Mormonism: The Truth Behind The Religion

MORMONISM
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE LATTER DAY SAINTS (LDS)
> Founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830
> Smith claims to have been visited by God, Jesus, and Moses while praying in the wilderness about what church to join. Smith claims God told him not to join any of the churches; that they were all an abomination.
> Smith's necromantic contacts (contact with the dead) were probably the result of use of magic rituals to involve the spirit world. The specific nature of the encounters frequently fit the pattern for magical occult contacts.

* THE BOOK OF MORMON: DIVINE REVELATION?
> Mormon leaders stress divine authority. Many theologians and scholars over the years have shown the falsity of the claim.
> Psychic method of writing - church claims Smith translated the "gold plates" by the power of God using divine implements called the Urim and Thummim. The Book of Mormon was actually produced through psychic methods and has nothing to do with ancient history. Historical documents prove Smith was only engaging in his usual practice of crystal gazing. Three well known witnesses of the Mormon faith make this clear.
> Smith copied material from the King James Bible to use in the Book of Mormon. It is also discovered that Smith's use of outside resources available to him at that time did not stop at just the King James Bible. It was thought that he also used "The Wonders of Nature and Providence Displayed (Albany, NY 1825); The Wayne Sentinel; The Aprocypha; Smith's father's dream; The Westminster Confession and Catechism.
> Alexander Campbell, founder of the Disciples for Christ, wrote, "this prophet Smith, through his stone spectacles, wrote on the plate of Nephi, in his Book of Mormon, every error and almost every truth discussed in New York for the last ten years". Concluding that Smith's translations were not of ancient America, but of the current era masked behind a false ancient America.
> Not one shred of evidence has been found, or exists as of today, to substantiate the archeological history of the Book of Mormon.
> Both the National Geographic Society and the Bureau of American Ethnology, of the Smithsonian Institute, have issued official statements denying Mormon claims to their history as found in the Book of Mormon.
> Lack of ancient manuscripts. There is no preserved evidence to support their Book of Mormon claims of ancient America.
> Mormon teachings are not principally derived from the Book of Mormon, but from the Doctrine & Covenants. The Book of Mormon is primarily a dead book and has little bearing upon current doctrine used.
> The D&C emphazises the Book of Mormon contains basic, or fundamental, Mormon teachings. A conflict in their doctrine.
> According to the D&C, the Book of Mormon must contain at the very least most of the central doctrines of the Mormon faith. But, it contains few major teachings. Such as:
1. Polytheism
2. God as the product of eternal progression
3. Eternal marriage
4. Polygamy
5. Human deification
6. Tri-theism: Trinity as three seperate Gods.
7. Baptism for the dead
8. Maintaining geneological records
9. Universalism
10. God has a physical body and once was a man
11. God organized, not created, the world.
12. Mother gods (heavenly mothers)
13. Temple marriage requirement for exhaltation
14. Concept of eternal intelligence
15. Three degrees of heavenly glory
*Celestial - Highest level of glory where you become god and rule over your own earth.
*Terrestial - Second level where you get to live an eternal life in heaven.
*Telestial - Lowest level where eternity is spent on a "paradise earth" (similar to Jehovah's Witnesses).
16. Salvation after death in the spirit world (where Baptism for the dead comes in)
17. Melchizedek(elders) and Aaronic Priesthood (Aaronic Priesthood being the lesser)
18. Stake President and First Presidency
> Mormon's claim they have present day prophets chosen by God to receive revelation relevant to the LDS church and its members.
> Mormon's repeatedly claim that their scriptures are not contradictory. But because Mormon theology is replete with contradictions, the church has had to go back and cover up embarrassing mistakes made in church doctrine on several occassions.

THEOLOGY
*Many Gods or One?
>Mormonism is polytheistic, or more than one God. Christianity is monotheistic, one God.
> Technically, Mormon theology is "henotheistic", a form of polytheism that stresses worship of a central deity. In Mormonism, the central deity is Elohim, whom Mormons call "God the Father". But, henotheism also accepts other deities which Mormons would consider Jesus, Holy Ghost, and endless other gods who were once men who have evolved into godhood.
> Polytheism encompasses two aspects:
1. There is a predominant "local" polytheism for earth. Earth has three distinct gods who "rule it". Ties to Mormon concept that the biblical Trinity is tri-theistic, or three seperate Gods, not monotheistic or triune (One God as three persons - God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit).
2. Mormon polytheism moves beyond earth. If there are an infinite number of earths, each with its own god or gods, then there are an infinite number of gods (henotheism).
> Bible clearly rejects polytheism (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5, 21). From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible teaches monotheism.
Isaiah 45:5 (NIV) 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God........
*A Tri-theistic Trinity
> The Mormon church claims to believe in the Trinity, but not a monotheistic Trinity. Theirs is a tri-theistic Trinity. There lies the contradiction between what they say, and what their church doctrine teaches.
*The Gods are Evolving
> Momonism teaches that God was not always God, but was once a man who evolved into a god. They believe there are endless numbers of "God" (Polytheism; Henotheism).
> Mormons believe that one attains godhood through the good works they preformed when they were finite. Their godhood is earned, and is not free.
> Mormons do not believe in the God of Christianity, even though they call themselves Christians and Saints (Malachi 3:6; James 1:7; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 90:2).
> The Mormon god is utlimately a finite one since he was once a man. A result of their evolution process.
*Jesus Christ
> Mormons do not acknowledge the true Jesus Christ as Lord.
> Mormons deny Jesus Christ's unique deity.
1. Mormons believe Jesus was a created being just as they are.
2. Mormons believe Jesus was the first of billions of spirit children created through by the male earth god and his celestial wife through sexual intercourse.
3. Mormons believe that the male earth god had sexual intercourse with Mary to produce Jesus on earth.
> To Mormons, Jesus is a common God.
1. Jesus is of minor importance in the larger Mormon cosmology.
2. Believe Jesus is just the "greater" of all the spirit children produced.
3. Believe that since there are an infinite number of earths, other gods have existed for eons before Jesus.
4. Mormons believe Christ is their "senior" only by achievement and positioin, not by nature and essence.
5. Mormons believe every person on earth has the same essence as Jesus.
6. Mormons believe all persons are incarnate spirit beings. Therefore, Christ's incarnation is not unique to them either.
7. Mormons believe that Christ is not unique as creator. Mormonism teaches that Adam, Joseph Smith, Jr., and others helped Him create the world. They believe Christ was aided by spirit children.
*Jesus and Satan as brothers
> Mormon theology teaches Jesus is the spirit brother of Satan.
> Mormons believe that Satan and all demons are spirit brothers to everyone on earth.
*Mormons deny virgin birth
> Mormons believe that God (Adam) had sex with Mary.
> Mormons deny that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost doe not have a physical body.
> Mormonism teaches God has a body of flesh and bone. He was capable of having sexual intercourse with Mary.
> Mormons reject Matthew 1:18 and Luke 1:35.
Matthew 1:18 (NIV) The Birth of Jesus Christ 18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:35 (NIV) 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
*Christ was not eternally sinless
> Momonism teaches that Christ was only sinless while on earth, not for all eternity past.
> Mormons believe Jesus had to undertake schooling and progression in the spirit world to attain salvation.
> Mormons believe Jesus had to be tested with good and evil, initially at least, falling into evil like every other spirit son.
> Mormons beleive it is only by direct experience of evil that people learn to choose good. They think of Jesus as a person who had to learn good from evil.
> The Momons student manual, Doctrines of the Gospel, teaches that Christ nor Lucifer could of themselves save anyone.
> The Mormon God is "another Jesus" (2 Corinthians 1:4) who has little to do with the true Christian faith.
*Salvation
> Mormonism teaches there is no salvation outside of the Mormon church.
> The Biblical Christian view is that salvation is by God's free gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
> Mormons believe in Doctrine & Covenants that salvation is by works, by personal merit, and by ones works of righteousness.
> Mormonism teaches that personal salvation is never a free gift secured by grace through faith alone as the Bible teaches.
> According to Mormon doctrine, salvation is earned and secured through zealous good works, and impeccable law keeping.
> Mormons believe they will become gods, or attain godhood, through this process.
> "Grace" incorporates works:
1. Mormons believe that "salvation by grace" is merely referring to being resurrected.
2. Mormons believe that their residency in eternity is determined by one's good works.
3. Grace itself is a "work" and is secured from God based on individual merits (You earn God's grace).
> "Justification" incorporates works:
1. Biblically, justification is an act of God that declares a sinner righteous entirely apart from works and predicated only upon faith in the atoning death of Christ for our sins.
2. Mormon theology teaches justification is bound with conditions of personal merit and righteousness.
> "New Birth" incorporates works:
1. The Book of Mormon teaches that in order to be "born again", a person must fulfill a number of prerequisites, such as, being blameless before God, and having an absence of pride and envy.
2. Mormons believe new birth is a spiritual process secured by good works. It is not a one time event secured by faith in Christ.
3. Biblically, being born again happens in an instant; it is not a process (John 5:24; 6:47; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3,23).
> "Gift" incorporates works:
1. Redefined by Mormon theology as something earned, not something free.
> "Repentance" incorporates works:
1. In Mormonism, repentance means nothing less than a strict obedience to the law, rather than the biblical meaning of one's turning away from sins.
2. Mormons believe if you are failing in any area of church activity, you are not fully repentant, and not forgiven by God.
> "Sanctification" incorporates works:
1. Biblically, we are (past tense) set apart at the moment of having faith in Christ.
2. Biblically, we are (present tense) progressively being sanctified as we grow in the grace, knowledge and obedience of our Lord.
3. Biblically, we are (future tense) fully sanctified and fully set apart to God for his purpose when we become glorified and sinless at the moment of our going to be with Him.
4. Biblically, the past tense phase and the future tense phase are by God's grace.
5. Mormonism makes everything about sanctification a matter of works.
*Biblical Salvation -
John 5:24; 6:29, 47; Acts 10:43; Romans 3:28; 4:6; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:21; Titus 3:5
*The Atonement
> Mormons do not believe in the biblical atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
> Mormons believe that forgiveness of sins is not immediately received upon true faith and repentance.
> True forgiveness for them is lengthy; a probationary period.
> Mormonism teaches that the atonement merely provides a way to earn salvation through personal merits.
> Mormon theology denies that Christ's death paid the full penalty for our sins, resulting in complete forgiveness at the moment of faith (1 Corinthians 15:3; Colossians 2:13; Hebrews 9:12).

SCRIPTURE RESPONSES
No other God's Atonement
Isaiah 43:10 Ephesians 2
Isaiah 44:8
Eternal Life False Prophets
John 3:36 Deuteronomy 13
Luke 20:35 Matthew 24:11, 24
Failed Prophecies False Teachers
Deuteronomy 18 Galatians 1:8-9