M O R M O N I S M
CULT or CHRISTIAN
by Dale Brown
Have you ever wondered why there are no crosses on Mormon churches? Though the Latter Day Saints, as they are called, claim to be Christians, by doing so they deny the very foundation of their religion. In about 1830 their prophet Joseph Smith was praying in order that he might know which church to join. The Lord supposedly told him "that he must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that their professors were all corrupt" (Joseph Smith 2:19).CULT or CHRISTIAN
by Dale Brown
Though this testimony is still printed in the Book of Mormon it is downplayed and a new less offensive and sanitized message is presented today by the polite young missionaries. They still however point to him as being a prophet and the one appointed by Jesus Christ to restore the "true" church.
Smith’s original claims were actually an attack on all of Christendom. Though modern day missionaries appear outwardly to be your friend, what they represent is still very much the enemy of the church of Jesus Christ as it is recorded in the Bible. Christian ministers "were mocked" in the secret LDS temple ceremonies as being a "hireling of Satan", until the 1990 revision. In Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie (pp. 670) we read "If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
WHAT IS IN THE SYMBOL?
Joseph Smith was advanced to Master Mason Degree of Freemasonry, March 15, 1842. That is why you find, in the Mormon temple ritual, many of the same tokens, signs, and horrible penalties (throat slit, heart and vitals torn out) for revealing temple secrets (as in Masonry). Some of these symbols are also found on their temple aprons and garments (magic underwear resembling old fashion long johns). The Freemasonry Deity who is ABADDON or Lucifer is represented by an obelisk or pole. Our first President, George Washington, was a Mason, thus his monument standing in Washington D.C. is a 555 foot obelisk. On many of the early LDS buildings and temples one can see occult symbols such as the all-seeing eye, the Masonic handshake, pentagrams, etc.
It is interesting to note that Mormons are quite concerned about the ordinance of water baptism yet when it comes to the ordinance of the communion table there is a little twist. Instead of taking bread and wine (or fruit of the vine) as was the Passover custom and the command of Jesus, they take bread and water. The wine is a symbol of Jesus’ blood that was shed on Calvary "and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness"(Heb. 9:22). All false religions avoid or water down the teaching about the blood atonement. Satan and all of his demons fear the blood of Christ (Rev. 12:11).
The Bible tells us that the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).
Like many cults, they use Christian terminology, in fact for the sake of public relations they have modified both their history and their logo in order to down play "Mormon," "Latter-Day Saints," and to magnify the name JESUS CHRIST. The Mormon concept of God however is similar to Hinduism in that they are polytheistic, believing in many Gods. If that were not bad enough, they also believe they are going to become Gods.
The LDS book Pearl of Great Price contradicts the Bible by claiming there are many Gods who formed the earth (Abraham 4:1) while the Bible clearly states there is only one God? "Before Me there was no God formed and there will be none after me" (Isaiah 43:10, 44:6).
Satan also claimed that man could become like gods through eating the forbidden fruit. That brought a curse on man and got him driven from the garden of Eden. (Gen. 3:5-24) "Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies"(John. 8:44). The source of the lie that we can become Gods is the same today. The destination of those who endorse it will be the same — eternal judgment.
Jesus said we would know them by their fruit. No matter how nice the people may be, the fruit of Mormonism is based on false prophecies and lies about Jesus Christ and the Bible.
Though there has been a need for spiritual revival at different times throughout history the idea that the true church ceased to exist until Joseph Smith (or any other cult leader) came along is a faulty one. Jesus said, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell will not prevail against it"(Matt. 16:18). As apostle Paul wrote, Jesus is the rock (1 Cor. 10:4), not Peter, the church, a prophet or some new revelation.
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
(Isa 40:8)
IF JOSEPH SMITH WAS A PROPHET,
WHY ALL THE CONTRADICTIONS?
The following is a brief comparison of the Bible and the three additional books the LDS Church considers scripture, The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
Why does his book of Mormon say that the Son of God was born at Jerusalem (Alma 7:10), instead of the Biblical Bethlehem? (Matt. 2:1) Bethlehem in Hebrew means literally the house of bread. Jesus is the bread of life. He could have been born no other place and fulfilled the prophecy of Mica 5:2.
Why has there never been found one single sword, bow, arrowhead, ax head or any other weapon on the hill Cumorah, where there supposedly was fought a battle of tens of thousands of Nephites and Lamanites? (Mormon 6:9-15) The Book of Mormon records swords of steel (1 Nephi. 4:9, 2 Nephi 5:15) however there was no metallurgical knowledge in pre-Columbian America for the working of iron or steel.
Why does the book of Mormon record horses, cows, oxen and asses in America between 600 B.C. and 421 A.D. (1 Nephi 18:25, Alma 18:9-10) when in reality it was the Europeans that brought them much later?
Why does the book of Mormon say that swine were useful for the food of man (Ether 9:18) when no religious Jew of that time period would have considered eating them?
Why does the book of Mormon say that swine were useful for the food of man (Ether 9:18) when no religious Jew of that time period would have considered eating them?
Why is silk listed as being found in America when the silkworm moths that produce it had not yet been introduced from Asia? (1 Nephi 13:7, Alma 4:6)
Why has there never been found any of the coins listed in the book of Mormon? (Alma 11:4-20) The coins mentioned in the Bible are displayed in collections throughout the world.
Why does the Book of Mormon say that darkness would cover the earth for three days at Christ’s death on the cross (Helaman 14:20 & 27, 3 Nephi 8:3), when the Bible says three hours (Luke 23:44)?
Why does LDS writings say that Enoch lived 430 years (Moses 8:1, D&C 107:49), whereas the Bible says 365 years (Gen. 5:23)?
Why does the Doctrine and Covenants (Sec. 130:22) say, the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s yet Jesus said, "God is Spirit..." (John 4:24) and then defining a spirit, He said, ". . . a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."? (Luke 24:39)
Why does the Pearl of Great Price contradict the Bible by claiming there are many Gods who formed the earth (Abraham 4:1) when the Bible clearly states there is only one God? "Before Me there was no God formed and there will be none after me." (Isaiah 43:10, 44:6)
Why does the Mormon church spend thousands of dollars and countless hours doing genealogical research for the dead when the Bible tells us plainly to, ". . . instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith."? (1 Tim. 1:3&4)
Why does the Mormon Church no longer teach polygamy? Joseph Smith said that having many wives was "a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then ye are damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory" (D&C 132:4-6). The Bible however says that church elders, or overseers, must be "the husband of one wife" (1 Tim. 3:2, 12, Deu. 17:17).
Joseph Smith’s revelations were supposedly brought to him by an angel named Moroni, yet the Bible says, "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." (Gal. 1:8&9, 2 Cor. 11:3&4, 13-15)
The Bible tells us to despise not prophetic utterances, but to examine or prove everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good. (1 Thess. 5:20&21) Even Joseph Smith claimed that we should meet the opponents of the Church in public and private in effort to reason these things out.(D&C 71) By doing so it is clear that the LDS prophet was mistaken in many areas. According to the Bible, Joseph Smith is a false prophet and is not to be admired or feared (Deu. 18:22).
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