Or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS)
My story with the Mormons, such as it is. While I was going to school in the spring of 2013, I met a couple of missionaries. Very nice people. They introduced me to the Book of Mormon and claimed that Joesph Smith was a modern day prophet that discovered a set of gold tablets which he translated into the Book of Mormon. The organization he founded, now known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or just LDS or Mormons), is the only true church on the earth. This was quite a claim. The missionaries asserted that if I only read the Book of Mormon then the Holy Spirit would witness to its truth if I prayed in sincerity. At the time, I knew next to nothing of the Mormons. So I took up their challenge to read the Book of Mormon and study the words of Joesph Smith for myself. The following is the results of my journey.I made my decision failrly quickly. This was mostly becuae of the words of the propjet Joeseph Smith himself. The decision process took place over the course of several months and I only managed to get to the first couple chapters of 2 Nephi. I decided to continue reading through the Book of Mormon to cement in certainty my decidion.
My Decision Making Process
The process I went through was very analytical. As an INTJ (MasterMind) I tend to operate by analysing and logical deduction. I was already a chrsitian at that point. So to convence me that this BOok was equivalent to the scriptures it needed to match the proofs already stading for the Bible.IN progess
Just Reading Through
The following are links to posts where I share my thoughts on the Mormon scriptures. As I have said, I think they are wrong. I am not biased for or against the gourp. I am simply devoted to finding the absolute objective truth.Inprogress
Nephi 1:1-7 - Q&A
The Counts Against Mormonism
The counts are... simply that. I have studied the LDS claims and sought out the scriptures to see if these things were true (Acts 17:11). I care about the Truth of Jesus. I am not interested in overly emotional testimonies about how a spirit confirmed the truth. Deceiving spirits exist and are actively working to deceive me and the people of God (1Ti 4:1, 2 Chronicles 18:20-21), and these same spirits masquerade as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). These "testimonies" of Mormon spirits are untrustworthy. The only foundation upon which I can build a faith and understanding of truth is upon the Word of God which is Jesus' teachings in the Bible.
If Joesph Smith is a prophet, then his words will harmonize with the Bible. I have found that they do not. The following is a summary of the counts against Smith and the church he founded. Each count will have a short explanation along with a link to a dedicated article giving full explanation on the contradictions and problems. I hope you will fully explore the articles below, not simply to blindly trust me or my words, but to use them as a stepping stone to your own research that you may also show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15).
0. The Words of the Prophet
This is for reference for those following through the progression.
The King Follett Sermon Part 1
The King Follett Sermon Part 2
1. Nature and Origin of God (Flesh body separate count)
Count 1 centers on the nature of God the father. I, and most of mainstream Christendom, believe that God the Father has existed in His state of perfect godhood for eternity. He has always been the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present being that He is now and always will be. Joesph Smith taught that this is not true.
"God himself was once as we are now," The King Follett Discourse
In this article, I examine the nature of God as described by Joesph Smith and the LDS. I show that they are in complete contradiction to the Bible. During my interactions with the Mormon missionaries, one of them sent an email attempting to answer or counter these statements. Part 1 is my original explanation along with her email. Part 2 is my answer to her email.
2. Creation of Spirits – God created everything that exists. Smith says otherwise.
One of the primary tenets of Christendom is that God created everything. Heaven, earth, angels, spirits and us humans were all created by God out of nothing. We will exist forever in heaven or hell but we were all created by God. Joesph Smith taught differently. According to his teachings, the souls or spirits of man and angels are just as eternal as God. Furthermore, God the Father is not capable of creating a soul. Our spirits are made of the same self-existent substance as God.
"We say that God himself is a self-existent being. Who told you so? It is correct enough; but how did it get into your heads? Who told you that man did not exist in like manner upon the same principles? Man does exist upon the same principles." The King Follett Discourse
In this article, I examine the Biblical explanation of the origin and nature of our spirits/souls.
Count 3: Creation and Destruction of the Elements
This count is somewhat tied to count 2. Most Christians believe that God created everything out of nothing. Joesph Smith taught that physical matter is just as eternal as God and our spirits. He taught that God is incapable of creating new matter and that He simply organized this world and universe out of preexisting eternal, uncreatable matter.
“Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world1 out of chaos—chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.2a” pg 350-352 The King Follett Discourse
I disagree with this doctrine.God created Ex Nihilo: out of nothing. This is the foundation of His right to judge Satan and us. In this article, I examine the Biblical explanation of matter and God's relationship with it.
Count 4: Over-emphasis on the physical body
Angels being spirits without bodies - What about Book of Enoch?
In progress
5. End game
The idea that God the Father was atone point not God, simply one of the seething mass of eternal spirits. He simply managed to leverage His way into power and use the potential of a flesh body as a method of bribing all the other spirits into capitulating to His authority.
He then using the earth system as a method of sorting out who is really loyal and empowering them with real bodies and leaving all His enemies at a disadvantage with bodies designed to self destruct after 80 years or with no bodies at all.
In Progress
Count 6: God is spatially limited - He does not exist at more than one place at once
A standard belief of most Christians is that God is omnipresent. He exists across all space at all time. The LDS teaches that God the Father is not able to do this. They teach that he does not exist outside His physical body and only exists in a single place at a time.
"Some would have us believe that God is present everywhere. It is not so. He is no more every where present in person than the Father and Son are one in person (DBY, 23–24)."
In this article, I examine this doctrine and compare it to the Bible.
In Progress
Count 7: Future Godhood
Regardless of what Joseph Smith and other Mormon leaders have said about men earning the right of godhood, the fact remains that the God of the Bible, who is all knowing, says He knows of no other Gods (Isaiah 44:8). Surely this should prove that no mortal has ever attained godhood; not Joseph Smith, not Brigham Young, no one!
The God of the Bible adamantly declares that He is the first and the last. From eternity past to eternity future, there will never be a true God besides the one God as presented in the Bible (Isaiah 45:5).
In Progress - Link Not Currently Active
Count 8: Salvation by Faith Alone, or salvation by Faith and other stuff
A. 4. Salvation by Faith Alone - Good works are necessary for salvation (Articles of Faith, byJames Talmage, p. 92).
Count 8: Salvation by Faith Alone, or salvation by Faith and other stuff
A. 4. Salvation by Faith Alone - Good works are necessary for salvation (Articles of Faith, byJames Talmage, p. 92).
In Progress - Link Not Currently Active
Count 9: the Priesthood
Blah Blah Blah
In Progress - Link Not Currently Active
Count 10: Nature of Jesus (The counts are ordered in the order that I thought of them, not in order of importance)In Progress - Link Not Currently Active
Count 11 Smith, many wives and TimothyJoesph Smith was a practicing polygamist and taught that it was God's will. In this article I examine the claim and compare it to the teachings of the Bible.
Count 11 -Smith, Timothy, and Many Wives
Count 12: Pre-existence LDS teaches that before this mortal existence, we existed as spirits in heaven. They teach that we left that abode to enter into human history to be tested in order to determine what our place will be in heaven. In this article I examine the doctrine and compare it to the Bible.
Count 12 - Pre-Existance
Count 13: Exegesis Fail - Ezekiel 37
The LDS claims Ezekiel is talking about the coming forth of the book of Mormon in this Chapter. In this count I examine this claim to see if it is true.
Count 13 - Exegesis Fail
Count 14: Testimonygbfdvdfghfdreghbf
In Progress - Link Not Currently Active
Count 15:Purpose of Manfjdfdbhnsfd bfjn
In Progress - Link Not Currently Active
Problems from the Book of Mormon
Problem 1: Nephi and Hell
Problem 1: Nephi and Hell
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