tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213050472024-03-23T11:07:34.037-07:00mormonism reviewedLOVE THAT TOLERATES DECEPTION IS NOT LOVE AT ALL!
I am Called by Jesus Christ to share the Real Jesus with the Mormon people. And to simply share Jesus with all who will talk.
"If a faith will not bear to be investigated; if its preachers and professors are afraid to have it examined; their foundation must be very weak."
-- (Journal of Discourses 14:216-217)rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-4701788570573566302021-12-02T12:29:00.000-08:002021-12-02T12:29:31.975-08:00
I find rather often LDS members accuse me and others of hating them simply because we disagree with them. I want to ask LDS if you really think we hate you, why is it then you avoid 99 percent of topics posted? Why is it that when you do engage the topic, you simply say it's wrong, you leave an angry face emoji, or do not provide evidence as to what is wrong?
Remember, Paul spoke the truth to people. When he spoke truth to people, they accused him of hating them. How did Paul reply to this? He said this in Galatians 4:16, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"
I want to point out two things that people do not know. I cannot and will not list every single book I own, but here is a small list of LDS books I own.
I own the entire "Journal of Discourses," the entire soft cover set of "History of the Church," and most of the hard cover set, the 1958, 1st printing, 2nd edition of "Mormon Doctrine" and the 19th printing of the 1966 "Mormon Doctrine," the 4-volume set of the "Mormon Encyclopedia," and the 3-volume set of both soft cover and hard cover of "Doctrines of Salvation." I have many other rare old and newer books.
I want to let LDS know that I and others have spent 1000's of dollars on these books. We have not spent years and years (for me it's going on 25 years), done all this research and study, and spent all this money, simply so we can try and talk you out of your faith. Just exactly what would we gain from getting you to walk away? If you think my pastor, or any pastor, is teaching that if we can get an LDS member to walk away, we will earn 100 bucks, you are crazy. We share the truth because we do love you and want to see you spend eternity in heaven, not the lake of fire.
Here are a lot of pictures with me and LDS members. Some of these pictures are me feeding LDS members or taking them out to eat and paying for them. I will share some info or stories about some of these pictures.
This first set of pictures comes with a bit of a long story; I will shorten it to some degree. This missionary's name was Garret, and we met through a friend of mine. My friend and I sat down at his place with Garret and his friend. We spoke for 2 hours. Garret wanted to meet up the following week at the same place. So, we met up and spoke for 2 more hours. On the 3rd meeting, shortly before we met, Garret called me and told me he had the flu. He asked me if I still wanted to meet up. This was back in 2005, and I said yes. He asked me to pick him up at the LDS meeting house. After talking for 1 hour, Garret said to me, "We have spoken for a total of 5 hours, and this will be the last time we can meet. So, can we spend the last hour talking about ourselves and getting to know each other better?"
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ee8XPqLZVuy_jJou2oBau-wQk9RQVRrJoYivfYocWHR4wPthubOo0ILRqoiCcp94kg0ckZ2F7yXt58Xn0dcTIjDQsMcIWfJ4DMXy0YstYScwMOFPAn6JrW3waCJUuswb94VB/s1280/lds+3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ee8XPqLZVuy_jJou2oBau-wQk9RQVRrJoYivfYocWHR4wPthubOo0ILRqoiCcp94kg0ckZ2F7yXt58Xn0dcTIjDQsMcIWfJ4DMXy0YstYScwMOFPAn6JrW3waCJUuswb94VB/s200/lds+3.jpg"/></a></div>
In that 1 hour we talked, I let him know I was a professional chef. I no longer cook in the industry for the record. But, I was telling him I was/am a chili head. I love hot sauce and hot foods, and at the time I made my own hot sauce. He told me he loved hot and spicy foods and chili peppers also. So, I asked him if he had ever gone to Buffalo Wild Wings and taken the wing challenge? He said he had never heard of it. I told him, you order 12 wings and they are called blazin' wings. You must eat all 12 wings in 10 minutes or less, and if you do, you get your picture taken and win a free t-shirt.
So, we made plans to quickly meet up later, and I gave him a jar of my hot sauce and a bag of chips to try the sauce. Then, I gave him a 25-dollar gift card for Buffalo Wild Wings, so he could do the challenge. We exchanged addresses so we could keep in touch via written letters. Over the next few months, he sent me letters and 3 pictures. The first picture he sent was him standing by this sign, and I had it laminated. I feel the same way he did; LDS are my mission field. The next two pictures he sent me were pictures of him and his two companions taking the hot wing challenge. Written on the back of the pictures is him stating his time and how fast he did the challenge.
The first picture states he did the Challange in 1 minute 31 seconds. In the second picture, he said his one partner was crying and the other was sweating. Sadly, we ended up losing touch. I sent him one final letter and never heard back from him again. I cannot prove this, but I suspect his letters were being read, and someone did not like me trying to share the truth with him. So, either my letter was never passed on to him, or his was never put in the mail for me. But to this day, 16 years later, I still have all 3 photos and all his letters in my Bible.
Now, this is funny. One day, two Mormon Missionaries came knocking on my door, and I know that I can come across as intimidating. So, I showed the pictures to the LDS to whom I was speaking. I kid you not; they looked down at the pictures, then looked up at me, then looked down at the pictures and looked back up at me. Then, they said to me, "You know this guy?" I said, "Yes, why do you ask?" They said that Elder Garret is a legend among the missionaries. I asked why. They said it is because of him all Missionaries must go to Buffalo wild wings and take the blazin' wing challenge. I found that very funny; I explained the story behind it to them and showed them all the letters from him to me.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaI1PsUqA0LRE0ERoUGoG2pw3hRWtMesU9E3In6mL4E0Z1IV29QNAbLpPZhjxwypTiThd0FXMklZsRlSMsUamxRyL_uLf4EMSSEIMr9LiVW_EQ15weZXQG9kM-WBLYgPTaok2B/s1269/lds+2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaI1PsUqA0LRE0ERoUGoG2pw3hRWtMesU9E3In6mL4E0Z1IV29QNAbLpPZhjxwypTiThd0FXMklZsRlSMsUamxRyL_uLf4EMSSEIMr9LiVW_EQ15weZXQG9kM-WBLYgPTaok2B/s200/lds+2.jpg"/></a></div>
This next picture is an LDS member named Austin. One day, Austin came with his companion and knocked on my door. We talked for about 2 hours, and while we did not agree, Austin took my phone number. Over the course of a year or so, Austin stopped at my house with various LDS members to visit and talk. Austin and I have been friends for years, and to this day are still friends. In this picture, my wife and I invited Austin and his companion to come over for dinner; I grilled a rack of pork ribs, and my wife made homemade mac and cheese. Until Austin was transferred, he sent LDS members or brought LDS over himself to meet me. When I first met Austin, I told him that I once met an LDS member who told me they talk about people like me. The LDS member told me they have monthly meetings, and they blacklist people like me and "warn" other members to avoid people like me. Austin, at the time I told him, claimed that is not true. I told Austin that one day he would be taught this, and then he would know I was correct. Well, the first time Austin came over for dinner, I was telling his friend the same exact story and his friend said that it was not true. Austin started smiling and nodded his head yes.
I did not embarrass Austin and call him out, but he knew I was correct. Well, we invited Austin over again for diner a 2nd time. He brought a different LDS elder a few months later. Austin requested my wife's mac and cheese, so she made that for him. Any time Austin came over and brought an LDS member with him, I would ask Austin, "What's up, today?" He would tell me, I brought Elder so and so over to talk with you. I would ask any member who came with Austin if Austin told them in advance about me? They would say yes, and the local church knows who you are; they said they were there because they viewed me as a bit of a challenge.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsdkREsRvUXe02hTyhotaUSPyhm7ChiofQwbuLFuNHY96L7LUnpTw-WDFYqGwofS1Cd2t0mmLHM6r2hXRuxkM1f77fgzUcx4NeLehLqdBi-tut-4jcr21LHQhNznLPnl79UCj/s1280/lds+6.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsdkREsRvUXe02hTyhotaUSPyhm7ChiofQwbuLFuNHY96L7LUnpTw-WDFYqGwofS1Cd2t0mmLHM6r2hXRuxkM1f77fgzUcx4NeLehLqdBi-tut-4jcr21LHQhNznLPnl79UCj/s200/lds+6.jpg"/></a></div>
I would talk with the elder, and Austin would just sit there and smile and listen. Over all, Austin came over to my house about 7 times, and he knew my house was a safe space for any LDS member. I always told every LDS member, rain or snow, hot weather or cold weather, they are welcome over. If they need food, water, need to use the bathroom or whatever, they can stop in my place if I am home. I also told every member who ever came over for any reason, if you do not want to talk about our beliefs, we do not have to. The LDS members all knew where I stood on my views on what they believe; I am trying to show the love of Jesus, and I do it both in word and deed.
In this next picture, these two young ladies knocked on my door. At first, I thought maybe they were friends of my daughter, since I saw them at the door, but did not see the elder badges. After I answered the door, I asked them how it was going? They told me they were looking for Rick Beaudin; I told them that I was Rick. I asked them, how did you hear about me? They said an elder at the mission mentioned me. I asked them, "Was it Austin who told you about me?" They said yes. It did not matter who sent them or why. It was just interesting. I invited them in, and we got to talk.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeTXanSnAe_rmTJGNxDnk1wRSjefUq7DQ9DxbU-Imv-x3i0oIM3wMk_j91kt6sRCkCDm-ksbagaTnhUS5wVVwR8X9H8m0NSfGjBa36L3ln0m9efqTI4DcOcLfE0O5ukx-jzD4/s1280/lds+5.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeTXanSnAe_rmTJGNxDnk1wRSjefUq7DQ9DxbU-Imv-x3i0oIM3wMk_j91kt6sRCkCDm-ksbagaTnhUS5wVVwR8X9H8m0NSfGjBa36L3ln0m9efqTI4DcOcLfE0O5ukx-jzD4/s200/lds+5.jpg"/></a></div>
This next set of LDS Mormon missionaries I invited out to lunch and paid for whatever they wanted to eat. We went to a pretty nice sit-down restaurant. While eating lunch, we discussed our various beliefs.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXIw2UenWjw9OEpQ1A3JC4nTuFdPEVJDRpg8Z-NIGeV7XNWsLkXXUpEqtWSegfc7JbV4Sm3V0MjosTi9NfV2s7zNfMu6JrZlXmhwSMYt9ehwviKQHFU78QN5NNDNJjihcC4f0/s1080/lds+7.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXIw2UenWjw9OEpQ1A3JC4nTuFdPEVJDRpg8Z-NIGeV7XNWsLkXXUpEqtWSegfc7JbV4Sm3V0MjosTi9NfV2s7zNfMu6JrZlXmhwSMYt9ehwviKQHFU78QN5NNDNJjihcC4f0/s200/lds+7.jpg"/></a></div>
This next picture was me and two missionaries who stopped by to talk.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QfQMCWDD5ezBM6Bp5hjI583jvE3TeQaSDXRZimvov658ky02FeYvu1L4iIeaZobVv5udHg_SFr8_K_HVtLezQB9C4GsB79bjQUyGsAKXpCI1UwpVLG2TaRehT9PSKHMErp6D/s1080/lds+1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QfQMCWDD5ezBM6Bp5hjI583jvE3TeQaSDXRZimvov658ky02FeYvu1L4iIeaZobVv5udHg_SFr8_K_HVtLezQB9C4GsB79bjQUyGsAKXpCI1UwpVLG2TaRehT9PSKHMErp6D/s200/lds+1.jpg"/></a></div>
This last picture was taken when I went back to Saint Paul, MN for my daughter's wedding. The church I attended for 19 years in Saint Paul would have Thursday night church services in a local park. The church has done this every year from June till August. In this park are 3 fire pits that are open to the public for have bonfires. I have been gone for just a little over 2 years. This service just happened to be my last Thursday before going back home to Texas. In the last 21 years, we have never had LDS members show up to the park while we had a church service. That is not to say that LDS never went to the park, but LDS have just never been at the park during a church service. One thing our church would do is start a public BBQ at 4 pm. Everyone is welcome to walk over and eat. The church does not ask for money or require they stay and listen to the church service. They cook and feed people free of charge from 4-7 pm, then have church service from 7pm to 8:30 pm.
These 6 LDS missionaries stopped over at one of the other fire pits; they were all just hanging out playing football and talking. So, I walked over and started talking with them. I talked with them for about 30 minutes, but then told them I will let them get back to what they were doing. I got to share with them the Jesus I believe in and some of the differences in our doctrine. But, at the same time, I told them I walked over uninvited and did not want to take away from their down time. So, I did not stay and force myself upon them.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6V5WMZ7OofnSzrQ7WAmOwCB7Afz61-wwKTuZ-D2GojjS-VKL_4a0n4h8kmOb7dqOJ6ZgrUnTtZoAB68Ctlcpin-oWNQSBrHTCcZKYxdCWa7Bv4RRyGRPFx7Ad9P4ustueAuZf/s1280/lds+4.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6V5WMZ7OofnSzrQ7WAmOwCB7Afz61-wwKTuZ-D2GojjS-VKL_4a0n4h8kmOb7dqOJ6ZgrUnTtZoAB68Ctlcpin-oWNQSBrHTCcZKYxdCWa7Bv4RRyGRPFx7Ad9P4ustueAuZf/s200/lds+4.jpg"/></a></div>
Over the years I have spoken with hundreds of LDS. I do not have pictures of everyone I have spoken with in person. I have been to SLC 3 times and toured temple square. I've also been to many LDS services. So, if any LDS believe your leaders when they claim that any person like me, who disagrees with you, hates you, you need to show them this post. Please tell me, why is it that I spend money buying LDS books and studying them, asking questions, going to SLC, and church services? It is because the love of Christ constrains me.
Tell me how I hate LDS, when I invite members into my house and provide food and water, or take them out to eat? LDS members are told doing this type of stuff is loving thy neighbor. But, if Christians do this with, and for, LDS members, it goes ignored since it does not fit the narrative. If you are taught that we hate you or we are your enemies, you are being lied to. <div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-46930999370074404222013-02-28T14:45:00.000-08:002013-02-28T14:45:13.698-08:00Mormonism teaches Grace PLUS WORKS, Notice The works part that you did not touch. Sadly Many LDS avoid mentiong the works part.
<br />
<br />Read what after all we can do means.:
<br />
<br />'After all we can do' includes extending our best effort. 'After all we can do' includes living His commandments. 'After all we can do' includes loving our fellowmen and praying for those who regard us as their adversary. 'After all we can do' means clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and giving 'succor [to] those who stand in need of [our] succor' (Mosiah 4:15)—remembering that what we do unto one of the least of God's children, we do unto Him. (See Matt. 25:34-40; D&C 42:38.) 'After all we can do' means leading chaste, clean, pure lives, being scrupulously honest in all our dealings and treating others the way we would want to be treated. ("After All We Can Do," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 9, 1982; quoted in Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson.)" ("Savior accomplished atoning sacrifice through His grace," LDS Church News, 02/03/96, page 14.)
<br />
<br />“President Harold B. Lee treated the topic of working out one's salvation in one of his books, Stand Ye in Holy Places: 'We hear much from some persons of limited understanding about the possibility of one's being saved by grace alone. But it requires the explanation of another prophet to understand the true doctrine of grace as he explained in these meaningful words: "For," said this prophet, "we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Ne. 25:23.) Truly we are redeemed by the atoning blood of the Savior of the world, but only after each has done all he can to work out his own salvation.'"("Work out salvation with fear and trembling," LDS Church News, 09/14/91, page 14.)
<br />
<br />“As is the case with all gospel principles, the doctrine of individual accountability grows out of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Teaching these principles, Nephi testified that we are saved by grace, but only "after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23.) It is by the grace of Christ that we have granted to us the materials of life with which we can build, but God does not do the building for us. The responsibility of building with those materials is ours. The plan of salvation is in a large measure a do-it-yourself project” (Joseph Fielding McConkie, Seeking the Spirit, page 99.)
<br />
<br />“In the plan of salvation God does for human beings only what they cannot do for themselves. Man must do all he can for himself. The doctrine is that we are saved by grace, 'after all we can do' (2 Ne. 25:23)” (Robert J. Matthews, A Bible! A Bible!, page 186.)
<br />
<br />“To explain how much confidence we should have in God, were I using a term to suit myself, I should say implicit confidence. I have faith in my God, and that faith corresponds with the works I produce. I have no confidence in faith without works. My faith is, when we have done all we can, then the Lord is under obligation, and will not disappoint the faithful; he will perform the rest” (President Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, page 155.)
<br />
<br />
<br />Now another reason I ask about Grace is this, Mormonism teaches that their is no forgiveness for those who commit murder.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Doctrine and Covenants 42:18 says, "…he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come."
<br />
<br />In that vein, Joseph Fielding Smith taught, "Murderers Denied Vicarious Ordinances…we do not have the privilege of performing the ordinances for murderers who shed innocent blood, nor for those who take their own lives…If we find in our record one of this kind, we should pass him by and not attempt to do the work for him…" (Doctrines of Salvation 2:192)
<br />
<br />
<br />I feel sorry for the Mormons and the bondage they are under. there is really no hopeful outcome for latter-day saints through vicarious temple ordinances.
<br />
<br />according to what they teach, there is no hope for the person who commits murder (according to Mormon doctrine, doctrines of salvation, miracle of forgiveness and teachings of the prophet). Yet I wonder--have the Mormons ever given any thought to what happened to J Smith? In D and C 135:4 he says his conscience is void of offence towards God and all men, and he says "I shall die innocent." Yet in history of the church 7:102-103 it says J Smith killed 2 people. Please explain how that is dying innocent and with out offence to God or man.
<br />
<br />Please also explain where Joseph went if a murderer cannot be forgiven? The Bible teaches us God took Moses home, yet he killed a man in cold blood in exodus. king David had Bathsheba's husband murdered so he could have her, yet God said in acts 13:22 "David is a man after my own heart." 1st John 1:9 says "if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." the "He" is God. Murder falls under both sin and unrighteousness. Titus 1:2 says God cannot lie; therefore there is only bondage according to Mormonism.
<br />
<br />1st peter 3:15 tells us to give every man an answer for the hope that lies within us. I ask where or what is that hope within Mormonism if there is no salvation for certain people, no forgiveness for certain sins?
<br />
<br />I also see no grace in Mormonism because here is a list of works we must do, If we dont do these we wont attain the highest heaven, so how is that grace?
<br />
<br />The 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,
<br />
<br />
<br />1. Church attendance
<br />2. Payment of tithes and offerings
<br />3. Loyalty to Church leaders.
<br />4. Moral cleanliness.
<br />5. overall faithfulness and worthiness.
<br />6. Obedience to the Word of Wisdom.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Notice it says "Obedience to the Word of Wisdom." Yet Many LDS members do not follow this. Also we read 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. Yet again many LDS do not meet this requirement.
<br />
<br />If we do not do these things, we cannot be saved, Grace is free and comes as a result of God loving us, Not because of the works we do. Rick b <div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-20380014381263603772010-04-27T08:40:00.000-07:002010-04-27T08:41:02.792-07:00BoM verses the Bible Part 1Jim Olson said to Messianic<br /><br /> Messianic,<br /><br /> Have you read the BOM? In what ways does it “contradict” the Bible? You realize that what you related is an opinion, and there are millions of people who have studied the BOM and are of the opinion that it does not contradict the Bible. Have you made a serious study of the BOM, or just relied upon the opinions of others?<br /><br /><br /><br />Jim, I have read the BoM and all the standard works and here is a partial list of contradictions, their are so many I will need to do two or three parts.<br />I wanted to reply to you about all the contradictions I see in the BoM that do not line up with the Bible. I needed to write this up as a post and not a reply under a topic because there are way to many problems and I was so busy that by the time I was able to reply, the topic was so far down that you would not give a good reply if one at all. So, here we go.<br /><br />I'm doing my own reading of the BoM too find these problems, not simply scouring the internet looking for them. The list is very long. lets start with this.<br /><br />1 Nephi 1:2<br /><br /> 2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.<br /> and<br /> Mosiah 1:4 For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time.<br /><br /><br /><br />According to the Bible, God told the Jews to not go back to the Egyptians and you cannot show me from the Bible or history where the Jews are to use the language of the Egyptians.<br /><br />Egypt is the house of bondage<br /><br /><br /> Exd 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What [is] this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:<br /><br /> Exd 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this [place]: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.<br /><br /><br /><br />Another one.<br /><br /><br /> 19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.<br /><br /> 20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.<br /><br /> 21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.<br /><br /><br /><br />I put this down because according to the Bible, there is only one promised land and the Jews are in it. There is never any mention of any other people group, including Jews having a second promised land.<br /><br />Deu 6:3<br /><br /> Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.<br /><br /><br /><br />This is not a huge deal in the sense of a salvation issue, but it is a problem just the same.<br /><br /> 1 Nephi 5:19 19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.<br /><br /> 1 Nephi 6:1<br /> 1 And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in athis part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after upon these bplates which I am cwriting; for it is given in the record which has been kept by my dfather; wherefore, I do not write it in this work. <br /><br /><br /><br />I only bring these up because you never see any accounts in the Bible being kept on metal plates, plus we have the dead sea scrolls but we do not have any of these plates as evidence.<br /><br />Deuteronomy 31:24-26<br /><br /> And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.<br /><br /><br /><br />Nehemiah 8:8<br /><br /> So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused [them] to understand the reading.<br /><br /><br /><br />Here is a problem.<br />1 Nephi 6:4<br /><br /> 4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.<br /><br /><br /><br />The reason this is a major problem and contradiction is because God created the nation of Israel to bring people to Him. If you were not a Jew then you were a Gentile, and the best you could do was convert, then enter the court of the Gentiles. So, unless you can prove from the Bible that Nephi is/was a true Jew, what he said cannot be true. God would not tell him this. In the Bible, God did use Gentiles, but not for that purpose.<br /><br />Isa 49:6<br /><br /> And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.<br /><br /><br /><br />Here is a contradiction.<br /><br /> 10 And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.<br /><br /><br /><br />Show me from the Bible about 3 days of darkness being a sign.<br /><br />To this one I say, "Really?"<br /><br /> 7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.<br /><br /><br /><br />The Bible does not teach this, Read 1st John 1:8-9<br /><br />Here are a bunch of verses that contradict the Bible because they mention the "Church" And according to the Bible the Church did not appear until Jesus created it when he walked among us, yet the BoM mentions the Church and all these mentions are hundreds of years before Jesus was even born.<br /><br /> Mosiah 25:22 And thus, not with standing there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God.<br /><br /> Mosiah 26:22 22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance<br /><br /> Alma 1:7 And it came to pass as he was going, to preach to those who believed on his word, he met a man who belonged to the church of God, yea, even one of their teachers; and he began to contend with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the church; but the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words of God.<br /><br /> Alma 4:4-5,9<br /> 4 And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma.<br /><br /> 5 And it came to pass in the *seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And thus ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time.<br /><br /> 9 And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. <br /><br /><br /><br />There are more verses about the Church, but this gets the point across.<br /><br />Mat 16:18<br /><br /> And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.<br /><br /><br /><br />How about this? Alma 7:14<br /><br /> 14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again<br /><br /><br /><br />Jesus spoke about being born again, prior to that it was never mention in the Bible, I suspect LDS will blow this off, but its funny how things Jesus said are being said by people that lived before He did, and were never mentioned by the Prophets in the OT.<br /><br />Here is a big problem. Alma 13:18-19<br /><br /><br /> 18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.<br /><br /> 19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were many after wards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention.<br /><br /><br /><br />According to the Bible, Melchizedek had no mother or father.<br /><br />Hebrews 7:1-3<br /><br /> For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.<br /><br /><br /><br />The problem with this verse is, the scriptures were not open to everyone and anyone. They were only for the Jews, and the Gentiles did not have the word of God. Plus unlike when this was stated in the book of Acts, in Acts 17:11. At that time, they had the entire OT to go back and search. At this time, they had even less time to look back over.<br /><br /> Alma 17:2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.<br /><br /><br /><br />Act 17:11<br /><br /> 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.<br /><br /><br /><br />Jesus was not around until the NT, so that's a problem.<br /><br /> Alma 19:29 And it came to pass that she went and took the queen by the hand, that perhaps she might raise her from the ground; and as soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet, and cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!<br /><br /><br /><br />Is this Aaron the Brother of Moses?<br />Alma 21:9<br /><br /> 9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.<br /><br /><br /><br />Either way, it does not really matter because before Jesus came, His coming was a mystery and the prophets did not understand what was going on.<br /><br />1Peter 1:10-12 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.<br /><br />Part 2 coming later, Rick B<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-38756822574440021232009-03-05T13:07:00.000-08:002009-03-05T13:09:45.753-08:00Bruce R. McConkie's "ChallengeI posted this back in Jan of (06) And no one has been able to take it up and give an honest answer. I even posted it on another Blog and the only reply from an LDS person was, I could reply I just do not want to. I told her she was a liar and could not that was why she did not. I showed it to a Mormon Missionary I was sharing with, him and his partner could not answer it, so here it is again for any one who has not seen it. I am posting it again because I was told I would get the answers I am looking for. Rick b<br /><font color=black><br />In the Original 1958 Edition to the Book Mormon Doctrine By Bruce R.McConkie He states In the Preface:<br /><br />This Work on Mormon Doctrine Is unique--the first book of it's kind ever published.<br />It is the first major attempt to digest, explain, and analyze all of the important doctrines of the kingdom.<br />It is the first extensive compendium of the whole gospel--the first attempt to publish an encyclopedic commentary covering the whole field of revealed religion.<br /><br />True, there are many Bible commentaries, dictionaries, and encyclopedias; but they all abound in apostate, sectarian notions. Also, there are many sound gospel texts on special subjects.<br /><br />But never before has a comprehensive attempt been made to define and outline, in a brief manner, all of the basic principles of salvation--and to do it from the perspective of all revelation, both ancient and modern.<br /><br />This work on Mormon Doctrine is designed to help persons seeking salvation to gain that knowledge of God and his laws without which they cannot hope for an inheritance in the celestial city.<br /><br />Since it is impossible foe a man to be saved in ignorance of God and his laws and since a man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation, it follows that men are obligated at their peril to learn and apply the true doctrines of the gospel.<br /><br />this gospel compendium will enable men, more effectively, to "teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom"; to "be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel,in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient" for them "to understand." (D and C 88:77-7<br /><br />For the work itself, I assume sole and full responsibility. Observant students, however, will note that the four standard works of the Church are the chief sources of authority quoted and that literally tens of thousands of scriptural quotations and citations are woven into the text material.<br />Where added explanations and interpretations were deemed essential, they have been taken from such recognized doctrinal authorities as Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Joseph F. Smith, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, and Joseph Fielding Smith.<br /><br />Two persons have been particularly helpful in the actual preparation of the work: 1. Velma Harvey, my very able and competent secretary, who with unbounded devotion and insight has typed manuscripts, checked references, proofread, and worked out many technical details; and 2. Joseph Fielding Smith , Jr., my brother in law, who both set the type and made many valuable suggestions as to content and construction.<br /><br />Abundant needed and important counsel has also come from Milton R. Hunter, my colleague on the First Council of the Seventy; Marvin Wallin, of Bookcraft; and Thomas S. Moson, of the deseret News Press. Salt Lake City, Utah June 1, 1958 --Bruce R. McConkie.<br /><br />Keep in mind Bruce stated He looks to people Like Joseph Smith and Bringham Young as recognized doctrinal authorities. So with that in mind, Is a Challenge as it were, Issued By Bruce R.McConkie.<br /><br />I have read all 4 standard works. I find nothing at all in the Book of Mormon to prove it is inspired by God as LDS claim. Bruce states we can find hundreds of topics, I would like to issue a Challenge to all my Latter-day saint friends to bring forth just 10 topics of your choice, compare them to the Bible and show me how they are a more accurate display of the Gospel. Please keep in mind, I am following Acts 17:11 and 1st peter 3:15. Then after you read Bruce's Challenge, I lovingly added a list of things That LDS feel are core doctrine yet cannot be found in the BoM. This matter has everlasting eternal consequences. sincerely Rick b.<br /><br />In the Book Mormon Doctrine By Bruce R. McConkie, under the title Book of Mormon.<br />bruce says the Purpose of the book of mormon is this.<br /><br />1. To bear record of Christ, certifying in plainness and with clarity of his divine sonship and mission, proving irrefutably that he is the Redeemer and Saviour.<br /><br />2. To teach the doctrines of the gospel in such a pure and perfect way that the plan of salvation will be clearly revealed; and<br /><br />3. To stand as a witness to all the world that Joseph Smith was the Lord's anointed through whom the foundation was laid for the great latter-day work of restoration. Almost all of the doctrines of the gospel are taught in the Book of Mormon with much greater clarity and perfection than those same doctrines are revealed in the Bible. Anyone who will place in parallel columns the teachings of these two great books on such subjects as the atonement, plan of salvation, gathering of Israel, baptism, gifts of the spirit, miracles, revelation, faith, Charity, ( or ANY of a HUNDRED OTHER SUBJECTS), will find conclusive proof of the superiority of the Book of Mormon teachings.<br /><br /><br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach that Elohim (God the Father in Mormonism) was once a mortal man and that he was not always God?<br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach that God has a body of flesh and bones?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach that God is married in heaven?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach that men can become Gods?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach that temple participation is necessary to become exalted?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach Jesus and Lucifer are brothers?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach the blood of Christ does not cleanse certain sins?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it say there is more than one God?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it say males must hold either the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood?<br /><br />Where in the Book of Mormon does it teach that there are "three degrees of glory"?</font><div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-89984842303460978492009-02-04T08:21:00.000-08:002009-02-04T08:32:10.707-08:00LDS using Deception?GB, I posted this topic back in April of 2006, It is still on my blog and no one ever replied to it, Since I feel this fits you and you feel it fits me, lets talk about it. Now Bill let me add this, I believe you are like this and I stated why, I asked a question about a false prophecy by JS, You refused to give an honest answer and say, Yes it never came to pass but here is why, or you never said, Rick your wrong it did come to pass and here is why.<br /><br />Instead you said, Jesus said this will come to pass and it never did, so either Jesus and Joseph are both Frauds, or it did come to pass and they are both Truthful. Bill, that is not answering my question. Then I even told you, I will answer your question on how it did come to pass, you will not agree with my answer, then after that you will still not answer my question, and guess what, you proved to be a wolf in sheeps clothing. <br /><br />So Bill I will state up front, You need to give spefic answers with the reason why I am supposedly lying and being dishonest or I will simply remove you from the blog, I am not going to get into this, you refuse to answer question and simply come on and say, Rick your wrong because I said so, that is not an honest answer and I refuse you keep playing games with you. Below is the topic.<br /><br /><font color=red>Topic from 2006 to discuss</font><br />I have noticed over the Years, What I feel may be the use of Deception. The Dictionary definfes Deception as,<br /><br /><b><br /> De·cep·tion<br /> Pronunciation: di-'sep-sh&n<br /> Function: noun<br /> 1 : an act of deceiving<br /> 2 : something that deceives : DECEIT<br /><br /> Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.<br /><br /><br /> deception<br /> 1: a misleading falsehood [syn: misrepresentation, deceit] 2: the act of deceiving [syn: deceit, dissembling, dissimulation] 3: an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers [syn: magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic, legerdemain, conjuration, illusion]</b><br /><br />.<br /><br />Now the Main part of the issue of Deception I want to focus on is this:<br /><b><br /> 1: a misleading falsehood [syn: misrepresentation, deceit]<br /></b><br />.<br /><br />In my years of sharing the Gospel with Mormons, I have noticed way to often, this Use of misleading falsehood. What I mean by, I notice this, Is this. I will talk with Mormon Missionary's for example, And I will ask them, What do you think or believe about the Bible. They will say, We(I) believe the Bible to be the word of God.<br /><br />They simply stop short, But I know the Articles of faith, I point out that According to Articles of faith number 8.<br /><b><br /><br /> 8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.<br /></b><br /><br /><br />Notice, that when I ask the Mormons what they think/believe about the Bible, they seem to forget the words, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.<br /><br />So simply by saying, We Believe the Bible to be the Word of God, and leaving off the rest is a form of Deception. This is allowing the LDS member to lead people to believe something that even the LDS do not believe. I notice the LDS also do this when I ask, who do you believe Jesus is, Or what do you believe About Jesus.<br /><br />The Mormons will tell me they believe Jesus is the son of God. The Problem I have with this is, First off those of us who are Bible believing Christians, Believe in the Trinity and One God only. But when Mormons say they believe Jesus is the Son of God, many Christians would think the LDS are saying they believe in the Trinity and one God only. But I know as well as the LDS members that they believe that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers who were either Created or were once men first, This depends on which view you hold.<br /><br />Either way, this again is a form of deception. I am sure some LDS members will say that Christians will or due use Deception, This may be true? But if it is I honestly am not aware of it, and I don't use deception. I feel if the LDS really do have the true Gospel, then they should have no use for lying and deception. But if they need to do that, then they really should question if they are following a true beliefs or a lie.<br /><br />If LDS have examples of Christians Doing this, please post them, I am very opposed to anyone having to lie or deceive to spread the gospel. I also am posting this topic, because I want Christians to be aware of this LDS tactic and point it out when it happens. And I want the LDS to be aware of this, just in case they do this and in all honesty they never realized they were doing it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-37643980329523412372008-12-17T10:18:00.000-08:002008-12-17T10:19:27.253-08:00Joseph Smith's Vision.I want to discuss a topic found in both the 1920 edition of the triple combination found in the very end of the book, and in the book, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.</span></span> on pages 106-107.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font color=red>Vision of the Celestial Kingdom</font></span>.<blockquote><font color=black>On the twenty-first day of January, 1836, the First Presidency, and a number of presiding brethren in the Church, assembled in the Kirtland Temple where they engaged in the ordinances of the endowment, as far as it had at the time been revealed. After this was done the Prophet states that "All of the Presidency laid their hands upon me, and pronounced upon my head many prophecies and blessings, many of which I shall not notice at this time." "All of the Presidency" included Oliver Cowdery and Father Joseph Smith as well as the two counselors, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams. Following this ordinance the following vision and revelation were givin to the Prophet, making known to him and through him to the Church one of the most important principles pertaining to the salvation of men</font></blockquote>.<br /><br /><blockquote><font color=red>The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire; also the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw Father Adam and Abraham, and my father and my mother, my brother, Alvin, that has long since slept, and maravelled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.<br />Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying-</font><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br /> REVELATION</span></blockquote>.<br /><blockquote><font color= blue>All who have died without a knowledge of this Gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts. And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven. D.H.C. 2:380-381.</blockquote></font><br /><br />Here are a few problems I find with this vision Joseph Smith had. Read over the requirements for salvation given by Bruce R. McConkie found in the book "Mormon Doctrine," under "Salvation." This is also posted on my blog, under <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/05/will-all-be-saved-part-2.html"> Will all be saved,Part 2</a><br /><br />The requirements given do not line up with this vision. According to this vision, God states through the Prophet Joseph Smith, <B>Anyone</b> who died without hearing the gospel, if they would have heard the gospel and believed it, would be allowed to enter the Celestial heaven. If this is in fact true, then why even bother doing <b>Baptism</b> for the dead? I figure, if they would have believed, then they will be saved. Also, if this is true, why bother sending out Mormon Missionaries?<br /><br />We also see Mormon Prophets both contradicting the Lord and confusing the people. If this vision is true, then we read about Prophets leading the LDS people astray. Here are a few examples. In the book, <b><font color=blue> Achieving a Celestial Marriage, Student Manual</b></font>, we read on page 131, under the title, <b><font color=red> (1-13) Exaltation Is Based on Celestial Marriage.</b></font><br /><br /><blockquote><font color=blue>If you want salvation in the fullest, that is exaltation in the kingdom of God, so that you may become his sons and 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. No man shall receive the fullness of eternity, of exaltation, alone; no woman shall receive that blessing alone; but man and wife, when they receive the sealing power in the temple of the Lord, if they thereafter keep all the commandments, shall pass on to exaltation, and shall continue and become like the Lord. And that is the destiny of men; that is what the Lord desires for his children. (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:43-44.)</blockquote></font><br />These things are not only taught by Bruce McConkie and the Student Manuel, but also by the Prophet Joseph F. Smith. We also read in <b><font color=red> Achieving a Celestial Marriage, Student Manual,</b></font> pp 30-31, a modern day parable given by the <b>LDS PROPHET,</B> <b>Spencer Kimball</b>. In short it states that if we are not married in the temple, we could be shut out of the 3rd heaven.<br /><br />The Prophet Spencer Kimball in "Achieving a Celestial Marriage Student Manual, pg. 30, makes it very clear that we must do certain things to enter the temple to be saved. He gives a list of 6 things called, <b>(TEMPLE RECOMMEND INTERVIEW)</b>. It says that when you are interviewed for a temple recommend you will be asked about: <blockquote><font color=orange><br />1. Church attendance <br />2. Payment of tithes and offerings <br />3. Loyalty to Church leaders.<br />4. Moral cleanliness. <br />5. Overall faithfulness and worthiness. <br />6. Obedience to the Word of Wisdom.</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br />Then we read 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 do not sustain the authorities of the church nor love the Lord and our fellow man. <br /><br />Add to that pg. 241 of "Gospel Principles," eternal marriage is ESSENTIAL FOR EXALTATION (emphasis mine). 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)<br /><br />Now with all that said, how is it that Joseph Smith's brother does none of this, yet is saved in the <b>Celestial Kingdom?</b> Notice, Joseph Smith even states he <b>marvelled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom</b>.<br /><br />We read in the Dictionary at Dictionary.com, the meaning of the word <b>marvel</b> is: <blockquote><font color=black><br /><br />1. One that evokes surprise, admiration, or wonder. See Synonyms at wonder.<br />2. Strong surprise; astonishment.<br /><br />v. mar·veled, also mar·velled mar·vel·ing, mar·vel·ling mar·vels, mar·vels <br />v. intr.<br />To become filled with wonder or astonishment.</blockquote></font><br /><br />If Joseph was surprised, it tells me that he did not expect to see his brother there. But why does his brother get special treatment? Please explain to me, why would I want to be an LDS member and do all the work required to enter the temple, and be taught the idea that I might not get into the highest heaven? If I read only the book, <b>Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,</b> believe his vision to be true, and die, I believe I could enter the celestial heaven by default, without any works. <br /><br />Does anyone care to explain why the LDS church is built on a foundation of sand and confusion? Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-84103288446832407852008-10-02T12:56:00.000-07:002008-10-02T13:21:30.273-07:00D and C 129Read D and C 129 below, I will explain at the bottom what my point is.<br /><br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />Instructions given by Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, February 9, 1843, making known three grand keys by which the correct nature of ministering angels and spirits may be distinguished. HC 5: 267.<br />1–3, There are both resurrected and spirit bodies in heaven; 4–9, Keys are given whereby messengers from beyond the veil may be identified.<br /> <br /><br /><br />1 There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones—<br /> <br /><br />2 For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.<br /> <br /><br />3 Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory.<br /> <br /><br />4 When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.<br /> <br /><br />5 If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.<br /> <br /><br />6 If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear—<br /> <br />7 Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to <br /><br />deceive; but he will still deliver his message.<br /> <br /><br />8 If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him.<br /><br />9 These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.</blockquote></font><br /><br />I was talking with a Mormon and opened up to this chapter, I Read out loud to him verses 1-4, then I stopped and offered to shake his hand, he did not exactly want to, but he did. I gave him a very firm handshake, then flat out asked him, did you feel my hand shake, he said yes, so then I read the rest of the chapter to him.<br /><br />after I was done, I said to him, since you felt my hand shake, this proves I am a messanger from God, and I have a message for you. Joseph Smith is a false prophet and the BoM is not from God. The Mormon smiled and told me he honestly has no answer for me, but he did smile and liked that. so this is one you can do with mormons and see how they reply. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-25779462363358793342008-07-02T10:15:00.000-07:002008-07-02T11:00:29.969-07:00some questions for LDS to think about.Well, I am so busy I do not know how often I will be able to post. So if I post only once a month or longer I at least want to leave some questions for LDS to think about.<br /><br />Joseph Smith said, No man can see God and live, without the Priesthood, D and C 84 19-22.<br /><br />So if that really is true, How could JOSEPH SMITH, Really see God the Father and Jesus Christ in the First Vision and still live, Since when JS claims he saw them he did not have the priesthood.<br /><br />Joseph Smith Also said:<br />Joseph Smith declared that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, . . . and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book” (History of the Church, 4:461).<br /><br />If this is true, why was/is their over 4,000 changes to the BoM? So much for correct.<br />Add to that, the way JS translated the BoM by sticking his head in a hat and telling his buddy oliver the letter that came to light in the hat. if Joseph told Oliver the letter (A) and Oliver wrote down the letter (A) then the letter JS saw would disappear for Good. But if JS told Oliver the letter (A) and oliver wrote down the letter (B) the letter (A) would remain. So it should be impossible for their ever to have been one single mistake in the BoM.<br /><br />Jesus said about the OT, you search the Scriptures for the testify of Me, we really do see Jesus through out the entire OT, Yet this is not the case with the BoM. We find some cases of out right plagiarism in the BoM.<br /><br />So if we look at it like this, if something is word for word, like entire Chapters of the Book of Isiah from the Bible are found in the BoM then why do we need them in both books? so if we simply remove the teachings from the BoM seeing how we have them in the Bible then we really do not have much left in the BoM, and since we do not have much left in the BoM, how is it now going to get me closer to God? What is left in the BoM after you remove the teachings that are already found in the Bible that will teach me or get me closer to God?<br /><br />We read in the Bible over 1,800 prophecies. so how many do we read of in the BoM? I will post more questions to think about as I get time. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-29135636873828841562008-05-07T17:49:00.000-07:002008-05-07T17:52:20.684-07:00The Book of Mormon: A Guide for the Old TestamentSorry I am behind in posting, I am so busy it's not funny.<br />A mormon sent me this, So I posted it and will post my thoughts to it as I get the time. Rick b<br /><br /><br /><br />The Book of Mormon: <br />A Guide for the Old Testament<br />By Elder Gary J. Coleman<br />Of the Seventy<br /><br />Gary J. Coleman, “The Book of Mormon: A Guide for the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 45<br /> <br /><br />The Old Testament can be better understood and believed by gleaning further light and truth from the pages of the Book of Mormon, our second witness for some of the events, themes, prophecies, and teachings of the Old Testament. The prophet Mormon certified this idea and explained our Heavenly Father’s intent in bringing to light the Book of Mormon: “For behold, this [the Book of Mormon] is written for the intent that ye may believe that [the Bible]; and if ye believe that [the Bible] ye will believe this [the Book of Mormon]” (Morm. 7:9).<br /><br />Old Testament Events<br />The Book of Mormon offers clarifying facts about and insights into a number of stories of the Old Testament and often “likens” or applies principles from them. For example, without Lehi’s discourse in 2 Nephi 2 [2 Ne. 2], we would understand much less about the Fall. Mormon’s observation that Satan “put it into the hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven” (Hel. 6:28) sweeps away much confusion of the biblical account. Jacob’s teaching that Abraham’s offering of his son Isaac is “a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son” (Jacob 4:5) allows us to confidently ponder the Atonement as we carefully study the detail of this story. For readers of the conquest of Palestine by Joshua and the children of Israel who wonder how God could sanction this action, Nephi clearly teaches that the Canaanites were a grossly wicked people, ripe for destruction, who had rejected the word of God (see 1 Ne. 17:32–38). Nephi’s application of a principle from this story of conquest encourages us to consider: “Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of the Lord” (1 Ne. 17:35). Readers of the Old Testament would be wise to consult “the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion” as a resource to their study (History of the Church, 4:46). The chart on the following page summarizes many specific Old Testament events that are better understood after searching the Book of Mormon.<br /><br />Old Testament Themes<br />An oft-repeated idea in the Old Testament is God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity. When God confirmed this covenant with Jacob, He said, “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Gen. 32:28). Thereafter, Jacob’s descendants became known as the children or house of Israel (see Bible Dictionary, “Israel,” 708).<br />The Book of Mormon was written to show us “what great things the Lord has done for [our] fathers; and that [we] may know the covenants of the Lord” (Book of Mormon title page, paragraph 2). The “fathers” mentioned here refer to Adam, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Joseph, Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, King Mosiah, Alma, and many others. They were of the house of Israel and were under the same covenants with God as members of the Church are today. The family of Jacob, whether in Old Testament or Book of Mormon lands, were the preachers of righteousness who have laid before us in the scriptures the doctrine of Christ, even faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Adam, Moses, Isaiah, Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, and many others have written in great detail and clarity of the eternal gospel and its beginning from the foundation of the earth. They wrote and testified of the Creation, the Fall, Lucifer, the redemption of all mankind through the Holy Messiah, salvation by grace, and the resurrection of the dead.<br />Another major emphasis of the Old Testament is the scattering and gathering of the house of Israel. Here again the Book of Mormon offers invaluable perspectives. One of the sons of Jacob (Israel) was Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. Joseph became a leader in the court of Pharaoh (see Gen. 37–41). To Joseph were born two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen. 41:50–52). The descendants of these two sons are “the fruitful bough” of the house of Israel “whose branches run over the wall” (Gen. 49:22), meaning they were scattered across the earth. As the Book of Mormon account opens, we are introduced to Lehi, “a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt” (Alma 10:3).<br />The story of Lehi and his family in the Book of Mormon is a record of a scattered remnant of the house of Israel. Yet the Book of Mormon introduces all of scattered Israel to the Restoration and latter-day prophets who preach the same gospel of Christ taught by ancient prophets. When the resurrected Christ spoke of the doctrine of the gathering of a covenant people to the Saints in the land of Bountiful (see 3 Ne. 20:25–31), He reminded them of the ancient covenant He, as Jehovah, had made with Abraham some 2,000 years before (see Gen. 12:1–3; Gen. 17:19–21; Gen. 22:18), to gather scattered Israel. In plainness and simplicity, the Book of Mormon testifies that the intent of all scripture is to invite Israel home. This is done in all ages through the great process of missionary work.<br />A third significant subject presented in the Old Testament is the role of prophets. Prophets are called by God in all ages. Their duty is to teach the everlasting gospel, to cry repentance. They invite all to come to Christ and be saved in the kingdom of God. Whether from the watchtowers of the Old Testament (see Isa. 52:8; Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 3:17), those of the Book of Mormon (see Mosiah 2:8; Hel. 7:10–14), or today’s pulpits alive with latter-day testimony, prophets speak and the message of salvation is given. The Book of Mormon helps us understand how Old Testament prophets held the keys and authority of God and conducted their labors in preparing families for exaltation through the great plan of God (see JST, Gen. 14:25–40, Bible appendix; Alma 13:1–21). Righteous priesthood holders administer the gospel of Jesus Christ and establish the Church in every dispensation.<br /><br />Old Testament Prophecies<br />Old Testament and Book of Mormon peoples wanted to know of future events. Book of Mormon prophet Jacob observed, “For I know that ye [his people] have searched much, many of you, to know of things to come” (2 Ne. 9:4). Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, and Malachi all noted their people’s fascination with soothsayers, astrologers, and divination (see Isa. 8:19; Jer. 27:9; Ezek. 12:24; Micah 5:12; Mal. 3:5). But their prophets wanted them to know about the Lord’s future work, particularly concerning the coming of Christ in the flesh, the last days, the Second Coming, and the Millennium. Both the Old Testament and Book of Mormon are filled with prophecies which overlap and help illuminate each other. Book of Mormon prophets frequently turned to Old Testament passages, even directly quoting from them, to teach of the future. The following chart summarizes where a student of Old Testament prophecy can turn in the Book of Mormon for further help.<br /><br />Old Testament Teachings<br />There is no wide-ranging explanatory discussion of the plan of God in the Old Testament. Yet Book of Mormon prophets, who had much of the Old Testament on the plates of brass (see 1 Ne. 5:10–16), were well acquainted with the plan of God. How beautifully Jacob and Alma outline the central and saving role of the Savior in the plan! (see 2 Ne. 9:1–26; Alma 12:32–34). In fact, one of the roles of the Book of Mormon is to add to the Old Testament many precious insights into the great plan, particularly concerning Christ, who is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament (see 1 Ne. 17:30). The primary intent of ancient American prophets was to testify to future generations that “we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundreds of years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us” (Jacob 4:4). The prophet Nephi said, “My soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him” (2 Ne. 11:4). Nephi taught his people of Christ, primarily through the use of the types and symbols he found in the Old Testament. The following chart shows examples of teachings and symbols, some of which are given limited review in the Old Testament but are amplified in the Book of Mormon.<br /><br />Conclusion<br />The scriptures have come from God through the inspired minds of those who spoke and wrote of eternal truths. Members of the Church today are children of the covenant, the people blessed of the Lord to have a fulness of the gospel and to have made sacred covenants with the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Ours is a life in the kingdom of God on earth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yet it is eternal life in the kingdom of God in heaven that our Savior continually invites us to obtain by following His righteous example. Thanks be to God the Father for the sacred records which testify of the great plan of happiness. The work, sacrifice, endurance, faith, hope, and joy of all the holy prophets—those in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon—were centered in the blessed Atonement of the Son of God. He is the Mediator and grantor of the blessings of the covenant between the people of God and our Heavenly Father. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is an essential study aid for more fully understanding the message of the Old Testament, our first and most enduring witness of Christ.<br /><br />Old Testament Events and Related Book of Mormon References<br /><br />Old Testament Event Old Testament Reference Related Book of Mormon Reference <br />The Creation of the earth and mankind Gen. 1–2; Moses 2–3 2 Ne. 2:11–15; Jacob 2:21; Mosiah 4:9; Morm. 9:17 <br />The Fall of Adam and Eve Gen. 3; Moses 4 2 Ne. 2:14–25; Alma 12:20–24 <br />Cain and secret combinations Gen. 4; Moses 5:18–32 Hel. 6:26–30; Ether 8:15–16 <br />Noah and the Flood Gen. 7 Alma 10:22; Ether 6:7 <br />The Tower of Babel Gen. 11 Hel. 6:28; Ether 1:33–43 <br />Melchizedek and Abraham Gen. 14:18–20 Alma 13:14–19 <br />Abraham circumcises his household Gen. 15; Lev. 12 Moro. 8:8 <br />Moses and the parting of the Red Sea Ex. 14 1 Ne. 4:2–3; 1 Ne. 17:23–27; Mosiah 7:19 <br />Moses brings forth water from a rock in the wilderness Ex. 17; Num. 20 1 Ne. 17:29; 2 Ne. 25:20 <br />Moses receives the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai Ex. 19–20 Mosiah 12:33–36 <br />Moses is transfigured Ex. 34:29–35 Mosiah 13:5 <br />Moses and the brazen serpent Num. 21 1 Ne. 17:41–42; 2 Ne. 25:20; Alma 33:19–21; Hel. 8:14–15 <br />What happened to Moses at the end of his ministry Deut. 34 Alma 45:19 <br />The conquest of the promised land by Joshua and the children of Israel Josh. 1–10 1 Ne. 17:32–38 <br />David marries many wives 1 Sam. 25:42–43; 2 Sam. 5:13; 2 Sam. 11:27 Jacob 2:23–31; Jacob 4:14–18 <br />Solomon marries many wives 1 Kgs. 11:1–3 Jacob 2:23–31; Jacob 4:14–18 <br />Jeremiah cast into prison Jer. 37 1 Ne. 7:14 <br />Destruction of Jerusalem by Babylonians Jer. 52:12–15; 2 Kgs. 24–25 1 Ne. 1:4, 13; 1 Ne. 7:13–15; 2 Ne. 1:4; 2 Ne. 6:8; Omni 1:15–18; Hel. 8:20 <br />Isaiah sees Jesus Christ Isa. 6 2 Ne. 11:2 <br /> <br />Old Testament Teachings and Related Book of Mormon References<br /><br />Old Testament Teaching Old Testament Reference Related Book of Mormon Reference <br />Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament, is Jesus Christ Gen. 4:4; Gen. 7:1; Gen. 12:1; Gen. 28:13; Ex. 3:4–6; Ex. 14:30 1 Ne. 17:30; 2 Ne. 10:2–3; Moro. 10:34 <br />Ancient patriarchs entered the rest of God Gen. 4–5, Gen. 11–12 Alma 13:1–20 <br />The Ten Commandments Ex. 20 Mosiah 13:12–26 <br />God gives power over the weather to some of His prophets 1 Kgs. 17:1 Hel. 10:4–11; Hel. 11:4–5 <br />Moses and many other Old Testament prophets taught of Christ Deut. 18:15–19; five books of Moses; writings of Isaiah and Jeremiah 3 Ne. 20:23–24; Hel. 8:11–22; Mosiah 13:33–35 <br />The purpose of the law of Moses was to lead people to Christ Ex. 20–Lev. 27 Jacob 4:4–6; 2 Ne. 25:23–30; Mosiah 3:14; Mosiah 13:27–35; Alma 25:15–16; Alma 34:10–14; 3 Ne. 9:17; 3 Ne. 12:17; 3 Ne. 15:2–9 <br /><br />Old Testament Prophecies and Related Book of Mormon References<br /><br />Old Testament Prophecy Old Testament Reference Related Book of Mormon Reference <br />Through Abraham’s seed would come a blessing for all nations Gen. 12:3 1 Ne. 15:18; 3 Ne. 20:25–27 <br />God would raise up two prophets: Moses and Joseph Smith JST, Gen. 50:24–38 2 Ne. 3:3–22 <br />The Bible and the Book of Mormon would become one in the hand of the Lord JST, Gen. 50:24–38; Ezek. 37:15–17 1 Ne. 13:39–40; 2 Ne. 3:11–12; 2 Ne. 29:8–14 <br />Jesus Christ would be rejected by the Jews Ps. 118:22–23 Jacob 4:14–18 <br />Prophecies of the latter days, Isaiah’s day, Christ’s day, and the Millennium Isa. 2–24 2 Ne. 12–27:2 (a quote of Isaiah’s writings from the plates of brass) <br />The words of the Book of Mormon will help gather Israel Isa. 5:26 2 Ne. 29:2–3 <br />The gathering of Israel in the last days Isa. 11:4–12 2 Ne. 25:17; 2 Ne. 29:1; 2 Ne. 30:3–18 <br />God will teach His people “line upon line” Isa. 28:9–13 2 Ne. 28:29–31 <br />The coming forth of the Book of Mormon Isa. 29 2 Ne. 26:15–17; 2 Ne. 27:2–35; 2 Ne. 28:9–16; 3 Ne. 21:9 <br />A prophet would prepare the way for Christ Isa. 40:3 1 Ne. 10:7–8 <br />Scattered Israel will be gathered by the power of Christ in the last days Isa. 48–49 1 Ne. 20–22 (a quote of Isaiah’s writings from the plates of brass) <br />The Gentiles will help gather Israel in the last days Isa. 49:22–26 2 Ne. 6 <br />Christ would suffer for His people Isa. 50–52:2 2 Ne. 7–8 <br />Israel will be redeemed in the last days through prophets and missionary work; Christ shall reign upon the earth Isa. 52 1 Ne. 22:10–12; Mosiah 12:21–24; Mosiah 15:13–19, 29–31; 3 Ne. 16:11–20; 3 Ne. 20:30–45; 3 Ne. 21:8, 26–29 <br />Christ would suffer for the sins of the world Isa. 53 Mosiah 14:1–15:12 <br />Israel will be gathered in mercy and tenderness in the last days Isa. 54 3 Ne. 22 <br />Christ will make an everlasting covenant with all who will come to Him Isa. 55:1–3 2 Ne. 26:24–28; Moro. 10:31–32 <br />God will fight Israel’s battles in the last days Micah 4:11–13; Micah 5:8–15 3 Ne. 16:7–15; 3 Ne. 20:16–21; 3 Ne. 21:12–21 <br />The wicked will be destroyed at the Second Coming when Christ will judge the nations Mal. 3–4 3 Ne. 24:1–26:2 (a quote of Malachi’s writings) <br /><br /><br />Symbols of Christ’s Ministry and Related Book of Mormon References<br /><br />Symbols of Christ’s Ministry Old Testament Reference Related Book of Mormon Reference <br />Sacrifices pointed to Christ Gen. 4 2 Ne. 2:7; 3 Ne. 9:19–20 <br />Melchizedek Ps. 110:4 Alma 13:2, 14–16 <br />Abraham and Isaac Gen. 22 Jacob 4:5 <br />The Passover lamb Ex. 12 Alma 34:10–14 <br />The blood of the covenant Ex. 24:8 Mosiah 3:18 <br />Water from a rock Num. 20 2 Ne. 25:20 <br />Brazen serpent Num. 21 2 Ne. 25:20 <br />Ensign, Oct. 1990, 58–63; Robert L. Millet, “The Plates of Brass: A Witness of Christ,” Ensign, Jan. 1988, 26–29; Glenn L. Pearson, “The Book of Mormon as a Witness of the Old Testament,” Ensign, June 1986, 14–18.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-31619237224270204202008-04-16T16:21:00.000-07:002008-04-16T16:57:47.206-07:00Journal Of Discourse 11.LDS try and say that they do not teach or believe in polygamy, if that is true then how do they handle what Brigham Young said?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />DELEGATE HOOPER-BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF POLYGAMY-<br /><br />FINAL REDEMPTION OF CAIN<br /><br /> <br /><br />Remarks by President BRIGHAM YOUNG, in the Bowery,<br /><br />in G.S.L. City, August 19th, 1866.<br /><br />REPORTED BY G. D. WATT.<br /><br />11:266<br /><br /> <br /><font color=black><br />There is quite a number of subjects and little points that I wish to speak upon, and hope that I shall be able to set them forth in a manner which will answer my wishes.<br /></font><br />In the first place, I will say with regard to our Delegate to Congress who has addressed you this afternoon, and this I will say for myself, that I am perfectly satisfied with his course while he has been absent on this mission as our Delegate to the seat of our government. I am satisfied that he has done all that we could expect of him, and I will say further, he has done more than we believed he could perform. Had we possessed the assurance which we now have of his ability, faithfulness and perseverance before he went to Washington, we might have anticipated all his labors and success. He told you the truth, when he said that his affliction, through the bereavement he has suffered, caused him to cleave to the Lord; and I can say of a truth, judging from the spirit which is in him, that the words Brother Stenhouse spoke concerning him this afternoon are true; he is a better man than when he left here for the City of Washington-he is a better man than ever he was before on the earth; he has more faith in God today than ever he had; he is surrounded with an influence that I never saw him possess before his travels and labors at Washington this last term. <br /><br /><br />His labours are known to me. They were known to me when he was in Washington-both his conduct and his success were known to individuals here. We are glad to say of him that we are proud of his labors. We can say this safely in his presence, for he has enough of the Spirit of the Lord in him not to feel flattered. This I believe will satisfy all the Latter-day Saints, and very likely a great many others. Enough on this.<br /><br />Brother Hooper and Brother Stenhouse have avoided, in their speaking this afternoon, an error that I committed last Sunday by mentioning names; and I will now ask the pardon of this congregation for ever speaking a name when attached to such a vile character, as I mentioned last Sunday. We know by the power of the Spirit of God that it is true, that when men rise up against the Gospel of life and salvation, they will always commit themselves, and then they will commit themselves with one another to that degree that they cannot believe each other. This is the case with those more particularly who have arrayed themselves against us for a few years past. Their work they must perform. I do not wish to injure them. They must have their day. Their time and season are allotted to them, the same as to all men for good or for evil. They can do us no harm-they can do nothing against the truth. The Lord will make the wicked and the ungodly and their acts accomplish his design, for, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain." We need have no fears with regard to the outside world, if we will purify and cleanse the inside of the platter. If this people, the Latter-day Saints, who profess to know and understand the way of life and salvation, can sanctify themselves so that they are accepted of God our Father, and of Jesus Christ, his Son, our Elder Brother and Savior, then all is right everywhere. Rest assured that the omitting of that duty is all we need fear.<br /><br />I wish to give my views with regard to that doctrine and practice which are so obnoxious to the outsiders-to those who do not believe. It is an old saying that a continual dropping will wear a stone, so a continual laboring will bring about the purposes of the Lord. They say that polygamy is obnoxious to the world. This is really not so; it is the name of it that they object to the most. In connection with this let use look at the Christian world, and I will refer to the ladies who compose a portion of this congregation. There are many ladies, probably, here, who have lived long in the outside world, previous to coming to Utah, and who are not entirely unacquainted with the usages of society there. You know that it is customary to admit a certain class of gentlemen to private parties and entertainments where they are greeted cordially and welcome. They are esteemed as gentlemen of grace, education and polished manners; they are adepts in all the little extras of most refined society. They are great lovers of the fair sex, and their gallantry, fine appearance, and gentlemanly bearing too readily win for them the deepest admiration of the fair ones who may chance to cross their path. Yet it is not unknown, in the circles they frequent, that they are vile and corrupt, with regard to chastity. Yes, it is known that those beautiful gentlemen are libertines, that they do not respect female virtue any more than they do their old clothes, which they have worn and and cast off. Yet, they are greeted with the most profound respect and deference, their great crimes against female chastity are winked at, and they are still permitted to frequent the best society to lead astray, and decoy from the paths of virtue, the unsuspecting and unwary female.<br /><br />Take another view of this subject. Let any one of the poor unfortunates, whom those unprincipled scoundrels have, by their hellish arts, seduced from the paths of virtue and honor, make her appearance in a select party where the ladies are fanning the vanity of those wicked men with their unmeaning and insincere adulations, and what would be the consequence? Instead of making the poor creature welcome, she would be spurned from their presence; unceremoniously cast out upon the cold world to be crushed down still deeper into the dark depths of crime and degradation, with none to reach forth a saving hand, or shed a tear of sympathy over the dreadful fate of the dishonored and lost one.<br /><br />This is one of the inconsistencies of the refined society of the age. The defiler of the innocent is the one who should be branded with infamy and cast out from respectable society, and shunned as a pest, or as a contagious disease is shunned. The doors of respectable families should be closed against him, and he should be frowned upon by all high-minded and virtuous persons. Wealth, influence and position should not screen him from their righteous indignation. His sin is one of the blackest in the calendar of crime, and he should be cast down from the high pinnacle of respectability and consideration, to find his place among the worst of felons.<br /><br />Every virtuous woman desires a husband to whom she can look for guidance and protection through this world. God has placed this desire in woman's nature. It should be respected by the stronger sex. Any man who takes advantage of this, and humbles a daughter of Eve to rob her of her virtue, and cast her off dishonored and defiled, is her destroyer, and is responsible to God for the deed. If the refined Christian society of the nineteenth century will tolerate such a crime, God will not; but he will call the perpetrator to an account. He will be damned; in hell he will lift up his eyes, being in torment, until he has paid the uttermost farthing, and made a full atonement for his sins. It is this very class of men, though not all of them, who have set up such a howl against the doctrine of polygamy, which is so much despised and which was believed in and practiced by the ancients-by the very men who are held up to us as patterns of all the piety that was ever exhibited through man upon the face of the earth.<br /><br />This matter was a little changed in the case of the Savior of the world, the Son of the living God. The man Joseph, the husband of Mary, did not, that we know of, have more than one wife, but Mary the wife of Joseph had another husband. On this account infidels have called the Savior a bastard. This is merely a human opinion upon one of the inscrutable doings of the Almighty. That very babe that was cradled in the manger, was begotten, not by Joseph, the husband of Mary, but by another Being. Do you inquire by whom? He was begotten by God our heavenly Father. This answer may suffice you-you need never inquire more upon that point. Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father, and he is the Savior of the world, and full of grace and truth.<font color=black> It is not polygamy that men fight against when they persecute this people; but, still, if we continue to be faithful to our God, he will defend us in doing what is right. If it is wrong for a man to have more than one wife at a time, the Lord will reveal it by and by, and he will put it away that it will not be known in the Church.</font> I did not ask Him for the revelation upon this subject. When that revelation was first read to me by Joseph Smith, I plainly saw the great trials and the abuse of it that would be made by many of the Elders, and the trouble and the persecution that it would bring upon this whole people.<font color=black> But the Lord revealed it, and it was my business to accept it.</font><br /><br />Now, we as Christians desire to be saved in the kingdom of God. We desire to attain to the possession of all the blessings there are for the most faithful man or people that ever lived upon the face of the earth, even him who is said to be the father of the faithful, Abraham of old. We wish to obtain all that father Abraham obtained. I wish here to say to the Elders of Israel, and to all the members of this Church and kingdom, that it is in the hearts of many of them to wish that the doctrine of polygamy was not taught and practiced by us. It may be hard for many, and especially for the ladies, yet it is no harder for them than it is for the gentlemen. <font color=black>It is the word of the Lord, and I wish to say to you, and all the world, that if you desire with all your hearts to obtain the blessings which Abraham obtained, you will be polygamists at least in your faith, or you will come short of enjoying the salvation and the glory which Abraham has obtained.</font> This is as true as that God lives. You who wish that there were no such thing in existence, if you have in your hearts to say: "We will pass along in the Church without obeying or submitting to it in our faith or believing this order, because, for aught that we know, this community may be broken up yet, and we may have lucrative offices offered to us; we will not, therefore, be polygamists lest we should fail in obtaining some earthly honor, character and office, etc,"-the man that has that in his heart, and will continue to persist in pursuing that policy, will come short of dwelling in the presence of the Father and the Son, in celestial glory.<font color=black> The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.</font> Others attain unto a glory and may even be permitted to come into the presence of the Father and the Son; but they cannot reign as kings in glory, because they had blessing offered unto them, and they refused to accept them.<br /><br />The Lord gave a revelation through Joseph Smith, His servant; and we have believed and practiced it. Now, then, it is said that this must be done away before we are permitted to receive our place as a State in the Union. It may be, or it may not be. One of the twin relics-slavery-they say, is abolished. I do not, however, wish to speak about this; but if slavery and oppression and iron-handed cruelty are not more felt by the blacks to-day than before, I am glad of it. My heart is pained for that unfortunate race of men. One twin relic having been strangled, the other, they say, must next be destroyed. It is they and God for it, and you will all find that out. It is not Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Daniel H. Wells and the Elders of Israel they are fighting against; but it is the Lord Almighty. What is the Lord going to do? He is going to do just as he pleases, and the world cannot help themselves.<br /><font color=black><br />I heard the revelation on polygamy, and I believed it with all my heart, and I know it is from God-I know that he revealed it from heaven; I know that it is true, and understand the bearings of it and why it is. "Do you think that we shall ever be admitted as a State into the Union without denying the principle of polygamy?" If we are not admitted until then, we shall never be admitted.</font> These things will be just as the Lord will. Let us live to take just what he sends to us, and when our enemies rise up against us, we will meet them as we can, and exercise faith and pray for wisdom and power more than they have, and contend continually for the right. Go along, my children, saith the Lord, do all you can, and remember that your blessings come through your faith. Be faithful and cut the corners of your enemies where you can-get the advantage of them by faith and good works, take care of yourselves, and they will destroy themselves. Be what you should be, live as you should, and all will be well.<br /><br />Who knows but the time will come when the inquiry will be made in Washington, by the President, by the Congressmen: "Are things any worse in Utah than in Washington: than they are in New York? or in any State of the Union? are they more unvirtuous, are they more disloyal to the Government? But then there is polygamy." That has nothing in the least to do with our being loyal or disloyal, one way or the other. But is not the practice of polygamy a transgression of the law of the United States? How are we transgressing that law? <font color=black>In no other way than by obeying a revelation which God has given unto us touching a religious ordinance of his Church.</font> And the anti-polygamy law has yet to be tested, as to its constitutionality, by the courts which have jurisdiction. By and by men will appear in the departments of the Government who will inquire into the validity of some laws and question their constitutionality. Marriage is a civil contract. You might as well make a law to say how many children a man shall have, as to make a law to say how many wives he shall have. It would be as sensible to make a law to say how many horses or oxen he shall possess, or how many cows his wife shall milk. If a woman wants to live with me as a wife, all right; but the law says you most not marry her, and own her as your wife openly. As the law stands, she can come home to me, not as my wife, you know; she can sweep my house, make my bed, help me to make the butter and cheese, and share in all my pleasure and wealth, but the ceremony of marriage must not be performed. This is what is practiced in the outside world from the President in his chair to the lowest dog-whipper on the street that has means to obtain. They have their mistresses, and thereby violate every principle of virtue, chastity and righteousness.<br /><br />In the large cities of the east-New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Cincinnati, Albany, Boston, etc., clubs are formed, composed of young men of those cities who pass in society as bachelors. Instead of entering into the honorable state of marriage, they hire and support girls. If one of the young men in the club should get honorably married, he is at once rejected, and his name is erased from the roll. The members of those clubs have their girls here and there; but no binding contract exists between them, either for time or eternity-for this life or that which is to come. They are hired the same as you would hire a horse and chaise at a livery stable; you go out a few days for a ride, return again, put up your horse, pay down your money, and you are free from all further responsibility. The Lord of heaven and earth frowns upon this sort of traffic. The constitution and every just law of the United States are opposed to it. All honourable ladies and gentlemen in North and South America, and in all the world, should be ready to raise their voices against it, in terms of indignation and disgust.<br /><br />The last time I was in the city of Lowell there were fourteen thousand more females than males in that one city. That is many years ago. They live and die in a single state, and are forgotten. Have they filled the measure of their creation, and accomplished the design of heaven in bringing them upon the earth? No; they have not. Two thousand good, God-fearing men should go there, and take to themselves seven wives a-piece. It is written in the Bible, "and in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, we will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." The Government of the United States do not intend that that prophecy shall be fulfilled, and the Lord Almighty means that it shall. Do you not think that the Lord will conquer? I think he will, and we are helping him. It is the decree of the Almighty, that in the last days seven women shall take hold of one man, &c., to be counselled and advised by him, being willing to spin their own wool, make their own clothing and do every thing they can to earn their own living, if they can only bear his name to take away their reproach. What is this order for? It is for the resurrection; it is not for this world. I would not go across this bowery for polygamy, if it only pertained to this world. It is for the resurrection; and the Spirit of the Lord has come upon the people, and upon the ladies especially, to prepare the way for the fulfillment of his word. The female sex have been deceived so long, and been trodden under foot of man so long, that a spirit has come upon them, and they want a place, and a name, and a head; for the man is the head of the woman, to lead her into the celestial kingdom of our Father and God.<br /><br />A great many people who have lived in this Territory for a time have testified to their friends at home that there is more peace, more real happiness and joy; more union and fellowship in the families of Utah, than can be found in their own neighborhoods and cities. They say that which is true. There is not a tenth part of the trouble in families in this city where there are many wives that there is where there is but one wife. I have more trouble and difficulties to settle with those who have but one companion than I have with those who have more than one, to counsel and advise them, and coax and persuade them to live their religion and do as they should do.<br /><br />I have proved to my Father and God that I am willing to forsake wives and children, and labor all my life time to build up his kingdom and never enjoy the society of a companion while I live; that I did in my young days, and I feel the same today. By and by the word will be given to me and my brethren to arise from the dead in the first resurrection, and receive the keys thereof, and go and call forth the rest. That will be here in a little while. When a man comes upon the borders of three-score years and ten he begins to prepare and look to where he shall be buried; though he may live a little longer the sands of life will soon be run out. There are now many in this congregation who will soon see the allotted number of years for man to live. I shall see it in less than five years more. Whether I shall live over that time is no matter to me, if I can do the work designed of the Lord for me to do.<br /><br />I will here notice what Brother Joseph F. Smith was talking of this morning. It was said to Joseph Smith, the prophet, "according to your faith and the teachings of your Elders, nobody will be saved but you, Mormons; now, Mr. Smith, will all be damned but the Mormons?" Jos. Smith replied, "yes, and the most of them, unless they repent and do better." To be damned is to be banished from, or be deprived of living in the presence of the Father and the Son. Who will live with him? Those whom I have already mentioned. They will come up and inherit the highest glory that is prepared for the faithful-those who live as father Abraham did, and improve upon every means of grace, and upon every privilege given to them of the Lord. What is going to become of the others? Brother Joseph F. Smith told us the truth this morning. None will become angels to the devil except those who have sinned against the Holy Ghost. There exists many intermediate states between the highest glory, where God the father dwells, and the lowest kingdom among these kingdoms which are not kingdoms of glory. "In my Father's house are many mansions," said Jesus. The mansions in his Father's house are many, and they are ready to receive the people of this world who have lived according to the best light they have; and they contain all who have lived upon the earth from the beginning to this time, and they are capacious enough to receive all who will live to the end of time. John Wesley, and other great ecclesiastical reformers, could not attain to the same glory, by their own acts, while in the flesh that they would have done had the fullness of the Holy Priesthood been upon the earth in their day, and they had possessed all the glory and power and keys of it, and lived faithful to its requirements all their days. They cannot be crowned as Gods, even the Sons of God. Will they be saved? They will. In a Kingdom? in a good kingdom? A kingdom full of glory, full of light and joy, more than ever entered into the heart of man to conceive. While they lived it never entered into their hearts to conceive of the glory they do or will enjoy. If they have committed wrongs, and repented of them, the blood of the Savior will cleanse them from all sin, except the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is a sin unto death. The Apostle John writes, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I do not say that ye shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin unto death."<br /><br />I have endeavored to give you a few items relating to the celestial kingdom of God and to the other kingdoms which the Lord has prepared for his children. The Lamanites or Indians are just as much the children of our Father and God as we are. So also are the Africans. But we are also the children of adoption through obedience to the Gospel of his Son. Why are so many of the inhabitants of the earth cursed with a sin of blackness? It comes in consequence of their fathers rejecting the power of the Holy Priesthood, and the law of God. They will go down to death. And when all the rest of the children have received their blessings in the Holy Priesthood, then that curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to. The volition of the creature is free; this is a law of their existence, and the Lord cannot violate his own law; were he to do that, he would cease to be God. He has placed life and death before his children, and it is for them to choose. If they choose life, they receive the blessings of life; if they chose death, they must abide the penalty. This is a law which has always existed from all eternity, and will continue to exist throughout all the eternities to come. Every intelligent being must have the power of choice, and God brings forth the results of the acts of his creatures to promote his kingdom and subserve his purposes in the salvation and exaltation of his children. If the Lord could have his own way, he would have all the human family to enter into his church and kingdom, receive the Holy Priesthood and come into the celestial kingdom of our Father and God, by the power of their own choice.<br /><br />May the Lord bless you. Amen.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-76180591310379506282008-03-11T15:26:00.001-07:002008-03-19T12:39:20.032-07:00mormon terms 2J<br /><br />Jack-Mormon. More commonly a term that describes a lukewarm Mormon who does not fully practice his faith. However, it has also been used to describe non-Mormons who showed kindness and/or sympathy to the Mormons.<br /><br />Jaredites. A group of people who supposedly came to the Americas around 2247 B.C. The Book of Mormon details their exploits in the book of Ether.<br /><br />Jehovah. The name given to the premortal Jesus, the son of Elohim. "It is to be remembered that the Personage most generally designated in the Old Testament as God or the Lord, is He who in the mortal state was known as Jesus Christ, and in the antemortal state as Jehovah" (Articles of Faith, pp. 465-466). In the Mormon temple endowment ceremony, Jehovah assists Michael, the premortal Adam, in the organization of the world.<br /><br />Jehovah is a hybrid word taken from the tetragrammaton YHWH. Vowels were added to these consonants to form the word Yahweh, another name for God. The King James Version of the Bible often renders Jehovah as Lord; in many verses the words Jehovah and Elohim (Lord God) are combined when speaking of the one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 100:3; Jeremiah 10:10).<br /><br />Jesus Christ. Known in the pre-existence as Jehovah. One of three gods in the Mormon godhead. The spirit brother of Lucifer and elder brother of the human race, Jesus was the literal firstborn (The Only Begotten) son to Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. He became a God in the pre-existence prior to experiencing mortality. In Christianity, Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity. God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16) and the creator of all things, including Lucifer (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-2). Jesus stands in equal authority with the Father since He is the true God (Philippians 2:6).<br /><br />Journal of Discourses. A twenty-six-volume set of books containing sermons from various Mormon leaders until 1886, including General Conference addresses. Most of the volumes were published under the direct supervision of an LDS General Authority. In recent years these sermons have often been categorized by many Latter-day Saints as mere opinions of the individual speakers; however, many of these sermons are quoted in LDS Church manuals and conference messages. Mormon Apostle John Widtsoe, for example, used the Journal extensively in his book, Discourses of Brigham Young.<br />K<br /><br />Kingdom of God. Mormonism teaches a three-fold meaning for the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God on earth is the Mormon Church. The Kingdom of God in the millennium will be both an ecclesiastical and political kingdom ruled and governed by the LDS Church. Following the resurrection of mankind, the Kingdom of God is the celestial kingdom and does not include the terrestrial or telestial kingdoms (Mormon Doctrine pp. 415-417).<br /><br />Kolob. Described as a star or planet nearest to the residence of God. It is near Kolob where God resides and where all humans live until they take human form here on earth. Tenth Mormon President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, "He [Eternal Father] revealed to Abraham that his throne is near Kolob, the great governing star of our universe" (Man: His Origin and Destiny, p. 537).<br />L<br /><br />Lamanites. The followers of Laman, who is mentioned in the Book of Mormon as the eldest and wicked son of Lehi. First Nephi 12:23 states that after the Lamanites "dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations." The Lamanites annihilated the light-skinned Nephites at the battle at the Hill Cumorah. The Book of Mormon teaches that the dark-skinned Lamanites are of the "House of Israel" and many Mormons believe Lamanites were the ancestors of the modern American Indians. However, DNA evidence yields no support for such a conclusion.<br /><br />LDS. Short for Latter-day Saint(s).<br /><br />Lehi. According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi was a righteous man who was told to flee Jerusalem before its destruction in 600 B.C. He led his family by boat to the American continent. Others mentioned in the Book of Mormon by this name include Lehi, the son of Zoram; Lehi, the Nephite commander; Lehi, the son of Helaman; and the city and land of Lehi.<br /><br />Lorenzo Snow couplet. Lorenzo Snow, the fifth president and prophet of the mainstream sect of Mormonism, is famous both in and outside of Mormonism for his couplet: "As man is God once was, as God is man may be." This short couplet summarizes the traditional understanding of what Joseph Smith taught in the "Sermon in the Grove" and, most famously, in the "King Follett Discourse".<br /><br />Lucifer. One of the literal sons of Elohim and Heavenly Mother. A spirit-brother of Jesus (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 34). Lucifer was present at the council of the gods, which was called to determine how mankind would be saved. Lucifer's plan was rejected, resulting in his rebelling against his father Elohim (D&C 29:36, Book of Abraham 3:27-28). In the Bible, Lucifer is a fallen angel whose rebellion against God caused him to be cast out of heaven (Luke 10:18). He was a created being brought into existence by Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1-2).<br />M<br /><br />Man. All mankind was "in the beginning with God" (D&C 93:29). Joseph Smith taught "the mind or intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God himself.... There never was a time when there were not spirits; for they are co-equal with our Father in heaven" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 353). When editing this sermon, Church historian B. H. Roberts said the word co-equal should read co-eternal and blames the discrepancy on the stenographer's reporting. Brigham Young stated, "It is fully proved in all the revelations that God has ever given to mankind that they naturally love and admire righteousness, justice and truth more than they do evil" (Journal of Discourses 9:305).<br /><br />In the Bible, man had his beginning on the sixth day of creation. His disobedience in the Garden of Eden caused man to take on a sinful nature. Romans 3:11-18 describes man as one who is in rebellion against God. "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.... Their throat is an open sepulchre.... Whose mouth is full of cursing.... Whose feet are swift to shed blood.... There is no fear of God before their eyes."<br /><br />Manifesto. A declaration signed by fourth LDS President Wilford Woodruff in 1890, officially promising the abolition of the practice of polygamy. This was in response to allegations that Mormon leaders were still teaching and encouraging the practice of plural marriage though it was illegal. Woodruff claimed these charges were false and that the leaders were not "teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice." Long after this promise was made, future presidents Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant were arrested, tried, and convicted of unlawful co-habitation (polygamy). Early Mormon leaders taught the doctrine of polygamy could not be overturned as this was an essential step to godhood. Interestingly, Wilford Woodruff, who signed the Manifesto in 1890, made this statement in 1869: "If we were to do away with polygamy, it would only be one feather in the bird, one ordinance in the Church and kingdom. Do away with that, then we must do away with prophets and Apostles, with revelation and the gifts and graces of the Gospel, and finally give up our religion altogether and turn sectarians ..." (Journal of Discourses 13:166).<br /><br />Melchizedek priesthood. A special authority given to Mormon men eighteen years and older designed to enable them to gain exaltation in the highest heaven. It is taught that this priesthood was restored sometime between May 15, 1829 and April 6, 1830 although there is no written documentation for such an event prior to late 1834. Peter, James, and John appeared to both Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, and bestowed the Melchizedek (also spelled Melchisedec) Priesthood on them. It is named after Melchizedek, King of Salem (Genesis 14:18). Mormonism teaches this priesthood was handed down originally to Adam who received it from God (Priesthood and Church Government, p. 109). Although Genesis 14:18 speaks of a priest of the most high God named Melchizedek, nowhere does the Bible mention a Melchizedek Priesthood per se. Hebrews 5:6 states that Christ is a priest forever after "the order of Melchisedec," not a Melchizedek priest as Mormonism implies. It is clear in Hebrews 7:24 that the priesthood held by Christ is unchangeable and does not transfer to another since He lives forever.<br /><br />Mission. A voluntary commitment on the part of a Mormon. Although a majority of the Mormon missionary force is composed of young males in their late teens (about 75%), females and retired people also devote their time and service to the Mormon missionary program. Length of service lasts eighteen months for females to two years for males.<br /><br />Missionary lessons. A series of lessons taught by LDS missionaries to potential converts, the basis of which is found in the missionary manual, Preach My Gospel. All points contained in the lessons must be taught before a person is allowed to become a member of the Mormon Church.<br /><br />Missionary Training Center. Also known as the MTC. It is here the Mormon missionary learns doctrine and procedure that will be used during his/her missionary service. Time spent at the MTC varies from 3-13 weeks. The LDS Church operates 17 such training centers. These are located in Provo (Utah), Preston (England), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Mexico City (Mexico), Santiago (Chile), Bogotá (Columbia), Lima (Peru), Guatemala City (Guatemala), Hamilton (New Zealand), Manila (Philippines), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul(South Korea), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Madrid (Spain), Accra (Ghana), and Johannesburg (South Africa).<br />Molly Mormon. A Mormon female who aspires to be everything the Mormon Church expects a woman to be.<br /><br />Mormon. Claimed by Latter-day Saints to be an ancient Nephite prophet who abridged and compiled the records of his people known today as The Book of Mormon. Originally this was a derogatory term given to followers of Joseph Smith. Today it is a non-offensive nickname commonly used to describe either The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints based in Salt Lake City, Utah, or its members.<br /><br />Moroni. Believed by Mormons to be the son of Mormon. Moroni supposedly buried the gold plates containing the record of the Nephite people and later revealed their location to Joseph Smith in 1823.<br />N<br /><br />Nauvoo. Literally means "beautiful place." Originally known as Commerce, Illinois. This city became the headquarters of the Mormon Church until Joseph Smith's death in 1844.<br /><br />Nauvoo Expositor. A newspaper published by enemies of Joseph Smith. Its only issue appeared on June 7, 1844 to reveal Joseph Smith's abuse of authority in both ecclesiastical and civil affairs (Smith was also mayor of Nauvoo), as well as expose his plural-wife system. Three days later, on June 10, the Nauvoo city council ordered the Expositor's printing press destroyed.<br /><br />Nephites. The followers of Nephi, a righteous son of Lehi. The Nephites are said to have been exterminated by the Lamanites at the battle at the Hill Cumorah.<br /><br />New Jerusalem. A city to be built in Jackson County, Missouri. The Book of Mormon prophesies the coming forth of the New Jerusalem that "should be built up upon this land" (Ether 13:5). Joseph Smith claimed New Jerusalem would begin with the building of a temple and that the city would become a gathering place for God's "covenant people" (D&C 42:35-36). Neither the temple prophesied by Smith (D&C 84:1-4) nor the city was ever built. Smith attributed this failure to God's enemies (D&C 124:51). Another name for New Jerusalem was Zion. In the Bible, the new Jerusalem is mentioned In Revelation 3:12 as a city of God reserved for those who have "overcome" earthly trials. Revelation 21:2 describes the New Jerusalem as a holy city prepared for the bride of Christ. This city will come into play only after the former heaven and earth are passed away.<br />O<br /><br />Outer darkness. The dwelling place of the devil and his followers, including humans who once embraced Mormonism but later denied it.<br />P<br /><br />Paradise. A part of the spirit world where deceased Mormons go to await the resurrection. As they wait, these spirits act as missionaries, taking the LDS gospel message to the deceased who are in spirit prison.<br /><br />Patriarchal Blessing. A pronouncement given to worthy individual LDS Church members, typically once in a lifetime, declaring their lineage. The blessing usually also includes prophetic statements regarding the recipient's future along with cautions, admonitions, and promises conditioned upon a lifetime of obedience.<br /><br />Pearl of Great Price. One of Mormonism's standard works. This volume contains the Book of Abraham, the Book of Moses, and writings by Joseph Smith. These writings include an extract from his Inspired Version of the Bible, a brief history of his life, and the Articles of Faith.<br /><br />Polygamy. A doctrine practiced in the LDS Church from the 1830s until 1890 in which men were encouraged to have multiple wives in order to receive greater blessings in eternity. Polygamy is no longer a practice of Mormonism, but the revelation which teaches it is still found in Doctrine and Covenants, section 132. Joseph Smith had approximately 40 wives; Brigham Young married at least 55.<br /><br />Patriarchal blessing. A blessing or conditional prophetic utterance given to a Mormon either by a natural patriarch such as a father or grandfather, or an ordained patriarch appointed by the LDS Church to give such blessings (Doctrines of Salvation 3:169-172). "We can learn more about our talents and calling when we receive our patriarchal blessings" (Harold B. Lee, Gospel Principles, p. 10).<br /><br />Pearl of Great Price. One of Mormonism's standard works. This volume contains the Book of Abraham, the Book of Moses, and writings by Joseph Smith. These writings include an extract from his Inspired Version of the Bible, a brief history of his life, and the Articles of Faith.<br /><br />Polygamy. Otherwise referred to as plural marriage. It was also known as celestial marriage in the early Mormon Church. Joseph Smith claimed God gave him this doctrine in 1843. Early Mormon leaders taught polygamy was essential if a man hoped to become a god. Brigham Young taught in 1866, "The only men who become gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy" (Journal of Discourses 11:269). Today the practice of polygamy is denounced by the LDS Church.<br /><br />Pre-existence. Also referred to as the First Estate or Pre-Mortal State. Mormonism teaches all humans lived near a planet called Kolob as God's spirit children before coming to earth and taking on human form. Since God's children could only progress so far in the pre-existence, it was necessary that they go through a probationary state here on earth in order to prove their worthiness to return to God's presence and continue their eternal progression (Gospel Principles, p. 11).<br /><br />President. The highest office in the Mormon Church. It is the president's duty to preside over the whole church. Also known as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, he is chosen from among the Council of the Twelve Apostles. Revelations concerning the LDS Church must come through the Presidency.<br />Q<br /><br />Quad. All four of the Mormon standard works -- the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price -- bound together in one volume.<br /><br />Quetzalcoatl. An ancient Central American Aztec god believed by many Mormons to be Jesus Christ who visited the Americas after His resurrection. The name means plumed serpent and is derived from a colorful bird (quetzal) and a snake (coatl). “Quetzalcoatl, under a variety of names as presented in the traditions of the Indians of North, Central, and South America, is none other than Jesus Christ, the resurrected Lord, as was maintained by President John Taylor” (Seventy Milton R. Hunter, Christ in Ancient America, p.54) Many modern Mormon scholars have abandoned the theory connecting Quetzalcoatl with Christ.<br />R<br /><br />Recommend. A certificate which identifies LDS Church members who have been deemed worthy by their Bishop and Stake President. This certificate allows the bearer entrance into dedicated LDS temples for participation in temple ordinances.<br /><br />Reformed Egyptian. Mormon 9:32 describes the characters written upon the gold plates (containing the Book of Mormon) to be in a language called Reformed Egyptian. It should be noted that there is no evidence to show this language ever existed.<br /><br />Restoration. The act by which God returned true Christianity to the earth. Mormonism teaches Christianity ceased to exist soon after the original twelve apostles died and that God restored the true church through Joseph Smith in 1830.<br /><br />RM. Short for Returned Missionary.<br />S<br /><br />Sacrament meeting. A solemn church service held weekly, that allows Mormons to renew their covenants by partaking of the sacrament (bread and water).<br /><br />Salvation. Salvation is broken down into two categories. Individual or personal salvation (more correctly termed "exaltation"), and general salvation. The road to individual salvation begins with a belief that Joseph Smith was a true prophet sent by God. Tenth President Joseph Fielding Smith stated that there is "No Salvation Without Accepting Joseph Smith" (Doctrines of Salvation 1:189). Exaltation requirements include living a life of good works and temple participation. Keeping the whole law is absolutely essential. "Those who gain exaltation in the celestial kingdom are those who are members of the Church of the Firstborn; in other words, those who keep ALL of the commandments of the Lord" (Doctrines of Salvation 2:41, emphasis his). General salvation, otherwise called salvation by grace, was obtained through the death of Christ and is nothing more than universal resurrection, which occurs to all people regardless of their beliefs or lifestyle.<br /><br />In the Bible, salvation is only obtained by trusting Christ. A person must recognize himself as a sinner and trust in Christ alone to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Salvation and exaltation are synonymous terms. Those who receive Christ as Savior will be resurrected unto eternal life while those who refuse will be resurrected to damnation (John 5:29) and be eternally separated from God. Trusting in the fact that Christ paid the complete penalty for man's sins warrants salvation. Jesus said, "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47).<br /><br />Second anointing. A rare temple ordinance whereby a person has his or her "calling and election made sure." Only Mormons who have received the second anointing can know for sure in this life if they will obtain godhood upon death. Not much is known about the second anointing because of the secret nature of this ceremony.<br /><br />Second estate. Mortality. Physical bodies were given to those who were faithful in the pre-existence, or first estate. Those who were unfaithful (the devil and his angels) were denied physical bodies and must forever remain as spirits.<br /><br />Seed of Cain. Members of the black race (Moses 7:2). Until 1978, LDS leaders taught that "one drop of negro blood" banned a Mormon male from holding the Mormon priesthood. The dark skin was the mark given to those pre-mortal spirits who were "less valiant in pre-existence" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 527, 1966 edition) when Lucifer rebelled against God. These spirits came to earth through the lineage of Cain, the eldest son of Adam and Eve. Tenth LDS President Joseph Fielding Smith claimed, "Cain became the father of an inferior race" (Way to Perfection, p. 101).<br /><br />Seer stone. Described as a chocolate-colored, egg-shaped rock Joseph Smith found while digging a well near Palmyra, New York (Comprehensive History of the Church 1:129). A number of witnesses claimed Smith used the stone when translating the Book of Mormon.<br /><br />Seminary. A high-school level course that teaches the basics of the Mormon faith to young people. Evangelical Christians normally use this term to describe a school or college offering training for those entering the ministry.<br /><br />Sin. Acts of transgression against divine law. It is taught that man is by nature a lover of truth and righteousness. Brigham Young stated, "It is, however, universally received by professors of religion as a Scriptural doctrine that man is naturally opposed to God. This is not so" (Journal of Discourses 9:305). Third Mormon President John Taylor said, "In fact, as the President [Young] stated here not long ago, it is not natural for men to be evil" (Journal of Discourses 10:50). According to Mormon teaching, there are times when transgression is not considered a sin, such as in the case of Adam in the Garden of Eden.<br /><br />In the Bible, sin is synonymous with transgression (1 John 3:4). Sin permeates all of mankind; it is an innate part of man's nature. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 9:3, "The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live." Psalm 14:2-3 says, "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek after God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." A man transgresses revealed law because he is by nature a transgressor. Just as a dog acts like a dog, so too, a sinner will act like a sinner. Upon faith in the true Jesus, a person is transformed into a new creature in Christ and is given the power to overcome sin (Romans 6:14).<br /><br />Sons of perdition. Those who rebelled with Lucifer in the pre-existence. The term can also apply to those in this life who had a perfect knowledge of Mormonism but chose to reject it and fight against it. “Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power--They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born; For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity” (D&C 76:31-33).<br /><br />Spirit prison. A part of the spirit world where deceased non-Mormons go until they receive the LDS gospel and repent; they are then released from spirit prison into paradise to await the resurrection.<br /><br />Sunstone Mormon. A slang expression describing a liberal Mormon. Sunstone is a magazine known for its more liberal (and sometimes more objective) view of Mormonism.<br />T<br /><br />Telestial kingdom. The lowest kingdom of glory to which "liars, sorcerers, adulterers and whoremongers" are assigned after death. The residents of this kingdom will be visited by the Holy Ghost, but not by the Father or the Son.<br /><br />Temple recommend. A barcoded certificate that allows a member of the Mormon Church access to a temple. This is given only after an interview with his or her bishop and only if the applicant is deemed worthy. A temple recommend expires after two years. When a renewal is sought, the applicant must repeat the worthiness interview.<br /><br />Terrestrial kingdom. The middle kingdom of glory to which honorable non-Mormons are assigned after death. The residents of this kingdom will be visited by Jesus Christ but will be separated from God the Father throughout eternity.<br /><br />Testimony. An often emotional recitation of certain perceived "truths." For example, a Latter-day Saint might say, "I know Book of Mormon is the Word of God. I know Joseph Smith was and is a true prophet. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's true Church on the earth."<br /><br />Times and Seasons. A monthly Mormon periodical printed during the time when the LDS Church was headquartered in Nauvoo, Illinois. Edited by Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith (Joseph Smith's brother). Its first issue appeared in November 1839.<br /><br />Triple Combination. The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price bound together in one volume.<br /><br />Trinity. Three separate gods: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost make up the Mormon godhead. They are "one God" only in the sense that they are united in the attributes of perfection. "Each occupies space and is and can be in but one place at one time, but each has power and influence that is everywhere present. The oneness of the Gods is the same unity that should exist among the saints" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 319). Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie called the Christian view of the Trinity “the chief and greatest heresy of Christendom” (Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie , p.59).<br /><br />In Christianity, the Trinity is one God, who is eternally existing in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whereas Mormonism states they are three separate Gods, Christians maintain the triune godhead neither confounds the Persons nor divides the substance. In the words of the Athanasian Creed: "For there is one Person of the Father: another of the Son: and another of the Holy Ghost. But the godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal."<br />W<br /><br />Ward. A local LDS congregation, usually meeting in a chapel. Several wards form a stake.<br /><br />Wentworth Letter. A letter written by Joseph Smith at the request of John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat. The 1842 letter briefly gave an account of Joseph Smith's background and his new movement. The letter concluded with a list of Smith's beliefs, which has since come to be known as the Articles of Faith.<br /><br />Word of Wisdom. A Mormon health law found in Doctrine & Covenants, Section 89, which tells Mormons to abstain from hot drinks (interpreted as coffee and tea), tobacco, excessive amounts of meat, and alcoholic beverages. Obedience to this health law is one of the requirements to receive a temple recommend. Those who keep these sayings are promised that "the destroying angel shall pass by them" (89:18, 21).<br />Z<br /><br />Zion. A name that has had a number of different meanings throughout Mormon history. Zion is a name given by the Lord to his saints. "And the Lord called his people Zion" (Moses 7:18). Zion was the name given to Jackson County, Missouri, in a number of Joseph Smith's revelations (D&C 58:49; 62:4). In 1831, Joseph Smith said Jackson County would come to be known as the New Jerusalem (D&C 45:66-67). In 1844, Smith said that the Land of Zion comprised all of North and South America (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 362). In the Bible, Zion was the highest and southwesternmost hill in Jerusalem. Zion is also used in the Bible to describe the heavenly New Jerusalem (Revelation 14:1).<br /><br /><font color=black><br />contact@mrm.org<br />Unless otherwise noted, you are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute our text, audio, and video in any format provided that you do not alter the content in any way and you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. Translations faithful to the original meaning in other languages are also permitted and encouraged. For web posting, a link to our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Mormonism Research Ministry.<br /></font><br /><br />I posted this to give people added info to help them better understand mormonism.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-83347421807312676762008-03-11T15:21:00.000-07:002008-03-11T15:26:32.870-07:00A - Z: Introduction to Terms and Issues Related to MormonismA<br /><br />Aaronic priesthood. Known as the lesser of two priesthoods held by Mormon males (Priesthood and Church Government, p. 106). It is taught that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were visited by John the Baptist on the bank of the Susquehanna River on May 15, 1829; he laid hands on them and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood. The Mormon Aaronic Priesthood holds the "keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins" (Doctrine and Covenants 13:1). According to the Bible, the Aaronic priesthood is reserved only for those who were direct descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Numbers 3:6-12 makes it clear that only those in the line of Aaron were to hold the Levitical Priesthood.<br /><br />Adam. Known in the pre-existence as Michael. Adam "sat in the council of the gods in the planning of the creation of this earth" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 16). According to Joseph Smith, Adam participated in the creation of the earth and occupied a position of authority next to Jesus Christ (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 158). Smith also taught Adam was the Ancient of Days, the father of all (D&C 27:11; 138:38). Second Mormon President Brigham Young taught that Adam was not created from the dust of this earth but rather from the dust of an earth (Journal of Discourses 3:319). He referred to the biblical account of the creation of Adam as found in Genesis 2:7 as one of many "baby stories" (Journal of Discourses 2:6). In the Bible, Adam is first human created by God and formed "of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7). It was through Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden that sin entered into the world (Romans 5:12). The consequence of that sin was death. "For the wages of sin is death ..." (Romans 6:23).<br /><br />Adam-God. First taught openly in a conference message by second President Brigham Young on April 9, 1852, Young claimed that Adam was Michael the Archangel, the Ancient of Days, and that Eve was "one of his wives." Young also said Adam "is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do" (Journal of Discourses 1:50). This teaching has been the source of much controversy and has since been denounced. In 1976, President Spencer Kimball referred to the Adam-God "theory" as false doctrine (Church News, October 9, 1976). Young claimed this to be a doctrine when he said, "How much unbelief exists in the minds of the Latter-day Saints in regard to one particular doctrine which I revealed to them and which God revealed to me--namely that Adam is our father and God" (Deseret News, June 18, 1873, emphasis ours). Heber C. Kimball, first councilor to Brigham Young, concurred with Young's assessment when he said, "The first man sent his own son to redeem the world" (Journal of Discourses 4:1).<br /><br />Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Supposedly taken from the "pure Adamic language" meaning "the place or land of God where Adam dwelt." Mormonism teaches Adam-Ondi-Ahman was located in Daviess County, Missouri (Mormon Doctrine, p. 20), showing that Adam lived on the North American continent.<br /><br />Age of accountability. The age of a child when he has "sufficient mental, spiritual, and physical maturity to be held accountable before God for his acts" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 852). Normally this is the age of eight (D&C 68:27).<br /><br />Agency. The ability to choose right from wrong, which goes back to man's pre-existence. "Agency makes our life on earth a period of testing to see whether we are worthy to become like our Heavenly Father.... Without the gift of agency, we would have been unable to show our Heavenly Father whether we would do all that he commanded us" (Gospel Principles, p. 19).<br /><br />Ancient of Days. Adam. Joseph Smith stated, "Daniel in his seventh chapter speaks of the Ancient of Days; he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 157).<br /><br />Anti-Mormon. Mormon J. Nelson-Seawright writes that "the terminological sleight of hand involved in the label ‘anti-Mormon’ allows [Mormons] to ignore the differences between honest and honorable men and women who oppose us, on the one hand, and unprincipled villains, on the other." Mormon Joni Hilton advises fellow members: "First of all, anti-Mormon literature, Internet sites, conversations, ideas, etc. are like spiritual pornography. Once they are in the mind, they are very difficult to get rid of. As you try to reach out to your husband, I would advise you to avoid any material, even if you think it might help you understand him better. You don’t want those seeds of doubt planted in your own mind, because no one is immune to them."<br /><br />Apostasy, Complete. True Christianity is said to have ceased after the death of Christ's apostles. This made it necessary for God to restore the true church through Joseph Smith in 1830. Without this belief, there is no reason for the Mormon Church to exist. The History of the Church declares, "Nothing less than a complete apostasy from the Christian religion would warrant the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (1:XL).<br /><br />Apostate. Ex-members of the Mormon Church who believe doctrines contrary to the current teachings of the LDS Church or those whose lifestyle does not reflect that of a Latter-day Saint (Finding fault with the LDS leadership, drinking alcohol, smoking, etc.). According to D&C 41:1 apostates will receive the heaviest of God's cursings. Can also include those who align themselves with Apostate Christianity.<br /><br />Apostle. A member of the Council of the Twelve, the second level in the Mormon hierarchy. The twelve apostles are also known as the Traveling Presiding High Council and officiate under the direction of the First Presidency in all parts of the world. In Christianity, apostle usually refers to one of a number of specific disciples of Christ, named in the New Testament, who were called and commissioned by Him with special authority to be the foundation of the Christian church (Ephesians 2:20). The inspired teachings of the Apostles are recognized as authoritative in the Church and are the Christian rule of faith and life.<br /><br />Articles of Faith. A list of thirteen fundamental and characteristic doctrines of the Mormon Church. Originally known as the Wentworth Letter, it was intended to briefly outline the basic tenets of the Mormon faith. The Articles of Faith is also a book written by Mormon Apostle James Talmage.<br />B<br /><br />Baptism for the dead. Also known as baptism by proxy or vicarious baptism, performed in Mormon temples. It is believed that the deceased for whom the ritual is performed will have an opportunity to receive the Mormon gospel in the spirit world though acceptance of such an act is not guaranteed.<br /><br />Although Paul mentions a practice known as baptism for the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:29, little is really known on the subject other than he appears to exclude himself from such a practice by using the word they. The Mormon interpretation is rejected as are all ideas of a post-mortem salvation. Hebrews 9:27 clearly shows "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." This makes an after-death restitution with God an impossibility. Ironically, this same idea is taught in the Book of Mormon in Alma 34:34, 35.<br /><br />Bible. One of the four standard works considered to be scripture. Of these, only the Bible is considered to be mistranslated and cannot be fully trusted. Article Eight of the Articles of Faith reads, "We believe the Bible as far as it is translated correctly." The King James Version is the official LDS Bible text.<br /><br />Bishop. Non-paid leader of a Mormon ward. His duties are similar to a Christian pastor.<br /><br />Bishopric. "Any office or position of major responsibility in the (LDS) Church, any office of overseership under the supervision of which important church business is administered." A ward bishopric consists of an individual ward's bishop and his two counselors, all of whom belong to the Melchizedek priesthood (Mormon Doctrine, p. 89).<br /><br />Blood Atonement. A doctrine that stems from the belief that the blood of Christ does not cleanse all sins; therefore, one who sins a sin beyond the cleansing power of Christ must atone for his own sins by having his blood shed. While current Mormon leaders may deny the blunt description of this practice as taught by their predecessors, tenth LDS President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, "man may commit certain grievous sins--according to his light and knowledge--that will place him beyond the reach of the atoning blood of Christ. If then he would be saved, he must make sacrifice of his own life to atone--so far as in his power lies--for that sin, for the blood of Christ alone under certain circumstances will not avail.... Joseph Smith taught that there were certain sins so grievous that men may commit, that they will place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ. If these offenses are committed, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent" (Doctrines of Salvation 1:134, 135).<br /><br />In Christianity, blood atonement is Christ's death on the cross as the Great Sacrifice that provides cleansing for all mankind who place their trust in Him. The Bible maintains that the blood of Christ is powerful enough to cleanse from all sin. 1 John 1:9 reads, "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."<br /><br />Book of Abraham. Included in the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph Smith claimed to translate the Book of Abraham from papyrus found on Egyptian mummies he purchased from Michael Chandler in 1835. Smith said the "rolls contained the writings of Abraham" (History of the Church 2:236). Later examination from qualified Egyptologists showed Smith was totally incorrect concerning his alleged translation. Despite this refutation, many Mormons insist the Book of Abraham is authentic and Joseph Smith a true prophet.<br /><br />Book of Commandments. A collection of Joseph Smith's early revelations, printed in 1833. These were edited, added to other revelations, and renamed the Doctrine and Covenants in 1835.<br /><br />Book of Mormon. One of Mormonism's standard works. It contains the story of a group of Jews led by a man named Lehi who left Israel and sailed to the American continent around 600 B.C. with, among others, his sons Nephi and Laman. The book records the wars and ultimate demise of their followers known as Nephites and Lamanites. The narrative also includes the story of a group of people known as the Jaredites whom God spared from having their language confused at the Tower of Babel. Joseph Smith claimed the Book of Mormon was "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 194).<br />Book of Moses. Found in the Pearl of Great Price, one of Mormonism's standard works. Mormon scholars claim the Book of Moses was given to Joseph Smith by direct revelation in June of 1830. Its purpose was to restore many "lost truths" that are not included in the Pentateuch. Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie claimed the Book of Moses "is one of the most important documents the Lord has ever revealed" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 564).<br /><br />Branch. Mormon congregations that are not large enough or stable enough to form wards. These are divided into two categories: independent branches, which comprise larger and more powerful branches; and dependent branches, usually smaller in size and "less endowed" with local leadership. Several branches comprise a district.<br /><br />Brethren. Mormons in general. It is also used to denote the Mormon leadership. "When we speak of following the Brethren, we mean particularly the First Presidency and the Twelve." (Apostle Neal A. Maxwell, All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, p. 102).<br /><br />BYU. Brigham Young University. A college and graduate school located in Provo, Utah, owned by the Mormon Church. Extension campuses are located in Hawaii, Idaho, and Israel.<br />C<br /><br />Celestial kingdom. The highest kingdom of glory in the LDS concept of heaven, available only to Mormons who exhibited complete obedience to LDS laws and ordinances during their entire lifetimes. This is the only kingdom of glory where one may enjoy the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Within the Celestial kingdom there are three levels, the highest reserved for those who were married in the temple and subsequently obtain Godhood.<br /><br />Celestial marriage. Marriages performed in Mormon temples, which are not only binding in this life but also in the next. Celestial marriage and plural marriage (polygamy) meant the same thing in Mormonism's earlier years.<br /><br />Child of God. In LDS thought all humans are the literal children of God, born in the pre-existence as offspring of Heavenly Father and one of his heavenly wives. In the Bible, the children of God are those adopted by faith. They are sinners who have trusted in Christ for their salvation. Galatians 3:26 says, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." John 1:12-13 says, "To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."<br /><br />Church News. A weekly, tabloid-sized periodical reporting LDS Church news and events.<br /><br />Church of the Firstborn. The highest of three levels in the celestial kingdom. Only Mormons who keep all the commandments of God will enter this heaven and become Gods (or exalted) in eternity (The Way to Perfection, p. 206). "Eternal life is life in the presence of the Father and the Son. Those who receive it become members of the "Church of the Firstborn" and are heirs as sons and daughters of God. They receive the fulness of blessings. They become like the Father and the Son and are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ" (Doctrines of Salvation 2:9).<br />Community of Christ. Previously known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, on January 1, 2001 the church officially changed its name to the Community of Christ (COC). It is the second largest splinter group of the Latter-day Saint movement. Headquartered in Independence, Missouri, this group historically has been led by direct descendants of Joseph Smith, whereas the Utah Mormons take their leaders from the Quorum of the Twelve, or twelve Apostles. A comparison between COC and LDS teachings show the COC to be less controversial than their LDS counterparts.<br /><br />Comprehensive History of the Church. A six-volume history of the Mormon Church compiled by Mormon Seventy/historian Brigham H. Roberts.<br /><br />Council in heaven. A council of the gods held in the pre-existence to arrange for the creation and peopling of the earth. This council was called by Elohim, the "head of the Gods" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 349). Also present were Jehovah, Michael, and Lucifer. This council also determined how mankind would be saved.<br /><br />Creation. Joseph Smith taught that matter is eternal and God had no power to create out of nothing. God reorganized already present elements, which have no beginning or end and cannot be destroyed (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 350-352). “Since Mormons believe that the elements are eternal, it follows hat they deny the ex nihilo creation” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism 1:400).<br /><br />In Christianity, since there are no actualities that are coeternal with God, it is understood that God created all things "ex-nihilo," or out of nothing. God made the world without any use of pre-existent materials. God is the primary cause of all things (Psalm 33:6; John 1:3; Romans 4:17; Hebrews 11:3).<br /><br />Cumorah. Traditionally the hill in upstate New York located south of the town of Palmyra. Moroni buried the golden plates in this hill and appeared to Joseph Smith fourteen centuries later to reveal their whereabouts. Mormon scholars today are divided on the actual location of the Hill Cumorah. Many believe the hill was located in Central America.<br />D<br /><br />Danites. A title attributed to Sampson Avard, a Mormon, who described the Danites as a band of armed men formed into companies of tens and fifties who were bound by secret oaths never to discuss their activities which they carried out against those unfriendly to the Mormon cause. Mormon historians and leaders have since tried to distance themselves from this objectionable organization, which was also known as the Destroying Angels. In October 1838, Joseph Smith claimed that this illegal group had nothing to do with a Church-ordained Council of Fifty, which was set up as a defense mechanism against mob attack (Documentary History of the Church 3:178-182). Joseph Smith later denied that the Danites ever existed (Documentary History of the Church 6:165).<br /><br />Deacon. Chosen from among 12- to 14-year-old boys. His job is to "watch over the Church and to be a standing minister to the Church" (Priesthood and Church Government, pp. 164-165). In the Bible, deacons are men chosen as subordinate officers in the church. Their qualifications include not being greedy, being sound in the faith, and able to rule their children and houses well. They are also to be the husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:8-12).<br /><br />Deseret. According to Ether 2:3 in the Book of Mormon, Deseret means honey bee. It was also the name given to the territory settled by the Mormon pioneers in the late 1840s. The name was changed to "Utah" when the Deseret Territory became a state in 1896.<br /><br />Doctrine and Covenants. One of Mormonism's standard works. Also known as the D&C. Printed in 1835, the D&C is primarily a collection of supposed revelations given to Joseph Smith by God. Parts of the D&C were printed in 1833 under the title Book of Commandments.<br /><br />Doctrines of Salvation. A three-volume set of doctrinal writings authored by tenth LDS President Joseph Fielding Smith. Compiled in 1954, the jacket of this set reads, "His [Smith] teachings are the Doctrines of Salvation as they have been made known by revelation. He is universally esteemed as the chief doctrinal authority of the Church."<br /><br />Documentary History of the Church. Also known as the History of the Church or DHC. A seven-volume set expounding on the history of the Mormon Church.<br />E<br /><br />Elder. The lowest ordained office of the Mormon Melchizedek Priesthood (Priesthood and Church Government, p. 111). By this office Mormons feel they have the authority to teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and watch over the church, etc. Also known as a standing home minister.<br /><br />Elder Brother. Jesus Christ. Mormonism teaches that Jesus was the firstborn to Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. Since all humans are God's literal offspring, He is by birth our Elder Brother.<br /><br />Elohim. God the Father. The literal father of Jesus Christ. "Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh ..." (The Articles of Faith, pp. 466-467). Elohim was once a mortal man who progressed to the level of God. In the words of Mormon Apostle James Talmage, Elohim is a "Being who has attained His exalted state" (Ibid., p. 430).<br /><br />Endowment. "Certain special, spiritual blessings given worthy and faithful saints in the temples are called endowments, because in and through them the recipients are endowed with power from on high" (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 226-227). In order to enter the celestial kingdom and become a God, it is necessary for a Mormon to participate in the endowment ceremony. These ordinances are administered for both the living and the dead. Those who participate must swear to never reveal what they have learned in the ceremony. The endowment ceremony includes a film depicting the Mormon view of the creation and fall of man, the great apostasy of Christianity, the restoration of the gospel "with all its ancient powers and privileges," as well as the absolute conditions of personal purity and strict compliance with Mormonism's requirements.<br /><br />Ensign. A monthly magazine published by the LDS Church covering Mormon news, events, and doctrinal and policy issues.<br /><br />Eternal increase. The ability to procreate throughout eternity. This is reserved for Mormon couples who have complied with all the requirements for exaltation. "Those who are married by the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 301).<br /><br />Eternal life. Being exalted to the level of God. "Only those who obey the fulness of the gospel law will inherit eternal life ... Thus those who gain eternal life receive exaltation; they are sons of God, joint heirs with Christ, members of the Church of the Firstborn; they overcome all things, have all power, and receive the fulness of the Father. They are gods" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 237).<br /><br />Eternal life is described in the New Testament as living eternally with God in heaven. Also referred to as everlasting life. Eternal life is obtained when one places his faith in the Jesus Christ of the Bible. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). John the Baptist concurred when he said, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). First John 5:11, 12 adds, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."<br /><br />Eternal progression. The progressive life-cycle of humans: beginning as unorganized eternal intelligences; being organized (created) by God into spirit-beings; becoming mortal; and ultimately attaining Godhood where the life-cycle repeats with the new God(s) organizing eternal intelligences into spirit-beings who become mortal and eventually become Gods, etc., throughout all eternity. Eternal progression had no beginning and has no end; all Gods that ever were or ever will be must achieve their exalted state in this way.<br /><br />Exaltation. The attainment of Godhood. It is the continuation of the family unit throughout eternity in the Celestial kingdom. Those who are exalted will create worlds and populations, receive the worship of those people, and rule as Gods and Goddesses over their creations.<br /><br />Excommunication. A process by which an LDS Church membership is terminated. " ... Unless the excommunicated person repents and gains his church status again, he cannot be saved in the celestial kingdom.... Apostasy, rebellion, cruelty to wives and children, immorality, and all crimes involving moral turpitude, are among those which warrant excommunication" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 258).<br />F<br /><br />Fall of Adam. According to the Book of Mormon, "Adam fell that men might be" (2 Nephi 2:25). "The fall of Adam and Eve was no tragedy. It was a blessing in disguise, for without it none of us would have been born, since Adam and Eve, in their original state, were not able to have children, as the Book of Mormon explains" (Apostle Mark E. Petersen, Adam: Who Is He? p. 4). Adam's fall is considered to be a transgression, not sin. "The 'fall' of Adam and Eve was not a sin but an essential act upon which mortality depends" (Tenth President Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions 5:15). In Christianity, the fall of Adam was the result of sin against God's command to not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Adam's disobedience caused death to enter the world. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12).<br /><br />Fast offering. An offering designated to be given to the poor, contributed during a fast and testimony meeting. "These contributions come from members of the Church, who abstain from two meals per month and pay the equivalent amount of these meals in cash to the bishop. The bishop uses these funds to provide for the cash needs of welfare recipients and to pay rent, utilities, hospital and medical bills" (Elder Henry D. Taylor, May 16, 1962, BYU Speeches of the Year, 1962, p. 7).<br /><br />First Presidency. Consists of the Prophet/President and his two counselors. "Of the Melchizedek Priesthood, three Presiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church" (Doctrine and Covenants 107:22).<br /><br />First Vision. Occurred in 1820 (officially) when Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was 14 years old. Confused about religion, Smith retired to the woods to pray and ask God which church to join. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him: "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt" (Joseph Smith – History 1:19). It was this vision that ultimately led Joseph Smith to organize what is today known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The historic reality of the First Vision is extremely important to Latter-day Saints. Gordon B. Hinckley, fifteenth President of the Church, said, "Upon that unique and wonderful experience stands the validity of this Church. ... The truth of that unique, singular, and remarkable event is the pivotal substance of our faith" (Ensign, November 2002, p. 80). Though the official version of the First Vision is contained in the Pearl of Great Price, there are at least nine different versions of this vision, each of which differs in the more significant parts of the story.<br />G<br /><br />Garments of the holy priesthood. Sacred underwear worn by faithful temple Mormons which, they are told in the temple, "will be a shield and protection to you against the power of the destroyer until you have finished your work here on earth." Sewn into the garments are markings that resemble the compass, square, and level of Freemasonry. Mormons are told these garments are symbolic of the covering God gave Adam and Eve after their fall.<br /><br />General authorities. Men "called to serve in the highest levels of leadership" in the LDS Church (Encyclopedia of Mormonism 2:538). These offices include the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, quorums of the Seventy, and Presiding Bishopric.<br /><br />General Conference. An assembly of LDS membership held in Salt Lake City, Utah each April and October. These meetings are for official instruction, announcements and teaching given by General Authorities and other LDS leaders.<br /><br />Gentile. Basically non-Mormons, but also understood to include non-Jews. “Like Israel of old, the Saints also referred to themselves as a ‘covenant people,’ and often concluded correspondence with phrases such as ‘yours in the everlasting covenant.’ In thinking of themselves as Israel, they began to refer to non-Mormons as ‘gentiles,’ not in derision but as a symbol of their own special status” (The Story of the Latter-day Saints, 2nd ed., p.149). In Christianity, gentile simply refers to non-Jews.<br /><br />Golden contact. A person who knows little or nothing about Mormonism but is eager to learn and may possibly join the LDS Church.<br />Golden Plates. An historical record of American peoples written on plates of gold. In A.D. 421, Moroni, a Nephite warrior and son of Mormon, buried the plates in the Hill Cumorah. In 1823, as a resurrected being, Moroni revealed the whereabouts of the plates to Joseph Smith who was permitted to retrieve them in 1827. The Book of Mormon was supposedly translated from these plates. They were returned to Moroni and taken to heaven following the translation.<br />H<br /><br />Heavenly Father. Also referred to as God the Father or Elohim, a created being who was originally a mortal man and became God at a certain point in time (The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 104). God is the offspring of another god who was also once a man, ad infinitum (The Seer, p. 132). Heavenly Father is but one of many gods.<br /><br />In Christianity, God the Father was God from all eternity to all eternity (Psalm 90:2; John 8:41). He is self-existent and independent of any external cause. He always was God and always will be God. He alone is God and knows no others. Isaiah 44:8 says, "Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any."<br /><br />Heavenly Mother. The wife of "Heavenly Father." Early Mormon leaders openly taught that Heavenly Father was a practicing polygamist making Heavenly Mother merely one wife among many (The Seer, p. 172). Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie claimed the teaching of a Heavenly Mother is an "unspoken Truth" not mentioned in the standard works (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516).<br /><br />Hell. Also called Spirit Prison. "That part of the spirit world inhabited by wicked spirits who are awaiting the eventual day of their resurrection...Hell will have an end...After their resurrection, the great majority of those who have suffered in hell will pass into the telestial kingdom; the balance, cursed as the sons of perdition, will be consigned to partake of endless wo (sic) with the devil and his angels" (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 349-350).<br /><br />In the Bible hell is a place of eternal punishment. Jesus used the perpetual fire of Jerusalem’s garbage dump in the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) as a vivid illustration of what he called “hell fire” (Matthew 10:28; 18:9; 23:33; Mark 9:23).<br /><br />High priest. An office within the Melchizedek Priesthood that operates under the direction of the presidency. In the Mormon Church there are many individual men who hold this office of authority.<br /><br />In the Bible, only one man at a time held this office of high priest under the Old Covenant. Numbers 3:6-10 states only those of the lineage of Aaron could officiate in this capacity. Hebrews 4:14 states that Jesus Christ is now the great high priest and that this office does not transfer to another.<br /><br />Holy Ghost. Third member of the godhead sometimes described as the Holy Spirit and sometimes described as distinct from the Holy Spirit. Mormon Apostle John Widtsoe stated, "The Holy Ghost, sometimes called the Comforter, is the third member of the Godhead, and is a personage, distinct from the Holy Spirit. As a personage, the Holy Ghost cannot any more than the Father and Son be everywhere present in person" (Evidences and Reconciliations, pp. 76-77). The LDS Bible Dictionary claims the Holy Ghost is another name for the Holy Spirit (p. 704). Heber C. Kimball, first counselor to Brigham Young, taught, "The Holy Ghost is a man; he is one of the sons of our Father and our God; and he is that man that stood next to Jesus Christ, just as I stand by brother Brigham" (Journal of Discourses 5:179).<br /><br />Holy Spirit. "The agent, means, or influence by which the will, power, and intelligence of God, and the Godhead ... may be transmitted through space" (John Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 76). Mormon Apostle Parley P. Pratt taught the Holy Spirit was a "divine substance or fluid," which filled Jesus Christ (Key to the Science of Theology, 1855 edition, p. 29). In Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is synonymous with Holy Ghost. The word "Spirit" comes from the Greek word pneuma, translated both spirit and ghost in the King James Version of the Bible.<br /><br />Home teachers. Members of the LDS Church who are given the responsibility of visiting the homes of assigned members once a month. Their job is to encourage members to grow spiritually through prayer, study, and performance of their church duties (D&C 20:42-54).<br />I<br /><br />Immortality. Living forever in the resurrected state. "Now there is a difference between immortality and eternal life. Immortality is the gift to live forever. It comes to every creature" (Doctrines of Salvation 2:9). Mormonism teaches that everything will become immortalized, including the earth (D&C 77:1; 88:16-26).<br /><br />Inspired Version. Otherwise known as the Joseph Smith Translation (JST). According to Doctrine and Covenants 73, Smith was commanded by God to work on a new translation of the Bible. It is said this was accomplished by way of revelation. While Mormon leaders have argued that the translation was not finished, the History of the Church reports that Smith finished his translation of the Bible in 1833. In a personal letter dated July 2, 1833, Smith wrote, "We this day finished the translating of the Scriptures, for which we returned gratitude to our Heavenly Father" (DHC 1:368). The Inspired Version is really not a translation at all because Smith did not use ancient manuscripts in his rendition. He merely changed the King James Version of the Bible wherever he saw fit and even inserted a prophecy concerning his own birth in Genesis 50:33 (JST).<br /><br />Institute of Religion. An LDS school offering college-level classes on various subjects of Mormonism, often found on or near major university campuses.<br /><br />Intelligences. Mentioned in the standard works only in Abraham 3:21-22, this word can refer to either the pre-existent spirit offspring of God or individual eternal entities that existed before the pre-existence. At one time every person existed as an intelligence. Joseph Smith stated, "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (D&C 93:29). Twelfth LDS President Spencer W. Kimball said, "Our spirit matter was eternal and co-existent with God, but it was organized into spirit bodies by our Heavenly Father" (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 5). Former BYU professor W. Cleon Skousen added that if God "should ever to do anything to violate the confidence or `sense of justice' of these intelligences, they would promptly withdraw their support.... He would cease to be God. Our Heavenly Father can do only those things that the intelligences under Him are voluntarily willing to support Him in accomplishing" (The First 2000 Years, pp. 355-356).<br /><br />Investigator. A person taking the Mormon missionary lessons, said to be investigating the LDS Church.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-24302852686586731622008-02-18T08:29:00.000-08:002008-02-18T08:34:02.983-08:00Beliefes about Joseph Smith.<font color=black><br />Well, now, examine the character of the Savior, and examine the character of those who have written the Old and New Testaments; and then compare them with the character of Joseph Smith, the founder of this work... and you will find that his character stands as fair as that of any man's mentioned in the Bible. We can find no person who presents a better character to the world when the facts are known than Joseph Smith, Jun., the prophet and his brother Hyrum Smith, who was murdered with him. (Journal of Discourses, vol. 14 p. 203)<br /><br />No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith.... Every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance... I cannot go there without his consent.… He reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. (vol. 7, p. 289)</font><br /><br />The History of the Church contains some statements which seem to show that Joseph Smith felt he was almost equal with God:<br /><font color=black><br />God made Aaron to be the mouth piece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don't like it, you must lump it. (vol. 6, pp.319-320)<br /><br />If they want a beardless boy to whip all the world, I will get on the top of the mountain and crow like a rooster. I shall always beat them.... I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet. (vol. 6, pp. 408-9)</font><br /><br />These things were said About Joseph Smith, all I can say is, Wow, they sound like Joseph Smith is a god. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-54898967700042971942007-12-31T07:09:00.000-08:002007-12-31T07:21:51.761-08:0021 Questions part 2<font color=black><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe its followers can become "gods and goddesses" after death?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />they lie again, but also not every LDS is up on the doctrine, so not every one is fully aware of their own teachings.<br />The Doctrine & Covenants states:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.<br /><br />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)<br /><br /> <br />Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.69 - p.70:<br /><br />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."<br /><br />Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.97 - p.98:<br /><br />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?"<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.9:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.39:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.44:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.48:<br /><br />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.<br /><br /> <br />Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.2:<br /><br />GODHOOD<br /><br />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).<br /><br /> <br />Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.85 - p.86, Orson Hyde, October 6, 1854:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Journal of Discourses, Vol.22, p.125, George Q. Cannon, October 31, 1880:<br /><br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that women can only gain access to heaven with a special pass or codewords?<br /><br />A: No.<br /><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that women must serve men on both Earth and in heaven?<br /><br />A: Absolutely not. Mormons believe that women and men are complete equals before God and in relation to the blessings available in the Church.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply,<br />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.</font><br /><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Is there such a thing as Mormon "underwear"? if so, are all Mormons required to wear it? What does it symbolize?<br /><br />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.<br />Garments are considered sacred by Church members and are not regarded as a topic for casual conversation.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />Just like the LDS said "Garments are considered sacred by Church members and are not regarded as a topic for casual conversation."<br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe in the existence of another physical planet or planets, where Mormons will "rule" after their death and ascension? <br /><br />A: No.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: What specifically does the Mormon Church say about African-Americans and Native Americans?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />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.<br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth president of the Mormon Church taught that blacks would never hold the priesthood as long as "time endures":<br /><br />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).<br /><br /><br />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:<br /><br />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....<br /><br />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).<br /><br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham....<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />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).</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: What are or were the "Golden Plates"?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Are consumption of alcohol and tobacco prohibited or simply discouraged?<br /><br />A: It is against the teachings of the Church to use alcohol and tobacco or to drink tea and coffee.<br /><br />Q: Does the Church also ban the consumption of "hot drinks"? And does that apply specifically to caffeinated drinks?<br /><br />A: It is against the teachings of the Church to use alcohol and tobacco or to drink tea and coffee.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />This is taken from a teaching called, The Word Of Wisdom, (WoW).<br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />THE<br />DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS<br />OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS<br />SECTION 89<br />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.<br />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.<br /> 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—<br /> 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—<br /> 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.<br /> 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—<br /> 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.<br /> 6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.<br /> 7 And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.<br /> 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.<br /> 9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.<br /> 10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—<br /> 11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.<br /> 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;<br /> 13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.<br /> 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;<br /> 15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.<br /> 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—<br /> 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.<br /> 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;<br /> 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;<br /> 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.<br /> 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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Why do Mormons go from door to door?<br /><br />A: Christ admonished his disciples to take the gospel to the world. The Church follows that admonition and sends missionaries throughout the world.<br />Ricks reply.<br />Every Mormon Missionary I have ever spoken with states this is the case.<br /><br />Q: What do the Mormons believe about the family?<br /><br />A: Mormons believe that the family is the foundation for this life and the life to come.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Can someone who may never marry in life have eternal marriage? <br /><br />A: God will not withhold blessings from any of his children who may not have the opportunity to marry in this life.</font><br /><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />This is not true, read,<br /><br />THE<br />DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS<br />OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS<br />SECTION 131<br />Instructions by Joseph Smith the Prophet, given at Ramus, Illinois, May 16 and 17, 1843. HC 5: 392–393.<br />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.<br /> 1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;<br /> 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];<br /> 3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.<br /> 4 He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.<br /> 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.<br /> 6 It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance.<br /> 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;<br /> 8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.<br /><br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).</font><br /><br /><br />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 <blockquote><font color=black> 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.</blockquote></font><br />They should be more open an honest in their answers if they want to teach A of F 13.<br />Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-73106287190128304272007-12-25T06:50:00.000-08:002007-12-25T07:12:18.337-08:0021 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, <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317272,00.html">21 questions</a><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Unless otherwise stated, I own all the books I quote from or mention as a source of reference.<br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Why do some call the Church a cult?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Rick's Reply.<br />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.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks Reply.<br />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. <br /><br /> ( 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."<br />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).<br /><br />I read the BoM and Doctrine and Covenants, here is what I found in my reading.<br />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.<br /><br />Mosiah 3:8-9<br />Helman 8:14-15 and 14:13-21<br />3 Nephi 11:14-17 and 20:44 and 27:14 and 28:6-7<br />Mormon 3:21<br />Ether 4:1<br />Moroni 5:1-2 and 10:33<br />then over in D and C in this long list of verses.<br />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</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Church believe in the divinity of Jesus?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks reply.<br />This was pretty much answered in the above questions.</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Church believe that God is a physical being?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks Reply<br />Mormon Doctrine teaches that God has a body of flesh and bones:<br />D and C 130:22<br />Articles of Faith. pg 43<br /><br />Mormon scripture teaches that God is a spirit:<br />Alma 18:26-28 and 22:9-11.<br /><br />The Bible teaches that God is a Spirit:<br />John 4:24<br />Luke 24:39<br />Jeremiah 23:24<br />Psalms 139:7-10</font><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: If so, does the Church believe that God lives on a planet named Kolob?<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Q: Where is the planet Kolob? What significance does the planet have to Mormons?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks Reply.<br />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.<br /><br /> 1.<br /> Abr. 3: 3-4, 9, 16<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> 2.<br /> Abr. 5: 13<br /> 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.</font> <br /><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that God and Mary had physical sex to conceive Jesus?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks Reply.<br />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.<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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....<br /><br />...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)<br /><br />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)<br /><br />...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).<br /><br /><br />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).<br /><br /><br />Under the topic "Only Begotten Son" in Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie wrote,<br /><br />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).<br /><br />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).<br /><br />James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Ch.3, p.22<br /><br />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.<br />James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Ch.25, p.418 - p.419<br /><br />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.<br />Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol.3, p.138<br /><br />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?<br /><br />Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol.3, p.141<br />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.)</font><br /><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Q: Does the Mormon Church believe Jesus appeared in North America after his crucifixion and resurrection?<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Q: If so, when did this happen? And under what circumstances?<br /><br />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.</font><br /><font color=orange><br />Ricks Reply.<br />For the most part they do believe this, otherwise theirs not much to it.</font><div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-20468924607634536012007-11-13T12:04:00.000-08:002007-11-13T13:32:05.262-08:00The Book of Mormon.The Intro to the Book of Mormon says,<br /><br /><blockquote>THE<br />BOOK OF MORMON<br />AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY<br /><br />THE HAND OF MORMON<br /><br />UPON PLATES<br /><br />TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI<br />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.<br />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—<b><font color=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.</b></font><br />TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.<br />First English edition published in 1830</blockquote><br /><br />I want to focus on the part that I highlighted in black.<br /><br /><blockquote><b><font color=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.</b></font></blockquote><br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />If that statement is true, here is another problem. Read this:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />"The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known. Yet we do have a few precious insights. David Whitmer wrote:<br />“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.)"</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br /><br />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?<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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? <br /><br /><br />Here are some Major Doctrinal Changes from the original 1830 edition to the newest one.<br /><br /><blockquote><font color=black> First Book of Nephi, p.25 (1830): "Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh."<br /><br />Today: 1 Nephi 11:18: "...is the mother of the Son of God."<br /><br />First Book of Nephi, p.25 (1830):."...behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father!"<br /><br />Today: 1 Nephi 11:21: "yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!"<br /><br />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..."<br /><br />Today: 1 Nephi 11:32: "...yea, the Son of the Everlasting God was judged of the world..."<br /><br />First Book of Nephi, p.32; (1830): "...that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Saviour of the world."<br /><br />Today: "..the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world."</font></blockquote><br />Those are Major changes, So which version do we trust? <br />Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-30897927143468404212007-10-24T15:25:00.000-07:002007-10-24T15:30:41.793-07:00The 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. <br /><br />Anyway we were talking about the temple, so I wrote this and sent it to him.<br /><br /><b><font color=black><br />What must I do to be saved?<br /><br />Paul and Silas were in Jail, The Jailer came to them and said:<br /><br />Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?<br />Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.<br /><br /><br /><br />The response Paul gave was simple, Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Nothing more to do.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Here is what Mormonism teaches you must do in order to be saved.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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,<br /><br />1. Church attendance<br />2. Payment of tithes and offerings<br />3. Loyalty to Church leaders.<br />4. Moral cleanliness.<br />5. overall faithfulness and worthiness.<br />6. Obedience to the Word of Wisdom.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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)<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /></b></font><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br /><b><font color=black><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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,<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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,<br /><br />Lev 10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,<br /><br />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:<br /><br />Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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<br /><br />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.</b></font><br /><br />He has since wrote me back, sadly he avoided the question all together and Changed the subject. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-59700135357346429982007-10-08T09:20:00.001-07:002007-10-17T17:25:41.424-07:00LDS Church teaches, Please do not think, let us do it for you. PT 3Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black>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?</blockquote></font><br /><br />The Problem with this is, the Bible tells us in, <b>Jer 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?</b><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Then the author says:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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:</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br />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?<br /><br /><br />Then the Author says <blockquote><font color=black><br />“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. …</blockquote></font><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />The Author says:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />“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. …</blockquote></font><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />“… 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. …</blockquote></font><br /><br />The History can and will expouse the Truth.<br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />“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).<br /></blockquote></font><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />“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.”<br />President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Lord, Increase Our Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 52–53.<br />Readers</blockquote></font><br /><br />He is Correct, truth will prevail, but He says, <b> A knowledge of that truth comes by effort and study</b> 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?<br /><br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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.<br />Alicia M., 18, Utah</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />The Author says:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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.<br />Brian P., 16, Arizona</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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.<br />Sister Holly Erikson, 23, Tennessee Nashville Mission</blockquote></font><br /><br />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.<br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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).<br />Jenika W., 19, Washington</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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.<br />Alexandria M., 15, Oregon</blockquote></font><br /><br />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<br /><br />The author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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.<br />Martyn T., 22, Wakiso, Uganda</blockquote></font><br /><br />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.<br /><br />The Author said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black><br />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.<br />Elder Calvin Oberly Jr., 24, New York New York South Mission</blockquote></font><br /><br />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, <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/02/lds-prophets-cannot-agree.html">here.</a><br />Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-23652578891055682012007-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:002007-10-08T11:05:34.190-07:00LDS Church teaches, Please do not think, let us do it for you. PT 2I 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. <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2007/10/lds-church-teaches-please-do-not-think.html">part 1</a><br /><br /><br /><font color=black><br />Here are a couple of things to remember about anti-Mormon material.<br /><br />First, it would be a waste to spend a lot of time and energy reading it.</font><br /><br />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, <blockquote>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, <b>convince them of the error of their ways.</blockquote></b><br /><br />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 <blockquote><b>Read pg 188 of Doct of Salvation vol 1.<br /><br /> 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".</blockquote></b><br /><br />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?<br /><br /><blockquote> <br />For one thing, it’s incredibly repetitive.</blockquote><br />Who cares? How does this prove the Books are wrong? <br /><br /><blockquote><br />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.</blockquote><br /><br />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. <br /><br /><blockquote><br />For another thing, you may not have the knowledge and experience to successfully investigate and counter all of the arguments they make.</blockquote><br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br /><br /><blockquote><br />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.</blockquote><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><blockquote> 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.<br /><br /><br /> "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. <br /><br /><br /><br />Let us add to this<br /><br /> 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. </blockquote><br /><br />Remember, this is only One Problem of many.<br /><br />This next quote is a bunch of crap if I ever saw it.<br /><br /><blockquote><br />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.</blockquote><br /><br />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, <b><font color=black>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;</b></font><br /><br />Let me put forth more sayings from LDS leaders and LDS scripture.<blockquote>JS claims over in D and C 135:3-4 he has done more except Jesus has.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />In the 1958 edition Mormon Doctrine ( I happen to own a copy), pg 477 says,<br /><br /> 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. <br /><br /><br /><br />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<br /><br /> 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.</blockquote><br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br /> 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".<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Part 3 will be next. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-9969199207520582172007-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:002007-10-01T09:46:32.692-07:00LDS Church teaches, Please do not think, let us do it for you. PT 1My 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, <a href="http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=74a870cb7de63110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1">Q and A</a><br /><br /><font color=black><br />“Q&A: Questions and Answers,” New Era, Jul 2007, 14–16<br /><br />Responses are intended for help and perspective, not as pronouncements of Church doctrine.<br />“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?”<br />New Era<br /><br /> *<br /><br /> • Say you would rather read something you trust, like the scriptures.<br /> *<br /><br /> • Spending a lot of time and energy reading anti-Mormon literature would be a waste.<br /> *<br /><br /> • If you run across it, discuss it with someone who is knowledgeable about the gospel.<br /> *<br /><br /> • Never take anti-Mormon literature at face value.<br /> *<br /><br /> • Honest inquiry is good, but everything needs a proper perspective and context.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Here are a couple of things to remember about anti-Mormon material.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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:<br /><br />“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. …<br /><br />“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. …<br /><br />“… 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. …<br /><br />“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).<br />Image<br /><br />“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.”<br />President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Lord, Increase Our Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 52–53.<br />Readers<br /><br />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.<br />Alicia M., 18, Utah<br /><br />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.<br />Brian P., 16, Arizona<br /><br />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.<br />Sister Holly Erikson, 23, Tennessee Nashville Mission<br /><br />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).<br />Jenika W., 19, Washington<br /><br />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.<br />Alexandria M., 15, Oregon<br /><br />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.<br />Martyn T., 22, Wakiso, Uganda<br /><br />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.<br />Elder Calvin Oberly Jr., 24, New York New York South Mission</font><br /><br /><br />First thing said in the article is <blockquote>Responses are intended for help and perspective, not as pronouncements of Church doctrine.</blockquote><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Next, we read the question asked by this person, <blockquote>“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?”</blockquote><br /><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Then the Person ends their question with <blockquote>What should I tell my friend?”</blockquote><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Anyway the LDS reply is, <blockquote>New Era<br /><br />*<br /><br />• Say you would rather read something you trust, like the scriptures.<br />*<br /><br />• Spending a lot of time and energy reading anti-Mormon literature would be a waste.<br />*<br /><br />• If you run across it, discuss it with someone who is knowledgeable about the gospel.<br />*<br /><br />• Never take anti-Mormon literature at face value.<br />*<br /><br />• Honest inquiry is good, but everything needs a proper perspective and context.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />Here the LDS think for this person. The first thing they say is, <blockquote><br /><br />• Say you would rather read something you trust, like the scriptures.</blockquote><br />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?<br /><br /><br />Then the Next LDS reply is <blockquote>Spending a lot of time and energy reading anti-Mormon literature would be a waste.</blockquote><br /><br />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 <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/02/lds-prophets-cannot-agree.html">LDS prophets do not agree</a><br /><br />Or read this if you want more problems in Mormon Scripture, <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/05/contradictions-and-few-problems.html">contradictions</a><br /><br />If thats not good enough and you want to see actual scanned LDS books for evidence, Click here, <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/07/adam-god-doctrine.html">adam god</a><br /><br />And for even more Scanned copies click here, <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/12/evidence.html">Evidence</a><br /><br />Funny thing about my Evidence Topic, not One LDS has replied yet.<br /><br />Now back to the LDS answers, They also said <blockquote>• If you run across it, discuss it with someone who is knowledgeable about the gospel.</blockquote><br /><br />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?<br /><br />Then they said <blockquote><br />• Never take anti-Mormon literature at face value.</blockquote><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Lastly they say, <blockquote>• Honest inquiry is good, but everything needs a proper perspective and context.</blockquote><br /><br />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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-2474549470914649422007-09-25T13:33:00.000-07:002007-09-26T13:52:19.451-07:00Baptism of The DeadThe reason Mormons do genealogical studies is so they can do proxy baptism, sealings, ordinations, endowments and marriages in the temple for the their dead relatives to help exalt or save them. <br /><br />LDS use I Cor. 15:29 to try to show that their concept of proxy baptism is Biblical. It says, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" Paul's main subject in I Cor. 15 was not baptism for the dead but "resurrection of the body." He was not giving a commandment to baptize by proxy in verse 29, but he was arguing for a belief in the resurrection of the body. History indicates that there were sects which practiced baptism for the dead. Paul may be referring to them when he said, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead?"<br /><br /><br />Talmage said that we can become "vicarious saviors" of the dead (A. of F., p. 152). But, if that is true, Jesus Christ is not the only mediator between God and men as I Tim. 2:5 declares. Furthermore, Heb. 9:27 says, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." And, II Cor. 6:2 declares, "Behold now is the accepted time: Behold now is the day of salvation." The Bible nowhere teaches that mankind has another chance for salvation after death.<br /> <br /><br /><br />LDS use I Peter 3:19-20 to support their doctrine of salvation for the dead. It says Christ "preached unto the spirits in prison," but it does not say that He preached the gospel to them as LDS claim. Nor does the text say any spirits were saved as a result of that preaching or that anyone was baptized in their behalf. Such an interpretation ignores the context which indicates that Christ's preaching was a proclamation of judgment. Mormons also use I Peter 4:6 to teach salvation for the dead. It says, "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead."<br /><br /><br />Then those who did have the law and rejected it, should not have proxy work done for them according to President Joseph Fielding Smith. He said, "The work for the dead is not intended for those who had every opportunity to receive it, who had it taught to them, and who then refused to receive it, or had not interest enough to attend to these ordinances when they were living (D. of S., Vol. II, p. 184).<br /> <br /><br /> If baptism is not needed by those without the law as the B. of M. says, and proxy temple work "is not intended for those who had every opportunity to receive" the LDS gospel but refused it as Joseph Fielding Smith said, then for whom are LDS doing proxy work? Mormon missionaries who "compass sea and land to make one proselyte" (Matt. 23:15) are also wasting their time if they go to people "without the law," since the B. of M. says those people are already "alive in Christ," (Moroni 8:22).<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><font color=black>Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;<br />Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.<br />Luke 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.<br />Luke16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.<br />Luke 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.<br />Luke 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:<br />Luke 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.<br />Luke 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.<br />Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.<br />Luke 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.</blockquote></font><br /><br /><br />Notice what is both said and not said.<br /><br />What is said is, I cannot cross the gulf to you, and you cannot come over here. The Rich man wanted water, Water is a symbol in the Bible for life eternal, Jesus gives us water gushing up out of our bellies into eternal life, If we drink From His well we will never thirst again.<br /><br />What is said also is, the Rich man saying, send people to my brothers so they will avoid coming here, Abraham says, they have the Word of God. If we cannot trust the Word were in trouble.<br /><br />What is never said is, I will or someone will do a proxy baptism for you and then send spirits here to give you the gospel again and you will be free. Plus is Abraham could speak to him, why not just have him share the Gospel right then and their?<br /><br />The last thing I want to point out is this, Not one place in the entire Bible to we read about the purpose or one of the purposes is for baptizing for the dead. Read the OT, It is clear what the purpose of the temple was. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-38960450140740811122007-09-17T08:51:00.000-07:002007-10-03T18:07:36.516-07:00Achieving Exaltation part 2Lets break down part 2 now.<br /><br />We are taught:<br /><b><br />He commands us all to receive certain ordinances:</b> The <b>HE</b> is God the father. Does HE really teach this in the Bible? We are taught <b>HE</b> teaches we must: <br /><br /><b><font color=black><br />1. We must be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.<br />2. We must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.<br />3. We must receive the temple endowment.<br />4. We must be married for time and eternity.</b></font><br /><br />This is very simple on these 4 parts, Show me chapter and verse from the Bible where it teaches this.<br /><br />Then we are taught <b><font color=black><br />In addition to receiving the required ordinances, the Lord commands all of us to--<br /><br />1. Love and worship God.<br />2. Love our neighbor.<br />3. Repent of our wrongdoings.<br />4. Live the law of chastity.<br />5. Pay honest tithes and offerings.<br />6. Be honest in our dealings with others and with the Lord.<br />7. Speak the truth always.<br />8. Obey the Word of Wisdom.<br />9. Search out our kindred dead and perform the saving ordinances of the gospel for them.<br />10. Keep the Sabbath day holy.<br />11. Attend our Church meetings as regularly as possible so we can renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the sacrament.<br />12. Love our family members and strengthen them in the ways of the Lord.<br />13. Have family and individual prayers every day.<br />14. Honor our parents.<br />15. Teach the gospel to others by word and example.<br />16. Study the scriptures.<br />17. Listen to and obey the inspired words of the prophets of the Lord.</b></font><br /><br />I've read the Bible Cover to cover many times, I do not recall ever reading these commandments: <blockquote>4. Live the law of chastity. 8. Obey the Word of Wisdom.<br />9. Search out our kindred dead and perform the saving ordinances of the gospel for them. 11. Attend our Church meetings as regularly as possible so we can renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the sacrament.<br />12. Love our family members and strengthen them in the ways of the Lord.<br />13. Have family and individual prayers every day. <br />17. Listen to and obey the inspired words of the prophets of the Lord.</blockquote><br /><br />If I must do these things in order to be saved or exalted please show me Chapter and verse. Seems pretty simple thing to ask. Then to say I must obey the sabbath, then let me ask this, Why did Jesus break the Sabbath many times over and give an example of How King David and his men did it, and how the High Priests in the OT did it every Sabbath. Jesus was Clear, the Sabbath is for man, not man for the Sabbath.<br /><br />Then as far as these two goes, <blockquote>15. Teach the gospel to others by word and example.<br />16. Study the scriptures.</blockquote><br /><br />What if your on your death bed and cannot do this? And the Bible only tells us to preach the Gospel, it does not say, do it by example. So please show me from the Scripture if I am wrong, if I am not wrong, then how can you be sure your view is correct if you cannot prove this from the Bible? Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-65773354073677829102007-09-11T17:44:00.001-07:002007-09-11T17:44:37.291-07:00Achieving ExaltationAll of this info about Exaltation is taken from the Book Gospel principles chapter 47.<br /><br /><br />What Is Exaltation?<br /><font color=black><br />Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation.<br /><br />If we prove faithful to the Lord, we will live in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of heaven. We will become exalted, just like our Heavenly Father. Exaltation is the greatest gift that Heavenly Father can give his children (see D&C 14:7).</font><br /><br /><br />Under the "what is Exaltation" heading we find it teaching that God <b>IS A Creator</b>. This implies more than one creator or more than one god, the Bible refutes this. Look over my topic called <a href="http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2007/05/will-you-become-god.html">gods</a><br /><br />Then it says, <b>He is the Father of spirit children.</b> The Bible does not teach that God births Children, it does not teach He is married, Many people from Non-believers to various religions teach we are ALL children of God. Sadly this proves people do not know the Bible. The Bible very clearly teaches we are all Gods creation, but we are not all Gods Children. <br /><br />Here the Bible teaches Not every one is a Child of God, some are Children of the Devil, Jesus even says, Your father the Devil.<br /><br /><font color=black><blockquote>John 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.<br /><br />John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:<br /><br />Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.<br /><br />Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.<br /><br />1John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.</font></blockquote><br /><br />Requirements for Exaltation<br /><font color=black><br />The time to fulfill the requirements for exaltation is now (see Alma 34:32-34). President Joseph Fielding Smith said, "In order to obtain the exaltation we must accept the gospel and all its covenants; and take upon us the obligations which the Lord has offered; and walk in the light and understanding of the truth; and 'live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God' " (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:43).<br /><br />To be exalted, we first must place our faith in Jesus Christ and then endure in that faith to the end of our lives. Our faith in him must be such that we repent of our sins and obey his commandments.<br /><br />He commands us all to receive certain ordinances:<br /><br /> 1. We must be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.<br /> 2. We must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.<br /> 3. We must receive the temple endowment.<br /> 4. We must be married for time and eternity.<br /><br />In addition to receiving the required ordinances, the Lord commands all of us to--<br /><br /> 1. Love and worship God.<br /> 2. Love our neighbor.<br /> 3. Repent of our wrongdoings.<br /> 4. Live the law of chastity.<br /> 5. Pay honest tithes and offerings.<br /> 6. Be honest in our dealings with others and with the Lord.<br /> 7. Speak the truth always.<br /> 8. Obey the Word of Wisdom.<br /> 9. Search out our kindred dead and perform the saving ordinances of the gospel for them.<br /> 10. Keep the Sabbath day holy.<br /> 11. Attend our Church meetings as regularly as possible so we can renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the sacrament.<br /> 12. Love our family members and strengthen them in the ways of the Lord.<br /> 13. Have family and individual prayers every day.<br /> 14. Honor our parents.<br /> 15. Teach the gospel to others by word and example.<br /> 16. Study the scriptures.<br /> 17. Listen to and obey the inspired words of the prophets of the Lord.<br /><br />Finally, each of us needs to receive the Holy Ghost and learn to follow his direction in our individual lives.</font><br /><br />Above it tells us to read Alma 34:32-34, because it claims to tell us (The time to fulfill the requirements for exaltation is now) This is what Alma says: <blockquote>32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.<br /> <br />33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.<br /> <br />34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. </blockquote><br /><br />This does not say one thing about how to be exaltated. <br /><br />Now we shall breakdown the rest by section and ask, can you really do this.<br /><br />LDS teach <blockquote>Our faith in him must be such that we repent of our sins and obey his commandments.</blockquote><br /><br />That great and all, but lets add to that <blockquote>The LDS Church manual Gospel Principles states, "To make our repentance complete we must keep the commandments of the Lord" (1992 ed., p.125).</blockquote><br /><br />So unless we keep the commandments of God we are not fully repentant. This is a serious problem because people on their death bed cannot be saved. And we read in the Book The miracle of forgivness<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><br />Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th President of the LDS Church, declared, "There is one crucial test of repentance. This is abandonment of the sin" (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.163. <br /><br />12th President Spencer W. Kimball said, "Christ became perfect through overcoming. Only as we overcome shall we become perfect and move toward godhood. As I have indicated previously, the time to do this is now, in mortality" (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.210).<br /><br />Repenting of only some sins never results in complete forgiveness.<br />Page 212 of The Miracle of Forgiveness reads, "…incomplete repentance never brought complete forgiveness" (12th President Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.212). </blockquote><br /><br />Can you really do as he teaches? I will review the rest in my next post. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-1402532466516293912007-08-27T16:42:00.000-07:002007-08-27T16:43:18.975-07:00September Dawn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTDnFvPw4ryU-evR740FMgN1JunBUPclbSHBsaH53QEMfWqrXmSVUi6HmmlGdp633XLdtFLVChqPiAT45mTHwVqG8BhPwU6oyAYZdokWlT8T_7XCTPrJ0zUjQlOczwUB7M9W_/s1600-h/septemberdawn_200707171706.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTDnFvPw4ryU-evR740FMgN1JunBUPclbSHBsaH53QEMfWqrXmSVUi6HmmlGdp633XLdtFLVChqPiAT45mTHwVqG8BhPwU6oyAYZdokWlT8T_7XCTPrJ0zUjQlOczwUB7M9W_/s400/septemberdawn_200707171706.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103529265189534402" /></a><br />I would like to know what people thought of the Movie, if they saw it. You can checkout the website here <a href="http://www.septemberdawn.net/">September Dawn</a><br />I saw the Movie and will buy the Video when it comes out. it is very accurate and covers many Issues such as the Blood atonement and plural marriage. Please share your thoughts about the Movie, if you have seen it. Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21305047.post-28034552810029481812007-08-22T11:49:00.000-07:002007-08-23T13:08:22.430-07:00What must I do to be saved?Paul and Silas were in Jail, The Jailer came to them and said:<br /><blockquote><font color=black>Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?<br />Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.</blockquote></font><br /><br />The response Paul gave was simple, Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Nothing more to do.<br /> <br />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.<br /><br />Here is what Mormonism teaches you must do in order to be saved.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Prophet Spencer Kimball Achieving a Celestial Marriage manual pg 30 makes it very clear we must do certain things to <b>enter the temple to be saved.</b> 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,<br /><br /> 1. Church attendance<br /> 2. Payment of tithes and offerings<br /> 3. Loyalty to Church leaders.<br /> 4. Moral cleanliness.<br /> 5. overall faithfulness and worthiness.<br /> 6. Obedience to the Word of Wisdom. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Add to that also pg 241 <b>Eternal marriage is ESSENTIAL FOR EXALTATION.</b> 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) <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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? Rick b<div class="blogger-post-footer"><!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394736&usernum=444817031&cpv=2"></script>
<!-- End Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<!-- Start Bravenet.com Service Code -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://pub6.bravenet.com/counter/code.php?id=394735&usernum=444817031&cpv=2">
</script>
<!-- END DO NOT MODIFY --></div>rick bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950869644074076301noreply@blogger.com0