The main issue you're responding to is not my claims about "authorization" of the Mormon church. I mean, sure, we could get into that. In fact, I chose to at the end (see below). But that's not what our discussion has been about. It's been about the supposed "withdrawn authorization" of the church of Jesus Christ, as started by Jesus Christ -- and one which He promised the gates of hell would not prevail against. Did Jesus tell the truth in Matt. 18:16 or not?
Or when the apostle Paul said that this church would give glory to God "throughout all generations" (Eph. 3:21) -- did He tell the truth or not?
Or when the Holy Spirit told the apostle Paul in 1 Tim. 4:1 that only "some" would depart from the faith -- not "all" at any given point -- was the Holy Spirit correct or mistaken?
Even the word "restoration" is a misnomer. If I "restore" an old house, I haven't torn it down, leaving empty property for 1500-1800 years, only to rebuild it from scratch on that same property 1800 years later. Yet, Mormonism claims the true people of God totally exited for that period of time. And you acknowledged this: Mormons do believe in a "complete apostasy" as you point out, and in the restoration of "the Church of Jesus Christ (of Latter-Day Saints)" as they call it, which they believe is the only current "true and living" church, that is, the only current one authorized by God.
...to mormons, that no church existed at the time of Joseph Smith, and no other church exists today, that is actually authorized by God to act in God's name.
Well, this has long been my definition of a cult leader: Someone who is not divine yet whom claims to have a monopoly on all truth while all others are wrong in the eyes of God. The LDS church proclaims to be the "one true church" (see Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:9-10) and in fact, theologically, according to this passage only recognizes two churches -- the true one and the Satanic counterfeit. (Guess who LDS label as the true "Lamb of God" church and who by default thereby falls under the broad Satanic umbrella?)
As I see your argument, the outline is (1) mormons believe X Y Z...I am just disagreeing with some of your points under number (1), that's all.
your words: ...the "creeds" were an abomination in God's sight [post #310]
Well, we seem to agree Joseph Smith says "X" about the Christian beliefs -- that they are 100% "putrid" in Smith's nostrils
your words, part ii: ...no church existed at the time of Joseph Smith, and no other church exists today, that is actually authorized by God to act in God's name... [post #514]
Well, we seem to agree Joseph Smith says "Y" about the Christian church -- that ALL are unjoinable.
your words, part iii: Mormons do believe in a "complete apostasy" as you point out... [post #514]
Well, we seem to agree Joseph Smith says "Z" about Christians being apostates of apostate churches across the board.
So what is it we're supposedly disagreeing with again? (Oh, yeah, the appendix to X,Y,Z -- who qualifies as "corrupt" ) You say "preachers" and leading sect teachers. All I can say is, nice generic sweep. When the God of the Old Testament condemned leaders, he was usually specific. (Not so, re: Smith's god).
BTW, didn't you contradict yourself from your post #493 vs. post #514? ...according to Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, almost all had gone astray, that is, "professors of Christianity" (believers, for the sake of this discussion) "generally" had gone astray... [post #493]
Then, in post #514, you said "Mormons do believe in a 'complete apostasy'. Which is it? "Almost all" or "complete?"
Finally, as for "authorization," the Mormon god has no final authorization to award to authorize anyone on his own. He always been beholden to a higher god -- a "council of gods" who were before him. At one point, he was mere man with no authority. He is not an ultimate god; there is no "buck stops here" authority within him. That is not so with the Christian God. He is Alpha and Omega; none are before Him; none are beside Him. (Isaiah 43; 44; 45). All ultimate authority rests with Him!
Or when the Holy Spirit told the apostle Paul in 1 Tim. 4:1 that only "some" would depart from the faith -- not "all" at any given point -- was the Holy Spirit correct or mistaken?