Why so many LDS threads?

I am posting this on behalf of many LDS freepers. They will post their own 'signature' to this in the comments below. --- Some of you have noticed lately a lot of LDS (ie: Mormon) threads here on FR. I'm going to tell you why.

For many years there have been several active LDS freepers here. We post to all the forums on relevant issues, and were happy to have a site where conservative values were so openly welcomed.

Those conservative values include faith in God, and freedom of religion. We fully respect the rights of all posters to express their opinions and views on religious matters, even when people choose to use those rights to express criticism of our own faith. We also support the ideas embodied in FR rules against religion bashing. There is no need for hostility and there should be no room for bigotry on FR. Every religion has it's miracles and mysteries. Every faith has things in it that are not or can not be proven, and things that run contrary to what secular science would have us believe. Someone mature and confident in their own faith generally doesn't feel the need to belittle the faith of others.

We have, to the best of our ability, conducted ourselves with civility and dignity. We do not feel that that respect has been returned by some posters (putting it mildly).

When Mormon missionaries were murdered, the moderators were kept busy pulling jubilant posts off the thread. When Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home, we contended for months with posters who appeared to be motivated by religious bigotry doing all they could to smear the family and accuse the father. Several posters openly admitted their religious motivation in opposing Mitt Romney and confessed that no matter how conservative any Mormon was, they would never vote for one for President of the USA. When the Pope died, I don't think any Mormon poster posted anything unkind, yet the thread about the passing of our President recently needed many comments removed.

Nearly every thread having any connection with Mormons, or Utah winds up being hijacked by anti-Mormon activists who copy and paste the same false accusations over and over even when it has been clearly and factually pointed out to them on multiple occasions that they are bearing false witness against our faith. Everything possible is done by these activists to make FR a hostile place for Mormons, and for at least some of them, bashing Mormonism is all they do here. Their most recent project is trying to blur the fact that the polygamous FLDS is a separate and distinct religion from ours, just as Lutherans are a separate and distinct religion from Catholicism.

In our opinion, such poster do a great disservice to FR and to their fellow freepers by spreading disinformation and promoting hostility towards a people known for walking the walk of conservative values.

Why the moderators here don't see the behavior of these anti-Mormon activists as religion bashing is a mystery to us, but it is the moderators call to make and we respect their right to do so. That doesn't mean we have to be passive however. We have all spent many hours refuting the accusations leveled at our faith, but these wind up buried deep in a flood of comments, effectively shouting us down.

Recently some of us have decided to take a more proactive approach. Rather than try to wrestle the pig into taking a bath, we are just going to hose it down. We will actively define our faith here rather than just respond to accusations.

So expect to see lots of Mormon threads, now and for as long as we see fit to keep posting them (although probably not as many as there are Catholic threads). They will be about our basic doctrines and responses to common accusations. If you want to know what our faith is about, read the articles we post. We will post them as open threads and I encourage you to compare the difference in tone and spirit between what we post and what our critics say.

Joh 10:25-30 MKJV
(25) Jesus answered them, I told you and you did not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.
(26) But you did not believe because you are not of My sheep. As I said to you,
(27) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
(28) And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand.
(29) My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.
(30) I and the Father are one!

Joh 5:17-18 MKJV
(17) But Jesus answered them, My Father works until now, and I work.
(18) Then, because of this, the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but also said that God was His father, making Himself equal with God.

Joh 14:9-11 MKJV
(9) Jesus said to him, Have I been with you such a long time and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. And how do you say, Show us the Father?
(10) Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak of Myself, but the Father who dwells in Me, He does the works.
(11) Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the very works themselves.

1Ti 3:16 MKJV
(16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among nations, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.

Tit 2:11-15 MKJV
(11) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
(12) teaching us that having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live discreetly, righteously and godly, in this present world,
(13) looking for the blessed hope, and the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
(14) who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to Himself a special people, zealous of good works.
(15) Speak these things, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Here are some good references on the subject under discussion, from research by FReeper Zakeet:

WITHOUT QUESTION, MORMONS ARE POLYTHEISTIC

Stephen E. Robinson, a Brigham Young University professor of ancient scripture, states on page 132 of his book How Wide the Divide (between Christianity and Mormonism) that it would horrify the Saints to hear talk of polytheism.

Nevertheless, by definition Mormonism does fall under the category of being a polytheistic religion since polytheism basically means to believe in or worship many Gods.

In light of that definition, consider the following:

This cartoon presents MORMON BELIEFS. As you can clearly see from the video, Mormonism is polytheistic.
The Mormon Church teaches Mormonism is polytheistic. You can see several dozen annotations of this doctrine HERE.
As explained with annotations HERE, the Mormon Church teaches God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are three separate deities.
The Mormon Church also teaches our God (whom they call "Heavenly Father") is actually a third generation being who ascended into godhood. He necessarily descended from "Heavenly Parents" who were themselves gods.
The Mormon Church further teaches of the existence of a "Heavenly Mother" who is married to God and is the mother of both Jesus and Lucifer.
Mormons themselves ascribe to become gods through good works. In the words of Lorenzo Snow's famous couplet:
As man now is, God once was. As God now is, man may become.

In light of the above, it is silly to argue Mormonism is monotheistic in any form or fashion.

One final point. Since Mormons insist they worship only one of those Gods (Elohim), it would probably be more technically accurate to say Mormons are henotheistic. Henotheism is term describing a form of polytheism wherein an individual worships one God while believing in the existence of many gods. Both polytheism and henotheism are unbiblical.

More on this topic HERE.

Hat Tip Zakeet

THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI
HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY

CHAPTER 14

An angel tells Nephi of the blessings and cursings to fall upon the Gentiles—There are only two churches: the Church of the Lamb of God and the church of the devil—The saints of God in all nations are persecuted by the great and abominable church—The apostle John shall write concerning the end of the world. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks—
2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.
3 And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell—yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.
4 For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him.
5 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that whoso repented not must perish.
6 Therefore, woe be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.
8 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea.
9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.
10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.
11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over ball the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.
12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon ball the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.
14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
15 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth.
16 And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things—
17 And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel.
18 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
19 And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white robe.
20 And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
21 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been.
22 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.
23 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men.
24 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see.
25 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them.
26 And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.
27 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the apostle of the Lamb was john, according to the word of the angel.
28 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but a small part of the things which I saw.
29 And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.
30 And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the things which I saw are not written, the things which I have written are true. And thus it is. Amen.

None of those speak to anyone being one in substance. They are one, just like He told the Apostles to be one. Further, there are several references to them being 2 distinct personages, but one in purpose and Godhead.

A good example in the Bible which distinguishes the different physical natures of the Father and Son can be found in Acts chapter 7. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, having told the Jews they had crucified their Messiah, was stoned to death. However, before he died he had a marvelous vision.

"He, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." (Acts 7:55-56,Eph 1:20)

It's pretty clear. Stephen saw God the Father and Jesus standing at his Father's right hand. This scripture contradicts the doctrine of the Creeds, for they are not one substance. Several other scriptures prove this as well. Matthew 3:16-17, for example, describes the Savior's baptism:

"Jesus, when he was baptized, went straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Here again the Bible mentions three separate beings--God the Father, who's voice came down from heaven, Jesus the son, who was in the water, and the Holy Ghost which descended upon him as a dove would. Jesus also spoke profound truths to Mary:

"Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17)

Here Jesus clearly delineates that they are separate. What is the difference between them and the holy Ghost? Well the Bible is also explicit in that the Holy Ghost cannot be considered Jesus or the Father in any fashion at all other than purpose. In John 16:13-14 we read: ":

When he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whosoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and show it unto you."

Here the Holy Ghost is said to glorify the Son only and not of himself, neither will he speak of himself. John 14:26 tells us that this spirit of truth is indeed the Holy Ghost. And in John 16:7-8:

"It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."

It is understandable how many will choose to "stay put" with what is considered traditional doctrine as the Trinity, but what concerns me is that disagreeing with others about the Trinity isn't usually enough. Many Trinitarians nowadays believe that those who do not accept this doctrine that God is three in one in some paradoxal way, should in no way be considered Christian by themselves or anyone else. Most scholars and theologians admit that the trinity cannot be explained and dismiss arguments of it solely on the basis that God is mysterious as are his ways. We however choose to believe that the Bible is clear in telling us that however mysterious God's ways are, his His relationship with Christ and the Holy Ghost is a simple doctrine, as is the doctrine that we are saved through his Son Jesus Christ, thus the Trinity does not dictate who is and who is not Christian in any form.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.