Similarities between Mormonism and Scientology

epologetics.org via alma.edu ^ | Dec. 23, 2007

[Colofornian]

* 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")

[Elsie]

Matthew 10:7-8
"And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils : freely ye have received, freely give."

[Elsie]

Psalm 68:19

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

Selah.”

[svcw]

Here are the articles of faith for lds, you will find nothing about the Blood of Christ listed. lds teach their salvation is earned. (Unless the articles of faith have been revived, this is the standard bearer for them)

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 535—541

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Joseph Smith

http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,106-1-2-1,FF.html

[Utah Binger]

Wish I could be here today, but I desperately need to raise $10,000 this week.

Could you call Obama for me and see and see what he’s going to do next to screw up the world of small business?

Later.....

[Elsie]

Wish I could be here today, but I desperately need to raise $10,000 this week.

Say....

Isn't this what Butch Cassidy said a lot?

[Utah Binger]

Now and then we use a more subtle approach.

STICK EM UP!

Or Just Buy Something

[restornu]

By their fruits ye shall know them and so many antis enjoy be contrary to the Lord ways.

Ye are the lying demons

[svcw]

Ye are the lying demons

Wow, I feel the love.........

[restornu]

Wow, I feel the love.........

***

Good so does Elsie

[T Minus Four]

Resty, have you ever broken a commandment?

[T Minus Four]

Saved to LDS means not a lot. Universal salvation is taught. Only apostates and sons of perdition go to hell. So she could just sit there and knit and never even acknowledge God and be “saved” - swept into the lowest level of heaven where they will never see Jesus nor their loved ones again.

[T Minus Four]

Quick question for clarification, resty. Are you saved by the shed blood of Christ alone.

***

Yes!

Then what are you doing following Joseph Smith?

[T Minus Four]

My friend you are buying in to the anti-Mormon propaganda

PD, are you kidding? You think Rick just wandered over here and saw some "anti" posts and fell into the pit?

I hate to break it to you but Christians have been born and have died and have known the truth long before there was Mormonism, and will continue to do so whether they hear of Mormonism or not.

You're a blip on Satan's radar. A fairly big one, but a blip none-the-less. Your false religion will be exposed, either here on Earth or when and where it really counts and it's too late for many, but it *will* be exposed.

Please, open your eyes!

[SZonian]

"Only apostates and sons of perdition go to hell."

No, no, no! Because I'm an apostate, ex-mormon revealing the sordid details of mormonism I was promised OUTER DARKNESS, not hell!

Who changed my "reward"?

[T Minus Four]

Who changed my "reward"?

I never could keep that straight! Outer darkenss, hell...what is the difference?

although first I would like to know how it is possible to be in heaven but never be in the presence of God. For Christians, heaven = presence of God. It's unfathomable!

[T Minus Four]

Could somebdy walk me through this? OK, let's say I convert today. I am too old to have children, even if I leave my Christian husband and marry a temple Mormon, although who would have me since I'm infertile?

But let's say I stay single and devoted to the LDS church. No temple stuff for me because I'm unworthy (I think, is it possible to become worthy in my circumstances?)

and would I have to tithe?

Let's say no but I "do all that I can"

What happens when I die? Do I go to spirit prison or the tellestial kingdon?

[restornu]

Here are the articles of faith for lds, you will find nothing about the Blood of Christ listed. lds teach their salvation is earned. (Unless the articles of faith have been revived, this is the standard bearer for them)

***

So many confuse being "saved' the over coming death with judgment which is another matter.

Mosiah 3 (Excerpt on understanding the blood and atonement and the natural man.)

5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.

7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.

12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses.

15 And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened their hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood.

16 And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins.

17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

18 For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

20 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

21 And behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found blameless before God, except it be little children, only through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.

22 And even at this time, when thou shalt have taught thy people the things which the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, even then are they found no more blameless in the sight of God, only according to the words which I have spoken unto thee.

23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath commanded me.

24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.

25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls.

26 Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no more forever.

27 And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever. Thus hath the Lord commanded me. Amen.

[svcw]

Like I posted there is nothing in the lds articles of faith that talks about the “Shedding of Blood by Christ”.

[restornu]

After the Lord saves you it depends on what you do with your freedom.

Does one work towards harmony with the ways of the Lord or do they follow another.

[SZonian]

You’re not in “heaven” in the Biblical sense, you’re either in the spirit prison, or one of the “lesser kingdoms”.

Why? Because you didn’t work hard enough, go to enough temple sessions, dunk enough dead “bodies”, convert enough people, pay enough tithing, etc.

Salvation is one thing in mormonism that does NOT guarantee any righteous people the reward of dwelling with God in heaven. Only devout, worthy mormons who did all of the above, [but have no way of knowing if they ever did enough] are promised the chance to dwell with God in the celestial kingdom. They call this exaltation, a form of salvation, but a much higher degree.

Oh, and those in the celestial kingdom get to go down to the lesser kingdoms and visit, but Christ doesn’t sully Himself with those of lesser rewards.

Sick, sick, sick. They’re definition of “saved by grace” is much different than that of Christians and the results of said salvation are way different.