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To: Colofornian; greyfoxx39; gathersnomoss
The first quotation was a statement by a 14 year old boy almost 200 years ago as to why he would not join his mother’s church. Sorry you feel intimidated by that.

The other quotation is a statement of the fact that in this world there is a war between good and evil, the good inspired by God and the evil inspired by Satan. It has nothing to do with a specific church.

Let me add some more recent quotations that tell you how the Mormons feel:
Have the Presbyterians any truth? Yes. Have the Baptists, Methodists, etc. any truth. Yes. They all have a little truth mixed with error. We should gather all the good and true principles in the world, and treasure them up, or we will not come out good “Mormons.” Joseph Smith, D.H.C. vol. 5, p. 517. 1844

For any church, country, nation, or other group to believe that it is the only people in whom God is interested, or that it has special merit because of color, race, or belief, that they are inherently superior and loved by God, without regard to the lives they live, is not only a great and dangerous fallacy, but is a continuing barrier to peace. . . . Let us steadfastly avoid such demoralizing arrogance. The most important problems facing us in working on a long range program for peace is a tolerant and sympathetic understanding between races and creeds.
Hugh B. Brown, LDS Conference, April 1966.

I do not believe that three-hundred-fifty millions of people that live in China in a state of heathen darkness are created to live in this state, and be damned because they do not have the right religion. I do not believe that all the nations that worship various kinds of idols, in different parts of the earth, and knowing nothing about the true God, will be consigned to be burned in fire hereafter, because they know no better than to worship as they do. . . . I was going to say I am not a Universalist, but I am, and I am also a Presbyterian, and a Roman Catholic, and a Methodist. In short, I believe in every true principle that is embodied in any person or sect, and reject the false. If there is any truth in heaven, earth, or hell, I want to embrace it. I care not what shape it comes to me, who brings it, or who believes it, whether it is popular or unpopular.
John Taylor (third President of the Church)
Salt Lake City, Utah
1853

This is the Mormon theory of Gods revelation to the children of men. While The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is established for the instruction of men; and is one of God’s instrumentalities in making known the truth, yet he is not limited to that institution for such purposes, neither in time nor place. God raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that they can comprehend; not always giving a fullness of truth such as may be found in the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ; but always giving that measure of truth that the people are prepared to receive. Mormonism holds, then, that all the great teachers are servants of God; among all nations, and in all ages. They are inspired men, appointed to instruct God’s children according to the conditions in the midst of which he finds them. . . Confucius, , , ,Buddha, . . . the sages of Greece and Rome, . . . the reformers of early Protestant times. . . .
B. H. Roberts.

401 posted on 12/12/2007 9:25:38 AM PST by broncobilly
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To: broncobilly; greyfoxx39; gathersnomoss
The first quotation was a statement by a 14 year old boy almost 200 years ago as to why he would not join his mother’s church. Sorry you feel intimidated by that.

Why, gee. To the average FREEPER reader, that sounds harmless enough.

Until they find out that it was this very statement upon which the founders concluded, "Well, no true church on earth, then? OK, we'll start our own brand new Christianity."

I mean this would be tantamount to the girls in Spain who said they saw Mary...and upon seeing those visions then said, "Well, Mary told us that no true Catholic church existed. It was ALL wrong. ALL its professors were corrupt. ALL its creeds were an abomination before God. Therefore, we are going to start 'Restored Catholicism' because EVERYTHING about the old Catholicism is failed."

(Again, partial apostasy is evident in every generation; renewal & reformation are ongoing parts needed for the church...that is different than calling folks 100% apostates as that's exactly what the Muslims call us--"infidels")

The other quotation is a statement of the fact that in this world there is a war between good and evil, the good inspired by God and the evil inspired by Satan. It has nothing to do with a specific church.

1 Nephi 14:10 clearly says "two churches only." Not 1500 or 2000 or 7000 or whatever. Two. The true church and the false church. Is the Presbyterian church "true" in the eyes of LDS? Well, if it was, then it would be one of those two. It would be the church of the Lamb of God. Well, then that would leave the other church to be the other described church in 1 Nephi 14:10: the church of the devil. Now we all know that the LDS don't believe their church is the church of the devil. So that must mean it's the church the Lamb & the rest fall under that.

As for "nothing to do with a specific church," then why is "Nephi" & Joseph Smith so hung up with the "great & abominable church" (1 Nephi 13:6); "parts of the gospel kept back by that abominable church (1 Nephi 13:32); "abominable church...whose founda;tion is the devil" (1 Nephi 14:9)..."abominable church...whore of all the earth" (2 Nephi 28:18); "great & abominable church" (2 Nephi 6:12); "whore of all the earth" (2 Nephi 10:16); "abominable church" (D&C 29:21); "great church, the mother of abominations" (D&C 88:94).

Let's put this frankly: Smith, who obviously loved this word in the D&C loved this word into the BoM as well...as he had to slam the existent church of his time so that others would see a need for what he had to offer. (Smith was the original American "dirty tricks" religious campaigner).

You are wrong because "abomination" appears more with "church" in the sources I cited above than it does with the word "devil."

418 posted on 12/12/2007 10:19:36 AM PST by Colofornian
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