Paul was a real Apostle of Jesus Christ, who prophesied, and was directed by the Lord Himself. And you compare that with some ambiguous writing that shows up almost 400 years after the Apostles. Paul was authorized by the Lord face to face. 400 years after Paul men were authorized by other men only. There's no comparison.

I agree with you that what church "leaders" put together to summarize what the Christian faith's basic doctrines were four hundred years after the last Apostle died does not qualify as authoritative as Holy Scripture, but neither do writings eighteen-hundred years later by some guy who claimed to have a vision - a con-man, womanizer, adulterer and scofflaw from the law. Where is Joseph Smith, Jr.'s authority? Why are his contentions - some that blatantly contradict the Bible - to be held in the same esteem as Divinely-inspired Scripture? By what authority do your "Apostles" claim to hold authority over all of Christendom? Every statement of the "Apostles' Creed" can be proved by Scripture, though it is not meant to be an exhaustive list of the tenets of the Christian faith. Nonetheless, it's early use by believers and early church fathers attest to its genuineness and purpose to the early believers. Can the same be said for Mormonism's creeds or doctrinal statements?

I agree with you that what church "leaders" put together to summarize what the Christian faith's basic doctrines were four hundred years after the last Apostle died does not qualify as authoritative as Holy Scripture, but neither do writings eighteen-hundred years later by some guy who claimed to have a vision - a con-man, womanizer, adulterer and scofflaw from the law. [boatbums]

Well the Mormon "counterpart" to Christian creeds is their "Articles of Faith" -- drafted as an 1842 letter-to-the-editor (to Long John Wentworth of the Chicago Democrat).

(Oh, yeah, sure, Stormprepper...tell us all about how the Lord "inspires" letters to the editor & then deems them as "scripture" equivalent!)

Comparing the Mormon Articles of Faith to the Apostles Creed: A

Furthermore, compare this Mormon creedal statement to the Apostles Creed.

Take the 11th Mormon Article of Faith:

“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.”

Here, Stormprepper -- in post #126 -- was complaining that The Apostles Creed is: "...with out power...it's weak and pitiful. It doesn't advance our understanding of our relationship to God."

Yet, the Mormon 11th article of faith is totally void of understanding that men worshiping a false idea of God isn't praised & sanctioned by God -- as the 11th article attempts to do!

I mean, What? Mormons believe that smoking peyote or something more -- if done under a religious conviction -- is a "privilege" unto man and that God sanctions people "worship[ing] how...or what...may"??? Does that include Manasseh & others engaging in child sacrifice in the OT? Or what about prostitutes @ some of the pagan temples? This is a god who sanctions every manner of "worshiping" even other gods to the point He's willing to build an "article of faith" around it? Wow! (Mormons are pretty liberal, after all) The next time a head-hunting, head-shrinker or voodoo FR thread comes up, you Mormons be sure to peep up and "bless" that with your "article of faith" endorsement, too. For some reason, the Mormon god contrasts the God of the Bible:

"You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods." (Deut. 12:31)

Comparing the Mormon Articles of Faith to the Apostles Creed: B

Hence, whereas we can find no equivalent statement to the 11th article of faith (along with many of the OTHER Mormon 'articles') within the Bible (or even in the other three books Lds regard as "scripture") -- it yields an obvious conclusion: It's not even a good summation of anything taught in the scriptures!

Now compare that to "the phrase 'descendit ad inferos' ('he descended into hell') [which] echoes Ephesians 4:9, "κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς" ('he descended into the lower, earthly regions')."
Source: Apostles' Creed

IoW, various parts of the Apostles' Creed encapsulates the Bible!

"I agree with you that what church "leaders" put together to summarize what the Christian faith's basic doctrines were four hundred years after the last Apostle died does not qualify as authoritative as Holy Scripture"

I would like to ask you a question. Did God compile the Bible? Not the writings in the Bible, but the list of writings contained in the Bible. In other words, did God choose which writings would be in the Bible?