Ten Lies I Told as a Mormon Missionary

Mormonism Research Ministry ^ | Loren Franck

[delacoert]

The Bible predicts a dreadful fate for liars. For instance, while banished on the island of Patmos, the Apostle John saw that "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8). Similarly, the beloved disciple writes, liars are doomed to an eternity outside of God's presence (Revelation 22:15). Because Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), lying is extremely serious sin.

As a full-time Mormon missionary from 1975 to 1977, I lied for the church countless times. Like my colleagues in the South Dakota-Rapid City Mission, which served the Dakotas and adjacent areas, I spoke truthfully about my background, but touted many Mormon teachings that contradict the Bible. After my mission ended, however, I examined these doctrines more closely. The harder I tried to reconcile the contradictions, the more evident they became. So, after extensive prayer and study, I resigned my church membership in 1984. Cheated and betrayed, I lacked spiritual life for the next 17 years. But God, knowing those who are His (John 10:14; 2 Timothy 2:19), drew me to Christ (John 6:44) and saved me in 2001. My spiritual emptiness was replaced by the abundant life only the Savior can give (John 10:10). And now, like millions of Christians worldwide, I have everlasting life through my faith in Him (John 3:36; 6:47).

I can't remember all of my missionary lies. Some were small, others grandiose, but all were false and misleading. Here are ten I'll never forget.

1. We're Not Trying to Convert You 

Of all my lies, this was the most frequent. I learned it well while in Winnipeg, Manitoba, which was my first assignment. A standard door-to-door proselyting pitch began with, "We represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Interrupting, many people said they had their own religion. "Oh, we're not trying to convert you," I responded. "We're sharing a message for all faiths."

But Mormon missionaries have one overriding goal, and that's to bring converts into the church. Clearly, this was the purpose of my mission. I didn't trade the Southern California sunshine for the Dakota snow merely to build interfaith relations. My calling was to teach the church-approved missionary lessons and then baptize the people I taught.

2. The Bible is Insufficient 

According to their eighth Article of Faith, Mormons accept the Bible as the word of God only when it's translated correctly. How convenient for a missionary. When a non-Mormon's interpretation of scripture differed from mine, I frequently blamed faulty Bible translation. And since I believed the Bible was missing "many plain and precious things," as the Book of Mormon claims in 1 Nephi 13:28-29, I urged prospective converts not to trust it completely.

And yet, Mormon proof texts had few translation problems. Throughout my mission, I used only those Bible verses that steered prospects away from their church and toward Mormonism. But what kind of Christian believes that an all-knowing, all-powerful and all-loving God gave mankind an inadequate version of His word. Actually, the Bible is more than sufficient. With its 66 books, 1,189 chapters and nearly 740,000 words, it's the divine road map to eternal life through Jesus Christ.

3. We're the Only True Christians

For decades, the Mormon Church has tried to blend with mainstream Christianity. Accordingly, during my mission a quarter-century ago, I worked hard to convince prospects that Mormons believe in the biblical Jesus. But Paul warned of deceivers who would lure Christians away from "the simplicity that is in Christ." These false teachers preached "another Jesus" and "another gospel" (2 Corinthians 11: 3-4) and were accursed (see Galatians 1:8-9). How interesting that Paul also cautions against false apostles, such as those in the Mormon Church (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).

So which Jesus and gospel do Mormons preach? While a missionary, I taught that Christ was the firstborn spirit child of the Father in a premortal life. (The remainder of humanity was born as spirits later in this "pre-existence.") But I didn't tell prospects this was a literal birth, the result of literal fathering, as Mormon prophets and apostles have claimed. If asked, I taught that the devil was born as one of God's noble spirit sons during the pre-existence, but had rebelled and started a war in heaven.

Consistent with Mormon doctrine, then, Christ and Satan are spirit brothers. But the Bible teaches that Christ is God (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; John 1:1), that He has always been God (Psalm 90:2), and that He always will be God (Hebrews 13:8). Born into mortality some 2,000 years ago, Jesus is "God... manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). He is far grander and holier than "our Elder Brother," as Mormons dub Him. Jesus and Satan aren't spirit brothers, and true Christians don't believe such blasphemy.

4. We're the Only True Church 

I usually told this lie during the first of seven 30-minute missionary lessons, which presented the Joseph Smith story. According to our script, Smith prayed in 1820 about which church to join. He claimed the Father and Son appeared and told him that all Christian churches of the day were wrong. Smith said he was forbidden to join any of them, that their creeds were abominable and their professors all corrupt. "They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me," the Lord allegedly added. "They teach for doctrines the commandments of men" (Joseph Smith — History, verse 19). In subsequent lessons, I told prospects that Mormonism is the true church God restored through Smith.

But the Bible says such a restoration was unnecessary. Admittedly, there was partial apostasy after Christ's resurrection, but never a complete falling away. In fact, shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). During my mission, however, I argued that the gates of hell did prevail against Christ's church.

Shortly after renouncing Mormonism, I learned a scriptural death blow to notions of universal apostasy. Addressing Ephesian believers 30 years after the Ascension, the Apostle Paul writes, "Unto [God] be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:21). God received glory in the Christian church from the time of Paul's writing to the present day, and He will receive such glory throughout all succeeding generations. Therefore, the church must exist from Paul's day throughout eternity. This annihilates Mormon claims of complete apostasy and makes restoration of Christ's church impossible.

5. We Have a Living Prophet 

Whether in wintry Winnipeg or the balmy Black Hills of Rapid City, I criticized Christians because their church lacked a living prophet. Mormons claim the true church must have one. My favorite Bible proof text to back this claim was Amos 3:7, which reads, "Surely, the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

When prospective converts remained skeptical of living prophets, I quoted Ephesians 4:11-14, which apparently requires living apostles and prophets until believers unify in the faith and understand Christ completely. However, writing in the past tense, Paul is actually referring to apostles and prophets of Jesus' day. Otherwise, verse 11 would read that the Lord "is giving" or "will give" apostles and prophets. Of course, God did reveal His will through Old Testament prophets, as Amos 3:7 affirms. But for the last 2,000 years, He has spoken to believers through Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The truth about Mormonism's living prophets is further illuminated in Deuteronomy 18:22. "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord," the scripture reads, "if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." Isaiah 8:20 contains a similar warning: "To the law and the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

False prophets who led ancient Israel astray received the death penalty (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:20), and all who profess to be living prophets should consider the consequences. Mormon prophets might appear grandfatherly and sincere, but they're not God's living oracles. Since the Mormon Church was founded in 1830, its prophets have uttered a striking number of false prophecies. (See chapter 14 of Jerald and Sandra Tanner's "The Changing World of Mormonism.")

6. The Book of Mormon is Scripture 

Joseph Smith claimed that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth, adding that man would become closer to God by following its precepts than by obeying any other book ("History of the Church," Vol. 4, p. 461). Replace "Book of Mormon" with "the Bible" and Smith would have told the truth.

When teaching missionary lessons, I boldly maintained that the Book of Mormon is scripture. I spent myriad hours convincing prospects that it's a sacred record of Christ's activities in the western hemisphere. Yet many Christians I contacted realized the book "borrows" heavily from the Bible and other sources. And in stark contrast to the Old and New Testaments, virtually no archaeological and anthropological evidence supports the Book of Mormon. Why not? Because it's fiction. When Christians want to read scripture, they turn to the Bible.

7. You're Saved By Works 

More than any other Mormon lie, this undermines Christ's atonement, which is the most sacred doctrine of the Bible. Mormons usually equate salvation with resurrection. Likewise, they refer to eternal life as "exaltation." I did both while teaching prospective converts. I relished the church's third Article of Faith, which claims, "through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."

Trying to bridge the doctrinal divide between Mormons and Christians, I emphasized that salvation is by grace "after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). What classic Mormon double-talk. Unmistakably, the Bible says eternal life is a gift from God (Romans 5:15; 6:23) to those who believe in Christ (John 6:47), call upon Him (Romans 10:13) and receive Him as Lord and Savior (John 1:12). Contrary to Mormon dogma, this gift cannot be awarded meritoriously.

Equally clear is that salvation results from God's grace through each believer's faith, not from obeying a checklist of laws and ordinances (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). All who confess Christ and believe in Him from the heart shall be saved (Romans 10:8-13).

Most Mormons know little about imputed righteousness — and neither did I during my mission. Essentially, as Christians know, the Lord credits believers with His perfect righteousness and charges their transgressions to His sinless spiritual "account." Paul explains this doctrine masterfully in Romans 4 and 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

When teaching the Mormon gospel, though, I emphatically denied imputed righteousness, which is the essence of the atonement. I stressed that eternal life is earned by perfect obedience to all gospel laws and ordinances. Yet the Bible says that "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). As the Psalmist writes: "They are all gone aside. They are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Psalm 14:3; compare Romans 3:10-18).

How many Mormons perfectly obey all gospel laws? None. As the Bible asserts, even the church's current prophet can't keep God's laws thoroughly enough to merit heaven (1 John 1:8). And if he can't, how can anyone else?

8. People Can Become Gods 

Given its explosive nature, this tenet was rarely shared with prospective converts. Missionaries try to entice people into Mormonism gradually, and presenting the doctrine of plural gods is seldom the best way. Several contacts learned the concept from their pastors or read about it on their own, but it was new to most prospects.

"Our Father in heaven loves us so much," I often said, parroting our lesson script, "that He provided a plan [Mormonism] for us to become like him." I didn't mention that Mormon godhood includes spirit procreation throughout eternity. Neither did I hint that the Mormon God was formerly a mortal man, had lived on an earth like ours, and had earned salvation through good works. However, such polytheism strips God of glory and sovereignty. No wonder the Bible condemns it so strongly. When discussing plural gods on my mission, I sidestepped Isaiah 44:8 whenever possible. "Is there a God beside me?" the passage reads. "Yea, there is no God; I know not any." Other verses amply testify that only one God exists in the universe (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; 45:21-23).

When confronted with these scriptures as a missionary, I usually countered with, "Those verses mean we worship only one God, that there's only one God to us." And if that failed, I lied further: "The Bible isn't clear on this subject. Fortunately, the Lord told Joseph Smith that mortals can become gods." Smith might have had a revelation, but not from God.

9. You're Born Again By Becoming a Mormon 

One of my favorite missionary scriptures was John 3:5. "Verily, verily I say unto you," the Savior explains, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." To Mormon missionaries everywhere, being born of water means baptism into the Mormon Church. Birth of the Spirit refers to the gift of the Holy Ghost, allegedly bestowed after baptism.

Unfortunately, during my mission, I didn't know what it means to be born again. I completely misinterpreted Paul's declaration that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17; compare Galatians 6:15). According to the Bible, believers in Christ are reborn spiritually as sons and daughters of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1-2). They experience a complete Christian conversion of mind and heart. Membership in a church organization might foster social activity and fellowship, but it's not spiritual rebirth.

10. Temple Marriage is Required for Eternal Life 

I participated in well over 100 Mormon temple ceremonies from 1975 to 1982, including my own marriage in 1977. Based heavily on freemasonry, temple rites are the church's most carefully guarded secrets. And "celestial marriage," which supposedly weds men and women eternally, is probably the most important temple ordinance. While a missionary, I frequently told prospects they needed temple marriage to gain eternal life.

Yet the Lord says marriage between men and women is irrelevant to the hereafter. "The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage," He declares. "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage… for they are equal unto the angels...." (Luke 20:34-36.)

The Bible does teach eternal marriage, but not the Mormon version. The union is between Christ, the Bridegroom, and His collective body of believers, who are the bride (Matthew 25:1-13; John 3:29; Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2).

False Testimony

I close with a few words about "testimony," which is a missionary's emergency cord. When I couldn't rebut an antagonistic statement scripturally, I fell back on my testimony. For instance, while proselyting in Grand Forks, North Dakota, I was once asked where the Bible mentions the secret undergarments Mormons wear. Caught off guard, I admitted that the Bible says nothing about them. I could merely testify that God revealed the need for these garments through living prophets. But my testimony wasn't based on scripture or other hard evidence. Rather, it was founded on personal revelation, which is extremely subjective. Essentially, my testimony was nothing more than a good feeling about the church and its teachings. In Mormon parlance, it was a "burning in the bosom." But burning or not, it wasn't from God.

If you're a Christian, I urge you to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). That faith, the pathway to heaven, is found only in the biblical Jesus (John 14:6). But if you're a Mormon, it's time to prayerfully re-examine your beliefs. Do you know you have everlasting life? No. Can you obey all the commandments perfectly and earn a place in heaven? You can't.

I regret the many lies I told during my Mormon mission. When I received Christ, though, I confessed them (and my other sins) and received His forgiveness (1 John 1:9; Colossians 1:13-14). "He that heareth my word," Christ assures us, "and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

[Elsie]

I think it is accurate to call Mormons Christians.

Do you also think it is accurate to call members of The FUNDAMENTALIST Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints MORMON?

[Elsie]

Nope, Mitt made an investment, now he’s waiting to cash it in 2012...magritte

I'll make a prediction: He will be disappointed.

Again.

[magritte]

The Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 touched all the issues at dispute between Congress and the Mormons. The act prohibited the practice of polygamy and punished it with a fine of from $500 to $800 and imprisonment of up to five years. It dissolved the corporation of the church and directed the confiscation by the federal government of all church properties valued over a limit of $50,000. The act also dealt with the separation of church and state and with courts, militia, education, elections, immigration, and woman suffrage. Utah women had been granted the franchise in 1870, but lost it now. The act was enforced by the U. S. marshall and a host of deputies.

[Tennessee Nana]

Also, with their for-profit corporations, they could make a signicant money difference in select races...since they have a large asset base, I wonder why they haven’t done that??...
______________________________________________

The mormons already have done that

they voted for RINO Romney 90-95% as a bloc...

[sitetest]

Dear Assorted Posters,

I pinged a few of the folks who replied to my post, but take no offense if you replied to me and I didn't address this post directly to you. I just didn't feel like making an exhaustive list.

As for suggestions that what I posted constitutes some sort of relativism, I reply that you should take the time to actually read what I actually wrote:

“As a Catholic, I don’t believe the theology of the LDS church, and I believe that their beliefs, to the degree that they depart from Catholic faith, are objectively false.”

I certainly believe in objective truth. Truth that is true for all, at all times. That would be difficult to reconcile with any sort of relativism. I believe that in spiritual and religious matters, it is the Holy Catholic Church that contains the entire Deposit of Faith given to us by Jesus Christ. All that the Catholic Church infallibly teaches is objectively true. To the degree that you belong to various sects that teach things that oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church, you believe in false propositions, as these sects are in error.

Those beliefs that contradict the objective truth of Catholic teaching are false. Period. Thus, whether one believes that God was once a man, or Calvin's doctrine of double predestination, or Luther's rejection of the papacy or the intercession of the saints in heaven, or the general non-Catholic/non-Orthodox rejection of the doctrine that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, and no longer bread and wine, one believes things that are false. Period.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't characterize persons who believe these things, generally, as liars telling lies. Rather, they are persons who believe things that are false, and when they repeat them, they are not telling lies, only spreading falsehoods.

I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt to all those who believe the falsehoods listed above (and many more, besides) that they believe and act in good faith, and thus, although they are misguided and wrong concerning certain propositional truths, that they are, nonetheless, not lying.

This is a difference between the legitimately subjective nature of what persons believe and intend and the objective nature of the truth.

Now, you may protest and say, but yes, these are lies, they're lies of the devil. Perhaps. To a degree, it depends on 1) to what degree you believe that human agency was responsible for these falsehoods and 2) how you balance between the proximate and more remote causes of things.

Thus, I don't think that Satan created in detail all the falsehoods of the LDS religion. I think that he may have influenced Joseph Smith, but I think that Mr. Smith was a pretty creative character, and was able to make up most of this stuff, especially in detail, on his own. Therefore, it seems to me that to the degree one may wish to characterize LDS beliefs as “lies,” they are the lies, principally, of Mr. Smith, not of the devil.

And, indeed, unless Mr. Smith was deeply psychopathological and unable to any longer discern truth from falsehood, they are his lies. If, on the other hand, he was truly psychotic (and I don't see much evidence for that), then these beliefs are Mr. Smith's delusions, not lies.

But, whether delusion or lie, are LDS beliefs the lies of, say, Mr. Brigham Young? In other words, did he really believe the false beliefs of the LDS religion, or was he in on the con? I don't really know, although I'd be inclined to say that he was a true believer, and thus not a liar.

I will say, though, that when we get to the level of, say, LDS bishop (and I've known some), we are not dealing with lies or liars (at least not in my experience). No, we are dealing with persons who believe false things, and teach false things. But with honesty.

LDS missionaries? I've met a fair number over the years, and I can't say I've met any one of them that impressed me as not really believing what he shared with me.

So, no, except insofar as they may be Mr. Smith's lies, it isn't generally reasonable to characterize members of the LDS religion as liars telling lies. They are truly mistaken. Many of their beliefs are false. But they aren't any different in this regard from anyone else who sincerely believes false things about God.

Just listing the beliefs of a religion and saying that those who propose those beliefs sincerely are telling lies, and are themselves liars, is silly and contemptible.

That's not to say that there aren't folks who lie about religion - but what is cited by the author of the article herein ain't it (unless he is confessing to having preached LDS beliefs even though he truly believed that they were false - but there isn't any evidence of that in the article).

Finally, no one should interpret this post as an invitation to debate theological matters, especially those who wish to object to the objective truth of Catholic teaching. I'm uninterested. My experience is that a number of non-Catholic posters here at FR, although I believe that they are likely sincere in their beliefs, are often deceitful and deeply uncharitable in their arguments, and I just would rather let them play with themselves.

sitetest

[Tennessee Nana]

Never once - even once did she say I wasn’t a Christian.
_____________________________________________

that may be because your Baptist Mom never knew what you really believed...

Did you ever explain to her the difference between Christianity and mormonism ???

Dide you ever tell her that Joey Smith was no Billy Graham ???

Did she ever know that the purpose for the mormon temples was different than the Crystal Cathedral ???

Did she ever know that the Christian Bible she loved may not have been first in your mind ???

Did she ever know that the LORD Jesus Christ she loved was not the same jesus that the mormons claim ???

[RobRoy]

>>We Latter-day Saints believe in the very same Jesus Christ that we read about in the pages of the New Testament. We are followers of Christ.

I think it is accurate to call Mormons Christians.<<

Muslims believe in him too. They believe he is a prophet. Mormons claim he is their savior, but only partially. Christianity is the only religion that includes Grace, and it is the cornerstone of Christianity. Mormonism denies it.

In Christianity, you get the power of the blood of Christ. In Mormonism, you get the power of the blood of Christ with “some assembly required”.

Yeah, it’s the same guy, but that is where it ends.

[sitetest]

Belated ping to a few folks who didn’t take issue with the original post, but who might be interested in #105.

[delacoert]

Nonetheless, I wouldn't characterize persons who believe these things, generally, as liars telling lies. Rather, they are persons who believe things that are false, and when they repeat them, they are not telling lies, only spreading falsehoods.

Fine, the subset of Mormon liars to whom you refer are deceived liars telling lies.

No matter how you try to retract and spin, your assertions do pertain to OBJECTIVE truth.

The Mormon doctrine that motivates the ten lies are incontrovertibly at odds with Christian doctrine - doctrine which the Catholic Church steadfastly maintains, regardless of how weakly catechized and/or otherwise ignorant some of its members are.

Two days in the library (20 minutes or the internet) can spare anyone years of embarrassment in ignorant debate.

[Normandy]

Hi RobRoy,

I am glad you think you and I believe in the same Jesus. I don’t know any Mormon who sees Christ as a “partial” Savior. I don’t. I have to rely 100% on the merits and mercies of Christ for my salvation. I have no other hope.

Best,

Normandy

[delacoert]

Some Mormons undoubtedly have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

BUT, Mormonism is not Christianity.

[sitetest]

Dear delacoert,

To say something false without knowing that it's false isn't lying.

To lie is say something false with the knowledge that it's false.

Are you asserting that Mormons generally believe that the tenets of their religion are false?

sitetest

[RobRoy]

Which is why all my “darts” are thrown at “mormon teaching” and not mormons. I believe there are lots of Christians in the Mormon church. Conversely, I believe there are lots of people attending Christian church that are NOT Christian. No, I am not speaking of any specific people, but only bringing up the general concept that whether or not any person is a Christian is literally between him and God.

I believe that a person could spend a long time in the mormon church and only hear Christian teaching - or at least only perceive Christian teaching. It is not until you get into the more advanced stuff that it skews away.

There is a great book that discusses the subtle, yet substantial, ramifications of the differences between “traditional” Christianity and Mormonism. It is called “Mamma, Mormonism and Me”.

[ArrogantBustard]

Some folks simply don't know the English language. They use words, but the words don't mean what they think they mean.

Inigo Montoya was very observant ...

[delacoert]

I am saying that the meanings of the words liar and lie are completely appropriate in description of someone who spreads false doctrine out of deceived belief.

I believe that most of those Mormons who post on FR; FARMS, FAIR and BYU based apologists; and LDS leaders are fully aware of the problems with LDS doctrine; and therefore my be characterized as deliberate liars.

I think that non-Mormon LDS apologists are misle in their belief that kind treatment of Mormon apologists is holier-than-thou Christianity, and effective evangelization of Mormon deceivers.

[delacoert]

misle misled

[sitetest]

Dear delacoert,

“...someone who spreads false doctrine out of deceived belief.”

From where I sit, that makes all non-Catholic/non-Orthodox “Christians” liars.

Even if deceived (except if self-deceived), someone who says something untrue without knowing that it's untrue is not a liar.

If I tell you that it's snowing where I live and you believe me and repeat that to someone else, you will be repeating a falsehood. I will have lied to you, but you will not be lying to those to whom you transmit what I said.

“I believe that most of those Mormons who post on FR; FARMS, FAIR and BYU based apologists; and LDS leaders are fully aware of the problems with LDS doctrine;...”

That's changing the goalposts a bit. The fella who wrote this article was a MISSIONARY, and these are usually 18 - 20 year-old young men. I've encountered a considerable number of them over the years, and they all impressed me as sincere and decent young men. Young men who believed some really screwy stuff, but not liars.

I've also personally known folks who were LDS bishops. Again, very impressive folks. Decent, honest, sincere. Wildly mistaken about the nature of God. But not liars.

Even most of the apologists of whom you speak, I suspect (although I don't really have first-hand knowledge) really believe in their faith and its tenets.

“...are fully aware of the problems with LDS doctrine;...”

If your religious belief makes perfect sense to you, if there aren't elements of mystery that you can't quite wrap your mind around, then your religion is your own invention.

I'm Catholic. There sure enough are things we believe that aren't really entirely explicable by human reason. This whole Incarnation business just doesn't make sense when you break it down. Where did Jesus’ Y chromosome come from? And the entire paternal genetic inheritance? Did the Holy Spirit create a divine sperm to fertilize the ovum? What exactly does it mean that God became man?

Sorry, the Incarnation isn't really completely explicable by human reason. At least not to mine.

Yet, I believe. Wholeheartedly. Without reservation. No doubts. Why should I not believe? Because I don't completely understand it? I don't really understand tax law, either, but that sure as heck exists.

“I think that non-Mormon LDS apologists are misle in their belief that kind treatment of Mormon apologists is holier-than-thou Christianity, and effective evangelization of Mormon deceivers.”

So, saying that the LDS folks are wildly mistaken about the nature of God is kind treatment? LOL. I guess, in comparison to some of the garbage that passes for "evangelization" of Mormons around here, it probably is. Nah. I'm not trying to convert any Mormons. At least not on the Internet, LOL.

I just don't remember Jesus telling me to verbally kick anyone in the ribs, and then call it a blessing.

sitetest

[POWG]

You guys are so predictable - doesn’t it hurt when your heads explode like that? I find it laughable that you are offended when I call you a “bigot”. Do you even know the definition of the word? You should look it up, read your own posts and then decide if it does not apply. And - in the time we have been chatting - about 1,000 people have joined the Mormon Church.

Have a nice day folks.

PS - Is it comfortable in that Great and Spacious Building?

[delacoert]

… verbally kick anyone in the ribs, and then call it a blessing.

A fabrication on your part?

Cite an example where I have done that.

Cite an example where an Inman has done that.

Cite an example where that has occurred on FR.

From definition of lie:
Fabrication
A fabrication is a lie told when someone submits a statement as truth, without knowing for certain whether or not it actually is true. Although the statement may be possible or plausible, it is not based on fact. Rather, it is something made up, or it is a misrepresentation of the truth. Examples of fabrication: A person giving directions to a tourist when the person doesn't actually know the directions. Often propaganda is classified as a fabrication.

[Tennessee Nana]

When you get call a bigot because you choose to belong to an organization with a 180 year history of racism in the tenets, written doctrines, and practice, does your head explode in a offended way or just regular ???