Posted on 10/08/2007 7:49:32 AM PDT by colorcountry
Not only is Mormonism a Christian faith, it is the truest form of Christianity, said speaker after speaker on the first day of the 177th Semiannual LDS General Conference. LDS authorities were responding to the allegation that Mormonism isn't part of Christianity. Made by different mainline Protestant and Catholic churches and repeated constantly during coverage of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, the claim is based on Mormonism's beliefs about God, its rejection of ancient ideas about the Trinity still widely accepted, and the LDS Church's extra-biblical scriptures. "It is not our purpose to demean any person's belief nor the doctrine of any religion," said Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland in the afternoon session. "But if one says we are not Christians because we do not hold a fourth- or fifth-century view of the Godhead, then what of those first [Christians], many of whom were eye-witnesses of the living Christ, who did not hold such a view either?"
{snip}
The day's sermons included many familiar themes, including the importance of faith, the need for pure thoughts and actions, avoiding pornography reaching out to neighbors and eliminating spiritual procrastination. Hinckley talked about the destructive nature of anger in marriages, on the road, and in life, urging Mormons to "control your tempers, to put a smile upon your faces, which will erase anger; speak with words of love and peace, appreciation and respect."
Don't bother; he's not listening.
I dunno...that's a pretty definitive statement if you ask me.
And the kind of statement that gets you the opposition that you either crave or loathe...Sometimes its hard to tell
LOL!!
Let us remember that Joseph a righteous man came from a plural marriage his Father being Jacob/Israel who is under the Abraham covenant.
JOSEPH
Son of Rachel, Jacobs second wife (Gen. 30: 22-24; Gen. 37: 3). An extensive account of his life is given in Gen. 37 - 50. The story is especially instructive in showing the discipline of misfortune and also that the Lord rewards his obedient children according to their faithfulness. The story of Joseph is also an illustration of the way in which God works in history, preserving his people. Josephs valor in resisting the allurements of Potiphars wife is an unequaled example of faith, chastity, and personal purity.
His protection was his faith, as illustrated by his words: How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (Gen. 39: 9). In the N.T. Joseph is mentioned only once (Heb. 11: 21-22), as an example of faith.
Joseph obtained the birthright in Israel because he was worthy and because it was his natural right. When Reuben, the actual firstborn, lost the privilege by transgression (1 Chr. 5: 1-2), Joseph, as the firstborn son of Jacobs second wife, was next in line for the blessing. Joseph was a visionary man, a dreamer and interpreter of dreams, a man in whom the Spirit of God is (Gen. 41: 38).
Special blessings and prophecies on the head of Joseph and his posterity are found in Gen. 48: 1-22; Gen. 49: 1, 22-26; and Deut. 33: 13-17. When Joseph died in Egypt at age 110, he was embalmed; but, in keeping with his own previous request, he was kept from burial until Moses and the children of Israel took his bones to Canaan, to be buried near his father and other ancestors (Gen. 50: 22-26; Ex. 13: 19; Josh. 24: 32).
Latter-day revelation confirms many of the biblical details about Joseph and adds other important facts (see 2 Ne. 3: 4-22; 2 Ne. 4: 2; Alma 10: 3; Alma 46: 23-27; JST Gen. 50). It is through latter-day revelation that the larger mission of the family of Joseph in the last days is illustrated.
The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, Josephs children, were among the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and thus among the lost tribes. Also, one portion of Josephs descendants came to America about 600 B.C. and established two great peoples. The record of their doings is called the Book of Mormon. It has also been primarily Josephs descendants whom the Lord has called upon first in these last days to carry the gospel to the nations of the earth, in compliance with the covenant God made with Abraham.
See also Abraham, Covenant of; Ephraim; Patriarch.
Jacob 2
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
If someone won't fall for your straw man, call them names. Oft used tactic by the "mormon lovers" here.
“How do you get past the differences they have in what God is and how we should worship him?”
Those differences aren’t all that big, and in any event every one of them says go back to the Bible yourself to find the truth - there is a single reference point (and I know, the Catholics have the Apocrypha).
But Mormons have a real problem, your reference point is not the Book of Mormon, but Joseph Smith himself. If Joseph Smith turns out to be a cheap charlatan, your whole religion goes up in smoke, you aren’t faced with doctrinal disagreement, you are face with a massive collapse of faith.
That’s why Mormons are untrustworthy, so much is riding on proving Joseph Smith is right that you cannot accept even blatant overwhelming evidence of his being a grifter. This carries over into other areas of life, like politics.
Bump
Wow, an entire sermon in a post! Thank you for the ping. Sorry to be so late getting to it.
Not, you'll notice; his WORKS.
They are JUDGING someone by his RELIGION!!!
How very ANTI of them!
Actually; in TWO verses!!
{KJV} John 6:28-29
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Thank you for the compliment but I don’t do sermons. Just a simple writer in the heartland.
You cite the ‘testimony’ of a man doing exactly what the Bible says is the sign of anti-christ —denying the Christ, God with us has come in the flesh— and you foolishly ask why this person’s testimony is rejected? Son/daughter, you are close to having the dust shaken at your doorstep for God will not always strive with you to enlighten your persihing spirit. Flee from the ones feeding these demonic morsels to you.
Those differences arent all that big, and in any event every one of them says go back to the Bible yourself to find the truth - there is a single reference point (and I know, the Catholics have the Apocrypha).
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And yet, the differences were big enough for me to declare myself a member of none of them back in the late sixties and earley seventies.
And the kind of statement that gets you the opposition that you either crave or loathe...Sometimes its hard to tell
LOL!!
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If you do not believe what you are doing is correct, it probably isn’t.
Anyone who takes the time to check a little farther will see that you are using sound bites of partial truth in you posts.
I can post the WHOLE chapter and then someone would complain about spam.
I post what I think is relevant to the discussion.
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And yet, no matter how long your reply is, you still leave out information that goes against your beliefs.
and your the one who posted from the bible about man being the head of the woman.
Any that do NOT have scripture from some fellow who threatens his wife into accepting his fooling around with other women or GOD will zap her!
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Again, run way from, not run towards.
There are MANY of them.
It would seem to me that the folks who control the original property when JS started should be the most correct.
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here is another example of you leaving out important parts. All you need to do is look at the response to the talk Brother Brigham gave after Brother Joseph’s death.
2. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
. . .
Your headquarters claims that there is MORE than ‘a place’.
Is Jesus going to be timeshared in your theology??
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He never said in the bible that his house is one big room.
H says his home has many mansions.
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