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I am talking about what the Bible says, not what Mormon writings say. And you also know better than to think that all Mormon doctrine is in Mormon scriptures.

Is it not true that the ultimate goal of a Mormon is to become a god?
Is it not true that who you term as God was once a human according to Mormon doctrine?
Is it not true that Mormons believe Native Americans are a lost tribe of Isreal? Is it not true that Mormons consider Jesus and Satan as brothers?
Is it not true that Mormons reject the Holy Trinity?
Is it not true that Mormons believe that there was a civilization that rivaled that of Europe in North America?
Is it not true that up until 1978, black men were not allowed into the order of Melchizedek?
These are just a very few problems that I have with Mormonism, especially from my disaffected Lutheran convert friend.

The fact of the matter is that I HAVE looked into your beliefs for myself and I also happen to know that many Mormons, especially converts are not told of all the aspects of Mormonism until they get deeper and deeper into the religion.

"The fact of the matter is that I HAVE looked into your beliefs for myself and I also happen to know that many Mormons, especially converts are not told of all the aspects of Mormonism until they get deeper and deeper into the religion."

And you think that Catholics are taught every bit of their doctrine before they get "deeper and deeper into the religion"? Catechism is not particularly detailed, FRiend. Baptists, likewise, do not teach their converts ALL the details of their doctrine, nor do Lutherans, or Methodists, or any other church in the world. We Mormons phrase it "line upon line, precept upon precept." Essentially, it is analogous to building a house. First, you build the foundation, THEN you build the mansion on it.

We do not, for example, reject the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost, used interchangeably). We may disagree on exactly how we define the members of that group, depending on which church you belong to.

We did, in fact, keep black men from the higher priesthood until 1978, but my 1966 book on Mormon Doctrine said the leadership of the church did know why the prohibition existed, simply that it did. One of the earliest apostles in the church was a black man, and very nearly the whole world set limits on those people in that time. They could not marry without permission in many states, and if their wife was a slave, so were their children, even if the father was free. They were not allowed to vote, after about 1877, and that state of affairs continued until 1965. I should like to point out that there were very few Mormons in federal or state governments in that time, also.

1978 was a significant year for the church in another area you neglect to mention, too. That is the year the extermination order for Mormons in Missouri was officially rescinded. You might wish to inquire as to the church membership of Governor Boggs. You might learn a thing or two.

Your major error, I think, is to believe that such things have to make sense from a human perspective. I think DelphiUser has addressed the rest of your points adequately, and I hope I've at least given you something to think about. Have a good night, FRiend.

>>I am talking about what the Bible says, not what Mormon writings say.
LOL! We also believe the Bible to be the word of God, correct translation of course. At this point we reach a circular logic problem, LOL!

>>And you also know better than to think that all Mormon doctrine is in Mormon scriptures.

Kind of like the “Trinity”? It’s not in the bible anywhere (Do a search on “Trinity” in an online KJV Bible sometime, it’s not in there)

>>Is it not true that the ultimate goal of a Mormon is to become a god?
You men to become as Jesus is now? Yes that is our goal, to be as much like Jesus as we can. Is that not your goal also?

>>Is it not true that who you term as God was once a human according to Mormon doctrine?
That is not doctrine, but it is a topic of much discussion, as are many things that are considered “Mysteries” and that is a logical extension of the belief that we can become as he is.

>>Is it not true that Mormons believe Native Americans are a lost tribe of Isreal?
Yes, they left Israel before it was taken captive into Babylon, and were led by a prophet to the Americas. We know this from the record they left us, It’s called the Book of Mormon after the prophet who compiled it who was named Mormon.

>>Is it not true that Mormons consider Jesus and Satan as brothers?
We believe that all men were spirits before the world was created, and that Jesus and Satan and you and I were all created spiritually before the world was. Thus we are brothers of both Jesus, and Satan, and they are also brothers.

>>Is it not true that Mormons reject the Holy Trinity?
Yes, the Trinity is a construction that was added to Catholicism in 325 AD at the council in Nicea by Constantine, who was a pagan and was manipulating Christianity to help the Roman Empire. No, Mormons do not believe in the “Trinity” we believe what Jesus taught, and what the twelve believed.

>>Is it not true that Mormons believe that there was a civilization that rivaled that of Europe in North America?
I do not know about “Rivaling Europe”, but civilization defiantly.

>>Is it not true that up until 1978, black men were not allowed into the order of Melchizedek?
There is a long and complicated answer involving many points of doctrine you do not hold, but you are mostly correct on this one, will that do?

>>These are just a very few problems that I have with Mormonism, especially from my disaffected Lutheran convert friend.
So he became a Lutheran after being a Mormon? Or is he an ex Lutheran?

>>The fact of the matter is that I HAVE looked into your beliefs for myself and I also
>>happen to know that many Mormons, especially converts are not told of all the aspects
>>of Mormonism until they get deeper and deeper into the religion.

It is difficult to teach someone everything about a religion or a philosophy at once. I'm sure we may not start with what you think is important, but does any religion start with the complicated stuff? Don’t all religions start with the milk and progress to meat? Do the Catholics start with the sale of indulgences or the infallibility of the pope, or the transubstantiation of the Eucharist? You are looking for things to get upset about.