Posted on 12/13/2011 7:53:56 AM PST by Colofornian
This seems like a basic enough question that needs addressing by Mormons.
Where does this article go?
1. The Mormon church claims to be a “Christian” church – much like fundamentalist Mormons (fLDS) who claim to be "Mormon." Mainstream Mormons object to that inclusion -- much the same Christians object to counterfeit religions claiming authenticity -- at the expense of Christians, of course!
2. Where might boundaries be established and respected when it comes from moving from one religion to another? Where are Mormonism's misguided boundaries?
3. Does it sound very “civil” for Mormon “prophets” to label all those who don’t confess Joseph Smith as “of Antichrist” – as Brigham Young did...or ‘Church of the Devil’ – as BYU professors applying an obvious Book of Mormon text do with sanction of the Mormon church?
4. What other proof is offered that Mormonism is “anti-Christian?” Is Christian church 'of the devil?' per Mormonism?
5. FAQ: Still not convinced that the Mormon church has “fronted” itself as outright “anti-Christian?” Then please read this FAQ on: Who are the Christians and What is Christianity, per Mormonism? An 'Interview' Across the Generations with the mouthpieces of the Mormon god, the Lds 'prophets' and 'apostles':
* ”Of course, we are a Christian Church. The very name of the Church denotes that. The central figure of our worship is the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Lds “prophet” Gordon B. Hinckley, 'A better understanding' to come of world's visit, LDS Church News, Sarah Jane Weaver, March 2, 2002 A Better Understanding to Come of Worlds to Visit)
* This is especially important in our interactions with members of other Christian denominations. (Lds “apostle Robert D. Hales, official Lds Ensign magazine, November, 2008 Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship Christian courage)
*”The following are some of the more important differences in belief and practice between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Christian churches. (Core Beliefs: Why and How are Mormons Different)
Mormon Bloggers have made similar claims:
* ….the ways they are similar to many other Christian churches. (http://mormon.lds.net/)
* I think other Christian faiths and Mormons can agree on the importance… (http://www.mormonbloggers.com/tag/prophets)
*…other Christian faiths… (http://en.fairmormon.org/Anti-Mormon)
One thing for certain: Mormon references to a generic "Christian Church" certainly constitutes a major improvement over what Mormon leaders have specifically called Christians ever since the Book of Mormon claimed Christians fell under the umbrella of Satan's church (1 Nephi 14).
* In John 14:6, Jesus draws the line at Himself: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me"
Mormons? They draw the line at places like Joseph Smith and the Lds Church!
Drawing the line at the Mormon church:
* "This Church is the ensign on the mountain spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. It is the way, the truth, and the life" Lds "First President" Marion Romney -- one of top three ranking hierarchical Mormons (Conference Report, April, 1961, p. 119)
* See also Lds Doctrine & Covenants 1:30...no true church outside of Mormon church.
Drawing the line at Joseph Smith:
* "If we get our salvation, we shall have to pass by him [Joseph Smith]; if we enter our glory, it will be through the authority he has received. We cannot get around him [Joseph Smith]" ("Apostle" George Q. Cannon, as quoted in 1988 Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, p. 142)
* [There is] "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190)
* "No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith...every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are... [Joseph Smith] reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. Many will exclaim—"Oh, that is very disagreeable! It is preposterous! We cannot bear the thought!" But it is true." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289-91)
* "He that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is anti-christ" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.312)
* "Whosoever...does not confess that God has sent Joseph Smith, and revealed the everlasting Gospel to and through him, is of Antichrist...," (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 176)
Example A – Brigham Young: "...EVERYevery spirit that does not confess that God has sent Joseph Smith, and revealed the everlasting Gospel to and through him, is of Antichrist..." (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 435; also found in Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 176)
Young also similarly said: "He that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is anti-christ" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.312)
Example B – Spencer W. Kimball, Lds’ 12th “prophet”: "Presumptuous and blasphemous are they who purport to baptize, bless, marry, or perform other sacraments in the name of the Lord while in fact lacking his specific authorization." (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 494)
Alongside this quote we need to recognize that Lds teach ALL authority for this priesthood ability rests ONLY in the Mormon church. Therefore, they label ALL Christian pastors and priests who ”baptize, bless, marry, and perform …sacraments” as engaging in “blasphemous” behavior. In other words, skewed doctrinal beliefs lead to “uncivil” accusations.
Example C – Lds leaders: "Since whoever does not belong to 'the church of the Lamb of God' belongs to 'the church of the devil,' as Nephi announced then all systems of worship outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be classified as 'the church of the devil' by Nephi's definition (Kent B. Jackson, "Watch and Remember" etc. from publication By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 3/27/90, vol. 1, p. 87)
Thus, how “hospitable” is it for the Mormon to claim that all other churches are part of “the church of the devil”?
I suppose we could conclude that “Hey, if all they are doing is teaching what their 'word' says, how can that be deemed as ‘uncivil?’”
For starters, most Christians seem to own up to the implications of John 14:6 (or, at least, at one time did). In contrast, Mormons tend to shy away from "owning" up to the implications of…
…D&C 1:30 (which claims the Mormon church is the ONLY true and living church on the face of the earth)…
…1 Nephi 14:9-10 (which labels all churches not recognized by the Book of Mormon as part of the umbrella “church of the devil”)…
….and Joseph Smith – History, vv. 18-20 (which labels 100% of Christian creeds as being an “abomination” and 100% of professing Christians as “corrupt”).
In other words, while LDS tend to play “victim” and say “woe is us” – look at how Mormons are being treated …they seemingly downplay the negative and oppressive words aimed at Christian sects – words originating out of official Mormon sources with tithing funds.
* As mentioned above, Jesus draws the line at Himself in John 14:6; Mormons? They draw the line at whatever extra-biblical “revelation” catches their current “prophet’s” fancy. For example, even if the Mormons were to get Christian concession that the apostle Paul taught three degrees of salvation, there's nowhere in the Bible that says the bottom two degrees = banishment from being in God's presence forever, which is official Mormon teaching.
Joseph Smith himself:
Joseph Smith, Jr.: “…all the priests who adhere to the sectarian religions of the day with all their followers, without one exception, receive their portion with the devil and his angels.” (The Elders Journal, Joseph Smith Jr., editor, vol.1, no.4, p.60).
Late 19th century:
George Q. Cannon, member of First Presidency with four different Lds "prophets": "AFTER the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, pg.324).
45 years ago:
* Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: McConkie says all non-Mormon churches are "...the great apostate church" [that's us -- the Christian church] "as the anti-christ...This great antichrist...is the church of the devil." ("Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine p.40)
* Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: "What is the church of the devil in our day, and what is the seat of her power?…It is all the systems, BOTH Christian and non-Christian, that perverted the pure and perfect gospel….It is communism, it is Islam; it is Buddhism; it is modern Christianity in ALL its parts. It is Germany under Hitler, Russia under Stalin, and Italy under Mussolini" (Millennial Messiah, pp. 54-55).
* Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: "The church of the devil is the world; it is all the carnality and evil to which fallen man is heir; it is every unholy and wicked practice; it is every false religion, every supposed system of salvation which does not actually save and exalt man in the highest heaven of the celestial world. It is EVERY CHURCH except the true church, whether parading under a Christian or a pagan banner." (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:551)
Note, per Mormon doctrine, McConkie’s reference to “the true church” applies only to the Mormon one, supposedly the "only true and living church on the face of the earth." (D&C 1:30).
BTW, the Doctrinal New Testament Commentary was cited by the official Mormon church as a commentary to 1 Nephi 14:10:
* It was also cited among study guides commonly used in the Mormon church as published by Cedar Fort out of Springville, Utah...in these two 2007 books:
* Randal S. Chase, Making Precious Things Plain: A Book of Mormon Study Guide: Volume 1: 1 Nephi-Alma 16 Cedar Fort, Springville, UT, 2007 p. 40
* K. Douglas Bassett, PhD, Doctrinal Insights to the Book of Mormon: Vol. 1: 1 Nephi through 2 Nephi Cedar Fort, Springville, UT 2007, pp. 62-63
27 years ago -- Official Lds church magazine, Ensign:
The “man of sin,” generally equated with Satan, would exalt himself over all that is divine and assume the place of God in the Church. Of historical and theological significance is the fact that in Paul’s prophecy the church structure survives. But God is not at its head, making that church—following the appearance in it of Satan—no longer the church of God....How appropriate, therefore, is Paul’s description of him sitting in the place of God in the church of the apostasía. Kent P. Jackson, Early Signs of the Apostasy, Ensign, December 1984 Early Signs of the Apostasy
This BYU professor is commenting on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 here...which Christian commentators reference as future. Lds leaders constantly reference 2 Thess. 2:1-12 as past tense -- evidence of the great apostasy...Jackson calls it a "drastic" apostasy. Lds doctrine is that it was total or all but a handful...and those handful of escapees from apostasy were never made "public."
Q. Who is the Christian Jesus?
A. Lds "apostle" Bruce McConkie: ...virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269).
Q: Who is the Christian God?
A. Lds "prophet" Brigham Young: The "Christian God is the Mormon's Devil..." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 5, page 331). “…the God whom the ‘Christians’ worship is a being of their own creation…” (Apostle Charles W. Penrose, Journal of Discourses 23:243).
Q. Who inspires Christians?
A. Joseph Smith: "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).
Q. Where did Christianity in its form between 100 & 200 AD through the 19th century originate?
A. Lds "prophet" John Taylor, who was with Joseph Smith when Smith died: Christianity was "hatched in hell" (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6, page 176) and "a perfect pack of nonsense...the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century..." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6, page 167).
Q. Who is classified as part of the "church of the devil" according to the Book of Mormon?
A Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:10: “Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the Church of the Lamb of God [i.e.. the Mormon Church] and the other is the church of the devil [for example: the Christian Church]; wherefore whosoever belongeth not to the church of the lamb of God belongeth to that great church; which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.”
A. BYU professor Kent B. Jackson: "Since whoever does not belong to 'the church of the Lamb of God' belongs to 'the church of the devil,' as Nephi announced then all systems of worship outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be classified as 'the church of the devil' by Nephi's definition (Kent B. Jackson, "Watch and Remember" etc. from publication By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 3/27/90, vol. 1, p. 87, citing 1 Nephi 14:9-10 from the Book of Mormon)
Q. What is the church of the devil in our day?
A. Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: "What is the church of the devil in our day, and where is the seat of her power?.... It is all of the systems, both Christian and non-Christian, that perverted the pure and perfect gospel....It is communism; it is Islam; it is Buddhism; it is modern Christianity in all its parts. It is Germany under Hitler, Russia under Stalin, and Italy under Mussolini." (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 54-55.)
Q: Do LDS considers themselves one legitimate church among many?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: "This [the LDS] Church...is the ONLY only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30). Lds "prophet" Ezra Taft Benson, who served in the Eisenhower administration: "This is not just another Church. This is not just one of a family of Christian churches. This is the Church and kingdom of God, the ONLY true Church upon the face of the earth..." (Teachings of LDS prophet Ezra Taft Benson, p.164-165). The Lds church "is the ONLY true church upon the face of the earth..." (D&C 1:30)
Q. What then, are the rest of the churches? Apostates?
A. Lds general authority B.H. Roberts: "Nothing less than a complete apostasy from the Christian religion would warrant the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Introduction to the History of the Church 1:XL). Lds "apostle" Bruce McConkie: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); " “The Christian world, I discovered, was like the captain and crew of a vessel on the ocean without a compass, and tossed to and fro whithersoever the wind listed to blow them. When the light came to me, I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 5:73).
Q. While we all know not every member of a Christian church is a true Christian, what difference is there between Christians in Christian churches and Mormons who reference themselves as 'Christians?'
A. Brigham Young: "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).
Q. Go ahead and let it out. How do you really feel about Christians?
A. Lds "apostle" Orson Pratt: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).
Q. Can we at least commend some of the teachings of the Christian church as "truth" and "light" to the world?
A. Lds "prophet" Brigham Young: "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199) "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171);
Q. "Do you believe the Bible?"
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: "'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'.(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Q. 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons?"
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Q. When the so-called Great Apostasy hit the early Christian church, would you say the Christian church was still better off then -- or 17 centuries later?
A. Lds "apostle" Orson Pratt: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses, vol.18, p.44)
Q. Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith...would you like to add anything to this question?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith (10th LDS President) -- "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation that was not, in the year 1820, so obscured by false tradition and ceremonies, borrowed from paganism, as to make it unrecognizable; or else it was entirely denied ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that ALL the `Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation 3:282).
Q. What else did you claim in that vision, Joseph?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: " for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History v. 12).
Q. Is that all?
A. Lds "prophet" Joseph Smith: I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong) and which I should join. 19 I was answered that I must join NONE of them,
or they were ALL wrong;
and the Personage who addressed me said that ALL their creeds were an abomination in his sight;
that those professors were ALL corrupt;
that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History -- vv. 18-19)
I guess you missed out on the HISTORY of MORMONism when it was being taught.
You are rightly concerned about the flesh and the immediate; but others tend to take the long view: the eternal consequences of MORMONism.
The bible gives us more warnings about wolves in sheep's clothing (Mormonism) than is does about openly evil people (Islam).
I've discussed this with conservative Protestant ministers, and Orthodox Christian priests. They *all* agree that Mormonism is counterfeit, a chameleon that keeps changing, and is *not* Christianity.
In class, we studied it. How do you know it's not Christianity? Simple:
Not the same God.
Not the same Heaven. (They have three of them, in fact.)
Not the same Salvation process.
Sauron
I've taken seven (7) semesters of hermeneutics, Christian ethics, even Koine Greek.
I've discussed this with conservative Protestant ministers, and Orthodox Christian priests. They *all* agree that Mormonism is counterfeit, a chameleon that keeps changing, and is *not* Christianity.
In class, we studied it. How do you know it's not Christianity? Simple:
Not the same God.
Not the same Heaven. (They have three of them, in fact.)
Not the same Salvation process.
(And it gets more even more divergent from there, if you study and compare them both.)
Sauron
FLDS/LDS “prophet” Brigham Young claimed that Joseph Smith’s “retranslation” of the bible was a fraud, so the LDS sect abandoned Smith’s greatest work and does not use it to this day, unlike the true “Mormons” in the RLDS and FLDS communities.
Try to get your mind around this logic pretzel...the LDS sect will tell you that mormonism began when God(s) told Joseph Smith not to become a Christian or use the King James bible because it was corrupt and he needed to “translate” the Book of Mormon and “retranslate” the bible.....
Forward to today and they will tell you that they ARE Christians, that the “book of mormon” is the most correct of any book on earth, AND that the Joseph Smith Translation which Smith spent over two years working on is a fraud so they use the King James version instead.
Actually, many members don’t know the Joseph Smith translation even exists, to be fair....This is a MORG leadership deception.
They better hope and pray that FLDS/LDS “Prophet” Brigham Young was WRONG about Joe Smith judging EVERYONE BEFORE CHRIST DOES, because HE IS GOING TO BE TICKED !
That brings up a very interesting point...Symbols on mormon temple clothing can be traced back to at least the Knights of Malta who put them on their clothing. They took an oath not to fight, but wanted to help soldiers in battle hit by "greek fire". The Maltese Cross widely used on firetrucks today can also be tracked back to the Knights of Malta. The knights made special protective clothing marked with symbols on the belly, chest and knee representing secret oaths they had taken, and they would wade into battlefield fires to rescue burning soldiers, often digging the "greek fire" out of the soldiers sking with their hands.
Their protective clothing was made out of sheep's skin.
Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
As per 'just asthetics'; while in Biblical times; there was a general 'dress code'; today's standards do not have the 'burqua' looking anything like a "sheep's clothing" either and for that matter. Of course, irrespective of specfic religious garb; to which may or may not be 'innocuous' - depending on the wearer of - there are many Muslims who do wear blue suits/white shirts. . .speak English. . .speak of America's goodness and unity; and of the Islamic flag; sitting soon, atop our White House dome. (Which they have offered is 'ready made' for their flag!) No matter; no enemy observed here, in any case; or by 'whatever' clothing.
Again; there IS an enemy loose in our lands; and one welcomed by and large; per the wolf not seen. And this enemy/threat i.e.wolf; is NOT any MORMON!
/(And while I support Newt-not-Mitt; do not fear Mitt's 'Mormonism'; but do fear his 'status quo' MO and 'real' inside the beltway focus.
Fear even more; Mitt's reluctance to identify the 'wolves' who threaten our freedom and America's identity and our future. Seems the 'sheep's clothing' is quite popular; and Mitt himself; is not able- or willing - to see the wolf inside. Nor is the RNC, much to our collective detriment.
This refusal allows more 'wolves in sheep's clothing' and as well; the double whammy of a 'Trojan Horse' full of them, to maneuver itself into our body politic and bring only more of what is heretofore brought into other cultures. The 'contributions' globe-wide; per above mention, that we are witnessing.
And of course, must add a footnote of sorts inasmuch as not 'all' Muslim's are 'Islamists' in our worst sense of the word - of course. Would wish they would ID themselves as at least 'Reformed' or somesuch, however. . .)/
Nice summary.
Mormonism's main god wasn't divine from eternity past; was handpicked by a "council of gods"; and adds peer-gods to the ever-increasing lineup of gods all the time.
Mormonism's heaven excludes being able to be reconciled to Heavenly Father unless you're married and a temple Mormon.
Mormonism's "salvation" provides precious little to be saved from...and the process is proving your "personal worthiness" by good works, self-righteousness, tithing, following Mormon-made laws -- all things that men could boast in -- something not part of the way God operates salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Mormonism's
It must be sad to have so ittle to think about.
Merry Christmas to all !
The 'long view' of Mormonism looking forward; cannot be separated from it's 'long view' - looking back in 'our' history.
No where; at no time; has Mormonism threatened our Constitution; much less the people/culture of those who live by it!
Again; let it go; and look the enemy in the eye; who; should they endure; it will be guaranteed; that you will not have "Mormon's" to worry about. And you will not have Christians, either. . .
No where; at no time; has Mormonism threatened our Constitution; much less the people/culture of those who live by it!
- - - - -
Are you SURE about that?
Mormon war, Gov. Boggs assassination attempt, theocracy, their own army, I can give you a lot of info that would counter your naive claim.
Thank you aimhigh.
An insidious threat, one from within that attempts to undermine the very foundation of Christianity should be of great concern.
I don’t view mormons per se or even in general as a physical threat. If I did, I’d be awake many nights keeping an eye on my wife.
What I and many of the others here see as the threat is mormonISM.
It’s the supposed “theology”, doctrines, tenets, etc. of mormonISM that attempts to co-opt or re-brand itself as Christian.
The “only” Christianity where all others [Protestants, Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians most especially, etc.] are churches of the devil, ignorant, abominable in the eyes of God or whores of Babylon that is the threat to Christianity.
Well, I do not need ‘clarification’ but appreciate it nonetheless. Have only appreciation for Mormons; no fear; like that expressed on varioius threads here. Do not support Mitt; but this has nothing to do with his ‘religion’ - only his politics/lol. . .
1. Many of us here can oppose the false religion of Islam and the false religion of mormonism at the same time.2. Mormons do not torch churches, they send souls to hell for eternity. Churches can be rebuilt. Men die once, then they are judged.
Carry on. I will too.
Ahh yes, very true. But even Christians have their 'lunatic' - not to say, irrelevant - but typical and thus far, manageable - fringe. No consolation to victims of fringe/radical/maybe insane justice; of course.
Clearly, Islam has it's 'lunatic fringe' as well; as judged by our Judeo/Christian i.e. Western - and 'Eastern'- for that matter - Morally Reasoned MO's. Radical Islam is just not viewed by same; by enough Muslims - yet. And it's 'victims'; we know; are far greater in number.
The question does remain, however; 'if' and 'when' will there be such a grand critiquing. And what happens to our civilization; if there is none. . .
I am not sure, why so much negative energy is expended on the 'threat' - so thoughtfully detailed and so posed here - by Mormon's; rather than concentrating on the 'Barbarians At Our Gates - so to speak by necessary qualifier - of course. . .
The 'knock on the door' is quite different when an Islamist is on the other side; versus, the Mormon missionary.
Time to prioritize one's fears; and 'sense of Justice in the world'; IMHO. . .
Fearing; hating; resisting; warning per the 'Mormon' issue; seems, an altogether, 'false economy'of effort and focus; IMHO. A 'sheep and goats' kind of herding - if you will - rather than the preferred separation. Hence, resulting in an MO that is less artful; less specific; less successful; in outcome. And to our detriment. . .
(Again; God knows, we have long suffered 'Harry Reid'; but NOT because he is a Mormon; but rather, because he is something far worse; IMHO.)
You can do whatever your heart desires and be held accountable for it.
As for me, I will follow the example of Jesus, Peter, Paul, etc.
"But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting." II Corinthians 11:12
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