Posted on 09/29/2010 3:05:05 PM PDT by zippythepinhead
Atheists and agnostics know more about major world religions than many people of faith, while Mormons can answer more Bible questions than their Catholic and mainline Protestant counterparts.
Those are among the somewhat startling conclusions about religious literacy in America the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life drew after surveying 3,412 Americans.
Some of the multiple-choice questions were relatively simple: Where was Jesus born and who led the exodus from Egypt? What religion was Mother Teresa, what day does the Jewish Sabbath begin and what is the name of Islam’s holy book?
Others were more obscure: What is Indonesia’s dominant religion? Which Christians teach that salvation comes through faith alone?
About half the Protestants (53 percent) couldn’t correctly identify Martin Luther as the person whose writings and actions inspired the Protestant Reformation. Fewer than half of Americans (47 percent) knew the Dalai Lama is Buddhist and only 38 percent correctly associated Vishnu and Shiva with Hinduism.
John Morehead, director of the Western Institute for Intercultural Studies in Salt Lake City, had already noted religious illiteracy in the general population as well as in the evangelical community. But he did not expect Mormons to top them in their biblical fluency.
“Mormons tend to emphasize Mormon scriptures like the Book of Mormon rather than the Bible in their devotional life,” Morehead said in an e-mail.
Even some LDS scholars were surprised to find Mormons at the top.
(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...
Just as predictable as your response, I suppose.
Blasphemy would have to be against God. The truth never can be that. That we disagree doesn't make me evil. I try hard to be Christlike, but that makes me all the more glad for the Atonement.
Paul didn't attack the law, but its abuse. The law cannot save you, Christ can. Obedience, though, is critical to Salvation.
Start here with this explanation:
You'd enjoy reading the whole thing, although it isn't complete or completely accurate, but the Greek language information is correct.
Restornu, I pinged you because your pinglist might find this interesting.
Obedience to what commands? Do not try to make God a liar by omission and then claim you do not blaspheme.
Take up with Jesus Christ who said this:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)
Where are we told in Scripture that we can't judge another's doctrine?
I flatly reject your assertion that you are my Judge, Jesus is my judge and he has already called me his.
I have never appointed myself your judge. Besides I have never judged you as a person, I judged your doctrine. My statement didn't even refer to you personally. I simply stated that the Christian Community doesn't view Mormons as part of their rank. That is an objective fact whether you agree with the evaluation or not. Since Jesus Christ is your judge, then why do you even care what I think?
I will point out that acting as if one is Christ and judging others is a mark of not only apostasy, but of the Antichrist, I would warn all who feel so inclined to beware and be careful.
Didn't your just judge me? Just pointing that out because I really don't care what you think of me.
No one is beng personally judged on this thread. So give the whiny "you're not my judge" line a rest. Your hyper-sensitivity makes discussing issues difficult.
At the same time you cannot worship the words of Paul, over the entire NT.
Here's what Jesus Christ said:
(Young's Literal Translation) And having come near, Jesus spake to them, saying, 'Given to me was all authority in heaven and on earth; Matthew 28:18
(Young's Literal Translation) having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them -- to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19
(Young's Literal Translation) teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you,) and lo, I am with you all the days -- till the full end of the age. Matthew 28:20
Restornu, if this isn't interesting to you or your list, please tell me and I'll drop you from pinging.
Galatians 6:2 (New International Version)
2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Now, that’s Paul, calling for works to fulfill the law of Christ. Jesus called for baptism and thus closes the Book of Matthew.
Jesus goes on to demand that we model him:
Matthew 22:35-40 (21st Century King James Version)
35Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him and saying,
36”Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37Jesus said unto him, “`Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it: `Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’
40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
But wait, this is an old law: Leviticus 19:18
Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Paul goes on to say in Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
So we can see there is a law, it is fulfilled (or summarized) through actions (works). If a law exists, or better, if a law of God exists it must be followed or we break the law and sin.
So we have a law and its existence implies that it must and can be followed. If we break it we sin. Ah, but now we have the Atonement and can get back on track.
Now, neither Paul, Peter or Jesus deny faith, yet they call for works. Faith and works are necessary.
Food for thought.
It just gets better and better...
Sometimes if it weren't for a double standard, mormons would have no standards at all. The accusation here is that mormon faith is being 'denigrated' - lets examine the following
"And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth..."
- Doctrine and Covenants, section 1, verse 30
Mormonism is denegrating my faith by saying it is in darkness and not a true faith
"What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world"
- Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 270
So the founder of mormonism is saying my faith is of the devil
"...all the priests who adhere to the sectarian religions of the day with all their followers, without one exception, receive their portion with the devil and his angels."
- Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. , The Elders Journal, v. 1, no. 4, p. 60
And that Christians will be condemned to hell.
"With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world."
- Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 8, p. 199
Your prophets says we are ignorant
"What! Are Christians ignorant? Yes, as ignorant of the things of God as the brute beast."
- Prophet John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, v. 13, p. 225
Calling our faith 'ignorant'.
“Believers in the doctrines of modern Christendom will reap damnation to their souls.”
- Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, see pp. 45-46
Again, mormons condemning Christians to hell. There are dozens more of these 'denegating' statements regarding another man's faith made by mormon prophets and apostles. Are you going to repudiate them - because until you do, you have no leg to stand upon when we challenge the doctrines of mormonism. But then keep the cry-baby matra up DU, shows double standard of mormonism clearly against the statements of your prophets and apostles.
Getting the run around when one asks a mormonism apologist for a straight answer usually means there is coming a 'faith plus works to insure salvation' answer. This apologist got there, eventually. But you will note that the passages of run around began with a subtle calling God a liar by omission, the same way satan led Eve astray! And the poster is still probably not aware of whom is directing his/her thoughts and posts.
Don't ya just love to have demons teaching you what you ought do? /sarcasm
Demonic placemarker
Why is it, 1010RD, I've corrected you numerous times from a Biblical response and I've rarely ever gotten a response from you? (Let's see if you again prove yourself to be consistent in this regard)
Note, ALL, how 1010RD tries to come across as absolutely authoritative on this...as if he has studied the Bible through and through, and can now conclude in his claim to MHGinTN that, no, it wasn't really anything about Jesus' identity that was problematic for the Pharisees. Nope. 'Twas only that the Pharisees found Jesus to be untrustworthy that was at issue.
Yet what was Jesus' claim to the Pharisees? Would that Jesus have agreed with 1010RD's supposed authoritative claim on this? Or does it yet (again) show how incomplete his studies are in the New Testament?
21Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come." 22This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?" 23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." (Jesus, John 8:21-24)
Here, Jesus clearly highlighted in v. 24 that His very Identity was the key issue with the Pharisees.
In fact, Jesus closed out this lengthy message to the Pharisees with yet another emphasis on His divine Identity to clearly underscore this: ..."before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)
Jesus repeatedly uses the same sacred "I AM" reference of Exodus 3:14 and applies it to Himself...to the point where the Pharisees in John 8 and John 10 continually are picking up stones to attempt upon Him the punishment for blasphemy, as Jesus is clearly making Himself out to be God.
The Pharisees clearly understood this, even if 1010RD doesn't.
ALL: Don't be fooled by such tactics.
Why is it posters seem to betray their lack of knowledge about John 8 continually?
DU, mind explaining how "free" the following people that Jesus and Paul talked about were?
John 8:34: 34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin."
Jesus' conclusion: The sin nature produces sins. Sins are its fruit. And the fruit shows the root of slavery. Wanna tell us, DU, how spiritual slaves have all this "freedom?"
Eph. 2:1-5: 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Conclusion: The apostle talks about a "sinful nature" in v. 3 that has left us spiritually dead in transgressions/sin (vv. 1, 5). The only way out of this has been God's mercy that makes us "alive with Christ" (v. 4). The only people, thereby, who are "alive with Christ" are those who are saved by grace (vv. 4-5).
Since Mormons don't believe that grace kicks until after all you can do (2 Nephi 25:23)...
...and that works determine "eternal life" (which Mormons define as eternal life with the Father -- and only Mormon temple-goers apply for this highest level in the "Celestial Kingdom)...
...and Celestial Kingdom "salvation" is ONLY a future tense deal (NO living Mormon could ever claim he has BEEN SAVED (past tense) into the celestial kingdom as they are still trying to show their "worthiness..."
Rom. 6:20-23: 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul's conclusion here is that you're a slave until you "have been set free from sin" (v. 22) -- which, he adds, comes only as a "gift" (v. 23). This "gift" is "eternal life in Christ Jesus". When you look at Mormon leaders' definition of "eternal life" -- they define it only as exaltation -- the highest degree of glory reserved for Mormon-future-gods who make it into the "celestial kingdom."
Yet if you ask them if this level of heaven is pure "gift," they will tell you "no." They earn it.
Here, Paul says freedom from slavery is pure gift, and it results in eternal life. Yet, the Mormons claim, no, eternal life is what they work for.
Here, Paul says what you work for -- the "wages of sin" -- results only in death.
Same as the “WE”, I suspect...
22The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
You need to consult a witch, such as found at Endor, to conjure up JS and ask him that very question.
You're asking US???
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