180 lines
9.1 KiB
Plaintext
180 lines
9.1 KiB
Plaintext
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Divine Truths in the Book of Mormon
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Anyone <20>visited <20>by <20>a <20>Mormon Missionary has <20>heard <20>the <20>Elder's
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testimony <20>concerning the Book of Mormon: <20>That he knows this book is
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the <20>Word <20>of God and that the founder of the Mormon <20>Church, <20><>Joseph
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Smith, <20>Jr., translated it by the gift and power of God. Further, the
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prospect is encouraged sincerely to study the Book of Mormon and <20>"The
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divine truths it contains."
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The Book of Mormon indeed does contain a number of "divine truths",
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first set forth in the Bible, the most important of which are:
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1. GOD IS SPIRIT
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Alma 18:28 (p. 242) - "Believest, thou that this Great Spirit, who
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is God, created all things".
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2. TRINITARIAN VIEW OF GOD
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3 <20>Nephi 11:27 (p. 422) - "Verily I say unto you, that the Father
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and <20>the Son and the Holy Ghost are one." <20>In addition, <20>three <20>close
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associates <20>of Joseph Smith who gave testimony of the authenticity <20>of
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the Book of Mormon, close with words: "And the honor be to the Father,
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and <20>to <20>the <20>Son and to the Holy Ghost, <20>WHICH IS <20>ONE <20>GOD. <20><>Amen."
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(emphasis added) This endorsement is found in the front of every Book
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of <20>Mormon and further documents the Book of Mormon's <20>acknowledgement
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of the triune nature of God.
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3. GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE
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Moroni 8:18 (p. 517) - <20>"For I know that God is not a partial God,
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neither a changeable being; <20>but he is unchangeable from all <20>eternity
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to all eternity."
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4. NO SALVATION AFTER DEATH
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Mosiah 3:25 <20>(p. 141) - "And if they be evil they are consigned to
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an <20>awful view of their own guilt and abominations, <20>which doth <20>cause
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them <20>to <20>shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of <20>misery
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and endless torment, <20>from whence they can no more return; <20><>therefore
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they have drunk damnation to their own souls."
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5. ONLY TWO DESTINATIONS AFTER DEATH
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Mosiah 16:11 <20>(p. 166) - "If they be good, <20>to the resurrection of
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endless life and happiness; <20>and if they be evil, <20>to the resurrection
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of endless damnation."
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6. SALVATION BY CHRIST"S WORK - NOT MAN'S
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Helaman 5:9 (p. 369) - "...remember that there is no other way nor
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means <20>whereby <20>men can be saved, <20>only through the atoning <20>blood <20>of
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Jesus Christ, <20>who shall come, yea, <20>remember that he cometh to redeem
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the world."
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The Book of Mormon also emphasizes the need for spiritual rebirth.
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For <20>example <20>Alma 5:14 <20>states "And now behold, <20>I <20>ask of <20>you, <20><>my
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brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye
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received <20>his image in your countenances? <20>Have ye <20>experienced <20>this
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mighty change in your hearts?"
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Much <20>of <20>the <20>major theology set forth in the Book of <20>Mormon <20>is
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indeed in harmony with orthodox Christianity. <20>However, <20>many who are
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visited by the LDS Missionaries are unaware that the present <20>theology
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of <20>the Mormon Church is very different from their own Book of Mormon.
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Further, <20>not only are today's major doctrines different, <20>they are in
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total <20>opposition with this work of Joseph Smith, <20>Jr., <20>for which <20>he
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claimed divine inspiration.
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Mormon <20>theology is not contained in, <20>but rather contradicted <20>by
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the <20>Book <20>of <20>Mormon. <20>The members of the Mormon Church now turn <20>to
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newer <20>publications <20>and <20>revelations for their <20>beliefs. <20><>A <20><>brief
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examination of some of these will document the contradictions.
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1. <20><>Mormonism today teaches "The Father has a body of flesh and bones
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as tangible as man's" (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22).
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2. <20>Joseph Smith, later in his life, flatly denied the Trinity: <20>"Many
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men say there is one God, <20>the Father, <20>the Son and the Holy Ghost are
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one God! <20>I saw that is a strange God anyhow - three in one, <20>and one
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in <20>three!" <20>He further concludes that the Father, <20>Son and the <20>Holy
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Ghost <20>are not one God, <20>but rather three Gods (History of the <20>Church
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6:474, 476).
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3. The LDS Church no longer adheres to the unchangeable nature of God,
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but <20>rather <20>states: <20>"God himself was once as we are now and <20>is <20>an
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exalted man... We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all
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eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you
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may see". (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345).
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4. <20><>Bruce <20>R. <20>McConkie announces on page 73 <20>of his <20>work, <20><>'Mormon
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Doctrine': <20><>"The Lord has ordained baptism for the dead as the means
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whereby <20>all <20>his <20>worthy children of all ages <20>can <20>become <20>heirs <20>of
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salvation in his kingdom."
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5. <20><>Mormonism today informs its members that all mankind will <20>occupy
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one of three heavenly kingdoms. <20>The highest is the Celestial Kingdom
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(which itself contains various levels). <20>This kingdom is reserved for
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all <20>faithful Mormons and could lead to Godhood for the <20>male <20>members
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there. <20>The middle Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, is for those who
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did <20>not <20>accept the gospel according to Mormonism, <20>but who lived <20>an
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honorable <20>life. <20><>The <20>lowest or Telestial <20>Kingdom <20>still <20>contains
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murderers, <20><>adulterers, <20>liars and thieves. <20>(Doctrine <20>& <20>Covenants
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section <20>76). <20><>Hell <20>in Mormonism is usually thought to <20>be <20>only <20>a
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temporary <20>state of suffering, <20>which can be terminated through <20>self-
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atonement. <20><>In <20>summary, <20>all will be resurrected and <20>receive <20>some
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degree of glory, according to Mormonism.
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6. Mormons believe not in the infinite atonement of Christ, but rather
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that <20>"redemption <20>from <20>personal sins can only <20>be <20>obtained <20>through
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obedience <20>to <20>the <20>requirements of the Gospel, <20>AND A <20>LIFE <20>OF <20>GOOD
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WORKS." (emphasis added) (Talmage, Articles of Faith pgs. 478-479)
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These <20>changes <20>and contradictions contained within <20>these <20>easily
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available <20>LDS <20>Scriptures leave no doubt as to the human, <20><>man <20>made
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origin of Mormonism.
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While <20>Mormons regard the Bible as the Word of God, <20>the Bible <20>is
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actually placed lower and superseded by their other Scriptures, <20>which
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in addition to the Book of Mormon include the Doctrine & Covenants and
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the <20>Pearl <20>of Great Price. <20>This devaluation of the Bible <20>is <20>found
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within the LDS Articles of Faith, <20>in the Pearl of Great Price, <20>where
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it <20>is <20>stated <20>that Mormons "believe the Bible in so <20>far <20>as <20>it <20>is
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correctly translated."
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God's <20>word, <20><>the Bible, <20>has definitely stood the test of <20>time,
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whereas in its short existence the Book of Mormon has not. The Bible,
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has been used by and confirmed by archeology, - the Book of Mormon has
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not. <20>The Bible, <20>has through recent ancient manuscript <20>discoveries,
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been <20>demonstrated to have been transmitted and translated accurately,
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where the Book of Mormon contains nearly 4000 textual changes from the
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first <20>edition <20>in 1830 <20>to the present editions used today, <20>and <20>has
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received further changes in the new 1981 "Triple Combination" edition.
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The <20>presence <20>of <20>"Divine Truths" <20>within the Book of <20>Mormon <20>is
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merely a result of Joseph Smith, <20>Jr. <20>incorporating much of the Bible
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into his work. (see 'The use of the Bible in the Book of Mormon by H.
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Michael <20>Marquardt). <20><>Thus, <20>the Book of Mormon must be regarded <20>as
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fiction, not as inspired Scripture.
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Changes within Mormonism and the Book of Mormon make it clear that
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Mormonism is not from God. <20>God's word does not change. Jesus Christ
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is the same yesterday, <20>today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) <20>and His Word
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shall never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). The Jesus Christ
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who <20>shed his blood on Calvary's cross to save you is not the Jesus of
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present-day <20>Mormonism. <20><>Jesus <20>invites all people to <20>experience <20>a
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spiritual <20>rebirth <20>and to receive the free gift of <20>eternal <20>life <20>by
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trusting in him alone for salvation.
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Write <20>to us and let us share with you more information concerning
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our Risen Saviour Jesus Christ and how you can receive Him.
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PERSONAL FREEDOM OUTREACH
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Route 3 Weir Lake Rd., Kunkletown, PA. 18058 (215) 381-3661
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P.O. Box 26062, Saint Louis, MO. 63136 (314) 388-2648
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P.O. Box 30073, Phoenix, AZ. 85046 (602)867-0538
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P.O. Box 15081, Santa Ana, CA. 92705 (714) 832-9385
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X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm)
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& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845
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Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766
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realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510-527-1662
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Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 415-583-4102
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My Dog Bit Jesus Suzanne D'Fault 510-658-8078
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where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother.
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"Raw Data for Raw Nerves"
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