Is Mormonism compatible with the Bible?

[Katzpur]

4. Mormonism claimed Christ did what he said he would not do.

I'm afraid I can't comment on this statement since I have absolutely no idea what 1robin meant by this.

 

[Katzpur]

5. Mormonism justified racism in the most diabolical and bizarre ways.

Well, for starters, I will readily (if regrettably) acknowledge that we definitely do have a history of racism in our past. I do not deny that some of my Church's past leaders did, in fact, made some statements that were unequivocably racist. It is not, however, my place to judge them; I'll leave that up to God.

People outside of our Church do sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between doctrine and policy, and that distinction is important when discussing this topic. (Sometimes members of our Church have the same problem, to be perfectly honest.) Doctrine is eternal truth, revealed to us by God. Policies, on the other hand, are determined by human beings. There are times when God clearly has had a hand in guiding those who establish policy. There are also times when this is pretty obviously not the case. There is no Mormon doctrine, nor has there ever been a Mormon doctrine, that teaches the superiority of one race over another. On the other hand, there was for a number of years, a policy in place that discriminated against Black men and women. I am old enough to be able to remember very clearly the day that policy was changed, and it was truly a wonderful day.

Finally, I am not saying that two wrongs make a right, because they don't. I can't help but wonder, though, why the racist policies of other Christian Churches are so seldom discussed. True, there was a period of many years when Black men could not hold the LDS Church's priesthood. There was never a time, however, when Black people could not join the Church and never in our history have we had segregated congregations. This is not the case with many Protestant Churches, particularly in the southern states. I've also got to admit that I'm not quite sure what the "diabolical and bizarre ways" we justified racism actually were. There is quite simply no way of justifying racism, but I don't believe the LDS Church's way of doing so was any more "diabolical and bizarre" than any other church's way.

This is a topic that could easily be discussed in much more depth than I'm interested in going into on this particular thread.

That's all for tonight.

 

[Ingledsva]

Just a quick response to 1robin's first criticism, "Mormonism makes Gods out of men and men out of Gods":

Robin, I see we do have one thing in common -- a respect for C.S. Lewis. You might find his words on this subject to be kind of interesting:

“The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were “gods” and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him – for we can prevent Him, if we choose – He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said."

We agree with C.S. Lewis 100%. Here are a few more thoughts on the doctrine of "Eternal Progression":

First, though -- a few brief comments regarding what we do not believe. We do not believe that any of us will ever be equal to God, our Eternal Father in Heaven. He will always be our God and we will always worship Him. Furthermore, nothing we could possibly do on our own could exalt us to the level of deity. It is only through the will and grace of God that man is given this potential. And "with God, nothing is impossible."

Throughout the New Testament, there are passages alluding to this doctrine. Romans 8:16-17, 2 Peter 1:4, Revelation 2:26-27 and Revelation 3:21 are the four I like best. Through these verses, we learn that, as children of God, we may also be His heirs, joint-heirs with Christ, even glorified with Him. We might partake of the nature of divinity and be allowed to sit with our Savior on His throne, to rule over the nations.

Now, if these promises are true, as I believe they are, what do they all boil down to? To me, it means that we have the potential to someday, be “godlike.” I see us as "gods in embryo." If our Father is divine and we are literally his "offspring", as the Bible teaches we are, is it really such a stretch of the imagination to believe that he has endowed each of us with a spark of divinity?

There is considerable evidence that the doctrine of deification was taught for quite some time after the Savior’s death, and accepted as orthodox. Here are some statements by some of the most well-known and respected of the early Christian Fathers on the subject:

In the second century, Saint Irenaeus said, “If the Word became a man, it was so men may become gods.” He also posed this question: “Do we cast blame on Him (God) because we were not made gods from the beginning, but were at first created merely as men, and then later as Gods?” At about the same period of time, Saint Clement made this statement: “The Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god.” And Saint Justin Martyr agreed, saying that men are “deemed worthy of becoming gods and of having power to become sons of the highest.” Some two centuries later, Athanasius explained that “the Word was made flesh in order that we might be enabled to be made gods. He became man that we might be made divine.” And, finally, Augustine, said, “But He that justifies also deifies, for by justifying he makes sons of God. For he has given them power to become the sons of God. If then we have been made sons of God, we have also been made gods.”

Finally, according to The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology, “Deification (Greek theosis) is for Orthodoxy the goal of every Christian. Man, according to the Bible, is made in the image and likeness of God…. It is possible for man to become like God, to become deified, to become god by grace.”

But haven't you folks taken this "ye are Gods" a bit far?

Don't you believe you will rule planets or some such after the return?

 

[Ingledsva]

I think I have time to address just one more of 1robin's claims -- "Mormonism gives men their own planets to rule." This statement is, of course, closely tied to the first statement (about Mormonism making men gods), and really doesn't even deserve a response when you get right down to it. The reason I say this is because this is not even something that Mormonism teaches. Anti-Mormons (and yes, that's what they are) love to take a Mormon doctrine and tweak it just enough to make it sound completely heretical. To draw an analogy... Take the doctrine of Transsubstantiation (a doctrine to which we do not subscribe). This doctrine teaches essentially that the bread and wine given to believers at communion are literally transformed into the body and blood of Christ. While I do not personally believe this to be the case, I could explain the doctrine as I have, and probably be reasonably accurate in getting the point across, or I could say, "Catholics go to church each Sunday to eat Jesus! Yeah, really! Sounds kind of cannibalistic to me!"

So, with that analogy in mind, I would like to just point out to Robin that nowhere in the LDS canon are we told that we will each get our own planet to rule. This trivialization of a beautiful doctrine is a favorite tactic of organizations (like CARM) with a decidedly anti-Mormon agenda.

We have been told that, as children of God, we can attain our full potential and become like He is. As I explained in my prior post, this is something that He wants very much for us. So what, exactly, does this mean? We don't even claim to know the answer in a great deal of detail. Does it mean we'll each get our own planet to rule? The way I look at it, if I ever become a goddess (this is something I don't even really think about, to be perfectly honest), nobody is going to have to give me a planet to rule. I'll just create my own universe with all the planets I could possibly want. Meanwhile, I'll focus on just being the best person I can possibly be, and on obeying my Father in Heaven's commandments.

Now wait a minute. I've also heard this planet idea, and there are Mormans in my extended family.

If it isn't there - please post the verses they are "tweaking," so we can see this.

 

[Ingledsva]

I have a question that's a little off the subject, so I won't be offended if you roll your eyes at me. I was reading about the Melchizedek priesthood and I was wondering if Mormons are aware of The Urantia Book and, if so, do Mormons put any stock in the papers it contains?

The Urantia book is obviously made up by people with a Christian background as they have some of the same errors that are in the New Testament teachings, - such as Isaiah 14 being about Satan rather then the King of Babylon.

 

[BSM1]

The Urantia book is obviously made up by people with a Christian background as they have some of the same errors that are in the New Testament teachings, - such as Isaiah 14 being about Satan rather then the King of Babylon.

You may be right. Your source?

 

[Katzpur]

But haven't you folks taken this "ye are Gods" a bit far

Don't you believe you will rule planets or some such after the return?

Now wait a minute. I've also heard this planet idea, and there are Mormans in my extended family.

If it isn't there - please post the verses they are "tweaking," so we can see this.

Well, I'll tell you what... Since their are Mormons in your extended family, you have a source you obviously considered more knowledgable and trustworthy than I am. Why don't you ask them to show you anywhere in the "Standard Works" (i.e. the LDS canon) where it is even hinted at what we will "rule planets or some such after the return." I don't know how I could possibly tell you which verses are being tweaked since none of them say anything of the sort.

Here, from a very current official LDS site, are two statements that address these questions specifically:

Do Latter-day Saints believe they can become “gods”?

Latter-day Saints believe that God wants us to become like Him. But this teaching is often misrepresented by those who caricature the faith. The Latter-day Saint belief is no different than the biblical teaching, which states, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:16-17). Through following Christ's teachings, Latter-day Saints believe all people can become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).

Do Latter-day Saints believe that they will “get their own planet”?

No. This idea is not taught in Latter-day Saint scripture, nor is it a doctrine of the Church. This misunderstanding stems from speculative comments unreflective of scriptural doctrine. Mormons believe that we are all sons and daughters of God and that all of us have the potential to grow during and after this life to become like our Heavenly Father (see Romans 8:16-17). The Church does not and has never purported to fully understand the specifics of Christ’s statement that “in my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2).

I realize that our official doctrine isn't anywhere near as imaginative as the parodies of it are, but I'm afraid it is what it is.

 

[Katzpur]

6. Mormonism teaches blood atonement.

I'm not quite sure how to address this, since the way the statement appeared in 1robin's original paragraph, it was unclear as to whether he was saying we do (present) or once did (past) teach blood atonement.

This is a difficult topic, to begin with, since almost no non-Mormons and very few Mormons today really understand it. I will say that Brigham Young did teach of such a thing as "blood atonement." Brigham Young's preaching style could be pretty over-the-top at times, as he himself admitted in the following statement:

"I will tell you what this people need, with regard to preaching. You need, figuratively, to have it rain pitchforks, tines downwards.... Instead of the smooth, beautiful, sweet, still, silk-velvet-lipped preaching, you should have sermons like peals of thunder... When you wish the people to feel what you say," he once said revealingly, "you have got to use language that they will remember, or else the ideas are lost to them. Consequently, in many instances we use language that we would rather not use."

The idea that there were some sins that Christ's sacrifice was incapable of atoning for is truly unbiblical. With the exception of what the Bible refers to as "the unforgivable sin" (i.e. blasphemy against the Holy Ghost), Mormonism teaches that all sins for which a person has sincerely repented can and will be forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ. There is not one word in the LDS canon which implies otherwise.

When speaking of the history of the teaching in the late 1850s (by Brigham Young and others), it is important to note that despite all the rhetoric, there is not one single, solitary instance when anyone was "blood atones" at the orders of either Brigham Young or anyone in LDS Church leadership.

 

[Katzpur]

7. Mormonism teaches baptism for the dead.

Yes we do, and so does the Bible.

Since there is a thread in the LDS DIR called "Baptism for the Dead," in which this topic is discussed and the LDS position explained in great detail, I'm not going to bother addressing it further at this time. I wouldn't mind answering specific questions on the subject, but I would expect people to at least take the time to read the OP of that thread before asking them.

 

[dawny0826]

All Abrahamic faiths share commonalities and have common, biblical roots. You can invest time in arguing differences, but, I think it's more beneficial to celebrate commonalities.

I have a lot of respect for Latter Day Saints, as individuals and within their church communities. They give back to their community in beautiful ways. They are comprised of people who believe in strong family networks and support systems. These people tend to be so prepared, responsible and giving to others in challenging situations. These are just several observations that I've noted over the years.

I had a Mormon co-workers that I knew I could go to at any time for prayer. We prayed for each other. Didn't matter that I'm a trinitarian and she's not. Doesn't matter that our lifestyles are a little different, in fact, she leads a much healthier lifestyle than I do.

It was understood that we were sisters in Christ and our objectives in life and our desire to be good people and to do good for others meshed very well.

I find the notion that Mormonism isn't compatible with the bible to be ridiculous. I think that all people who refer to the bible as a holy book or point of reference, have their own interpretations or live by the interpretations of other people. I think that we have to ask ourselves every day in our interactions with other people, if differences trump commonalities and opportunities to work together to do good in our communities.

 

[Katzpur]

8. "Cult-like garbage" goes on in the Temple.

Like our regular churches (a.k.a. chapels, ward houses, and meeting houses), our temples are places where we go to learn and to worship. Unlike our regular churches, they are places where only those who have demonstrated their willingness to live their lives according to a particular standard of worthiness are allowed. In other words, you might think of a temple as sort of an “institute of higher learning” with respect to spiritual knowledge. It is in our temples that we make covenants with God, a covenant being a two-way promise or mutual agreement. Consequently, we believe that when we keep the promises we make in the temple, God will in turn grant us certain blessings. We refer to this covenant-making ceremony as the Endowment. We believe that both the covenants and the blessings associated with them to be eternal in nature. Much of what takes place in our temples serve to unite families, not only for this life but for the next life as well.

Most people who have not been inside an LDS temple imagine that it must look much like a cathedral inside. After all, from the outside, there is a certain resemblance. In our temples, however, there is no one large room like the nave of a cathedral. Rather there are many rooms, each designed for a specific function. There are, for instance, fourteen rooms in the Salt Lake Temple that are used exclusively for marriages. We call them “sealing rooms” because we believe that marriages performed in our temples “seal” (i.e. “bind” or “unite”) a couple and their posterity together forever.

A Latter-day Saint temple wedding is beautiful. The couple kneels together and holds hands across a velvet and lace covered alter. When the individual officiating pronounces them husband and wife, he states that their marriage will endure “for time and all eternity” as opposed to “until death do you part” or "as long as you both shall live." On either side of the room there are large mirrors, directly across from one another. If you have ever looked into a mirror reflecting another mirror, you have, of course, seen an image which appears to go on forever. This is, of course, symbolic of the covenant we make in the temple when we marry there.

Another important and unique function of our temples is to enable us to do vicarious work for those of our ancestors who have gone before us. This work would include baptism, the endowment and eternal marriage. We are prohibited from discussing the details of these ordinances with those who have not participated in them themselves. As a matter of fact, they are so sacred to us that we don't even talk about them among ourselves outside of the temple.

I believe there are currently 140 operating LDS temples throughout the world, with several more having been announced or now under construction. Whenever a new temple is completed, the public is invited to tour the building – from the dressing rooms in which Church members will change into white clothing (symbolic of purity) prior to participating in temple worship to the always breathtakingly beautiful Celestial Room. Missionaries are on hand to answer questions and help visitors understand the purpose of each room. These open houses typically are held for a period of a few days to a few weeks, depending upon the anticipated interest of the people in living in the area. Once the open house concludes, the temple is dedicated as a “House of the Lord.” From that point forward, only temple recommend-holding members of the Church are permitted to enter the building.

Not all members of our Church have proven themselves worthy of the blessings the Temple offers. The fact that a person is a baptized member of the Church doesn’t mean that that individual is committed to living up to the required standard of obedience that entrance to the temple requires. All Latter-day Saints are, however, encouraged to strive for that commitment and worthiness. Every individual wishing to participate in temple worship must meet with his or her bishop or one of his counselors every two years to be issued a “Temple Recommend.” (These three men are the leaders of an individual LDS Ward, or congregation – much like a parish.) The individual will be asked a series of questions, some of which are:

Do you believe in God, the Eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost?

Do you have a firm testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Do you sustain President Thomas S. Monson as Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and as the only individual holding the Keys of the Kingdom of God on the earth today?

Do you pay a full tithing? (This would be 10% of our income.)

Do you strive to attend your Church meetings?

Are you morally clean? (To us this means no pre-marital or extra-marital sexual relations of any kind.)

Do you live the Word of Wisdom? (This is our health code which prohibits alcohol, tobacco, stimulants and illegal drugs.)

Are you honest in your dealings with your fellow men?

Is there anything in your relationship with members of your family that is amiss? (Spouse or child abuse would disqualify a person from getting a recommend.)

After this interview, the individual must meet with a member of his Stake Presidency. The stake president and his counselors preside over about six to eight wards, making a stake roughly equivalent to a diocese. He asks the individual the same questions previously asked by the bishop. If the individual is able to honestly answer them, attesting to his desire and worthiness to enter the temple, he is given a Temple Recommend, which he must carry with him whenever he goes to the temple and present there for admittance.

Temple recommend-holding members of the Church are encouraged to go to the temple as often as their personal circumstances (primarily distance from a temple) permit. The temple is a peaceful, beautiful refuge from the world. There is no "cult-like garbage" going on it it.

 

[Katzpur]

All Abrahamic faiths share commonalities and have common, biblical roots. You can invest time in arguing differences, but, I think it's more beneficial to celebrate commonalities.

I have a lot of respect for Latter Day Saints, as individuals and within their church communities. They give back to their community in beautiful ways. They are comprised of people who believe in strong family networks and support systems. These people tend to be so prepared, responsible and giving to others in challenging situations. These are just several observations that I've noted over the years.

I had a Mormon co-workers that I knew I could go to at any time for prayer. We prayed for each other. Didn't matter that I'm a trinitarian and she's not. Doesn't matter that our lifestyles are a little different, in fact, she leads a much healthier lifestyle than I do.

It was understood that we were sisters in Christ and our objectives in life and our desire to be good people and to do good for others meshed very well.

I find the notion that Mormonism isn't compatible with the bible to be ridiculous. I think that all people who refer to the bible as a holy book or point of reference, have their own interpretations or live by the interpretations of other people. I think that we have to ask ourselves every day in our interactions with other people, if differences trump commonalities and opportunities to work together to do good in our communities.

Dawny, you are such an angel. Thank you. :hug:

 

[BruceDLimber]

The key diffence is the fact that Christianity (and many other religions) are monotheistic, whereas Mormons are polytheistic (tho' they don't always publicize this fact).

Peace,

Bruce

 

[Father Heathen]

The key diffence is the fact that Christianity (and many other religions) are monotheistic, whereas Mormons are polytheistic (tho' they don't always publicize this fact).

Peace,

Bruce

As a baha'i, you should know better.

 

[Katzpur]

Without a doubt the most disturbing and malicious statement 1robin made was this one:

9. Christ should not be "tangled up with" or "drug into" Mormonism.

The Book of Mormon alone contains over 2500 references to “Jesus, Christ, Messiah, Savior, Redeemer, Son of God, Lord” etc. The book prophesies of His coming, speaks of His incomparable love for mankind, and expounds upon His atoning sacrifice, through which we may be blessed with eternal life in our Father in Heaven’s presence. Its focus throughout is on Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. He is mentioned for the first time on page 2 of the book and for the last time on page 531 (the last page of the book). We honor and revere Him in all we say and do, and we look to Him alone for salvation. 1robin doesn’t believe this is something we have the right to do. Without Jesus Christ as its central figure, Mormonism would cease to exist. I have a hard time trying to get my brain around the idea that any Christian would encourage more than 14 million people to abandon all love for and faith in Jesus Christ and to suggest that He is in any way displeased with the way in which they see Him, understand Him, and worship Him.

 

[Katzpur]

The key diffence is the fact that Christianity (and many other religions) are monotheistic, whereas Mormons are polytheistic (tho' they don't always publicize this fact).

Peace,

Bruce

We don't publicize it because we don't believe it's an accurate statement. Why would any religion claim to be something they don't actually believe themselves to be? Ask any Muslim whether Christians are monotheistic or polytheistic and see what kind of an answer you get.

2 Nephi 31:21 states the following, "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which isone God, without end.

And Mormon 7:7 says, "And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which areone God, in a state of happiness which hath no end."

I'll leave it at this for the time being. If two passages directly out of the Book of Mormon won't convince you, I suspect nothing will.

 

[Katzpur]

10. Mormons do not let non-Mormons into some areas of their Temple in Salt Lake City.

That's right. Temple Square is made up of 35 beautifully landscaped acres in downtown Salt Lake City. Those 35 acres are open to the public from 9:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. seven days a week, 365 days a year. There are, on Temple Square, 15 buildings, of which Mormons and non-Mormons alike are welcome to visit. The only two buildings off-limits to the general public are the temple itself and the administration building (which houses the offices of the Church leadership). Free tours are given and all questions are graciously responded to with accurate information. If you were to be allowed to go in the temple itself, it would be literally impossible for you to do so without interrupting a worship service in session or a wedding taking place. There is no time during which the temple is physical open when it is not being used for sacred purposes that should be of little concern to outsiders (except for those who simply wish to gawk). All LDS temples are, by the way, open to the general public for a period of as much as several weeks prior to their dedication. There are currently temples under construction in Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia (among other places). We sincerely encourage everyone who can to attend open houses at those temples once they are complete.

 

[Katzpur]

11. Mormons wear magic pajamas.

Really? (I think you mean underwear).

Among the LDS Church’s fifteen highest ranking leaders (the “First Presidency” and the “Quorum of the Twelve Apostles") are eight men with doctorate degrees from Harvard, Yale, Purdue, and Duke. Three are lawyers, one of them a former Supreme Court Justice and law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, Earl Warren, one a heart surgeon and the former president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association, several who were professors at Stanford, Texas Tech and the University of Chicago, one of them being a university president. One was the former senior vice president and chief pilot of Lufthansa Airlines. One was on the staff of Adm. Hyman Rickover, developing military and private nuclear power reactors. One was the CEO of a California health care system, another the associate general counsel of what is now Bank of America in Charlotte, N.C. Several fought in World War II. If you think for one minute that any of these individuals believe their underwear to be magical, you're crazy. If, on the other hand, the statement was simply made for the purposes of ridiculing my faith, I'm apalled to think you would, in good conscience, make such a tasteless comment.

I wonder if 1robin is also anti-Semitic, or just anti-Mormon. The Jewish tallit katan is a white garment worn under the clothing in remembrance of the Lord’s commandments (see Exodus 19:6, Numbers 15:38 and Deuteronomy 22:12). This is essentially all that the Mormon temple garment is -- a reminder of the promises the wearer has made to God. I wonder if 1robin refers to the tallit katan as "magic Jewish underwear (or pajamas)"? Nobody wants to admit they're anti-Semitic these days, but being anti-Mormon is somehow something to be proud of.

 

[Katzpur]

12. Mormonism is inconsistent with the Bible.

I can't really address this criticism without a few examples. I will say this, however... If by "inconsistent," 1robin means "contradictory," he is going to have to explain how it is possible to contradict something which is not even mentioned. Yes, Mormonism does have "extra-biblical" teachings, as does Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. We believe in modern-day revelation and they believe in holy tradition. Neither the Latter-day Saints, the Roman Catholics or Orthodox Christians claim to hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Interesting, most Protestants (particularly the more conservative groups) insist that if something is not specifically taught in the Bible, it can't possibly be true. They will, in one breath, declare that the Bible tells us every last thing we need to know about God, and then, in the next breath, claim that the doctrine of the Trinity (which was not established until 325 A.D.) is God-breathed.

Nothing in Mormonism contradicts anything in the Bible (at least to no greater degree that the Bible contradicts itself ). At first glance, certain LDS doctrines may appear to contradict Biblical doctrine but when one takes the time to examine both of them, this is not the case. The LDS belief that God is a spirit, but that that spirit occupies a physical body is one example of this. The basic premise upon which Mormonism was founded is this:

We believe that as part of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ established His Church. We further believe that in the years immediately follow His death and the deaths of His Apostles, men changed that Church (both its doctrines and its organizational structure), resulting in the authority once held by the Apostles being taken from the earth. Lastly, we believe that, just as Jesus Christ is the only one who could initially establish His Church, He is also the only one with the right to re-establish it. We believe He did so, through the young man, Joseph Smith, in upstate New York in 1830, and we believe that Church continues to exist today.

If some of our doctrines are not found in the Bible, it is not because Joseph Smith simply invented them. We believe that they were commonly taught and believed by Jesus Christ's followers, but were lost when His Church fell into apostasy. They were important doctrines to first-century Christians and they are important to us today. They do not contradict or nullify anything taught in the Bible. They simply add to our understanding of things which are not, in many cases, fully explained in the Bible.

Apparently, 1robin doesn't wish to have a discussion with me. That's fine, although I would have welcomed his input. Evidently he is more comfortable just throwing out accusations on unrelated threads and hoping nobody is willing to come forward to refute them.

 

[InChrist]

Without a doubt the most disturbing and malicious statement 1robin made was this one:



The Book of Mormon alone contains over 2500 references to “Jesus, Christ, Messiah, Savior, Redeemer, Son of God, Lord” etc. The book prophesies of His coming, speaks of His incomparable love for mankind, and expounds upon His atoning sacrifice, through which we may be blessed with eternal life in our Father in Heaven’s presence. Its focus throughout is on Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. He is mentioned for the first time on page 2 of the book and for the last time on page 531 (the last page of the book). We honor and revere Him in all we say and do, and we look to Him alone for salvation. 1robin doesn’t believe this is something we have the right to do. Without Jesus Christ as its central figure, Mormonism would cease to exist. I have a hard time trying to get my brain around the idea that any Christian would encourage more than 14 million people to abandon all love for and faith in Jesus Christ and to suggest that He is in any way displeased with the way in which they see Him, understand Him, and worship Him.

The Bible warns that there are different versions of Jesus, which are false, yet sadly people believe in false christs and false gospels.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! 2 Corinthians 11:3-5