Posted on 02/11/2011 12:44:49 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
“Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?” – Southern Baptist preacher (and presidential candidate) Mike Huckabee, 2007
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It looks increasingly likely that there will be two serious Mormon candidates (Mitt Romney and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.) running for president this year. One hopes that they will do a better job handling the religion issue than Mitt did in 2008. If past campaigns with LDS candidates are any guide, we can expect to see theological cheap shots like Mike Huckabee’s being taken by other campaigns, political pundits, and journalists. It is unlikely that substantive answers to questions about Mormonism will be provided by either campaign, so in the interest of providing accurate information to my Jewish readers, I’ve attempted to answer questions about LDS theology posed by public figures and followers of my blog. As Jews know from painful experience, if a religious group doesn’t define its own beliefs, other people with different agendas are more than happy to do so.
Q: So was Huckabee right? Do Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?
A: His disingenuous question was akin to saying “Don’t Jews believe in mutilating 8-day-old boys?” The answer is yes, but an explanation is necessary. We believe that every human being lived in heaven with our Heavenly Parents before coming to earth. Mormons believe that we are all literally spirit brothers and sisters. The most noble of God’s children was Jesus, while the blackest sheep was Satan, who defied God (his Father) and was cast down from heaven with his followers, forfeiting the chance to come to earth and gain a physical body. While Jesus and Satan share divine parents (along with the rest of us), they are working toward opposite goals and have nothing to do with each other. In other words, we believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers just as we believe that Adolph Hitler and Elie Wiesel are brothers since they are both children of God.
Q: Are Mormons Christians? If so, why do some other Christians have trouble accepting their version of Christianity?
A: By any fair definition, Mormons are Christians. They accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and their church (official name: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) bears His name. Some Christians believe that anyone who does not accept the Trinity (a three-in-one god, or one-in-three god if you prefer) cannot be a Christian. Like Jews, Mormons reject the Trinity, which was officially affirmed by the same council that initiated state-sponsored anti-Semitism. Other Christians have a problem with our belief in non-biblical scriptures. Mormons believe that God continues to reveal truths to prophets, and lose as much sleep over Evangelicals’ rejection of the Book of Mormon as Jews do over the refusal of Baptists to accept the Talmud.
Q: Bill Maher and Lawrence O’Donnell have stated that Mormons believe that blacks do not have souls. Is this true?
A: With all due respect to a noted atheist pundit and a “practical European Socialist” TV writer, they are as wrong as can be. There is absolutely no truth to this statement. Mormons believe that all people on earth are children of God with souls and divine potential. What Maher and O’Donnell may have intended to refer to is the denial of the LDS priesthood to black males from 1849 to 1978. While black members gave sermons, offered prayers, sang in choirs, and taught Sunday School, black men were not ordained to the priesthood. The reason for this has not been revealed, though many theories abound. Given my biracial ethnicity, I felt the need to pray, fast, and ponder over this issue before leaving on my LDS mission. Without an answer from God, I felt that I could not represent my church to others. Suffice it to say that I went on my mission. A public forum is not the place to discuss what my answer was, but biblical examples like the ancient Israelite restriction of the priesthood to the direct male descendants of Aaron, or Jesus and His apostles’ refusal to take the gospel to the Gentiles until after His death (indeed, we have no scriptural record of a divine appearance to non-Israelites), show that God’s love for all His children is not the only factor in play here. Two other reasons why contemporary Mormons don’t worry too much about the past priesthood denial: 1) the church is growing exponentially in Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean; 2) we don’t believe that God will hold people responsible for privileges that were denied them in this life.
Q: Do Mormons still practice polygamy?
A: No. For Mormons, polygamy is only acceptable when God authorizes it through prophets. The default arrangement is one man with one woman, as appears to have been the case from Adam until Abraham. We believe that God authorized Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David to take additional wives (Mormons believe that Hagar was married to Abraham – D&C 132:34). By the first century CE, the default arrangement was once again in force: bishops had to be the husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2). As far as we know, the next time that polygamy was authorized was in the 19th century, when LDS Church leaders took multiple wives. In 1890, Church President Wilford Woodruff declared in his “Manifesto” that polygamy was no longer authorized. [A second Manifesto was issued in 1904 in response to the refusal of some church members to comply with the church’s new policy]. Since that time, Mormons who enter into polygamous relationships are excommunicated. Today any “Mormons” who practice polygamy are either on the cast of “Big Love” or members of fundamentalist churches that have no relation to us. As a frustrated bachelor, I am personally grateful that I am only asked to find one wife, not several.
Q: What is The Book of Mormon?
A: It is a book of ancient scripture written for modern times. At the beginning of the book, a prophet named Lehi leaves Jerusalem with his family during the reign of Zedekiah (600 BCE). He is a member of the tribe of Manasseh, and his group is eventually led to the Americas, where his descendants divide themselves into two civilizations. The more righteous of the two groups observed the Law of Moses, read from Isaiah, and built temples. The highlight of the book is the appearance by Jesus in the Americas after His resurrection. The book was translated from gold plates by Joseph Smith, the first prophet in modern times, and Mormons accept it as scripture.
Q: Why can’t non-Mormons enter temples?
A: Mormons worship in chapels on Sundays, and everyone is welcome to attend our services. However, temples are places where Mormons go to make sacred covenants with God. Only people who have made and kept certain covenants with God (including baptism into the LDS Church) are permitted to enter temples. The Abrahamic Covenant is the center of our temple worship, and the ordinances performed there seal families together for eternity. I feel closer to Jews when I am in an LDS temple than in any other place, including the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
I will likely be posting similar Q&A posts in the coming months, so please feel free to write me with your questions.
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Mark Paredes is the religion columnist for the Latter-day Trumpet newspaper and serves as a High Councilor in the Santa Monica Stake of the LDS Church. He can be reached at deverareligione@yahoo.com
I would not vote against a candidate because they are a Mormon. Most of the Mormoms I know are hard-working, God-fearing, honest people who love their country. The media might try to make an issue out of it, as will the other candidates, but there are a enough high-profile Mormons in office who live honorably (compared to lots of jerks who claim to be religious but support ungodly policies) that it will quickly become a non-issue.
I will not, however, support Mitt Romney. His support for Obamacare makes him an undesirable candidate in my eyes. While I can accept that there are those who genuinely believe it's our responsibility, as a country, to help our neighbors as best we can, and they may be motivated by purely good intentions, this vast overreach of federal powers leads to a dangerous precedent.
Don’t care about their religion except that the church, in totem, supports them simple because they are Mormons.
Sorry, I cannot buy any of it!
I’ll stick to the clear message of John 1:12,John 3:16-18,Acts 4:12,Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10,Romans 10:13 And 1 John 5:12-13.
All of the above are clear messages of salvation through our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.
May we remember the last verse in the book of Judges: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
And may we never forget: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25)
May we be warned about teaching and preaching another Gospel:
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven preach another gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9)
Finally let us be persuaded by our Lord’s words in John 5:39)”Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me.”
I cannot agree with LDS on much, theologically speaking. Even aside from theology, Mr. Romney cannot have my vote, by virtue of what he has previously done, and how it leaves me inclined to think of possible future actions on his part. Mr. Huntsman, though, if his positions are such that they’re more or less compatible, might be a candidate. Where does he stand on abortion? or other things near and dear to those at FR?
I am certain that every branch of Christianity was attacked for their ‘false beliefs’ when they broke from the mainstream.
My roots run back to the first immigrant pioneer Mormons that set foot in this country (1840). I was baptized into the Mormon Church, but do not practice. Mormons are good honest people that always put family and country first. They are patriotic, hard-working and self-reliant for the most part, live clean lives. They are always willing to help others in need, as we recently witnessed in Haiti.
With that said, I will not vote for Romney under any circumstances.
I am a Mormon but Romney is far from the top of my list as well. I haven’t looked into Huntsman too much yet. I like Trump’s speech at CPAC and think he will cause a stir for sure if he runs. I think he will.
Anyway, it’s too early for me just yet but I see a few I like enough. Including Huckabee. We don’t have to agree on everything.
Hardly. Christians do not believe that God was once a man who was so "good" that He became God.
My concern with Romney is not his religion, as I noted above. My concern is the political issues he has supported; that makes him unpalatable.
Yes, and I agree to the same — we have had jehovah’s witness Presidents (ok, ike was not technically JW), unitarians (Taft) etc. — I see no issue with a Mormon President who truly holds to conservative views.
Oh please, just stop it. Like the venom you spewed when a noob FReeper mentioned she was praying for mormons?
Grow some skin.
Criticism is a heck of alot different than "hatred", but don't let an inability to discern between the two get in the way of your "victimization" campaign.
“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
Winston Churchill
Here are some of the more "meatier" truths of mormonism.
"Q: So was Huckabee right? Do Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?
A: His disingenuous question was akin to saying “Don’t Jews believe in mutilating 8-day-old boys?” The answer is yes, but..."
I like how the author states Huck is "disingenous" when he was actually being quite simplistic.
Q: Do Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?
A: Yes, "heavenly father" had/is having celestial relations with "heavenly mother" in order to populate this, his planet [reward for attaining godhood].
"Q: Do Mormons still practice polygamy?
A: No. For Mormons, polygamy is only acceptable when God authorizes it through prophets.
Q: Do mormons believe in celestial [mormon heaven] polygamy and is it essential for man's salvation?
A: Yes. Women who were not sealed to mates on earth will be sealed to potential gods as wives, if they are worthy enough to attain the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom.
The author of this piece is guilty of the very thing they accuse others of, misrepresenting through omission. By default, mormons are practicing polygamy in the mormon heaven as we speak [according to their beliefs].
"Q: What is The Book of Mormon?
A: It is a book of ancient scripture written for modern times."
Q: What is The Book of Mormon?
A: It is an error filled book, containing references to items such as; wheels, steel, scimitars, horses, etc. that did not exist in the Americas during the periods referred to. With large swaths of it plagiarized from the KJV of the Bible. [the very Bible mormons claim is "mistranslated"].
Currently being revised again to remove and change some of the more offensive racial references to skin color.
Ping
Not really - but they are very much against gay marriage.
It’s worse than the article says in every way...
Q: So was Huckabee right? Do Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?
A: The answer is yes. Mormons believe this. They also believe Jesus Christ was a created spirit baby who later became God. Heresy. The Bible does not teach this.
Q: Are Mormons Christians? If so, why do some other Christians have trouble accepting their version of Christianity?
A: No, the only thing mormonism has in common with Christianity is the name Jesus Christ. And even by that, they mean someone entirely different.
Q: Do Mormons still practice polygamy?
A: YES! They never stopped believing in polygamy - just suspended it. They also believe polygamy in happening in heaven now.
Q: What is The Book of Mormon?
A: A false book, totally, absolutely unsupported by DNA, history, geography, etc.
Q: Why can’t non-Mormons enter temples?
A: Again, an adding to the Bible. There are no Christian temples, except every Christian’s body. Another perversion of truth.
Mormonism is not more Christian than any other cult.
Some Mormons undoubtedly become Christians, and evidently leave the Mormon sect they were members of behind.
Mormon Missionary Deception Method:
1. Convince you of their sincerity
2. Trick you into expressing faith first in the Book of Mormon by praying and asking for a sign (this takes you off the objective ground of Biblical truth and puts you into subjective ground of feelings)
3. Convince you that the Bible has errors in its translation
4. Trick you into expressing faith in the prophet Joseph Smith
5. Trick you into expressing faith in the Restoration of the “Gospel” (see Galatians Chapter one)
6. Get you all the way into the baptismal font...
..........................................................
7. ONLY THEN... you will learn the true DEVIANT doctrines of
Mormonism. At this point, it is too late! You only have
feelings as a basis of truth! You will believe anything.
..........................................................
Such as the following “truths” taught in mormonism ...
The 3 Mormon Earth gods:
The mormon “Heavenly Father” used to be a regular Joe, but became God - his name was Adam. Adam sinned. You will have to swallow that God could sin!
The Jesus of mormonism was a created spirit being who became one of the three mormon earth gods
The mormonic Holy Spirit is also a created spirit being. He doesn’t have a body because he is on probation! Yes, he was naughty. He sinned.
In short, the mormon earth gods are sinful, created spirit beings. But there is more...
The FOURTH Mormon Earth God!
The Mormon Heavenly Mother God!
Yes, believe it or not, it turns out there is a mormonic “Mother God!”
... SHE and the father god have sex
... SHE is eternally pregnant
... SHE pops out spirit children who will some day get a human body on earth
... SHE is probably not alone! Mormons still believe and teach eternal polygamy.
The Mormonic Pantheon of gods:
There are TRILLIONS of mormon gods on other planets.
Hindus have approximately 350 million gods. They are
pikers compared to mormons!
How do they get so many gods? They manufacture more all the
time:
... Any mormon male can be a God with his own planet, mother goddesses, and spirit kids to worship him.
... Becoming a mormon god means lots of works to attain the god-level. This is why you see mormons working so hard. Now you know why.
... Speaking of levels, heaven has three levels.
... All the trillions of gods in the mormon pantheon get together regularly over spring break in Kolob Beach to “counsel together”
What will your life be like as a mormon?
... you have to give 10%?
... your bishop is there to ask if you gave your FULL tithe
... your bishop is also there to ask many probing, personal, embarrassing questions
... Did we mention you will
... you will have to complete Masonic Temple rituals that involve strangers touching your private parts
... You will have to wear magic underwear 24/7/365
Once inside the Morg, you have to accept it ALL to move up the chain towards Godhood.
This is a very good thing.
I’m Jewish and wont vote for a mormon. They are a business first and a sect second. Like the Beck phenom, it would give mormonism too much acceptance as a normative faith. And I dont want them building a new Jerusalem in Missouri. Sheesh.
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