Top 10 Embarrassments of the Mormon Religion

ListVerse.com ^ | Oct. 5, 2012 | Zabrina

[Colofornian]

Mormon is allegedly a prophet-historian who was the native American believed by Mormons to have written the Book of Mormon – the main religious text of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormonism). Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would prefer were kept silent. These embarrassments range from textual inaccuracies to scandals in the life of the founder, Joseph Smith. Of all religions, it’s difficult to believe this one has caught on given the long list of embarrassments that follows! Mormonism and its faults is a particularly interesting topic at present given that Mitt Romney is a Mormon and he is campaigning against President Obama in the upcoming US Presidential elections. It will be interesting to see whether Romney 2012 becomes President Romney – only time will tell.

10 False Book

Embarrassment: Book of Abraham

The Book of Abraham, one of the central texts of Mormonism, is a poor translation of Egyptian papyri. Fragments of the original text were found and studied by renowned historians with credentials and experience. These experts discovered the fragments to be scraps of funeral spells used to help spirits move on to the afterlife. There were no resemblances between the text and the supposedly divinely-inspired translation that Smith invented. As well as the mainstream Mormon church, other related churches, such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, still believe it to be a canon work that represents the will of God. Apologists for the Book claim that modern Egyptologists are simply translating the text wrong – basically meaning that Joseph Smith is the only human to have lived who understood Egyptian hieroglyphics correctly (aside from the Egyptians themselves of course).

9 Martyr or Coward?

Embarrassment: Smith’s death – suicide, heroic, or somewhere in between?

Some say that Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, fought back bravely against attackers, but others believe he committed suicide by jumping out of a window. A few things are certain – he shot and was shot, and at some point, fell out of a window. He used a smuggled pistol to shoot at a mob and did not die a martyr’s death in any case, as is claimed by many Mormons. There is quite a stark contrast between Christian martyrs who – in virtually every case – trusted God enough to welcome their death and Joseph Smith who so lacked belief in his own “religion” that he was terrified of dying.

8 Missing History

Embarrassment: No archaeological evidence

The claims made by the Book of Mormon mention specific tools, technologies, crops, and animals that simply didn’t exist in those regions at the times stated. For example, horses, cattle, sheep, and swine weren’t roaming between 2500 BC and 400 AD, as claimed. Most of these species were introduced in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. Similarly, barley and wheat weren’t grown, iron and steel weren’t being produced, and systems of weight and measurement such as the Mormons claim existed simply aren’t supported by archaeological evidence.

7 Plagiarism

Embarrassment: Plagiarism of the King James Bible

There are specific quotes in the Book of Mormon that are found in the King James Bible and other modern works that Joseph Smith had access to. For example, Alma 5:52 is identical almost word-for-word to Matthew 3:10. Smith plagiarized 478 verses from the book of Isaiah, and 201 are identical to the King James Bible. If this book were truly divinely inspired, it wouldn’t have been pieced together from pieces of the books that Smith read!

6 Mormon Underwear

Embarrassment: Magical underpants

The temple garments worn by Mormons supposedly provide protection against temptation and sins. They are even credited with saving people’s lives during natural disasters in Mormon urban legends, which is ridiculous to most people without supernatural beliefs in magical clothes. They are seen as sacred and cannot be removed unless absolutely necessary, but then should be put on again as soon as possible. One wonders whether Mitt Romney’s underwear is “Mormon-approved.”

5 Polygamy

Embarrassment: Polygamy – now it’s valid, now it isn’t?

The first forty years of Mormonism involved plural marriage, a form of harem-keeping by men who were taught by Joseph Smith that it was a doctrine worth following. Smith then proceeded to marry half a dozen women in 1843, yet he denied to the public that he practiced this polygamy. He had at least forty wives in his lifetime, some of whom were thirteen years old, and Brigham Young had fifty wives. Now, the modern view is that polygamy is unacceptable, which seems to be a revelation brought about by the illegality of polygamy. The Mormon god can has changed his mind, it seems!

4 Lost Text

Embarrassment: First translation mysteriously lost

The Book of Mormon, when first translated, was given to a friend who supposedly lost them. Joseph Smith should have been able to retranslate them from his “golden tablets” – the original source of this book – and yet he found an excuse to avoid this. He said that they were not allowed to be in the Book of Mormon anymore, clearly because if the original were to be found and compared with the new translation, the inconsistencies in the text he made up would be discovered. Pictured above are seven lines that Smith claimed he copied directly from the mysterious (and missing) golden tablets on which he said the Book of Mormon was written.

3 False Witnesses

Embarrassment: Witnesses were excommunicated

Two groups of witnesses supposedly saw the translation of the Book of Mormon, yet they were all excommunicated after disagreements with Smith. It seems the first group of three witnesses found it too much of a hoax to stay in the church after witnessing this, so a second group needed to be found. These eight men signed statements claiming to have seen and handled the golden plates, though it was later revealed that they hadn’t actually done so. In other words, Smith forced them to lie about seeing the plates.

2 Stolen Rituals

Embarrassment: Stolen temple rituals

Symbols and rituals for Mormon temples were stolen from Freemasonry. Some of these rituals include the symbols on the “magic underpants” worn by Mormons, a secret handshake that Freemasons exchange somehow becoming the handshake people must give angels in order to enter the highest heavenly kingdom, and more. Joseph Smith was expelled from the Freemasons for this theft, though he still tried to appeal to the Masons in the mob that came to kill him by giving the first words of a Mason signal of distress, abandoning his created faith in his last moments.

1 Slaughter of Innocents

Embarrassment: Mountain Meadows Massacre

In the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, a gang of Mormons banded up to attack a wagon train of families from Arkansas on their way to California. The aggressors pretended to be Native Americans so they could achieve a political goal, and when they feared discovery by the victims, murdered about 120 men, women, and children over the age of seven in order to avoid leaving witnesses to testify as to who was really behind the attacks.These embarrassments add up to a damning conclusion: Joseph Smith managed to string along his followers for decades, and even today, churches and communities exist that believe these ridiculous fantasies. The embarrassments listed above are just the beginning for the Mormon community, who would just as soon explain away each reason to doubt their deeply-held convictions – a sad state of affairs for any logical human being.

[IronJack]

So is your purpose in this lengthy reply to demonstrate that you are educating people on the evils of Mormonism?

[Colofornian]

So through your witness, you’ve “saved” at least three FReepers from Mormonism?

In my last post to you, I said exactly the opposite: Only God saves... (It's the Mormons who claim to be literal "saviors" of men... see Are Mormon people LITERAL saviors of dead Jews, others? (The OTHER World Series: Vanity)

And...I never claimed to be the ONLY FREEPER witnessing to Mormons. That's your reductionism.

(May I suggest you conduct your own online searches?...you can use the phrase "Flying Inmans" and "Free Republic")

[sport]

His politics. He has no religion. Jesus Himself had a statement concerning individuals such as him.I believe it is in the Book of Matthew.

[Religion Moderator]

Moderators cannot enforce "do not post to me" requests.

If you do not wish to correspond with another Freeper onthread, then simply ignore him/her.

[S.O.S121.500]

BTW; that was a quote from WHOM?

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Stephen Roberts

[S.O.S121.500]

You’re dismissed!

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Typical....

[trebb]

Another obsessed one who feels it is their mission to destroy Mormonism in toto. Also can’t understand that Romney lost and isn’t coming back so they waste their time slamming him - all in the most Christian manner.

[cynwoody]

Who cares?

[Elsie]

Another obsessed one who feels it is their mission to destroy Mormonism in toto.

Works for me!

MormonISM IS a satanic heresy.

[Elsie]

So is your purpose in this lengthy reply to demonstrate that you are educating people on the evils of Mormonism?

My 'purpose' is to show the rank HYPOCRACY of the religious organization known colloquially as MORMON.

[Elsie]

So is your purpose in this lengthy reply to demonstrate that you are educating people on the evils of Mormonism?

My 'purpose' is to show the rank HYPOCRACY of the religious organization known coliquailly as MORMON.

I did a purtty good job; didn't I!

[Elsie]

Thanks!

[Elsie]

Also can’t understand that Romney lost and isn’t coming back so they waste their time slamming him - all in the most Christian manner.

Yah; we ALL thought that after 2008, but that loser DID 'come back'!

All along I've been led to believe that Zombies did NOT exist!

[Elsie]

Also can’t understand that Romney lost and isn’t coming back so they waste their time slamming him - all in the most Christian manner.

Yup; pointing out DECEIVED individuals that can cause others to lose THEIR way is a Christian thing to do.

[Elsie]

Here is MORMONism's own creed:

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Articles of Faith

The Articles of Faith outline 13 basic points of belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Prophet Joseph Smith first wrote them in a letter to John Wentworth, a newspaper editor,
in response to Mr. Wentworth's request to know what members of the Church believed.
They were subsequently published in Church periodicals.
They are now regarded as scripture and included in the Pearl of Great Price.

 

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 535—541

 

 

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
   
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
   
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
   
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
   
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
   
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
   
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
   
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
   
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
   
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
    
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
    
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
    
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Joseph Smith

 

[Elsie]

(May I suggest you conduct your own online searches?...you can use the phrase "Flying Inmans" and "Free Republic")

And, anyone curious about MORMONism can start here; a wonderful list of links compiled by a Mormon who, apparently, no longer posts in these religion discussions. (Probably has realized that Mitt ain't coming back.)

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I miss ol' PD!

HE was about useless when it came to defending his faith; but at LEAST he had a bunch of links that showed interested people where to find the MILK of MORMONism...

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Here; in his memory; is The LIST:

http://www.lds.org

http://scriptures.lds.org/
http://www.fairlds.org/
http://www.mormonapologetics.org/
http://www.mormonwiki.com/Main_Page
http://www.lightplanet.com/response/index.html
http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDS_Intro.shtml
http://www.answeringantimormons.com/index.htm
http://promormon.blogspot.com

[Elsie]

I miss ol' PD!

I was WRONG!

He IS still holding the fort!!

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Paragon Defender

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:paragondefender/index?tab=comments;brevity=full;options=no-change

[Elsie]

Dang!!!

I was wrong AGAIN!!!

Looks like the last radar contact for ol’ PD was in 2011

[IronJack]

Are you proud of that?

[Morgana]

“Do you see your efforts as doing God’s work?

In the course of the last several years, have at least three FREEPER Mormons become true Christians? (Answer: Yes) “

Only three? Somehow I think you are creating more enemies than converts.

No offense to any Mormons here, but I could care less about the Mormon faith. With that said I find your threads/rants hostile and provocative. I have to say if I was a Mormon this tactic would not persuade me to convert.

I suggest if you want more converts, more than three, you try a new game plan.