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Mormonism / LDS

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2. Mormonism– LDS
What are its key dogmas?
How does it contradict Christianity?
Witnessing to a Mormon.

Cult Fact Sheet

Mormons / Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (LDS).
Originator:
Joseph Smith
Brigham Young

Writings:
KJV Bible translation along with errors thought to given by inspiration to Joseph Smith.
Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
Pearl of Great Price

Distinctives:
1. The Angel Moroni gave Joseph Smith in 1820, who was 15 at the time, golden tablets uncovered in Palmira, New York that could only be read with assistance from special stones which were supposedly written in "reformed Egyptian." The accounts were written by a man named Mormon. On them was supposedly the story of how the lost tribes of Israel traveled to America around 600bc and later the gospel was preached to them (of which there is no historical or archaeological evidence). Supposedly the lost tribes of Israel (Lamenites) came ot America before the First Temples destruction in Jerusalem where they formed 2 tribes Nephites and Lamenites (represented by the American Indians).

2. Jesus, Peter, James and John came to America after His resurrection and established new apostles because the Church had become apostate after the death of the last apostle. They claim that the American Indians were the "other sheep" of (John 10:16).

3. Define your terms because they use similar terminology (baptism, priesthood, Jesus as Son of God, heavenly father / Elohim (resurrected Adam), Holy Spirit.

4. Believe in a "plurality of gods," of which they identify Elohim as their Heavenly father. They are Anti-Trinitarian. We can become gods through obedience. "As man is, God once was, as God is man can be.” Not sure who was the first god. The world was made from pre-existent material.

5. Stopped teaching Polygamy (plural marriage) in 1890, but it is taught that Faithful LDS men will have multiple wives later on their own planet. Teach "eternal marriage" and women are "sealed" to their husband. Divorce is not allowed.

6. All human souls preexisted (preexistence) as spirit children of heavenly father and mother (first estate) and progress. All must be born human and die to progress to godhood, "eternal progression".

7. Elohim or heavenly father was a human man who came to earth from a planet near Kolob.

8. Jesus had wives and children. Jesus’ death and resurrection allowed humans to be exalted to godhood through the Mormon system of temple ordinances and eternal marriage.

9. Jesus was first the result of heavenly father-Elohim and heavenly mother his wife and was the elder spirit brother of Lucifer. Later Jesus is physically born on earth when Elohim – the resurrected Adam had a form of unknown intercourse with Mary. No virgin birth through the Holy Spirit.

10. Lucifer Jesus’ spirit brother rebelled and lost the chance to redeem the earth to Jesus and was tossed out of heaven along with one third, those who lost the fight received a mark and became dark in color. The priesthood later was offered to Africans in 1978. Brigham Young predicted that if that ever happened god would take His authority from the LDS church.

11. For 1700 years people have been deceived but they will be given a second chance to believe through Baptism / Redeeming the dead. Emphasis on genealogies. All given a chance after death in “spirit prison” to become LDS if you never rejected LDS, but need someone to do it for them here now as well.

12. Members who are dissenters are first dis-fellowshiped and placed on probation and later possibly ex-communicated as apostates.

13. Baptized after age 8. They have weekly communion except with bread and water.

14. Young Men who are raised in faithful Mormon homes are strongly encouraged and expected to go through “temple service” and receive a “second anointing” and "endowments" and become Missionaries for 2 years and get married after this.

15. Only those who have received a “second anointing” are part of the 144,000 who are types of "saviors" that will inherit the celestial kingdom. Others will either be on the terrestrial or telestial kingdom, or sent to "Outer Darkness."

16. Jesus instituted the "Melchizadek Priesthood." The Aaronic Priesthood is a lower level of priests.

17. Similar practices to Masons but will not admit it or be allowed to be one.

18. Wear “temple garments” or holy undergarments. No outward symbols to be worn.

19. Have earthly apostles and a sitting / ruling prophet. They are god’s voice, similar to the idea of a Pope.

20. Follow the "Word of Wisdom" and must tithe, not drink, not smoke and not drink coffee or tea to be worthy of temple recommendation.

21. Believe in a type of hell or "outer darkness" reserved for those who are truly evil and reject Mormonism. Otherwise there are 3 levels; Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial. Only devout Mormons are in the Celestial kingdom with heavenly father and have servants. There is also 3 levels of the Celestial kingdom. Jesus visits those in the Terrestrial and the Holy Spirit visits those in the Telestial.

22. Confess serious sins to the local Mormon bishop who sometimes exacts a punishment. They are expected to work on becoming "perfect."

23. Distorted view of grace; saved by grace “after all you can do.” They believe that they have to "pay Jesus back," there is no free salvation.

24. All non-Mormons are considered to be "Gentiles" because they consider themselves to be from Abraham's seed and part of the tribes of Israel. Upon Jesus' return to Independance, Missouri all from the 10 tribes will be gathered; ie. Mormons. A future Mormon temple is to be built there considered to be the place of the "Garden of Eden."

25. The fall of Adam and Eve is considered to have been a blessing because it allowed them to become "mortal" and have children. Prior to that they were not mortal as we are.

Presenting the Gospel to Mormons

Realize that most Mormons have not "thoroughly" studied the actual Bible for themselves without instructions and are not very familiar with it. They believe that the Bible is correct inasmuch as it agrees with the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith and the LDS leadership.

Realize that most Mormons do not know many of the doctrines that the LDS teaches, especially the more controversial doctrines and how it has changed over the years.

Points to bring up:

1. Mormons will try to tell you that they believe the same as Christians. In every point try to emphasize what historic Christianity and the Bible taught and teaches, especially before the “death of the last apostle.”

2. Invite them to actually study the Bible with you and not just the writings and teachings of the LDS. Remember that most of what the LDS teaches is not in the “Book of Mormon,” or the Bible, but actually in the “Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.” Ask for a copy of that and not just the Book of Mormon.

3. Always challenge them to show you where in the Bible, or even the Book of Mormon, does it say or teach that, but remember that they consider the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith to be greater than what the Bible teaches. Where it teaches the same they would agree.

4. Challenge the notion that they teach that it will be Joseph Smith and not Jesus alone who will be at the final judgment to act as judge.

5. Challenge them to show you historical and archaeological evidence of the Nephites and Lamenites in South America within other documents outside of Mormon literature as well. If the tribes were in South America how did the tablets end up in Palmira New York close to where Joseph Smith lived?

6. They claim that the lack of divisions and splits within the LDS points to the fact that the LDS is true, then ask them about the various splits that do exist.

7. They will ask you to pray and ask God if the book of Mormon is true, always bring the discussion back to the Bible, especially the NT and its trustworthiness.

8. Question them on the fact that Jesus said that the “gates of hell would not prevail against the Church,” so why over 1700 years did the church not exist until the time of Joseph Smith? Remember they believe that the church went apostate after the death of the last apostle.

9. Be careful to always have them to define terms such as; (baptism, priesthood, Jesus as Son of God, heavenly father / Elohim (resurrected Adam), and the Holy Spirit. define terms

10. Question their various LDS doctrines such as; polytheism and that man can become as gods.

11. Ask if the LDS teaches if faithful LDS men are given after death their own planet and multiple wives.

12. Ask if the LDS teaches that Lucifer was Jesus’ “spirit brother” in a preexistent state.

13. Ask if the LDS teaches that Elohim / heavenly father was a man (resurrected Adam) who came to earth from a planet near Kolob and had intercourse with Mary to produce Jesus.

14. Ask if the LDS teaches that Jesus had wives and children.

Websites of Interest

Official website

Mormon Scriptures

Topic Search

Mormon Lessons

Historical Events

People in the Book of Mormon

Mormon Archaeology

Mormon Terminology

PBS Program

Audio Debates