Why Dont Christians Accept the Book of Mormon as Valid?

[RemnanteK]

Well, we accept the Bible and the prophets within, so that should pretty much answer your question.

Yes and no, I was thinking about resent history. Are there any 'now day' prophets in or outside the LDS church?
I'm trying to look up 'prophets' and compare them you the ones in the bible, and what the bible has to say about them.
And no I'm not trying to disprove LDS prophets, I'm trying to find ones that can stand up to the bible prophets.

Thanks.

 

[Katzpur]

Yes and no, I was thinking about resent history. Are there any 'now day' prophets in or outside the LDS church?

We believe our Church is led by a prophet today. His name is Thomas S. Monson. He is the sixteenth individual to have led the Church as its prophet since Joseph Smith.

 

[RemnanteK]

We believe our Church is led by a prophet today. His name is Thomas S. Monson. He is the sixteenth individual to have led the Church as its prophet since Joseph Smith.

Thanks.

 

[madhatter85]

Yes and no, I was thinking about resent history. Are there any 'now day' prophets in or outside the LDS church?
I'm trying to look up 'prophets' and compare them you the ones in the bible, and what the bible has to say about them.
And no I'm not trying to disprove LDS prophets, I'm trying to find ones that can stand up to the bible prophets.

Thanks.

It's quite interesting to compare our modern-day prophets since Joseph smith to Biblical prophets like Moses and Noah as you will find very key similarities.

Moses and the Burning bush, years later going up to mount Sinai and recieveing Stone tablets.

Joseph Smith, the First Vision and Heavely visitations, recieving instructions and eventually the Gold plates.

that is just one example, but if you do more research you will find TONS of information. However, it is int he scriptures that you find the exhortation to be cautious of false prophets, wolves in sheep's clothing. But it is this scripture which rings true to me and testifies to me that Joseph smith is a true prophet of God.
Matthew 7:

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

It is only by the spirit that we can discern these things.
1st Corinthians 2:

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The only way to know if these things are true is through the Holy Ghost and that requires faith to ask Heavenly Father in the Name of Christ if these things are not true. and if they are true, he will manifest it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And these are the fruits of the Holy Ghost:

Galations 5:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,


23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

If those are the things that you feel when you read the Book of Mormon, and pray, asking in faith, then you shall know that these things are true.

 

[ἀλήθεια]

Matthew 7:

It is only by the spirit that we can discern these things.
1st Corinthians 2:

The only way to know if these things are true is through the Holy Ghost and that requires faith to ask Heavenly Father in the Name of Christ if these things are not true. and if they are true, he will manifest it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And these are the fruits of the Holy Ghost:

Galations 5:
If those are the things that you feel when you read the Book of Mormon, and pray, asking in faith, then you shall know that these things are true.

If LDS believe in the same Holy Ghost that non-LDS do, how would you account for the Holy Ghost's witness to so many Christians that the Book of Mormon is not true? Would you just brush it off by saying that those Christians didn't have faith?

 

[madhatter85]

If LDS believe in the same Holy Ghost that non-LDS do, how would you account for the Holy Ghost's witness to so many Christians that the Book of Mormon is not true? Would you just brush it off by saying that those Christians didn't have faith?

I would say that they are not ready to accept the Gospel. It could be that they were asking the wrong question or that they did not understand completely before asking God the Eternal Father int he name of Jesus Christ. Maybe one day they will accept the restored truths. They are the same eternal truths taught from before the foundation of this world. the Book of Mormon by itself cannot be all there is just as the Bible by itself cannot be. But together as two separate witnesses unto the convincing of all mankind so to the Divinity of Christ, our Savior and redeemer. And proves that Christ and Heavenly Father live and that they love us.

I can guarantee that the Holy Ghost does certainly declare nothing but truth. I know the Book of Mormon is true. the Holy ghost does not put feelings of ill-will or contempt into the hearts of people.

 

[ἀλήθεια]

I would say that they are not ready to accept the Gospel.

Is a Christian who loves Christ not ready to accept the Gospel? Or are you saying that the Book of Mormon is the Gospel?

It could be that they were asking the wrong question

I thought the question was to ask if the Book of Mormon is true. How would that be the wrong question?

or that they did not understand completely before asking God the Eternal Father int he name of Jesus Christ.

They did not understand what completely?

Maybe one day they will accept the restored truths.

What if they love God so much that they want to know His truth now?

They are the same eternal truths taught from before the foundation of this world. the Book of Mormon by itself cannot be all there is just as the Bible by itself cannot be.

Who came up with that idea?

But together as two separate witnesses unto the convincing of all mankind so to the Divinity of Christ, our Savior and redeemer. And proves that Christ and Heavenly Father live and that they love us.

How is the Bible a witness if "because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them?"

"And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them." (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 13:29)

I can guarantee that the Holy Ghost does certainly declare nothing but truth.

Does the Holy Spirit remind us of right from wrong? If we listen to the Holy Ghost and follow His directions, can we make it safely through life and avoid those things which would lead us away from the truth?

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. ​

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." (John 10:4-5)

I know the Book of Mormon is true.

How do you know that?

the Holy ghost does not put feelings of ill-will or contempt into the hearts of people.

That's good! "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

 

[madhatter85]

I am not going to debate this with you. I have shared what i needed to share and it is up to you weither or not to accept it. I have already shared how i came to know the Book of Mormon is true.

it is the exact same way you came to know the bible is true. absolutely nothing different.

 

[sojourner]

I would say that they are not ready to accept the Gospel.

What is "the Gospel?" Can you encapsulate that for me? I have read the four canonical gospels. I find them all to contain essentially the same opinion with regard to what the gospel is, although they come at it from different perspectives. In what important way do the BOM writings shed any new light on the canonicals that is cogent to the argument that the canonicals are, in any way, "incomplete" in and of themselves? In other words, why do we need to read the BOM in order to come to an understanding of what the gospels are? If one can read any one of the canonicals and come up with a variant of the gospel that "works," why should anyone need the BOM? Is it not (like the other gospels) simply an enlargement of the gospel that already exists in the canonicals? The earliest Xian communities usually only had one variant of the gospels, and that was "good enough" to grow the church. Why do we need more now?

 

[tumbleweed41]

When I was a Christian, I read the Book of Mormon. One passage caught my eye....

1 Nephi 18:25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the *** and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.

Horses? Introduced in the Americas by the Spanish centuries later. Ox? The ***? At least the Bible has some historical precedence.

That is one of the reasons I, at the time, did not accept the Book of Mormon.
That and why the King James style of translation by a Prophet in the 19th Century?

 

[sojourner]

Maybe one day they will accept the restored truths.

What truth is there that needed to be restored? If the Bible is scripture, surely it contains truth that has no need of restoration.

the Book of Mormon by itself cannot be all there is just as the Bible by itself cannot be.

True. There are many writings that are non-canonical, such as the Didache, the shepherd of Hermas, etc. There are also intra-canonical writings, such as Q . In what way does that prove your position that the canonical scriptures need help in doing what they do?

 

[sojourner]

When I was a Christian, I read the Book of Mormon. One passage caught my eye....

1 Nephi 18:25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the *** and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.

Horses? Introduced in the Americas by the Spanish centuries later. Ox? The ***? At least the Bible has some historical precedence.

That is one of the reasons I, at the time, did not accept the Book of Mormon.
That and why the King James style of translation by a Prophet in the 19th Century?

Yeah, but we all know that scriptural writings are not history lessons. There are many historical inconsistencies in the canonical writings, too. So what? I don't think you can push that position very far in an an argument over the veracity of the BOM. To me, the argument lies in having the proponent prove why the BOM is necessary for us.

 

[herushura]

Because its written by Americans

 

[tumbleweed41]

Yeah, but we all know that scriptural writings are not history lessons. There are many historical inconsistencies in the canonical writings, too. So what? I don't think you can push that position very far in an an argument over the veracity of the BOM. To me, the argument lies in having the proponent prove why the BOM is necessary for us.

But the question asked was why don't Christians accept the BoM. When I was a Christian, this was the reason why I rejected it. Further study of the Bible also lead me to reject those scriptures as well.

 

[ἀλήθεια]

I am not going to debate this with you. I have shared what i needed to share and it is up to you weither or not to accept it. I have already shared how i came to know the Book of Mormon is true.

it is the exact same way you came to know the bible is true. absolutely nothing different.

I asked some questions and you choose to not answer them. What is the reason that LDS avoid answering questions? Why do you judge Christians who reject the Book of Mormon as people who are not ready to accept the Gospel? Why won't you tell us what you think the Gospel is?

 

[madhatter85]

I asked some questions and you choose to not answer them. What is the reason that LDS avoid answering questions? Why do you judge Christians who reject the Book of Mormon as people who are not ready to accept the Gospel? Why won't you tell us what you think the Gospel is?

you ask the same questions we have already answered, it is merely a way of brekaing the routine of talkign in cirlces and getting nowhere

if you would like to know more about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ please visit Mormon.org - Home to request a free copy of the book of mormon.

 

[Katzpur]

What is "the Gospel?" Can you encapsulate that for me?

I believe that "the gospel" is God's Plan of Salvation. While I love the Bible (I actually enjoy reading the four gospel accounts more than I enjoy reading much of the Book of Mormon), I believe that it does not cover the Plan of Salvation to the same degree the Book of Mormon and latter-day revelation do. Certain doctrines, such as the Pre-mortal existance of man and the Spirit World are alluded to in the Bible but are not explained as fully as they might be.

 

[ἀλήθεια]

you ask the same questions we have already answered, it is merely a way of brekaing the routine of talkign in cirlces and getting nowhere

Your opinion is that people are talking in circles and getting nowhere. So if someone asks a question you won't answer it and you won't tell us in which post you answered what the Gospel is according to LDS.

if you would like to know more about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ please visit Mormon.org - Home to request a free copy of the book of mormon.

Okay. According to Mormonism, no non-Mormon has, follows, or teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But out of the kindness of your LDS hearts or for some other reason, you will refer to non-mormons who don't have the Gospel of Christ as Christians even if an exceedingly great many [of them] do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them (see 1 Nephi 13:29).

 

[ἀλήθεια]

I believe that "the gospel" is God's Plan of Salvation. While I love the Bible (I actually enjoy reading the four gospel accounts more than I enjoy reading much of the Book of Mormon), I believe that it does not cover the Plan of Salvation to the same degree the Book of Mormon and latter-day revelation do. Certain doctrines, such as the Pre-mortal existance of man and the Spirit World are alluded to in the Bible but are not explained as fully as they might be.

Can you direct us to the chapters in the Book of Mormon that mention a pre-existence and Spirit World?

 

[RemnanteK]

If a man was on a deserted Island and found the Bible and began to walk with Jesus each day would he be saved?
Or would he also need to have the book of Mormon as well?

I'm sure we can all agree that everyone will be judged according to the amount of truth we know and if we can call Jesus friend and he can claim the same.
I think the most important part of being a 'Christian' is our Relationship with Jesus.
Because you can be whatever denomination you want, if you don't know Jesus as a friend all is lost.

But I do understand the need for a religious group to gather with and uplift each other in prayer.
I find that the LDS I work with are great people and some of the most trustworthy.
They are the people I don't mind being in a Fox hole with. I know they have my back as I have theirs.