Posted on 11/14/2012 10:44:44 PM PST by reaganaut
Members of the LDS Church are familiar with the charge that Mormonism isn't a Christian faith. They hear it often enough, but they really don't understand why people think that. "We are Christians," Mormon President Gordon B. Hinckley insisted. "We have the name of Jesus Christ right in the name of our Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We follow Christ. We worship Him. We love Him. He is the center of all we do"("Inspirational Thoughts," Liahona, June 1999, 3; 2 Nephi 25:24-29).
In the summer of 2005 we asked Mormons in Nauvoo, Illinois to take a quiz we called "Guess Who?" The quiz consisted of 15 relatively recent statements made by LDS leaders; we asked the participants to see if they could determine who their Church leaders were talking about. We invite you to take the same quiz. The answers will be at the end; see if you can do this without scrolling down for the answers.
His teachings "are the foundation of our faith. Everything we have is a lengthened shadow of [him]."
"I pray we may learn from his example, that we might incorporate into our lives the great principles which he so beautifully taught; that we ourselves might emulate him;..."
"I honor and revere [his] name... I delight to hear it; I love it. I love his doctrine... I am his witness."
"He died for those he loved. He reigns in the realms above."
"The more I learn of him, the more I love and revere him."
"I look to him. I love him. I seek to follow him."
"He not only gave us joy, happiness and opportunity here, but also a great hope in the life to come."
"Today, this Sabbath day, in many thousands of congregations, perhaps as many as twenty-one thousand, in many areas of the earth, our people have sung or will sing the praises of [him]."
"Of noble seed, of heavenly birth, he came to bless the sons of earth."
He was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."
"Church members are interested in learning more about [him] because they love him and they love the gospel he brought forth."
"How great indeed is our debt to him. ...Great is his glory,... We stand in reverence before him... Let us not forget him. Let not his memory be forgotten in the celebration of Christmas."
"...and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed."
"The light, provided to the world by [him], illuminates the confusion, clarifies the principles of the gospel, and helps lead men and women to their own eternal reward, if they will but endure to the end."
The "work that has been carried out by President Young and his brethren [of the Twelve] has been in accordance with the plans, and designs, and Spirit, and instructions of [him]."
How did you do?
If you thought these statements were about Jesus—the One Mormons claim to worship and adore, the One they say is the center of all they do—you are incorrect. In each statement above, the speaker was talking about Joseph Smith.
Quotes with References
His teachings "are the foundation of our faith. Everything we have is a lengthened shadow of [him]." (15th President Gordon B. Hinckley, Church News, 3/19/2005, p.3.)
"I pray we may learn from his example, that we might incorporate into our lives the great principles which he so beautifully taught; that we ourselves might emulate him;..." (Thomas Monson (First Presidency), Ensign, 6/1994, p.7.)
"I honor and revere [his] name... I delight to hear it; I love it. I love his doctrine... I am his witness." (2nd President Brigham Young, quoted in Ensign, 1/1996, p.7.)
"He died for those he loved. He reigns in the realms above." (3rd President John Taylor, Hymns #296, "The Seer, Joseph, The Seer." While this hymn was written in the 18th century, it is still in use as evidenced by its performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during the 175th Semi-Annual General Conference of the LDS Church in October, 2005.)
"The more I learn of him, the more I love and revere him." (Apostle Joseph B. Wirthlin, Church News, 2/19/2005, p.5.)
"I look to him. I love him. I seek to follow him." (15th Gordon B. Hinckley, Church News, 12/13/2003, p.3.)
"He not only gave us joy, happiness and opportunity here, but also a great hope in the life to come." (Apostle L. Tom Perry, Church News, 7/3/1993, p.4.)
"Today, this Sabbath day, in many thousands of congregations, perhaps as many as twenty-one thousand, in many areas of the earth, our people have sung or will sing the praises of [him]." (15th President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 9/1994, p.62.)
"Of noble seed, of heavenly birth, he came to bless the sons of earth." (John Taylor, Hymns #296, "The Seer, Joseph, The Seer.")
He was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (BYU Professor Robert Millet, Ensign, 9/1994, p.19.)
"Church members are interested in learning more about [him] because they love him and they love the gospel he brought forth." (LDS Church Historian Glen M. Leonard, Church News, 12/6/1997, p.4.)
"How great indeed is our debt to him. ...Great is his glory,... We stand in reverence before him... Let us not forget him. Let not his memory be forgotten in the celebration of Christmas." (15th President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 12/1997, p.2.)
"...and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed." (Church News, 7/19/1994, p.5.)
"The light, provided to the world by [him], illuminates the confusion, clarifies the principles of the gospel, and helps lead men and women to their own eternal reward, if they will but endure to the end." (Church News, 12/13/1997, p.16.)
The "work that has been carried out by President Young and his brethren [of the Twelve] has been in accordance with the plans, and designs, and Spirit, and instructions of [him]." (George A. Smith (First Presidency), quoted in Church News, 12/20/1997, p.7.)
Also, your complaints are making this thread "about" you. That is also a form of "making it personal."
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
If you cannot or will not comply, then leave the thread.
placemark
Because Sandy is, well, no other way to say it lying about you, FR and the rest of us - what will be done?
How many times do you need to speak truth and she tells untruth before action is taken?
I just reread the wiki entry on Joseph Smith, and wow, there just doesn’t seem to be the slightest hint of Christianity in Mormonism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith
Joseph Smith, when he was 14, was confused about which church to join since there was great contention at that time. It is a fact that there were many different denominations coming through to obtain converts to their particular persuasion.
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Now hed be confused about which Mormon sect to join since there are many different groups of Mormonism today...
He would be more comfortable with the fLDS...
and the RLDS have the temple lot in Missouri...
but there is that SLC thingy...
Maybe he could just go to SLC and condemn Tommy and the boys for their backsliding and apostacy...
and take over as king and theocratic dictator again...
Polygamy forever again in Salt Lake City...
BTW why didnt he just join his mothers Palmyra Presbyterian Church ???
Later he joined that one and a local Methodist church...
He got excommunicated from the Methodist church and he and his whole family were shown the door of the Presbyterian church for blasphemy but HEY !!!
He had a church to join...
There’s only one Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - that’s the one I belong to. The others are break-offs and not affiliated with the LDS Church. By the way, as you may know, I used to be a Southern Baptist. Have you ever looked up how many different sects of Baptists there are? It’s quite amazing.
But back to the LDS Church and your contention that there are all kinds of “Mormons” parading around out there calling themselves “Mormons”. Here’s the deal: They are NOT Mormons. Of course, you know this already, but it’s fun for you to link my Church to polygamists and the like. It mattereth not.
Jesus Christ is Lord who suffered and died for me. He is my personal Savior. Amen.
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Joseph Smith is a liar and you are his disciple which puts your testimony of Jesus into question.
"You cannot serve two masters"
Revival bump for those who think Mormons don’t de facto worship Joseph Smith.
Colo, a ping would be a great help.
BTTT
THX 1138 march continues
Revival?
More like back from the DEAD!!!
Bumpity bump, bump.
“Of course, you know this already, but it’s fun for you to link my Church to polygamists and the like.”
You mean polygamists like Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and all the rest that followed the original “restored church”?
It is all very tiresome. Even on the Religion threads......I know you never get tired. Well, have at it.
I hope he doesn’t get tired.
I wonder if Jesus ever got tired? Should he have stopped before he did?
(Thank you for this great feedback. God the Holy Spirit is glorified as He is the Author of New Life)
mormonic placemarker
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