About once every three or four months, a couple of Mormon elders will come to my house to talk about Jesus Christ. Actually, the time between the visits may be a little longer because the elders are always different guys. I had another visit Friday.
I always invite these guys in for conversation. I am polite. I ask how they feel that their mission is going, and I ask if they have visited any of the members from my church. I ask how they have been treated by them and if they have had any good conversations with them. Then I ask them this question: "Okay, if I were here and I were desperate, and if I were to say to you, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' How would you answer me?"
The response is almost always the same. They say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Repent of your sin and follow Jesus Christ."
That answer always grieves me. At face value, that is a wonderful answer. When the average member of my church hears that answer, he will think that these guys are "one of us." But what they are thinking when they say it, and what comes into the mind of the average member of my church when they say it are two radically different things.
I feel during these conversations that I am having to coax a snake out of the grass so I can kill it. Or so I can at least defend against it. For the first twenty minutes or so they always assert that we believe in the same Jesus and have the same salvation. This is patently, completely, and totally false. And when angers me the most is that they know it. I have not met a Mormon elder yet who actually believes that we believe the same things about Jesus.
If you press the elders, you will eventually find out these things:
1. Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are three gods.
2. There is no creation out of nothing. You are eternal matter and the same substance as God himself.
3. You are the same as God, but are behind in your progress as a god.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ ceased to exist on the earth for almost 1700 years.
These are a few of the things that Mormons believe. I ask you, if you believed that, would you go around telling people that you believe in the same Jesus Christ that others believe? I believe that they are practicing purposeful deception in order to get their foot in the door with unwary church members. This is not naive theology; this is serpentine lying.
I always point out a few things to them before they go.
1. Their gospel elevates them to the place of God. This is atrocious.
2. Their gospel lowers God to the level of man. (For he was once as we are, according to their theology.) This is blasphemy.
3. The Church of Christ, His beloved bride, will never fail; the gates of hell will never prevail against her; she is the glorious wisdom of God made evident to all generations without end.
4. I make it clear that it offends me, and that it angers me to hear of Christ's Church as a failure.
There are other things that can be touched on if they come up, such as Joseph Smith's credentials as a prophet. But these are the main things that come up. So be wary and watchful, and do not under any circumstance allow these elders to leave your home under the delusion that we "believe basically the same things."
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Two Voices
12 years ago
8 comments:
Good thoughts, their use of the same terminology can throw off the casual observer.
But, beneath that surface lurks one of the most evil cults.
God bless,
Jim
Hello
My friend pointed me in direction of your site and told me i should check it out that it would help me.
I am 14 years old and am a Mormon. I am glad you are nice to these missionaries b/c you know they have to give up a lot. They have to leave all their friends and family behind. If there mom or dad dies they most likely choose to stay in the field and not go home. I don't like you persucuting my church like that it greatly defends me.
If you would just read some of the stuff the missionaries give you then maybe you would actually understand and not have to bash us. We get bashed enough as it is and isn't america supposed to be the place where we can choose whatever religion we want? Also even in the bible it says to love everyone, so why are you bashing us, aren't you going against your basic religion??
Much Love
I have adored your blog until now. You obviously know nothing about LDS. Why do you want to bash it? We don't do that to your church, although there are many things about it that we could. I don't understand why your religious beliefs aren't about love. Could you please explain?
Brad,
You have (i.e. had) quite a following!
LDS'rs: Please continue to visit this site. Let it challenge your thinking and your theology. The crazy thing about love is that it has to be harsh at times to keep the loved one from perishing in their error. I bet Paul would say something like this at this moment:
Romans 10 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
To My LDS Readers,
If you are still here, I want to address a couple of things that have come up in the comments. Hopefully, you have stayed around long enough to read the answers to your questions and/or frustrations with the post.
The first thing that I wish to address is the issue of being "unloving." This is completely untrue. The Bible teaches in 1 Corinthians 13:6 we are taught that "love rejoices in truth." Am I teaching truth? If so, then I am being loving. If not, then I am being evil.
Surely you must agree that LDS teachings diverge from the historic doctrines of the Church. I have been accussed of "knowing nothing" about LDS doctrine, yet which doctrine that I have written did I misrepresent? Do you not believe that you are eternal matter? Do you deny creation from nothing? Do you not believe that God was as we now are, and that man will be as God now is? Do you not believe that the church ceased to exist for 1700 years until Joseph Smith reintroduced the Priesthood of Mechizidek?
These are untruthful and even blasphemous teachings. I do not say this to bash you personally; I say these things to admonish and warn you. These are serious errors; these are damning errors. They deny the truth about Jesus Christ and salvation. How can I remain loving and not tell you so?
If I have misrepresented the teaching of Joseph Smith and the LDS prophets, then I am certain that I am not the only one who would like to hear about it. But if not, then you have to deal with the glaring differences that exist between your faith and the Christian faith. That is what I hope you will do.
Caiite,
I already know LDS doctrine, and I am certain that they work very hard. I have never mistreated a Mormon representative. However, I have pointed out the serious flaws in their/your doctrines. This is not negative, it is positive.
It would help your case if you knew how to spell Melchizedek
I am greatly disturbed by the responses on this site, not because they are opposite of my beliefs, but because they are not based in scripture. Sojourner opening asks you if you believe the 4 statements he poses as false and no one has admitted yes or no to it. If you are Mormon, then yes you do. Sojourner is serving out of love, which is commanded by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And Caitie, in response to your last line about it being "funny", the answer is "no". As a Christian, I want to see no one go to hell and the fact that you inherently question your own belief in that statement tells me you aren't sold in your belief. God Bless each and every one of you.
Matt
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