Mormons Weigh in on Their Faith, Politics, & Media Portrayal in Landmark Study
- Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:26pm by
Billy Hallowell
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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (left) and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (right)
Over the past year, there’s no doubt that Mormonism has received increasing attention in media, politics and entertainment. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Mormon, is the current GOP front-runner in the 2012 race. Another contender, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, is a Mormon as well. And who can forget the Broadway musical “Book of Mormon,” which has both captivated — and offended — audiences.
Image Credit: Pew Research Center
With the presence of Mormonism continuing to pop up, the Pew Research Center has released a major survey that documents how Mormons feel about the new-found media blitz their faith is receiving, the 2012 campaign and the way their fellow Americans view them. Pew has more:
The survey paints a mixed picture: Many Mormons feel they are misunderstood, discriminated against and not accepted by other Americans as part of mainstream society. Yet, at the same time, a majority of Mormons think that acceptance of Mormonism is rising. Overwhelmingly, they are satisfied with their lives and content with their communities.
Let’s start with the first part of the picture — the notion that Mormons are misunderstood. Pew found that an overwhelming 68 percent do not believe that they are viewed as mainstream by society. Additionally, and considering this result — not surprisingly — six in 10 maintain that the public is uninformed about the Mormon faith.
Image Credit: Pew Research Center
Other results that seem to piggy-back off of these feelings expose the fact that Mormons feel they’re misrepresented in media. More than half (54 percent) say that television and film portrayals hurt their image. Nearly half (46 percent) report “a lot” of discrimination against their faith. Considering these numbers, there’s a sizable concern among Mormons regarding how the public views them and how this perception is played out and reinforced through channels of communication.
Image Credit: Pew Research Center
Now, let’s delve into the more positive findings. While the current scenario isn’t overwhelmingly bright, 63 percent of Mormons say that acceptance of their faith is improving. In fact, the majority of adherents (56 percent) believe that the nation is prepared to elect a Mormon president; 32 percent say that the nation isn’t, in fact, ready to take this step.
When it comes to political affiliation, Mormons are more conservative than the general public. ABC News reports:
Seventy-four percent of Mormons surveyed say they lean toward the Republican party, and 66 percent describe themselves as conservatives, much higher than the national average of 37 percent. That political ideology is reflected in their views of politicians – 86 percent view Romney favorably and 50 percent hold a positive view of another Mormon candidate, Jon Huntsman. But considerably less, only 22 percent, are supportive of Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is also a Mormon.
You can read the entire report from the Pew Research Center here.
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Comments (502)
Scott15sb
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:48pmThe Bible speaks of the Mormons. See Luke 9:49-50. 49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.” (ESV)
ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:57pmSeriously?
Report Post »DLG123
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:57pmThat verse is speaking about Mormons? Huh… I would have never known… Thanks for the info
Report Post »MBN
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:02pmOr it speaks about the other modern Christian Faiths :)
Just having a little fun with you…
Report Post »GIDEON612
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:09pmIs that ESV an abbreviation for Easy Spin Version?
Report Post »Scott15sb
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:14pmYes. They do good in the name of Jesus, but they do not follow with traditional christians. This is my conclusion. You are welcome to your own. If not them, then who is Jesus speaking about in todays world?
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:14pmSo since Hindu, Buddhist, and Scientologist arent against us we shouldnt not try and help lead them to Jesus Christ of the Bible? That is the issue, evangelical Christians believe the Mormon faith to be a false teaching. If your churches main goal was to go to and convert Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslims to your faith that would be ok since atleast they would get the Bible in some form. The problem I have is your church almost preys on Christian faiths. Why go after Catholics. Baptists, and the other Christian faiths if as you quoted the Bible saying “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.”
1. Do you believe God was once a man on another planet?
Report Post »2. Do you believe you can become exalted and become a god over your own planet?
3. Do you believe Jesus Christ and Satan are brothers.
A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:21pmHere is something interesting from Utah Lighthouse Ministry, a counter-cult Mormon outreach site.
See here.
Does the Book of Mormon teach the doctrines of Mormonism?
http://www.utlm.org/faqs/faqgeneral.htm#22
“No. Many people assume that if they read the Book of Mormon they will get a good idea of LDS beliefs. However, the Book of Mormon teaches one God, not plural gods as in Mormonism. It mentions heaven and hell, not three degrees of glory, no temple marriage or secret temple ceremonies. It does not teach baptism for the dead, pre-existence of man, eternal progression or polygamy (see comparison chart). One of the most objectionable doctrines in the Book of Mormon is its view of skin color. White skin is seen as desirable, dark skin is seen as a mark of God’s displeasure (see chart on racial statements). Smith wrote the Book of Mormon in the late 1820′s. Over the next fifteen years his doctrines underwent radical changes which are seen in his revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.”
Report Post »THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:25pmThe very ethos of the Mormon faith is built around the anticipated return of Jesus to Independence, Missouri, for his thousand-year millennial reign. It is here that he will assign godhood to the worthy. However, it cannot take place until the U.S. Constitution falters and is saved by the LDS church. The nation will become a Mormon theocracy. Mitt Romney has raised Mormon speculation that this may be the time and that he may be the one to lead the way as both U.S. President and LDS high priest.
http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=533&Itemid=8
Report Post »THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:25pmGod is married to his goddess wife and has spirit babies, Mormon Doctrine p. 516.We were first begotten as spirit babies in heaven and then born naturally on earth, Journal of Discourse, Vol. 4, p. 218.The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus, Mormon Doctrine, page 129.The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus “in the morning of pre-existence,” Mormon Doctrine, page 192.Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers, Mormon Doctrine, p. 163.A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus’ plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to “deny men their agency and to dethrone god.” Mormon Doctrine, page 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, page 8.God had sexual relations with Mary to make the body of Jesus, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, p. 218, 1857.
Report Post »BrayDeck
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:37pm@A DOCTORS…
Why would you go to a website full of jaded ex-Mormons for your info? Here’s a scripture from the Book of Mormon: Alma 47:36-
36 Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to relate, not long after their dissensions they became more hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than the Lamanites—drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites; giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea, entirely forgetting the Lord their God.
Also, different dispensations of the Gospel are given certain amounts of truth. As this is the last dispensation of the fullness of times, we are receiving the fullness of the gospel. The Nephites did not need to know about the Godhead so they were not told about it. Just as the Jews living under the law of Moses until the coming of the Savior and the fulfillment of that law.
Report Post »BrayDeck
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:41pm@THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
Really? A Mormon theocracy?
Read this and tell me about the coming Mormon theocracy:
Doctrine and Covenants 98:5-10
5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.
6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;
7 And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.
8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.
9 Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn.
10 Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.
Report Post »THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:45pm@braydeck…I have links and proof but the blaze won’t let me post them. Too damaging I guess…
Report Post »TerryDo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:49pmYour ignorance far surpasses your blind bigotry. People who call themselves Christians first and formost believe in Christ and try to follow his teachings. The differenc sects of Christianity should makes no difference and Catholics do not have the last say as to who can call themselves a Christian. It has been and still is the “religious dogmas” that create the fraction among Christians.
There was a time no so long ago where Catholics disallowed their children to associate with Protestants..
And Mormons believe in Jesus Christ and that is good enough for me and should be for any Catholic, Protestant, Baptist etc. etc. etcetera … so called Christians and even Jews… if they have a problem with Mormons. Just one of many opinions on who is a follower of Christ!
Report Post »Kankokage
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:03pmThe verse quoted in the original post is wildly important for all those who claim to follow Christ: don’t turn your back on others just because they see the world a little differently from you. Be more open-minded and realize you are not the center of the universe. Other people can be good too and bring about great things in Christ’s name, and like Christ you should not turn your back on them, harass them, persecute them, etcetera just because they are of a different religion.
And Martinez, I’ve seen a dozen or so posts with you asking the same supposed “gotcha” questions over and over. Give it a rest and let it go; you are simply being divisive.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:17pm1. Do you believe God was once a man on another planet?
No, that isn’t a part of official LDS doctrine.
2. Do you believe you can become exalted and become a god over your own planet?
No, that isn’t a part of official LDS doctrine.
3. Do you believe Jesus Christ and Satan are brothers.
All of God’s children are brothers and sisters, no?
Report Post »totallywired
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:17pm@MARTINEZ012577 Who can read an anti Mormon tract. You can good job. That’s pretty weak, you can do better than that.
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:25pmMore Mormon stuff from the non-agenda people at the Blaze. Zzzzz
Report Post »Luke611
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:27pmMBN
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:02pm
“….Or it speaks about the other modern Christian Faiths :)…”
My life motto…..if you persist to cast your pearls amongst the swine…..aim for the head.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:02pm@ freedom
1. In Joe Smith’s own words, “In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it….In all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.” Joseph Smith, (Founder and First Prophet), History of the Church, Vol 6, pp. 308,474.
“God himself was one as we are now, and is an exalted man…I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form…like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man…He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 305
Your founder and prophet believe that. Was he lying? Or do you not know your own books?
2. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.69 – p.70:
THE STRAITNESS OF THE WAY. Mortality is the testing or proving ground for exaltation to find out who among the children of God are worthy to become Gods themselves, and the Lord has informed us that “few there be that find it.”
Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.85 – p.86, Orson Hyde, October 6, 1854:
When the servants of God and their wives go to heaven there is an eternal union, and they will multiply and replenish the world to which they are going.
To be continued.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:08pm@ freedom
continued.
Journal of Discourses, Vol.22, p.125, George Q. Cannon, October 31, 1880:
Every man and every woman who prays unto the Father, who is in the habit of doing so, expresses that desire in his or her prayer–that we may be counted worthy to receive celestial glory and exaltation in the presence of God and the Lamb. … When we talk about celestial glory, we talk of the condition of endless increase; if we obtain celestial glory in the fullest sense of the word, then we have wives and children in eternity, we have the power of endless lives granted unto us, the power of propagation that will endure through all eternity, all being fathers and mothers in eternity; fathers of fathers, and mothers of mothers, kings and queens, priests and priestesses, and shall I say more? Yes, all becoming gods.
Milton R. Hunter, LDS Conference Report, April 1949, p.71:
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that this continuation of “the seeds” forever and ever, meant the power of procreation; in other words, the power to beget spirit children on the same principle as we were born to our Heavenly Parents, God the Eternal Father and our Eternal Mother. Therefore, a man cannot receive the highest exaltation without a woman, his wife, nor can a woman be exalted without her husband. That is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation.
I could go on and on posting Mormon teachings on this subject. But I think you get the point.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:13pmMartinez, none of that says anything about God living on another planet, or anything about men being gods over their own planet.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:18pm@ freedom
continued.
3. I am a adopted child of God. When I accepted Jesus Christ I became one of his children. Just like in a family that adopts a child I am loved like the others but I do not gain the traits of God. I can be his child and not become him.
As for Jesus is God’s only begotten son. Not Satan.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:37pm“As for Jesus is God’s only begotten son. Not Satan.”
Begotten, as in earthly procreation. No Mormon believes that Satan is Jesus’ earthly brother. They believe that all children of God are brothers and sisters in spirit.
Report Post »GoliathOnline
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:46pmok.. ok.. ok.. i think we can all agree to the point that the Mormons interpret the Bible differently than what most people are taught.. but that goes with every Christian Church out there as well.. or else there would be only One Church teaching the same doctrine…and Yet there are over 35,000 different type of Christian churches out there.. which explains a lot on how well we ‘agree’ with what the Bible is saying. in the end, aren’t we on the same team?
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:48pm@ Freedom
Oh yeah Spirit babies. Wonder why that wasnt written about in the Bible. Spirit babies seem like a pretty important thing. Speaking of spirit babies, your god has many goddess correct? You believe you can achieve all of gods power. So you will also get goddess to create spirit babies. Does your
wife know you will get many goddesses?
I am telling you this, my wife would be ticked off.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:57pmMartinez, you are clearly sorely mistaken about what the LDS church teaches.
Report Post »gordonknapp
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:13pmTHE BOOK OF MORMON? Hmmmmmm. In the HOLY BIBLE the book of Galations from Paul 1:7-8 says quote “FOR THERE IS NO OTHER WAY THAN THE ONE WE SHOWED YOU; YOU ARE BEING FOOLED BY THOSE WHO TWIST AND CHANGE THE TRUTH CONCERNING GOD. LET GOD’S CURSE FALL ON ANYONE, INCLUDING MYSELF, WHO PREACHES ANY OTHER WAY TO BE SAVED THAN THE ONE WE TOLD YOU ABOUT; YES, IF AN ANGEL COMES FROM HEAVEN AND PREACHES ANY OTHER GOSPEL THAN THE ONE YOU WELCOMED, LET GOD’S CURSE FALL UPON HIM”. Clearly, this includes the Book of Mormon that has omitted Galations from their bible.
Jesus himself warned, ‘Beware of false prophets coming in my name’. Wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Yes, most Mormons are fine, upstanding citizens. Hmmmmmmmmm.
stiadotf
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:24pmWow…I didn’t know the word “Mormon” was in the Bible…how about that…
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:53pmWe omitted Galatians from our Bible? That’s news to me, since I’m sitting here reading the Book of Galatians right now from my Bible that I purchased in an LDS bookstore. Besides, there is no new gospel being preached. The gospel (good news) is that Christ is our Lord and Savior, that he came to earth to atone for the sins of the world, and that there is no path to salvation but through Him. That is exactly what the LDS church teaches.
martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:56pm@Kank
I have seen dozens of Mormons post they are Christians. Fact is if you believe the things the Mormon prophets taught you cannot be following the same Jesus Christ and God of the Bible.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:13pmI had but to look at the author of this article to know why my post was deleted. Well done Billy boy, you frigging moral and ethical coward.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:20pmActually, it does, but not in that book. It teaches of secret religions and (essentially) gnosticism in several books penned by Paul, and it teaches that they are not sanctioned by God.
No, Mormons. We know you. We understand you. We shun your faith (because it’s a construct of the created John Smith and not Elohim, the Creator God), but we love you.
As to misrepresentation in the Media, meh… I think anyone who is religious is, these days.
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:28pm@Leftfighter
You can’t even get the name of Joseph Smith right and you expect people to believe that you know anything at all about our faith?
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:46pm@ @leftfighter
—————————-
Billy appears to have a 1 sided feud running against me in this forum. I suspect it’s because I have nothing good to say about islime and the cult of pedophilia it represents.
As for Mormonism. I readily concede the fact that I don’t know a great deal about their doctrine. I have had a few conversations with adherents to their sect of faith, and at their core they believe in Jesus Christ. Heck, I was raised with Catholicism teaching me that Baptists and Methodists were false religions. Finally growing up, I came to realize that even that was false doctrine.
Mormon claim Jesus Christ as the central figure of their faith. Their sect, denomination, or creed of that sect is for them. I’ve found them to be pretty good people. Whether running into them on a bike in Hawai’i, Utah, Ohio, or wherever, I come away impressed with their firm foundation on Christ. What they practice in “their house” is between them and God. The faith they hold through Christ Jesus is between them and God. Personally I find much of my own Catholicism strange in accordance to what the Scriptures prescribe. The same with Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Methodist, and any other sect.
As long as they are going through Jesus Christ, their HOUSE doctrine is between them and Messiah.
Should we do away with the Canon of New Testament? Jesus referred always to the SCRIPTURES. The New Testament didn’t exist. Should we therefore ignore Paul?
Report Post »thedweh
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:25pm@MARTINEZ
Report Post »I have a question for you, do you believe that the bible is 100% correct, every word of it?
richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:51pm@ Scott15sb ~ Jesus layed His hands upon His twelve disciple’s heads commissioning them to act in His name, they in turn continued that chain for a brief time, the apostasy took that chain of command away when the last of the true disciples of Jesus were martyred. No more direct line leading back to our Lord Jesus, it was broken. There is no other religion who recognizes this other than the Mormons, and they claim that through a heavenly visitation (the only way it could be reestablished) that that chain ( the true priesthood of Christ) WAS reestablished to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to act in His name and so forth to the present. So Scott who gave you or any of your like that authority to act in Christ’s name?
Report Post »Seeker_of_truth
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:20pmAs a nondenominational Christian, I find it very interesting that so many anti-Mormons that call themselves “Christians” do the opposite of what Jesus Christ taught. Jesus Christ gave us the standard by which all mankind would know who His followers, disciples and those who love Him (true Christians) are: John 14:15; Mathew 22: 37-39; 1 John 4:21; John 13:34-35
By contrast He made it very clear those who are not His followers, disciples nor true Christians are those that do not keep His commandments by not loving their brother/neighbor. 1 John 2:4
Jesus Christ also taught that we would know His followers by the fruits of their labors. Mathew 7:16-20. So if majority of Mormons are doing what Christ teaches by doing good and following His commandments then who are we to judge them?
It is not for us to decide how another will worship and follow Christ, for that is a personal relationship between Christ and them. And it is Jesus Christ that will judge each person on their individual beliefs, actions and understanding.
For the continuance of anti-Mormon propaganda that is being put forth by some of those that are posting in this thread claiming they are Christians by demonizing LDS members are the examples of why many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints state they are misunderstood, misjudge and misrepresented.
If one actually wants to know the truth for themselves what the LDS/Mormons believe they can simply go to Mormon.org or LDS.org.
Report Post »Ceb
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:45pm1) You’re a bigot.
2) People like you is the reason why liberals and atheists is always down on Christianity.
Have a good day.
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:48pm@gordonknapp
Report Post »Just to clarify to you in your (I hope unintended) ignorance, the Book of Mormon testifies that the Holy Bible is God’s word, it is another witness of the same God, Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. It is a gift in these last days to further show mankind that indeed Christ IS the light and life of the world, the only way one can obtain Heaven. As Mormons we believe that many more hidden truths will be unfolded before Christ’s return to further solidify and anchor all truth seekers in Christ. Hopefully you are not one of those Christians who thinks he knows everything already and needs no more wisdom or council. May God bless you in your rightous pursuits brother.
Did not Christ speak of the parable of the good Samaritan, who helped a fellow man when supposed men of the law of Moses wouldn’t and passed by? Did Christ teach to rail against different faiths or invite them and entreat them to kindness and love? Did not Christ sit with a prostitute when all others shunned her? I certainly hope that you would not have been one of those who openly mocked his brother then, anymore than now.
Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:27amScott;
“Yes. They do good in the name of Jesus, but they do not follow with traditional christians. This is my conclusion.”
That’s exactly my view.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:33amMartinez;
“1. Do you believe God was once a man on another planet?
2. Do you believe you can become exalted and become a god over your own planet?
3. Do you believe Jesus Christ and Satan are brothers.”
From my understanding of official LDS doctrine:
1) NO!!!
2) Exalted, yes: by the grace of God. Control over your own planet? No.
3) Yes
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:45amDoctor Labor;
“the Book of Mormon teaches one God, not plural gods as in Mormonism. It mentions heaven and hell, not three degrees of glory, no temple marriage or secret temple ceremonies. It does not teach baptism for the dead, pre-existence of man, eternal progression or polygamy ”
All that’s in the Bible, which is part of the LDS canon. The Bok of mormon has the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and one, citing Joseph Smith, will come nearer to God by abiding by it’s preceipts than by any other book. Why is that when you correctly point out (except there only being one God (in the “mono” meaning ofthe word)? That’s becaue, porportionately-speaking, more than any other book on the planet, the Book of Mormon teaches the reader who Jesus Christ is and that it is absolutely essential to come unto Him. It teaches that jesus is the Son of God, the Lod God omnipotent, the alpha and omega, the Creator of heaven and earthand that we must strive to be like Him and that by His grace we are saved. Absolutely the Bible is the true word of God and the Book of Mormon not only confirms this truth but plainly teaches the need for good works, the grace of God, the need ofr an “infinite and eternal atonement”, the fall of man, and the necessity of service to God and others.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:47amDoctor’s Labor;
“Smith wrote the Book of Mormon in the late 1820′s. Over the next fifteen years his doctrines underwent radical changes which are seen in his revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.””
That’s completely untrue.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:51amTruth Shall;
“Mitt Romney has raised Mormon speculation that this may be the time and that he may be the one to lead the way as both U.S. President and LDS high priest.”
What an utterly stupid thing to say. I’m LDS, I like Romney, wish Santorum would win but, well, he’s not going to. The US is not going to become a Mormon theocracy and romney will not become anything like an LDS high priest.
“11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” (Articles of Faith)
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:59amTruth shall;
Will you please drop the Journal of Discourse and use official LDS doctrine to preach what the LDs believe?
Here, this should help:
http://lds.org/scriptures?lang=eng
“I have links and proof but the blaze won’t let me post them. Too damaging I guess…”
You do not have any such proof and The Blaze is not scared of you posting your sources unless they come from questionable sites. People post anti-Mormon links all the time here. And there’s times my posts do not g othrough here. It’s frustrating; but no conspiracy.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:05amMartinez;
Council of Gods: While “History of the Church” is NOT official LDS doctrine, you can make a strong argument of a council of Gods from the Bible.
“The Israelite Council of Gods could also be understood in a three-tier structure. At the first tier sits Yahweh-Elohim. In the second tier are the Sons of God (bene elohim). The bene elohim are sometimes called the Morning Stars (kokebe boqer). The third tier was made up of angels (mela’kim) which literally means messangers. Some archeologists believe that Yahweh gradually came to fill the role held by El. Others understand that they may have been separate deities. Margaret Barker believes that Yahweh was originally the son of El [2]. This idea is consistent with the drama found in Deuteronomy 32: 8-9 in which the nations were divided and Yahweh was given charge over Israel. Of course, Yahweh would have become foremost among the bene elohim to have rule over all nations (Psalms 82).”
http://explorationsinfaith.blogspot.com/2010/03/council-of-gods-part-3-divine-couple.html
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:30amMartinez;
“Oh yeah Spirit babies. Wonder why that wasnt written about in the Bible.”
The Bible is absolutely clear that there was a pre-mortal life. Christians bunsantly believed so as well and it was around the 5th century when the Church official condemned the idea when they official condemned the great preacher Origen. Despite the explicit meaning of pre-mortal spirits (you and I) from the Bible being lost, there’s biblical passages which make little to no sense without accepting this truth.
To comfort Job, the lord said, “6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38). this makes little sense believing that Job didn’t exist at the time of the foundation ofthe world. Why else would God use this example to comfort him? “Hey, Job, don’t worry, angels existed when you did not.” Huh? But, believing that Job was one of these “sons of God” who shouted joy, that’s conforting.
” 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto theenations.” (Jeremiah 5). Why would God “sanctify” and “ordain” a being that did not exist? It makes far more sense to interpret this as God going to a real being and sanctifying ordaining him to be a prophet when he was born into mortality.
Pay attention to the context of Jesus healin
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:31am(con’t);
Pay attention to the context of Jesus healing a blind man, ” 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9). How can a non existent being “sin” *to be born* blind? It makes far more sense that the disciples of Christ believed tha this man *born* blind exitsted sometime and somewhere before he was born. There was no rebuke or correction from the Master regarding this belief. This is a strong indication that a pre-mortal exitence was the common belief during Old and New testement times.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:35amMartinez;
Polygamy was NEVER offcially taught as essential for exaltation; but celestial marriage is. Celestial marriage does not mean anyone will have more than one spouse in the eternities. So neither your wife, my wife, nor Freedompurveyor’s wife need ot worry.
Please study official LDS doctrine before preaching what the LDS believe.
God bless you and yours, sir.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:39amgordonknapp;
“WHO PREACHES ANY OTHER WAY TO BE SAVED THAN THE ONE WE TOLD YOU ABOUT; YES, IF AN ANGEL COMES FROM HEAVEN AND PREACHES ANY OTHER GOSPEL THAN THE ONE YOU WELCOMED, LET GOD’S CURSE FALL UPON HIM”
Wonderful. The Book of Mormon teaches, “21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.” (2 Nephi). The Book of Mormon teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ and *only* the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:42amDr Nordo;
“You can’t even get the name of Joseph Smith right ”
LOL! :>)
Report Post »MiloArk
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:08amAnd may I echo–Seriously? Holy crap. Emphasis on the ‘crap.’
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:01am@BrayDeck,
“Why would you go to a website full of jaded ex-Mormons for your info?”
Because these jaded ex-Mormons are using Mormon literature to prove their claims.
Report Post »NOTOFTHEWORLD
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:15amTo be clear, the real name of the Morman church is “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” and on the cover of the Book of Mormon is “Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. I have been a member of the Church since 1972 and I am a Christian. If you want the Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ then read the Book of Morman and then ask your Heavenly Father.
Moroni 10:3-4 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
My hope is in Christ.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:22am“Because these jaded ex-Mormons are using Mormon literature to prove their claims.”
The only thing they prove is that peope actually believe their take on Mormonism. There are far better sources of information about the LDS faith. One is, ironically, the LDS faith itself. Go to its official doctrines to learn what they believe. Go to their services to see how they worship. Get to know and interact with them to see how they live. More important is the other source from where the LDS faith comes from: that’s the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Study His words. Build a relationship with Him. Go to His Father in prayer and be open to the Holy Spirit which came in His name.
http://lds.org/?lang=eng
Report Post »Tacair12
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:33amGalatians 1:8 says, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (NASB) A deep study of the LDS church will show that it is contrary to the gospel preached by the apostles.
Report Post »zergic
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:18pmDear Martinez and The Truth,
So tell me where I’m wrong here about your idea of what true “Christian” doctrine is. So God who is no where but everywhere at once and has existed for eternity which is longer than we can comprehend just happened on a whim, for no particular reason other than He was bored after an eternity of floating around, to create something. He had never really created anything before but that’s ok because He is omniscient. He creates many things, man being his crowning creation. He calls them his children but really doesn’t give them anything a child would get from a parent because really he is more like his favorite pet more than actual offspring. He gives them some rules and then tells them if you disobey even one rule you will go to an everlasting torture. But don‘t worry all you have to do is say with your lips that you believe in Jesus and I won’t send you there. And all of his children that he created for no particular reason than to entertain himself who never heard of His son get to go to hell and those honest people who loved their fellow man and believed in a Jesus a little different than yours get to go to hell and heck lots of people get to go to hell. And Hell, you get to sin all you want because you said you believed in His son so you don’t have to go to hell no matter what. That is awesome! And you call Mormon theology whacked? You might jump in that Bible and start praying and questioning those traditions you believe a
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:12pm@Tacair12
Report Post »By your own words which Bible do you read? The ORIGINAL english translation is the King James version. I don’t even have an idea what (NASB) is but since the Book of Mormon only testifies that the Holy Bible is in fact true and fills in the blanks on many points that the Holy Bible does not but never changes the message just what are you even talking about?
In the Lord’s wisdom He knowing the wickedness of men and that they would (out of common logical sense by a man’s wisdom) try to pervert the words of the Lord, hid another testament of Him to be brought forth in the last days so that it WOULD NOT be defiled by men. As Mormons we believe the King James version of the Bible to be the most correct, at the same time we recognize that men have had many centuries to alter the Holy Bible. It goes on today with all these ‘NEW’ versions and translations of the Word that diminish it and water it down. There is true beauty and REAL power in the original words, it’s up to every Christian to study those words so that you become comfortable with the unusual language of that time.
Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:30pmTacair;
“A deep study of the LDS church will show that it is contrary to the gospel preached by the apostles.”
So, you oppose the Holy Trinity?
Report Post »blondenblueeyed
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:04pmDid your pastor tell you that one or did you just pull it out of the ******* Jacks box?
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:31pm@ Tacair12
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:33am
Galatians 1:8 says, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (NASB) A deep study of the LDS church will show that it is contrary to the gospel preached by the apostles.
—————————————————————————————
I don‘t get how you’re arriving at that.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints isn’t usurping authority over the Bible, or the Scriptures. It seems to me that they make it evident that the Book of Mormon is simply “another” testimony of Jesus Christ. I’ve done a serious study on the “Doctrine of the Nicolaitans” and it just doesn’t appear in what I know of LDS testimony.
People ridicule LDS because they “claim” to have Prophets among them. My question is why? Especially since the Bible declares Prophesy as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”, and further stressed in Acts as a confirmation, Acts 2:17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:53pm@Darren,
“There are far better sources of information about the LDS faith. One is, ironically, the LDS faith itself. Go to its official doctrines to learn what they believe.”
That’s the whole point – they DID go to LDS’s own faith and literature. They DID go to its official doctrines to learn what they believe, once believed, and deny believing in spite of the evidence provided in their own literature.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:20pmSomething that I find interesting. The Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic Church made life MISERABLE for any who would seek Christ on their own. Persecution ensued. Sects began to appear because people felt the NEED to commune with an open door policy Christ. MOST of the early settlers in America were escaping religious persecution. They wanted to be able to serve God as He was directing them to live, and worship. While Winthrop (from whom the quote concerning the Shining City on a Hill came from) envisioned the New Land of America as a perfect haven for a ruthless brand of Christianity, most of those fleeing European persecution saw America as a LIBERTY to serve Christ as they felt He directed. After a couple of hundred years those who we would come to recognize as American Founders had seen or been a part of every sect of Christianity imaginable. The “Great Awakening” saw the rise of personal relationship with Christ the paramount of who America would be as a people. Joseph Smiths family was certainly part of that period as active participants, later moving to NYC. They held both traditional and certain beliefs in a non broken place for Prophets. Through stages Smith became a Prophet of God and gradually migrated West through a lot of persecution. That period was known as the second great awakening. The core problem other Christians had was polygamy, which is what led to Smiths murder.
This thread is making me have to research. THANKS!
Report Post »John Burleson
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:39pmHuh? The Bible has been twisted in so many ways it’s very difficult to even conceive of something new…but you did it, Scott15sb! It sounded like a nice thing to notice and I sincerely think you meant it that way. I lived in Utah for a few years and got to know a lot of LDS’ers. They’re good, decent, patriotic Americans. Live and let live, people. Nobody has the inside track to the Big Guy, but every body has a chance of finding the short cut.
John Burleson
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:01pm@Darren,
“To comfort Job, the lord said, “6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38). this makes little sense believing that Job didn’t exist at the time of the foundation ofthe world. Why else would God use this example to comfort him?”
It wasn’t to comfort Job, but to admonish him.
“2 “Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?”
He didn’t mean that the stars literally sang.
Compare: Psalm 148:3 “Praise Him, sun and moon ; Praise Him, all stars of light !”
And apart from Genesis, the phrase “sons of God” usually refers to angels (must be ascertained from the context).
Also, the Tanners have answered the Book of Mormon Challenge Questions regarding Joseph Smith.
See here.
Book of Mormon Challenge
Report Post »http ://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no107.htm
Arlundee
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:49pmIn high school and college I was Queen of B.S. when it came to writing essays and research papers. I admit that instead of doing the work I should have to complete assignments, I would take one source of information and write an entire 15 page paper from it. That’s right, I said ONE source. If I felt ambitious, then 2 or maybe 3. I never received below an A-.
My point? Anyone can look up a source.. on ANY subject matter.. and flip/twist words and citations to say just about anything they want. I can make myself sound like an expert on any religion out there without any effort or any research whatsoever. I know, without a doubt, that I am not the only person that does this.
That being said, telling the public exactly what Mormons are, using Ex/Anti-Mo literature is a bit hypocritical of anyone that has never lived the life of a Mormon. If you haven’t been one, or found some ridiculous petty reason to leave the church, then don’t try to act like an expert. Sorry to break your heart, but you aren’t. If you really understood what the Mormons were about and believed, even if you didn’t agree with what they teach in church, you would at the very least be respectful of their choice to follow as they wish without further persecution.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 6:45pm@Arlundee,
“That being said, telling the public exactly what Mormons are, using Ex/Anti-Mo literature is a bit hypocritical of anyone that has never lived the life of a Mormon.”
But it isn’t anti-Mormon literature – it’s actual Mormon literature; They wrote it.
The writings of the Book of Mormon witnesses, the Mormon prophets, etc., are just that.
“If you haven’t been one, or found some ridiculous petty reason to leave the church, then don’t try to act like an expert. Sorry to break your heart, but you aren’t.”
Even if I grant you that this is necessary, the Tanners fulfill these supposed prerequisites.
“If you really understood what the Mormons were about and believed, even if you didn’t agree with what they teach in church, you would at the very least be respectful of their choice to follow as they wish without further persecution.”
I fully expect people to challenge my beliefs about anything – religion or otherwise; I reject the idea that it is disrespectful for people to do so.
In fact, Mormons, like most other religions, spread their message BECAUSE they think others are wrong, and it’s considered kind by them.
If you disagree with me, I WANT you to tell me so.
Report Post »Arlundee
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:01pmMy previous comment was not directed solely to you, so kindly get over yourself. You give yourself too much credit. I’m fully aware, being a Mormon for nearly 30 years myself, of the organization you’ve quoted on several occasions on this post alone, the “Utah Lighthouse Ministry.” They are an organization of people that target new Ex-Mo’s and attempt to re-educate them and guide them to what they tend to call “true Christianity.” Most of what they spread are in fact twisted misrepresentations of what the LDS truly believe and teach. I’m not saying that every piece of information they have is a lie, but.. as I’m sure your parents taught you growing up.. The best lie is that closest to the truth. Your precious http://www.ultm.org is just one of many ways the Ex/Anti-Mo’s use to warp public knowledge of what a Mormon believes. It is a vat of twisted lies that have been fashioned to pull in even the slightly misinformed individuals and produce full on Mormon-Haters.
If you truly wish to educate yourself on this subject, feel free to visit a real LDS site, and I guarantee it is, in its entirety, run by LDS, for LDS and those wishing to learn more.
http://www.lds.org
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:54pm@Arlundee,
“If you truly wish to educate yourself on this subject, feel free to visit a real LDS site, and I guarantee it is, in its entirety, run by LDS, for LDS and those wishing to learn more.”
Except that those who claim to have already taken this advice are summarily written off.
So, which is it? DOES it indeed matter whether someone has visited a real LDS church/site? If so, the Tanners have already done so.
But when the Tanners present evidence to you, you claim they are twisting what Mormons believe, so it would appear that it doesn’t REALLY matter to you whether someone has visited a real LDS church/site, or not.
All the while, the specific claims are not being addressed. This seems disingenuous.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:55pm@ A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
——————-
I’m a Computer Engineer by trade. It requires a Degree in Physics and several other mathematics disciplines. Something that we know CERTAINLY is that every heavenly body resonates perfectly along specific frequencies, or tones if you will. Not only do they resonate a “song” they reflect it in perfect accordance with color. The heavenly bodies most certainly sing, and shout.
So merely presuming the spiritual aspect of any given verse is why there are so many disagreements. FIRST the physical, then the spiritual. We can’t understand the spiritual until we can grasp the physical. I believe those passages in Job meant exactly what was stated, and it has been proven by scientific and mathematical evidence, even if we don’t want to credit Gods foreknowledge of that truth. The EXACT same Gravity which is the defines the fabric of space, from everlasting to everlasting, allows certain foundations of the universe, creates time, and established the methods for us to prove God with the orchestra of the cosmos.
If Scriptures give us a spiritual lesson, it’s CERTAIN that there is a physical lesson also.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:58pmDoctor Labor;
“That’s the whole point – they DID go to LDS’s own faith and literature.”
But nothing you cited has anything to do with the LDS faith, regardless of who is credited for having written it.
“They DID go to its official doctrines to learn what they believe, once believed, and deny believing in spite of the evidence provided in their own literature.”
I‘ve no idea what you’re talking about.
Report Post »Arlundee
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:19pmThere is a difference in visiting and researching a genuinely LDS sanctioned website for your own personal curiosity and looking over the same LDS website doctrine just to find the flaws and dissecting anything and everything that doesn‘t coincide with another church’s OR another individual’s religious teachings.
My point is, if you want the best, unadulterated information on the heart, you don’t ask a neurosurgeon. You ask a cardiologist. If you want the best, unadulterated information on the LDS faith, you ask a Mormon, you don’t ask someone trying to debunk its teachings.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:44pm@Arlundee,
“If you want the best, unadulterated information on the LDS faith, you ask a Mormon, you don’t ask someone trying to debunk its teachings.”
Does reading Mormon writings count as asking a Mormon? Or do I just have to take the Mormons’ word for what their writings say?
Why do Mormon founders, prophets, and leaders write anything at all, then?
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:56pm@ Arlundee
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:19pm
—————
I agree that we should always go to the source whenever possible. I refuse to use a single source for information because there can, and often is a distortion given through an intentional or unintentional bias. I‘ve talked with a bunch of practicing Mormon in my life and I’ve always come away with a good report from them, especially relating to Jesus Christ.
I hadn’t ever felt the need to research their internal Church doctrine because by association I am a Catholic. I know from a lot of personal research that there‘s much with Catholicism that I’m uncomfortable with, but that’s me personally. If LDS’s hold a doctrine that is anti-Christ I’ve never seen it. If my Priest holds doctrine that is anti-Christ, I’ve yet to see that either. I’ve watched Franklin Graham a lot and if he holds a doctrine that is anti-Christ I’ve never seen it in him, nor in his dad. The 7 Spirits of God are active in each and every sect of the Christian faith and witness their report to Christ Jesus. If Messiah encounters an issue with those Churches He will put them under conviction to repent. Our job is simply to testify that which we have received according to the Torah. If doctrinal practices are of God for that sect, Messiah will bear witness.
Everyones faithfulness will be measured according to the TRUTH (Jesus) they testify of.
I find nothing wrong with Mormon personally, and I’m a stickler for the Law.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:08pmWhy would Paul, or Peter, or any other Church leader write anything at all about their testimony of Christ?
I guess I just don’t get the argument against Mormon.
In my work with Christian Athletes in Action we’re by the guidance of Christ to give OUR testimony as to the Truth of the convictions God impresses on us. I write down everything so that there can be no misunderstanding of that testimony, which is by fact of use, my doctrine.
How do we learn unless we have a teacher? We learn obviously through the Spirit, but often our spirit doesn’t understand some of the hard lessons the Spirit of God is trying to teach. We turn to sources to aide us to understanding. I’ve often found that when I get stuck on specific things, the harder I search Scripture the more out of reach the answer seems. When I just ask God to reveal His word according to his will, eventually that answer comes and sometimes it’s found in writings of Bible Scholars, or the words spoken by someone like a cashier at a store. My Priest has helped me, a Pastor has helped me, and the average person has helped me. Whatever it takes, even if the answer comes from a doctrinal piece from someone I wouldn’t associate as being Godly or Christlike, I thank God for it.
Is that any different than what the Mormon practice? Their Book of Mormon is simply another testimony of Jesus Christ. Every practicing Christian holds a testimony. Mormon simply have theirs assembled in doctrinal practice.
Report Post »Fuul Aluuf
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:34pmIf a man feels moved on by the Spirit and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior, then he is saved, right? And then if he goes home, gets in a bad mood, and then rapes and murders his 2 year old daughter and then kills himself… what happens to them?
The Evangelical Jesus sends the 2 year old child to Hell, because God is Merciful…? and he sends the man to Heaven, because God is Just…?
The Mormon Jesus is heretical though, because He has the audacity to send the 2 year old child to Heaven, because God is Merciful; and then He sends the man to Hell, because God is Just. That’s absolutely ludicrous, isnt it!!
Who are they to question the Evangelical definition of Jesus Christ anyway?! Its not like some council of soon to be Catholics sat around in the 3rd Century and made up entire notions of the gospel that didn’t exist before! I mean, its not like they invented the concept of the Trinity, right?? I mean, it is mentioned in the Bible, right? … no?
Well, nevermind that. Our Evangelical notion of Jesus Christ and Christianity may be based on concepts defined by the new Catholic Church in the 3rd Century, but our definition still beats the Mormon definition that is closer to the 1st Century Church. Dang Mormons! How dare they call themselves Christians!
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:10pmDoctor Labor;
“It wasn’t to comfort Job, but to admonish him.”
That was to admonish Eliphaz and other friends of Job who declared that his afflications were a sign that he had sinned and thus called upn hmto repent. Very early on his great afflictions Job did “curse God” and desired to die but he repented of this and gain much assurance in the redemptin of God and n the resurrection of the body. Job regularly sought comfort from God during his afflictions and it was in ths confort that the Lord revealed to him His nature and man’s nature. The admonishment was upon those who damned Job; not Job who praised God and His greatness.
The Tanners are hell bent on fighting Mormonism and I would not trust them one bit to learn of Mormonism.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:15pmDoctor Labor;
“But it isn’t anti-Mormon literature – it’s actual Mormon literature; They wrote it.”
Based on what *you* cited, it does NOT reflect the Mormon faith or worship. These do: http://lds.org/scriptures?lang=eng
Peope like the Tanners will take anything that makes Mormonism look bad and propogate it to no end. “History of the Church”, “McConkie’s “Mormon Doctrine”, “Journal of Discourse” are rampantly misused to achieve this end. I see this happen time and time again right here onThe Blaze.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:25pmDoctor Labor;
“All the while, the specific claims are not being addressed. This seems disingenuous.”
Good grief, Doctor! Have you not read the replies right on this tread. They are there and not hard to find.
“Does reading Mormon writings count as asking a Mormon? Or do I just have to take the Mormons’ word for what their writings say?
Why do Mormon founders, prophets, and leaders write anything at all, then?”
I think the main reason Arlundee is absolutely correct in his concil to you because people read what is Jenny Craiged to them by the Tanners and then take that informastion and declare what Mormons believe. If their desire is to learn what Mormons believe; then ask the mormons; not a ministry dedicated to discredit the Mormons.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 12:57am@ Fuul Aluuf
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:34pm
If a man feels moved on by the Spirit and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior, then he is saved, right? And then if he goes home, gets in a bad mood, and then rapes and murders his 2 year old daughter and then kills himself… what happens to them?
The Evangelical Jesus sends the 2 year old child to Hell, because God is Merciful…? and he sends the man to Heaven, because God is Just…?
————————————–
I think I agree with your final opinion that the Mormon have a legitimate claim to the Cross of Christ.
I’m at a loss trying to figure out the above quoted portion? There‘s not a 2 year old murdered or who dies that isn’t with Christ Jesus in Heaven. There may be a debate concerning the age of accountability, but it’s most certainly older than 2 years of age! There‘s not a 2 year old who has passed on who isn’t in Heaven.
Now for that creep that you discussed. So he finds forgiveness in the sight of God through Christ. First he must not repent to Christ, but leave his prayer of penance on the altar and go to make amends with “his brother” whom he offended. If his brother rejects him, take witnesses as he seeks forgiveness.
So he’s spared eternity. Now lets proceed to the execution according to mans law. I’d suggest castration, his eyes burned out for lust, his tongue ripped out, and then executed. Better to enter life halt, then to have the whole body cast into hell.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 1:31amPeople can follow this link to learn what the testimony, or how the testimony of Jesus Christ is formed through the LDS faith. http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_Testimony.shtml#test
The only part I disagree with is the triune hallo behind Christs head. It’s incomplete. It’s original intent was to speak as the Canon Wheel of Sevenfold Symmetric Perfection. It’s the former (Creator) of the Bible Wheel that has 3 radiant emanations signifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If symbolism is going to be used, it should be used accurately otherwise the purpose is lost in generations to come. That’s what makes the Edenic Language so beautiful. The symbols that form the ancient Hebrew language (Aleph Bet) are perfect for the revealing of Messiah and ALL truths in the Torah, which IS the fullness of the WORD of God.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 2:32am@Darren,
“That was to admonish Eliphaz and other friends of Job who declared that his afflications were a sign that he had sinned and thus called upn hmto repent.”
You are right, here, that the particular admonishment was not to Job. I was wrong.
But what follows is to Job, as seen in v.1.
Job 38
3 “Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
The first part was not to Job, but the admonishment which follows is.
Compare: Job 40
1 Then the LORD said to Job,
Report Post »2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
Let him who reproves God answer it.”
A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 3:05am@Darren,
“I think the main reason Arlundee is absolutely correct in his concil to you because people read what is Jenny Craiged to them by the Tanners and then take that informastion and declare what Mormons believe. If their desire is to learn what Mormons believe; then ask the mormons; not a ministry dedicated to discredit the Mormons.”
So, when David Whitmer, one of the three Book of Mormon witnesses, says that Joseph Smith changed his revelation after it was dictated, am I supposed to give more weight to what what Whitmer said, or to what Mormons say today?
Report Post »judyaz
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 11:10pmI thought it was John 10:1-21, which includes:
“I am the good shepherd; I know own sheep and my sheep know me — as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. But there are other sheep of mine, not belonging to this fold, whom I must bring in; and they too will listen to my voice. There will then be one flock, one shepherd. The Father loves me because I lay down my life, to receive it back again….”
His words caused a split among the Jews. Let us not be split too, after 2,000 years. Where did he go when he was resurrected, after he taught his disciples for 40 days, and then was lifted up upon a cloud? Two “men in white” said he will return in the same way they saw him go.
If we do not know of these things, if we do not personally walk in the presence of angels and see the acts in keeping with scriptures themselves, then who are we to judge? Let us have faith.
Who were the lost tribes of Israel? And where did he go when he was lifted up from their sight?
Could he have walked upon the Americas and taught and shepherded there too, as is recorded?
Should we not ask him, or wait upon him, to know who his other sheep are?
If we do not know, and he knows, should we not then follow his teachings of which we do know?
“You are my friends if you do what I command you….This is my commandment to you: love one another.” (John 15:15-17)
Report Post »girlnurse
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:47pmNow that I have your attention: Athiests can descrive ANY church or religion as a cult!
But here is a little of what Mormons believe: You decide:
What Do Mormons Believe: The Nature of Man
Report Post »The Mormon church teaches that humans exist as spirit beings before their birth. At physical birth, bodies are given to these spirits. They are also given an opportunity for free-will choice. The physical world represents a period of probation. The status of a person in the afterlife is determined by the way that person lived his/her life on Earth. If the person lived by a satisfactory standard, (including the fulfillment of Mormon temple obligations) that person has the potential to become a god in the after-life. The person can also produce “spirit children” to populate a world of his own (like God did with the earth). The Christian church holds that humans do not exist as spirits prior to being born into the world. Humans cannot attain godhood or populate other worlds with “spirit children.”
lilnomics
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:05pmNot sure what Christianity you are talking about. I am a Christian. God is eternal. We are His creation. We are eternal. Christ existed before this life. Christ was born in this life. Christ resurrected. Christ is eternal. We existed before this life. We were born in this life. We will be resurrected because of Christ. We are Eternal.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:10pmThere’s also this, about the Adam-God doctrine, from Utah Lighthouse Ministry, a counter-cult Mormon outreach ministry.
See here.
Apostle McConkie Admits Brigham Young Taught Adam-God Doctrine
http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no49.htm#McCONKIE
“In the new enlarged 1982 edition of Mormonism—Shadow or Reality? we observed:
“As time goes on, more and more evidence that Brigham Young taught the Adam-God doctrine is coming to light. In the face of this material, an increasing number of Mormon scholars are now willing to concede that the doctrine was taught. Even Apostle Bruce R. McConkie appears to be weakening. In a letter to “Honest Truth Seekers,” Apostle McConkie declared:
“Some prophets—I say it respectfully—know more and have greater inspiration than others. Thus, if Brigham Young, who was one of the greatest of the prophets, said something about Adam which is out of harmony with what is in the Book of Moses and in Section 78, it is the scripture that prevails (Mormonism—Shadow or Reality? page 178-C).”
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:01pmWell stated Lilnomics,
Report Post »To Girlnurse ~ “The Christian church holds that humans do not exist as spirits prior to being born into the world. Humans cannot attain godhood or populate other worlds with “spirit children.”
Tell me Girlnurse just where in the Holy Bible was that scripture stated?
NeoFan
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:25pmA Cult? I know how you can tell if its a cult. The preacher or pastor refuses to preach or teach the gospel without being paid. Like all of the ones you see on tv. You can tell a cult by their members that claim to believe in the teachings of Jesus but do not reflect those teachings in the way they act or treat others. Like the environmentalists that fly around in large private jets, Al Gore is a good example of the same type of hypocracy. People like this are the reason so many hate church and religion. If you are not stupid then you can tell the cult members from those that have the fruits of a Christian belief. By their fruits you will know them.
Report Post »kindling
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:00amDoctor…..I should think 90% of Mormons perhaps more have never heard of the Adam-God doctrine. Joseph Smith taught it as did several Presidents after him. It has been pretty much wiped from the history of the church. Progressives got ahold of the church and forced them to stop living the principal of CPM and scrubed Adam-God out too. It to me is very much like what is happening to the country today. If Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, or any of those living back then were to be alive today….they would be excommunicated. They are the George Washington’s of the LDS church and much of what they taught has been changed to fit what the church wants to represent today.
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:02amgirl Nurse;
“The Christian church holds that humans do not exist as spirits prior to being born into the world.”
But it used to.
“One might keep in mind that the very doctrine of Pre-mortal Existence of souls which christos Anesti mentioned WAS PERFECTLY ORTHODOX IN JUDAO-CHRISTIANITIES OF THE FIRST CENTURY and, as the Roman Church moved away from such doctrines it only BECAME IN LATER CENTURIES, heretical, whereas it was once orthodox.
I think this SPECIFIC mistake by the Roman Church was one of it’s greatest errors of theological history and reminds me of the error the Roman Church made in imprisoning Galileo for teaching that the Earth was not the center of the Universe. ”
http://www.christianforums.com/t7471123/
Report Post »Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:08amKingdling;
“Joseph Smith taught it as did several Presidents after him. It has been pretty much wiped from the history of the church”
Joseph Smith NEVER taught the Adam-God theory. That was Brigham Young and even he expressed doubts in its veracity. You can read about it in the Journal of Discourse which is NOT official LDS doctrine. The Adam-God theory never had any bearing on official LDS faith or worship.
“If Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, or any of those living back then were to be alive today….they would be excommunicated.”
Oh, please!
Report Post »zergic
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:03pmGirlnurse
Now that I have your attention, at least give us something to go on better than the “Christian church”. That is silly. Are you talking about the Catholic church or the Baptist or Lutheran or the Assemblies or the Orthodox or what? We certainly cannot compare and contrast until you at least claim some form of belief other than a vague Christian Church because it doesn’t exist.
If we didn‘t exist as spirits before we were born what is the explanation for God’s answer to Job when He asked if Job knew that the sons of God shouted for joy at the laying of the foundations of the world. Job 38:4-7 Or why did the apostles ask if a man was born blind because of sin. John 9:2 When would he have sinned, in the womb? Or how was Jeremiah ordained a prophet before he was formed in the womb Jeremiah 1:5 or how was Jesus the Lamb slaughtered before the foundation of the world. Revelations 13:8, 1 Peter 1:19-21 God has chosen the believers before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4. Seems like a lot of Biblical evidence for a spirit life before this life.
Although your home study or preacher may not speak of deification, you might read a little CS Lewis on the subject or even the actual doctrine of many mainstream “Christian church”s. Or when Christ was about to be stoned for saying he was merely the Son of God when the Jew’s own scriptures stated that they were gods themselves. Be careful with your own stone throwing, you might be throwing it at y
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:19pm@zergic,
“Or why did the apostles ask if a man was born blind because of sin. John 9:2″
I admit that this verse is a problem for me. It certainly seems to suggest that we had an existence before we were born.
But this isn‘t the first time I’ve been stumped. Ask me about the following matter, some time.
See here.
Skeptics Annotated Bible
Sex in the Bible
http ://skepticsannotatedbible.com/sex/long.html
“81. If a man rapes an unbetrothed virgin, he must pay her father 50 shekels of silver and then marry her. 22:28″
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:53pm@zergic,
“Or how was Jeremiah ordained a prophet before he was formed in the womb Jeremiah 1:5 or how was Jesus the Lamb slaughtered before the foundation of the world. Revelations 13:8″
It’s a Biblical position that God knows the future (Jesus obviously wasn’t slaughtered before he had a body [As 2nd person of the Trinity, he is God, and therefore existed before his body was born]).
Report Post »MBN
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:44pmTruth be told, Mormons should follow a Libertarian political ideology since it more closely aligns to their theological and doctrinal believes. As their founder Joseph Smith said and I’ll paraphrase – Teach people correct principles, and let them govern themselves.
It is interesting to note that at one time Mormons were overwhelmingly Democrats and there was a belief among them at that time that you could not be a Republican and a good Mormon. Now the opposite is true.
Here is a recently published book on the topic by an expert on the subjects of political ideology and Mormon theology. Connor Boyak is young, but he knows is stuff.
http://www.latterdayliberty.com/
Report Post »jcannon98188
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:22pmI think that many mormons do not, but should. After all we hold the greatest ruler (human ruler, not god or anything) was a prophet named King Benjamin, who worked with the people and did not rule over them but led them in righteousness. He also did not seek to collect taxes over them, nor to make money from being their ruler.
That is libertarian if ever I heard one. There were people in the book of mormon that called themselves freemen and refused to have a king rule over them. Furthermore, we hold firmly that God gave us the freedom to choose what to do, free agency. Believing that the Government should then take away that free agency is foolish, and puts government above God.
More LDS people should become Libertarian. Just saying
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:31pmMormon libertarian right here.
Report Post »zergic
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:26amI tried to be a mormon libertarian and that is where my heart is. I personally believe that if gay people want to marry its none of my business. HOWEVER, the other side is not libertarian and that is the problem. I may allow for gay marriage but those with the gay marriage agenda will not stop until they teach my 10 year old about the particulars about gay sex in the schools. Thus I can not be a libertarian on this issue. People are trying to legalize pot in WA state. I would love for them to have the right to smoke pot. I don’t really care. Is it really much different than alcohol? BUT, no one that has money to smoke pot should be taking my tax dollars. None of my tax dollars should go to their rehab. None should go to their housing or to feeding them. If they have money to smoke pot they have money to feed, clothe and house themselves. But of course, the pot advocates want to smoke pot and not suffer the consequences and really want you to ultimately pay for their pot. So it is hard to be a libertarian when that is only an invitation for the other side to have all the liberty they want as they take all of yours away!
Report Post »God-Gold-Guns
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:39pmFaith doesn’t matters? Really? the only reason i’d vote for Romney is to get the muslim obama out of there. Yes mormons are good people,but they are not Christians. so they won’t be in heaven and see the truth, that Jesus is the only way to heaven.
Report Post »So faith 100% matters
ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:46pmThat’s funny Mormons believe only through Jesus Christ one can enter heaven, so why wont we be there??
Report Post »sister1_rm
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:04pmHow interesting. Then I guess my section of Hell will be full of people like me and my friends and family: Hard working, patriotic, intelligent, educated people, fully devoted to their families and their faith… That doesn’t sound too bad. Seems kind of nice.
Report Post »SOCstar
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:05pmI have never read in the Bible that GOD-GOLD-GUNS should be my intercessor between the Savior and the world. Pleased be a little more informed before you try to belittle or take away from my Mormon faith’s belief that it is in, and through Jesus Christ, and His atonement that all man are saved. With information on the internet so freely available, it is a shame to be so uninformed and off base. Check for yourself. http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:11pmThat is interesting… So the “Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints” is named after a different Jesus Christ, that lived the same life as your Jesus Christ, was born in the same manger, and dies on the same Calvary on the same day on the same cross?
You are a fool. NOBODY KNOWS! It is all faith. Mormons are just as Christian as any other Christian, they just believe that you need to live a “healthier” lifestyle and that “Works” matter.
You are talking about God, who no one living has seen, you are talking about the Bible 1500-8000 years old, compiled by biased, fallible humans. we are all in the same boat – nobody knows for sure and we all live our lives on faith which is comprised of hundreds of different religions.
So don’t go telling me that your Baptist religion is the only way and that the other 7.1 Billion people in the world are screwed.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:24pm@ all of the Mormons that responded
1. Do you believe that God was once a man on another planet?
2. Do you believe that Satan and Jesus Christ are brothers?
3 Do you believe that through good works you can be exalted and become a god and rule over your own planet?
If you believe one of these things, you are not worshiping the God and Jesus Christ of the Bible. You are worshiping a name and name only.
Remember, you believe that only Mormons will reach the highest level of Heaven. The rest of us go to different tiers of Heaven. Like since I am a evangelical I might get to go to tier 3, maybe. Muslims, Hindu, Buddhist, and Scientologist might get to tier 5 lets say. That is if you are right.
But if you are wrong and say the evangelicals are right, you dont worship the God of the Bible and you havent put your faith into Jesus Christ of the Bible, then you go to hell.
Its not worth the risk. Do your research.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:30pm@countrysidefair
King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.
Yeah pretty much. Also dont Mormons believe very few go to the outer darkness? So Muslims, Hindu, Scientologists all of them get to come in. Outer darkness is only saved for the very wicked and the ones that were enlighted in the Mormon faith and reject it correct? So basically if you were a Mormon and you leave you can go to hell but not Muslims?
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:34pm@Martin2342344552 Did God come and tell you that your points are worth a grain of salt? Also, the “tiers” are in the Bible… there aren’t 5 of them… there are 3… that is if you believe in the Bible? Also in the Bible, children that die young (some say < 8 years) go straight the the highest tier – the one where you say only Mormons go… but that once again is only if you believe in the Bible.
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:50pm@Martin34535435453 I’m not a Mormon, but I take great offense to those that attack religions and then say theirs is better… I’ll stick with nobody knows, just live your life as a good person, have faith in a “higher power”… and don’t criticize religious texts that were written or compiled by a very biased and fallible humans. Let’s remember there were 12 Apostles, yet there are only 4 gospels… what happened to the other 7 (not including Judah)? the Catholics compiled the Bible… maybe they can enlighten us?
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:54pm@Matin4324342
“Its not worth the risk. Do your research.”
What risk? Nobody knows… wouldn’t it suck if Hinduism was the true one and all of us Christians were wrong? Nobody knows… Carry your own faith and let others live their life with their faith.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:03pm@Countrysideflair
LOL yeah he did.
You pick out the “tiers” as the point to attack? Ignore the rest? Will there be Muslims in Mormon Heaven?
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:13pm@MARTINEZ012577
I didn’t know there is a “Mormon Heaven”. The heaven they believe in is the one in the Bible.. The Cel, Ter, and Tel heavens. They think that if you do good works you’ll get to be in the higher heavens (Celestrial)… but as far as I can tell… everyone except the worst of the worst, like Hitler/Stalin are gonna show up at some point in the Telestial heaven.. Those that accept Jesus as their Savior go to Terestial heaven, and those that accept Jesus and do good works (or young children) go to the Celestial heaven.
But, once again… who really knows?
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:25pm@freedom
LOL did you read it. It clearly said God was once a man “on an earth”.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:32pm@country
Yeah there is Mormon Heaven. Its different from the evangelical Heaven. If the Mormon faith is wrong, then the Mormon Heaven is false and doesnt exist. Do Muslims not have a Heaven they believe in? Most faiths believe there is a Heaven of some kind. That doesnt mean its real.
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:10am@martinez012577
Report Post »Got something for you to ponder, if Adam and Eve were our first parents and after being cast out of the garden of Eden, continued their lives in righteousness, obviously Cain rebelled. That means the truth was had among mankind from the beginning (even with Cain). It only stands to reason then that all other religions were created in their various apostate forms stemming from the truth first and then falling away and given up to vain imaginations since the Spirit of God no longer strived with them, thus creating loose interpretations of the truth. However it IS the same God they once had. Even many ancient Indian tribe’s beliefs tell of the return of a great white god.
blondenblueeyed
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:20pmOh really! So you have already seen heaven and there were no Mormons there? Who taught you that garbage? Your pastor whom I might add makes a LIVING by the money in the collection plate!
Take the ‘ring’ out of your nose and quit being led around like a lamb going to slaughter.
Report Post »KAWLME
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:27pmGod Gold Guns
Report Post »Think we can see what you worship. I would rearrange it for you Guns (which kill people) Gold (encourages idolatary) and God Will refer back to idolatary.
Sorry to hear that you think LDS members are not christians how very christian of you.
zergic
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:39pmMartinez
You come from the wrong perspective entirely. You base your idea of who God is based on a creed that is entirely unBiblical. Free yourself. We are God’s Offspring (Acts 17:28-29) made in His image. When God made man he made him in His likeness and after his image. Gen 1:26 But what does that mean? The same exact language is used to describe the relationship between Adam and Seth. Seth was created after Adam’s image and in his likeness. That might be confusing for people who believe the Nicene creed but the Bible from beginning to end testifies of the same thing. So many verses it is incredible that anyone believes differently. In Hebrews it even states that Jesus is the brightness of the Father‘s glory and the express image of the Father’s PERSON. In the Garden of Gesthemane Jesus said ‘Thy will, not mine be done.‘ On the cross He said’Father, into thy hands I commend My spirit.’ So separate spirit and will. Now how are they the same being? And what is grace and why would Jesus need his Father’s grace to be upon him? Luke 2:40 Jesus doesn’t pray to himself. Why would he? He goes off to pray by himself to himself? Weird? Seriously.
Moses taught the children of Israel that these days would come. But if you seek him out with all your heart you will find Him through all the false traditions and creeds. Deuteronomy 4:26-30 Moses talked about those who would worship false gods that don’t EAT. But if you seek Him in the latter days yo
Report Post »girlnurse
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:34pmMormon is a cult, unfortunately.
Report Post »I have an aunt who left her entire family that she loved dearly because she came
to know the truth in Jesus and she had to put Him first. This Mormon God is NOT
the God of the bible, do your homework. I say this knowing people will get angry
but the TRUTH must be told for each individual soul-I do NOT care to be popular among
people–Christ ONLY will I follow.
http://mormoncult.org/
God-Gold-Guns
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:40pmAmen
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:40pmHere is another good resource, started by former Mormons, one of whom is a direct descendant of Brigham Young.
See here.
Utah Lighthouse Ministry
Report Post »http://www.utlm.org/
snyggys
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:41pmShe left her family? Or perhaps her family left her, because they wouldn’t tolerate another faith.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:47pmHow about you go to the source of truth about the LDS church. http://www.mormon.org
Report Post »lapitup
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:01pmWhy is it so hard to believe we can become like God? Why is it so hard to believe that Jesues visted other people around the world? Why is it so hard to believe that there are modern day prophets? Why is it so hard to believe that Josheph translated the Book of Morman? Why is it so hard to believe the truth? Why is it so hard to believe in full emersion babtism? The morman church and true repentance is of the hardest for any persone, Why would that be? Why is it so hard to believe someone could see and talk to god? why is it so hard to believe we are made in the image of God? Why is it so hard to believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are three seperate individuales? Who was god prying to on the cross, himself? The truth allways (even in the time of christ) has turned the “status Quo” on its head. People through out history has rejected it. All these combined as with the works and teachings of the church have more awnsers than any other Religion, I believe that is through divine through modern day prophets starting with Joseph Smith, The last “True” martyr.
Report Post »GIDEON612
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:06pm“Mormons feel they’re misrepresented in media.”
Well so did the wacko’s in Waco, and in Jonestown and we‘ll throw in Charles Manson’s pals for good measure.
Revelation 22:18-19
18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
I do not know why this is so hard to for people to understand, other than as the Bible says about, ” the blinding of the eyes and the deafening of the ears.”
The Church is the Body of Christ, His followers and disciples. NOT a building or denomination. Following ANY DENOMINATION IS DEMONIC and earns cult status. The Apostle Paul addressed this issue nearly 2000 years ago.
1 Corinthians 1:11-13
11For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
Get this straight. Pray to God, confess your sins and repent of them, ask Him to send His Holy Spirit to teach and guide you.
Report Post »SOCstar
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:08pmMore research needed: http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:26pm@Gideon612 Something you should probably know John wrote Revelations (70 AD) before the all the gospels (104 AD) were written including the Gospel of John. So, if we were to follow what it says in Revelations; then all the gospels would be false… are you prepared to make that statement?
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:34pm@lapitup
Mainly because using the Bibles guide on determining if a prophet is true or not, Joseph Smith failed it many times.
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:53pmLAPITUP – Why is it so hard to believe we can become like God?
Ming: We cannot be like God or as God – that is a deception of Satan.
Remember when the devil told Eve that if she ate of the fruit her eyes would be opened like
We will have eternal life someday like God – so we can be like God in that manner but God will always be over us and I’m fine with that – we will never have the ‘powers’ that God has.
LAPTITUP – Why is it so hard to believe that Jesues visted other people around the world?
Ming – It’s possible I suppose – tho the Bible doesn’t mention it – so one must be careful there.
LAPITUP: Why is it so hard to believe that there are modern day prophets?
Ming – It’s not hard for me to imagine that. In fact the last modern day prophet we had was Ellen White – a true prophet! Not a false prophet like Joseph Smith.
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:05pmLAPITUP: Why is it so hard to believe that Josheph translated the Book of Morman?
Ming: Lots of lunatics write things – big deal!
LAPITUP: Why is it so hard to believe the truth?
Ming: What truth? Mormonism? That’s not truth – sorry but it’s a perversion of the teachings of my KJV Bible.
LAPITUP: Why is it so hard to believe in full emersion babtism?
Ming: it‘s not hard to believe in fact I believe in full immersion baptisim when one reaches an accountable age and understands what’s going on. That is Biblical. The sprinkling kind on babies as if it’s some sorta holy talisman to keep a baby safe is idiocy. That also is a perversion of The Bible.
LAPITUP: The morman church and true repentance is of the hardest for any persone, Why would that be?
Ming: Because man does not like to go against the grain – it’s not in our nature.
But speaking of ‘hard’ why don’t you mention the Seventh-Day Adventist faith? Much ‘harder’ than Mormonism and more Biblical based – for sure!
LAPITUP: Why is it so hard to believe someone could see and talk to god?
Ming: It’s not hard for me to believe that. Moses did – as well as Ellen White. There have been others too that have been obscured through history.
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:16pmLAPITUP: why is it so hard to believe we are made in the image of God?
Ming: The Bible says we are. In fact it is my personal belief that if we want to know what God’s physical body looks like – I personally think we have the body shape that God has.
I also believe that when we sin – the devil gets off on that because it‘s like God looking in the mirror and seeing His image ’sinning’. It’s kinda like Satan saying to God, ‘See… this is what you look like sinning’. Again, just my personal belief.
LAPITUP: Why is it so hard to believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are three seperate individuales?
Ming: I believe they are separate individuals – but for us humans it’s a really hard concept to understand fully. One of the mysteries of God!
LAPITUP: Who was god prying to on the cross, himself?
Ming: Jesus was on the cross – Jesus was praying to His Father – God!
Ming: All these combined as with the works and teachings of the church have more awnsers than any other Religion, I believe that is through divine through modern day prophets starting with Joseph Smith, The last “True” martyr.
Ming: Sorry to say but you got NOTHING on Seventh Day Adventists. Seventh Day Adventists are what Ron Paul is to the other candidates up there.
Oh yeah I better mention this…..
Ron Paul 2012!
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:23pmNeed to make a correction the last post so I attribute the quote correctly:
LAPITUP: All these combined as with the works and teachings of the church have more awnsers than any other Religion, I believe that is through divine through modern day prophets starting with Joseph Smith, The last “True” martyr.
Ming: Sorry to say but you got NOTHING on Seventh Day Adventists. Seventh Day Adventists are what Ron Paul is to the other candidates up there.
and again….
Ron Paul 2012!
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:24pmFunny how every source is cited other than an actual member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Also are we not the children of Heavenly Father? Did Christ not say that if we were faithful and walked His path that we would inherit all that our Father has? Did not the Holy Bible many times refer to the eternities as being “one eternal round” everlasting to everlasting? Does not the New Testament say in 1st Corinthians 15:
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
Please Mr. “holier than thou” interpret.
Report Post »ProudKansan
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:21amThe Gospel of Jesus Christ is taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Gospel is truth. Truth of who we are, where we came from, why we are here and where we are going after this life. Anyone who turns toward God, with a sincere heart, and a contrite spirit, will receive personal revelation, along with God’s love. In turn, we want to serve others, because Jesus said, paraphrasing, What ever you do to the least of these, you do unto me. God is love. Your Aunt may have set a bad example for you, because no one is perfect in this life. Get close to God. He loves you. John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jesus is our Savior, our Brother, and our Friend. He set the perfect example of obedience to our Father, by doing the Fathers will, even in the Garden before his crucifiction, when he asked that he wouldn’t have to go through with the atonement, he sweat tears of blood from every pour of his body, but he ended his plea to the Father, with, “Not my will, but thine be done”. The scriptures will give you the truth. Faith is the first step. Pray, (James 1:5), read the scriptures, daily. You talk to God when you pray, he talks to you when you read the scriptures. He will reveal many truths to you that way. If you want to find out what is true, study it, think about it, sincerely pray about it. Basically, by developing a relation
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:26pm@ Richard – we will inherit what God has planned for us – but we will not be AS God. See the difference?
Sure we will have eternal life and all that but I personally believe we will not create life, solar systems and the sort. I believe we will spend eternity with God learning about all that and watching God (the Trinity) doing that.
The word ‘celestial’ in Greek is ‘epourania’ – meaning “heavenly”, ‘existing in heaven”. Commentators are divided as to the interpretation of the expression.
Some believe Paul is talking about the sun, moon, stars and others think the expression applies to the angels.
Both applications work for Paul‘s ’2 different classes of bodies’ observation: one outside of the earth and the other confined to this earth.
Report Post »Paul mentions in those verses the vast difference in those bodies – and so – there will be a huge difference between our earthly, human bodies vs. our bodies post resurrection (2nd coming of Christ).
Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:34pmMartinez;
“Mainly because using the Bibles guide on determining if a prophet is true or not, Joseph Smith failed it many times.”
So would more than one of the Bible’s prophets.
Report Post »blondenblueeyed
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:30pmBeen there, done the homework. Guess what you are WRONG! Mormonism is NOT a cult. We believe Jesus Christ is the Savior and Creator of the world and by Him and through Him is the only way to eternal life.
Report Post »jaredbelch
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:30pmI am a member of the LDS Church, and support Ron Paul. He most closely matches my believe in smaller government and less spending. If Romney is the nominee, I will vote for him but I‘m hoping that doesn’t happen.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:41pmGood comment as I support Santorum, however, if Romney is the runner….anybody but Obama will simply do.
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:38pmI’m a Paul supporter but I WILL NOT support Romney and I DEF WILL NOT support Santorum.
Also my caps are not shouting – merely emphasizing a point.
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:42pmAs a Mormon I am curious about your support for Ron Paul. Being that Mr. Paul will isolate Israel by his own words, wouldn’t that seem to play into the end times about all nations gathered against Israel? I mean we are practically there through the U.N. now are we not? Wouldn’t this type of policy turn the United States against Israel as well, possibly the LAST nation to support Israel?
Report Post »Jerry3805
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:27pmAll I know about Mormons are that they discriminate against your past. My mother is a Christian. So she loves the word of god. One day Mormons came to preach. She didn’t turn them away. Aslong as they preached the word of god she was happy. Until they asked her to get baptized. She was all for it. Until they said no because of her past. She had been on probation . When does god turn a child away because of there past?
Athinkerinaseaoflibs
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:52pmPlease clarify–I suspect that she was ON probation not that she had previously been on probation. The church would expect that complete the terms of probation before joining. It is also true with divorce, if you are keeping up with your court directed child support, you can be Baptised and are a member in good standing. If you are living with a member of the opposite sex, romantically or not, you are expected to move or get married. You could join the church the next day.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:56pmVery hard to believe, I was a missionary for two years for the church, the only way someone could not be baptized that wanted to was if they committed murder, in this case there is a waiting period.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:57pmOn probation for what? She could be baptized if she honorably fulfills the terms of her probation.
Report Post »PGMike
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:06pm@Jerry
Report Post »A thinker is exactly right. The LDS church does not prohibit one from being baptized for being on probation in the past. Once the terms of her probabtion were satisfied she could have been baptized the next day.
SOCstar
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:11pmHooray for a faith that expects restitution as part of repentance and not just “pay me money and you are forgiven”. If your faith does not make you a better person, why are you a part of that faith?
Report Post »Timothy_Reid
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:13pmaside from the particular story the blanket generalization is a little silly (and by little I mean a lot). Afterall all blondes are stupid airheads. All germans are Nazi’s. All Irish are drunkards. All tall people play basketball. All jewish people are greedy and rich. All black people are thugs. All white people are racist. All people who haven’t graduated form college are uneducated. Must I go on? Stay away from blanket statements, they are false.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:43pm@the Mormons
Faith in Jesus Christ is all you need to be saved. No matter what crime you have committed. The thief dying next to Jesus on the cross didnt get Baptised, do good works, go on a mission, not drink coffee, go through temple rituals, or full fill his probation. These are man’s laws trying control man in the name of God.
Luke 23: 41-43
41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
Not sure of course what tier of Heaven, lol. Maybe since he didnt do all of those things he has to spend time in a lower tier of Heaven with all the mean evangelicals or with the Muslims.
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:34pm@martinez012577
Report Post »Paradise is not Heaven, it’s the preparatory place for all who died without the Word, or were not baptized. Those who did fulfill these acts in mortality will be the teachers of those brothers and sisters (and dwell with them UNTIL Christ’s return). Although I agree that Christ perceived that this man would accept the gospel, and thus gain entrance to Heaven. Saying you believe or you are saved is NOT enough, there is a entire testament (NEW) that chronicles the acts of Jesus and His disciples, never once did Jesus say DO NOT as I do, He said to follow in His footsteps and His life was service to His fellow men, Christian or not, as well as His disciples. Faith without works is contrary to the very spirit of the Gospel of Christ…to SERVE!
zergic
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 5:22pmWhoops Martinez,
Problem here. They both died that day it is true. But Three days later Jesus told Mary she could not touch him because he had not yet ascended to His Father (Having said that you believe they are one and the same, so I don’t know how that works the one could ascend to the other when they are the same or the question of whether a body is better to have or not and if not why did Jesus got His back and does that make Jesus greater than the Father or lesser, John 14:28 says that the Father is greater than the Son so I’m not sure how that works either if they are one and the same.) and during that time He went to the spirits in prison. So paradise is different from where God lives and Jesus does teach to those spirits that die in sin without a knowledge of Him and His salvation. John 20:17, 1 Peter 3:18-20, 1 Peter 4:6,
Report Post »mr molotov cocktail
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:24pmmitt romney and george walker bush are cousins both have mormon ancestory…. they are cousins
Report Post »i know i am from the old mormon pioneer stock ….. mormonism is a cult!
snyggys
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:38pmCall it whatever you may, People have been doing that since the beginning, it still doesn’t change what we know to be the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing else matters, when you know, live and love the teachings of the Savior.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:38pmOn what basis?
Report Post »J_Ruben_Kincaid
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:17pm@athinkerinaseaoflibs
Report Post »I totally agree. I am not a Mormon but many of the most faithful Christians I know are Mormon. Speaking generally, Mormons are definitely good folks.
audiemurphy
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:38pmAs an active Latter- day saint I consider Huntsman and Romney good men But I would never vote for Huntsman as he is a total Rino and a joke politically and as for Harry Reid…… oh my if he was the standard for Mormons I would be ashamed to call myself one! Just because someone professes to be of a certain faith doesn‘t mean they will politically base their views that way cause Reid certainly doesn’t. I reserve my judgements of the man to myself as I cannot judge him that’s gods job!
Report Post »kevin1122
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:38pmMormons are not Christians. Whether they know it or not, the Mormon god is NOT the God of the Bible and the Mormon Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. There is a lot of confusion about this. The Mormon god was once a man and is a physical being who lives on the planet Kolob procreating spirit babies. The God of the Bible is an eternal spirit, who was never a man, does not live on Kolob, and does not procreate babies.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:44pmI am not a fan of Mitt, or Huntsman, or Harry Reid for sure, but I agree with you in that I have known many Mormons, and they have been among the most decent, generous, and kind people I have known.
Even to those outside of their faith.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:52pm@ KEVIN1122
You have been misinformed, I am a member of the LDS church we believe Jesus was a god and came to earth as a man to redeem all from their sins, he is a God and we believe he always has been
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:30pm@ Kevin
Report Post »Mormons don’t seem to be your “type” of Christian. Understand, though, that while there is only one Jesus Christ, we mortals have adopted various understandings of Him.
(1) Homoousian — Nicean (“Trinitarian”) Christians (the majority of Christians).
(2) Homoiousian — Christians beleiving that Jesus and God the Father are of similar — but not the same — substance.
(3) Heteroousian — Christians believing that the substance and nature of God the Father and Jesus are different.
Traditionally, Homoousian Christians have been less accepting of other Christians. Not that there’s anything WRONG with that.
countrysideflair
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:05pm@Kevin1122 And you know this fact because you have been to Kolob and verified that the is no God there.
Too silly… you all make me laugh…
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:44pm@ country
Kolob comes from the Mormon teaching from the Book of Abraham Chapter 3
3 And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.
4 And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord’s time, according to the reckoning of Kolob
9 And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.
13 And he said unto me: This is Shinehah, which is the sun. And he said unto me: Kokob, which is star. And he said unto me: Olea, which is the moon. And he said unto me: Kokaubeam, which signifies stars, or all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven.
There are many more. Why would God not mention it in the Bible? Not once. But it was the inspiration for Glen A Larson to use it in Battlestar Gal
Report Post »kevin1122
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:29pmI never said Mormons were not decent people. That is not the point at all. Mormons make great neighbors. But that does NOT change the fact that they are not Christians and do not worship the God of the Bible. The Mormon god may actually physically be on the planet Kolob doing all those things the Mormons think he does. But the God of the Bible is not on Kolob.
Report Post »Mormons and Biblical Christians have two completely different ideas as to who God is and who Jesus is. Many people have not studied both religions and are confused because Mormons use many similar terms but have different definitions for those terms. But the bottom line is when there are two diametrically opposite views there are only three possibilities: 1. Both of them can be incorrect, 2. One of them can be correct and one incorrect but 3. They BOTH CANNOT BE CORRECT.
There is no hate in my position. I am merely stating fact. Mormons like to say, “That is not the official Mormon Doctrine.” as a way of bypassing sticky points their church has taught throughout its history but that doesn’t hold water. True Prophets can not be wrong.
I pray for Mormons to come to a saving knowledge of the Jesus Christ of the Bible. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” If you are praying to the wrong Jesus, living for the wrong Jesus, or have a relationship with the wrong Jesus you cannot get to the Father that Jesus talked about.
kevin1122
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:13pmReaganbaby,
Report Post »How many gods are there?
What does the God of the Bible say about gods?
Try Isiah 43:10, Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
And Isiah 44:8, Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”
richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:48am@kevin1122
Report Post »You seem to deem yourself a learned man in the scriptures, perhaps you could explain this scripture for me,
Genesis 1 verse 26: ¶And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (caps for emphasis). Also if you do not believe that not only mankind, but all the animals and vegatation of the earth were not created in spirit firstly please explain the previous verses of Genesis about all things being created “after his kind” and “their kind”.
Spirit is matter, just not the same matter as we are presently composed of. The evil spirits of this world are as real as you and me, but they kept not their first estate (the pre-existence) and were cast out (Revelations 12: verse 4-10), they chose to follow Satan’s plan and rebelled against God and there was war in Heaven. We however were of those who did not rebel (and kept our first estate ensuring our time here on earth to prepare), I find that comforting as well as disturbing because of how many have fallen in this prepatory state we are all in.
Darren
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:36amKevin;
“The Mormon god was once a man and is a physical being who lives on the planet Kolob procreating spirit babies.”
Huh? What offical LDS doctrine do you pull that from? The Peral of Great Price says that Kol;ob is the planet nearest to God. It does not say that God lives on that planet.
As for “procreating babies”, I’m fne with whatever mechanics the Father uses to create His children. As to the exact mechanics of “procreating” is implamented, nobody knows; nor has ever known to my knowledge.
Report Post »ldaopines
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:13pmFaith doesn’t matter. Your values, history, experience, education, and leadership skills do. But there will be made MUCH of Mormonism by the Obama camp before this is over. Never mind that BO has never had to explain the values and mission of the Black Liberation Theology he subscribed to for 20 years. Study the website of Chicago’s Trinity church sometime. I‘ll take Romney’s values. They are MUCH, MUCH closer to mine.
Report Post »Kankokage
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:19pmMormon doctrine is fiercely pro-American. Obama’s is fiercely anti-American. I think that is all the rest of the country needs to know if the election is between Romney and Obama.
Report Post »Vechorik
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:19pmSince when does faith not matter? The Constitution was based on Biblical principles!
Dr. Linzey later stated, “Among the six remaining GOP hopefuls, two are evangelical — Ron Paul and Rick Perry. But the tell-tale sign of being qualified for the presidency is not faith, but loyalty to the Constitution which defends the open expression of faith. Ron Paul seems to be the candidate most loyal to the Constitution according to the records. So when other evangelical leaders endorse GOP contenders of other faiths and traditions, some of whom have received funds from special interest groups, and are not as loyal to the Constitution as is Dr. Paul, one must necessarily ask, ‘What is their agenda?’ because they certainly are not endorsing the most qualified nor the most evangelical. If evangelicals wish to make faith an issue, then they should take a closer look at Dr. Paul’s statement on his web site, ‘Let me be very clear here: I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, and I endeavor every day to follow Him in all I do and in every position I advocate.’”
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/460818637.html
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:27pmFaith doesnt matter? Really. I believe anyone who believes in a god calls on them to help make choices. If you are not following the God and Jesus Christ of the Bible I cannot vote for you. I believe Obama to be an atheist and I believe Mormons to be following their own Jesus and god not of the Bible.
Therefore, I will not vote for either.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:30pm“Faith doesn’t matter. Your values, history, experience, education, and leadership skills do.”
Doesn’t matter in what regard? In a legal requirement for the presidency? True. In how successful a president will be? Also true.
To the voters of the United States? Definitely matters. It shouldn’t in an ideal world, but it does.
Report Post »Kankokage
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:11pmFrankly I’m surprised that 22% of my fellow Mormons approve of Harry Reid. I thought it would somewhere south of 1%.
Report Post »glennisright.com
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:26pmI’ll bet that most of the 22% like like Harry are from Nevada…I can’t imagine any Mormon outside of his kingdom would like him.
Report Post »snyggys
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:32pmYa, considering that Harry Reid fights directly against some of our core doctrines and beliefs, it should be much less, but then again, Harry Reid calls himself a Mormon, so their is bound to be a few more who call themselves Mormon , but don’t live it.
Report Post »fatjack
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:57pmHarry Reid is a Mormon, Harry Reid is a Mormon, Harry Reid a Mormon? I didn’t know that!!! WOW, that speaks volumes for Mitt Romney.
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:22amBut for the Nevada Mormons who voted for Harry Reid in 1998 (OR but for a Libertarian candidate splitting the vote), Reid would have been voted out and John Ensign would have been in 2 years earlier. Why people vote based upon religion is absolutely bewildering and frustrating.
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:35amI agree, although we are not to judge our fellow man I can say with the upmost confidence that Harry Reid is following the dictates of his own heart (greed and power) and not the council of God. Orin Hatch, hypocrite. Huntsman, grossly misinformed. Romney, a little too much about government handouts and definitely not following the Constitution’s spirit on SMALL GOVERNMENT and LIMITED POWERS. I don’t think that Romney gets that charity comes from the heart of people NOT the redistribution of wealth for government to decide for us through gross over-taxation and manipulation. That is my well-researched humble opinion.
Report Post »blondenblueeyed
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 3:25pmThe ONLY reason Harry Reid was re-elected, he/his campaign sent buses to all the casinos, loaded them up the union workers/voters there and hauled them to the polls to vote. Of course they were TOLD who to vote for on the way and given a free meal ticket. Just ask any of the casino workers in Las Vegas.
Report Post »ChevalierdeJohnstone
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:10pmMormonism is in an interesting position bred by success. Let’s not forget that not too many generations ago Americans, and our government, treated Mormons very badly. Originally discriminated against, Mormons consciously separated from the rest of American society and created a very complete and enclosed socioreligious community, with faith-based contact with those outside the community limited mostly to missions.
That culture of separatism may well have been helpful in allowing Mormons to develop a faith system in which the Mormon faith could be nurtured and grow – statistically Mormonism is in many ways the most successful religion in the U.S. However, now that many Mormons would like to be less separate from and more accepted by ‘mainstream’ society – acknowledging that people have different definitions of ‘mainstream’ – it is naturally difficult to overcome that sense of separation and otherness. Prominent theories of religious group formation hold that the distinctive separateness and adherence to ideals is an important factor in determining a small faith’s success; however, it is correspondingly difficult to later put aside that distinction.
The full report really is interesting. There is a serious flaw in this study, however. There are many groups in which a majority feel they are not seen as ‘mainstream’. Group consciousness usually hinges on remaining distinct from the ‘mainstream’. For example, Cowboys fans also are not ‘mainstream’. Is
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:38pm@ChevalierdeJohnstone,
“Let’s not forget that not too many generations ago Americans, and our government, treated Mormons very badly.”
Maybe the fact that Joseph Smith claimed that an angel told him that the church had essentially disappeared, and that he came to re-establish the one true church, had something to do with Mormons being outcasts.
This is not to say that Mormons may or may not be correct about that; It’s only to say that Mormonism was the newcomer vying for legitimacy.
As for Joseph Smith’s claim, itself, the Bible says that the church would always be here, so there’s your first clue that Mormonism is at least not a Biblical religion.
There’s a good resource about all of this that was started by ex-Mormons.
See here.
Utah Lighthouse Ministry
Report Post »http://www.utlm.org/
BrayDeck
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:21pm@ADOCTORS…
So because the Mormon church has different beliefs than you do it’s okay that we were discriminated against, driven out of our homes, and murdered? Or that our leaders were imprisoned and our Church property was stolen by the United States government in the late 1800s for having different beliefs than the mainstream of America? You remind me of our ever-tolerant Radical Islamist brothers.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:12pm@BrayDeck,
“So because the Mormon church has different beliefs than you do it’s okay that we were discriminated against, driven out of our homes, and murdered?”
The Mormons were driven out because they were inferring that they were going to take others’ land by force.
See here.
New Joseph Smith Movie:
History or Propaganda?
LDS Abuse of Dissenters in Missouri
http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no106.htm#Dissenters
“The movie portrays the Mormons as totally peace-loving, non-violent people, contrary to the historical record. While the movie shows various attacks on the Mormons it never mentions why their non-Mormon neighbors feared them. LDS historian Stephen LeSueur wrote:
“Joseph Smith had designated Jackson County, Missouri, as the site for the Saints’ Zion in 1831, and many of his followers began gathering there soon afterward. A small group of Mormons attempted to establish a communitarian society in Jackson County, but they came into conflict with their Missouri neighbors, who viewed suspiciously their strange beliefs and practices. . . .”
(Continued on next post)
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:14pm(Continued from prior post)
“The Mormons were partly responsible for causing, or at least reinforcing, the suspicions and prejudice against them. Their claims about establishing the Kingdom of God in Jackson County, that they would “literally tread upon the ashes of the wicked after they are destroyed from off the face of the earth,“ excited fears that the Mormons intended to obtain their ”inheritance” by force.”
Report Post »…
“In July 1832, a Mormon journal in Independence published a Joseph Smith revelation in which the Lord declared that “I will consecrate the riches of the Gentiles [non-Mormons], unto my people which are of the house of Israel.” Similar claims regarding the role of the Indians in building the Kingdom and punishing God’s enemies stimulated rumors that the Mormons were exhorting the Indians to drive the non-Mormon settlers from their land …”
richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:54pmMy thoughts on this ‘seperation anxiety’ is this, the Lord commanded us to be not of the world, believing we (Mormons) have the fullness of the gospel of Christ we must venture into ‘the world’ to preach the word, but be not of it. ‘Mainstream’ really is just a word that really means little to nothing to me. I DO NOT want to be accepted of men (I want to help men/ women to know and accept Christ and save their souls), This is the time to perform our labors and face our adversities which if pondered in the Spirit of God you’ll come to realize that every adversity in life can be turned to strength and further our spiritual growth.
Report Post »recoveringneocon
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:08pmJanuary 13, 2012
Henderson, LDS Phone Call Outreach 3pm
On Friday we’ll be reaching out via the phone to call registered voters who who identify with the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We’ll specifically be calling them to make sure they are aware that Ron Paul is a strong advocate of the family and a true defender of the Constitutions.
Report Post »Captain77
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:27pmI’m a mormon and I support Ron Paul. If most mormons knew their own doctrine, they would too. Doctrine and Covenants 98:5-10
Report Post »sister1_rm
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:18pmI think I would be more willing to support Mr. Paul if he ran as a Libertarian or third party. He doesn’t seem like a standard republican and I think the republican ticket blurs his true agenda which is (for better or worse, and I like to think better) reinstating and protecting the Constitution and reducing the Federal Government.
Report Post »recoveringneocon
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:06pmHenderson, LDS Walk & Door Knocking 12pm
Join us as we go door to door talking with registered voters who identify with the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We’ll specifically reach out to individuals of the Mormon faith and promote the Champion of the Constitution, Ron Paul. We’ll first meet up at the Ron Paul Nevada HQ in Henderson.
Report Post »THEFOUNDERSHOPE
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:46pmMy question is how will you know which of the registered voters are LDS and which ones are not?
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:01pmThere are two differences between Huntsman and Romney, Romney is a active member of his church, Huntsman has pretty much became inactive.. tells me a lot about the man.. We need a man in the WH who is a active church goer.. no matter what faith he is! God help our nation!
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:05pmreally? clinton the first black president was very visible attending church
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:15pmI wouldn’t have a problem voting for a Mormon for the Presidency, so long as he obeys the Constitution.
As for the Mormon religion being misunderstood, I think that while that is true, Mormons themselves misunderstand their religion, as well.
Here is probably the most prominent counter-cult site dedicated to exposing the Mormon religion for the fraud it is. It was founded by former Mormons – one of them a direct descendant of Brigham Young.
See here.
Utah Lighthouse Ministry
Report Post »http://www.utlm.org/
abbygirl1994
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:17pmWow, last time I saw Clinton he was white????
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:24pmA DOCTORS .. First you give us a pass as a religion and then you throw us under the bus with the lighthouse.. Hypocrisy at its finest! And to CIRCLEDWAGONS… if in fact you were talking about the real first black president Obama.. he sat in a church for 20 years which spewed hatred for whites and America.. I wouldn’t call that a church.. more like indoctrination or brainwashing.. and what Obama has now isn’t a whole lot better… take from the rich and give to the poor, when the rich are already paying at 35% in taxes already.. I am thinking your either on drugs or very uneducated that you think Clinton is black??
Report Post »brother_ed
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:28pm@ADRSLABOR
Imagine that!! A site full of disgruntled Mormons slamming the LDS faith!! That’s unbiased, for sure!!
I wonder if you also have a list of websites from disgruntled Catholics, Muslims, Wiccans, Church by the Ramblin’ Brook, etc..
As far as a descendant of Bro Brigham’s, faith is not hereditary.
Thanks though…
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:30pmWhich god matters. If its the Mormon god, No thanks. We need God of the Bible leading our president.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:46pm@brother_ed,
“Imagine that!! A site full of disgruntled Mormons slamming the LDS faith!! That’s unbiased, for sure!!”
They seem to be quoting from Mormon literature. I’m not sure that qualifies as a bias in the sense that you intend.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:49pm@brother_ed,
“As far as a descendant of Bro Brigham’s, faith is not hereditary.”
Very true. I only mention it because some people might find it interesting.
Report Post »brother_ed
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:55pm@ADOCTOR
Quoting LDS literature is not a precursor to being un-biased, if you put your own slant on it. Look at all the quotes from the Bible on this page and you’ll see what I mean.
Adding that one is a descendant of Brigham’s is only interesting to the feeble-minded.
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:28pmLOL, you need to google ‘clinton black president’
Report Post »Dauh
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:01pmBaddoggy, when we say the LDS church is misunderstood, we are referring to people like you. The correct understanding of the nature of God (which only the LDS church has) enables a person to strive to become more like God. It’s exactly what God wants of us. Children can become like their fathers. It’s common sense. Your understanding of God is a detached, limited, ignorant one at best.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:37pmIn Joe Smith’s own words, “In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it….In all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.” Joseph Smith, (Founder and First Prophet), History of the Church, Vol 6, pp. 308,474.
“God himself was one as we are now, and is an exalted man…I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form…like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man…He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 305
Sorry but you are wrong. You and your prophet disagree it seems.
Report Post »BrayDeck
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:29pmHe and Joseph Smith (you can always tell an anti-Mormon by his use of JOE Smith) are in perfect alignment. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three members of the Godhead with one purpose.
Heavenly Father is the God that we worship while revering his son’s sacrifice for us in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. Through belief and diligence in this life we can inherit what God wishes to give us: Godhood. If heaven were only eternal servitude under a tyrant God, I would choose Hell any day.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:31pm@Dauh,
“The correct understanding of the nature of God (which only the LDS church has) enables a person to strive to become more like God.”
That is not the Mormon doctrine of God, and Mormon Prophets are even confused about it. Read this, about the Adam-God doctrine, from Utah Lighthouse Ministry, a counter-cult Mormon outreach ministry.
See here.
Apostle McConkie Admits Brigham Young Taught Adam-God Doctrine
http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no49.htm#McCONKIE
“In the new enlarged 1982 edition of Mormonism—Shadow or Reality? we observed:
“As time goes on, more and more evidence that Brigham Young taught the Adam-God doctrine is coming to light. In the face of this material, an increasing number of Mormon scholars are now willing to concede that the doctrine was taught. Even Apostle Bruce R. McConkie appears to be weakening. In a letter to “Honest Truth Seekers,” Apostle McConkie declared:
“Some prophets—I say it respectfully—know more and have greater inspiration than others. Thus, if Brigham Young, who was one of the greatest of the prophets, said something about Adam which is out of harmony with what is in the Book of Moses and in Section 78, it is the scripture that prevails (Mormonism—Shadow or Reality? page 178-C).”
Report Post »BrayDeck
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:46pmBrigham Young said some strange things off the pulpit. Prophets are not infallible, you need only read the stories of Simon Peter, David, Solomon, Moses, Jonah, and essentially every other Biblical prophet. What Brigham Young said was a personal belief that was never affirmed into LDS Church doctrine by the assent of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Report Post »memyselfandi
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:15pmI have a question to any and all Mormon’s.
What do you think Paul meant when he wrote…
Gal 1:8 But though we, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
The “gospel of the grace of God” message was given exclusively to the apostle Paul by the risen Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the desert of Arabia over a period of 3 years. Then, God gave him supernatural power to heal the sick, cast out evil spirits, and pass judgment on those who sought to pervert the gospel. This was done to prove that the message was truly from God. Do the “prophets” of Mormonism have the same testimony? The entire book of Galatians was written because people were trying to change/add to, the message God had given to Paul.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:30pm@BrayDeck,
“Prophets are not infallible, you need only read the stories of Simon Peter, David, Solomon, Moses, Jonah, and essentially every other Biblical prophet.”
The Biblical teaching about prophets is that, in their prophecies, they are, in fact, infallible.
Contrast that with this, where Brigham Young, in fact, claims to have received the Adam-God teaching from God.
See here.
Adam-God
“In 1873 Young claimed that God had revealed that doctrine to him:
“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.”
Report Post »- Deseret News, June 18, 1873.
martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:06pm@memy
LOL, well I can tell you what they say since I have asked that question many times. The Bible according to Mormons isnt translated correctly. That verse must be one of those.
Report Post »Dauh
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:10pmmemyselfandi,
Good question. We believe that the gospel of Paul is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the same primitive gospel restored in modern times by…wait for it…the apostles Peter, James, and John via a modern prophet. The notion that the Bible is all God had to say is, to me, crazy. The notion that it’s the literal, explicit word of God is, to me, crazy. It was compiled, translated, assembled by men. The Book of Mormon is by far a more accurate treatise on the doctrine of Christ, and, to quote Joseph Smith, “A man will draw nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book.” That said, the BoM does a wonderful job of clarifying Biblical statements that seem to lead to conflicting points of doctrine among religions. To a Mormon, the Bible makes sense because we have the BoM to help interpret the meaning of things. The BoM went through one translation, and I believe–no, I know–that it is the most precious book on this planet. Read it prayerfully and watch your life improve.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:55pm@Dauh,
“The Book of Mormon is by far a more accurate treatise on the doctrine of Christ, and, to quote Joseph Smith, “A man will draw nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book.””
According to Book of Mormon witness, David Whitmer, Joseph Smith’s changed some of his “revelations”.
See here.
Changing Revelations
http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no71.htm#CHANGING REVELATIONS
“According to David Whitmer, Sidney Rigdon, like the wicked scribe mentioned in Rushdie’s novel, managed to get his satanic or man-made ideas into Joseph Smith’s revelations. Whitmer felt that Rigdon went even further than this: he was able to convince Smith to change some of the revelations he had already dictated: “I was told that Sidney Rigdon was the cause of those changes being made: by smooth talk he convinced Brother Joseph and that committee that it was all right…. I will not accuse those who did it of being fully aware of the grievous error they were making when they added those items — that is, made those changes; I would rather believe that they were spiritually blinded when they did it: and that Satan deceived them, whispering to them that it was all right and acceptable unto God.” ([An Address To All Believers In Christ], p. 61)”
Report Post »Dauh
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:03pm@A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
I judge the church on how it conducts itself today, in the present, and as compared to the offerings of other churches. I judge it by the spirit it brings. I do not judge it by the hearsay and the yellow journalism coming from its enemies. The smear tactics of the anti-Mormon crowd are not much different than the smear tactics you see from the Left against conservatives. If the church were founded on anything but what it claims–via divine intervention–it would fall apart in a week’s time.
By their fruits ye shall know them.
Report Post »kevin1122
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:49pmDauh
You said:
If the church were founded on anything but what it claims–via divine intervention–it would fall apart in a week’s time.
Does that apply to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Muslims and the Buddhists and the Hindus etc????
Report Post »I’m sorry you have been deceived. People are presenting truth about Mormonism in these posts and every time, you pull up a new escape mechanism to avoid facing reality.
I’m praying for you.
Dauh
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:27amIt’s going to be kind of funny in the next life when you all learn that the Mormons had it right. Then again, it may happen sooner. When the world has fallen apart, and the LDS church is the last institution standing, certain truths are going to be a bit more self evident even to you, Kevin.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:37am@Dauh,
“I do not judge it by the hearsay and the yellow journalism coming from its enemies.”
Quoting from the Mormon church’s own leaders is neither heresay nor yellow journalism.
Report Post »Dauh
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:47amKevin,
“Does that apply to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Muslims and the Buddhists and the Hindus etc????”
Those churches–all other churches–do not operate like the LDS church and cannot be compared. If you understood the LDS church (or maybe you do understand it but cannot appreciate it), you’d realize that if the Lord were not at its helm, guiding it, the corruption would destabilize and ruin it, and people would leave in droves. Millions and millions of dollars flow into it through tithing, and there’s not a whiff of scandal or corruption. Not a whiff, and you can’t point to a single incident. I’d like to point out our lack of perverts and pedophiles at the top, but I digress…
The LDS church is the only one on earth in which the members constitute both the organization and the leadership voluntarily, with the money going to the buildings, missionary funds, and to help the poor. Contrast this to other Christian sects that amount to nothing more than social institutions (some good ones, yes), where members attend, pay a leader, and effectively do nothing to better themselves and others, except to throw themselves at God’s mercy. One of the signs that the LDS church is right is in how the members are doing the work for no pay (unless you work full time, and a salary would be necessary). I work for my church. Glenn works for his church. And we do it gladly, freely. It’s why we are weird.
So, no, we do not compare well structurally with other denom
Report Post »kevin1122
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:20amDauh,
You completely ignore the point I was making. You said that if a religion has no merit it will not last a week. Your implication is that if Mormonism was not true it would not last. So I point out that there are other religions, that I assume you would not agree are correct, but have lasted more than a week. So in fact, a religion, right or wrong, can last more than a week, including Mormonism.
I never said Mormons were not really nice people. I‘m not overly impressed that you don’t have a clergy that gets paid. I’m not overly impressed that Mormons WORK for their church or that tithe money flows in in large amounts. All that demonstrates is Mormons are convinced they have to earn their way into heaven.
Report Post »My argument is still valid: Mormons are not Christians. The Mormon god is NOT the God of the Bible and the Mormon Jesus is not the Biblical Jesus. They are completely different entities. Therefore, Mormonism and Biblical Christianity cannot both be correct. They can both be incorrect, one or the other may be correct but they both cannot be correct. After researching and analyzing the history of the LDS church from its founding, the innumerable contradictions of its teachings over its history, to the fact that there is not archeological evidence to support the BoM and many other issues, I have concluded that Mormonism is a false religion. I am convinced that if an LDS member did the same analysis they’d reach the same conclusion.
Dauh
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:24pmKevin,
My point is that the Mormon church would fail if it were false, and it operates totally differently from any other. It’s far too demanding of its members to survive if it were proven wrong. The structure of the false, man-made, apostate creeds (namely, Catholics, Baptists, Lutheran, Protestant…all of them) is one that supports the a simple business model. You go, you do nothing, you pay a donation to keep the local congregation up and running, and you hear a good message. But it’s apples and oranges. As an aside, however, it should be obvious that it boils down to the Catholics or the Mormons. Do the math.
To your other point, I did the same investigation as you about our church’s history and concluded the opposite. I even read “Know Man Knows My History” and came away thinking Joseph Smith was a stud. And, as a writer, I am pretty good at spotting literary tactics used to take down an enemy. So, again, I judge the church by what I see today.
That said, there’s no substitute for a witness of the Spirit regarding the veracity of the church. I’ve had undeniable experiences that have proven things to me. It’s not even faith anymore, to a large degree. I KNOW. And to deny that knowledge (and gift) now would be more disappointing to the Lord than were I to have been born and died not knowing God at all.
Report Post »Dauh
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:36pmAnd this quibbling over whether Mormons are Christians is ridiculous. I know what we are. I believe Christ is the Savior of the world. I know that Mormons behave more Christ-like that all other Christians. We aren‘t the ones telling people that they’re going to heaven or hell. Maybe that‘s because we’re the only ones who can define it. So, If calling me “Christian” lumps me in with an evangelical bigot, please do not call me a “Christian.”
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:55pmThose who worry so much about someone’s faith .. should worry more about their lack of it. I see that in the White House right now .. I would like someone who believes in a higher power than themself … and that is ANY of the R candidates I have seen. I have no problem with what demoniation … someone who believes in God would be a great improvement.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:55pmShould Romney become the nominee, I will be voting for him. His Mormon religion does not make any difference and this was before Franklin Graham told Christians it was okay to vote for a Mormon. This statement opened the door for many Christians who may have been torn on who to vote for.
Coming from a family who has Mormons, as well as Christians, I can say my aunts, uncles, and cousins on the Mormon side have lived and believe in Christ. Although, they have different beliefs than I do in some areas, I do not doubt their they live their life to honor God and Christ.
I think the big disconnect between those outside the Mormon religion and those inside the Mormon religion is the secrecy. Unless you are Mormon, you are not allowed into the temple. Many feel when you hide things, this automatically makes you a cult. This is not the litmus test on what makes you a cult. Cults usually prevent members from interacting with society and you hold up in compounds, creating your own little world. Mormon’s do not fit this definition. Yes, they may have some unorthodox beliefs that don’t fit into the Christian beliefs, since when is this a litmus test for cultism? I am technically classified “Presbyterian”, but have moved towards non-denominational. Baptist and Southern Baptist have different beliefs than I do, yet I don’t classify them as a cult. Some don’t celebrate Christmas, some don’t drink, some don’t wear makeup and the list goes on. They all believe in Christ and God
Report Post »urrybr
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:24pmPeople outside the Mormon Church wouldn’t understand what goes on in the Temple, anyway. The Temple is not secret . . . it is “sacred.” Were you a member, you’d understand the difference. Anyway, we do allow the public to tour the inside of the Temples BEFORE they are dedicated. After that, they are closed to non-members, and even LDS people that do not possess a recommend from their Bishop.
If you really want to know about the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are young men and women that would love to talk to you about it.
Report Post »Jerry3805
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:36pmI agree. But my mother is a Christian . One day Mormons cane over to preach. She didn’t turn them down. She loves the word of god. But then they asked her to get baptized. She was ok with it. Aolinxe it was for god. But at the last minute they turned her down because she was on probation in the past. I don’t understand why a child of god wooukd get turned down because a mistake in her past. So I guess to get baptized as a Mormon you have to past a background check
Report Post »Lux
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 4:32amI believe this link will be helpful to you Cofemale.
http://mormon.org/faq/purpose-of-temples/
Report Post »dgremark12
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:53pmOne thing I do know is Mitt’s pastor never said GD America!
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:00pmHere Here and well said.
Report Post »avgconservative
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:10pmMitt doesn’t have a pastor. The Mormons don’t have pastors.
Report Post »Seeker_of_truth
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:31pmThey may not have pastors but you can read their leaders teachings and talks at LDS.org as well as their lesson books and you will not find any comment like that anywhere.
Report Post »dgremark12
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:51pmOne thing I do know is Mitts pastor never said GD America!
All the Mormons I have meet have seemed like really good people!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:57pmI agree… I have know many people in the LDS church .. good people.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:42pmI completely agree. One of my best friends is a Mormon. He is a great guy that loves his family. That being said, I am worried about his salvation. Through talks with him, on this site and my own research I can say definatively we do not worship the same god. I worship the God of the Bible. He and other Mormons do not.
If you believe you can become a god. You are not worshiping the God and Jesus Christ of the Bible.
If you think Jesus and Satan are brothers. You are not worshiping the God and Jesus Christ of the Bible.
If you think God was once a man on another planet. You are not worshiping the God and Jesus Christ of the Bible.
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:49pmThe story of Joseph Smith is as unbelievable as the bible and the quran.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:56pmAmen. lol
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:07pmWell that is your belief and you are certainly free to not believe. I was not there, so I can’t say one way or the other what went down. There is a lot that goes in this world that we don’t know about. When a belief goes against what we believe the natural tendency is to deny it ever happened.
That is the whole premise of FAITH. Faith is believing in something you can see or touch. Religion is believing in something greater than you. With faith, you don’t need proof. Those who rely totally on science to prove things or not prove things, will be seeking something that may never come. Faith is assuming it is true and not needing proof.
It take me less effort to have faith, than an atheist to prove there is no God.
Report Post »TexasConservativeCowboy
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:14pmWHO CARES! until Mormons show up at my door and try to blow me up, I couldn’t. care less. As long as we don’t get another Muslim in the white house.
Only thing Mormons are guilty of is being a pain in the BUTT. I’ve never seen one try kill anyone or even go as far as to run over my toes while they ride their bikes. And as for the matter of some believe in polygamy well the only down sides to this are, Remembering more than 1 Anniversary, and birthday more nagging from the wife(s) but all in all the only REALLY bad side to polygamy: you have more than 1 mother-law =)
Report Post »urrybr
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:19pmSo you think . . . and everyone’s entitled to his/her opinion.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:36pmYes, that is so very LOL, isn’t it Mod?
Report Post »fatjack
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:09pmG.E.R
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:49pm
The story of Joseph Smith is as unbelievable as the bible and the quran.
________________________________________
You are entitled to believe what you want to believe, just don’t run for president. Regardless what you may or may not believe this is a Christian Nation.
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:23pmFatjack
Why is your blaze picture of a atheist drug addict. And no this is not a christian country, it’s a country with christians in it
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:10pm@GER
The country was founded on Christian principles.
There is evidence of it throughout D.C., and in the writings of the founders.
You can claim what you like, but you can substantiate such claims.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:11pmEdit,
Can not substantiate
Report Post »OutOfTheAether
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:45pmSo, did Pew Research Center just do this survey on Mormons? Interesting that 66% of them call themselves conservative. Almost double the national average? wow Wonder what the surveys of other faiths would show?
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:51pmMy guess is that only Mormons answered the survey, that said demographics play a huge role. I think members in NY are closer to that 66% but as you move west that number is closer to 100%, so the number could be skewed if they did not survey the same percentage of members to total population living in a specific area.
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:03pm66% call themselves conservative. so how many of them are going to vote or support romney, not consvervative? my issue with mitt is Not his relgion but his views
Report Post »Nehemiah6.3
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:03pmI am also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints. I also think that if Romney does not win it is not because he is a Mormon. I am also one of those who think that most people misunderstand the teachings of the church. Mostly because they do not go to the source to find out. I also think that is true of many churchs and religions. Lots of people have a deep rooted belief in the way they were raised and don’t want to see what else is out there, and in stead of really looking for themselves, they rely on people around them to tell them. God is the ultimate source of truth. I believe that if a person has an honest heart and wants to know truth, God will show them. the key word is honest.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:57pm@nehemiah
Maybe you can answer my questions to help us understand. As I understand it only Mormons can achieve the highest tier of Heaven. I am sure you want there to be more to reach that goal so these should be easy questions to answer and it might lead more to get to reach the highest tier.
1. Was God a man on another planet?
2. Are Jesus and Satan brothers?
3. Can a man through works become exalted and become a god himself and rule over a planet as God does to our planet?
If you can clear up those small questions for some, that could lead them to understand your faith better. Which could lead to more reaching the highest tier of Heaven.
Report Post »byudabomb
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:25pmHey Martinez, Nehemiah said an honest heart.
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:07pmThe heart isnt honest.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:42pmI think the media and even more so other churches spins what the church believes and there is a huge misconception of what the LDS church actually believes. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, and i had friends i grew up with that always told me what i supposedly believed because the leader of their church told them so. I wish people could just accept the fact the Mormons strive to live Christ like lives and loving everyone. If people dont believe Mormons are Christians that is fine, but don’t spread misinformation. That said i believe most people accept that members of the LDS church are charitable good people.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:51pmIf you believe that Jesus Christ was a man who became God, you have denied the Diety of Christ. If that is true, how can you possibly be a Christian? You have followed man and not God in that case… But I also know Mormons who have never heard that part of their religion taught to them, so I am not sure where I fal on that part of the issue really. If you know that and believe Jesus was a man and not fully God, then…ooops you aren’t worshipping the God of the Bible…you ar worshipping a made up God…
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:52pm“That said i believe most people accept that members of the LDS church are charitable good people.”
I completely agree with this. I do have criticisms for the church of LDS, but it has never been about the members; I know several members (current and former), and they’ve all been polite and friendly. I feel the same way about most people I’ve met from all creeds and beliefs; as long as the topic stays off religion (and to a lesser extent, politics), good people are easy to find.
And to be fair, LDS members push their faith on others a lot less forcefully than Southern Baptists.
I find it sad that only a small majority of their members feel the US is ready for a Mormon president, but at least most feel the climate of acceptance is improving.
Report Post »brother_ed
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:54pm@BADDOG
We believe Jesus is a God who became man….
An example of dis(mis)information.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:57pm@Baddoggy
“If you believe that Jesus Christ was a man who became God, you have denied the Diety of Christ.”
I think this is part of that “misinformation” the survey was talking about. They don’t believe this. Jesus was divine, in both traditional Christian and LDS theology.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:59pm@LOCKED
I think most believe as you do, it should not matter a presidents religion is unless its extremist that believes killing those who don’t believe as they do. Mormon missionaries invite people to learn more and ask them to pray to God to find out if it is true. We believe in agency to choose and will never push someone into believing, those who have criticism of the church are just fine. Thanks for pointing that out.
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:05pm@Baddoggy
We LDS absolutely believe in the divinity of Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is our Creator and our Messiah who took upon himself a mortal body to atone for the sins of the world. We just don’t believe in Trinitarian dogma. We believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct individuals – separate in substance but perfectly united in purpose.
Your post is a perfect example of the non-Mormon’s misunderstanding of our faith.
Report Post »ReaganBaby
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:07pm@ BadDoggy
My point exactly
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:44pmIf you believe he was God and became a man and not fully God and Fully man at the same time…you still are denying the Diety of Christ. Fully man, fully God and certinly not the Brother of Satan…
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:34pmBADDOGGY
You are splitting hairs. As I said, and as I am sure that Brother_ED meant, Jesus took on the body of a mortal. And sorry bro, but there is nothing un-biblical about the relationship between Jesus and Satan. And even if there was, that has nothing to do with Christ’s divinity.
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:46pmBaddoggy:
Read the words of Lactantius, a 3rd century Christian scholar who was certainly considered orthodox for his time:
Since God was possessed of the greatest foresight for planning, and of the greatest skill for carrying out in action, before He commenced this business of the world,–inasmuch as there was in Him, and always is, the fountain of full and most complete goodness,–in order that goodness might spring as a stream from Him, and might flow forth afar, He produced a Spirit like to Himself, who might be endowed with the perfections of God the Father… Then He made another being, in whom the disposition of the divine origin did not remain. Therefore he was infected with his own envy as with poison, and passed from good to evil; and at his own will, which had been given to him by God unfettered, he acquired for himself a contrary name. From which it appears that the source of all evils is envy. For he envied his predecessor, who through his steadfastness is acceptable and dear to God the Father. This being, who from good became evil by his own act, is called by the Greeks diabolus: we call him accuser, because he reports to God the faults to which he himself entices us. God, therefore, when He began the fabric of the world, set over the whole work that first and greatest Son, and used Him at the same time as a counselor and artificer, in planning, arranging, and accomplishing, since He is complete both in knowledge, and judgment, and power…
Report Post »Luke611
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:14pmDR NORDO
Would you please post the link to the specific origin of the Lactantius quote…which of his writing did this quote prominate. It’s important to me personally. I am currently authoring a book and a subsection will detail the Arian teachings of the southern Roman empire up-to the 4th century. It is my thesis that not only Eusubius of Nicomedia influenced Constantine but also many others that history omits.,…and Lactantius viewpoint of God’s separate creation of Christ and Satan grows my writtings.
Report Post »Any info you can give me will speed the process. Thank you.
Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:18amLUKE611
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf07.iii.ii.ii.ix.html
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 10:42amThe name of the volume is:
The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Translations of the Fathers down to A.D. 325, Volume VII
http://www.amazon.com/Ante-Nicene-Fathers-Translations-Writings-Down/dp/1143552385
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:04amIt seems to me that Lactantius would indeed be a good source to include in your paper. I am certainly not a scholar of history, but according to his wiki page, Lactantius was a personal adviser to Constantine and was an influence on his religious policy and ended up tutoring his son.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:35pmI think the country as a majority would be fine with a Mormon president.
Now, a flip-flopping, big government, corporation-backed Romney? It’s not his religion that will sink him.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:58pmDo you ever change your mind about things?? If so are you not a flip flopper.. Do any of us make a choice and wish we hadn’t chose that choice.. Then we are all flip floppers.. Sheesh how petty!
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:22pmSorry Abby, should I clarify?
Romney will say whatever he needs to be elected. His opinions are based on the job he’s applying for. Abortion: in 1995, he claimed he was pro-choice and pro-Roe v Wade due to a relative of his dying from an illegal abortion. 10 years later, he flopped to saying he’s against it all.
Climate change: In 2010, his book said, resolutely, that climate change was happening due to humans. By the next year, he changed, saying “we don‘t know what’s causing it.”
Gun control: “Doesn’t line up” with some NRA issues, endorsed more gun control while in MA. Now, he says the 2nd amendment is one of our “basic and fundamental rights.”
Those aren’t huge issues for me; Romney can do relatively little harm. His big-business dealing history combined with big-government attitudes already displayed as a leader are what seals the deal.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:33pmMassachusetts brings us Catholics & Mormons, where are the Christians?
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:35pmGee….
Report Post »OutOfTheAether
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:47pmCatholics aren’t Christians?
Report Post »Dayizee
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:53pmMormons are Christians.
Report Post »brother_ed
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:55pmHahaha…that’s funny
Report Post »Athinkerinaseaoflibs
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:02pm@ Poverty. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anyone who questions if we are Christians is silly. Same is true with Catholics. I have NEVER questioned if someone is a follower of Jesus Christ (Christian). Active “Mormons”, as we are known by some, embrace the atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as he is the ONLY way for us to return to Heaven. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life is better since I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints some 30+ years ago. Part of that is that my wife that I met about 5 years after joining the church is a Mormon. Are we perfect or am I perfect? Absolutely not. Do we want to be perfect? Nice dream but not obtainable right now for me. Just trying to put one foot in front of the other for now. I suspect that is status of most Christians .
I suspect that most people would like to have a Mormon as a neighbor. Not to say that this would work in all cases. Yes we do have some stinkers in our mob. I also would guess that if your children hang around with the Mormon kids at school, you are less likely to have 2:00 AM calls from the Police. Again, there are some stinkers.
All in all we are not a bad bunch of folks
TelepromoterNChief
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:03pmSo we are clear,the state of Massachusetts is literally bringing in non-Christians?
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:27pm@Outoftheaether
“Catholics aren’t Christians?”
I hope they are; they comprise the majority of the Christian belief system!
Report Post »byudabomb
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:33pmThe Catholics were the first to be called Christians. Evangelicals adopted the name, changed the definition by narrowly defining the name, and then called Catholics and other nonevalgelicals Nonchristians. It is like navy blue coming in a defining blue as a dark color and then telling sky blue he is not blue. If you frame the argument (wrongly), you then win the argument.
I have a deep and abiding belief that Jesus Christ is my savior and redeemer and that I cannot gain my salvation through any other way. I follow his teachings and rely on his grace for my salvation. That to me is a Christian, and yet, I am not evangelical. Sad, isn’t it.
Report Post »SavedByTheLamb
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:12pmPoverty.sucks is an anti-Catholic (and anti-Mormon) bigot and troll. We’ve discussed this ad nauseum in previous comment threads. He makes these statements to get people riled up.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:22pmHow many billions of monotheists are living on planet earth, from Islam to Catholicism to Protestantism, even 7th Day Adventism and the Jehovahs Witnesses, all these millions could all raise their right hand and repeat the motto, they could say the creed, there is only one true and living God. But not all of them will go further and say: 1/God became flesh (John 1) 2/God the Son was given (John 3) 3/Not all of them can say we happen to love Him because He first loved us (I John 4) 4/To as many as received Him, Jesus Christ, to them He gave the right to become children of God (John 1), Let me ask you, Do you believe in the existence of, one true God? That alone does not mean you, belong to Him. Do you believe in the existence of the moon? That doesn’t make you an astronaut, and more than likely you will never go there to live or even to visit.
Inorder to become a Christian, you need to accept Christ Jesus into your life, repent to Him, develop a relationship with Him by hearing the word of God, which comes from reading His words, found in the one and only Holy Bible.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:44am@Poverty
“found in the one and only Holy Bible.”
Ah, now here’s an interesting point. Which Bible are you reading? There are several translations.
Report Post »SavedByTheLamb
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:48amPovertySucks, I suspect that we’re not that far off from one another.
Catholics most certainly believe in Jesus and not from a theoretical ostandpoint. Not only do we seek him in the Word, but also in the Eucharist and other sacraments. The goal is of course to build that “personal relationship with Jesus” and to be “born again” by dying to ourselves and being Jesus to one another. We most certainly have disagreement over governance and the role of tradition in the faith, but our core concepts are largely the same.
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
Report Post »SavedByTheLamb
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 11:56amThus, it really does no good to bash on each other. It doesn’t advance the spread of Christianity in whatever form. It hurts the Body of Christ, and thus it’s head, Jesus. We are all members of the Body of Christ.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Report Post »zergic
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:54pmMing, you’re funny. You read a couple pages of the Bible and stop? The very first subject you talk about is so obviously wrong its absurd. Satan did tempt Eve telling her if she ate of the tree she would be as gods, knowing good and evil which was no lie because the next page over the God said that she WAS as them knowing good and evil.
Report Post »Compassionate Dick
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:53pmThese quotes where all made prior to the restoration of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Earth. Had these people been born after 1830 their justified cynicism regarding the tyranny of false Religion would’ve been satisfied.
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