongst others, were just the tip of the iceberg for the communities the LDS Church had invaded and subsequently fled from in its early years.  As of today the LDS Church now claims, as it always has, that it is the “only true church on the face of the earth”, (D&C 1:30).  They believe the power of the priesthood was not handed down as it should have been, thus the apostasy.  The Church members will become immediately defensive when asked about the history of the LDS Church, so expect some resistance to your message even after they get out of the Church.

When a Mormon gets out of the Church they are not accustomed to the vocabulary that Christians employ.  An example of this is the phrase “The church of Jesus Christ” – meaning the body of Christ – the Christians.  I would use this phrase with the new Christian as much as possible to get them used to the idea that this phrase has been in use since the inception of the true Christian church circa 33 AD.  The Christians belong to The Church of Jesus Christ.  It is His church; it belongs to Him, not the Christians.

     Compare that to the Mormon’s church which is called The Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints.

      They believe the body of Christ originated with Adam as Joseph Smith taught (DS 3:82).  People were baptized for the remission of sins, received the gift of the Holy Ghost and men held the priesthood.  Now with the short story of the LDS Church out of the way, let’s take a look at what God tells us about His church – from the Bible!

We see in the book of Acts how God built up His church to lay the foundation for the rest of time.  I have been of the opinion lately that if the LDS Church really wanted to say there are no inconsistencies in their doctrine they should have changed the text in the book of Acts in the JST.

The entire book of Acts of the Apostles is just that; an account of how it all began.  If the so-called church at the time of Christ died with the last apostle, then why keep their stories in scripture?  What purpose does that serve the Mormon community?

For the first time in history the Holy Spirit poured Himself upon a group of people – it’s called Pentecost.  Acts chapter two tells us that men from every single country were represented in that room on that day.  They had all come to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the first-fruits and many ended up being a witness to the ultimate Passover Sacrifice – Christ Jesus.  They waited as Jesus instructed them to do (Acts 1:8) to receive the Promise that He had spoken to them about earlier.

Be sure to share with them some interesting facts about this event and the entire book of Acts!  For example:  at the time Luke wrote this no one objected to his writings or the authenticity of events that took place.  The witnesses of these events were still alive and they most certainly would have said something if he had any of it wrong.  Luke was a well respected doctor in that region and was known to be meticulous about the minutest of details.

Matthew Henry said this in his introduction commentary on the book of Acts;

 “Now this book gives us an account of the framing and rearing of that tabernacle. The four gospels showed us how the foundation of that house was laid; this shows us how the superstructure began to be raised…”

    Luke was with the apostle Paul on many of the missionary journeys, and therefore knew about the dreadful prisons mentioned in Acts, as well as the “prison letters” Paul wrote known as the book of Colossians, Philippians, Ephesians and Philemon.  From what the majority of respectable theologians have surmised, it is probable that Dr. Luke was also one of the original “seventy” the apostles ordained to look over the church.  The “authority” to preach the gospel, establish churches in the world and baptize believers did not die when the last apostle died.

On the contrary, the church of Jesus Christ thrived as promised by Jesus Himself.  Believers withstood persecution because of the stand they took for Jesus everywhere they lived.  Rome was notorious for the atrocities that took place in the first 300 years of Christianity.  The Romans would wrap the skins of dead animals around the Christians in the Coliseum and open the gates to let out the lions.  They were burned at the stake while those in charge would wait for them to denounce the Lord.  Nero used the Christians as human torches to light his world famous gardens in 64 AD.  By 100 AD 25,000 people became martyrs for Jesus.

As for today?  There were more Christians killed in the 20th Century for the Lord than there were in the past 19 centuries combined!  The LDS Church will reply by stating these facts do not prove anything and they do not believe the doctrines of the “Christian church” are correct, thus the need for a complete restoration.  Keep in mind this “Restoration” isn’t anything similar to what Martin Luther did some 500 years ago with the Reformation!  Many Mormon missionaries explain to the unsuspecting public that the “Restoration” and the Reformation were very similar.

Joseph Smith took every doctrine, every principle of Judeo-Christian theology and turned it upside down and sideways.  There is not one single doctrine that he left untouched in regards to the precepts of what you or I know as Christianity.  In fact the more I know about Joseph Smith the more he reminds me of Simon the great magician spoken of in Acts 8:9-24; believing that he could buy the power of the true Holy Spirit to baptize people who were seeking the God of the Bible.

Simon was also known as the “father of Gnosticism”; those who believed you are saved by what you know.  Simon didn’t care about the believers or the things they did while worshipping God.  His goal was strictly focused on one thing only – he wanted the believers to think he was a divine person.  Take notice also that he didn’t go to the unbelievers.  His mission was to go to the Christians; just like Joseph Smith.  The LDS’s biggest “pool of converts” comes from the Baptist church in the United States.

The LDS Church will tell everyone the fact that people apostatized proves the original church of Christ left the earth.  To this, our reply is hogwash!  Jesus warned there would be false christs; John spoke of the people who would sneak in a side-door in his first epistle.  The apostle Paul spoke of the elect being tricked into believing a lie in his letter to the Thessalonians.  There will always be someone who will present a false product to the masses but it doesn’t mean the entire church is gone!

Jesus’ church has withstood 2,000 years of persecution and she is still alive and well.  She is awaiting the return of her Beloved Bridegroom and will continue to wait.  The LDS Church can say what they want, but to the rest of the world and most importantly, God, the church is still in operation.

There are many churches and denominations out in the world today.  Life After hasn’t been called to examine each church’s by-laws and constitution.  What we have been called to do however is to encourage the body of Christ to stand up to the grossly inaccurate doctrine of the LDS Church that says they believe in the God of the Bible.  Come alongside us in unison with thousands of others to stand for the truth!

Life After Ministries also wants to make sure it’s understood that we don’t do this out of any animosity or revenge to bash the Mormon people.  We’ve been in the shoes of the Mormon people and our hearts are broken for the souls who truly believe they are worshipping the right Jesus.

Things to think about:

 If you (the LDS Church) are so positive that your message of the gospel is absolute truth then why bother with the “whore of Babylon” when we have websites or ministries that tell the other side of the story?

If lies about the Bible and Jesus are exposed and set straight then why are you offended?

Why has the LDS Church spent millions of dollars and 170 – plus years in proselytizing the “Christian” nation of America instead of focusing on the areas of the 10/40 or the 10/70 window of the world?

Why are families torn apart and shunned when they decide to leave the Church?  What happened to the “Families are Forever” plan? 

© 2017 Life After Ministries, Inc.                                     

1.  LAM had an ongoing e-mail debate with one of the designers of www.josephsmith.net when it first came into existence in 2005.  For months we went back and forth…we are still praying for “J” that he would come to know the real Jesus.

Link for Chapter 7:

Chapter 7. The Truth about the Bible

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