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Anti- Mormon rant #10
Divine Truths in the Book of Mormon
Anyone ?visited ?by ?a ?Mormon Missionary has ?heard ?the ?Elder's
testimony ?concerning the Book of Mormon: ?That he knows this book is
the ?Word ?of God and that the founder of the Mormon ?Church, ??Joseph
Smith, ?Jr., translated it by the gift and power of God. Further, the
prospect is encouraged sincerely to study the Book of Mormon and ?"The
divine truths it contains."
The Book of Mormon indeed does contain a number of "divine truths",
first set forth in the Bible, the most important of which are:
1. GOD IS SPIRIT
Alma 18:28 (p. 242) - "Believest, thou that this Great Spirit, who
is God, created all things".
2. TRINITARIAN VIEW OF GOD
3 ?Nephi 11:27 (p. 422) - "Verily I say unto you, that the Father
and ?the Son and the Holy Ghost are one." ?In addition, ?three ?close
associates ?of Joseph Smith who gave testimony of the authenticity ?of
the Book of Mormon, close with words: "And the honor be to the Father,
and ?to ?the ?Son and to the Holy Ghost, ?WHICH IS ?ONE ?GOD. ??Amen."
(emphasis added) This endorsement is found in the front of every Book
of ?Mormon and further documents the Book of Mormon's ?acknowledgement
of the triune nature of God.
3. GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE
Moroni 8:18 (p. 517) - ?"For I know that God is not a partial God,
neither a changeable being; ?but he is unchangeable from all ?eternity
to all eternity."
4. NO SALVATION AFTER DEATH
Mosiah 3:25 ?(p. 141) - "And if they be evil they are consigned to
an ?awful view of their own guilt and abominations, ?which doth ?cause
them ?to ?shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of ?misery
and endless torment, ?from whence they can no more return; ??therefore
they have drunk damnation to their own souls."
5. ONLY TWO DESTINATIONS AFTER DEATH
Mosiah 16:11 ?(p. 166) - "If they be good, ?to the resurrection of
endless life and happiness; ?and if they be evil, ?to the resurrection
of endless damnation."
6. SALVATION BY CHRIST"S WORK - NOT MAN'S
Helaman 5:9 (p. 369) - "...remember that there is no other way nor
means ?whereby ?men can be saved, ?only through the atoning ?blood ?of
Jesus Christ, ?who shall come, yea, ?remember that he cometh to redeem
the world."
The Book of Mormon also emphasizes the need for spiritual rebirth.
For ?example ?Alma 5:14 ?states "And now behold, ?I ?ask of ?you, ??my
brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye
received ?his image in your countenances? ?Have ye ?experienced ?this
mighty change in your hearts?"
Much ?of ?the ?major theology set forth in the Book of ?Mormon ?is
indeed in harmony with orthodox Christianity. ?However, ?many who are
visited by the LDS Missionaries are unaware that the present ?theology
of ?the Mormon Church is very different from their own Book of Mormon.
Further, ?not only are today's major doctrines different, ?they are in
total ?opposition with this work of Joseph Smith, ?Jr., ?for which ?he
claimed divine inspiration.
Mormon ?theology is not contained in, ?but rather contradicted ?by
the ?Book ?of ?Mormon. ?The members of the Mormon Church now turn ?to
newer ?publications ?and ?revelations for their ?beliefs. ??A ??brief
examination of some of these will document the contradictions.
1. ??Mormonism today teaches "The Father has a body of flesh and bones
as tangible as man's" (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22).
2. ?Joseph Smith, later in his life, flatly denied the Trinity: ?"Many
men say there is one God, ?the Father, ?the Son and the Holy Ghost are
one God! ?I saw that is a strange God anyhow - three in one, ?and one
in ?three!" ?He further concludes that the Father, ?Son and the ?Holy
Ghost ?are not one God, ?but rather three Gods (History of the ?Church
6:474, 476).
3. The LDS Church no longer adheres to the unchangeable nature of God,
but ?rather ?states: ?"God himself was once as we are now and ?is ?an
exalted man... We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all
eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you
may see". (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345).
4. ??Bruce ?R. ?McConkie announces on page 73 ?of his ?work, ??'Mormon
Doctrine': ??"The Lord has ordained baptism for the dead as the means
whereby ?all ?his ?worthy children of all ages ?can ?become ?heirs ?of
salvation in his kingdom."
5. ??Mormonism today informs its members that all mankind will ?occupy
one of three heavenly kingdoms. ?The highest is the Celestial Kingdom
(which itself contains various levels). ?This kingdom is reserved for
all ?faithful Mormons and could lead to Godhood for the ?male ?members
there. ?The middle Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, is for those who
did ?not ?accept the gospel according to Mormonism, ?but who lived ?an
honorable ?life. ??The ?lowest or Telestial ?Kingdom ?still ?contains
murderers, ??adulterers, ?liars and thieves. ?(Doctrine ?& ?Covenants
section ?76). ??Hell ?in Mormonism is usually thought to ?be ?only ?a
temporary ?state of suffering, ?which can be terminated through ?self-
atonement. ??In ?summary, ?all will be resurrected and ?receive ?some
degree of glory, according to Mormonism.
6. Mormons believe not in the infinite atonement of Christ, but rather
that ?"redemption ?from ?personal sins can only ?be ?obtained ?through
obedience ?to ?the ?requirements of the Gospel, ?AND A ?LIFE ?OF ?GOOD
WORKS." (emphasis added) (Talmage, Articles of Faith pgs. 478-479)
These ?changes ?and contradictions contained within ?these ?easily
available ?LDS ?Scriptures leave no doubt as to the human, ??man ?made
origin of Mormonism.
While ?Mormons regard the Bible as the Word of God, ?the Bible ?is
actually placed lower and superseded by their other Scriptures, ?which
in addition to the Book of Mormon include the Doctrine & Covenants and
the ?Pearl ?of Great Price. ?This devaluation of the Bible ?is ?found
within the LDS Articles of Faith, ?in the Pearl of Great Price, ?where
it ?is ?stated ?that Mormons "believe the Bible in so ?far ?as ?it ?is
correctly translated."
God's ?word, ??the Bible, ?has definitely stood the test of ?time,
whereas in its short existence the Book of Mormon has not. The Bible,
has been used by and confirmed by archeology, - the Book of Mormon has
not. ?The Bible, ?has through recent ancient manuscript ?discoveries,
been ?demonstrated to have been transmitted and translated accurately,
where the Book of Mormon contains nearly 4000 textual changes from the
first ?edition ?in 1830 ?to the present editions used today, ?and ?has
received further changes in the new 1981 "Triple Combination" edition.
The ?presence ?of ?"Divine Truths" ?within the Book of ?Mormon ?is
merely a result of Joseph Smith, ?Jr. ?incorporating much of the Bible
into his work. (see 'The use of the Bible in the Book of Mormon by H.
Michael ?Marquardt). ??Thus, ?the Book of Mormon must be regarded ?as
fiction, not as inspired Scripture.
Changes within Mormonism and the Book of Mormon make it clear that
Mormonism is not from God. ?God's word does not change. Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday, ?today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) ?and His Word
shall never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). The Jesus Christ
who ?shed his blood on Calvary's cross to save you is not the Jesus of
present-day ?Mormonism. ??Jesus ?invites all people to ?experience ?a
spiritual ?rebirth ?and to receive the free gift of ?eternal ?life ?by
trusting in him alone for salvation.
Write ?to us and let us share with you more information concerning
our Risen Saviour Jesus Christ and how you can receive Him.
PERSONAL FREEDOM OUTREACH
Route 3 Weir Lake Rd., Kunkletown, PA. 18058 (215) 381-3661
P.O. Box 26062, Saint Louis, MO. 63136 (314) 388-2648
P.O. Box 30073, Phoenix, AZ. 85046 (602)867-0538
P.O. Box 15081, Santa Ana, CA. 92705 (714) 832-9385
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