Posted on 05/27/2008 10:29:48 AM PDT by ChurtleDawg
Reading all of these threads about Mormonism, I am utterly confused about what Mormonism is, exactly. What is all of this stuff about Jews coming to America in 600 BC? What is the Book of Abraham and why is Abraham writing in Egyptian Hieroglyphs? What does the book of Mormon? What is the storyline of it?
I am confused as to what all of the Mormon writings are about, and how it is all put together theologically.
Please explain.
This contrasts to the multiple first vision accounts recorded by smith. In the historically reported stories he gave:
1. The date / his age — from 1823 (age 16), to 1821 (age 15), to 1820 (age 14)
2. The reason or motive for seeking divine help — from no motive (a spirit appears with the news of gold plates), Bible reading and conviction of sins, a revival, a desire to know if God exists.
3. Different locations
4. Different visitors (a spirit, an angel, two angels, Jesus, many angels, the Father and the Son)
5. One instance he said he knew from his studies all churches were an abomination, in another the "visitor(s)" gave the information.
6. The 1832 handwritten (in Smith's own writing) account contradicts the 'official' account written in 1842.
With these internal contradictions, there are other external contradictions -
1. No revival in 1820
2. If all churches were an abomination, why did Smith try to join a methodist church in 1827?
3. If Joseph Smith saw God in 1820, why did he pray in his room in 1823 to find out "if a Supreme being did exist?"
4. Why was the first vision left out of the first edition of the mormon church history (1835)?
Thus it is clear that Mr. Lindsay sugar coats the real difficulties with the first vision stories with this lame 'parallel' to Paul's three conversion accounts. In the case of Paul, the differences are not contradictions. The same cannot be said for Smith. These and other serious problems and contradictions are explored in greater detail at this mormon web site:
http://www.mormonthink.com/firstvisionweb.htm#therareseveral
>> In that sense, Summa Theologica may be seen as having parallels with the works of Ellen White or Mary Baker Eddy in terms of its influence. <<
Well, I’ll let it slide that that’s like saying George Washington may be seen as having parallels with the works of a local Sandanista block organizer. :^D
Some, perhaps, but not all. There are exmormons who post here - things like this the Holy Spirit has used to 'flip the light switch on' so to speak. Visit www.exmormon.com and see other testamonies where this has occured as well.
Yes, it happened to me. :-)
What “little rant”?
Dude....valium....try it....you need it.
But, if you would like to know facts - you know, those little nuggets that seem to be so inconvenient to your “beliefs” - I would be glad to provide such.
That's a pretty safe answer Mountain man, it's probably some of the other things you Mormons believe that causes acrimony from what you call rabid anti-Mormon types.
We also believe in NOT attacking them. You may notice that none of us are on their threads attacking their churches.
Dude, I’m an exbaptist, don’t claim you have facts unless you have real facts. And you don’t.
Blasphemy....Bigot!!!
/s
Ummmmmm, would you like a few links?
You, nor any other Mormon, have the brass to look at real facts with a true and open mind. Be off with you; the Fairytale awaits.
Excellent and informative post.
f we reject Joseph Smith for offering various accounts that emphasize or exclude different details of the same experience, then by that standard we would also have to reject the Bible. For example, Luke 24:4 says that two angels appeared at the empty tomb to several women, while Matthew 28:2 mentions just one angel. Anti-Mormon writers would have riotous fun with this "contradiction" if it occurred in the Book of Mormon. However, we can give the Bible the benefit of a doubt by suggesting that both Matthew and Luke were describing the same event, but that Matthew overlooked the second angel in his account.I still believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, even though Matthew wrote there was only one angel at the tomb, and Luke said there were 2 angels at the tomb when they went to see if Christ's body was still there. Did they go at separate times? The same time?
I’ll answer point by point, but now I have another obligation.
No hurry, however the mormon site I got a lot of the information from is very interesting and you should spend some time there while working your answer.
Do you call bringing the truth about Mormon beliefs to the fore ‘attacks’?
You know I just talked to leaders in high places and they don’t know what your talking about. There must be some misunderstanding.
Define your truth.
You, nor any other lamestreamer, have the brass to look at real facts with a true and open mind. Be off with you; the Fairytale awaits.
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