...my salvation comes from God not some tradition of man church in the world which will parish when the earth is translated. [Restornu]
I'm sorry, Resty, but according to Mitt Romney's father's cousin, Marion G. Romney, who was one of the top three Mormon leaders (First Presidency) in the 1960s, your salvation is indeed only "church-based" and is no more transcendent than that:
"This Church is the ensign on the mountain spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. It is the way, the truth, and the life" (Conference Report, April, 1961, pg. 119).
[Boy, that's "funny." I could have sworn that Jesus Christ reserved for Himself the titles of "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6)]
In fact, one of the ways we know that the "salvation" offered by the Mormon church as being a mere man-made tradition is that they insert themselves as the very "saviors" of mankind:
Example #1 -- From 1974 LDS copyrighted book: "When living persons are baptized for the dead, they literally become saviors to others..."
(Don't you see? The problem we're dealing with here is that Mormons place themselves on par with Jesus re: godhood & saviorhood, calling themselves "literal...saviors")
Example #2 -- an LDS "prophet" speaking who was one of Joseph Smith's right hand men, John Taylor: ...we are the only people that know how to save our progenitors, how to save ourselves, and how to save our posterity in the celestial kingdom of God;...we in fact are the saviours of the world..." (Journal of Discourses, vol.6, p.163).
No, Resty: "saviors of the world" are not plentiful (1 John 4:14; John 4:42)
Example #3 -- another LDS "prophet" -- this one a nephew of Joseph Smith who was talking about what LDS do with the genealogical research uncovered: "... mortals have to be saviors on Mount Zion, acting by proxy for the dead." (LDS "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 325)
Example #4 -- Taylor again: "We know something about our progenitors, and God has taught us how to be saviors for them by being baptized for them in the flesh, that they may live according to God in the Spirit." (LDS "prophet" John Taylor, March 20,1870, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 14, 3/20/1870)
Example #5 -- the Mormon "why" of genealogy: "We have a great work before us in the redemption of our dead....There are fifty thousand millions of people in the spirit world...Those persons may receive their testimony, but they cannot be baptized in the spirit world, for somebody on earth must perform this ordinance for them in the flesh before they can receive part in the first resurrection and be worthy of eternal life." (LDS "prophet" Wilford Woodruff, JoD, Vol. 22, p. 234)
Example #6: “Some may feel that if they pay their tithing, attend their regular meetings and other duties, give their substance to the poor, perchance spend one, two, or more years preaching in the world, that they are absolved from further duty, but the greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the dead!” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol II, pp 42-44).
So, one LDS "prophet" -- Woodruff, the same one who had the authority to clamp down on polygamy, said before the 1900s ever arrived that there were 50,000 million people in the spirit world awaiting Mormon conversion & salvation...[uh, I've got news...the total has only greatly expanded since then]...
You can't get more appropo verses that's been raised in recent posts than Jesus saying "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
(Please drop your "goal" of necro-baptizing billions of souls post-death...Jesus doesn't need savior competition)
but the greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the dead!” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol II, pp 42-44).
Joseph F Smith now knows how wrong he was...
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Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead: but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:60
Jesus also said...
Look, I tell you, open your eyes and observe that the fields are ready for harvesting now! John 4:35b
We must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work. John 9:4
And Jesus told why the dead cannot be “baptised” Once they are dead it is too late...
Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, 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.
Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Luke 16:19:31