My Apology to Mormon Readers

townhall.com ^ | 6-5-2013 | Mike Adams

[servo1969]

Dear Stacey:

You have written demanding an apology for my recent characterization of the Mormon religion as "non-Christian." I am happy to write a public letter of apology to you and to the countless Mormon readers who responded negatively to my characterization.

I am sorry that so many of my Mormon readers have brazenly accused me of ignorance of their religion and suggested that I read the Book of Mormon. I am sorry that they were unaware that I read the Book of Mormon back in 2006.

I am sorry that the science of genetics has refuted claims made in the Book of Mormon concerning the relationship between Native Americans and Semitic people. These refutations undermine the entire historical premise of the Book of Mormon.

I am also sorry that while archeological discovery supports the claims of the Bible it clearly does not support the claims of the Book of Mormon. Battles that were supposed to have occurred in specific locations in North America simply never took place. The archeological evidence just isn't there.

I am sorry about the plagiarism of the Holy Bible that runs through the Book of Mormon. I am sorry that Mormons cannot see that Joseph Smith's refusal to reveal the golden tablets is strong evidence of their nonexistence. The heavy plagiarism in the Book of Mormon puts the lie to the rest of the story of Smith, the former seeker of the lost treasures of Captain Kidd.

I am sorry that my Mormon readers have put all their eggs in one basket by constantly writing to me quoting Matthew 7:16. So I am sorry that I must now apply that verse to the very first Mormon.

I am sorry that among the 33 well-documented plural wives of Joseph Smith, there were close to a dozen unions in which the wife was already married to another man.

I am sorry that in his lifetime, Joseph Smith married four different pairs of sisters. I am sorry that Joseph Smith married a young woman and also married her mother.

I am sorry that some of Joseph Smith's marriages were the result of religious coercion secured only after he told the prospective bride that marrying him would ensure the bride’s place in heaven. I am sorry that Smith also coerced teenagers into marrying him by promising their families a place in heaven.

I am sorry that Joseph Smith kept fourteen-year-old Helen Mar Kimball from marrying her sweetheart Horace Whitney because he wanted to marry the teenager instead. I am sorry that Joseph Smith also asked Helen’s father Heber C. Kimball to give him his wife.

I am sorry that before he eventually married Helen, Joseph Smith gave her a 24-hour deadline to give in to his offer of a place in heaven. I am sorry that two years after the death of Joseph Smith, Helen married her old sweetheart Horace Whitney. I am sorry that the marriage between Helen and Horace was only temporary because Helen was already "sealed" by marriage to Joseph Smith for eternity. I am sorry that Horace Whitney was "sealed" to an already dead Mormon woman before his “temporary” marriage to Helen.

I am sorry that after her mother died, Joseph Smith approached teenager Lucy Walker with a command that she marry Smith with the threat of eternal damnation as the punishment if she refused. I am sorry that the year before Joseph Smith died, he said the following to Lucy: “I will give you until tomorrow to decide (whether to marry me). If you reject this message the gate will be closed forever against you.”

I am sorry that the Book of Mormon, which Joseph Smith claims to have transcribed from the golden plates given to him by the Angel Moroni, says the following: “Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, Saith the Lord.” (Jacob 2:24).

I am sorry that Joseph Smith said the following shortly before his death: "(W)hen I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my father, so that he may obtain kingdom among kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted myself.”

I am sorry that Smith’s polytheism is not consistent with John 14:6. I am also sorry that since these are the words of Christ, polytheism cannot be Christian. Moreover, I am sorry, my Mormon friends, but the the words of Christ trump the words of Joseph Smith who will never be God.

I am sorry that Mormonism teaches that Christ was not there in the beginning, that god was just a man who became God by following a moral code he did not create, and that we may all become gods by following the same moral code that predates the existence of Jesus. I am sorry that the theological mess caused by Joseph Smith is irreconcilable with the teachings of the Holy Bible.

Finally, I am sorry that my Mormon readers have unfairly accused me of criticizing Mormonism without doing my homework. But I am glad I did. Now I understand the significance of Galatians 1:6-9.

[IronJack]

Au contraire. The people who are always so quick to tell someone else how their belief in God is the wrong one are acting more in the service of their own hubris than on God’s behalf. He can take care of Himself, and in the end, I suspect He’s more concerned with the motive than the act.

[svcw]

Nicely stated, in a clear and concise way.

[svcw]

Ye who have no sin, let him cast the first stone Not only do have no reference, it makes no sense to the rest of your post.

Then you go on to distort the Old Testament and Jesus Christ's Words.

It must be really hard for you to read this apology and not be able to respond to it directly (as in show why he is incorrect) but just cut and paste what you have already posted and re-posted and re-posted and re-posted.

[svcw]

Source for your claim

[AppyPappy]

I don’t mind people telling me that my church is wrong. I mind them coming to my house to tell me. I mind them saying “We believe the same things but you are wrong”.

[Rome2000]

Now that Romney is gone I don't see the purpose of the Mormon bashing.

It was necessary for people to know that he belongs to a wacky cult when he was running for POTUS.

People are free in the USA to believe whatever they want, and as long as the Mormons are not blowing things up, speaking ill of them just makes the site look bigoted.

[CA Conservative]

I’m sorry that a direct ancestor of Christ, through whom God had designated as the Christ’s lineage had hundreds of polygamous wives (ie David, Soloman).

In retrospect, David and Solomon probably were sorry as well - With David in particular, his wives caused him great pain and problems. I don't know of any theologians who would claim that the reason David and Solomon had many wives and concubines was that it was the will of God - it was a result of them trying to be like the pagan kings of the surrounding nations, instead of like the King of Glory.

I’m sorry that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, two of the three confirmed polygamist.

Abraham was not a polygamist - though he only had one wife, he had a child with his wife's handmaid, and that poor choice still haunts the world today - Israel and Ishmael (Arab nations). Jacob became a polygamist as a result of the deceit of his father-in-law, who gave him Leah as wife when he was supposed to give him Rachel. And yes, that polygamy also caused Jacob heartache over the years.

I’m sorry that Christ asked his disciples to be “one, even as we are one, as though father are in me and I in the that they may be one in us”.

I'm sorry, you are obviously missing some words in this quote - why not provide a reference?

I won't address the rest of your post, because you seem to get increasingly incoherent, or at least display a complete lack of understanding of orthodox Christian theology. But suffice it to say that your post does indeed support the position that Mormon theology is not Christian. That is not intended as an insult, just an acknowledgement of fact.

[CA Conservative]

The Mormons, snakehandlers, tongue speakers, Harold Camping, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientologists, the Crouches, what’s the difference?

Interesting. Why do you put "tongue speakers" in the same company with the rest of these? Unless you are reading a different Bible than I am, speaking in tongues was a common part of the early church all though the New Testament. Despite diligent searching, I can find nowhere in the New Testament where the practice is ever said to be discontinued or avoided. Paul even said he thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than anyone. Now you seem to claim that if people speak in tongues, they are part of some unscriptural cult...

[Elsie]

The people who are always so quick to tell someone else how their belief in God is the wrong one are acting more in the service of their own hubris than on God’s behalf.

Oh; izzat so?

And just how do YOU know this?

[Elsie]

Now that Romney is gone I don't see the purpose of the Mormon bashing.

So...

...you care NOTHING for the final result of men's souls?

[Elsie]

People are free in the USA to believe whatever they want, and as long as the Mormons are not blowing things up, speaking ill of them just makes the site look bigoted.

Only in the eyes of folks who think all religions are the same.

---

I, for one, AM bigoted!

I am VERY concerned when some jackleg False Prophet makes up a bunch of crap and tries to foist it off as better than CHRISTIANITY!

And; I am NOT going to shutup about it!!!

[Elsie]

I won't address the rest of your post, because you seem to get increasingly incoherent, or at least display a complete lack of understanding of orthodox Christian theology.

He's a MORMON: what would you expect?

When I post things directly from MORMONism; Inc. - they get ignored.

You'll have to ask him why...

[Elsie]

Heck...

...even MORMONism claims to do this!

http://www.mormonwiki.com/Speaking_in_Tongues

[Elsie]

But they probably make as much sense as these Caractors do!!!

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Right; teppe??

---

The "Caractors" are the only tangible evidence in existence related to Smith's story.

No gold plates, no brass plates, no peep stones, no Urim and Thummim...

only these "Caractors," not a single one of which is in the purported languages.

---

Smith's translation of the Caractors. According to Martin Harris (Joseph Smith - History, 1:64), "I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated,* and he said they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters."

Speak right up now in all truthfulness. Isn't it revealing how Smith started out making a stab at creating believable "caractors" but quckly gave up and produced nothing but squiggles, ending up wih a series of nothing more than crude little scribbles? Yet Professor Anthon supposedly translated them!

---

*Harris must have had two or three pieces of paper with him—one with characters and a translation of them (on the same paper or a separate one) and one with untranslated characters—quite likely the "Caractors." Some Mormon "scholars" have gone out on a limb, sawed it off, and knocked themselves out trying to translate from these true Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic characters a segment that would correspond with a verse from 1 Nephi.

---

Modern-day experts in Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic. In 1829, any knowledge of these languages possessed by U.S. scholars would have been rudimentary at best. Expertise in them has vastly improved since then. So go ahead, do it. Get any modern expert in these languages to identify which of these "Caractors" are Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac and Arabic. Better still, accept the claim of Mormon apologists that Anthon did indeed so testify and that his appraisal of the Caractors was correct. (Op. cit, pp. 73-75)

Save your money! Samples of Assyriac/Aramaic and Arabic writing:

 

What say you? Which of Smith's "Caractors" resemble the Assyriac and Arabic ones? No need to pay experts for their analysis. A child could accurately check this out. These writing systems have remained constant for well over 3000 years.

[Revolting cat!]

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

[Tainan]

Yeah...what CA Conserv said....consider yerself duly chastised.
Get down and give Him 20 and an AMEN!....;)

[IronJack]

Because if you believe in an all-powerful God, the last thing He needs is you or me defending Him. So the people who are defending "Him" are in actuality defending their own beliefs about Him.

Hubris.

[cookcounty]

(Sigh). People have a right to their beliefs even if they make no sense from my perspective. I find it extremely difficult to harmonize LSD teaching, past or present, with the teaching of the Bible. I encourage Mormons (and non-Mormons!) to step back, cast aside personal loyalties to this community or that, and look at Mormon theology (and Christian theology) from a long perspective and ask God for wisdom and understanding.

[Elsie]

Because if you believe in an all-powerful God, the last thing He needs is you or me defending Him.

If you believe in America; the LAST thing you need to do is to defend her.

If you believe that the BIBLE is GOD's word; the first thing you need to do is follow what is written there.

Simple logic.

[Elsie]

...and ask God for wisdom and understanding.

Very good!

This is EXACTLY how Joseph Smith did it!!

--MormonDude( http://mormon.org/faq/the-first-vision/ )