Franklin Graham Should Repent on Mormon Voting Issue, Pastor Says

To: Saundra Duffy

This is thoroughly disgusting. Franklin Graham and his father are admired, well respected, perfectly upright - they are spiritual giants, mighty men of valor.

There goes YOUR Temple Recommend®!! (If you HAD one!!)

TR question #7

Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

101 posted on 12/30/2011 4:56:29 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

To: Saundra Duffy

This is thoroughly disgusting. Franklin Graham and his father are admired, well respected, perfectly upright - they are spiritual giants, mighty men of valor.

Speaking of MMOV; why have you purposely avoided commenting on your OWN Mighty Men of Valor whose comments appeared in post #69?

WHY do you MORMONs keep IGNORING what has been posted?

Are you ASHAMED of their postion?

102 posted on 12/30/2011 5:00:02 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

To: Saundra Duffy

These hypocrites!!!!

Hold this thought...

103 posted on 12/30/2011 5:01:38 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

To: Saundra Duffy

Franklin Graham and his father are admired, well respected, perfectly upright - they are spiritual giants, mighty men of valor.

Then why does the Mormon church consider them to be "apostate" men who belong to churches "of the devil"???

Look...I can't tell you how many times I've seen Mormons, when Joseph Smith's weaknesses were pointed out, fall back on the "Well, Joseph was a man like every one else" argument. Franklin Graham, like the rest of us, is in need of God's grace.

He has developed a wonderful organization (Samaritan's Purse). He is a hard-working leader. Three years ago, he made this list -- TOP 25 COMPENSATION PACKAGES -- taking in a compensation package at $641,000...and I'm glad to see he's no longer on that list -- meaning that his compensation package is still below $689,000.

In a What Would Jesus Do? world, would you, Sandy, head up a poverty organization and take a $641,000 compensation package...making about $2 million every three years? Perhaps he works so hard, that he may even deserve a raise (I don't know?).

This "pastor" is arrogant, full of hatred...

You read one article by this pastor...and you're somehow able to determine how "full" he is re: hatred-wise? Do you have some in-depth "Stranger Judging Machine" that allows you to come up with this kind of Judgmentalism about the intensity of emotions inside a person? Yes? No?

I guess we'll just call you "Snap Judgment" Sandy from now on.

104 posted on 12/30/2011 5:01:38 AM PST by Colofornian (Martyrs don't die in shootouts! Sacrificial lambs aren't armed! J. Smith fired 2 weapons as he died)

I have three questions about the Mormon faith to ask:

1. Do the Mormons baptise in the form invoking the Holy Trinity?
2. Do Mormons accept the Holy Bible as inspired?
3. Do Mormons accept the Apostles/Nicene Creeds?

This is all I do ask most important. Thank-you for your response.

105 posted on 12/30/2011 5:09:47 AM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)

I have three questions about the Mormon faith to ask: 3. Do Mormons accept the Apostles/Nicene Creeds?

I'm going to start with your last Q first.

The answer is "no." And vociferously no.

Theologically, there's nothing really in the Apostles Creed that Mormons need to disagree with...(provided we understand that "catholic" -- a small "c" -- when it was written just meant "universal" ... not "Roman Catholic")

The foundational "First Vision" of Mormonism -- found in Joseph Smith - History in the Pearl of Great Price...labels ALL Christian creeds to be an "abomination." See verses 18-19.

(At least, that's what the unnamed entities supposedly appearing to Joseph Smith told him).

106 posted on 12/30/2011 6:13:45 AM PST by Colofornian (Martyrs don't die in shootouts! Sacrificial lambs aren't armed! J. Smith fired 2 weapons as he died)

I have three questions about the Mormon faith to ask: 1. Do the Mormons baptise in the form invoking the Holy Trinity?

Yes. And No.

Yes: Lds Doctrines & Covenants 73:20 (& 68:8) both emphasize baptizing in the NAME [singular] of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost. And the "Jesus Christ and His Gospel" portion of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (Deseret Book Company, 1994) mentions D&C 20:73 -- coupled with 3 Nephi 11:23-28 and Moroni 6:1-4 as providing "adequate instructions for baptism and proper words for the baptismal prayer" (p. 32).

No: Despite the Trinitarian like phrasing of their baptismal formula, the Mormons themselves would claim it's not "trinitarian." After all, Mormon leaders keep claiming that Greek philosophy somehow influenced Christian theology...Lds "apostle" Jeffery Holland claims that a "Trinitarian notion" [is] "never set forth in the Scriptures because it is not true." (Ensign Magazine, Nov. 2007, p. 40)

Also, no Christian denomination recognizes any Mormon baptism as authentic.

It's actually quite strange that a religion that emphasizes the plurality of gods in the "godhead" has a Baptismal formula that only recognizes a single Name. If the Mormon godhood was as plural as Mormons say they are, you would have expected that Joseph Smith, when he wrote D&C 68 & 73 between in the three month period of Nov. 1831 to Jan 1832 would have stressed the need to baptize in the NAMES (plural) of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. He doesn't.

The reason "why" is that Smith had yet to "evolve" himself into a multiple-god follower.

Therefore, Smith, like the Bible, assumed a Trinitarian formula of baptizing in a single NAME. Our tri-unified God is ONE!

107 posted on 12/30/2011 7:07:21 AM PST by Colofornian (Martyrs don't die in shootouts! Sacrificial lambs aren't armed! J. Smith fired 2 weapons as he died)

That is right about NO Christian Church accepting the Mormon baptism as being authentic. This is why, in my Church, any former Mormon wanting to come into my Church, has to go through special instruction and be baptise at Easter Sunday vigil or eve.

108 posted on 12/30/2011 7:17:25 AM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)

I have three questions about the Mormon faith to ask: 2. Do Mormons accept the Holy Bible as inspired?

Allow me to cite from the "Jesus Christ and His Gospel" book portion of the original Encyclopedia of Mormonism (Deseret Book Co. -- owned by the Mormon Church -- 1994), p. 135:

"While common ground for Latter-day Saints and other Christians is an acceptance of the Bible and its teachings, issues of interpretation aside, Mormonism agrees with 'high church' orthodoxy against conservative Protestantism on the doctrine of the sufficiency of the Bible. Though they accept the Bible, Latter-day Saints, like Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, for example, do not believe that the biblical text alone is sufficient for salvation. Biblical teaching, while true and accepted, has been imperfectly preserved and can be fully reconstituted only through supplemental REVELATION. This is not because New Testament Christianity was defective, but buecause New Testament Christianity is only partially preserved in the modern Bible. Those doctrines that were not preserved must be restored; consequently, Mormons deny both biblical inerrancy and sufficiency."

Iow, Mormons say the Bible isn't sufficient for salvation and is not without error...that it wasn't "preserved" in its entirety. They "reconstruct" supposed NT doctrines out of thin air by adding other "scriptures" to serve as their filter; concluding, in effect, "Oh, the New Testament must have once taught this."

One of Mormonism's Articles of Faith claims that they believe in the Bible insofar as "correctly translated." When you ask them where it's not been correctly translated, they either hem and haw or point to Joseph Smith's revision of the Bible (the JST)...which frankly doesn't add a whole lot of Mormon theological distinctives.

109 posted on 12/30/2011 7:22:02 AM PST by Colofornian (Martyrs don't die in shootouts! Sacrificial lambs aren't armed! J. Smith fired 2 weapons as he died)

So in other words, the Mormons claimed a “perfect” Christian faith?

110 posted on 12/30/2011 7:55:59 AM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)

So in other words, the Mormons claimed a “perfect” Christian faith?

It would be like legitimate land-owners holding claim to the biggest ranch in the world. And then some cattle wrestlers come along and claim the original ranchers have no claim to that land. And it's all their's now.

What's interesting is that the Mormon leaders have countlessly repeated the claim that the Mormon gods would never let the Mormon church go astray.

Yet, at the same time, Joseph Smith was quoted as claiming he was the only man who ever lived who kept a church together -- and that Jesus didn't do it.

Tell us Mormons: Why would God honor Mormon leaders' and "prophets'" claims that the Mormon church would never have their leaders go astray...and yet simultaneously they would claim that the same god(s) let Jesus Christ's church go astray?

It makes absolutely no sense to 100% diss Jesus Christ in such a way! (Or to make the apostle Paul come across as a "false prophet" -- for the Mormon claim makes Ephesians 3:21 into a false prophesy...claiming that God didn't receive glory through His church forever and ever, after all)

111 posted on 12/30/2011 11:31:05 AM PST by Colofornian (Martyrs don't die in shootouts! Sacrificial lambs aren't armed! J. Smith fired 2 weapons as he died)

To: Osage Orange

haha, no, I am very picky theologically. And since I make the rules for my Reindeer Games ....

112 posted on 12/30/2011 2:30:10 PM PST by bboop (Without justice, what else is the State but a great band of robbers? St. Augustine)

They "reconstruct" supposed NT doctrines out of thin air by adding other "scriptures" to serve as their filter; concluding, in effect, "Oh, the New Testament must have once taught this."

Surely NOT!!!

See some differences between GOD's Word and the Joseph Smith's 'translation'

Color coding explanation:

Added stuff... Changed stuff... Rearranged stuff... Removed stuff...

*(UNDERLINED stuff is the DISTRACTING reference on every tenth word or so that infuses LDS 'scripture' online.)

JOSEPH SMITH—MATTHEW

An extract from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1831: Matthew 23: 39 and chapter 24.

Jesus foretells the impending destruction of Jerusalem—He also discourses on the second coming of the Son of Man, and the destruction of the wicked.

1 ^aFor I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall say: Blessed is he who ^bcometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him. Then understood his disciples that he should come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and ^ccrowned on the right hand of God.

2 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him, for to ^ahear him, saying: Master, show us concerning the buildings of the temple, as thou hast said—They shall be thrown down, and left unto you desolate.

3 And Jesus said unto them: See ye not all these things, and do ye not understand them? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here, upon this temple, one ^astone upon another that shall not be thrown down.

4 And Jesus left them, and went upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the ^asign of thy ^bcoming, and of the ^cend of the world, or the destruction of the ^dwicked, which is the end of the world?

5 And Jesus answered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you;

6 For many shall come in my name, saying—I am ^aChrist—and shall deceive many;

7 Then shall they deliver you up to be ^aafflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be ^bhated of all nations, for my name’s sake;

8 And then shall many be ^aoffended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another;

9 And many ^afalse prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many;

10 And because iniquity shall abound, the ^alove of many shall wax cold;

11 But he that remaineth ^asteadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved.

12 When you, therefore, shall see the ^aabomination of ^bdesolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of ^cJerusalem, then you shall stand in the ^dholy place; whoso readeth let him understand.

13 Then let them who are in Judea flee into the ^amountains;

14 Let him who is on the housetop flee, and not return to take anything out of his house;

15 Neither let him who is in the field return back to take his clothes;

16 And wo unto them that are with ^achild, and unto them that give suck in those days;

17 Therefore, pray ye the Lord that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day;

18 For then, in those days, shall be great ^atribulation on the ^bJews, and upon the inhabitants of ^cJerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel, of God, since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel.

19 All things which have befallen them are only the beginning of the sorrows which shall come upon them.

20 And except those days should be shortened, there should none of their flesh be ^asaved; but for the elect’s sake, according to the ^bcovenant, those days shall be shortened.

21 Behold, these things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews; and again, after the tribulation of those days which shall come upon Jerusalem, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe him not;

22 For in those days there shall also arise false ^aChrists, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.

23 Behold, I speak these things unto you for the ^aelect’s sake; and you also shall hear of ^bwars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet.

24 Behold, I have told you before;

25 Wherefore, if they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not;

26 For as the light of the morning cometh out of the ^aeast, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

27 And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the ^acarcass is, there will the eagles be ^bgathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.

28 And they shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars.

29 Behold I speak for mine elect’s sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be ^afamines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

30 And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax ^acold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.

31 And again, this ^aGospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all ^bnations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked;

32 And again shall the ^aabomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled.

33 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the ^asun shall be ^bdarkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the ^cstars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

34 Verily, I say unto you, this ^ageneration, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.

35 Although, the days will come, that heaven and earth shall pass away; yet my ^awords shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.

36 And, as I said before, after the ^atribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth ^bmourn; and they shall see the ^cSon of Man ^dcoming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;

37 And whoso ^atreasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall ^bcome, and he shall send his ^cangels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the ^dremainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

38 Now learn a parable of the ^afig-tree—When its branches are yet tender, and it begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand;

39 So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors;

40 But of that day, and hour, no one ^aknoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only.

41 But as it was in the days of ^aNoah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;

42 For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the ^aflood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;

43 And ^aknew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

44 Then shall be fulfilled that which is written, that in the ^alast days, two shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other ^bleft;

45 Two shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left;

46 And what I say unto one, I say unto all men; ^awatch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come.

47 But know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to have been broken up, but would have been ready.

48 Therefore be ye also ^aready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.

49 Who, then, is a ^afaithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

50 Blessed is that ^aservant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing; and verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

51 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord ^adelayeth his coming,

52 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken,

53 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

54 And shall cut him asunder, and shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and ^agnashing of teeth.

55 And thus cometh the ^aend of the wicked, according to the prophecy of Moses, saying: They shall be cut off from among the people; but the end of the earth is not yet, but by and by.

KJV Matthew 23:38-39 24:1-51

39. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

1. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16. Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17. Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25. Behold, I have told you before.
26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49. And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

King James Version of the Holy Bible

Public domain

113 posted on 12/30/2011 4:35:35 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

Those doctrines that were not preserved must be restored; consequently, Mormons deny both biblical inerrancy and sufficiency."

Oh?

Where is ANY 'proof' that they were NOT 'preserved'; other than the CLAIMS of MORMONism?

114 posted on 12/30/2011 4:37:03 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

Yet, at the same time, Joseph Smith was quoted as claiming he was the only man who ever lived who kept a church together -- and that Jesus didn't do it.

JESUS: Hey Smith! Remember that boast you made about doing more than even I had done to hold the 'church' together?

JOSEPH SMITH: Where am I?

JESUS: Don't you remember? A few seconds ago you were in that jail.

JOSEPH SMITH: Oh; yeah; but where am I NOW?

JESUS: Don't you remember? Does bang - bang ring a bell?

JOSEPH SMITH: Oh; yeah - that crummy gun I had was about USELESS!

JESUS: I hope you left instructions on how to hold your church together.

JOSEPH SMITH: Dang! I knew there was SOMETHING I was forgetting!

JESUS: Looks like there's a power struggle going on down there.

JOSEPH SMITH: Yeah; there was always SOMEone who wanted the power that I held - especially over the LADIES - wink wink.

JESUS: No need to worry about that now; remember what my friend Matthew wrote down?

JOSEPH SMITH: This? “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30)

JESUS: That's it.

JOSEPH SMITH: I thought that was mistranslated.

JESUS: Nah - it was right.

JOSEPH SMITH: Oh well; it was fun while it lasted. My buds will still get it on with the girls.

JESUS: Uh; I'm sorry; in just a few more years; your followers will cavein to the United States government and abandon the 'Eternal Covenant' that you came up with.

JOSEPH SMITH: ME!? YOU are the one that told me to do that!

JESUS: Sorry; but you must have mistranslated what I told you. What part of Do NOT commit ADULTERY did you not understand?

JOSEPH SMITH: mumble....

JESUS: What did you say?

JOSEPH SMITH: Oh, nothing.

JESUS: Well; it was interesting talking to you; but now I must get back to perparing a place for those who believe in Me.

JOSEPH SMITH: Oh, yeah; the Celestial Kingdom.

JESUS: No...

JOSEPH SMITH: The Telestial one?

JESUS: Nope.

JOSEPH SMITH: SUREly not the TERRESTRIAL one!!

JESUS: Nope. Didn't you read that the mind of man had NOT conceived of it? Paul wrote it down in 1 Corinthians 2:9.

JOSEPH SMITH: I thought that was mistranslated.

JESUS: No; it wasn't.

JOSEPH SMITH: You SURE?

JESUS: Yes. Now I must be going: what did you say your name was again?

JOSEPH SMITH: Joseph Smith.

JESUS: Hmmmm. According to my Heavenly FAITHbook, you didn't sign in as one of my friends - sorry, I never knew you.

JOSEPH SMITH: But....

115 posted on 12/30/2011 4:38:48 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

Whatever........

Funny when someone..actually calls you on your statements...You resort to BS.

116 posted on 12/30/2011 6:41:54 PM PST by Osage Orange (HE HATE ME)

To: Saundra Duffy; Larry Lucido; Longbow1969; bboop; Jim Robinson; Religion Moderator

I have born my testimony of Jesus Christ many a time on these threads. I recognize that there are aspects of the theology I accept regarding Jesus Christ and also regarding the nature of heaven, that other Christians do not agree with or accept.

There may be those who find what I am about to say so offensive, that they are compelled to try and take apart what I say word by word. So be it. The convictions are honest, sincere, and true. Others may judge for themselves.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We believe He and the Father are literally different individuals. When Christ was baptised, the Holgy Ghost descended upon Him (He did not descend on Himself) and God the Father spoke from Heaven (He did not speak to himself). This was witnessed by all who were there and handed down to us in the Gospels. The exact same type of thing happened on the mount of transfiguration where Peter and two other apsotles witnessed it. Later, when the martyr Stephen was killed, while Saul held the cloaks of those killing him, Stephen looked into Heaven and saw Christ sitting on the right hand of God. We believe these things litrally. We also believe Christ Himself explained what it meant to be "one" with the Father during His great intercessory prayer in John.

Therein He stated that He desired that His disciples be "one", even as He and the Father were one. He did not mean for them to meld together into one entity. He meant for them, thropugh the Holy Ghost and Christ's Gospel and atonement to be one in purpose and united.

We take these teaching to tell us that God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Ghost are all members of the Godhead...but that they are seperate members thereof.

Others read it and interpret it differently...but that is what we believe.

So, Jesus Christ, the Son of God is my personal Savior. I am talking about Jesus, miraculously born of the virgin Mary through the power of the Holy Ghost. Whom Shepherds were informed of and whom they came to see in Bethlehem. The same babe who was taken by Jospeh, being warned by an angel, into Egypt to be saved from Herrod's murderous tiraid against the babies in Judea.

The same Christ who later taught in the Temple. Began His ministry, turned water to wine, healed the sick, miraculously fed the masses, raised the dead, and taught that He was the Son of God, the great Atoner...who was taken by wicked men, given a sham trial, and condemmed to death. He suffered in the Garden body and soul and then was killed on the cross...and through His atoning blood, for our sins, we are saved if we will confess and come unto Him as He asked.

I have done so. I cnonfess Him and His name to all. And I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I am not trying to "fool" anyone here. I am not mindlessly repeating things I have heard. This is my sincere and honest witness.

It is the essential nuggett of salvation besides which all other inmterpretations pale in consideration.

This is what I am taught in my church. What I have been taught since joining it over 40 years ago. What I taught on my mission in Southern Germany. What I have taught my kids and raised them to believe. It is what I have taugh in Sunday School, to children in primary classes at our church, what I shared as a member of Bishoprics, and in many other callings to serve within the church.

It is what I share with friend and try to share here.

I applaud all who profess Christ's name. The scriptures teach that none confess Christ except through the power of the Holy Ghost. I confess Him now to you all...despite whateve difference others may have.

I know I have been saved by my Savior and that He will judge me according to these, the steadfast, lifelong convictions of my heart and I look forward to that judgement.

If you have any questions about this, please refer to the page on my site where I make my profession for Christ, and try and answer some of the questions often posed.

HERE: MY WITNESS OF CHRIST

I will not contend or argue. I will not partake in efforts to run down my or other people's heart felt conviction that point towards Jesus Christ, the one and only path to salvation. No other ordinance or work we are involved with, however good, will save us in God's Kingdom outside of Christ.

At the same time, I believe that all good and sincere hearted people of virtue and honor will have the opportunity, before the judgement, to hear of Christ and His gospel and accept it or reject according to the desires of their hearts.

Thanks to all who seek to speak of these matters with respect and love in their hearts for all who believe in and seek Jesus Christ...as He himself did when teaching His disciples and the multitudes.

117 posted on 12/30/2011 9:05:52 PM PST by Jeff Head (Liberty is not free. Never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))

Thank you Jeff for sharing and I know that the Lord loves all of His children and longs for the day when

Isaiah 11

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.

9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

10 ¶And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart,

and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off:

Ephraim shall not envy Judah,

and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen

118 posted on 12/30/2011 10:00:00 PM PST by restornu (Love One Another)

They are misinformed. That or dumb enough to believe the PR lies out of SLC and not do the research for themselves.

119 posted on 12/30/2011 10:32:28 PM PST by reaganaut (Mormonism is all about glory to self, not Glory to God. - which explains Mitt Romney)

If you really believe all that, why are you Mormon?

120 posted on 12/30/2011 11:43:03 PM PST by reaganaut (Mormonism is all about glory to self, not Glory to God. - which explains Mitt Romney)

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