We don’t believe it does contradict scripture. We believe it illuminates the Bible. You must admit that the Bible is ambiguous on many points. Otherwise you wouldn’t have so many different Christian sects. Heck, the Bible is ambiguous on the nature of God. That’s why they had to have the Councils of Nicea.
So as far as belief in “established scripture,” the question has to be, “Whose interpretation of established scripture.”
It’s well established that the “don’t add anything” language in Revelations, just like the same language in Deuteronomy, refers to that book, itself. Many of the books of the New Testament were written after Revelations.
Sometimes I think we Mormons are the only ones who really do believe in the Bible. We are the only ones who believe that God still sends us prophets, just like in the Bible. I think it’s a whole lot easier to say you believe in prophets from a distance of thousands of years, than to say you still believe that God deals with us in the same way that he did in the Bible.
I believe it because I have asked for spiritual confirmation, and I have received it at various times, usually depending on my obedience to the commandments.
I also believe it because I know as a person who makes her living writing, that the Book of Mormon could not have been written by Joseph Smith. He was a barely literate farmboy who dicated the book in about two months, in one draft. But it is rich and complex, internally consistent, and full of details that have since been confirmed, but which he could not possibly have known about. In the last 20 years, the anti-Mormon seminar people have had to continually revise their talking points as evidence of the Book of Mormon has been discovered.
I also believe it because its fruits in my life have been unambiguously good.
But, I know I won’t convince you of anything. You just asked, so I told you.
Sometime when I’m at home where I have my great-grandfather’s autobiography handy, I’ll quote you some of it. He was a part-time Methodist preacher in South Africa who knew the Bible backwards and forward. He recognized Mormonism and Mormon doctrine as a fulfillment of the Bible. It helped him understand it better. He recognized it as the “restoration” of the church established by Christ, which he and his fellow Methodists believed was required. I think this particular doctrine of Protestantism has since been suppressed.
That's not my take on it at all. If you are a lawyer you likely know that two people who claim to have witnessed a person or event will each likely describe the person/event seen completely different. That doesn't change who the person is or the actual event that took place. It also does not mean that either person, though incorrect, lied. It shows how different people see and understand things differently. For argument's sake, let's suppose neither witness is lying about seeing the person/event in question. Their disagreement, then, is not about whether or not they saw a "person" or the "event," but the details concerning the person/event. They agree on what's "important," i.e., a man between the ages of 18 to 42, at the scene, in the vicinity of a particular block in a neighborhood. And that is the first critical step for the police to know whether or not the witness is actually telling the truth concerning: the sex, the approximate age, time, and place. That information is all they need to help lead them into refining their search as it LIKELY eliminates: women, children, and those who live/work outside that area.
For the sake of argument, say the above example concerned someone who was not "emotionally" or otherwise involved as a witness and were more likely, therefore, to think more logically and without passion. Concerning religious beliefs, however, this is usually not the case, as people become personally invested, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and otherwise.
On top of that, there then comes the problem of human will, imperfection, and sin. These things will prevent any kind of perfect harmony, agreement, and understanding. Therefore, it is not God's fault as to how people worship Him, rather, if there is fault, it is man's. Some people are more willing to allow the Holy Spirit to teach them, and so they learn more/better than others. Some people refuse to be led by the Holy Spirit and, consequently, they learn/understand less.
And God accepts and meets people right where they are. Eventually, some can receive deeper understanding (the meat) and some die never growing and drinking only milk, though the meat was offered at various times....they couldn't handle it.
So it's not that the Word is ambiguous at all. It's people's abilities to understand what is written and that understanding changes over time if the Christian is reading and growing in the Word as THEY allow the Holy Spirit to speak to their heart and mind. The foundation is not what changes, it is the depth of their understanding that changes and deepens.
So as far as belief in “established scripture,” the question has to be, “Whose interpretation of established scripture.” It’s well established that the “don’t add anything” language in Revelations, just like the same language in Deuteronomy, refers to that book, itself. Many of the books of the New Testament were written after Revelations.
That's according to you and your religion. That is not according, again, to Orthodoxed Christianity. I presume that that belief system is necessary because it allows for the very thing that Joseph Smith did. That is, in itself, logical error.
Sometimes I think we Mormons are the only ones who really do believe in the Bible.
You do; your own version of it, as per Joseph Smith's changes. But you don't believe in nor rely upon it solely, as Christians are told to do by God Himself. And I really do believe in the Bible, the whole Bible. I have read it many times, and studied it, and taught it, and been in more Bible studies than I can recall. I know the Word and believe it. As each person lives, there will always be continued growth in understanding of the Word, but my foundation is solid.
We are the only ones who believe that God still sends us prophets, just like in the Bible. I think it’s a whole lot easier to say you believe in prophets from a distance of thousands of years, than to say you still believe that God deals with us in the same way that he did in the Bible.
That's not true and I wouldn't know where you got that information from. The Bible states there WILL BE prophets who come, but there will be false and true prophets; and because there WILL BE false prophets, Jesus warned us what they will be like (so that we will also know what TRUE prophets are like).
I believe it because I have asked for spiritual confirmation, and I have received it at various times, usually depending on my obedience to the commandments.
I have no doubt concerning your sincerity of belief, nor do I have any doubt concerning your receiving "spiritual confirmation." But because what you believe contradicts what the Scriptures say, and because it goes against what is in the Scriptures, and because it was founded by someone whose credentials have proven he is a false prophet, your "confirmations" are not coming from God the Creator, but from someone/somewhere else.
I also believe it because I know as a person who makes her living writing, that the Book of Mormon could not have been written by Joseph Smith. He was a barely literate farmboy who dicated the book in about two months, in one draft. But it is rich and complex, internally consistent, and full of details that have since been confirmed, but which he could not possibly have known about. In the last 20 years, the anti-Mormon seminar people have had to continually revise their talking points as evidence of the Book of Mormon has been discovered.
The muslims claim the same thing about their prophet, Mohammed. That doesn't make him God's prophet, as he is not. The scriptures tell each person the signs of false prophets and false teachers. As Mohammed was one, as James Jones was one, and as many others also are, so is Joseph Smith.
also believe it because its fruits in my life have been unambiguously good.
As concerns, you, or Mormons who I've known, I do not presume to judge you, or them, personally as to being "good" or "bad," just deceived (and that saddens me). I would say, on the whole, of the Mormons I have personally known, they are "good" people. In fact, I encouraged my oldest daughter to establish and maintain friendship with at least one Mormon girl while she was in Jr. High/HS. To this day, my daughter and one of her closest friends is a Mormon and they maintain their friendship (now dating to at least 7 years' duration).
There are many people who are "good," but this does not give them or necessarily evidence, salvation. There are varying degrees of "good," but the standard by which we are to measure ourselves is Christ. By that standard, I fall short of being called anything but a sinner saved by grace, and all my "goodness" is still as filthy rags, but for His Work in me. The Apostle Paul even said concerning himself as a believer, "that which he would not do, he does...it is the sin within him" that causes him to sin.
But, I know I won’t convince you of anything. You just asked, so I told you.
No, you've convinced me of nothing, but I appreciate very much your candid response.
Sometime when I’m at home where I have my great-grandfather’s autobiography handy, I’ll quote you some of it. He was a part-time Methodist preacher in South Africa who knew the Bible backwards and forward. He recognized Mormonism and Mormon doctrine as a fulfillment of the Bible. It helped him understand it better. He recognized it as the “restoration” of the church established by Christ, which he and his fellow Methodists believed was required. I think this particular doctrine of Protestantism has since been suppressed.
I'd be interested in hearing what your grandfather wrote. I shall also be praying that you see the Truth.
Many of us still believe in prophets. There are many in the Christian community and I listen to what they say. I’ve had words spoken over me that have been such an encouragement and have helped me hang on to my long rope through trials and tribulations. M