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WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY MEAN WHEN THEY SAY... Today there appears to have been a change of attitude from the LDS church toward other Churches outside their restoration movement. Instead of putting the churches down as they once have they now have a new ploy. They now hide the fact that they started from Joseph Smith when he was searching for which church he should join, he was answered from God "I was answered that I must join none of them (Christian Churches), for they were all wrong...that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight" (Joseph Smith History 1:19). I had a representative from the Institute of religion of the Mormon Church on our radio program, when I asked about this quote he was offended that I brought out such a negative statement especially at the beginning of my program. But he did not deal with the quote except to say Smith did say it. Has anything changed since they want to be accepted as Christians? Has any of these remarks or revelation knowledge been retracted? Has there ever been an open apology? The answer to these questions is a big NO! No quotes of this nature have been eliminated, their policy still is the same under the surface. Their stance on anything called Christian outside their own Church is... "The gates of Hell have prevailed and will continue to prevail over the Catholic Mother of harlots, and over all her Protestant Daughters; .... the apostate Catholic church, with all her popes and bishops, together with all her harlot daughters shall be hurled down to Hell.... (Orson Pratt, Pamphlets by Orson Pratt, Page 112) This Church is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth .... there is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, Page 670) George Q. Cannon claims there are only two churches; the Mormon church and Babylon (Gospel Truths, pg. 324). The Christian world, so called, are heathens as to their knowledge of the salvation of God' (Journal of Discourses 8:171) We find that L A and Orange county are the fastest growing areas of Mormon growth. Although I would think that Hawaii could very well see an explosion of Mormonism very soon. Since they in the midst of mainstreaming their image , trying to be accepted as just another Christian denomination (but a more true one?). They are still not accepting our believes or practices ,yet they want us to soften and accept theirs. A Mormon will still divorce someone who becomes a born again believer different than any other cult group. Maybe you have noticed their change of advertisements on TV, Instead of putting the book of Mormon next to the bible as another testament they now just advertise the Bible so they can come to your house as being representatives of Christianity. Recently the LDS Church has carried its bait and switch campaign to new heights. The New television ads offer listeners a free copy of a King James Bible. This too will be hand-delivered simply by calling a toll-free number. But their view of the Bible is certainly nothing more than a facade ,a LDS smoke screen, exposing their anti Christ stance. Mormon leaders have made it clear OVER and OVER that the Bible is inferior to the other books included in the LDS "standard works." 13th LDS President Ezra Taft Benson wrote, "All scripture is not of equal value. The book that is the 'keystone of our religion' and that will get a man 'nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book' needs to be studied constantly" (A Witness and Warning, pg.vii). I remember asking numerous times for Mormons to justify their teachings from the Bible , at the time not knowing their view of it cannot be trusted. LDS Apologist Hugh Nibley noted, "Nephi's view of the New Testament, then, rests on two basic propositions. Proposition number one is that the Bible has come down to the world in a mutilated form" Pratt wrote, "What shall we say then, concerning the Bible's being a sufficient guide? Can we rely upon it in its present known corrupted state, as being a faithful record of God's word? We all know that but a few of the inspired writings have descended to our times, With all their trashing of sacred scripture I consider the LDS Church as participating in the height of hypocrisy by deceitfully offering the Bible in its ads. Something they put down However some of their bibles are a combination of the book of Mormon with it. While this may not be actually adding to the text it certainly is adding to the word giving one the impression that they are both compatible, which they are not ! Giving these books to people they visit is an easy way to deceive them since most are naive to the contradictions. If they were compatible then J. Smith would not have made his own translation. When Christians point out the curses in the book of Rev. for anyone who changes it, the Mormon replies but that is for that book only not the others. Yet Prov. 30:6" "Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." This was written long before the book of Revelation and it means any of his words. So we need to ask if these curses would be in effect if anyone had dared to alter just the Book of Revelation in any way. Their reply is, this would obviously be so. In the Joseph Smith Translation: he had added to, or subtracted from the Book of Revelation over 85 times. I think that qualifies him for the curses, don’t you ! He made 662 changes in the book of Genesis 32 different statements about the book of Genesis. 560 changes in the book of Luke. Mt.483, Ps.188, Isa.178, John.159, etc. Do they present any proof of why the bible is mistranslated . No, all they do is refer to their infallible prophet/Pope who says so. When the missionaries come to your door do they tell people about their real view of the bible that its full of defects? What they don’t tell people is what Mormon leaders and the Mormon Scriptures actually say? For good reason, most who read the bible or have any background in it would throw them right out. In its general public statements about the Bible today The Mormon Church cites its own Articles of Faith, found in its Scripture, the Pearl of Great Price. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly;... (Articles of Faith, #8) As Christians we don't have any objection with this statement, obviously their are some extremely poor and bad translations (mostly from the cult). The Jehovah's Witness's New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is one example. But this is not what the Mormons really mean when they state this. Speaking more honestly to their own members recent Mormon leaders have stated it this way: The Mormons most reliable way to measure the accuracy of any biblical passage is not by comparing different texts, but by comparison with the Book of Mormon and modern-day revelations. (Church News, June 20, 1992, page 3, a letter from the First Presidency (Presidents Benson, Hinckley, and Monson) dated May 22, 1992, to all members of the Church) Joseph Smith had 145 direct revelations. Thus, instead of using the Bible to evaluate Mormonism they reverse this and use Mormonism to judge the Bible. When speaking honestly, Mormon leaders view the Book of Mormon as more reliable than the Bible: "Unlike the Bible, which passed through generations of copyists, translators, and corrupt religionists who tampered with the text, the Book of Mormon came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. ("The Keystone of Our Religion", Ensign, by President Ezra Taft Benson, January 1992, page 5). The Book of Mormon claims important parts of the Bible have been removed. That it was needed to restore the true gospel. I [Joseph Smith] believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.327) ...It was not until February 16, 1832, however, after a conference in Amherst, Ohio, that Joseph said it was apparent to him, "from sundry revelations which had been received, "that "many important points touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled." (Preface to D & C 76.) so what do they mean when they say: God "...orthodox Christian views of God are Pagan rather than Christian." (Mormon Doctrine of Deity by B.H. Roberts, p.116) "...the God whom the 'Christians' worship is a being of their own creation..." (Apostle Charles W. Penrose, Journal of Discourses 23:243) How anyone can say these things and publish them with a straight face is beyond me. The pagan concept is multiple Gods exactly what they believe, Also they have in their writings that Adam was God and god was once a man who progressed to be god and that is the God they worship, that is worshipping a god of their own creation , god made in the image of man, a creature who is not god at all. When a Mormon speaks about the Gospel it is not the Christian Gospel but the restored one of J. Smith, you can join the Mormon church and not believe Jesus is the Son of God but you cannot join unless you accept J. Smith as a prophet of God. This is more than a church but its a way of life. they will not remove ones name from the roll unless one is excommunicated , if there are problems they will ask them to go inactive but will not take the step to leave because its too scary ,The Mormons believe you are born saved, universalism. Jesus death gave salvation to all meaning its not salvation from sins but resurrection. Salvation is only square one, it is exaltation that is important, becoming a God. This becomes a complicated process. SALVATION God so loved, that he made provision for a 2nd chance and all will receive that opportunity. Apostle of The Church Bruce R. McConkie, called the doctrine of salvation by grace without works, "the second greatest heresy" of Christianity during Brigham Young University's opening devotional Tuesday. The first great heresy, he said, pertains to the nature of God, the doctrine of the trinity. (Staff Report, The Herald, Provo Utah, 1/12/1984) The nature of god in Christianity and the persons involved also have to do with salvation. For Salvation, the Mormon church has always upheld mans own obedience merits him right standing with God, whoever that god is, I still haven’t figured out which one. The Gospel of Mormonism is "faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the H. Spirit by the laying on of hands, morality, loyalty, tithing, word of wisdom, duty, celestial marriage (Articles of faith) James Talmage, who many considered Mormonism's greatest theologian, explained Jesus' atoning work on the cross. Talmage wrote, "We believe that through the sufferings, death and atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind, without one exception, are to be completely and fully redeemed... [of] Adam's transgression..." (Articles of Faith, p. 477). Thus, the atonement and death of Jesus on the cross actually only forgives mankind of Adam's original sin. How then is man forgiven of his own personal sin? In the Improvement Era, an official periodical of the LDS Church, Joseph Fielding Smith, tenth prophet, explained the solution. "Our Eternal Father would have every soul saved if that were feasible. Salvation, however, is based on merit and obedience to divine law and therefore is only obtained through compliance with divine commandments" (Nov. 1965, p. 962). "Men have work to do if they would obtain salvation." (Doctrines of salvation vol.3 p.91) "Individual (salvation) that which man merits through his own acts through life and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." (Doctrines of salvation vol.1 p.134) "The forsaking of sin must be a permanent one. True repentance does NOT permit making the same mistake again." (Spencer W. Kimball, Repentance Brings Forgiveness, Page 7) "We also have to forsake the sin and never to repeat it not even in our minds, in order to remain forgiven we must never commit the sin again (Mormon Missionary Discussion F, Uniform systems for teaching families p.35-36) 11 Nephi 25:23 says that in order to be saved you must do all that you can do. Are you doing all that you can do? Have you repeated your sin? The idea of perfection in this life has been proposed by numerous people over the centuries, and while our weakness is not a legitimate excuse for practicing sin in reality no one has the ability not even monks to rid themselves of sin or not repeat it. Doctrines like this operate from pride. As soon as one thinks they have become humble walking in perfect obedience they have pride which is the basis of operation for almost all sins especially false doctrine. Joseph Fielding Smith. Under the sub-heading "Misinterpretation of Texts," Smith discussed Ephesians 2:8-10 in this way: "There are various opinions concerning the virtue and requirements of salvation. Misinterpretation of Paul's words has led to much confusion and rejection of the full gospel plan. "Failure to comprehend the two-fold purpose of the atonement has caused many to believe that all that is essential for salvation is to confess the name of Jesus Christ." "Those who teach the doctrine of 'faith alone' are searching for an 'easy road to heaven.' ... Someone has referred to them as Bible Christians - their religion is in the Bible and not very much in themselves," (Religious Truths Defined, 1961 ed., p. 267). Smith is actually correct. As Biblical Christians we do put our faith in the teachings of the Bible and not in our own works. But it was not an easy road, because Christ had to suffer through his life and ultimately on the cross to obtain it for us. They practice a cross-less Christianity. And we are to walk in his footsteps by picking up the cross and denying self. Mormonism operates on the very opposite basis that all is done. Instead one can obtain the right to be a god on their own planet, just as all other gods before them. They are striving for an illusive butterfly. You can say their prophet's, over promise and their religion falls way short of its delivery.
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