21 Questions part 2

Q: Does the Mormon Church believe its followers can become "gods and goddesses" after death?

A: We believe that the apostle Peter’s biblical reference to partaking of the divine nature and the apostle Paul’s reference to being 'joint heirs with Christ' reflect the intent that children of God should strive to emulate their Heavenly Father in every way. Throughout the eternities, Mormons believe, they will reverence and worship God the Father and Jesus Christ. The goal is not to equal them or to achieve parity with them but to imitate and someday acquire their perfect goodness, love and other divine attributes.

Ricks reply.
they lie again, but also not every LDS is up on the doctrine, so not every one is fully aware of their own teachings.
The Doctrine & Covenants states:

19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, ...Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; ...and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, ...and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.

21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.

22 For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me. (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-22)


Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.69 - p.70:

THE STRAITNESS OF THE WAY. Mortality is the testing or proving ground for exaltation to find out who among the children of God are worthy to become Gods themselves, and the Lord has informed us that "few there be that find it."

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.97 - p.98:

ALL EXALTED MEN BECOME GODS. To believe that Adam is a god should not be strange to any person who accepts the Bible. When Jesus was accused of blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God, he answered the Jews: "Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?"

Joseph Smith taught a plurality of gods, and that man by obeying the commandments of God and keeping the whole law will eventually reach the power and exaltation by which he also will become a god.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.9:

What is eternal life? It is to have "a continuation of the seeds forever and ever." No one receives eternal life except those who receive the exaltation. Eternal life is the greatest gift of God; immortality is not.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.39:

SONS OF GOD BECOME GODS. If the faithful, who keep the commandments of the Father, are his sons, then they are heirs of the kingdom and shall receive of the fulness of the Father's glory, even until they become like the Father. And how can they be perfect as their Father in heaven is perfect if they are not like him? . . . And if they receive his fulness and his glory, and if "all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs," how can they receive these blessings and not become gods? They cannot.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.44:

Parents will have eternal claim upon their posterity and will have the gift of eternal increase, if they obtain the exaltation. This is the crowning glory in the kingdom of God, and they will have no end. When the Lord says they will have no end, he means that all who attain to this glory will have the blessing of the continuation of the "seeds" forever. Those who fail to obtain this blessing come to the "deaths," which means that they will have no increase, forever. All who obtain this exaltation will have the privilege of completing the full measure of their existence, and they will have a posterity that will be as innumerable as the stars of heaven.

If you want salvation in the fullest, that is exaltation in the kingdom of God, so that you may become his sons and his daughters, you have got to go into the temple of the Lord and receive these holy ordinances which belong to that house, which cannot be had elsewhere.

Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.48:

The Father has promised us that through our faithfulness we shall be blessed with the fulness of his kingdom. In other words we will have the privilege of becoming like him. To become like him we must have all the powers of godhood; thus a man and his wife when glorified will have spirit children who eventually will go on an earth like this one we are on and pass through the same kind of experiences, being subject to mortal conditions, and if faithful, then they also will receive the fulness of exaltation and partake of the same blessings. There is no end to this development; it will go on forever. We will become gods and have jurisdiction over worlds, and these worlds will be peopled by our own offspring. We will have an endless eternity for this.


Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.2:

GODHOOD

Logically and naturally, the ultimate desire of a loving Supreme Being is to help his children enjoy all that he enjoys. For Latter-day Saints, the term "godhood" denotes the attainment of such a state—one of having all divine attributes and doing as God does and being as God is. Such a state is to be enjoyed by all exalted, embodied, intelligent beings (see Deification; Eternal Progression; Exaltation; God; Perfection). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that all resurrected and perfected mortals become gods (cf. Gen. 3:22; Matt. 5:48). They will dwell again with God the Father, and live and act like him in endless worlds of happiness, power, love, glory, and knowledge; above all, they will have the power of procreating endless lives. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ attained godhood (see Christology) and that he marked the path and led the way for others likewise to become exalted divine beings by following him (cf. John 14:3).


Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.85 - p.86, Orson Hyde, October 6, 1854:

When the servants of God and their wives go to heaven there is an eternal union, and they will multiply and replenish the world to which they are going.

Journal of Discourses, Vol.22, p.125, George Q. Cannon, October 31, 1880:

Every man and every woman who prays unto the Father, who is in the habit of doing so, expresses that desire in his or her prayer--that we may be counted worthy to receive celestial glory and exaltation in the presence of God and the Lamb. ... When we talk about celestial glory, we talk of the condition of endless increase; if we obtain celestial glory in the fullest sense of the word, then we have wives and children in eternity, we have the power of endless lives granted unto us, the power of propagation that will endure through all eternity, all being fathers and mothers in eternity; fathers of fathers, and mothers of mothers, kings and queens, priests and priestesses, and shall I say more? Yes, all becoming gods.


Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that women can only gain access to heaven with a special pass or codewords?

A: No.

Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that women must serve men on both Earth and in heaven?

A: Absolutely not. Mormons believe that women and men are complete equals before God and in relation to the blessings available in the Church.


Ricks reply,
From what I know this is correct in the LDS answer, I could be wrong though. But I have nothing written stating otherwise in the LDS books I own.



Q: Is there such a thing as Mormon "underwear"? if so, are all Mormons required to wear it? What does it symbolize?

A: Like members of many religious faiths, Latter-day Saints wear religious clothing. But members of other faiths — typically those involved in permanent pastoral ministries or religious services — usually wear religious garments as outer ceremonial vestments or symbols of recognition. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, garments are worn beneath street clothing as a personal and private reminder of commitments to God.
Garments are considered sacred by Church members and are not regarded as a topic for casual conversation.


Ricks reply.
Just like the LDS said "Garments are considered sacred by Church members and are not regarded as a topic for casual conversation."
You will not get them to talk about what goes on in the temple. If you look over various websites or blogs, it really does not matter if they are Non-LDS or Ex-LDS if they claim they know what goes on in the temple, then be careful in my opinion. I say this because, Not all LDS can enter the temple and many have never entered it, so for many LDS they really would not know what goes on in the temple. If you speak with a temple Mormon and claim you heard that, this or that goes on in the temple, they will not admit to it anyway and claim, your not allowed to enter and the person you spoke with most likely could not enter either so you cannot know for sure if the info is correct or not. The temple worthy mormon is about as likely to share what goes on in the temple as you are about to share what takes place between you and your wife during sex. My advice on this would be to say, This is what the Bible teaches on the temple, this is what I see in the LDS community, their is a world of difference.


Q: Does the Mormon Church believe in the existence of another physical planet or planets, where Mormons will "rule" after their death and ascension?

A: No.


Ricks reply.
I am not aware that they will rule a planet, I guess they will, if you re-read what was written under the question of will you be a God, then it would stand to reason, if your going to be a God, you will rule something or some place. But other than that, Nothing is written that I am aware of, but then their is so much, I could have missed something.


Q: What specifically does the Mormon Church say about African-Americans and Native Americans?

A: Mormons believe that all mankind are sons and daughters of God and should be loved and respected as such. The blessings of the gospel are available to all.


Ricks reply.
The LDS really need to read their Bible better, We know that the Bible teaches that not everyone is a Child of God. We are ALL Gods creation, but we are not ALL children of God. We know the Bible teaches their are Enemies of God. But we are not Enemies due to the Color of our Skin. Here is what the LDS church taught at one time.
Apostle McConkie said that "those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the Negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God and his murder of Abel being a black skin (Mormon Doctrine, pp.476-77).

Cain slew his brother ... and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin.... How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them, and they never can hold the Priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof. Until the last ones of the residue of Adam's children are brought up to that favourable position, the children of Cain cannot receive the first ordinances of the Priesthood. They were the first that were cursed, and they will be the last from whom the curse will be removed. When the residue of the family of Adam come up and receive their blessings, then the curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will receive blessings in like proportion (Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, pp.290-91).

Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth president of the Mormon Church taught that blacks would never hold the priesthood as long as "time endures":

Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race. A curse was placed upon him and that curse has been continued through his lineage and must do so while time endures. Millions of souls have come into this world cursed with a black skin and have been denied the privilege of Priesthood and the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel.... they have been made to feel their inferiority and have been separated from the rest of mankind from the beginning (The Way To Perfection, 1935, p.101).


In Joseph Smith's History of the Church, we read that "the negroes" are the "sons of Cain" (vol. 4, p.501). Apostle Bruce R. McConkie explains the curse put on Cain as follows:

Though he was a rebel and an associate of Lucifer in pre-existence, and though he was a liar from the beginning whose name was Perdition, Cain managed to attain the privilege of mortal birth.... he came out in open rebellion, fought God, worshiped Lucifer, and slew Abel....

As a result of his rebellion, Cain was cursed with a dark skin; he became the father of the Negroes, and those spirits who are not worthy to receive the priesthood are born through his lineage. He became the first mortal to be cursed as a son of perdition. As a result of his mortal birth he is assured of a tangible body of flesh and bones to eternity, a fact which will enable him to rule over Satan (Mormon Doctrine, 1958. p.l02).


December 1830, it is stated that the "children of Canaan" were black: "For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people" (Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 7:8).

Brigham Young declared that the flat nose and black skin were part of the mark put upon the descendants of Cain: "Cain slew his brother... and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin ..." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.290).

Mormon leaders taught that it was Ham's descendants who were "cursed as to the priesthood" after the flood. They claimed that Ham married a black woman named Egyptus, and that the curse was continued "through Ham's wife." Bruce R. McConkie said that "Noah's son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the Negro lineage through the flood" (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, p.477).

John Taylor, the third president of the church, likewise maintained: "And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham's wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God..." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 22. p.304).


Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth.

From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land.

The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden.

When this woman discovered the land it was under water, who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham. sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.

Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham....

Pharaoh, being a righteous man,... seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers ... even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood (Pearl of Great Price, Book of Abraham 1:21-26).

Mormon writer Arthur M. Richardson made this statement concerning blacks: "Referring to Elder Hyde's statement we find, then, that those assigned to a dishonorable body on this earth came through the accursed lineage of Canaan through Ham's wife who was a descendant of the first murderer Cain ..." (That Ye May Not Be Deceived, pp.6-7).

Briefly stated, then, the Mormon doctrine concerning blacks was this: In the "pre-existence" the blacks "lent an influence to the devil." Because of their "unfaithfulness in the spirit world," they were "assigned to a dishonorable body on this earth." They came through the "accursed lineage of Canaan," and were "marked" with a "flat nose" and a "black covering" which is "emblematic of eternal darkness." They were an "inferior" race. In fact, they were a "representation" of the "devil" upon the earth. They were "not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned," and they were "not entitled to the full blessings of the Gospel." They were "denied the priesthood," and they could not be married in a Mormon temple. But, "in spite" of all they "did in the pre-existence," they could be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. If a black man was faithful all his life he could enter the celestial kingdom.


Brigham Young stated that if a person who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with a black the penalty is death on the spot: "Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, p.110).


Q: What are or were the "Golden Plates"?

A: The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith from records made on plates of gold, similar to metal plates that have been found in other ancient cultures. It contained a history of peoples in the Western Hemisphere including an appearance by the Savior to them. As such, the Book of Mormon is considered a second testimony of Jesus Christ.


Ricks reply.
That's about correct, the only problem is, the plates were brought back up into heaven, According to the LDS, So know we have no evidence they were real or ever existed, like we do with the dead sea scrolls.


Q: Are consumption of alcohol and tobacco prohibited or simply discouraged?

A: It is against the teachings of the Church to use alcohol and tobacco or to drink tea and coffee.

Q: Does the Church also ban the consumption of "hot drinks"? And does that apply specifically to caffeinated drinks?

A: It is against the teachings of the Church to use alcohol and tobacco or to drink tea and coffee.


Ricks reply.
This is taken from a teaching called, The Word Of Wisdom, (WoW).
I will post the entire WoW, Over all I think if you want to follow it by choice, it has good health benefits, but to say, this is the Word of the Lord is wrong, this clearly goes against what God told peter when he said, do not call anything common or unclean that I made clean.

Then when you read the WoW, notice it says, Hot Drinks. The LDS church defines Hot Drinks as Coffee or tea, but this does not included Hot Chocolate. And it is the CHURCH That says what hot drinks are, not the WoW. Then if you read carefully the WoW and break it down, many LDS do not follow it to the letter, they pretty much only follow the do not drink Coffee or tea part.

THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
SECTION 89
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. HC 1: 327–329. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result. The first three verses were originally written as an inspired introduction and description by the Prophet.
1–9, Use of wine, strong drinks, tobacco, and hot drinks proscribed; 10–17, Herbs, fruits, flesh, and grain are ordained for the use of man and of animals; 18–21, Obedience to gospel law, including the Word of Wisdom, brings temporal and spiritual blessings.
1 A Word OF Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—
2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—
3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.
4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—
5 That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.
6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
7 And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.
8 And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.
9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.
10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—
11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.
12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;
15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.
16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—
17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.
18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.


Q: Why do Mormons go from door to door?

A: Christ admonished his disciples to take the gospel to the world. The Church follows that admonition and sends missionaries throughout the world.
Ricks reply.
Every Mormon Missionary I have ever spoken with states this is the case.

Q: What do the Mormons believe about the family?

A: Mormons believe that the family is the foundation for this life and the life to come.


Ricks reply.
Mormons do focus on the family. They believe and teach Family's are forever. They believe and teach we will be married in the heavens, even though Jesus taught other wise. Also familys cannot be forever, if their are 3 different heavens and outer darkness. Some family's will go onto be gods while others will not have converted so they will not enter the highest heaven. So while it sounds good on paper, it simply is not going to happen, even in Mormon beliefes.


Q: Can someone who may never marry in life have eternal marriage?

A: God will not withhold blessings from any of his children who may not have the opportunity to marry in this life.


Ricks reply.
This is not true, read,

THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
SECTION 131
Instructions by Joseph Smith the Prophet, given at Ramus, Illinois, May 16 and 17, 1843. HC 5: 392–393.
1–4, Celestial marriage is essential to exaltation in the highest heaven; 5–6, How men are sealed up unto eternal life; 7–8, All spirit is matter.
1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;
2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this border of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.
4 He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.
5 (May 17th, 1843.) The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood.
6 It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance.
7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes;
8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.


Bruce McConkie wrote, "Celestial marriage is the gate to exaltation, and exaltation consists in the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Exaltation is…the kind of life which God lives" (Mormon Doctrine pg. 257). Celestial marriage is an absolute necessity to reach this desired goal. Its importance in the place of salvation and exaltation cannot be overestimated. "The most important things that any member of (the LDS Church) ever does in this world are: 1) To marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority; and 2) To keep the covenant made in connection with this holy and perfect order of matrimony…" (Mormon Doctrine pg. 118).

LDS President Joseph Fielding Smith said, "Any young man who carelessly neglects this great commandment to marry, or who does not marry because of a selfish desire to avoid the responsibilities which married life will bring, is taking a course which is displeasing in the sight of God…There can be no exaltation without it. If a man refuses…he is taking a course which may bar him forever from (exaltation)." (Doctrines of Salvation 2:74).


Let me end with this, If the LDS really hold to their own teachings and believe the Articles of faith to be true, then this is what Number 13 says

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

They should be more open an honest in their answers if they want to teach A of F 13.
Rick b

21 Questions Answered About Mormon Faith.

I am taking a break from the youtube 7 part story. It seems fox news did a story about asking 21 questions to the LDS church, here is the link, 21 questions

I will post the question asked, the answer given from the LDS church then my answer to the question. This link was sent to me by the pastor of my Church, he wanted my thoughts so he could then forward it on to other pastors. This is so long I do not know yet if I will keep it in two parts or turn it into 3.

Unless otherwise stated, I own all the books I quote from or mention as a source of reference.


Q: Why do some call the Church a cult?

A: For the most part, this seems to stem from a lack of understanding about the Church and its core doctrines and beliefs. Under those circumstances it is too easy to label a religion or other organization that is not well-known with an inflammatory term like 'cult.' Famed scholar of religion Martin Marty has said a cult means a church you don't personally happen to like. We don't believe any organization should be subjected to a label that has come to be as pejorative as that one.

Rick's Reply.
The LDS church is a Cult because they deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. The LDS church has taught that Jesus is just one god and their are millions of Gods. One place this is taught is in the Journal Of Discourses, (J.O.D) Volume 6:1-11 Known among Mormons as the King Follet Discourse. The LDS church denys the Trinity also, they teach that Jesus is one of 3 gods. They teach that the Christian Trinity is really the godhead made up of 3 gods. Sadly Joseph Smith at on time denied the Holy Spirit, He taught the Holy Spirit was the Mind of God, that teaching is found in the Oringal Lecture on Faith.


Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God?

A: Mormons believe Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer, who died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead on the third day with an immortal body. God, the Father, also has an immortal body.

Ricks Reply.
The Answer the LDS church gave is the standard answer, Here is what they seem to forget to tell you. While they believe Jesus did die on the Cross, they believe the Atonement really took place in the Garden when Jesus sweated great drops of blood. I do not own this book for the source.

( On page fourteen of his book, "Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson," the thirteenth president of the LDS Church stated it was in the Garden of Gethsemane that Christ "suffered as only as God would suffer, bearing our griefs, carrying our sorrows, being wounded for our transgressions, voluntarily submitting Himself to the iniquity of us all, just as Isaiah prophesied."
He further stated on that same page: "It was in Gethsemane that Jesus took on Himself the sins of the world, in Gethsemane that His pain was equivalent to the cumulative burden of all men, in Gethsemane that He descended below all things so that all could repent and come to Him" (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pg.15).

I read the BoM and Doctrine and Covenants, here is what I found in my reading.
We find in 2 Nephi 2:19 and Alma 42:2 only speaking about Adam and Eve getting thrown out of the garden. And Helaman 7:10 and 9:8,11 speaking about Nephi's garden No mention of the Shedding of Blood for our sins. But we Do read about the Cross or Christ being crucified on the cross for our Sins in the BoM and D and C here in these verses.

Mosiah 3:8-9
Helman 8:14-15 and 14:13-21
3 Nephi 11:14-17 and 20:44 and 27:14 and 28:6-7
Mormon 3:21
Ether 4:1
Moroni 5:1-2 and 10:33
then over in D and C in this long list of verses.
18:11-12 20:23 20:79 21:9 27:2 35:2 45:4,51,52 53:2 76:39,41,69 110:3-5


Q: Does the Church believe in the divinity of Jesus?

A: Mormons believe Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer, who died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead on the third day with an immortal body. God, the Father, also has an immortal body.

Ricks reply.
This was pretty much answered in the above questions.


Q: Does the Church believe that God is a physical being?

A: Mormons believe Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer, who died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead on the third day with an immortal body. God, the Father, also has an immortal body.

Ricks Reply
Mormon Doctrine teaches that God has a body of flesh and bones:
D and C 130:22
Articles of Faith. pg 43

Mormon scripture teaches that God is a spirit:
Alma 18:26-28 and 22:9-11.

The Bible teaches that God is a Spirit:
John 4:24
Luke 24:39
Jeremiah 23:24
Psalms 139:7-10


Q: If so, does the Church believe that God lives on a planet named Kolob?

A: 'Kolob' is a term found in ancient records translated by Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith did not provide a full description or explanation of Kolob nor did he assign the idea particular significance in relation to the Church’s core doctrines.

Q: Where is the planet Kolob? What significance does the planet have to Mormons?

A: 'Kolob' is a term found in ancient records translated by Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith did not provide a full description or explanation of Kolob nor did he assign the idea particular significance in relation to the Church’s core doctrines.

Ricks Reply.
The LDS reply is about what they believe, but their is more information found in their book, The Pearl of great price. This is the 4th book in their standerd works. Here is what is found in the pearl of great price.

1.
Abr. 3: 3-4, 9, 16
3 And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.
4 And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord’s time, according to the reckoning of Kolob.

9 And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.

16 If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them; therefore Kolob is the greatest of all the Kokaubeam that thou hast seen, because it is nearest unto me.
2.
Abr. 5: 13
13 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the time that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord’s time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning.



Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that God and Mary had physical sex to conceive Jesus?

A: The Church does not claim to know how Jesus was conceived but believes the Bible and Book of Mormon references to Jesus being born of the Virgin Mary.

Ricks Reply.
For the most part, this is a flat out lie. With that said, let me add this, Not every LDS Believes this and not every LDS has seen the LDS teachings that show otherwise. So here are some LDS teachings on this.

He [God] created man, as we create our children; for there is no other process of creation in heaven, on the earth, in the earth, or under the earth, or in all the eternities, that is, that were, or that ever will be. (BY, J.O.D 11:122).

The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood--was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers (BY, J.O.D 8:115).

In relation to the way in which I look upon the works of God and his creatures, I will say that I was naturally begotten; so was my father, and also my Saviour Jesus Christ. According to the Scriptures, he is the first begotten of his father in the flesh, and there was nothing unnatural about it (HK, J.O.D 8:211).

When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost....

...Now, remember from this time forth, and for ever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. I will repeat a little anecdote. I was in conversation with a certain learned professor upon this subject, when I replied, to this idea"if the Son was begotten by the Holy Ghost, it would be very dangerous to baptize and confirm females, and give the Holy Ghost to them, lest he should beget children, and be palmed upon the Elders by the people, bringing the Elders into great difficulties" (BY, J.O.D 1:50-51)

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 (BY, J.O.D 4:218)

...but it was the personage of the Father who begat the body of Jesus; and for this reason Jesus is called the Only Begotten of the Father; that is, the only one in this world whose fleshly body was begotten by the Father. There were millions of sons and daughters whom He begat before the foundation of the world, but they were spirits, and not bodies of flesh and bones; whereas, both the spirit and body of Jesus were begotten by the Father the spirit having been begotten in heaven many ages before the tabernacle was begotten upon the earth. The fleshly body of Jesus required a Mother as well as a Father. Therefore, the Father and Mother of Jesus, according to the flesh, must have been associated together in the capacity of Husband and Wife; hence the Virgin Mary must have been, for the time being, the lawful wife of God the Father: we use the term lawful Wife, because it would be blasphemous in the highest degree to say that He overshadowed her or begat the Saviour unlawfully. It would have been unlawful for any man to have interfered with Mary, who was already espoused to Joseph; for such a heinous crime would have subjected both the guilty parties to death, according to the law of Moses. But God having created all men and women, had the most perfect right to do with His own creation, according to His holy will and pleasure; He had a lawful right to overshadow the Virgin Mary in the capacity of a husband, and beget a Son, although she was espoused to another; for the law which He gave to govern men and women was not intended to govern Himself, or to prescribe rules for his own conduct. It was also lawful in Him, after having thus dealt with Mary, to give Mary to Joseph her espoused husband. Whether God the Father gave Mary to Joseph for time only, or for time and eternity, we are not informed. Inasmuch as God was the first husband to her, it may be that He only gave her to be the wife of Joseph while in this mortal state, and that He intended after the resurrection to again take her as one of his own wives to raise up immortal spirits in eternity (OP, The Seer, p. 158).


CHRIST NOT BEGOTTEN OF HOLY GHOST. I believe firmly that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. He taught this doctrine to his disciples. He did not teach them that He was the Son of the Holy Ghost, but the Son of the Father....Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God! (JFS, DoS 1:18).


Under the topic "Only Begotten Son" in Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie wrote,

These name-titles all signify that our Lord is the only Son of the Father in the flesh. Each of the words is to be understood literally. Only means only; Begotten means begotten; and Son means son. Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers (pp. 546-547).

God the Father is a perfected, glorified, holy Man, an immortal Personage. And Christ was born into the world as the literal Son of this Holy Being; he was born in the same personal, real, and literal sense that any mortal son is born to a mortal father. There is nothing figurative about his paternity; he was begotten, conceived and born in the normal and natural course of events, for he is the Son of God, and that designation means what it says. (1 Ne. 11) (Ibid. p. 742).

James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Ch.3, p.22

What other man has lived with power to withstand death, over whom death could not prevail except through his own submission? Yet Jesus Christ could not be slain until His "hour had come," and that, the hour in which He voluntarily surrendered His life, and permitted His own decease through an act of will. Born of a mortal mother He inherited the capacity to die; begotten by an immortal Sire He possessed as a heritage the power to withstand death indefinitely. He literally gave up His life; to this effect is His own affirmation: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." And further: "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." Only such a One could conquer death; in none but Jesus the Christ was realized this requisite condition of a Redeemer of the world.
James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Ch.25, p.418 - p.419

With effective repetition Jesus continued: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep." For this cause was Jesus the Father's Beloved Son -- that He was ready to lay down His life for the sake of the sheep. That the sacrifice He was soon to render was in fact voluntary, and not a forfeiture under compulsion, is solemnly affirmed in the Savior's words: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." The certainty of His death and of His subsequent resurrection are here reiterated. A natural effect of His immortal origin, as the earth-born Son of an immortal Sire, was that He Was immune to death except as He surrendered thereto. The life of Jesus the Christ could not be taken save as He willed and allowed. The power to lay down His life was inherent in Himself, as was the power to take up His slain body in an immortalized state. These teachings caused further division among the Jews. Some pretended to dispose of the matter by voicing anew the foolish assumption that Jesus was but an insane demoniac, and that therefore His words were not worthy of attention. Others with consistency said "These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?" So it was that a few believed, many doubted though partly convinced, and some condemned.
Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol.3, p.138

The express image of his person] What more need be said? God the Eternal Father is the Father; the Son of God is the Son. A father is a father, and a son is a son. The Father begets; the Son is begotten; they are Parent and Child; Sire and Son look alike, so much so that they are the express image of each other's persons. The substance composing the body of one is identical in appearance to that composing the body of the other. What could be plainer?

Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol.3, p.141
Begotten] Begotten means begotten; it means Christ's mortal body was procreated by an Eternal Sire; it means God is the Father of Christ, "after the manner of the flesh." (1 Ne. 11:18.)



Q: Does the Mormon Church believe Jesus appeared in North America after his crucifixion and resurrection?

A: The appearance of Jesus in the Western Hemisphere shortly after his resurrection is described in the Book of Mormon. Mormons believe that when Christ told his disciples in the Bible He had other 'sheep' who should receive his message he was referring to those people in the Western Hemisphere.

Q: If so, when did this happen? And under what circumstances?

A: The appearance of Jesus in the Western Hemisphere shortly after his resurrection is described in the Book of Mormon. Mormons believe that when Christ told his disciples in the Bible He had other 'sheep' who should receive his message he was referring to those people in the Western Hemisphere.

Ricks Reply.
For the most part they do believe this, otherwise theirs not much to it.

The Book of Mormon.

The Intro to the Book of Mormon says,

THE
BOOK OF MORMON
AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY

THE HAND OF MORMON

UPON PLATES

TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.
An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.
TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.
First English edition published in 1830

I want to focus on the part that I highlighted in black.

And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.

Here is my thinking, if we so called Anti's say there are any problems in the BoM, it must be that man was behind it. Since the LDS say the BoM is true and the word of God, any mistakes found are not God's fault. We can blame men, not Satan trying to deceive us.

If that statement is true, here is another problem. Read this:

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

If that is true, and Joseph Smith translated the BoM from the golden plates with his head in a hat, then it would be impossible for there to be one single mistake, ever. Then, why do we have over 4,000 changes to the BoM? Are they all faults of men?

I have a copy of both volumes of Joseph Smith begins his work. They state that these are taken from the original uncut sheets and were first printed by the Mormon Church with the LDS president signing them off in the book saying they are good. So how come if the BoM has over 4,000 changes, and they are from "Evil" men, do you guys not go back to passing out copies of the original that are free from human error?

And if you do not, why keep the A of F 8 about the BoM? If there are changes from Evil men, then A of F 8 can no longer be true. How can it be trustworthy if there are 4,000 changes?


Here are some Major Doctrinal Changes from the original 1830 edition to the newest one.

First Book of Nephi, p.25 (1830): "Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh."

Today: 1 Nephi 11:18: "...is the mother of the Son of God."

First Book of Nephi, p.25 (1830):."...behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father!"

Today: 1 Nephi 11:21: "yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!"

First Book of Nephi, p.26 (1830): "And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Everlasting God was judged of the the world..."

Today: 1 Nephi 11:32: "...yea, the Son of the Everlasting God was judged of the world..."

First Book of Nephi, p.32; (1830): "...that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Saviour of the world."

Today: "..the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world."

Those are Major changes, So which version do we trust?
Rick b

The temples.

I happen to be writing via snail mail with a MM, He liked me so much that we meet 3 times face to face, after he had to move on he gave me his address to write him.

Anyway we were talking about the temple, so I wrote this and sent it to him.


What must I do to be saved?

Paul and Silas were in Jail, The Jailer came to them and said:

Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.



The response Paul gave was simple, Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Nothing more to do.

Now that is something I can do and live with, But if your a Mormon, It simply is not that easy. Their are 3 different heavens you could go to, and Bruce Mc said anything less than Exaltation (3rd heaven) is damnation. So unless you enter into the 3rd heaven your damned, your saved in the sense that your not in hell or for LDS, outer darkness, but your still damned.

Here is what Mormonism teaches you must do in order to be saved.

According to Mormonism the Temple is of the utmost importance, But they seem to forget to tell you what you must do to be able to enter, I say that they seem to forget because, I have spoken with many Mormon Missionarys who tell me I can enter the temple, but never tell me about what I must first do. So they give you the false Idea that you simply can walk in to the temple.

Prophet Spencer Kimball Achieving a Celestial Marriage manual pg 30 makes it very clear we must do certain things to enter the temple to be saved. He gives a list of 6 things called (TEMPLE RECOMMEND INTERVIEW). it says When you are interviewed for a temple recommend you will be asked about,

1. Church attendance
2. Payment of tithes and offerings
3. Loyalty to Church leaders.
4. Moral cleanliness.
5. overall faithfulness and worthiness.
6. Obedience to the Word of Wisdom.

In Gospel Principles pg 125: WE MUST KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. To make our repentance complete we must keep the commandments of the Lord (see D and C 1:32). we are not fully repentant if we do not pay tithes or keep the sabbath day holy or obey the word of wisdom. we are not repentant if we don't sustain the authorities of the church and don't love the lord and our fellow man.

Add to that also pg 241 Eternal marriage is ESSENTIAL FOR EXALTATION. Our exaltation depends on marriage. Then over on pg 242 it says "and in order to obtain the highest, a man MUST ENTER INTO THIS ORDER OF THE PRIESTHOOD [MEANING THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT OF MARRIAGE];" "and if he does not, he cannot obtain it" (D and C 131:1-3)

Boy, I think I would rather follow Paul's simple teaching of, believe on the Lord Jesus, Not the LDS view of You must do all this first. I have pointed out to people before also, what if you convert to Mormonism, then die or get killed before doing all this. Plus in order to enter the temple, you must first spend one year simply being an LDS member, then after one year you can try to enter the temple.

Some of us will not have the year plus we need, so can you be sure your even saved? I know for a fact I am saved, what about you? I want to add also that D and C 131:6 teaches: It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance. Are you ignorant of these thing?


He wrote me back, and part of his letter he said, He felt I thought entering the temple was to much of a challenge and that was to bad. So below is my letter to him, It focus is on temples.



Ok, in your letter to me you said you felt I thought entering the temple is a challenge. It is not so much that it is a challenge, but that you must enter it to be saved into the 3rd heaven. Sadly not many will be able to do that. Then the Bible does not teach that either.

Now as far as the temple goes from the Bible here is a rough breakdown. When Adam and Eve were created their was no temple. Then after they sinned and were kicked out of the garden their was no temple, so how were they saved?

It is believed from the time of Adam and Eve till God flooded the world and destroyed it, it was about 2,000 years. They figure this from the ages of what people lived. Anyway, no temples at all are ever mentioned. So if any part of our salvation come from entering the temple we have a problem.

Then after the flood up until the time Abram was called Abraham their was no temple and no Jews, their was simply the human race. After Abraham had Isaac, Isaac takes a bride, Isaac has Children, one of the kids is called Jacob. Jacob is a liar and deceiver and over in Genesis Chapter 32 he wrestles with God, and God after the Match renames Jacob, Israel. As of yet no temple, then we jump ahead to the Book of Exodus.

In here we Find Moses born and after about 80 years he goes and sets his people free. Now we find in Exodus chapter 11, The 10th and final plague. The reason why this is important is because, first off their is still no temple to save us. Then we find that Jews who did not put Blood upon the door and the sides, which formed a Cross by the way and Jesus was the lamb slain for us, but yet the Egyptians who were with the Jews under the blood were saved.

So we find some of both killed and saved. We are saved by the Blood of Christ, both Jews and gentiles. Then after the Jews were let go into the wilderness some of the Egyptians went with them. Now after Moses and his people were set free and allowed to go, the Pharaoh changed his mind and went after them. So after Moses and everyone crossed the red sea then they were given laws and rules to follow.

Even though God gave laws and rules to follow we are not saved by them. Remember their were people who lived and died before the laws and rules were given. And these laws and rules were given to the Jews, not the gentiles, so if the laws save us, and they were not given to gentiles (Non-Jews) how were they saved. Then if you read through the Book of Exodus, can anyone really say, I follow every one of those laws and rules?

Now starting in Exodus Chapter 25 we find the Sanctuary and the Tabernacle, but remember this is not the temple and not just anyone can enter it. Now I have been to the Fair LDS board and spoke with many LDS over their, some have told me that they lie about Keeping the WoW and keeping all that is required to enter the temple, because they want to get into the temple, Well if you now jump over to Leviticus Chapter 10 we read,

Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

Lev 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This [is it] that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Now we see God killing these two for not Doing what God commanded them to do, If this were still true today and God did this, many LDS who claim to be true Christians would be dead. Because they bring strange fire into the temple and since they lie to get into the temple, they go in as liars and sinners and do not regard God as holy. To add to what I just said, read,

Lev 10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,

Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations:

Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Many LDS who lie to enter the temple lie because they want to Drink and also enter the temple. I honestly have no problem with a person wanting to drink a glass of wine or beer, But according to God, they should die, but yet they don't, so this shows God's great love and grace. Plus it shows us that the temple does not save us, because as I said before, their was no temple and as of yet their is no temple.

Then read the entire chapter 15 in Leviticus, it talks about men and women who have a bodily discharge, in other words Bodily fluids from the male Penis or from the women, their can be many reason why this happens, but the real question is this, we know it happens even today to faithful LDS members, Maybe through Sex with a married partner, or through self pleasure or sickness, how ever it comes, Do the LDS follow these rules Given? They might not openly admit and say, Hey I'm unclean, I cannot enter the temple today, I had sexual intercourse with my wife or was lusting and fell into sin of masturbation, and we will never really know, but since it is openly spoken of in the Bible we should be able to openly speak about it and live by this law. Honestly I doubt LDS follow these laws.

Now we read in Numbers the placement of the tribes, the thing about they way they were placed is this. It formed a Cross, so when God looked down from heaven upon the tribes He saw a Cross. He knew He was going to be sending His Son to die on a cross. This reminds me, we see the cross all though the Bible. When Abraham went with his son Isaac to offer him up as a burnt offering, we see God doing this with His son Jesus. Isaac told his dad, their is not an offering, and Abraham said back to Isaac, Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Notice he said (God will provide himself a lamb). the word FOR is not in their, God was that Lamb that Died for us, this again shows we are not saved by the temple or works, we are saved by the blood of Jesus. Now we read in the book of Leviticus chapter 16

Lev 16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Lev 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy [place] within the vail before the mercy seat, which [is] upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Lev 16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy [place]: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

Now I know God is speaking to Moses about Aaron, but this method applies to all who enter to see God. I also know this is not the temple either, but Not just anyone could go before God, and there is no list given of a temple recommend to enter either, so again, how are we saved by the temple?

Move to Chapter 21, you can read that for your self, but the basic view of it is this, "Regulations for conduct of priests" Are the LDS "Priests" or "Priest holders" Following these rules "Laws" Given by God?

Now when we move to the Book of Numbers, God set up how the tribes are to be laid out when they are resting and waiting to move, I sent a photo of that, it is the form of a Cross when God is up in heaven looking Down upon it, He sees the Cross is yet future and that is what is to come.

Not the temple, but the Cross. Now you will love this, in the Book of Deuteronomy we find what is called Cities of refuge. These were set up so that if a person killed another by shear accident or "manslaughter" He could flee to the City of refuge, and he was allowed to enter and live in their and the avenger of blood was not allowed to enter and kill him. If this person leaves the City he is fair game and can be killed, but if the high priest of the City dies a natural death, then the person can leave the city free and clear. Now here is why this is so cool, it is a type of Christ. Jesus Died on the Cross, but guess what, We put Him their, it was us who killed him, but He "Jesus" says father forgive them for they know not what they do, So Jesus was saying it was an Accident, "manslaughter" And in Hebrews we read He is our high priest who lives forever.

So if He lives in us, and we in Him, He is our city of refuge and we cannot be harmed by the avenger of blood. But if we step out of His protection we can be harmed. Cool, Huh. Now we do not see a temple until King David wants to Build it, But God will not allow Him to build it, but His Son King Solomon built it. Then after he builds a temple, not just anyone can enter, not even the Jews could simply just walk in, and Like the LDS temple where you have to be asked questions to see if you are worthy to enter, that was not the case with the temples for the Jews, and the temples were not created to attain any form of salvation.

Now that we get to the New Testament we never read about Jesus entering the temple and brining people to it. After Jesus crucified the veil of the temple was torn in two, that was a massive feat to happen, the say that it was a cloth that was about 18 inches thick, and would take something like 20 or more oxen pulling one way, while that many pulled the other way. The other reason that was a big deal is because, we no longer need to enter the temple.

The only temple at the time was destroyed just as Jesus said it would be. Then after Jesus goes up into heaven, we never read about any of his followers entering a temple or re-building one, From the time Jesus died and rose again till know is about 2,000 years, thats a long time with no temple if one really is required to be saved. Take care my friend and study the scriptures and give serious thought to what I said. Remember Acts 17:11

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

He has since wrote me back, sadly he avoided the question all together and Changed the subject. Rick b

LDS Church teaches, Please do not think, let us do it for you. PT 3

Author said:

Think of how you feel when you read the Book of Mormon, pray, or bear your testimony. How do those feelings compare with the feelings that come from reading anti-Mormon literature? Which is guiding you to the truth?

The Problem with this is, the Bible tells us in, Jer 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?

So if our hearts can lead us astray, why do we want to base Truth upon feelings? Then the Bible teaches us to Search the Scriptures, Acts 17:11, We never read any place in the Bible to base truth upon Feelings, we are told to seek and search.

Then the author says:

We’re not against honest inquiry in the Church. We welcome it. The Apostle Paul said, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “One of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may” (History of the Church, 5:499). As we search for truth in Church teachings and history, we should remember that it is faith in Christ that helps us to “lay hold upon every good thing” (see Moroni 7:15–25). And we should keep everything in its proper perspective and context. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said:

I really doubt what he just said, It seems they do hate honest Inquiry, They frowen upon the LDS people reading or looking at So Called "Anti-Mormon" anything, If it is all one sided how can you be honest?


Then the Author says

“We seem to have a host of critics. Some appear intent on trying to destroy us. They mock that which is sacred. They belittle that which we call divine. Some have said that we are trapped by our history, others have worked with great diligence seeking flaws in our early leaders. …

It is possible some LDS critics are mocking and trying to destroy the Church, but that is not the case with every one, The Bible Teaches their is a real Hell and Eternal damnation, and if we say, well I might offended a Person for saying I believe that they are wrong, and then say nothing, their Blood will be on my hands. We read many Accounts in the Bible of false Prophets and teachers leading others to their death, We really need to stand up and search out the truth and share it.


The Author says:

“My plea is that as we continue our search for truth, particularly we of the Church, that we look for strength and goodness rather than weakness and foibles in those who did so great a work in their time. …

If his plea really is that they are searching for the Truth, then he should be open to look at both Sides, other wise it looks as if he really is not looking for truth.


The Author said:

“… I hope that we will cultivate an attitude of looking for positive elements which lead to growth and enthusiasm. We are not trapped by our history. That history contains the foundation of this work. …

The History can and will expouse the Truth.

The Author said:

“I do not fear truth. I welcome it. But I wish all of my facts to be in their proper context” (“The Continuing Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, Apr. 1986, 4–6).

If he really seeks the truth, then he would openly look at the evidence given, I said before, I post scanned copies with added context or pull out the books if I am speaking face to face with someone, But many times Mormons tell me when I show them flaws in and from their own books, that since I am a so called Anti Mormon, their not allowed to view them. This is the teaching they get from the People who write this Article, this tells me the Author is lying and really does not seek the truth.


The Author said:

“The present effort of trying to find some other explanation for the organization of the Church, for the origin of the Book of Mormon, and for the priesthood with its keys and powers will be similar to other anti-Mormon fads which have come and blossomed and faded. Truth will prevail. A knowledge of that truth comes by effort and study, yes. But it comes primarily as a gift from God to those who seek in faith.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Lord, Increase Our Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 52–53.
Readers

He is Correct, truth will prevail, but He says, A knowledge of that truth comes by effort and study But yet he says, do not read Anti mormon Books, the majority of Anti Mormon Quotes come from the LDS sources, so unless Mormonism is really Anti Mormon, they should look at the quotes, otherwise, are they really looking for truth?


The Author said:

Reading anti-Mormon literature could deceive your friend, even if he or she has a strong testimony. The best way to know how to respond to opposing views is to study the Book of Mormon. I know it is the word of God, and after all, it was written for our day! With the Holy Ghost to guide us as we read the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, we can learn to recognize deception and can have the Spirit to guide us when we may need to respond.
Alicia M., 18, Utah

Like I said, this person contradicts himself, first he says, do not read Anti Mormon Books, but the says, search the truth out. You cannot search for truth if you only look at one side of the story. And if the BoM is false, then it cannot help you.


The Author says:

Just tell your friend the truth, that you find that literature disturbing. If he or she is a true friend, he or she will have no problem with it. Stick with your feeling of not wanting to read it. If you do read it, it could open up a window of doubt. There are plenty of books (like True to the Faith) that have been written through inspiration. Pick up one of those so that you may know how to respond to questions.
Brian P., 16, Arizona

How can you tell your friend "The Truth" and say, the Anti-Mormon Book bothers you, if you never read it. That is being Dishonest to say, it is lies and flawed if you do not know what is in it. I hear LDS saying, I cannot claim the BoM is false if I never read it. I agree, so I read it.

The Author said:

On my mission I have come across a lot of anti-Mormon literature. It is disturbing. I have seen honest seekers of truth fall away because of it. If you want to learn how to answer people’s concerns, do two things: gain a strong testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and know the doctrine by studying the scriptures. Then, when others come to you with concerns, you will have the power of the Holy Ghost to testify to you and to them of the truth.
Sister Holly Erikson, 23, Tennessee Nashville Mission

All I can say is, if he feels Anti Mormon Books are Disturbing, please write me and tell what what exactly is wrong, we can talk.

The Author said:

Anti-Mormon literature will be filled with scriptures or quotes that are taken out of context and twisted to serve the author’s purpose of filling people’s minds with doubt about the Church. The fact that you get an uneasy feeling when you read anti-Mormon literature should be proof enough. The best thing you can do to be prepared for questions is to be faithful and read the Book of Mormon daily. Also, most people who will ask you questions that come from the anti-Mormon literature are not interested in finding the gospel. They want you to argue with them so they can twist your words (see Alma 11).
Jenika W., 19, Washington

I add more for context and Buy LDS books because I am a seeker of the truth, so this guy is clueless to say such things.


The Author said:

One day I was talking to a friend, who is not a member of our church, and we almost got to the point where we started putting each other’s churches down, but I didn’t want it to get to that point, so I just bore my testimony and stopped. A few weeks later I got some pamphlets and magazines in the mail from her. I could have kept them so that I would know what some writers think about our church, but I didn’t. This experience made me want to be more prepared when things like this happen.
Alexandria M., 15, Oregon

You bear your testimony, I bear mine, they cancel each other out, Big Deal. I prayed, you prayed, we both claim God told us we were right and the other was wrong, this is not evidence. The Bible says, search the Scriptures, as a matter of fact, the BoM says, search the scriptures also, read, Alma 14:1,17:2,33:2

The author said:

What you read or watch has an effect on you. Part of the 13th article of faith says that “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” I do not think reading anti-Mormon literature fits in the above statement. Plus you find the literature disturbing. That may be the Spirit sending you a message to stay away from this literature.
Martyn T., 22, Wakiso, Uganda

The A of F sounds good, but what if the BoM is wrong and false, do you really want to gamble on eternal Hell simply because you refused to look at both sides? If you refuse and are wrong, then you have no one to blame but yourself, and you will regret it for all of eterinty.

The Author said:

There is far greater benefit from searching the inspired words of prophets and apostles of the Lord, in the scriptures and Church magazines. That is when we receive the Spirit’s direction, not when we are immersed in the adversary’s filth.
Elder Calvin Oberly Jr., 24, New York New York South Mission

Their is no real benfit from Listing to false Prophets and teachers, Add to that, when ever the LDS Prophets or so called Apostles cannot agree with each other and I point this stuff out to the LDS member, I always hear this, It was their mere Opinion, they were not speaking for the Lord, or Unless it is one of the 4 standerd works, it is not Offical Church Doctrine. So what benfit can I gain if you guys cannot agree? As a matter of fact I even did a topic about that, here.
Rick b

LDS Church teaches, Please do not think, let us do it for you. PT 2

I will break part two down and add my own thoughts to it, if you have not read all of what the Q/A said please go back to part 1 and read it first. part 1



Here are a couple of things to remember about anti-Mormon material.

First, it would be a waste to spend a lot of time and energy reading it.

How is following Acts 17:11 a waste of time, to go along with acts 17:11 which says, They Searched the Scriptures to know if this was true, the BoM teaches the same thing, read Alma 14:1, 17:2,33:2 All say, Search the Scriptures. So if your An LDS and your BoM teaches to search the scriptures to know if something is true or not, then you simply cannot say something like Anti Mormon books are false with out first checking the facts. Then the other Mormon Scripture, the D and C says,

11 And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways.

We so called anti Mormons try and convince people of the error of their ways, but then get called hateful, Lets post what the LDS prophet/president J.F.S Taught in the D of Salv. He said

Read pg 188 of Doct of Salvation vol 1.

I quote Joseph F Smith. "CHURCH STANDS OR FALLS WITH JOSEPH SMITH. MORMONISM, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. Their is no middle ground. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed: his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false".

He again we have the LDS PROPHET/PRESIDENT saying this to us, but when we Do as He said, we get called Hateful anti Mormon. Do the LDS even know He taught this? If So do they care?

For one thing, it’s incredibly repetitive.

Who cares? How does this prove the Books are wrong?

Most of its questions and claims have been brought up—and answered—time and time again for over 100 years. But because anti-Mormon authors want to discredit the Church, they keep writing the same stuff over and over in the hope that they can reach a new audience.

Some stuff has been brought up over and over but so what, I post on many boards that reach out to the LDS, and many questions I have asked go ignored and are never answered, I see many LDS who cannot answer honest questions, many Topics on my blog go ignored.

For another thing, you may not have the knowledge and experience to successfully investigate and counter all of the arguments they make.

This might be true, but the sad thing about it is, the LDS will not pull out the Books quoted from by us and sit down and show the quote and explain why it is wrong. Example, I own the entire set of Journal Of Discourses, it teaches the Adam God Doctrine. Now When we point this out, the LDS will say, that is false and tell these younger LDS were lying, but will they pull out the JoD volume one and let the younger LDS member read it for him/herself and decide on their own? No they will not, So I scan it and post it here on my blog, that is being honest and helpful, I let people see both sides. I also never quote from a source I do not own.

So I can back up everything I say. Also Many LDS want to say us Anti-LDS are lying and dis-honest, But I have posted on many Blogs and websites where LDS have said I am lying or taking things out of context, no sooner do I ask for proof, they stop posting and you never hear from them again. I honestly do not know how those LDS members can live with the fact they are calling me a liar but in fact they knew they lied.

If you do end up reading something that criticizes the Church, discuss it with someone you trust who is knowledgeable in the gospel, like your parents, bishop, or seminary teacher. They can help you find answers and, more importantly, put things in proper perspective.

Here are some exact Quotes from LDS leaders, These are things Us Anti's use and quote from, but the LDS leaders or LDS scripture have spoken on these things, Please explain how these things are dis-honest criticizes of the Church and please come here and put them into the proper perspective for me.

In the Journal of Discourses number 5 pg 203 Heber C Kimbal said this and I quote extra for context that some seem to feel people leave out.


"Some quietly listen to those who speak against the lords servants, against his anointed, against the plurality of wives, and against almost every principle that god has revealed. Such persons have a half dozen devils with them all the time. YOU MIGHT AS WELL DENY "MORMONISM," AND TURN AWAY FROM IT, AS TO OPPOSE THE PLURALITY OF WIVES. Let the presidency of this church, and the twelve apostles, and all the authorities unite and say with one voice that they will oppose that doctrine, and the whole of them would be damned. Also we read in vol 3 pg 266, where B Young said and I quote, "Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned. WOW B Young promises we will be damned if we stop this practice. I guess there will be many damned LDS, as the stopped doing this.



Let us add to this

D and C 132 1-3 2. Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter. So here we find it is "supposedly" of God. 3. Therefore ,prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE THIS LAW REVEALED UNTO THEM MUST OBEY THE SAME. 4. for behold, I reveal unto you a new and everlasting covenant, then are ye damned;for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. I would like to point out some things here. First off in D and C 1:14 it says we must obey the lord, the apostles, and the prophets or we will be cut off.

Remember, this is only One Problem of many.

This next quote is a bunch of crap if I ever saw it.

Second, you should never take the claims of anti-Mormon literature at face value. Although some critics of the Church may be doing what they sincerely believe to be right, too many of them are either misinformed about the Church or downright antagonistic toward it. This latter group is often all too willing to rely on deception and dishonesty to achieve their goals. The literature they produce often uses lies or half-truths; it distorts, sensationalizes, or misinterprets Church teachings and history; its intent is to tear down the Church and scare people away from it.

I say it is a bunch of Crap because, Like I said and Quoted, the LDS PROPHET/PRESIDENT Said, if JS is a false Prophet he must be exposed. Then, Like things I quoted above are taken from what LDS leaders have said and taught, they are not Half Truth and quotes. I have posted this challange for others before, none have ever taken me up on it, or they tried and failed, Read my entire Blog and point out where I used a half truth or quoted a LDS prophet/leader in such a way as to lead someone astray by only posting a half quote to make it say something it did not. I tend to quote extra for evidence of not being accused of that. Then because the Above quote says, This latter group is often all too willing to rely on deception and dishonesty to achieve their goals. The literature they produce often uses lies or half-trutjavascript:void(0)hs; it distorts, sensationalizes, or misinterprets Church teachings and history;

Let me put forth more sayings from LDS leaders and LDS scripture.

JS claims over in D and C 135:3-4 he has done more except Jesus has.

"B Young: "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199). I quote 3rd president John Taylor (Brigham Young quotes Mr. Taylor) "Brother Taylor has just said that the religions of the day were hatched in hell, the eggs were laid in hell, hatched on its borders, and kicked onto the earth" (J.O.D 6:176). I quote Heber C. Kimball "Christians-those poor, miserable priests brother Brigham was speaking about-some of them are the biggest whoremasters there are on the earth" (J.O.D 5:89)." then we can add the first vision by Joseph Smith. If God really did speak to him then he said all the Christian creeds are an abomtion in his sight.


Now here is the subject of Negros and them not being able to receive the same rights as white people according to the Prophet B Young and Bruce Mc. But even this has since changed and has been tried to be buried.

In the 1958 edition Mormon Doctrine ( I happen to own a copy), pg 477 says,

Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES can they hold this delegation of authority from the ALMIGHTY. The GOSPEL message of salvation is not carried AFFIRMATIVELY to them....Negroes are NOT EQUAL with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned.



So please explain how we go from UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES to the change that it is ok in the newer versions of Mormon Doctrine? Also please explain this, B Young clearly states here in

JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES VOL 10 PG 110 (again I own these books) Shall I tell you THE LAW OF GOD in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the LAW OF GOD, is DEATH on the SPOT. THIS WILL ALWAYS BE SO.

All these Sayings/teachings are from LDS prophets, us so called Anti's are simply pointing this stuff out. Funny How were hateful, yet look what the LDS leaders said about Christians.

Now read in D and C 71:5-11 98:14,23-26 it says meet your enemy in public. If I am your enemy which I don't feel I am but if I am it says meet me in public to talk about this stuff. Jesus said love your enemy. D and C 66:7 68:1,9 go into the church's public or private to discuss this stuff. D and C 6:9-11 say convince us of our error if we have any. why do I get accused of being hateful for doing what the scriptures teach. now let me add this, would you agree it is good to listen to the Mormon prophets? if so, then I am.


I quote Orsan Pratt still pg 15. "we ask from you the same generosity--protect us in the exercise of our religious rights--CONVINCE US of our errors of doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the word of god, and we will be ever grateful for the information, and you will ever have the pleasing reflection that you have been instruments in the hands of God redeeming your fellow beings from the darkness which you may see enveloping their minds".

I am just trying to look at Mormonism in a logical way and point out what I believe are problems. I find it interesting that Mormons of old were willing to tell others they were wrong or be open to talks. but it does not appear to be that way today. I hope this really makes you examine your faith. If you would like to talk privately off line you are more than welcome.

Part 3 will be next. Rick b

LDS Church teaches, Please do not think, let us do it for you. PT 1

My newest topic is from a question and answer section found on the LDS website, I cut and paste the entire Q and A here with my thoughts on it, but you can also Double check the LDS website and read it their is you think for any reason I messed with it. Just click here, Q and A


“Q&A: Questions and Answers,” New Era, Jul 2007, 14–16

Responses are intended for help and perspective, not as pronouncements of Church doctrine.
“One of my friends, who is active in the Church, has some anti-Mormon literature and thinks we should read it so we know how to respond to it. But I find that literature disturbing. What should I tell my friend?”
New Era

*

• Say you would rather read something you trust, like the scriptures.
*

• Spending a lot of time and energy reading anti-Mormon literature would be a waste.
*

• If you run across it, discuss it with someone who is knowledgeable about the gospel.
*

• Never take anti-Mormon literature at face value.
*

• Honest inquiry is good, but everything needs a proper perspective and context.

If the misrepresentations in anti-Mormon literature really disturb you, then tell your friend how you feel so that he’ll leave you alone about it. Tell him you’d rather read something you trust, like the scriptures or Church publications.

Here are a couple of things to remember about anti-Mormon material.

First, it would be a waste to spend a lot of time and energy reading it. For one thing, it’s incredibly repetitive. Most of its questions and claims have been brought up—and answered—time and time again for over 100 years. But because anti-Mormon authors want to discredit the Church, they keep writing the same stuff over and over in the hope that they can reach a new audience. For another thing, you may not have the knowledge and experience to successfully investigate and counter all of the arguments they make. If you do end up reading something that criticizes the Church, discuss it with someone you trust who is knowledgeable in the gospel, like your parents, bishop, or seminary teacher. They can help you find answers and, more importantly, put things in proper perspective.

Second, you should never take the claims of anti-Mormon literature at face value. Although some critics of the Church may be doing what they sincerely believe to be right, too many of them are either misinformed about the Church or downright antagonistic toward it. This latter group is often all too willing to rely on deception and dishonesty to achieve their goals. The literature they produce often uses lies or half-truths; it distorts, sensationalizes, or misinterprets Church teachings and history; its intent is to tear down the Church and scare people away from it.

Think of how you feel when you read the Book of Mormon, pray, or bear your testimony. How do those feelings compare with the feelings that come from reading anti-Mormon literature? Which is guiding you to the truth?

We’re not against honest inquiry in the Church. We welcome it. The Apostle Paul said, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “One of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may” (History of the Church, 5:499). As we search for truth in Church teachings and history, we should remember that it is faith in Christ that helps us to “lay hold upon every good thing” (see Moroni 7:15–25). And we should keep everything in its proper perspective and context. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said:

“We seem to have a host of critics. Some appear intent on trying to destroy us. They mock that which is sacred. They belittle that which we call divine. Some have said that we are trapped by our history, others have worked with great diligence seeking flaws in our early leaders. …

“My plea is that as we continue our search for truth, particularly we of the Church, that we look for strength and goodness rather than weakness and foibles in those who did so great a work in their time. …

“… I hope that we will cultivate an attitude of looking for positive elements which lead to growth and enthusiasm. We are not trapped by our history. That history contains the foundation of this work. …

“I do not fear truth. I welcome it. But I wish all of my facts to be in their proper context” (“The Continuing Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, Apr. 1986, 4–6).
Image

“The present effort of trying to find some other explanation for the organization of the Church, for the origin of the Book of Mormon, and for the priesthood with its keys and powers will be similar to other anti-Mormon fads which have come and blossomed and faded. Truth will prevail. A knowledge of that truth comes by effort and study, yes. But it comes primarily as a gift from God to those who seek in faith.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Lord, Increase Our Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 52–53.
Readers

Reading anti-Mormon literature could deceive your friend, even if he or she has a strong testimony. The best way to know how to respond to opposing views is to study the Book of Mormon. I know it is the word of God, and after all, it was written for our day! With the Holy Ghost to guide us as we read the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, we can learn to recognize deception and can have the Spirit to guide us when we may need to respond.
Alicia M., 18, Utah

Just tell your friend the truth, that you find that literature disturbing. If he or she is a true friend, he or she will have no problem with it. Stick with your feeling of not wanting to read it. If you do read it, it could open up a window of doubt. There are plenty of books (like True to the Faith) that have been written through inspiration. Pick up one of those so that you may know how to respond to questions.
Brian P., 16, Arizona

On my mission I have come across a lot of anti-Mormon literature. It is disturbing. I have seen honest seekers of truth fall away because of it. If you want to learn how to answer people’s concerns, do two things: gain a strong testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and know the doctrine by studying the scriptures. Then, when others come to you with concerns, you will have the power of the Holy Ghost to testify to you and to them of the truth.
Sister Holly Erikson, 23, Tennessee Nashville Mission

Anti-Mormon literature will be filled with scriptures or quotes that are taken out of context and twisted to serve the author’s purpose of filling people’s minds with doubt about the Church. The fact that you get an uneasy feeling when you read anti-Mormon literature should be proof enough. The best thing you can do to be prepared for questions is to be faithful and read the Book of Mormon daily. Also, most people who will ask you questions that come from the anti-Mormon literature are not interested in finding the gospel. They want you to argue with them so they can twist your words (see Alma 11).
Jenika W., 19, Washington

One day I was talking to a friend, who is not a member of our church, and we almost got to the point where we started putting each other’s churches down, but I didn’t want it to get to that point, so I just bore my testimony and stopped. A few weeks later I got some pamphlets and magazines in the mail from her. I could have kept them so that I would know what some writers think about our church, but I didn’t. This experience made me want to be more prepared when things like this happen.
Alexandria M., 15, Oregon

What you read or watch has an effect on you. Part of the 13th article of faith says that “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” I do not think reading anti-Mormon literature fits in the above statement. Plus you find the literature disturbing. That may be the Spirit sending you a message to stay away from this literature.
Martyn T., 22, Wakiso, Uganda

There is far greater benefit from searching the inspired words of prophets and apostles of the Lord, in the scriptures and Church magazines. That is when we receive the Spirit’s direction, not when we are immersed in the adversary’s filth.
Elder Calvin Oberly Jr., 24, New York New York South Mission


First thing said in the article is

Responses are intended for help and perspective, not as pronouncements of Church doctrine.

I honestly do not see how this is helping anyone, the majority of LDS will simply blindly believe everything the LDS church say and avoid any and all so called Anti-mormon Anything. This means that if the LDS Church is in fact wrong and a person does not search the Scriptures as the Bible tells us two, ACTS 17:11, then the Member dies and finds out Hell is real and the in fact were following a false jesus and false gospel, they have no one to blame but them selves.

Next, we read the question asked by this person,

“One of my friends, who is active in the Church, has some anti-Mormon literature and thinks we should read it so we know how to respond to it. But I find that literature disturbing. What should I tell my friend?”

First off, I agree with the first half, this persons friends reading it to see how they should reply. I am told by LDS that I cannot give a reply if I did not read the BoM for my self, and If I do not look into what the LDS leaders and Prophets said, then I have no ground to stand on for replying to them.

If the LDS feel that about me not reading their stuff, so I then read their stuff, they should be honest enough to read my stuff or the book of other authors. Then this person say about Anti- Mormon literature that they find it disturbing?

Now an honest question would be, Have you read this for your self? If not, then how can you honestly say, I find this stuff disturbing? If you have not read it for your self, how can you take issue with it, you do not even know what it says.

Then the Person ends their question with

What should I tell my friend?”

Let me reply with, PLEASE do not think for your self allow the LDS to think for you by giving you a reply to tell your friend.

Anyway the LDS reply is,

New Era

*

• Say you would rather read something you trust, like the scriptures.
*

• Spending a lot of time and energy reading anti-Mormon literature would be a waste.
*

• If you run across it, discuss it with someone who is knowledgeable about the gospel.
*

• Never take anti-Mormon literature at face value.
*

• Honest inquiry is good, but everything needs a proper perspective and context.

Here the LDS think for this person. The first thing they say is,

• Say you would rather read something you trust, like the scriptures.

I would say this, How can you say you do not trust the Anti Mormon Books, you have not read them for your self, so how can you HONESTLY SAY that. Then, if your not Going to search this stuff out, how can I trust you to have Honestly searched out your LDS scriptures and give my honest feed back to my questions?


Then the Next LDS reply is

Spending a lot of time and energy reading anti-Mormon literature would be a waste.

How is it a waste? If it shows your Church is wrong and Why. Look over my blog, many Topics I did have Scanned LDS Books showing the LDS prophets not agreeing with what each other says or not agreeing with Scripture. Read this LDS prophets do not agree

Or read this if you want more problems in Mormon Scripture, contradictions

If thats not good enough and you want to see actual scanned LDS books for evidence, Click here, adam god

And for even more Scanned copies click here, Evidence

Funny thing about my Evidence Topic, not One LDS has replied yet.

Now back to the LDS answers, They also said

• If you run across it, discuss it with someone who is knowledgeable about the gospel.

Funny thing about this, the LDS feel they are knowledgeable about the gospel, yet us Anti Mormons do not feel they are and we provide evidence as to why we think that. Yet the LDS do not want other LDS to see that, so they claim, do not read it. It is easy to claim you are knowledgeable, but can you back it up?

Then they said

• Never take anti-Mormon literature at face value.

Funny that they should say that, as the Majority of stuff posted on my blog in the way of so called Anti-Mormon stuff is nothing more that Quotes from the LDS church or is leaders/prophets/presidents. So if they do not want you taking THEIR TEACHINGS at face value, then so be it.

Lastly they say,

• Honest inquiry is good, but everything needs a proper perspective and context.

How can they say in one breath that Honest inquiry is good, yet they then tell you not to read the anti-mormon books, that like say, please do not make an Honest inquiry. Then when they say everything needs proper perspective and context, how can you honestly have that if you cannot look at both sides? I have and always will encourage people to look at both sides, that is why I post LDS scripture in the form of scanned copies, so you can clearly see for your self. I will pick up the rest in a part two. Rick b