The Mormon Discussion

I finished reading Molly's second post over at Choosing Home. She is a brave woman, and filled with grace and truth- able to clearly set the "Mormon Discussion" before her audience. Today's post laid out what the Mormons believe to be the Gospel, the "good news" as it is called in the Protestant church. In the Latter Day Saints church it is called "The Heavenly Ladder." This is what Molly plans to lay out in her post:

In this post, I will stick to the actual documented sources. It will be much more productive for all involved. What we want to learn is what the LDS Church actually teaches, not what someone claims it teaches, right?

Since our question is, “Who’s actually the Christian (one, the other, or both?),” learning what we each define to be the Good News of God really is important. Our definition of what the Gospel is forms the crux for the rest of our belief system. Who is Jesus and what exactly did He do for us? What’s the Good News for man?

I never knew this is what the LDS church believes. I have heard second, third, fourth, fifth hand accounts of what the LDS church believes- men become gods, get their own planet, women are perpetually pregnant (oh what *joy* Heaven must be!), but to hear it from their own books of doctrine? Honestly, after reading it, I find it unbelievable. Here is one quote that is really off the mark:

“I want to reason a little on this subject [of God’s father]…If Abraham reasoned thus - If Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and John [doubtless the apostle] discovered that God the Father of Jesus Christ had a father, you may suppose that He [God’s Father and Jesus’ grandfather] had a father also. Where was there ever a son without a father? …Paul says that which is earthly is in the likeness of that which is heavenly, hence if Jesus had a father, can we not believe that He [God] had a father also? I despise the idea of being scared to death at such a doctrine, for the Bible is full of it!”
-Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, p 476

God has a father? Jesus has a great- grandfather? I see this as one very puffed up man speculating over scripture and ideas (that may have occured to me while I was still smoking too much pot), and forming a completely unadulterated false gospel. I know this is harsh language, but this is honestly the only way I can make sense out of Joseph Smith's two plus two equals thirteen.

Another quote I'd like to borrow from Molly's post (as to draw you as deeply into the discussion as I am!) irks me to pieces. Oh! the precious blood of Jesus! Oh! the forgiveness he extends, the love, the grace...

as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our trangressions from us. Psalm 103:12

This is what the LDS has to say about Christ and forgiveness:

“Heavenly Father has promised forgiveness upon total repentance and meeting all the requirements, but that forgiveness is not granted merely for the asking. There must be works - many works - and an all-out, total surrender…It depends upon you whether or not you are forgiven, and when. It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you.”
Elder Kimball –the Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 324-325

This is not biblical. This is a fase teaching. When we belong to Christ, it is not works that bring on forgiveness, it is the sweet blood of Jesus covering over us.

You may also want to read Molly's first post on this topic, 60 comments and all. The LDS followers are taught that the Bible cannot be trusted, due to mistranslations. So if ever the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible, well, um, it must be a mistranslation.

Pray, pray, pray that the ladies who are Mormon will listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts. These ladies are being presented the truth and many of them have decided- never mind, we don't want the discussion after all (it was a precious woman who brought up the question of "why don't Christians believe I am a Christian- as a Mormon?"). Pray for these women who are deceived!

And go read Molly's excellent article.