[Graybeard58]

I did some editing on this by inserting paragraph breaks to try to make it more readable. I don't believe it changed anything but to see the original just click the link.

[Graybeard58]

Might be of interest to you.

[proud2b4family]

Hmm. Interesting, but as a practicing and faithful adherent to the religion nicknamed “Mormon” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I have to disagree. I have met FAR more members who fully accept the Church despite a few perceived blemishes on its history, not because they are brainwashed, gullible, or just looking for comfort in a friendly society. They accept it because they have faith that God will reveal or has already revealed the reasons for things that appear suspicious or outright crazy to those outside of the Church.

Please don’t forget that your same arguments, and many like them, were used against Christians in the early Church. Was not Jesus accused of being a wine bibber, of improperly associating with harlots, and of casting out devils by Beelzebub by the Pharisees of His day? Was he not crucified for making the “outlandish” claim to be the King of the Jews, the very Messiah?

Early Christianity only looks acceptable and logical to us latecomers because we aren’t being burned out of our homes or impaled on stakes and lit on fire as decorations for the Roman Emporer’s banquet.

[MrEdd]

No other church has so short a history that it can be examined so closely by science. Otherwise we would find that they are all created on the backs of con-artist. I am willing to bet every religion was founded by a fraud. So who cares. Does religion bring us together? Does it bond a nation, a town, a family? If so then let it be.

*cough* Jehovah's *cough* Witnesses *cough*
*cough* Scientology *cough*

[Kevmo]

I am willing to bet every religion was founded by a fraud.
***I’m not.

1 Corinthians 15:14

---

International Standard Version (©2008)
and if the Messiah has not been raised, then our message means nothing and your faith means nothing.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.

GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
If Christ hasn’t come back to life, our message has no meaning and your faith also has no meaning.

King James Bible
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

American King James Version
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

American Standard Version
and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain.

Bible in Basic English
And if Christ did not come again from the dead, then our good news and your faith in it are of no effect.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Darby Bible Translation
but if Christ is not raised, then, indeed, vain also is our preaching, and vain also your faith.

English Revised Version
and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain.

Webster’s Bible Translation
And if Christ is not raised, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Weymouth New Testament
And if Christ has not risen, it follows that what we preach is a delusion, and that your faith also is a delusion.

World English Bible
If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.

Young’s Literal Translation
and if Christ hath not risen, then void is our preaching, and void also your faith,

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. (NASB ©1995)
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

[count-your-change]

Echols sounds like Tony Soprano's wife in the last throes of abject moral surrender. ‘Sure what I believe is based on fraud but so is everyone beliefs. Who cares?’

[fproy2222]

ctr

[Choose Ye This Day]

The average Mormon sitting in a pew does not care how or why their religion works

Somehow I doubt the author knows or has spoken to very many "average Mormons".

[maryz]

many have argued that the primary "glue" of Mormonism is the heritage, culture, and family ties

Ah, the ever-popular Katy Couric "many"! Always a crowd-pleaser! ;-)

Is "atheoligical" a word? I thought it might be a typo on your part, but, no, that's what the source has . . .

[SkyPilot]

In my church yesterday, I sat next to Koreans, Chinese, Venezuelans, Peruvians, African-Americans, and whites of European descent.

The "glue" that unites that diverse crowd is the Body of Christ, and the faith set in knowing He died for our sins.

When one truly and honestly explores the LDS faith, it is not only found wanting, it is almost laughable.

Golden Plates, "Reformed" Egyptian, Planet Kolob, Spirit Wives, Magic Peepstones, and Becoming Your Own god are just the tip of tragedy.

The author is incorrect that all religions are based on fraud. He is correct in his assessment that Mormons have a lot to lose if their religion is based on a huckster who literally created the 3-dollar bill and slept with in excess of 30 women (several of those women being wives to other men of his own flock).

It would take courage to break away from family, friends, and business associates who are your fellow LDS.

Those who have done so have incredible stories to tell.

But, many of those who have exhibited the courage and wisdom to do just that have done it for Christ.

In fact, everyone who has left his homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Matthew 19:29

[Spiff]

Quoting South Park always makes an argument more credible, of course... /sarc

They are not concerned with the real character of Joseph Smith or how the LDS scriptures coincide with biblical teachings.

I love Joseph Smith. He was truly a Prophet of God, chosen to restore to the earth the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He saw God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ. His testimony was sealed with his blood at the hands of assassins. I can only hope that my own character measures up in any way to his.

The Old Testament and the New Testament (KJV) are the foremost LDS scriptures. Other LDS scriptures support the teachings of the Bible. I believe the Holy Bible to be true as well as The Book of Mormon and other LDS scriptures to be true and the word of God.

[Quix]

This rings true of most LDS in my experiences in LDS country.

Many Bishops don’t even know many things about historic LDS facts.

[ejonesie22]

SO let me get this straight, we have a “Religion” who has it's own writers saying who cares if there is a God or if all of our dogma is based on truth or not, just go be happy? Hell be an atheist, and you can be LDS if you are happy.

Damn, just damn...

[Alex Murphy]

...many have argued that the primary "glue" of Mormonism is the heritage, culture, and family ties, not the doctrine and theology...

I'd agree with that.

[Elsie]

The average Mormon sitting in a pew does not care how or why their religion works, they only care that it works for them. There you go again!

Trying to tell unknowning folks WHAT we believe!

--MormonDude(I fully trust the KJV Bible - as long as it's translated correctly.)

[who_would_fardels_bear]

What percentage of committed religious folk, of any religion or denomination, have had any formal training in philosophy?

Not many I imagine. If the average religious person doesn't even know how he would go about proving his own existence, or the existence of the world around him, or the existence of an infinite God that created the whole enchilada, then why should we care what he has to say about whether this book or that book is more authoritative or correct?

If you make the claim that the average person can't be expected to follow detailed philosophical arguments, but must instead rely upon common sense, then Mormonism seems to work pretty much better than anything else as far as supporting American traditions, the family, the business ethic, etc.

It may be an affront to our intellect to admit that one of the most sensible communities has a religion founded on such an odd and unimaginable occurence as the reading of gold tablets with special glasses, but there it is.

Only in America!

[Monkey Face]

Golly. I can’t imagine why you would ping me to this “information.” It’s not like I’ve been in a closet for umpty years.

But thanks, anyway!

;o]

[Old Mountain man]

Yes, it keeps amazing me when the Jim Bakkers and Billy Grahams and other assorted scam artists keep failing and the mainstreamers keep doing the same sorts of things. Well, let the Creflo Dollars and the Benny hinns of the world keep on demonstrating the bankruptcy of mainstream protestantism. Weep on!

[Gamecock]

"Look, maybe us Mormons do believe in crazy stories that make absolutely no sense. And maybe Joseph Smith did make it all up. But I have a great life and a great family and I have the Book of Mormon to thank for that. The truth is, I don’t care if Joseph Smith made it all up. Because what the church teaches now is loving your family, being nice and helping people. And even though people in this town might think that’s stupid, I still choose to believe in it."

Is this a common Mormon philosopy?

Christians would look at Scripture and say if we are wrong let the world pity us!

1Corinth 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.