Posted on 01/26/2010 8:09:43 AM PST by greyfoxx39
Most people - Mormons and non-Mormons alike - assume that the Mormon religion is based on its holy book, the Book of Mormon and that by reading that book one can learn what Mormonism is all about. Mormon missionaries usually try to get prospective converts ("investigators") to read it as soon as possible, implying that by doing so the investigator will get an accurate idea of Mormonism.Although the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830 was the impetus for the founding of the Mormon church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), Mormonism is not rooted doctrinally in the Book of Mormon. It is used primarily for faith-inspiring stories, not for doctrine, even though God (through Joseph Smith) declared that it contains "the fulness of the Gospel" (D&C 20:9). Its doctrinal content is quite representative of wide-spread Christian beliefs in Joseph Smith's day. Many of its doctrines are now ignored or have been abandoned by the church, and many other doctrines have been adopted, as the following summary shows:
Abbreviations Used D&C - Doctrine and Covenants
DoS - Doctrines of Salvation, by Joseph Fielding Smith (3 volumes)
JoD - Journal of Discourses (26 volumes)
MD - Mormon Doctrine, 2d edition, by Bruce R. McConkie
TJS - Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
Citations under "Book of Mormon" are to its various books
Mormon Doctrine Book of Mormon Heaven consists of three levels or "glories"; evil people go to the lowest, "hell" (D&C 76:81-90), the glory of which "surpasses all understanding. Only Mormon apostates do not go to heaven, but to "outer darkness" (D&C 76:31-39) Only two possible fates after death: heaven or hell. Levels or degrees of heaven are not mentioned. Jesus and God the Father are separate beings. (D&C 130:22) Jesus and God the Father are the same. (Mosiah 3:8, 15:1-5, Ether 4:7, 12) God has a body of flesh and bones. (D&C 130:22) God is a spirit. (Alma 18:26-28) God was once a man like us, and progressed to godhood. (TJS 342-345) God does not change and has never changed. (Mormon 9:9, Moroni 8:18) There are many gods. (TJS 370-373) There is only one God. (Alma 11:28-30) We can become gods ourselves. (D&C 76:58, TJS 342-345) No mention of this idea. We lived with God in a spirit world (a "premortal existence") before being born into this life. (D&C 49:17, 93:23-29, 138:55-56) No mention of this idea. God is the literal father of our spirits, conceived by him and our "Mother in Heaven" (MD 516) No mention of this idea. Mary conceived Jesus by natural means, namely, God the Father impregnated her. (MD 546-47, JoD 1:50-51, 8:115, 11:268) Mary conceived Jesus "by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Alma 7:10), by being "carried away in the spirit" (1 Nephi 11:15-19) Those who do not accept the gospel in this life will have the opportunity to do so after death, and can receive baptism by proxy (D&C 127, 128) Salvation must be attained in this life; after one dies it is too late (Alma 34:34, 2 Nephi 9:38, Mosiah 2:36-39). No mention of baptism for the dead. David and Solomon did nothing wrong by having many wives. (D&C 132:38-39) The polygamy of David and Solomon was "abominable" to the Lord (Jacob 2:24) Priesthood divided into an upper (" after the order of Melchizedek") and lower ("Aaronic") priesthood No distinction between "priests" and "high priests"; priesthood is "after the order of [the Son of] God" (Alma 4:20, 13:1-12). No mention of "Aaronic" priesthood. Salvation in the highest heaven ("exaltation") requires undergoing the "endowment" initiation ceremony in a temple, the details of which are kept strictly secret. The participants are required to take numerous oaths, which are also secret. Details "Secret combinations" requiring secret oaths are condemned. (Mormon 8:27, 40, 2 Nephi 26:22, Helaman 6:22, and many others.) No mention of any such ritual as part of the gospel. No mention of "exaltation" or "endowment." Exaltation requires marriage in a Mormon temple. (D&C 131:1-4) No mention of this doctrine. "Celestial marriage" lasts for time and all eternity. (DoS 2:58 ff) No mention of this doctrine. The "first resurrection" is only for the righteous. (D&C 76:64. 63:18) The "first resurrection" is for all who died before Christ's resurrection, righteous and unrighteous alike (Mosiah 15:24, Alma 40:16-17) The "idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man's heart" is false. (D&C 130:31; verse 22 says that it is the Holy Ghost that "dwell[s] in us") "The Lord" dwells in the hearts of the righteous. (Alma 34:36) The Lord's Supper ("the sacrament") consists of bread and water. The Lord's Supper should consist of bread and wine. (3 Nephi 18:1-9, Moroni 5) Only the priest blessing the sacrament kneels. The priest is to kneel with the church while blessing the sacrament. (Moroni 4:2; see also D&C 20:76) Use of alcohol, coffee, tea ("hot drinks") is forbidden. (D&C 89) No such commandment. Church is governed by the three men of the "First Presidency," higher in authority than the Quorum of Twelve. Jesus placed twelve disciples over the church he founded in America. (3 Nephi 12, passim) No "first presidency" mentioned. Except for Joseph Smith, all prophets are promoted to that office by those above them in rank, and by seniority. They work their way up to the top. Prophets are called directly by God. The church is trying to befriend people of other religions with the message "All churches have some truth"; "The church has always extended a hand of friendship and fellowship to those of other faiths, and will continue to do so." There are two churches only: the true church and the "church of the devil," "the whore of Babylon" (1 Nephi 14:10-12). A church which seeks to become "popular in the eyes of the world" is of the devil. (1 Nephi 22:23) Since 1978 the church claims that it is not racist, that all races are equal and that the color of a person's skin has no religious significance. A dark skin is a curse from God, a punishment for one's unrighteousness (or the unrighteousness of one's ancestors). A dark skin can become light through righteousness. (1 Nephi 12:23, 2 Nephi 5:21, Alma 3:6, Mormon 5:15, Jacob 3:8-9, 3 Nephi 2:15) The church teaches that faith, repentance, baptism are the "first principles" of the gospel, but that in order to obtain the highest degree of heaven, much more is required (obedience, tithes, endowment, etc.) Christ says that the gospel is faith, repentance, baptism ONLY. Any teaching beyond that will lead to hell 3 Nephi 11:31-40 Conclusion
Many Mormons have never read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, and are perhaps unaware at how the doctrines of their church differ so drastically from the teachings of their own basic scripture, which - according to their eighth "Article of Faith" - they believe to be the word of God.When confronted with these fundamental differences (and even contradictions) their first line of defense is to claim that the Mormon church is a church of "continuing revelation" (ninth Article of Faith), that being the purpose of a living prophet. This overlooks the fact that the Book of Mormon was said by God to contain the "fulness" of the Gospel. Some Mormon apologists claim that "fulness" does not mean "complete," but rather "fundamentals," or "basics," and that the Book of Mormon does contain the "first principles" of faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. This argument fails when seeing the meaning of "fulness" as used in other Mormon scriptures, where it does, indeed, mean "complete," "nothing lacking," "nothing left out."
For other contradictions
in Mormon doctrines, click
HERE.
Original: August 1, 2005
Revised: December 7, 2008
Comments? Questions? (Please, no preaching, testimonies, or hate mail!) To send a comment or ask a question, click here.
© 2005 Richard Packham Permission granted to reproduce for non-commercial purposes, provided text is not changed and this copyright notice is included
"I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." Joseph Smith, History of the Church 4:461 (November 28, 1841
"Nana ... you need to take the Bible as a whole, not just pick and choose your supporting scriptures."
Ping
The Mormon church is basically a gigantic support group for middle class people trying to raise children, often more than 2.3 thereof or whatever. Mormon theology is proof positive that most people do not give a rat’s *** about theology.
Maze of mormonism placemark bump
LDS followers are true to a church that is true to nothing. Not the Holy scriptures, not LDS scriptures, and not their “eternal covenant” of polygamy.
That deserves repeating. I think you nailed it.
The only thing I know about Mormonism is that they believe in space aliens, celestial promiscuity...and they don’t blow anybody up because they aren’t Mormon.
Which bible is that, ...You know Brigham Young called the Joseph Smith translation “spurious”.
Hey lady, I missed you. :)
Caused a great deal of friction with Young's associates who believed otherwise. Point of contention was the book of moses (POGP) the alledged re-write of Genesis which DIDN'T match the changes smith made in his new kjv "translation". It was after Young's death that the bom was 'adjusted' to match the JST version IIRC.
That pretty much sums it up.
I actually picked one up the other day at a used book store. It has bold and strike throughs to resresent additions and deletions from the KJV.
The arrogance of Smith has never been so clear to me until I see what he did to the Bible.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mar 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Indeed, smith’s unqualified ‘fixes’ to the bible are an abomination. He leaves thing in which better Greek materials show now not to be there. He adds that which is clearly not in the received Greek and he fails to maintain any consistency between repeated phrases elsewhere. The JST is a key example of a fraudulent tranlator fraudulantly ‘translating’ a document, just like the boa, kinderhook plates and the Greek psalter.
Sohhh..... if God gave us the the Bible and words in it but, it is not perfect, then how can God be perfect?
If one is to understand God being Omnipotent, Omnipresent, the Alpha and Omega(Nice watches) then he would be completely and wholly perfect, would he not.
If God is wholly perfect, then why gives us a defective Book? /s
BTTT
For those of you who want to make this article a "Keeper" -- and I suggest you do -- add 2 Nephi 30:6 to the above. 2 Nephi 30 is supposedly addressing the Lamanites, who Lds believe are Native Americans. This verse tells of "scales of darkness" falling from their eyes; "and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and delightsome people." (pre-1981 versions; this was changed then to "white and delightsome" -- as if the Lds church can just go around and change past revelations & prophecies willy-nilly!!!)
And mark my words, this verse is indeed a "prophesy" because it predicted that "many generations" of Native Americans "shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white...people".
Of course, the verse as Joseph Smith recorded it was racist as well, indicating that "white people are delightsome" -- and by implication, suggesting Native Americans aren't. Racist to the core. So not only did the Salt Lake City HQ folks see the need to cover up a false prophesy that didn't happen (Native Americans' skin color didn't become "white,"), but once their priestholder stance for skin color was changed in 1978, they needed to "play doctor" with their "scriptural" text as well!!!
But what happens? Well, if you read the rest of the Book of Mormon, it's the supposed "white and delightsome" Nephites who were killed off & basically annihilated. So, was Joseph a "wicked, darker-skinned Lamanite," then for his seed NOT to have been utterly destroyed?
You forget that the nephites lived on a postage-stamp sized area yet to be discovered in the jungles of central america. (/sarc)
I highly suggest you add the following verses to the above --because, indeed, the Book of Mormon ONLY knows heaven & hell -- only eternal damnation & eternal life... (add these to top row, far right-hand column):
Mosiah 16:11
Mormon 9:23
Ether 4:18
Helaman 14:18-19
Alma 3:26
Alma 40:26
Alma 41:4
2 Nephi 2:28-29
2 Nephi 9:11
2 Nephi 28:21-22
3 Nephi 27:11,17
You see, if these verses are right, then when Joseph Smith said several times in Doctrine & Covenants that the Book of Mormon contained the "fulness of the everlasting gospel," then this would mean that information about three degrees of glory or baptism for the dead (2nd-chance salvation) was irrelevant to being the "fulness of the everlasting gospel."
(Also, the next time a Mormon chides you for NOT believing in "continuing revelation," just remind them of all of this and ask them, "Why don't try hanging on to some of your former revelations before moving on to embrace things that directly contradict them!!!")
Actually, the Book of Mormon has a LOT more to say about God being a Spirit than just this. So, to the column on the right, 3rd row down, add:
Mosiah 13:34;
Mosiah 15:1-5;
And also from book of Alma, 22:10.
In fact, the prophesy-promise from Alma 31:15 is that God "wilt be a spirit FOREVER"!!!
And, of course, the "flip" side of this is that God is NOT a glorified man, as Lds "prophets" and general authorities have taught for generations. Yes, they constantly teach AGAINST the Book of Mormon on this. Don't believe me, see:
In addition to Alma 22:10 & 31:15,
Mormon 9:9-11
Moroni 7:22
Moroni 8:18
For our God is omniscient from everlasting to everlasting (Alma 26:35, Moroni 7:22). Plus see the Bible about our "everlasting to everlasting" God -- Deut. 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Psalm 93:2...If He was God FROM everlasting, He NEVER was a man who auditioned for Godhood!!! (And if HE didn't, you, Mr. Mormon, CAN'T!!!)
Other Book of Mormon passsages related to this include:
1 Nephi 10:18
Alma 41:8
3 Nephi 24:6
Mormon 9:19
(Even the D&C -- 20:17)
Bible verses that also convey this: Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
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