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Evangelicals Against Mitt
The American Spectator ^ | 1/3/2008 | Carrie Sheffield

Posted on 01/08/2008 4:09:13 PM PST by tantiboh

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To: Godzilla
U Said: Well, as you continue to shotgun, I'll focus on the more important points.

LOL! I have found a shotgun works better than rifle when you opponent keeps weaving...

I Said: Um, are you familiar with the concept of subsets and supersets?

U Said: However, Mormonism is uniformly rejected as a part of the superset just as Smith rejected Christianity.

Interesting, you tried to claim that since I say Mormons say they are Christian, all Christians should be able to go into Mormon Temples. I pointed out that:
A) Not even all Momrons can go into the temple

B) There are many denominations of Christians that does not make them equal, nor do they share all their buildings and meetings with each other.

C) Non Mormons are and have been welcome in our chapels and even recently held a meeting in our tabernacle in Salt Lake.

Uniformly has a specific meaning and if there is even one Non Mormon that accepts Mormons as Christian, you are being inaccurate, I am being kind.

As for Joseph smith rejecting Christianity, just what are you smoking?

U Said: The councils that eventually resulted it the Nicean creed did not result in a mistaken change in doctrine. That doctrine had been in place from Christ.

This shows ho little you have read of the links I have provided you, Hippolytus was the Voice of the Church as he Condemned Noetus for the heresy of saying that God and Christ shared the same substance. The Doctrine is day and night and you are in the dark because you did not read what I linked to you to read. Here, try it one more time.

It is only mistaken in your mind (not backed up by facts) because you apriori reject it from the beginning and twist verses past their breaking point to make your 'facts'.

You might ask yourself, who Is Hippolytus, he was the foremost theologian of his day.

He wrote the Definitive work for his day on refuting heresies for the Church.

He is said to have been (though I have not been able to prove it) John the beloeved's Great Grandson and have learned the gospel from his grandpa!

But never mind what he says, you reading english translations centuries later understand far better than a native speaker, who was in contact with those who knew Jesus, yes, I must be wrong for reading his words and praying about them. (do I really need a sarcasm tag here?)

U Said: So, as an apostle of lds and author of a significant work authorized by the lds, is 'Mormon Doctrine' a proper reference for us gentiles to look at to understand believe doctrine?

Mormon Doctrine was published 16 years before Bruce R McConkie was ordained an apostle, he learned much in that time, that said it's not cannon of the church, consider it a really good concordenance on Mormonism, for that is what it was supposed to be, but definitive? no.

A question, do you use any concodenances, or the internet while studying the Bible? Are they definitive for you, or merely study helps?

I Said: Jesus was indeed a member of the God head form before time itself was created, for he was the creator of it.

U Said: Sorry, this doesn't jib with standard eternal progression doctrine.

Actually, it does, but I don't expect you to actually listen to what we believe, you seem to want to tell me what that is.

U Said: Adam had 'gods' procreate him to begin the process, as Jesus' father, as a spirit personage, Jesus would have had to wait until the deification process of Adam had finished in order for Adam to create Jesus. To say he was an exception to the rule is a convenient cop-out. And eternal progression is a fundamental doctrine of lds isn't it.

It is a fundamental doctrine which you obviously do not understand, and Jesus as a member of the Godhead is an exception, let me make this clear.

The Godhead is made up of three personages:
(1) God the father representing the end goal of our sojourn in life, as a perfected, being with an eternal body.

(2) Jesus as a spirit at the beginning of time becoming a mortal at the meridian of time, and being a perfected being with an eternal body by the end of time represents our journey through life. (3) The Holy Ghost is a spirit for the whole of time representing where we started in the preexistance.

All are part of the Godhead, all can be called God, collectively or singly, To receive an answer from one is to receive an answer from all for they are so close that they think and act and have the same power. They are one. They are members of the Godhead.

I do not care if this squares with your perception of our doctrine, for it is our doctrine, not yours.

U Said: You really don't know Christian doctrine very well do you.

Actually, I have graduated form a four year seminary (LDS) attended many Protestant Churches with friends growing up, and was told on more than one occasion that if I joined their church i would have been on the fast track to the ministry (I always thought that was funny) While on a two year mission to Taiwan I graduated from a Buddhist monastery run by the translator fro the living Buddha in Taiwan, and I read at 1500 WPM with measured 92% comprehension rate, I love to study religions. You?

U Said: Christ's sacrifice on the cross was vicarious because He was the only one who could do it.

I know, and Momrons believe more reasons than you do for that statement, but I'll just agree. However, you must admit this does set a prescident for vicarious works, I mean there is really nothing more central to the Gospel than Jesus' Sacrifice, right?

U Said: Paul (and other writers of the NT) makes it very clear that anything we do cannot equal it or supplement it.

I could not agree more about this statement about the atonement.

U Said: There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that Christians gain for post death ordinances.

were you asking for me to list first Corenthians 15:29?
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
The early Christians baptized for the Dead, why did they stop?

I Said: You have this wrong, it's simply not our doctrine that you are spouting here, it's your own ignorance of that Doctrine that you are promoting here.

U Said: Fundamental basic process:

U Said: Spirit person begotten in the spirit realm by a god and goddess (who knows where the first god and goddess came from at this stage)

U Said: This spirit person is eventually born into flesh and blood on some planet, marries and does all the things right (here it would be your ordinances, etc - who knows what they are called on another planet), dies and eventually works their way to being a god over some unspecified period of time.

Mormons believe in Grace and works, lets not leave out the grace...

U Said: This new god procreates spirit children with a goddess/wife and cycle begins again.

U Said: Not hard to understand. However, when practical application is made regarding Jesus, you have to completely short circuit the model, let alone try to address the Holy Spirit (which is a god without a physical body).

Do you realize the bible speaks of God's physical body at in many palaces?

Jesus as part of the Godhead was part of the design from the beginning, before any of the rest was put together. he is part of the Pattern, by your logic Adam breaks the pattern because he was not born of woman like everyone else. The pattern is God's pattern he can fashion it anyway he wants and there is nothing you or I can do about it. (except possibly understand it.)

I Said: Yeah, I covered this, Jesus himself gave an analogy of this oneness, if you don't want to accept his word but follow after your own interpretation, there is nothing I can do for you.

U Said: For one who is an 'avid student' of language, to say that this is just my 'interpretation' is a little less than honest.

Many have interpreted it other ways through our time, ultimately it is the interpretation you decide to follow that determines your actions. My comment stands.

U Said: It is the greek construct and verbiage.

Yes, I have an uncle that speaks greek, he speaks 11 languages, he agrees with my interpretation too BTW.

U Said: There are other greek words and sentence structures that could have been used to support the lds claim, your problem is that they were not used. Your dismissal may work on the less informed but not me.

There are many places throughout the Bible that can be used to support my claim a summary dismissal like you are now making is common, but hey the gospel is about Change, stay stagnant if you want to.

My father taught me a saying, Learn from him if not from me: A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.

So, believe whatever you want, I'll tell you what I believe, you can believe it or not. However, when anyone takes it upon themselves to tell someone else what they belive, or tell others what they believe, or judge them in abeyance of your own commands from Jesus, you can expect a response from the adherents of this other faith and most responses will not be as polite and fact filled as mine has been.

I Said: Lets see, Jesus was a documented heretic, blasphemer, who hung about with sinners, tax collectors and semi retired fishermen.

U Said: These actions were not criminal, Smith's behavior was. The blasphemy charge was false and trumped up.

Actually, under the Law of the time even healing the sick on the sabbath was a crime.

I continued: He writes new scripture from thin air, and reinterprets old scripture freely in ways that are not approved by the Sanhedrin.

U Said: He was recognized by many in the Sanhedrin as a rabbi (teacher) and a little study of how rabbis (teachers) taught in those days he was well within norms.

Really, and here I thought Jesus Taught differently than the scribes and that people were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power, hmm, one of us is not really familiar with Jesus' ministry, I wonder which it is you say Jesus was either an unremarkable teacher who made no waves, or a controversial figure who had to be killed or he would upset the balance of power. Maybe one more scripture will help.

Mark 11:18-19
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
Humm Lurkers, you decide, who knows Jesus better?

U Said: Though his alleged 'reinterpretation' of scripture was challenged, he was able to defend them and prove that his teachings were in fact the proper interpretation.

As I am factually proving my points here and you like the Sanhedrin are refusing to see the logic behind my statements (although others can) Wow really good case in point you are putting up here.

U Said: What was not approved was how he countered the Pharisaical laws which were added upon the Torah and as such were extra-biblical.

Like the Trinity that was added to the Biblical teaching of the Godhead that we believe? (The word Godhead is in the KJV Bible, the trinity is not.)

U Said: In Smith's case, he has come up with writings that have strong internal as well as external conflicts and contradictions that it has apologists like you working overtime.

You mean like contradicting the Made up Trinity thingy? Or is it the authority by the laying on of hands VS. people "Feeling a call", or is it the Baptism for the Dead, VS. if you die you are screwed, or... Oh wait the Bible agree with us on all of those.

Actually, I can answer most of your "Challenges off the top of my head, it's the scripture linking that takes a few moments. but believe whatever you want, you will anyway.

I continued: Jesus is a disrupter of the peace and may be plotting to rebel against the Romans, and you know what they do to states that rebel! I heard he thinks he's God, if we play our cards right we may be able to get him to say tat in open court!

U Said: Danger Will Robinson, DU going off the deep end.

Actually, it's a pretty fair modern interpretation of what they did. Lets go Back to Mark 11:18-19
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
So they wanted to "Destroy" him because of his teachings, They paid Judas to betray him to the Romans, they held a court at night (which was illegal) they had paid witnesses (which was illegal) they asked him to commit a crime by asking him if he was the son of God. When he agreed, they unanimously convicted him (which should have set him free because a unanimous conviction was invalid) and then they taunted him (which was illegal) in the morning, they took him before Pilate and told Pilate he was guilty of Sedition (conspiring to over throw Rome) Pilate examined him and could not find a good reason to punish him. Pilate found a way to release him and the Jews released Barabas instead. (side note, Bar meaning son of, Abus meaning God, so the people were actually chanting release the son to God when chanting for the release of Brabus. I always think that is cool)) so My dramatazation is actually pretty spot on.

I Said: Did you know that Urim and Thummim are Biblical?

U Said: Yes, do you know what context they are components of the priest's breastplate and not glasses. To justify something that Smith could have easily pulled out of the OT as real, the rest of his story needs credibility. LDS historian Andrew Jensen reported a speech given by Martin Harris in Salt Lake City on Sunday, September 4, 1870: He [Martin Harris] related an incident which occurred during the time that he wrote that portion of the translation of the Book of Mormon which he was favored to write direct from the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and said that the Prophet possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone. . . .(Historical Record, by Andrew Jensen, vol. 7, p. 216). So an ordinary rock is equivalent to or better than the mythical spectacles of the Urim and Thummim. Lesssee, seer stone - conviction of swindle using a 'peep stone'. Walk like a duck, quacks like a duck......

The Urim and Thummim were biblically also used for interpetaion, and revelation. As for the Seer stone, it was a preparatory stone and not a "Common rock" at all Think of it as a Urim and Thummim with training wheels.

I Said: can you show me the original text of say revelations,you know the parchment written upon by John the Beloved?

U Said: You are ignorant of critical methods of evaluating of ancient documents.

Actually, I'm not, have you heard of word printing?

U Said: Can I show you the original MS by John (or his scribe to whom he may have dictated?) no.

But you still believe the Bible, I submit that if the church produced a set of Gold plates that fit the description exactly, and forensics agreed that they were really old, you would be claiming it was a fraud, fake or that the validators were lying, why not, you discount the witnesses who were there.

U Said: Modern textural critical analysis of the thousands of MS of both OT and NT show that they have been accurately transmitted by and large to us, that anything that is missing now is insignificant.

LOL! how do you know what's missing?

You should do a little research into the Book of Enoch, Jesus quoted from it all the time. All the Gospels quote from it, the Book of Enoch is still used by the Copts (Who are Christians and who believe ina sparete God and Jesus...) in Ethiopia, we now have translations of that, it talks of God and Jesus being separate beings, it talks of Baptism for the dead, it supports us, why was it not included in the Bible during the Council at Jamnia? Simple, it would have made the later changes like the ones at Nicea impossible to reconcile with the scriptures instead of just inconvenient. Oh, yeah, it's in the dead sea scrolls too. It's a little known fact that the Septuagint was translated back into Hebrew when the Hebrews lost the torah, and all the other books that they had that were not added to the OT were lost and are now being recovered from the Dead sea scrolls. The problem is in order to fix it, they need to admit there was a problem... Fun stuff history, if we didn't know this we wouldn't know why the Jews have restricted access to the Dead sea scrolls.

U Said: However you cannot supply the plates or any thing that even remotely resembles and is recognized as 'reformed egyptian hieroglyphics'. Absent the plates, what miracle was wrought on the most perfect book in the world to justify the thousands of changes in the bom?

punctuation and spelling were not as precise and formal as they are now, that accounts for most of the changes, the bulk of the remainder of the changes come from the manuscript that Joseph marked up after it was dictated, but never made it into print. There are a few changes that have been necessitated by changes in language "White" has been changed to "pure" in one instance that Anti Mormons have tried to make hay out of, but it's actually very simple, read it, pray about it, God will tell you if it's true or not. And that has been my point all along if you pray, these "logical" arguments become moot.

U Said: Oh you do have that wonderful papyrus that the was used for the POGP, unfortunately Smith's translation has been shown to be totally a fraud.

the book of abraham scroll was destroyed in the Chicago fire when the museum storehouse it was in burned. What exists now is a copy of the book of breathings and a copy of the Book of the dead that were so common the museum didn't want it. Nice try though.

I Said: and your theology has twisted God into an incomprehensible being when we are commanded to know him.

U Said: Uhhhh, which 'god' of your polytheistic cult are you referring to now?

LOL! Which God of the trinity are you referring to when you say God? You are funny. Pick "one" since they are "one" to know one is to know all three members of the Godhead.

I Said: You see how easy this is? All your arguments and your "Reasoning" is easily reversed if I just assume that I am orthodox and you are the upstart, thus it is nothing but demagoguery.

U Said: Demagogue, thy name is DelphiUser.

Are you really going to go to the rubber and Glue level of "debate"? Have fun.

I Said: Are they? The churches official abbreviation is LDS. They would love to use that, but people keep asking us if we are Mormons, so here we are.

U Said: How do you find the lds website - type in www.believe.org. Actually, that is a missionary site we set up because Anti's wanted to put stuff there and tell people it was "our site" it's a very shallow site which exists solely for missionary efforts.

The real site is http://www.LDS.org this site has the Scriptures, lesson manuals, church magazines and even a member section (no not all Christians are allowed to log in...)
301 posted on 01/12/2008 12:51:10 AM PST by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: tantiboh
What do you mean?

This:

There are four possible combinations of Works and Grace.
Grace required, no works required.
Grace and works Both required.
No grace required, works required
neither Grace or Works are required.

If the Bible is true, and there is even one scripture that says that Grace is required, then it is.
If the Bible is true and there is even one scripture that says that Works are required, then it is.
If there are no such scriptures than neither are required.
If there are scriptures requiring both, then both are required.
Hmm.

Lets look at the Bible.

1. Ephesians 2:8 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
2. James 1:22 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Are there any that list Both?
3. James 2:20 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
OK, so if you actually believe the whole Bible, not just cherry picked scriptures then you need faith and works.

A works only church would have only half the answer.

A grace only church would have only half the answer.

The LDS church believes you need both Faith and Works.
302 posted on 01/12/2008 12:54:04 AM PST by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: DelphiUser

It’s good logic, DU. It doesn’t penetrate the closed-minded skull, though.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we tend to shut down our ability to reason rationally when it comes to matters of faith? Particularly when the belief system in which we’re invested doesn’t make sense?

It’s one thing I appreciate greatly about Mormonism. We actually encourage our people to think for themselves and find their own answers. We do not cultivate “blind faith.” There is no such thing as a “mystery” in the LDS Church - as long as you have the patience to seek out the answer. Mainstream Christianity, on the other hand, has had to fill in the gaps in the truth that it has with man-made philosophy, and the two don’t always mesh neatly. As a result, its adherents are often asked to simply take it on faith, or to believe the assurances of those “wiser” than they, etc. What a dismal way to embrace religion. No wonder Christianity in general is mocked by the atheist and agnostic.

We’ve moved far, far away from the original topic of the thread, of course; but this point has been bouncing about in my mind of late.


303 posted on 01/12/2008 1:05:17 AM PST by tantiboh
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To: Tennessee Nana
U Said: There is only one heaven, one level...There are not high and low levels of Glory...the Glory is the Glory of the Lamb of God and there is only one Lamb

The Bible disagrees with you.

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
David is going to be at the throne of God worshipping the Lamb of God with the rest of us, dancing and singing and having a glorious time

Really, for eternity, man talk about a never ending party.

U Said: I understand that you use this scripture and others to attempt to prove that if you dont work your way into Heaven you can always wait for a descendant to get water baptized in your name and get you out of Hell...although such belief is heresy.

I agree that such a belief would be heresy, which is why I am glad I don't believe that.

U Said: You forgot the rest of the scriptures where Peter spoke about David knowing that Jesus would come and die for him and he believed what God had told him...Acts 2:30, 31

No, I did not forget, there is a clear change of context, so it' not relevant to the time frame we are talking about, but you will just say I have that wrong too.

U Said: Now I had written earlier that it was Jesus that David was talking about and then I changed it because i knew you would argy bargy and pull out your mormon talking points when all the time not knowing what you were saying but just repeating whatever you were told to say... just like a puppet...

This is how it is...


LOL! you couldn't be more wrong, I teach in church, not repeat what I am taught. Puppet, ROTFLOL! (those must be a heck of a set of strings!

Unless you repent and are saved BEFORE you die you will die and go to Hell and theres no getting into Heaven after that...David was talking about Jesus in v31 not you and not your long dead relatives. If they died unsaved they went to Hell and theres no getting into Heaven from there Luke 16:19-31 Abraham in “Abraham’s Bosom speaking to a man in Hell “...between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence” Luke 16:26

Tell me, are you this insulting in person? IF so you must have scads of friends.

Of course David was speaking of Jesus saving him, and of Course Jesus can cross that Gulf.

Tell me, why did the early Christan's (who had more scriptures than we do) baptize for the dead?

U Said: All the way through that passage Act 2:14-36, whenever Peter quotes David, David is speaking about Jesus being in Hell not David himself...

What an interesting opinion, especially since it contradicts exactly what the scriptures say. U Said: David says.....

Let me help you here with a little highlighting, red is Jesus, bold is David

Because you wilt not leave my soul in Hell and neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption v27 U Said: He (David) seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul would not be left in Hell, neither his flesh did see coruption...v31

Jesus could not be sent to hell for he was sinless, remember?

U Said: David is talking about Jesus , the fruit of his loins, his descendant, not David himself...David talks about his flesh not corrupting (rotting) but you claim David was STILL in his brave after 1,000 years so his flesh had to have rotted...Even Lazarus the brother of mary and Martha stunk and was rotting after only FOUR DAYS John 11:39 so we know that the bodies of men of God decomposed over time...

David spoke of Both Jesus and himself, it is the only logical conclusion. David knew that when he was resurrected, his flesh would never again see corruption, it the verse is a testimony of Jesus' saving power and of the resurrection.

U Said: But Jesus never rotted in the grave and His flesh was not corrupted...and His soul was not left in Hell

Yes, we agree on this, death and hell had no power over Jesus, so how could he be left there, and left by whom Jesus is God.

U Said: So unless you are Jesus you are not coming out of Hell and neither are your long dead relatives...Do you have uncorruptable flesh ???

Not yet, but give me a little time.. you will too.

U Said: You either believe and repent now and get saved before you die and go to Heaven or you will be damned and go to hell...Mark 16:16

I have already accepted Jesus as my savior, I am continually repenting of my sins for I am weak. as for whether or not my faith will be sufficient, that remains to be seen.

I had an interesting conversation on FR once, i asked a group of Evangelicals and Protestant's what it took to be saved, then when they had finally agreed upon a formula asked if a Mormons could be saved. The thread ran fro quite some time, and the end result was that they all agreed that I at least had been saved.

The arrogance that you display in your posts IMHO does not become a Christian.

I'm sure you know the scripture about the mote and the beam.
304 posted on 01/12/2008 1:29:45 AM PST by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: wagglebee
So, Wikipedia is an expert on religion now?

It is a repository of "Common knowledge", and has some surprisingly good information. Is there a Mormon church or is it he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? There is not "Mormon church" but if you ask people where the Mormon church is, they will direct you to us. Semantics, it's a verbose topic.
305 posted on 01/12/2008 1:44:06 AM PST by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

For me it would have been the last thing I think I would ever consider to do!

I heard some of the taboo being spread by spiritually deaf and dumb!

But I had a one on one with the Holy Spirit before I ever met a missionaries or been in the Church or knew what the Book of Mormon was!

I had a copy of the Book and was ready to toss it, but I was prompted to read a mark passage and pray and the rest is history!

My conversion was by the power of the Holy Ghost.

After that the more I investigated, read, studied and ponder I was so excited that all the things I was thinking and looking for I had found at last.

I have been in the Lord’s arms ever since!

I have known some who came to the Church for other reasons and when more mature they did were able to receive the conversion!

Everyone is at a different point on their journey home!

We are a work in progress be it at the mainstream level or onto the grounds of the Lord’s Kingdom!


306 posted on 01/12/2008 4:20:51 AM PST by restornu (Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves ~ Joseph Smith)
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To: DelphiUser
B) There are many denominations of Christians that does not make them equal, nor do they share all their buildings and meetings with each other.

Sharing facilities is not an issue. I can enter their buildings and worship with Catholics, baptists, Presbyterians, etc. I am personna nongrata in a temple. Very useful control tool for the mormon leadership to keep mormons at large in line and under control.

C) Non Mormons are and have been welcome in our chapels and even recently held a meeting in our tabernacle in Salt Lake.

But not the temple – big difference.

Uniformly has a specific meaning and if there is even one Non Mormon that accepts Mormons as Christian, you are being inaccurate, I am being kind.

Uniformly, within the context I presented, indicates that as a teaching of the denomination. One can find lots of uneducated Christians who have uncritically accepted Mormonism propaganda.

As for Joseph smith rejecting Christianity, just what are you smoking?

Pleading ignorance of your own history is not becoming of you.

This shows ho little you have read of the links I have provided you, Hippolytus was the Voice of the Church as he Condemned Noetus for the heresy of saying that God and Christ shared the same substance. The Doctrine is day and night and you are in the dark because you did not read what I linked to you to read. Here, try it one more time.

You don’t have the correct setting, not suprising. Noetus was espousing the doctrine of modalism (to distill the history), Hippolytus defended Trinitarian doctrine. Hippolytus defense echoed that of Tertullian (216 A.D), Ignatius of Antioch (110 A.D) and the teaching of the Apostle John (John 1:1). You might ask yourself, who Is Hippolytus, he was the foremost theologian of his day. He wrote the Definitive work for his day on refuting heresies for the Church.

So you are championed by a Trinitarian apologist.

Mormon Doctrine was published 16 years before Bruce R McConkie was ordained an apostle, he learned much in that time, that said it's not cannon of the church, consider it a really good concordenance on Mormonism, for that is what it was supposed to be, but definitive? no.

Mormon Doctrine was republished with revisions while he was an apostle (most recent edition is 1991). At the time of the first edition, McConkie was a member of the 70, one step away from apostleship (which MD did not appear to affect).

A question, do you use any concodenances, or the internet while studying the Bible? Are they definitive for you, or merely study helps?

Both. Within my evangelical community I accept most. However, I am not a Catholic, therefore I don’t accept all their material as definitive for me, same for Baptist, Methodist, etc. There is only one Mormonism.

The Godhead is made up of three personages:

Polytheism

(1) God the father representing the end goal of our sojourn in life, as a perfected, being with an eternal body.

I represented this accurately. This god had to be procreated as some time prior by other gods

(2) Jesus as a spirit at the beginning of time becoming a mortal at the meridian of time, and being a perfected being with an eternal body by the end of time represents our journey through life.

I was correct here too. Jesus cannot become god until he is perfected, which you indicate above has not happened yet (by the end of time).

(3) The Holy Ghost is a spirit for the whole of time representing where we started in the preexistance.

You choose your words correctly, since by mormon definition the Holy Spirit (interchangeable within Christianity as the Holy Ghost) is defined as a ‘divine substance, fluid or essence’. Again, though by mormon definition, the holy ghost is a spirit child it cannot be a god since it hasn’t been perfected or have a body of flesh and blood.

All are part of the Godhead, all can be called God, collectively or singly, To receive an answer from one is to receive an answer from all for they are so close that they think and act and have the same power. They are one. They are members of the Godhead.

Tritheism (subset of poly theism). I do not care if this squares with your perception of our doctrine, for it is our doctrine, not yours.

It is exactly as I represented it, you only confirmed it. :)

Actually, I have graduated form a four year seminary (LDS)

High sounding, but deceptive. Your ‘seminary’ training, if compatible with other mormons, consisted of a theology classes taken during your high school years (hence 4 year). My equivalent experience – 30+ years.

attended many Protestant Churches with friends growing up,

Attending does not equal study or knowing

While on a two year mission to Taiwan I graduated from a Buddhist monastery run by the translator fro the living Buddha in Taiwan, and I read at 1500 WPM with measured 92% comprehension rate, I love to study religions. You?

That might have something to do with the price of tea in china, but it doesn’t indicate you’ve know Christian doctrine. I have looked at the teachings of Mormonism over the past 20 years, have a copy of the BOM that I’ve read on my book shelf and have engaged in discussions like this for over 30 years.

I know, and Momrons believe more reasons than you do for that statement, but I'll just agree. However, you must admit this does set a prescident for vicarious works, I mean there is really nothing more central to the Gospel than Jesus' Sacrifice, right?

Reread the sentence, emphasis on the last half vicarious because He was the only one who could do it.

were you asking for me to list first Corenthians 15:29? 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? The early Christians baptized for the Dead, why did they stop?

You are predictable. While there are 4 possible interpretations of the passage (none support mormon theology) Paul was using the logical argument form known as argumentum ad hominem—an argument based upon what men were doing at that time and with which the readers would be familiar. The Corinthians were familiar with people who practiced an immersion for the benefit of the dead. He used the third person pronoun “they” as opposed to “you” or “we.” New Testament baptism would have been referred to in the first or second person. This tactic of referring to what outsiders were doing (without implying endorsement) to make a valid spiritual point was used by Paul on other occasions (e.g., Acts 17:28; Titus 1:12).

Mormons believe in Grace and works, lets not leave out the grace...

Under mormon theology, I covered that with the etc.

Do you realize the bible speaks of God's physical body at in many palaces?

Many palaces??!!?? So you must also believe that god has feathers (Ruth 2:12), or a rock structure (Ps 18:2). In a word, no. The Bible is clear that God is a spirit (John 4:24) and a spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). Hosea 11:9 and Numbers 23:19 clearly state that God is not a man, and therefore cannot have a body of flesh and bones. The apostle Paul rebuked those who would liken the image "of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man." (Romans 1:22-23). Mormon problems circulate around misapplication of anthropomorphism to these common mormon proof texts of ‘god’. This was not the original teaching of Mormonism. In the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants Joseph Smith said the Father was a personage of spirit, as contrasted with the Son who is a personage of tabernacle (a physical body):
...We shall, in this lecture speak of the Godhead: we mean the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are two personages...They are the Father and the Son: The Father being a personage of spirit, glory and power: possessing all perfection and fulness: the Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage of tabernacle...And he being the only begotten of the Father...possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit... (1835 D&C, Lecture Fifth of Faith, 5:1-2, pp. 52-53, First edition.) There are no lds scriptures from 1830 to 1842 that contradict this.

Jesus as part of the Godhead was part of the design from the beginning, before any of the rest was put together. he is part of the Pattern, by your logic Adam breaks the pattern because he was not born of woman like everyone else. The pattern is God's pattern he can fashion it anyway he wants and there is nothing you or I can do about it. (except possibly understand it.)

No, Adam conforms to the pattern. Joseph Smith said "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens...I say, if you were to see him to-day, you would see him like a man in form -- like yourselves, in all the person, image, and very form as a man....it is necessary that we should understand the character and being of God, and how he came to be so; for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will refute that idea, and will take away and do away the veil, so that you may see....and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 3). So Adam only broke the pattern in that he returned to earth again, as he could not bring one of his wives with him unless he was exalted.

Yes, I have an uncle that speaks greek, he speaks 11 languages, he agrees with my interpretation too BTW.

He stands contrary to most other true greek scholars, not just speakers of questionable ability.

There are many places throughout the Bible that can be used to support my claim a summary dismissal like you are now making is common, but hey the gospel is about Change, stay stagnant if you want to.

There is no changing in my God.

So, believe whatever you want, I'll tell you what I believe, you can believe it or not. However, when anyone takes it upon themselves to tell someone else what they belive, or tell others what they believe, or judge them in abeyance of your own commands from Jesus, you can expect a response from the adherents of this other faith and most responses will not be as polite and fact filled as mine has been.

Been there, done that, got asbestos underware. Your problem is that you are claiming that my Christian faith is invalid by invoking your prophets. I have presented mormon doctrine that you have confirmed although ‘fact filled’ has been selective.

Actually, under the Law of the time even healing the sick on the sabbath was a crime.

When confronted by the proper application of the law, they (the teachers of the law) backed down and did not prohibit His action.

one of us is not really familiar with Jesus' ministry, I wonder which it is you say Jesus was either an unremarkable teacher who made no waves, or a controversial figure who had to be killed or he would upset the balance of power.

Misinterpret my statement again. That Jesus challenged the status quo is not deniable. What is also undeniable is that he challenged the traditions overlaid on the law, not the actual law itself. This resulted in false righteousness.

As I am factually proving my points here and you like the Sanhedrin are refusing to see the logic behind my statements (although others can) Wow really good case in point you are putting up here.

Your statements to date are not logical, but founded upon sand as your following statement show.

Like the Trinity that was added to the Biblical teaching of the Godhead that we believe? (The word Godhead is in the KJV Bible, the trinity is not.)

The fact that theotes is used here ("deity") versus theiotes ("divinity") as essence differs from quality or attribute. If mormon interpretation was valid, theiotes would have been used. The teaching of the Trinitarian nature of God was not in dispute until various cults tried to move in and corrupt it. Here in 2008 there is another corrupter who’s been working since the 1830’s.

You mean like contradicting the Made up Trinity thingy?

Only when applying flawed, non-contextral interpretation. But here are a few that I’m thinking of:

Alma 34:36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
CONTRADICTS D&C 130:3, "The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false."

Elephants, honey bees, cimitars, steel, horses, silk, and other items that either did not exist at the time or location.

There is only one God - Mosiah 15:1,5; Alma 11:28; 2 Nephi 31:21
Mormonism teaches there are many gods - Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 5

Polygamy condemned - Jacob 1:15; 2:23,24,27,31;3:5; Mosiah 11:2,4; Ether 10:5,7
Polygamy was taught and practiced - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 266 and D&C Section 132.

Does or doesnot the Lord dwell within the heart. Alma 34:36 says that "the Lord" dwells in the hearts of the righteous.
D&C 130:3 says that the "idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man's heart" is false. (D&C 130:22 says that it is the Holy Ghost that "dwell[s] in us")

Who created the earth? PoGP Moses 2 says "I, God [created everything]..." (see also BoM 2 Nephi 2:14, Jacob 4:9, Alma 18:26-32).
PoGP Abraham 4 says "they (the Gods) [created everything]".

What was the name of the angel who appeared to Joseph Smith in 1823 and later delivered to him the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated? Most Mormons believe his name was "Moroni," as reported in modern editions of the PoGP (JS-History 1:33).
However, the earliest reports by Joseph Smith and others gave his name as "Nephi" (a completely different character in the BoM who supposedly lived a thousand years before Moroni), including the 1851 edition of the PoGP (mormon standard work), the 1853 biography of Smith by his mother (Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith p 79), and two early Mormon periodicals The Millennial Star 3:53, 71, and Times and Seasons 3:749, 753 (the latter personally edited by Smith himself).

These are just a few

The Urim and Thummim were biblically also used for interpetaion, and revelation.

Only in association with the ephod within the temple by the high priest. Never in the context applied by mormon history.

As for the Seer stone, it was a preparatory stone and not a "Common rock" at all Think of it as a Urim and Thummim with training wheels.

The ‘seer stone’ was use instead of the Urim and thummin as clearly stated in my previous post. In fact, it was used far more.

Actually, I'm not, have you heard of word printing?

Then you must accept the extant MS that we have and use.

But you still believe the Bible,

Because of the overwhelming scholarship and supporting documentation that have been preserved for us.

I submit that if the church produced a set of Gold plates that fit the description exactly, and forensics agreed that they were really old, you would be claiming it was a fraud, fake or that the validators were lying, why not, you discount the witnesses who were there.

You’d lose that bet. Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer & Martin Harris were all excommunicated from Mormonism. Joseph Smith said Dec 16, 1838, "Such characters as McLellin, John Witmer, David Witmer, Oliver Cowdry, and Martin Harris are too mean to mention; and we had liked to have forgotten them." History of the Church, Vol 3, p232. Hardly resounding character references for me to believe these ‘witnesses’. Martin Harris and David Whitmer later testified that he did not see the plates literally with his fleshly eyes: He said he saw the plates "by the eye of faith" handled by an angel.(Palmyra Reflector, March 19, 1831).

You should do a little research into the Book of Enoch,

The Book of Enoch was well known during the time of Jesus. It was generally considered a part of the Jewish scripture immediately prior to and during the first century (until it was removed by the Sanhedrin in AD 90). Why isn't this wonderful book included in the Bible? The answer is that Jesus and the apostles never called it scripture. It is important to note that a few early church fathers highly valued the book of Enoch but they never referred to it as scripture. Therefore, we cannot view it as authorative since it is not the Word of God. To simply mention an extra-biblical document doesn’t canonize it. Oh, and this book isn’t ‘lost’, it is available for review.

punctuation and spelling were not as precise and formal as they are now, that accounts for most of the changes,

I have not included those in my count.

the bulk of the remainder of the changes come from the manuscript that Joseph marked up after it was dictated, but never made it into print.

Then he misrepresented the book when it was printed. The manuscript was copied as it was read by Smith. The Lord supposedly dictated the Book of Mormon letter by letter. To go back without the plates for reference and ‘mark up’ means his mark-up were of man and not plates or god.

There are a few changes that have been necessitated by changes in language "White" has been changed to "pure" in one instance that Anti Mormons have tried to make hay out of, but it's actually very simple, read it, pray about it, God will tell you if it's true or not. And that has been my point all along if you pray, these "logical" arguments become moot.

The mormon church for 150 years denied the bom was changed. Here are a few exceptions that are unexplainable without the plates:

Book of Alma p.315; (1830): "But behold, as the seed swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow, and then ye must needs say, That seed is good; for behold, it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow."
Today: Alma 32:30: "But behold, as the seed swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow, and then ye must needs say, That seed is good; for behold, it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow. And now behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say that I know that this is a good seed; for behold, it sprouteth and beginneth to grow."

A lot of words for a few grammar changes.

Book of Mosiah, p.200; (1830): "...on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Benjamin had a gift from God..."
Today: Mosiah 21:28: "...on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God..." As well as several other locations.

1 Nephi 5… O house of Jacob, which are called out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord …
Today: 1 Nephi 20:1 … O house of Jacob, which are called out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, which swear by the name of the Lord …

Also noting the change in text numbering.

the book of abraham scroll was destroyed in the Chicago fire when the museum storehouse it was in burned. What exists now is a copy of the book of breathings and a copy of the Book of the dead that were so common the museum didn't want it. Nice try though.

November 27, 1967, the church's Deseret News announced one of the most significant events in Mormon Church history: "NEW YORK--A collection of papyrus manuscripts, long believed to have been destroyed in the Chicago fire of 1871, was presented to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here Monday by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.... Included in the papyri is a manuscript identified as the original document from which Joseph Smith had copied the drawing which he called 'Facsimile No. 1' and published with the Book of Abraham."

They were presented to President Eldon Tanner, who accepted the on behalf of the church. The mormon church has never issued a proclaimation that denies that these were Smith’s papyri.

LOL! Which God of the trinity are you referring to when you say God? You are funny. Pick "one" since they are "one" to know one is to know all three members of the Godhead.

Again, you show your ignorance of Christian theology. When I refer to God, I refer to the whole personage – Father, Son and Spirit. Trinitarianism is not modalism.

U Said: How do you find the lds website - type in www.believe.org. Actually, that is a missionary site we set up because Anti's wanted to put stuff there and tell people it was "our site" it's a very shallow site which exists solely for missionary efforts.

It is an abuse to deliberately misquote an individual. I did not say the above. My response was as follows:
How do you find the lds website - type in www.mormon.org.

See also http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1950542/replies?c=285

The Google sponsored link is listed as such:
Mormonism
www.mormon.org The truth about Mormonism. Visit the official site.

307 posted on 01/12/2008 10:50:57 AM PST by Godzilla (Lets put the FUN back in dysfunctional)
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To: DelphiUser

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
_______________________________________________________

That man was not dead at the time....


308 posted on 01/12/2008 11:23:46 AM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: DelphiUser

Let me help you here with a little highlighting, red is Jesus, bold is David
_______________________________________________________

and black is Peter...........


309 posted on 01/12/2008 11:25:21 AM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: tantiboh; DelphiUser
Very good points guys. Here’s one other I would add to the mix (perhaps it’s already been brought up, I know it has in the past), why all the scriptures about repentance & the absolute importance thereof, if belief in Christ was all that was necessary? Why repent for bad works if belief alone will get you there anyways?

They are correct in one area, a belief & acceptance of Christ is all that’s necessary for salvation. However, salvation doesn’t encompass all that the father has, all the mansions prepared for us by the Lord. Therein is the difference. We believe there’s more than just salvation, as described in the scriptures.

As a convert myself, this is one of the things that struck me the most about “Christianity”, the lack of answers to some of the most basic questions & the lack of continuity amongst the answers they do have. The Lord never taught that w/ His people before, why now? The Lord always had prophets & later apostles as well, why would we be left now to fend for ourselves. Are we not as deserving? The argument that we now have scriptures is a dubious one being that those of ancient times had the Lord’s writings as well.

The Lord never told Moses, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, etc., just tell the people to believe, don’t worry about the doctrines, we’ll let them figure it out on their own. Yet some on this board would tell us that IS our lot today! That was a hard one for me to understand back before I joined the church & an even harder one to understand now.

I would submit, the Lord is not the author of confusion. He wants us to know the truth definitively, & by HIM, not the “wise” of the earth. It amazes me how many fight against the proposition of inquiring of the Lord. I know the Lord answers prayers. But that’s a personal thing for me & one that I don’t push on others except to encourage them to do likewise. I would never be so audacious as to say I know better than others b/c of my much learning, which is fairly extensive, but still limited here in mortality & susceptible to weaknesses in the flesh. If I want the whole truth to a matter, I would go to the author. I have done so & have received something more valuable than all the treasures of the earth, my testimony of Jesus Christ & all that comes w/ that testimony. I thank the Lord for that every day.

310 posted on 01/12/2008 12:11:49 PM PST by Reno232
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To: DelphiUser
Great points DU. Allow me to add a few more scriptures that would perhaps shed further light:

John 5:28-29

"28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation".

So, who shall come forth unto the resurrection of life? Those that have done good.

Luke 18:18-22

"18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me".

Now, this ruler was already a believer, & yet when asked about how to inherit eternal life, did the Lord say, just believe in me? No. His answer is quite revealing.

And finally, John 11:25-26

"25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Now, if all that was required was to believe, why say "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die"? Note it says liveth and believeth.

Good questions about the grace vs. faith crowd.

311 posted on 01/12/2008 1:11:07 PM PST by Reno232
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To: Reno232

~”As a convert myself, this is one of the things that struck me the most about “Christianity”, the lack of answers to some of the most basic questions & the lack of continuity amongst the answers they do have.”~

I was raised in the Church, and have only recently begun to grasp the significance of that. All those ontological questions that plague Christian and Pagan alike, we know the answers to. What a blessing that is. What an impact that has on how we regulate and order our lives. Some of us in the Church take it for granted, I think, particularly when we’ve grown up with it.

~”I would submit, the Lord is not the author of confusion. He wants us to know the truth definitively, & by HIM, not the “wise” of the earth.”~

That is indeed the crux of it. Well stated.


312 posted on 01/12/2008 1:48:43 PM PST by tantiboh
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To: Tennessee Nana

That was very long.

Still hiding your faith?


313 posted on 01/12/2008 1:50:23 PM PST by tortdog
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To: tortdog; Tennessee Nana; Elsie; MHGinTN; Colofornian; P-Marlowe; colorcountry; dmw
Still hiding your faith?

Photobucket

314 posted on 01/12/2008 2:06:23 PM PST by greyfoxx39 (Mitt willingly gives up his personal freedoms to his church..why would he protect YOURS!)
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To: All; Godzilla; Colofornian; aMorePerfectUnion; Greg F; xzins; Revelation 911; Star Traveler; ...
"It’s good logic, DU." No it is not good, it is inaccurate. The Mormonism apologist wrote the following ... which other Mormons apparently haven't the intellect to see is flawed, so I'll explain the vacuousness:

DU :
If the Bible is true, and there is even one scripture that says that Grace is required, then it is. If the Bible is true and there is even one scripture that says that Works are required, then it is. If there are no such scriptures than neither are required. If there are scriptures requiring both, then both are required.

First, the poster assumed that a single verse would establish his asserted legs to his syllogism stool, ignoring the FACT that the Bible is its own best commentary and thus will ALWAYS have more than one citation to establish a fundamental truth. Second, the poster makes flawed/mismatched legs of his assuming syllogism ... the poster goes from single citation is all that is required to multiple citations required to establish 'both are true' and then doesn't follow through, as we see below:

DU :
Are there any that list Both? ... 3. James 2:20 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... OK, so if you actually believe the whole Bible, not just cherry picked scriptures then you need faith and works.
Aside from the obvious violation of his own verdict against 'cherry picking' (read trying to take a passage out of context to use it speciously), works are not asserted in the passage found in James as making Faith alive, nor are works stated as necessary to keep Faith alive, it is ONLY positing that a claim of faith is not alive if no works authored by God's presence within are in evidence (as contextual teaching from the preponderance of the Bible teaches), thus the claimed faith is not LIFE as taught in other scriptures passages which are conspicuously absent from the flawed three leg syllogism.

You cultist need to stop with your echo chamber of reinforcing each others' foolishness. FreeRepublic is not some field of uneducated dupes. Do Mormons really think that illogic and cherry picked scriptures exhibited would be swallowed because one apologists slaps another apologist on the back claiming flawed logic is 'good logic'?

315 posted on 01/12/2008 3:39:23 PM PST by MHGinTN (Believing they cannot be deceived, they cannot be convinced when they are deceived.)
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To: colorcountry; greyfoxx39

Forgot to ping, sorry Ladies.


316 posted on 01/12/2008 3:49:14 PM PST by MHGinTN (Believing they cannot be deceived, they cannot be convinced when they are deceived.)
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To: Reno232; tantiboh; Elsie; All
”I would submit, the Lord is not the author of confusion. He wants us to know the truth definitively, & by HIM, not the “wise” of the earth.” [Reno 232]

That is indeed the crux of it. Well stated. [Tantiboh]

How is it you seem, Reno, to be able to highlight one truth sourced in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians that backs up what you say, but seem to gloss over yet other vital additional truth via Paul in later letters?

Yes, it's true that the worldly wise is foolish to God (1 Cor. 1:20)...that God's wisdom is quite distinct from that of this age (1 Cor. 2:6)--things not taught by human wisdom (1 Cor. 2:13). But Paul is especially highlighting worldly philosophers (1 Cor. 1:20)...worldly scholars (1 Cor. 1:20)...worldly debaters (1 Cor. 1:20)...and worldly rulers (1 Cor. 2:6). He's not talking about the Church-at-large.

He wants us to know the truth definitively, & by HIM, not the “wise” of the earth.”

Tanty, does your "crux"--and Reno, does your "wise" include the church who best represents the traditions of Paul? (If it doesn't, you have abandoned Paul's epistles & much of the NT!)

Consider this passage Paul wrote to the Ephesians: This grace was given to me--the least of all the saints! to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah, and to shed light for all...This is so that God's multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens." (Eph. 3:8-10)

Now, how do we know Paul wasn't talking only about the NT church & the Latter-day church?

Simple, keep reading Eph. 3! ...to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. (Eph. 3:21)

Paul makes it ABUNDANTLY clear that it's the Church-at-large which gives glory to God "to all generations, forever and ever" (Eph. 3:20-21) that is the source for God's manifest, multi-faceted wisdom (Eph. 3:10)!!!

Where were the Mormons for 1800 years among all those "forever & ever generations?" (They're the johnny-come-latelies...the very ones Elsie has reminded you via his consistent postings of Galatians 1:6-8...a passage, BTW, that Mormons ALWAYS ignore & FReepers Mormons also tend to ignore): I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ, and are turning to a different gospel [a new Mormon gospel version, BTW, where grace doesn't even kick in until ALL you can do!!!] ...there are some who...want to change the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!

...the Lord is not the author of confusion.

Exactly. If the Mormons would have been as noble as the Bereans of Acts 17:11...and actually compared Smith's newer revelations to the existing ones, "to see if it was so," LDS everywhere wouldn't be in this mess! Instead, the LDS are the ignoble of the earth!!!

And not only ignoble, but you, Reno, ignore that God is not the lone author: Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message, but in God's sight we commend ourselves to every person's conscience by an open display of the truth. But if, in fact, our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Regarding them: the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gosepl of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord..." (2 Cor. 4:2-5)

WHEN...

...people ignore the order of Acts 17:11--comparing new revelations by what's existing...

...THEN...

We get what we see in the LDS church...LDS apologists & leaders doing cartwheels to cover up & negate what past LDS "prophets" have sermonized as "truth"...mass confusion because so many LDS "prophets" disagree with one another...

And WHY???

Because of what Jesus said long ago: Jesus answered them, "You are deceived, because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God." (Matt 22:29)

317 posted on 01/12/2008 4:10:53 PM PST by Colofornian
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To: Reno232

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him who sent Me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from life unto death. John 5:24


318 posted on 01/12/2008 4:13:47 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Reno232

Now, if all that was required was to believe, why say “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die”? Note it says liveth and believeth.
______________________________________________________

Yes thats right In John 11:25, 26 Jesus does say that while you live, believe on Me and you will never die spiritually...

Once you are dead its too late.....

Believe on Jesus while you are still alive...


319 posted on 01/12/2008 4:19:22 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Colofornian

~”Tanty, does your “crux”—and Reno, does your “wise” include the church who best represents the traditions of Paul?”~

You will understand, I’m sure, when I say that, in my opinion, the LDS Church is the church that best represents the traditions of Paul. I do not posit whether or not those traditions are as you have stated them. The answer to your question is, Yes. I do not necessarily trust the authorities of the LDS Church in and of themselves; however, I know I always have a source to confirm their counsel and instruction. I may not always call on that source, but it is always available.

~”Instead, the LDS are the ignoble of the earth!!!”~

I have to admit, that’s a new one. I’ve not been called ignoble before. Kudos for originality!


320 posted on 01/12/2008 6:08:21 PM PST by tantiboh
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