Mormonism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

by Matt Slick

1. Mormon Doctrines
   1. There are many gods, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163); There is a mother goddess, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443); God used to be a man on another planet, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321); After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-347, 354); God resides near a star called Kolob, (Pearl of Great Price, pages 34-35; Mormon Doctrine, p. 428).
      1. The Bible says there is only one God (Is. 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5).  God is a trinity of persons--not three gods.  God is eternally God (Psalm 90:2); therefore, He was never a man.  God knows of no other gods (Is. 44:8).  You cannot become a god (Is. 43:10).  Mormonism is wrong.
      2. One God verses
         1. Isaiah 43:10, You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me."
         2. Isaiah 44:6, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me."
         3. Isaiah 44:8, "Do not tremble and do not be afraid; have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none."
         4. Isaiah 45:5, "I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God."
   2. The Trinity is three separate gods, (James Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 35); God is increasing in knowledge, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 120); God has the form of a man, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 3).
   3. God the Father has a body of flesh and bones, (Doctrine and Covenants, 130:22);  God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children, (Mormon Doctrine p. 516); We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth, (Journal of Discourse, Vol. 4, p. 218).
      1. The Bible says that God is spirit (John 4:24) and that a spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).  Therefore, God doesn't have a body of flesh and bones, and he isn't married to a goddess wife.
   4. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers, and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163); There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 188); There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348).
   5. The Holy Ghost is a male personage, (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, p 118; Journal of Discourses, Vol. 5, page 179); Baptism for the dead, (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. II, p. 141). This is a practice of baptizing each other in place of non-Mormons who are now dead. Their belief is that in the afterlife, the "newly baptized" person will be able to enter into a higher level of Mormon heaven.
2. Joseph Smith boasted he did more than Jesus to keep a church together.
   1. Joseph Smith said, "I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam . . . Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet." (History of the Church, Vol. 6:408-9).
      1. Link:  http://www.carm.org/religious-movements/mormonism/joseph-smith-boasted-he-did-more-jesus-keep-church-together
3. Mormonism condemns other religions.
   1. (Joseph Smith's first vision) " . . . I asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right--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. . ." (History of the Church, Vol. 1, page 5-6).
   2. "But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong." (Brigham Young, "Journal of Discourses," Vol. 2, page 171.--1855)
4. Mormons have a different Jesus.
   1. "In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times.'" (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p. 7)
5. Book of Mormon
   1. Joseph Smith said, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." (History of the Church, Vol. 4, page 461).
   2. If the book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible and you can get closer to God by following it (History of the Church, 4:461), why does it not mention plurality of Gods, Word of Wisdom, God is an exalted man, celestial marriage, men may become Gods, three degrees of glory, baptism for the dead, eternal progression, the Aaronic Priesthood, and the Melchizedek Priesthood?
   3. Changes in Book of Mormon
      1. 1 Nephi 11:18, (1830 edition) "And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of [. . . . ] God, after the manner of the flesh." VERSES (1981 edition) "And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh."
      2. 1 Nephi 13:40, (1830 edition)" . . . and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is [. . . . ] the Eternal Father and the Savior of the
         world . . . " VERSES (1981 edition) " . . . and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the
         World . . . "
      3. 1 Nephi 20:1 (changed in 1964 ed.). "Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah,
         [. . . . ] which swear . . . " VERSES (1981 EDITION) "Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, who swear . . . "
      4. Alma 29:4, (1830 edition)" . . . yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills . . . " VERSES (1981 edition) " . . . yea, I know that he allotteth unto men [ . . . .] according to their
         wills . . . "
      5. 3 Nephi 22:4 (1830 edition) " . . . for thou shalt forget the shame of thy
         youth, [. . . . ] and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."
         VERSES " . . . for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."
6. Questions for Mormons
   1. Why was Joseph Smith still preaching against polygamy in October 1843 after he got his revelation in July 1843 commanding the practice of polygamy? (Doc. & Cov. 132; and History of the Church Vol. 6, page 46, or Teachings of the Prophet, page 324).
   2. If the Book of Mormon is true, why do Indians fail to turn white when they become Mormons? (2 Nephi 30:6, prior to the 1981 revision).
   3. How did Joseph Smith carry home the golden plates of the Book of Mormon, and how did the witnesses lift them so easily? (They weighed about 230 lbs. Gold with a density of 19.3 weighs 1204.7 lbs. per cubic foot. The plates were 7" x 8" by about 6." See Articles of Faith by Talmage, page 262, 34th ed.).
   4. If Moroni devoutly practiced the Mormon Gospel, why is he an angel now rather than a God? (Doc. & Cov. 132:17, 37)
   5. If Jesus was conceived as a result of a physical union between God and Mary, how was Jesus born of a virgin? (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 50).
   6. How did Nephi with a few men on a new continent build a temple like Solomon's while Solomon needed 163,300 workmen and seven years to build his temple? (1 Kings 5:13-18 and 2 Nephi 5:15-17).
   7. God rejected the fig leaf aprons which Adam and Eve made (Gen. 3:21). Why do Mormons memorialize the fall by using fig leaf aprons in the secret temple ceremonies?
7. Verses worth noting from LDS Scripture
   1. Book of Mormon
      1. Sufficiently Humble, Alma 5:27, "Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?"
      2. Mocking Brother,   Alma 5:29-31, "Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.  30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?  31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!"
      3. Jesus born in Jerusalem:  Alma 7:10, "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
      4. Saved after all you can do:  2 Nephi 25:23, "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
      5. Grace sufficient after you deny yourself of all ungodliness.  Moroni 10:32, "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and IF YE SHALL DENY YOURSLEVES OF ALL UNGODLINESS, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, THEN IS HIS GRACE SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."
         1. Have you denied yourself of all ungodliness?  If not, then God's grace isn't sufficient for you.  Remember, you must deny yourself of ALL ungodliness, or you don't have God's grace . . . which would mean you are lost.  So, have you denied yourself of all ungodliness according to YOUR scriptures?
      6. Must forsake your sins:  DC 58:43, "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them."
      7. Former Sins Return:  DC 82:7, "And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God."
         1. If you don't perform perfectly, and you sin again after repenting, the form sins return.  How is this forgiveness?
   2. Doctrine and Covenants
      1. Celestial Law, "For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory," (DC 88:22).--following are excerpts from LDS.org, search on celestial law requirements
         1. "If we are fully obedient to celestial law, fulfilling the laws of Christ, we will be worthy of a celestial glory. But for those who do not fully comply with celestial law, other lesser degrees of glory have been prepared . . . " (Delbert L. Stapley, The Blessings of Righteous Obedience, Ensign, Nov. 1977, 18).
         2. "respect the opposite sex so that even lustful thoughts are foreign to the mind," (C. Kent Dunford, Are You Ready to Be a Disciple of Christ? New Era, Apr. 1975, 26)
         3. "Obedience to Celestial Law Tithing is a part of the celestial law referred to in this revelation. Obedience to it is a prerequisite to being quickened in the resurrection by the fulness of the celestial glory," (Marion G. Romney, The Blessings of an Honest Tithe, New Era, Jan.Feb. 1982, 45).
         4. "When we talk of the celestial law which is revealed from heaven, that is, the Priesthood, we are talking about the principle of salvation, a perfect system of government, of laws and ordinances, by which we can be prepared to pass from one gate to another, and from one sentinel to another, until we go into the presence of our Father and God . . . (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 18: The Priesthood, 125)
         5. "But what the scriptural account means is that to gain celestial salvation we must be able to live these laws to the full if we are called upon to do so. Implicit in this is the reality that we must in fact live them to the extent we are called upon so to do," (Bruce R. McConkie, Obedience, Consecration, and Sacrifice, Ensign, May 1975, 50).