Jesus once asked the question, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"
The apostle Paul twice warned about Christians conducting endless genealogies in attaching religious significance to that.
The 1910s: The Doctrine of Temple Work
The October Other-World Series:
The 19th Century:
The 1880s-1890s: “THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN SHALL TURN TO THEIR FATHERS”
The 1870s: The Mormon Plan of Eternal Progression
The 1850s: Spiritualism and Mormonism: Some Thoughts on Similarities and Differences
The 1840s: The Nauvoo Pentagrams
The 1830s: The Occult and the Restoration Story: Joseph Smith and RLDS/LDS Origins
The Spirit World, Our Next Home
Are ghosts among us? Many believe in spirits, but churches offer stern warnings
The "familiar spirit" in 2 Nephi 26:16
The early 1800s:
JOSEPH SMITH, JR: Founder and first "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator" (1805-1844)
JOSEPH SMITH’S INVOLVEMENT WITH MAGIC, MASONRY, AND THE OCCULT
GOD-MEN AND SPIRITUAL VEGETABLES: The Occult Worldview of Mormonism
The prophet Isaiah: “Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for [God’s] faithfulness” (Isaiah 38:18).
The apostle Paul: “We . . . urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—for He says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Corinthians 6:1, 2).
If we're not going to take these and other Bible passages (like Heb. 9:27, etc.) at face value, then at least why won't Lds believe the Book of Mormon? For example:
Alma 34:32, 34: “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors”...“That same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.”
On top of that, allow me add other relevant Book of Mormon passages:
Alma 42:16 says that eternal punishment is as eternal as the life of the soul. [It's not temporary]
Also, unlike the Mormon endless spirit-world "missionary" undertaking [puts a whole new spin on that word "undertaker", doesn't it?], there's a few phrases in Alma 34, these authors didn't include re: how there's a place "wherein THERE CAN BE NO LABOR PERFORMED":
For behold THIS LIFE is the time for men to prepare to meet God...do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life...then cometh the night of darkness wherein THERE CAN BE NO LABOR PERFORMED. Ye CANNOT say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will reprent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye CANNOT say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. (I cited parts of vv. 32-34)
Also, both Mosiah 16:11 & 1 Nephi 15:35 says there's only TWO destinations post-death (not a third called "spirit prison"). And the BoM knows only heaven & hell -- no temporary spirit prison where "all mankind" goes (Mormon 9:23; Ether 4:18; Hel. 14:18-19; Alma 3:26; Alma 40:26; 2 Nephi 2:28-29; 2 Nephi 9:16; Alma 41:4; 3 Nephi 27:11,17; 2 Nephi 28:21-22).
My admonition for the day: Lds, study your own Book of Mormon on post-life. (Smith took much of his early belief system from the Bible before it got twisted).
Note this quote from an Lds church magazine: ...the spirit world is the place where disembodied spirits go. It is a tangible, substantial sphere incorporated with our earth, the focal point of a massive missionary effort in which we share. It is a world closer than we realize...
Source: The Spirit World, Our Next Home
1 Peter 4:6 refers to the harrowing of hell, referenced in the Apostle’s Creed:
“He [Christ] descended into Hell; on the third day he rose again...”
Compare 1 Peter 3:18-19:
“... being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison...”
Why did Christ need to be put to death and quickened by the Spirit to preach to the souls in prison? And why is there no other mention of this preaching in prisons in the gospels or Acts? Keep in mind that “prison” is used frequently to refer to Hell. The next verse confirms that these prisoners include spirits who had been there since the days of Noah!
Hebrews 8 v 27:
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Certainly no “second chance” of any kind, Mormonism or not, implied there.
Book of moron was stolen and plagiarized from an unpublished work by Solomon Spa(u)lding, a relative of mine. This truth has passed through our family for over 100 years. the lBS denies it, but it is so interesting to see the boys on bikes try to refute it. I always preface my remarks with a statement to the effect of, “I hate to burst your bubble and shatter your beliefs, but . . .” They usually stammer that the story is old and has no basis, then I tell them how I know and they jump on their bikes and leave rather quickly. I usually try to direct them to our pastor’s home nearby without telling them his affiliation and profession. They don’t seem to show up as often as they used to. I wonder why.
We can never have too much education on mormonism...
(Although the mormons may feel the exposure is like busting the OZone and too hot for their burning bosum comfort level...)
THE FINAL WORD
“As always, God has the final word, and that word is revealed exclusively through the Bible”
I agree with the first half of that statement, but not the second half.
I don’t know why we would want to limit God to speaking only through the pages of the Bible. He is the same unchangeable God, who has called his servants throughout history to reveal knowledge to mankind, and I don’t see any reason why that pattern should cease.
Indeed it has not ceased. The latter-day gospel dispensation is upon us, and prophets and apostles have been called of God as in former days, and we have been blessed with additional light and truth on many subjects, including the work of God in the world of spirits.
Some may ask for me to provide proof of this. All I can say is that you, like me, can find out the truth of this for yourself from God if you seek it with humility and sincerity in prayer.
Normandy