"...in June 1998, the Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting in Salt Lake City, the backyard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the Mormons. The annual meeting created a stir between the Baptists and the Mormons.
The keynote speaker at the gathering was then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
At the annual meeting, the SBC distributed copies of a book entitled “Confronting the Contradictions Between Mormon Beliefs and True Christianity,” whose lead author is R. Philip Roberts, director of the Interfaith Witness Division of the North American Mission Board of the SBC.
The book maintains that while Mormons claim to be Christians, they propagate a non-Christian view of God, a non-Christian view of Jesus, and a non-Christian view of the gospel.
...the book quotes a Mormon apostle as saying: 'Satan is a person with a spirit body in form like that of all other men. He is a spirit brother of ours and of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
In another passage, Roberts and his co-authors state: 'Mormons claim that the early Christian church contained all the same teachings the LDS [Latter-day Saints] embrace today. However, with the death of Christ’s apostles, they believe the church fell into total apostasy, instituted false doctrine, changed the Scriptures, and lost the authority to minister in God’s name. Mormonism claims that every baptism performed by a minister outside of the true Church of Christ is rejected by God.'
The book also makes these assertions:
'Mormonism is not just a cult in terms of doctrine; it is a culture that seeks to attract and hold people and their families for generations.'
'Mormonism teaches that God is confined to a physical body and is married.'
'The more sinister and controversial aspects of Mormon history are not known by the average Mormon.'
In his address at the SBC meeting, Huckabee never addressed the Mormon controversy but he did say that he hoped Americans would 'take this nation back for Christ.'
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Mormonism: A Fake Faith From A Fake FORMER Front-runner (Part III)
Newsmax.com must get the credit for this post. Their intent is to stick Mike Huckabee with one of politics "embarrassing moments" but the article fails to make the case on Mike and actually makes the case against Mormonism. I am only going to post the portions of the article that deal with my intent of explaining/exposing the truth of Mormonism and not the False Doctrine that Mitt Romney calls Faith. At best Mormonism is a Religion and that's putting it more nicely than the SBC is quoted below. Whichever way is the most politically correct, there is no misunderstanding from my viewpoint, Mormonism is far from faith.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Mormonism is a cult, plain and simple
No doubt - doc. Thanks for your comment. :)
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) is often accused by Evangelical pastors of not believing in Christ and, therefore, not being a Christian religion This article helps to clarify such misconceptions by examining early Christianity's theology relating to baptism, the Godhead, the deity of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
• Baptism: .
Early Christian churches, practiced baptism of youth (not infants) by immersion by the father of the family. The local congregation had a lay ministry. An early Christian Church has been re-constructed at the Israel Museum, and the above can be verified. http://www.imj.org.il/eng/exhibitions/2000/christianity/ancientchurch/structure/index.html
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) continues baptism and a lay ministry as taught by Jesus’ Apostles. Early Christians were persecuted for keeping their practices sacred, and prohibiting non-Christians from witnessing them.
• The Trinity: .
A literal reading of the New Testament points to God and Jesus Christ , His Son , being separate , divine beings , united in purpose. . To whom was Jesus praying in Gethsemane, and Who was speaking to Him and his apostles on the Mount of Transfiguration?
The Nicene Creed”s definition of the Trinity was influenced by scribes translating the Greek manuscripts into Latin. The scribes embellished on a passage explaining the Trinity , which is the Catholic and Protestant belief that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The oldest versions of the epistle of 1 John, read: "There are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water and the blood and these three are one."
Scribes later added "the Father, the Word and the Spirit," and it remained in the epistle when it was translated into English for the King James Version, according to Dr. Bart Ehrman, Chairman of the Religion Department at UNC- Chapel Hill. He no longer believes in the Nicene Trinity. .
Scholars agree that Early Christians believed in an embodied God; it was neo-Platonist influences that later turned Him into a disembodied Spirit. Harper’s Bible Dictionary entry on the Trinity says “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the New Testament.”
Divinization, narrowing the space between God and humans, was also part of Early Christian belief. St. Athanasius of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox) wrote, regarding theosis, "The Son of God became man, that we might become God." . The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) views the Trinity as three separate divine beings , in accord with the earliest Greek New Testament manuscripts.
• The Deity of Jesus Christ
Mormons hold firmly to the deity of Christ. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS), Jesus is not only the Son of God but also God the Son. Evangelical pollster George Barna found in 2001 that while only 33 percent of American Catholics, Lutherans, and Methodists (28 percent of Episcopalians) agreed that Jesus was “without sin”, 70 percent of Mormons believe Jesus was sinless. http://www.adherents.com/misc/BarnaPoll.html
• The Cross and Christ’s Atonement: .
The Cross became popular as a Christian symbol in the Fifth Century A.D. . Members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) believe the proper Christian symbol is Christ’s resurrection , not his crucifixion on the Cross. Many Mormon chapels feature paintings of the resurrected Christ or His Second Coming. Furthermore, members of the church believe the major part of Christ’s atonement occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane as Christ took upon him the sins of all mankind.
• Definition of “Christian”: .
But Mormons don’t term Catholics and Protestants “non-Christian”. They believe Christ’s atonement applies to all mankind. The dictionary definition of a Christian is “of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ”: All of the above denominations are followers of Christ, and consider him divine, and the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. They all worship the one and only true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and address Him in prayer as prescribed in The Lord’s Prayer.
It’s important to understand the difference between Reformation and Restoration when we consider who might be authentic Christians. . Early Christians had certain rituals which defined a Christian http://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/207/2070037.htm , which members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) continue today. . If members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) embrace early Christian theology, they are likely more “Christian” than their detractors.
• The Need for a Restoration of the Christian Church:
The founder of the Baptist Church in America, Roger Williams, just prior to leaving the church he established, said this:
"There is no regularly constituted church of Christ on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking.” (Picturesque America, p. 502.)
Martin Luther had similar thoughts: "Nor can a Christian believer be forced beyond sacred Scriptures,...unless some new and proved revelation should be added; for we are forbidden by divine law to believe except what is proved either through the divine Scriptures or through Manifest revelation."
He also wrote: "I have sought nothing beyond reforming the Church in conformity with the Holy Scriptures. The spiritual powers have been not only corrupted by sin, but absolutely destroyed; so that there is now nothing in them but a depraved reason and a will that is the enemy and opponent of God. I simply say that Christianity has ceased to exist among
those who should have preserved it."
The Lutheran, Baptist and Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) churches recognize an apostasy from early Christianity. The Lutheran and Baptist churches have attempted reform, but Mormonism (and Roger Williams, and perhaps Martin Luther) require inspired restoration, so as to re-establish an unbroken line of authority and apostolic succession.
* * *
• Christ-Like Lives:
The 2005 National Study of Youth and Religion published by UNC-Chapel Hill found that Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) youth (ages 13 to 17) were more likely to exhibit these Christian characteristics than Evangelicals (the next most observant group):
1. Attend Religious Services weekly
2. Importance of Religious Faith in shaping daily life – extremely important
3. Believes in life after death
4. Does NOT believe in psychics or fortune-tellers
5. Has taught religious education classes
6. Has fasted or denied something as spiritual discipline
7. Sabbath Observance
8. Shared religious faith with someone not of their faith
9. Family talks about God, scriptures, prayer daily
10. Supportiveness of church for parent in trying to raise teen (very supportive)
11. Church congregation has done an excellent job in helping teens better understand their own sexuality and sexual morality
LDS Evangelical
1. 71% 55%
2. 52 28
3. 76 62
4. 100 95
5. 42 28
6. 68 22
7. 67 40
8. 72 56
9. 50 19
10. 65 26
11. 84 35
So what do you think the motivation is for the Evangelical preachers to denigrate the Mormon Church? It seems obvious they shouldn't be denigrating a church based on First Century Christianity. The only plausible reason is to protect their flock (and their livelihood).
I made no accusaations on this blog that I didn't back it up with LDS's own historical literature. The fact is - non-LDS churches are considered Apostate by the LDS. For those that don't know what Apostate means - it means damned to Hell and impossible to return to favor with God.
As for the motivation of Evangelical Preachers to denigrate the LDS - it's not so much our intent to denigrate - but to expose the lie of the Mormon church. What you said about your belief's in Jesus may be true - but that in and of itself is not enoough for Salvation, as your additional required belief for salvation in Joseph Smith negates your salvation according the Holy Bible that you claim to believe in. Jesus Said "I am the way, the truth, and the light, no man cometh to the Father EXCEPT BY ME." But according to LDS, you also have to go through Joseph Smith (quotes are in a former post).
I don't recall any teaching in the Holy Bible about the Apostles baptising children. The Bible never teaches that man becomes God - but I agree with you - LDS does teach that. Again - False Doctrine as The Word of God is "profitable for....doctrine" which is where our religions must be founded if it is to be TRUE faith - and anything else is "strange fire" in God's eyes especially that which is dependant upon salvation. All denominations have varying doctrines on certain issues - but we all agree on the doctrine of salvation, but the LDS does not - which makes it false as for the reasons mentioned earlier.
But - Salvation is always available to anyone - LDS's included - if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and repent of their sins, and beliefs in all other means of salvation, accepting Christ as the ONLY way to a right relationship with a Holy God. Anything is as described in Isaiah 1 (an abomination).
BTW: if my livlihood is dependent upon my church - I'm in big trouble.
Whether or not the LDS church is doctrinally flawed, or a chiristian religion doesnt really matter. Also, I don't think it is fair to call it a cult ande leave the rest of christianity out of it as if they were something better. I have tried many christian religions and i have to say that there are alot of religions out there that could be classified as a cult. In my opinion not all christian religions are bad, some are definitly evil, Mormonism is at the top of that list> Dont freak out ok? hear me out. I think that mormonism is evil because it inhibits personal, and societal growth. It halts the evolution of the individual and the species as much as it can. The worst thting about it is that it is nearly impossible for someone who doesnt believe it to get up the balls to leave before they are permanently screwed up and forever harmed by mormonism, and then after they finally break out of the tiny box mormonism crams you into (dont think they shove you into a box? Every mormon is highly pressured to 1. be an outcast in high school, screwing up important formative years by ensuring that you are an outcast, which leads to low self esteem experience and social skills in many, things that are more important than anything else for success in life. 2. go on a mission, a horrible waste of two of the best years of your life. 3. go to BYU, a horrible waste of 4 more years of your life 4. get married to some person you BARELY know really really young and live with them till you die, all the while pretending that they are the person for you when you havent experienced ANYTHING ELSE so you couldnt possibly know. 5. if you are a man, you cannot easily be something successful largely thanks to the complete lack of social skills, confidence, and depth of personality that it would take since you are by now just another cookie cutter mormon who knows nothing but your little cult. Other reasons you cannot become successful are the 9 other little clones running around, the massive amount of time you are supposed to spend serving a calling in the ward, worldly success is seen as evil, ((of course since you are mormon you will never ever go far enough into education and sophistication to realize that people only really get rich by adding a great deal to society (((yes there are exceptions but not really that many if you look at it)))))and the final barrier to worthe fact that mormonism is drivin by peer pressure, and the majority of people who get roped into it are weak people anyways, who arent going to go far in life regardless6. if you are a woman, you cannot have a career (they dont say, or directly try to enforce any of this by the way, but it is all just expected of you and if you mess any of it up, you go to hell)
So basically not only is mormonism a cult, but it is evil because it tries its very hardest to FORCE you to swallow its B.S. It kills people by getting them to waste their lives on it, and then it forces them to kill their children the same way and go out on missions trying to rope people into the b.s.
I am supposed to go on a mission for the church in one month, if i break to my family how i feel, i will never, ever hear the end of it. I will for all intents and purposes be an outcast from my own family because they will bother me so much about it that i will have to push them away. not to mention the fact that i will be a complete failure in my parents eyes, and if my brothers do the same thing i do and forsake the church it will be seen as my fault since i am their elder, then i will be responsible for the damnation of many instead of just myself.
So i am going to try to fake my mission. yes in order to save my parents from the pain of having to know that i am a failure and that i am doomed to burn in hell for eternity, i am going to fake a mission, that is, i am going to go live somewhere in the states and go to college while i pretend to be out on my mission, sending letters and packages and emails back home about the wonderful time i am having. I need as much help with this as i can possibly get, because, i dont think i can get any bishop in the world in on it, and he is totally going to check up on me, which means that he would then tell my parents. also i have to have a way to recieve my mail, and i have gotten a call to another country so...yeah, im sure there is a way to send my parents a different address where they can send my mail then the one the church will give them. one where i can leave instructions to then send that mail to me where i am. Or i could try to have a member of the family, who "knows" change where the mail gets sent.
I might have to have a bishop (of themormon church) in on it....i dont know, if i do i dont know if this would be possible.
anyone who would like to help or has any ideas about how i could possibly pull this off please email me at nomo1452@gmail.com ASAP thank you.
Post a Comment