Some Thought-Provoking Articles

If you read the linked articles, you can come to no other conclusion than that Joseph Smith was a false prophet and the LDS is NOT a Christian denomination (I.e., it is a convoluted cult).

Oftentimes, it’s what they don’t say

What does the word “Christ” mean?

The LDS New Testament is full of lies!!!!

The Mormons don’t believe in the biblical Trinity, so:

Why is the Trinity in the Book of Mormon?

Why is the Trinity in the Doctrine & Covenants?

For all their claims to be Christian, the LDS does not believe in the God of Scripture.

Besides claiming that Noah is the angel Gabriel, the LDS claims that Adam is Michael the archangel. The problem is that angels and humans are two different creations: man cannot become an angel!! Adam was never noted in the Bible as a priest, let alone a high priest!

Wait a minute—I thought Adam was God, who had sex with Mary to produce a body for Jesus. Wait another minute—so Adam is a “son of God?” The LDS Adam is quite a convoluted person!

Why Did the Nephites Speak Greek?

Amusing to me is that the LDS still struggles with polygamy. If God ordered it, why did they stop—why did they not disobey the law of the land?

Along those lines, we have The Changing God of Mormonism.

The temple oaths are nothing more than signs and oaths from the Freemasonry cult.

But the LDS says that the earth was created for temple endowments—so how come there were no such things until aft Joe Smith invented them?

The Bible was never meant for today?!?!?

How did Joe Smith really get his priesthood?

Mormons say we don’t need God! Of course they also say there are multiple gods and people on other planets!

So, LDS members, doesn’t any of this make you think just a wee bit that there is a problem with your religion, that it doesn’t make a bit of sense?

Does Temple Participation Offer “Assurance”?

The following article by Bill McKeever was published in the Mormonism Research Ministry’s “Mormonism Researched” bi-monthly “letter” (September-October 2021).

Since I don’t have the ability on this blog to format the way the article is, where the article cites Mormon sources I will use blue ink.  So then, here is the article by Mr. McKeever.

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Speaking at general conference on April 3, 2021, Henry B. Eyring, second counselor to 17th President Russell M. Nelson, gave a talk titled “I Love to See the Temple.” In that message he said, If you or I  should go to the temple insufficiently pure, we would not be able to see, by the power of the Holy Ghost, the spiritual teaching about the Savior that we can receive in the temple. When we are worthy to receive such teaching, there can grow through our temple experience hope, joy, and optimism throughout out lives. That hope, joy, and optimism are available only through accepting the ordinances performed in holy temples. It is in the temple that we can receive the assurance of loving family connections that will continue after death and last for eternity (Liahona, May2021, 30).

Having an eternal family connection is the desire of the great majority of Latter-day Saints. Ask an LDS member what it is they hope to achieve in the next life and the answer is usually something like, “To be with my family.” This should not surprise us. Sixth President Joseph F. Smith saw this as a “right and privilege” that awaits faithful members: I have the glorious promise of the association of my love ones throughout all eternity. In obedience to this work, in the gospel of Jesus Christ, I shall gather around me my family, my children, my children’s children, until they become as numerous as the seed of Abraham, or as countless s the sands upon the seashore.  For this is my right and privilege, and the right and privilege of every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who holds the Priesthood and will magnify it in the sight of God (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 1998, 386).

According to LDS teaching, Mormon males who qualify for exaltation and “godhood,” are rewarded with the ability to form their own worlds and rule over them just as “Elohim,” the Mormon “Heavenly Father,” rules and reigns over this world. Fifth LDS President Lorenzo Snow stated that those who are faithful to the Mormon Gospel …will progress and develop in knowledge, intelligence and power, in future eternities, until they shall be able to go out into space where there is unorganized matter and call together the necessary elements, and through their knowledge of and control over the laws and powers of nature, to organize matter into worlds on which their posterity may dwell, and over which they shall rule as gods (Lorenzo Snow, Presidents of the Church Student Manual: Religion 345, 2013, 90-91).

Latter-day Saints often speak of an eternity with Heavenly Father, but one can only wonder how this will be if the faithful are scattered all over the proverbial universe populating and ruling over their own worlds. 

Eyring’s promise of a assurance is something temple participation can never guarantee. In Mormonism, celestial exaltation, and the reward of being united with family members, are only granted if all involved keep Celestial Law. Third LDS President John Taylor stated that this requirement is “absolute submission and obedience of the law of God” (Journal of Discourses 26:350). One need only ask Latter-day Saints if they have successfully achieved this in their lifetimes. If not, then going to the temple offers them no such security.

Baptism on behalf of the dead gives the deceased an opportunity to hear the “restored gospel” of Mormonism in the spirit world. Members often spend numerous hours researching their family history so they can be baptized vicariously for their deceased relatives. They are told, “Your effort approaches the spirt of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice—you perform a saving work for others that they cannot do for themselves” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, 2004, 63).

But how can such an effort provide those who are living any assurance of “loving family connections that will continue after death and last for eternity” if the dad can refuse the vicarious work being done on their behalf?

Spencer J. Condie, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, asked what happens if a deceased person didn’t want to repent or desire baptism. He noted that “baptism for the dead offers an opportunity, but it does not override a person’s agency.” That being the case, he concluded, “We simply do not know who among the dead will turn their hearts to the Lord and repent” (The Savior’s Visit to the Spirit World,” Ensign, July 2003, 36).

Eyring’s promise of assurance falls short because no human (with the exception of Jesus) is capable of reaching the high bar of personal worthiness that includes complete obedience to the Lord’s commands. Because of the doctrine of “free agency,” no Latter-day Saint can be sure if the deceased they hope to “save” want to embrace the message of Joseph Smith’s “restored gospel.” 

Odds and Ends

It’s been a while since I posted a collection of links to good articles teaching you about Mormonism.  You will notice that the majority of the links are to articles on the excellent Life After Ministry blog.  If you have any interest in studying Mormonism, or if your are a Mormon seeking the truth about you faith, I highly recommend you subscribe to that blog.

Well, hold on to your seat, because here is some good reading by following these links.

Is Mormonism Christian? Are Mormons Christian?

The Gospel According to Mormonism.

The 2nd Most Stupid Quote of All Time.  This one really shows a major problem with LDS doctrine.

Investigating Mormonism 2019.  Good resource with a chart showing differences between Mormon doctrine and the Bible.

Colossians 1:16 succinctly states that Jesus created everything.  However, the Mormons claim this is not so. For them Michael the Archangel help Jesus, and then God the Father took over for the creation of man. The real conundrum for them is that they can’t even keep their creation story straight!

Did you know the most important goal for you to be saved, according to Mormons, is to get a temple recommend and perform temple rituals? How can this be true when the Bible says our most important goal for salvation is to place our faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice?

Salvation for the Mormons is really impossible. If you would like to see a more in-depth example of how a Mormon can never obtain forgiveness, read this article.

Did you know that the Mormons are still praying for vengeance against those who “persecuted” their Church in the 19th century? Of course if they would tell the truth, you’d learn that the vast majority of said persecution was responding to Mormon behaviors and threats against those among whom they settled!

The Mormons can’t settle on who that angel is who tops their temples. When you have a made-up religion, you really need to keep all your stories straight!

Here’s a look at a question I’ve thought about for a long time: how is Jesus the ONLY begotten in Pre-Existence? Thinking about this brought me back to another problem with the doctrine of Pre-Existence, and that is the problem of Mary: in the pre-existent spirit world she was a sister to Jesus and Satan, and everyone else (including you and me!) So if she was “Heavenly Father’s” daughter in the spiritual realm of pre-existence, and their God came to earth and had sex with her so she could conceive the body for Jesus to inhabit, isn’t that an incestuous relationship between their man-god and his daughter?

A question for you Mormons: Is tithing mandatory or voluntary?

I think that can be enough boggling of your mind for today!

Odds and Ends

I’ve come across some interesting items I decided to share outside of a long post.  These are some things which should provoke thinking among Mormons.

I’ve always been unsure about how the LDS looks at the idea of evolutionism; after all, they think matter has always existed. Someone asked me this week what the LDS viewpoint was, and I came across this article which should answer the question.

Ever wonder why the Mormons seem to be so arrogant? It’s because they are better than you.

Okay, Mormons, just who really was John the Baptist?  Nothing in Scripture even hints at him being any sort of priest, and nowhere does the Bible say anyone has to have some priesthood authority to baptize people. And he was a man and died a man, and did not resurrect as an angel (which is a separate creation type and men do not become one).

For this one I have to ask, “Did They Really Say That?!?”  Whereas the Bible plainly states that Judas hanged himself, Mormon teaching has him being beaten to death by Jesus’ apostles!

Does a real prophet have to lie and attempt to seduce a young woman to commit adultery by claiming that God has directed it? Look at this video and give it some really objective thoughts about what went on and truthfully ask if this is really what a prophet of God would do.

Seriously, does this sound at all Biblical or Christian? Try studying Freemasonry and you will see where Joseph Smith got these oaths. They certainly did NOT come from God, and any objective examination would have to come to that conclusion.

Okay Mormon, is murder a sin God forgives — or is it a sin God doesn’t forgive?  The whole “blood atonement” teaching of Brigham Young even placed a rule to be forgiven of murder, and that was to have your own blood spilled in your execution (which is why Utah had the firing squad as a choice for execution until fairly recently.)

Coincidences in Mormonism.  If you think these are just coincidences, you need to put on your thinking cap and look at these objectively!

And, yes, all but two of these items come from the same source, but the source is 100% accurate in exposing the false teachings of the Mormon church, and I want to help spread their message!

Beyond Mormon judgment in the temple

The following article from Religion News Service was sent to me by the Utah Lighthouse Ministry.  I thought it was well worth reading to help readers understand how the cultic actions of the LDS harms its members, and yet the members still remain members of the cult!

Columns • Jana Riess: Flunking Sainthood • Opinion

Beyond Mormon judgment in the temple

January 25, 2019

I went to the temple earlier this week, and it was (mostly) lovely.

It was my first time attending since major changes were made to the endowment ceremony (see here), and I found myself awash with gratitude for the adjustments. I was thinking about them quite a bit as I sat there, remembering the women who had gone through various, less female-friendly, versions of the ceremony. I was also praying for a few people I know who are sick or battling serious issues.

In other words, I was having a spiritually refreshing experience, by and large.

Until a woman sitting behind me poked me on the shoulder to whisper that my veil was twisted and needed to be fixed. Right then.

I was able to mostly ignore this by whispering back that the veil was not bothering me, but if she wished to untangle it from where she was sitting, she was welcome to try. She didn’t pursue it.

But the veil must have been pretty darn convoluted because after I had exited the celestial room after the session, one of the temple matrons actually called me back to her in the hallway because she had something to say.

Smiling all the while, she asked, “Now, I wonder if I can tell you something and you won’t be offended by it?”

Uh-oh. Just for future reference, can we not begin conversations this way?

I didn’t give her the nice-Mormon-lady answer she was obviously expecting (which, for the candid and healthy among us who do not make women swallow legitimate annoyance, was supposed to be: “Why, of course! I could never be offended by anything you wanted to tell me!”).

Instead, I told her I couldn’t make any guarantees about offense or non-offense until I actually learned what she had to say.

Then she took my veil in her hands and told me it was “all wrong,” and she was going to show me how to put it on correctly for the next time. Which she proceeded to try to do, and even she wasn’t able to (that veil has always been a bit wonky; I’m a cheapskate). It got her a bit flustered.

“Well, I don’t think this meant that you invalidated the ordinance or anything,” she said, handing back the obstinate veil. “I mean, I don’t think so.”

At this point I just stared at her. Of course a veil being twisted would not invalidate a holy ordinance, particularly an ordinance that has nothing to do with veils. How could she even imagine it would?

And that’s when my irritation began melting into something else, something like sorrow for this woman and the culture that produced her. What would it be like to walk through life as this sister? What would it feel like to be so afraid of judgment all the time—from other people and from God—that you default to the notion that even tiny and insignificant mistakes might threaten your eternal value in the eyes of heaven?

I’d like to say I was able to express all this in a kind way to her in the moment, but I don’t think it came out that well. I replied—probably a bit sanctimoniously, to be honest—that my heart had been very full with important matters in the temple, and that my clothing was absolutely not one of them. I told her to have a good day, and then I walked away to change into my street clothes, thinking all the while about women and judgment.

I’ve written before how, in the Next Mormons Survey research, we discovered that the #1 reason women cite for leaving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was feeling judged or misunderstood. It’s particularly high among younger women.

Overall, four in ten former Mormon women said judgment was one of their top reasons for exiting the fold, versus only about two in ten men. (For men it ranked sixth overall among thirty different possible reasons for leaving. So it’s not like men do not experience judgment or feel it has pushed them out the door, but not to nearly the same degree as women, apparently.)

Judgmental interactions, and the policing of women’s appearance, are all too common in patriarchal religious cultures. But when we hear the word “patriarchy” we tend to assume it’s all about how men control women, when the reality is far more complicated. Patriarchy rests on women themselves patrolling the boundaries of acceptable behavior for other women—and internalizing those boundaries in the deepest parts of themselves.

And it’s particularly tough for them when those boundaries suddenly shift.

It’s fascinating to me on a metaphorical level that it was my veil—a symbol of female submission—that was a stumbling block for not just one but two women I encountered in the temple. One of the changes that has just occurred in the endowment ceremony is that women no longer have to veil their faces even though they veil their heads; the overall message of many of the temple changes in aggregate is that women do not need male mediation when they approach God.

But maybe, this message is more unsettling than empowering for some. Adapting to sudden change can be hard. Sometimes our fear galvanizes the urge to police boundaries, judge others, and demarcate what is acceptable and unacceptable—especially for women.

I just wish it didn’t happen in the temple.

More Challenges to the Mormon Faith

The lies from the Mormon Church never cease.  They can’t exist without lies.

Of course the LDS also can’t exist without their continued focus on sex.  Notice that the only modesty comments are about females.

If the Temple ceremonies were given by God, as I understand Mormons to teach, then why do they keep being changed by Mormons to be more politically-correct?!? Here is a summary of the changes. Here is an excellent, short commentary on the problem of making such changes.

Joseph Smith is known to have plagiarized not only the Bible for writing the Book of Mormon, but other books as well.  Here’s an excellent examination of how he used The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain.  The “coincidences” are just too many to have just happened bye chance.

In my series on the false prophecies of Joseph Smith in October and November 2014, I examined about 50 prophecies. Michelle has 120+ false prophecies!!

Interesting examination of Orson Pratt and BOM lies about the birth and death of Jesus.

Joseph Smith’s polyandrous marriages.

I agree with Michelle — If the [Book of Mormon] plates were real, why would it take faith to see them?

Here’s an interesting anachronism in the Book of Mormon which I’ve never previous read about! Just another proof that the BOM is a fake.

Joseph Smith’s Questionable Activities

Why You Can’t Get to Heaven Through the Mormon Faith.

Book of Mormon Geography doesn’t exist, because the BOM is a fake story.

A Mormon is never sure of his salvation.

Did you know that Jesus’ return depends on us, that he can’t return without our help?!?

Random Things About Mormonism

Well, the big news now is a statement by the Mormon Church about rights for “gays.”  They are willing to compromise, yet those who practice homosexuality have already turned down such a compromise.  The real problem here is that the Mormons pretend that “gays” don’t already have the exact same rights as everyone else, and what they really want — and are getting — are special rights base on their sexual behavior!  So, my big question is this: Why aren’t Mormons taking God’s side on this issue?

Another bit of news is a new Mormon Temple in Indiana.  It’s not so much what the Mormons are telling the public, rather it is — as usual — what they aren’t telling the public.

Mormon teaching on abortion is quite convoluted.  So why is abortion a sin?

Janis Hutchinson has done an excellent study on the bizarre Mormon “Law of Adoption.”  It’s quite a long paper, but she does give you an alternative to select a “condensed version.

Moving along with some current Mormon news, it looks like some “doctrine” is being removed from the Doctrine & Covenants

Christians Apologetics & Research Ministry has some “Interesting Quotes from Brigham Young.”  There are so many examples of unbiblical nonsense!

CARM also has a list of very interesting “Questions for Mormons” which I’d like Mormons to answer!

Kent Ponder takes an in-depth look of the Jaredite ships described in the book of Ether in the Book of Mormon.  After explaining what the text says, Ponder has 40 thought-provoking questions which should make any Mormon take notice of problems with this story.

The last two items, by James White, come from Alpha & Omega Ministries.

First, we have some quotations from Mormon leaders telling us what they think of the Christian faith - i.e., the true Christian faith vs. Mormonism.  They are not very nice.

Second, White gives a timeline of The Evolution of Mormon Theology.  Most Mormons have no idea about this true history of their teachings.

Random Things About Mormonism

Back in April 2014 I read the book, “An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins,” by Grant H. Palmer.  Palmer is a die-hard Mormon, yet he proved that the Book of Mormon is fraudulent, as well as all the claims behind it.  He proved Joseph Smith was not a prophet, that the BOM witnesses never really saw it, that the first vision never happened, etc.  And yet he always gave these things a pass because of the culture of the time.  The saddest thing — and the perfect example of cult-think — is that it doesn’t matter because Joseph Smith taught that the main focus was Jesus Christ and how we are to follow him.  He ends the book with this: “As Latter-day Saints, our religious faith should be based and evaluated by how our spiritual and moral lives are centered in Jesus Christ, rather than in Joseph Smith’s largely rewritten, materialistic, idealized, and controversial accounts of the church’s founding.  I hope that this study contributes in some way to that end.”  What Palmer doesn’t seem to understand is that the false Jesus of Mormonism has little in common with the Jesus of the Bible, and a false savior can bring no salvation no matter how much you honor him.

Also back in April 2014, I read an article by Matt Walsh which demonstrated that Jesus was not all about “just getting along.”  Mormon Coffee read that article also, and has directed it against Mormons with these questions:

“Does it offend you, Mormon friends, to be shown that you are following a false prophet? Does it upset you when we demonstrate that your church is not the kingdom of God on earth as it claims? Does it hurt your feelings when we point out that the Bible says all your so-called works of righteousness are but filthy rags before our holy God? Or when we warn you that the Christ of Mormonism is a “different Jesus”? Or when we proclaim that your only eternal hope is to trust in the true Christ, and to trust in Him alone? So be it. It may not sound especially nice, but we implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.”

They have links in that paragraph directing the reader to various articles backing up their statements.

Mormon leadership is beginning to crack me up.  They now have a new policy in how they will answer difficult questions - go ask God!  This is just pitiful.

A video posted at Mormon Coffee shows the very sad teachings of works-based salvation in the Mormon Church.

The Mormons are always making changes to their doctrines, and then they turn around and say we misrepresent them!  I want to know how they can change their “Articles of Faith” without consulting Joseph Smith!

If you really want to see how the LDS changes their teachings - or hides the older versions - take a look at this article about what Mormons believed in 1900 Utah.

An interesting article suggests that the core of the Mormon faith is actually the temple and the temple ceremonies.

Mormons claim to believe in the Bible, “as far as it is translated correctly.”  Of course this is a smokescreen, because their claims against it have been proven totally erroneous for decades — especially since discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which proved the accuracy of the transmission of the Old Testament.  Well, this is another one of those beliefs that they obfuscate about when asked.

For more understanding of Mormons, this will take 36 minutes of your time, but will give you a good insight as to how well the average Mormon doesn’t know their own belief system!  If they did, they’d have to leave their church!

Over the years I have stayed in various Marriott brand motels, and enjoy trading the ever present Book of Mormon in the rooms with one I have annotated.  Well, I’m not staying in their motels any more, unless that’s all I can find.  Unlike real Christians who avoid pandering to homosexuals, Marriott is pandering to them to enrich himself.  Of course the Mormon church won’t excommunicate the Marriotts because that would be a huge loss of money for them.

Aaaaannnndddd finally, did you know that it has been only fairly recently that people have claimed that the Mormon Church is not Christian?  Neither did I; having studied the LDS for 40 years now, I’d say they were pointed out as a false belief system from the start.  What’s funny is that the LDS didn’t used to want to be called Christian.