The Biblical Jesus vs. the Book of Mormon Jesus

exmormon.org ^ | unknown

[greyfoxx39]

The Biblical Jesus vs. the Book of Mormon Jesus

(From a post on exmormon.org)

Special thanks to who ever posted this originally (sorry I forgot your name) and aknowledgement to Gordon Hinckley who said "we worship a different Christ".


LDS members believe that they are singularly blessed with a record of the earthly ministry of Jesus from his life in Palestine, his visit to the Spirit World, and his visit to the Americas. Yet, a chronological reading of the story of Jesus’ last week in Palestine to his ministry in the America, using LDS scripture, leaves one puzzled as to the very nature and character of Jesus.

I. Palestine

During the last days of Jesus’ life in Palestine, he entered triumphantly into Jerusalem, healed the sick, instituted the Holy Supper with the apostles, suffered greatly in Gethsemane, was judged and mocked, and then was crucified among common thieves.

In Palestine, Jesus is recorded as being meek and forgiving.

In Luke 22:32, Jesus tells Simon Peter that he is praying for Peter to be strengthened knowing that Peter will betray him three times before sunrise.

Also in Luke chapter 22, Jesus is told of going to Gethsemane and gently rebuking the disciples for following asleep during his personal agony and ordeal.

When Jesus leaves Gethsemane, one of the disciples uses a sword and cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest. “And Jesus answered and said, ‘Suffer ye thus far.’ And he touched his ear, and healed him.” (Luke 22:51)

Jesus is ridiculed and spat upon. During the night, Peter, as forecasted, betrays Jesus three times. In response Jesus turns his head and looks at Peter, causing Peter to weep bitterly.

Herod, having heard of Jesus’ miracles, mocks him by allowing his men to dress Jesus in a robe before returning the prisoner to Pilate.

Pilate finding no wrong in Jesus, appealed to the crowd gathered who called for his crucifixion. During these acts of vulgarity and ridicule, Jesus is recorded as being passive and submissive.

On the cross at Golgotha, Jesus was placed between two thieves. During the dying process, Jesus is recorded as saying: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Upon hearing Jesus plead for forgiveness, the rulers around him scorned him: “He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.”

The rulers’ outburst caused the soldiers to add a final insult by placing a wooden placard on the cross above Jesus reading “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Even the two thieves asked Jesus why he didn’t use his supernatural powers to free himself. As a response, Jesus rebuked one’s disbelief, but then informed that they would be with him in paradise.

The New Testament stories demonstrate a person of quiet dignity, meekness and forgiveness.

II. The Spirit World

According to LDS scripture, immediately upon Jesus’ death, his spirit left his body and ascended to the Spirit World. Jesus begins to metamorphose.

While in Palestine, Jesus preached among the sinners and outcasts.

Yet Mormon prophet Joseph F. Smith saw Jesus’ recently departed spirit go “not in person among the wicked and the disobedient” but to the righteous, such as Adam, Eve, many of Eve’s faithful daughters (apparently names weren’t provided), Abel, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elias, Malachi, and many more, even the prophets who dwelt among the Nephites. (D&C 138:29, 38-49).

After a visit back to Jerusalem, Jesus became resurrected meaning that his spirit reentered his body. He spent some time teaching his disciples.

III. The Americas

Meanwhile, in the Americas, a different stage has been set. Immediately upon the crucifixion of Jesus, tempests, earthquakes, fires, whirlwinds, and physical upheavals rage for three hours.

The Book of Mormon tells: The city of Zarahemla was set on fire; the city of Moroni sunk into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants were drowned; the earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah; and many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the places were left desolate; And there were some cities which remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many in them who were slain.

The destruction was followed by darkness upon the face of the land and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people.

(3 Nephi 8).

Who caused this massive destruction and death? The survivors would immediately know the culprit in the form a Voice.

The Voice chides America’ inhabitants proclaiming:

“Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof. And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned. And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, “

“And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and the inhabitants thereof to be buried up in the depths of the earth:

And building momentum, the Voice continues:

“Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem [the America city, not the one in Palestine, he left that one alone] and the inhabitants thereof.”

“And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah, and the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno, all these have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth.”

“And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire.”

“And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire”

(3 Nephi 9: 2-10)

After itemizing his destructions, the Voice tells the people the name of their Destroyer:

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God.”

******************************************************************************************
Yes, that Jesus who only a short time earlier restored a severed ear, forgave the ignorant, the crucifers, and the non-believers - all of whom had witnessed or knew of his miracles while Jesus preached among them for some three years.

Jesus, the man who had spared those in Palestine who had personally rejected him, mocked him and crucified him, tells those in America:

(3 Nephi 19:35)

“‘So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.’”

[Turtlepower]

There is no mormon bashing around here. What you may see are Christians pointing out the errors of mormonISM. The teachings of mormonism is vastly different from historical Christianity. The point of threads like this is to point out the deceitfulness of mormonism trying to masquerade as a legitimate Christian church when it really teaches things that are nowhere near Christianity.

[JAKraig]

I'm sure it has been suggested to you before that if it distresses you to see our posts, that you refrain from reading them.

_______________________________________________________

I guess what distress me is to think that so many people have such ill will for such a kind group of people. There are bad apples in any group, I don't mean to say the mormons don't have their fair share but I never see them.

According to my wife they have a means of policing themselves through a system of church courts. You get caught doing something horrid chances are you won't be a mormon next week. It doesn't mean you can't come back or can't go to church but someone in charge will have to approve it.

So far I have liked most of the ones I have met. They aren't threatening except that they always want me to “get wet”.

I say, live and let live.

[MEGoody]

I don't know which different Christ you are referring to but it seems like the one I know.

Just a couple of differences.

Mormons believe Jesus and satan are brothers, both "begotten" of God and "Mrs God".

Mormons also believe that Jesus is a god (not THE God), and that anyone can become a god if they do the right things.

Christians do not believe Jesus and satan are brothers. They also believe that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh (not just A god). They don't believe we can become gods. There is, was and always will be only One God.

[PeachyKeen]

No, we don’t hate Mormons...there is no ill will. MormonISM is NOT Christian. I was engaged to a man that converted to Mormonism. There was too much difference for me. I know I am saved by Grace alone..Amen

[greyfoxx39]

I say, live and let live.

Will you say the same to the leaders of the mormon church who send out 52,000 missionaries every day, 24/7 to tell Christians that their faith is wrong and the only way for them to be saved is to become baptized, confirmed and perform masonic rituals in their temples?

Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon-Ezra Taft Benson

"The time is long overdue for a massive flooding of the earth with the Book of Mormon for the many reasons which the Lord has given. In this age of the electronic media and the mass distribution of the printed word, God will hold us accountable if we do not now move the Book of Mormon in a monumental way.

We have the Book of Mormon, we have the members, we have the missionaries, we have the resources, and the world has the need. The time is now!"

The mormon church has ramped up its proselytizing on radio, TV and especially on the internet with one church website boasting of controlling 300 seperate websites, "where persons of other faiths can learn about the Church and where individual Mormons can share their beliefs. We also provide training and support for Mormons interested in sharing their beliefs online."

With this kind of "spreading the BOM over the earth", I sometimes tire of the complaining we see over our presence on FR.

[greyfoxx39]

Seekers of truth,

If you peruse the Free Republic religion forums you will notice a pattern. There's an Pro-Christian group of people here that spends a great deal of their time posting factual articles from various sources about the LDS church.  Many of the articles come from the official site, LDS.org.

They have a calling to contend for Jesus Christ. You can witness many different tactics employed that you might find quite interesting. They will rebut the fallacies in the original mormon article with true Biblical facts, and provide the URLs to them so that you too may read them for yourselves. They will also present conflicting statements from different LDS leaders with the attending source to these statements, usually historical documents or scriptures.

LDS persons SAY they have no issue whatsoever having their scriptures or leaders quoted as long as it is presented fairly and accurately. This is usually not true. LDS persons,  including their 52,000 missionaries, with influence from their highest leaders do not WANT their beliefs presented "fairly" and especially not "accurately".  That is why they will use every tactic to prevent the pro-Christian material that rebuts claims presented by the LDS church from coming to light

Another favorite tactic of the Pro-Christian group is posting scripture or statements which on their own really present no dilemma, yet in many cases present doctrine that many LDS members are unaware of.

That's a Christlike thing to do right?  It does speak volumes about them .

Some of the Pro-Christians bring special witness to you as being former Mormons. So someone who is an ex-member of any organization would be in a good position to carry the message of their own experience. 

 The LDS Church gains members from other denominations as well as others faiths all the time. The Pro-Christian group wishes to see that any gain in membership in the LDS church is done with the new applicant for membership having FULL KNOWLEDGE of the requirements, promises and arcane beliefs that they are becoming a part of.

After reading their posts, I invite you to seek the truth about whatever "issue" the Pro-Christians seem to be "revealing" or "exposing". I promise that if you do so with honest intent, the "ahah" moments you will have will be many and frequent. You will start to recognize the tactics employed to bring to you the difference between your original concept of mormonism and what it actually is....a fraud perpuated by a con man, adulterer and thief.

The goal of the Pro-Christian group is to provide you with tools to investigate a sect that spends millions and millions each year to spread its false message, so that you can question the clever lies and attempts to co-opt the message of real Christianity.

 Read the articles posted from mormon sources, question the belief therein, ask questions of the Pro-Christians and PRAY WITH THEM FOR GUIDANCE.  Do NOT fall into the trap presented by mormons to "read the Book of Mormon and pray to find if it is true".  It will be presented in a way that appeals to your senses, rather than your ability to study the Bible, compare it to the Book of Mormon and use your own good common sense to decide if God did indeed yank His Gospel from the Earth,  wait centuries, then choose a young man with a doubtful past to "restore" it.  There is no need for a "Restoration of the Gospel".  There is no need for earthly temples in which to take part in masonic rituals to gain salvation.  So again, seek the truth.  Use your God-given brain and discernment.

John 6:40 (American Standard Version)  "For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." You cannot "work" your way, or "worthy" your way to Salvation.

Be wary. If you "seek" on the internet, be aware that the LDS church has a very heavy presence there, and in fact one of its groups boasts of having over 300 websites filled with mormon proselytizing. Unfortunately, "Jesus Christ.org" is one domain owned by the LDS church and is very misleading.   If you visit there, be aware you are not seeing the true Christian message.

Here are only two links that will help you get started 

"Are Mormons Christian-Part 1"

"Are Mormons Christian-Part 2"

Any one of the Flying Inmans will be happy to answer questions and provide links to help you along the way.

 

God bless you in your journey to true Salvation.

Seekers of truth,

If you peruse the Free Republic religion forums you will notice a pattern. There's an Pro-Christian group of people here that spends a great deal of their time posting factual articles from various sources about the LDS church.  Many of the articles come from the official site, LDS.org.

They have a calling to contend for Jesus Christ. You can witness many different tactics employed that you might find quite interesting. They will rebut the fallacies in the original mormon article with true Biblical facts, and provide the URLs to them so that you too may read them for yourselves. They will also present conflicting statements from different LDS leaders with the attending source to these statements, usually historical documents or scriptures.

LDS persons SAY they have no issue whatsoever having their scriptures or leaders quoted as long as it is presented fairly and accurately. This is usually not true. LDS persons,  including their 52,000 missionaries, with influence from their highest leaders do not WANT their beliefs presented "fairly" and especially not "accurately".  That is why they will use every tactic to prevent the pro-Christian material that rebuts claims presented by the LDS church from coming to light

Another favorite tactic of the Pro-Christian group is posting scripture or statements which on their own really present no dilemma, yet in many cases present doctrine that many LDS members are unaware of.

That's a Christlike thing to do right?  It does speak volumes about them .

Some of the Pro-Christians bring special witness to you as being former Mormons. So someone who is an ex-member of any organization would be in a good position to carry the message of their own experience. 

 The LDS Church gains members from other denominations as well as others faiths all the time. The Pro-Christian group wishes to see that any gain in membership in the LDS church is done with the new applicant for membership having FULL KNOWLEDGE of the requirements, promises and arcane beliefs that they are becoming a part of.

After reading their posts, I invite you to seek the truth about whatever "issue" the Pro-Christians seem to be "revealing" or "exposing". I promise that if you do so with honest intent, the "ahah" moments you will have will be many and frequent. You will start to recognize the tactics employed to bring to you the difference between your original concept of mormonism and what it actually is....a fraud perpuated by a con man, adulterer and thief.

The goal of the Pro-Christian group is to provide you with tools to investigate a sect that spends millions and millions each year to spread its false message, so that you can question the clever lies and attempts to co-opt the message of real Christianity.

 Read the articles posted from mormon sources, question the belief therein, ask questions of the Pro-Christians and PRAY WITH THEM FOR GUIDANCE.  Do NOT fall into the trap presented by mormons to "read the Book of Mormon and pray to find if it is true".  It will be presented in a way that appeals to your senses, rather than your ability to study the Bible, compare it to the Book of Mormon and use your own good common sense to decide if God did indeed yank His Gospel from the Earth,  wait centuries, then choose a young man with a doubtful past to "restore" it.  There is no need for a "Restoration of the Gospel".  There is no need for earthly temples in which to take part in masonic rituals to gain salvation.  So again, seek the truth.  Use your God-given brain and discernment.

John 6:40 (American Standard Version)  "For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." You cannot "work" your way, or "worthy" your way to Salvation.

Be wary. If you "seek" on the internet, be aware that the LDS church has a very heavy presence there, and in fact one of its groups boasts of having over 300 websites filled with mormon proselytizing. Unfortunately, "Jesus Christ.org" is one domain owned by the LDS church and is very misleading.   If you visit there, be aware you are not seeing the true Christian message.

Here are only two links that will help you get started 

"Are Mormons Christian-Part 1"

"Are Mormons Christian-Part 2"

Any one of the Flying Inmans will be happy to answer questions and provide links to help you along the way.

 

God bless you in your journey to true Salvation.

Seekers of truth,

If you peruse the Free Republic religion forums you will notice a pattern. There's an Pro-Christian group of people here that spends a great deal of their time posting factual articles from various sources about the LDS church.  Many of the articles come from the official site, LDS.org.

They have a calling to contend for Jesus Christ. You can witness many different tactics employed that you might find quite interesting. They will rebut the fallacies in the original mormon article with true Biblical facts, and provide the URLs to them so that you too may read them for yourselves. They will also present conflicting statements from different LDS leaders with the attending source to these statements, usually historical documents or scriptures.

LDS persons SAY they have no issue whatsoever having their scriptures or leaders quoted as long as it is presented fairly and accurately. This is usually not true. LDS persons,  including their 52,000 missionaries, with influence from their highest leaders do not WANT their beliefs presented "fairly" and especially not "accurately".  That is why they will use every tactic to prevent the pro-Christian material that rebuts claims presented by the LDS church from coming to light

Another favorite tactic of the Pro-Christian group is posting scripture or statements which on their own really present no dilemma, yet in many cases present doctrine that many LDS members are unaware of.

That's a Christlike thing to do right?  It does speak volumes about them .

Some of the Pro-Christians bring special witness to you as being former Mormons. So someone who is an ex-member of any organization would be in a good position to carry the message of their own experience. 

 The LDS Church gains members from other denominations as well as others faiths all the time. The Pro-Christian group wishes to see that any gain in membership in the LDS church is done with the new applicant for membership having FULL KNOWLEDGE of the requirements, promises and arcane beliefs that they are becoming a part of.

After reading their posts, I invite you to seek the truth about whatever "issue" the Pro-Christians seem to be "revealing" or "exposing". I promise that if you do so with honest intent, the "ahah" moments you will have will be many and frequent. You will start to recognize the tactics employed to bring to you the difference between your original concept of mormonism and what it actually is....a fraud perpuated by a con man, adulterer and thief.

The goal of the Pro-Christian group is to provide you with tools to investigate a sect that spends millions and millions each year to spread its false message, so that you can question the clever lies and attempts to co-opt the message of real Christianity.

 Read the articles posted from mormon sources, question the belief therein, ask questions of the Pro-Christians and PRAY WITH THEM FOR GUIDANCE.  Do NOT fall into the trap presented by mormons to "read the Book of Mormon and pray to find if it is true".  It will be presented in a way that appeals to your senses, rather than your ability to study the Bible, compare it to the Book of Mormon and use your own good common sense to decide if God did indeed yank His Gospel from the Earth,  wait centuries, then choose a young man with a doubtful past to "restore" it.  There is no need for a "Restoration of the Gospel".  There is no need for earthly temples in which to take part in masonic rituals to gain salvation.  So again, seek the truth.  Use your God-given brain and discernment.

John 6:40 (American Standard Version)  "For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." You cannot "work" your way, or "worthy" your way to Salvation.

Be wary. If you "seek" on the internet, be aware that the LDS church has a very heavy presence there, and in fact one of its groups boasts of having over 300 websites filled with mormon proselytizing. Unfortunately, "Jesus Christ.org" is one domain owned by the LDS church and is very misleading.   If you visit there, be aware you are not seeing the true Christian message.

Here are only two links that will help you get started 

"Are Mormons Christian-Part 1"

"Are Mormons Christian-Part 2"

Any one of the Flying Inmans will be happy to answer questions and provide links to help you along the way.

 

[PeachyKeen]

Excellent...Thank you for all you do!

[ejonesie22]

So far I have liked most of the ones I have met. They aren't threatening except that they always want me to “get wet”.

Which of course leads to the question I have asked before, if Mormons are such wonderful folk and all, why have you not joined their ranks...

[greyfoxx39]

Thank you!

[Turtlepower]

So if hindus, buddhists, or any non-christian group was a “kind group of people” should Christians then not share their faith? Should we ignore Christ’s command to go out into the world and spread the Good News?

There are many sincere people in the world, who are even nice. That doesn’t mean a thing when it comes to spirtual life. Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that a person must be born again to have eternal life. Mormons maybe nice people, but they have corrupted teachings, which aren’t the same as Christianity.

[svcw]

There is no mormon bashing, it is exposing mormonISM.
Which Lord? Good question.
The Jesus of the Bible - eternal.
The jesus of lds - created, progressed.
Born of a virgin?
This lds jesus was born after a physical contact with a god - intercourse.
The Biblical Jesus paid the price on the Cross.
The lds jesus suffered in the garden.
The Biblical Jesus is sufficient.
The lds jesus is not sufficient - after all we can do.
The bottom line: the lds jesus is not the Biblical Jesus.
The bottom line: lds do not worship the Biblical Jesus.
The bottom line: lds hang everything on the words of Joseph Smith - an adulterer, liar, thief, pedophile, flim flam man, shyster.......

[aMorePerfectUnion]

"I still don't understand the Mormon bashing that I see here."

... Obviously, what you call "mormon bashing" is not. For that reason, it seems you do not understand. "I must say they hide their evil ways very well." ... We can agree on that. Evil is most effective when it appears as good. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." "As I watched I was moved by some of the talks." ... being moved is not the standard of judging truth, friend. "It was obvious as I watched the people talking that they loved The Lord." ... Sure. Which one? "Now I guess I can't say which Lord they loved but one of them specifically mentioned the one born in Bethlehem, the one born of a virgin, the one who fed 5000, the one who raised the dead, the one who suffered in Gethsemane, who died on the cross, who was raised from the dead, the one who preached for 40 days after his death to his followers and eventually at the end of 40 days ascended to heaven." ... Was He created or made or did He exist eternally as God? "Maybe they got some of their facts wrong, but I'm not sure I'm qualified to judge." ... now that you mention it, I agree. I suspect your emotional attachment to your bride has clouded your vision of what truth is. "Maybe some of their doctrines are strange but if we were all as good as them we would feel all feel a lot better about hearing the last trump." ... Wow. Wrong. "I think my wife is the best person I have ever met and the best Christian too." ... I hope she is a Christian. If she is a Christian, she should come out from among them and be holy.

[svcw]

[Godzilla]

No ill will, unless you consider the simple challenge of doctrine ‘ill will’.

50,000+ mormon missionaries daily knock on door and try to convince people that the church they currently go to is part of an apostasy and is not the ‘true’ church of Jesus.

Do you consider those missionaries to be spreading ‘ill will’ because they challenge other’s doctrinal beliefs?

There is a big difference between wanting a mormon to fall off a cliff and wanting them to come to a realization of the truth.

Sure they are nice, sincere people - people who are sincerely wrong in their concept of God, Jesus and salvation.

If you are a Christian JAK, is it ‘ill will’ to try to show them the errors of their doctrine so that they avoid hell? Something to ponder.

[Godzilla]

[greyfoxx39]

Excellent, ‘Zilla.

[maine-iac7]

I know I am saved by Grace alone..Amen

(James 2:14-26 KJV) {14}What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

James was the brother of Jesus and was the leader of the church after Jesus - until 62AD.

Jesus said: "“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “ (Mat 7:1-3)

It's a dangerous business, judging others. Jesus warns against it. Why do so many people feel they will be given a pass?

It might be the better part of wisdom to spend ones time tending to their own lives - there's really never enough time getting it right - and leave the judging to God? Maybe?

[sasportas]

Its not ill will. This is America, it has a free market of ideas and religions.

Anybody can put his religion on the market, like Joseph Smith did, but if you are going to do that here in America, be prepared to have it scrutinized and criticized...and may the best man win.