Posted on 07/08/2011 1:44:03 PM PDT by Colofornian
...David Hyrum Smith...youngest son of...LDS prophet, Joseph Smith...returned to a mission to Utah...Reorganized church prophet, Joseph Smith III, who the letter was addressed to, must have regretted extending the call, writes Valerie Tippetts Avery, author of From Mission to Madness: Last Son of the Mormon Prophet... To young David...the mission...served to convince himself...that he had spent years angrily refuting that his father...preached and practiced polygamy.
...David...Smith took his...skepticism...further, arguing against...dogma that man can only seek important further knowledge from a selected prophet. This doubt struck at a key doctrine of both churches. He wrote: If faith unto salvation was an eternal principle and true, it could be discovered and demonstrated so as to be of general benefit as the law of gravitation or the rules of mathematics. But as it comes to us it makes us subservient to our falable (sic) fellow Man for eternal life, a most absurd proposition. But you again might speak God has revealed himself. But here again is an absurdity our fellow man brings us a revelation, and we are only guided by our faith in him. We do not know he has had this revelation and eternal salvation depends upon our faith in our fellow man and his revelation. Unjust and absurd.
...David Smith...pointed out the inconsistency of ascribing belief based on one mans claim of divine prophecy. For every Joseph Smith, he told his brother, there were Brigham Young, Spiritualists and Strangites (an offshoot of Mormonism).
Young Smiths ideas could be dismissed as heresy...by rigid believers...Any follower of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should acknowledge... inconsistencies demanded which are:
...belief is required without presentable evidence...
...for every claim of a Joseph Smith or a Thomas Monson, there are thousands of similar claims from prophets with hundreds of millions of adherents...
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.standard.net ...
You know what kept me in Mormonism? My intellectual pursuits at the University of Utah. I was inactive for quite a while. But in time I came to realize I was the fool. I only had myself to blame for my situation. I could walk away from my LDS faith into the world, or I could work on gaining my testimony back. I chose the latter.
You seem to think those of us who remain are sheep in a church who blindly follow the Bretheren at 50 N Temple. Yet how free do you know I am or any other Mormon? You don’t me or my thoughts, heart, mind or anything else about me.
You left the church. Wonderful. Go thy way! Make peace with God. Only Jesus Christ will judge my Christianity, not anyone else.
BTW if I did leave the LDS faith, I would not go to any other Christian church because they don’t offer me anything that the Mormons cannot.
Reversing your argument, I can judge Nibley as a scholar or a nut. The judgement is up to the individual, and the work is also the same. You can call him a fool, I can call him a genius.
Your credentials though impressive, are not any better or worse than the next mans. You have a great educational gift. Use it wisely.
What is the Glory of God? Stupidity? You seem to make a terrible insulting pun that most Christians of any persuasions would find well....offensive.
Yo!
Millions have joined Mormonism. Many have chosen out. Clarifying Elise’s liberal statement. Pun intended.
Omit her last statement. Every Mormon, who is a Christian knows that only the Spirit of Truth can convert, not a great teacher or pastor. I can preach to you all day about my faith, but you won’t be converted by my arguments. As the NT says, try the spirits and see what fruit is born. If it is a fruitcake, question it and really look at it with a fine lense.
Thank the Lord you left the LDS Church! I mean that humbly, but sincerely.
I’ll go to Mormon Hell then if I am wrong. Who are you to tell me what my relationship with God is. No wonder Jesus got very annoyed with Pharisees. You sound like one. Read the NT if you want to know exactly what I am talking about. The Whole Damn NT, not just selections.
Elise are you saying that Mormons are not PRO God and are Totalitarian? You are not by definition a conservative. You are a closed mind.
Mormons are more patriotic than many of our counterparts. Don’t let your hatred of our people or faith blind you. When was the last time you saw a Mormon try to destroy this nation? Never. And I don’t want’ any 19th century bulls—t! either. State the facts. Otherwise knock off the lies! And yes I am a swearing Mormon.
Because I won’t buy into your lies and half wit truths. Yeah good job pinhead! Go UTES!
You already make it work. I don’t have to.
When you have to do this much research to deconstruct an argument, please go back to square one. Thank you!
The heresy is in the commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” So if you knowingly spread lies about any faith, Mormon, Catholic, or otherwise, you condemn yourself.
Yes Elsie and your point is......Ezra Taft Benson I believe was a prophet of God. Going to call me misled and gullible now. “Don’t say a prayer for me now. Save it till the morning after.”-Duran Duran.
Then quit ACCUSING people of things if you have no EVIDENCE other than your FEELINGs.
Why go a circular route where it is my views vs. your views
It ain't my views, but published data straight from MORMON sources.
You got no beef with ME; but Headquarters!
That is correct.
They would offer you a LOT less!
"Houston: We have a problem..."
Nope, a CHRISTIAN hell.
Then we'd need the MORMON list of the DAMNED parts. You know: the ones that ain't TRANSLATED right.
Got it handy?
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