Posted on 11/10/2014 7:54:08 PM PST by Colofornian
Though done in a lighthearted manner, this 4-minute video is a fairly accurate depiction of standard Mormon doctrine. It would be nice if Mormon missionaries explained Mormonism as clearly as the characters in this video do, but I imagine that would not foster strong LDS Church growth.
Mormon Secrets: What the Missionaries Don’t Tell
By Saved XMormon
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.mrm.org ...
Though done in a lighthearted manner, this 4-minute video is a fairly accurate depiction of standard Mormon doctrine. It would be nice if Mormon missionaries explained Mormonism as clearly as the characters in this video do, but I imagine that would not foster strong LDS Church growth. Mormon Secrets: What the Missionaries Don’t Tell
Go to the link to see the video. This is by far the most concise summary of Mormonism you'll see in a vid-clip less than 4 and 1/2 minutes.
(Of course, the Lds missionaries depicted appeared to have been given a dose of truth serum...versus what they go thru training-wise at MTC ... The Missionary Training Center)
So what you’re saying is Mormonism is a cult? Mainstream Christians used to understand that.
They are usually arrogant, consider themselves the only true patriots and mock rather than have a real debate.
Thanks for posting.
makes 72 virgins believable
And then there’s Smith lies!
I've never seen that happen. But then again, in 30+ years I've never seen a scholarly defense of Mormonism that can withstand a scholarly cross-examination. And that's when the door swings wide to allow the mocking....
"You can know the Mormon church is the One True Church, because we always have twelve living Apostles!"
"Let me get this straight...according to the Mormon church, the Apostle John never died and is fact still roaming this Earth?"
"According to Section 7 of Doctrines and Covenants, that is correct."
"Patrick - is St. John the Evangelist currently an Apostle in the Mormon church?
[silence]
"You're telling me that, after eighteen hundred years with no church to worship in, no fellow believers to gather with, no one to preach to, baptize, commune or consecrate, that the disciple who Jesus loved was too busy tap-dancing atop a pile of yak manure to claim the spot that Jesus gave him on the freshly rebooted apostolic roster?"
"Uh, I don't know about the yak manure..."
..."You're also telling me that in the subsequent time since the One True Church woke up from its near-two-thousand-year coma, that the guy who wrote five books of the Bible couldn't even be bothered to show up at your Salt Lake City headquarters for an official meet-and-greet?"
-- from the thread Donall and Conall Meet the Mormon Missionaries
(Well, you're a very astute observer. To be fair, though, to Mormons):
#1 Mormonism is very difficult to defend on the level you mention.
#2 Usually at least half of those "mockers" you've observed aren't Lds at all. As to why they mock, can't pretend to speak for all or even most of 'em.
I know some have revealed they have family ties (or friends) who are Lds;
others just like to see various perceived conservative sub-groups within Lds "get along" vs. anything that might "split them"...seemingly totally unaware, or blissfully ignorant on purpose of the wholesale Mormonesque accusations their church has plastered upon Christianity going back almost 200 years now.
To them, they think we have "bigger battles" to fight -- and they just don't seem to know how others could possibly multi-task such struggles on various stages.
Overall, I also take "cultural factors" into consideration: Frankly even many conservative FReepers have been "schooled" by beloved high school educators & college profs in the secular "tolerance" worldview. So...they think we ought to tolerate (almost) all the isms out there ... ...the "exceptions" that come to mind are ones like Radical Islamism; certain brands of liberalism; communism; socialism, etc.).
And what's always of interest to me is how these individuals tend to preach tolerance of others' various religious expressions -- all as they disdain my religious expressions. (Makes for some mighty interesting self-refuting, hypocritical testimony on display here! :))
LOL
Hmm, says it doesn't exist on servers.
What’s the difference between a Mormon and some Protestants? About 300 years.
Mormons teach the Church was not on earth for about 1,700 years, some Protestants say it was gone for 1,400 years.
Which ones?
Yes. (And other groups' teachings...like Scientology, for example):
L. Ron Hubbard could have easily substituted Kolob for Venus in his religion.
According to Scientology, when a person dies — or, in Scientology terms, when a thetan abandons its physical body — they go to a "landing station" on the planet Venus, where the thetan is re-implanted and told lies about its past life and its next life. The Venusians take the thetan, "capsule" it, and send it back to Earth to be dumped into the ocean off the coast of California. Source: Thetan (Wikipedia)
Seems to me that, per the Mormon myth narrative, when when an earthling is becoming "encapsuled" they leave from a "launching station" on the planet Kolob, where the Mormon spirit is implanted inside a human body, and once born with a Mormon family, the Mormon is told lies about its past life and its next life. The Mormon gods take the Mormon, "capsule" it in that body, and send it to Earth to be dumped at age 8 into the Mormon baptismal founts off of many international coasts.
Similarities between Mormonism and Scientology
* Origins
o Based on entirely unevidenced stories
o Doctrines created and evolved over time, sometimes changing
* Founders
o Known for their extreme desire for wealth
o Known for telling stories and lies
o Convicted and imprisoned for illegal activities
o Died during their trouble with the law
* Legal troubles
o Involved in many illegal activities, in many cases as part of official organization doctrine and practices
o Support destruction of outsiders, especially apostates (blood atonement, shunning, "fair game")
o Legal troubles led to changes in doctrine (at least on the surface, note polygamy and "fair game")
* Teachings
o Pre- and post-mortal existence
o Eternal progression (godhood, clear thetan)
o Only way to know truth is to experience it yourself
o Christianity, Bible only partly true
o Focus on thriving and happiness in present life rather than the afterlife or eternal life
o "Salvation" by works
o Give "milk" instead of "meat"
o Official endorsement of lying about or avoiding discussion of controversial doctrines, especially origin of man and key figures (Heavenly Father, Xenu, spirit children, thetans, etc)
o Levels can be achieved (Operating Thetan levels, temple Mormons, eternal progression, different kingdoms)
o Resistance is dismissed as proof/evidence of validity
* Behavior
o Persecution complex
o Label and treat opposition as evil enemies ("Antis", "Suppressive Persons")
Other Similarities:
1. Pre-existence of humanity:
LDS: All humans pre-existed in the spirit world before being born on earth.
Scientology: People were thetans in past lives + belief in reincarnation.
2. Unlimited potential for humans:
LDS: Heavenly Father (God) is an exalted man and LDS men may become gods with omnipotence and omniscience.
Scientology: People may become thetans again, regaining their freedom from matter, energy, space, and time (MEST).
3. “Salvation” only through their Church:
LDS: Exaltation and godhood only through the LDS Church.
Scientology: Recovering one’s thetanhood only possible through Church of Scientology.
This thread drew over 400 replies:
Similarities between Mormonism and Scientology
You’ll have to excuse me for now. I want to learn about Christians, so I’m going to ask a Mormon to educate me.
Augh! I messed up my HTML code! Try here:
Well, Alex, is right...gotta be specific...hard to argue vs. a phantom "some"...I'm not saying they don't exist...just "who?" ...
Because when you look at church and sect history there really are very few what I call "restorationist" groups beyond the cults...
There's some fringe groups like the Campbellites and a few other very small groups.
That's where...
...(1) a distinction is made 'tween the words "reformation" vs. "restoration"
...(2) Show me ANY Protestant leader of the 16th or 17th centuries whom you believe was trying to start up a church from scratch -- from ground zero, if you will.
Many I have spoken to over the years. I ask them to name a Christian who lived in the second century, third century or fourth century, they can’t name any. They attack Catholic doctrines such as baptismal regeneration and the Real Presence so anyone holding those beliefs can’t be Christian......
Can’t have it both ways my friend.
What these folks don’t understand is, their attack on historical Christian beliefs leads right to Joseph Smith and his lie that the true Church fell away.
By all means, Saxxon, whenever you're shopping for a used car, don't just rely upon internet Consumer Reports & similar published sources, Get the scoop straight from the used car dealer! Why, he's not trying to proselyte you into becoming a consumer of his peddler's wares, now is he?
And if you're not satisfied only with that, ask the used car dealer for links to his in-house used car dealers & advocacy sources! Yup! Get both sides (& know who to trust!)
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