Posted on 02/21/2015 4:27:48 PM PST by Gamecock
This article caught my eye--Six Ways Mormons Can Enjoy the Spirit of Lent. Why would Mormons want anything to do with Lent?--something Mormons have historically associated with paganism creeping into the church shortly after the age of the apostles. Well, if American evangelicals are now attracted to such things, Mormons will do the same.
Notice the way in which the author of this essay (Kelsey Berteaux) explains how easily the Lenten season can be made to fit right in with Mormon notions of works-righteousness ("grace coupled with obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel") . . .
Though Latter-day Saints don’t observe the traditions of Lent, we can always learn a thing or two from it as we search for things that are of good report and praiseworthy. After all, we can always use a reminder to be better and have a more meaningful Easter.
Lent is well-known as a time to sacrifice. For the next 40 days (plus Sundays, which aren’t counted as part of the 40-day Lent tradition), make a “negative” change by resolving to take something bad out of your life. You could try giving up a TV program, excessive social media use, bad music, junk food, or something else you struggle with.
Here is the part that really jumped out . . . A citation from the Book of Mormon is actually adduced to support the practice.
The idea behind this tradition is captured beautifully in the words of Lamoni’s father:
“I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day” (Alma 22:18).
There are other ways Lent can be co-opted by Mormons.
As with LDS fasting, traditional Lent followers donate the money saved from eating a sacrifice meal to the poor and needy. Consider donating the money you saved to fast offerings along with your normal monthly donation.
During Lent, incorporate the color purple into your life in some small way. Consider putting out a purple table runner, buying purple flowers, or hanging a purple picture in your home. Then, every time you see the item (or any other purple item you encounter during your day), think back on the Savior and His sacrifice on your behalf. Also remember the commitments you’ve made as part of your Lent celebration.
The point of observing Lent—however you decide to do it—is to find more meaning in the Easter season and draw closer to Christ. The best, and perhaps simplest thing you can do is resolve to learn more about our Savior and His sacrifice.
The pressing issue here, of course, is that the Mormon "Christ" is none other than the spirit-brother of Lucifer, who was raised by the Father--who, in Mormon theology, is also a glorified, immortal, and resurrected man.
Since Mormonism consistently seeks to masquerade as a "Christian" denomination, well then, if the evangelicals are interested in Lent, Mormons need to be as well. Got to keep up with the Jones' you know.
Only in the bizarro world of American religion . . .
An Italian Mormon!
I love sci-fi and have read more believable sci-fi novels.
His mother was Ma C. Eroni. She came from the family they referred to a La La Moni. That’s how La Moni got his name.
I keep hoping some nice young men will pull up on their bicycles and knock on my door but it never happens.
They DO come around here sometimes, but I tell them I am perfectly willing to discuss the word of God, but leave the Book of Mormon at home, as I do not accept it as legitimate. I tell them the truth, that for the most part, Mormons are good, moral, hard working patriotic Americans. I just don't buy their religious doctrine. I tell the JWs to leave the New World Translation at home. I tell the INC people to leave the Lamsa version at home. I think the INC members are as bad as any cult out there. I run into them regularly. Nice people, but their religious doctrine is poison.
Any relation to Al I. Moni?
We have a few here that would probably fit right in with that bunch. They also think the original New Testament was written in Aramaic. Absolutely no proof other than conjecture but they sure do believe it. I suppose they think God wasn't able to keep His word that He would preserve His word for all generations.
I think mormonism has a little bit of every heresy in it!
That's the way the whole thing ended up as I hear it. Messy too! Al I. Moni called La La Moni crazy and that's when the fight started.
And what's on the far side of it? High strangenes, is my guess.
A plethora of false doctrine.
John 14:7-11 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Philippians 2:5-7 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
I have never had a INC member tell me the New Testament was written in Aramaic, which is a bald faced lie. They may very well think that, it just has never come up in conversation. They seem to be a one issue rant, that Jesus Christ is a mere man, not God in the flesh. After years of dealing with them, I tell them once, that Jesus is God in the flesh. With that, the discussion is pretty much over. I just don’t have time to deal with this false doctrine. There are too many people who are willing to listen to the truth. Does that sound like any other group we deal with regularly?
I believe lent is for the purpose of preparation, the Mormons claim that they do it all year.
To them it would be kind of like picking one day out of the year to help a neighbor versus be willing to help them any time.
That's the whole thing behind the Lamsa version.
Very true. When I was in the USAF, in TX, I met a retired USAF E-9, who was an expert on Mormonism. It was his opinion, that ole Joe Smith was a teller of tall tales, and wrote the book of Mormon, to sell and make some money. He said he thought it was never Smith's goal to start a new religion, but it got away from him. Interesting, I thought.
“Jesus Christ DID NOT pray to himself in Gethsemane or on the Cross!!!! He was praying for strength from God the Father who was/is in Heaven!!!”
GreetingsPH—who was Christ praying to in the Garden of Gethsemane when he asked that this cup be removed, but thine will be done? was he praying to himself or to God the Father in Heaven?
“We were talking about your Church, which for the past couple of elections (because Romney was running) has been trying to convince us that you aren’t a bunch of polytheists who consider Christendom to be non-Christian.”
i think you’ve got it a bit mixed up, as are a lot of other Freepers on this site who keep suggesting that mormons aren’t christian. i’ve never heard a mormon suggest that protestants or Catholics aren’t Christian.
citing mormon articles of their faith regarding their beliefs, i found the following:
[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.”
i believe that mormons [previously known as The Church of Christ, and aka as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] are Christian, as are Protestants, Catholics, et al. it’s just that mormons have a different belief set regarding the nature of the Godhead than do other Christian denominations. and that does not make them any less Christian, or even non-Christian, in my eyes.
just my 2 cents.
Very interesting. As long as I have been dealing with them, I never knew that. OK, the next time I run into them, instead of ONLY saying that Jesus is God in the flesh, I will also say that the New Testament was written in common Greek. That ought to make their heads explode. 😃
“ALL of this mormonic teaching is a perversion of God’s simple Words: “Hear, O Israel. The Lord Your God is ONE God.”
So, God the Father, and His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all the same being? does that seem logical to you? check out Christ’s prayer to his Father in Heaven in the Garden of Gethsemane, and tell me if he was asking himself to spare himself from the agony he was to face in atoning for all of mankind’s sins? does that make sense? not to me. and if he wasn’t talking to himself, who was he talking to? i would suggest it was God The Father.
Re: who is Christ praying to. The Son was praying to the Father. But please double check what the doctrine of the Trinity teaches before pursuing this point.
Re: never heard of Mormons saying Protestants and Catholics aren’t Christian. You just saw one denigrate and distort the doctrine of the Trinity and declared that we are “reading our creeds” into the holy scripture. He is only doing what his Prophets and holy books have taught him, which teach that Christendom is the “whore of babylon.”
Joseph Smith History 1:18-20:
“My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than 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.”
“I was answered that I must join none of them, for 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.” He again forbade me to join with any of them;...”
1 Nephi 13:5-6:
And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity. And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
1 Nephi 13:8:
And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.
1 Nephi 13:26:
And after they [the prophecies and testimonies of the Bible] go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
1 Nephi 13:28:
Wherefore, thou seest that after the book [the Bible] hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
1 Nephi 13:34:
...the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb [Bible] which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb..”
1 Nephi 14:3:
And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children,, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell—yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, said the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.
1 Nephi 14:9:
And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.
1 Nephi 14:10-11:
And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso 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. And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.
1 Nephi 14:12:
And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters [oceans]; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.
1 Nephi 14:13:
And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.
1 Nephi 14:15-16:
And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth. And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things—
1 Nephi 14:17:
And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel.
1 Nephi 22:13:
And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood.
1 Nephi 22:14:
And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.
2 Nephi 6:12:
And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will fulfill his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for this cause the prophet has written things.
2 Nephi 10:16:
Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God.
2 Nephi 28:18:
But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof.
Doctrine and Covenants 29:21:
And the great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall be cast down by devouring fire, according as it is spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, who spoke of these things, which have not come to pass but surely must, as I live, for abominations shall not reign.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:94:
And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it.
Re: Mormons are “Christians.”
They not only deny the Trinity, but teach a Pelagian form of doctrine. They are heretical through and through, and must be condemned per scriptural instruction:
Gal_1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
"W(w)ho was Christ praying to in the Garden of Gethsemane when he asked that this cup be removed, but thine will be done? was he praying to himself or to God the Father in Heaven?" That you ask such a question indicates at once that you do not comprehend Jesus as he walked the Earth prior to the resurrection.
The Bible ndicates clearly that 'He emptied Himself' and 'took upon him the form of a servant', that He 'made Himself a little lower than the Angels' for a season. This is the Same Son Of The Most High Who was present at the very beginning and through Whom and By Whom and for Whom all things were made that were made. When God walked the Earth as Jesus, prior to the resurrection, He was purposely a little lower than the Angels ... and what did the Angel say when Satan tried to beguile the Angel? ... The Lord rebuke you. So, if an Angel, being a little greater than Jesus before the resurrection needed to refer to The Lord, it is reasonable to say that Jesus, a little lower than the angels prior to the resurrection would refer to The Father in Heaven.
Now let me ask you a question: does The Holy Spirit need your wet head to know that you are confessing The Lord Jesus Christ and trusting in Him for your salvation? And more deeply, why did Jesus tell Nicodemus that unless born of water and the Spirit a man cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven? Did the thief on the Cross not see the kingdom of heaven? When was he baptized after his confession/request of Jesus that The Lord remember him when He comes into His kingdom? ... At that moment of his request to Jesus, the man was born of water (the amniotic fluid of the water world prior to birth into the air world), and in that instant also born of The Spirit, for the Spirit of God was present with The Lord.
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