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They preach polygamy, baptism for the dead, a ridiculous set of dietary laws, and that their prophet is the one true prophet, all from extrabiblical sources, the use of which is forbidden by scripture.

Don't leave out the fact that they send 52,000 missionaries out every day to tell Christians that their faith is false and the only way to salvation is through Joseph Smith's fictitious scam.

Persecuted, my butt...multi-million dollar TV and radio campaigns and thousands of internet sites demanding to be seen as Christians with their anti-Christian doctrine...and they whine about a handful of Christians posting the truth on FR.

The MittBots are invading again.

Note: The Mormon Church is more interested in shopping malls and cattle ranches than in helping the poor. By its own admission, the Mormon Church gave $60,000,000 in humanitarian aid last year. It is spending 15 times that for shopping malls.

In Jan. 2006, from the Church PR department, (Deseret News Publishing Company): Edgley said, “that since 1984, the LDS Church has donated nearly $750 million in cash and goods to people in need in more than 150 countries.” That averages to 37.5 million per year or about $3-$4 per Mormon member went to the poor. The total of $750 million in 22 years spent in cash in goods to people in need is less than HALF what the church is spending on these malls. Less than half!! The Mormon church is spending less than 1% of its income to help the poor. Is the Mormon church really a charitable organization?

http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon403.htm

Mormons as an oppressed minority? Really?

The problem with Mormonism is not that it is misunderstood. I understand it perfectly. To criticize it reasonably is not bigotry or hatred. Mormonism is so completely knowable, right down to Joe Smith’s gun battle, stone-peeping, Egyptian burial ritual gold-plate con-job that it offends the faithful Mormon to hear it one more time.

We’re not talking about a mystery far removed in time’s scope by the centuries, like the Shroud of Turin. Who knows? We’re talking about a relatively few short years in the scope of history. Practically yesterday. We’re talking about decipherable writing on the Golden Plates that don’t say what Joe Smith translated them to say. They just don’t. Deal. Step up like grown ups and answer reasonable questions.

But that is why it is rightly mocked. It has a form of godliness that is manufactured by human effort and was conceived as a scam. Its “revelations” are utterly adjunct and useless to the problem of sin and the human condition. It does not fit the arc of God’s story of redemption. It’s Vampire Diaries for people bored with the same old-same old.

Mormonism’s origins come from the same mindset that gave us Scientology. Sure, lots of people buy into Scientology big time. They claim their moral superiority and healing powers. We know they’re kooks because we watched their beginnings. In another half-century of collective and willful amnesia, people will call those who mock Scientology for what it is, bigots. Scientology pays big bucks to control their own Narrative and story.

People today deny the Holocaust ever happened. Because it’s what they want to believe. I never thought I’d live to see it, but it’s amazing how much amnesia money can buy; what money and key influences can achieve. Mormons have depended on that same sort of amnesia to their advantage. The “poor us” routine does not come from being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Joe Smith was no martyr, he died while the barrel of his gun was still a smokin’.

Faith is not a leap in the dark or a warm feeling, it’s a reasoning together with a present God about our human condition and His relationship with us; His goodness and our inability to be good. It’s the only real human dilemma, and it had its answer 2000 years ago.

They preach polygamy, baptism for the dead, a ridiculous set of dietary laws, and that their (CURRENT) prophet is the one true prophet, all from extrabiblical sources, the use of which is forbidden by scripture.

ONE is right!

Ya croak and ya get tossed under the bus!

In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.

1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.
7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.
11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.

Ezra Taft Benson

(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University)