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 ÿvisited ÿby ÿa ÿMormon Missionary has ÿheard ÿthe ÿElder's
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testimony ÿconcerning the Book of Mormon: ÿThat he knows this book is
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the ÿWord ÿof God and that the founder of the Mormon ÿChurch, ÿÿJoseph
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Smith, ÿJr., 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 ÿ"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 ÿNephi 11:27 (p. 422) - "Verily I say unto you, that the Father
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and ÿthe Son and the Holy Ghost are one." ÿIn addition, ÿthree ÿclose
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associates ÿof Joseph Smith who gave testimony of the authenticity ÿof
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the Book of Mormon, close with words: "And the honor be to the Father,
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and ÿto ÿthe ÿSon and to the Holy Ghost, ÿWHICH IS ÿONE ÿGOD. ÿÿAmen."
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(emphasis added) This endorsement is found in the front of every Book
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of ÿMormon and further documents the Book of Mormon's ÿacknowledgement
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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) - ÿ"For I know that God is not a partial God,
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neither a changeable being; ÿbut he is unchangeable from all ÿeternity
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to all eternity."
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4. NO SALVATION AFTER DEATH
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Mosiah 3:25 ÿ(p. 141) - "And if they be evil they are consigned to
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an ÿawful view of their own guilt and abominations, ÿwhich doth ÿcause
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them ÿto ÿshrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of ÿmisery
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and endless torment, ÿfrom whence they can no more return; ÿÿtherefore
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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 ÿ(p. 166) - "If they be good, ÿto the resurrection of
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endless life and happiness; ÿand if they be evil, ÿto 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 ÿwhereby ÿmen can be saved, ÿonly through the atoning ÿblood ÿof
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Jesus Christ, ÿwho shall come, yea, ÿremember 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 ÿexample ÿAlma 5:14 ÿstates "And now behold, ÿI ÿask of ÿyou, ÿÿmy
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brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye
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received ÿhis image in your countenances? ÿHave ye ÿexperienced ÿthis
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mighty change in your hearts?"
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Much ÿof ÿthe ÿmajor theology set forth in the Book of ÿMormon ÿis
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indeed in harmony with orthodox Christianity. ÿHowever, ÿmany who are
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visited by the LDS Missionaries are unaware that the present ÿtheology
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of ÿthe Mormon Church is very different from their own Book of Mormon.
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Further, ÿnot only are today's major doctrines different, ÿthey are in
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total ÿopposition with this work of Joseph Smith, ÿJr., ÿfor which ÿhe
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claimed divine inspiration.
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Mormon ÿtheology is not contained in, ÿbut rather contradicted ÿby
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the ÿBook ÿof ÿMormon. ÿThe members of the Mormon Church now turn ÿto
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newer ÿpublications ÿand ÿrevelations for their ÿbeliefs. ÿÿA ÿÿbrief
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examination of some of these will document the contradictions.
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1. ÿÿMormonism 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. ÿJoseph Smith, later in his life, flatly denied the Trinity: ÿ"Many
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men say there is one God, ÿthe Father, ÿthe Son and the Holy Ghost are
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one God! ÿI saw that is a strange God anyhow - three in one, ÿand one
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in ÿthree!" ÿHe further concludes that the Father, ÿSon and the ÿHoly
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Ghost ÿare not one God, ÿbut rather three Gods (History of the ÿChurch
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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 ÿrather ÿstates: ÿ"God himself was once as we are now and ÿis ÿan
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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. ÿÿBruce ÿR. ÿMcConkie announces on page 73 ÿof his ÿwork, ÿÿ'Mormon
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Doctrine': ÿÿ"The Lord has ordained baptism for the dead as the means
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whereby ÿall ÿhis ÿworthy children of all ages ÿcan ÿbecome ÿheirs ÿof
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salvation in his kingdom."
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5. ÿÿMormonism today informs its members that all mankind will ÿoccupy
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one of three heavenly kingdoms. ÿThe highest is the Celestial Kingdom
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(which itself contains various levels). ÿThis kingdom is reserved for
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all ÿfaithful Mormons and could lead to Godhood for the ÿmale ÿmembers
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there. ÿThe middle Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, is for those who
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did ÿnot ÿaccept the gospel according to Mormonism, ÿbut who lived ÿan
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honorable ÿlife. ÿÿThe ÿlowest or Telestial ÿKingdom ÿstill ÿcontains
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murderers, ÿÿadulterers, ÿliars and thieves. ÿ(Doctrine ÿ& ÿCovenants
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section ÿ76). ÿÿHell ÿin Mormonism is usually thought to ÿbe ÿonly ÿa
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temporary ÿstate of suffering, ÿwhich can be terminated through ÿself-
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atonement. ÿÿIn ÿsummary, ÿall will be resurrected and ÿreceive ÿsome
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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 ÿ"redemption ÿfrom ÿpersonal sins can only ÿbe ÿobtained ÿthrough
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obedience ÿto ÿthe ÿrequirements of the Gospel, ÿAND A ÿLIFE ÿOF ÿGOOD
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WORKS." (emphasis added) (Talmage, Articles of Faith pgs. 478-479)
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These ÿchanges ÿand contradictions contained within ÿthese ÿeasily
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available ÿLDS ÿScriptures leave no doubt as to the human, ÿÿman ÿmade
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origin of Mormonism.
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While ÿMormons regard the Bible as the Word of God, ÿthe Bible ÿis
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actually placed lower and superseded by their other Scriptures, ÿwhich
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in addition to the Book of Mormon include the Doctrine & Covenants and
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the ÿPearl ÿof Great Price. ÿThis devaluation of the Bible ÿis ÿfound
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within the LDS Articles of Faith, ÿin the Pearl of Great Price, ÿwhere
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it ÿis ÿstated ÿthat Mormons "believe the Bible in so ÿfar ÿas ÿit ÿis
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correctly translated."
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God's ÿword, ÿÿthe Bible, ÿhas definitely stood the test of ÿtime,
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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. ÿThe Bible, ÿhas through recent ancient manuscript ÿdiscoveries,
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been ÿdemonstrated 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 ÿedition ÿin 1830 ÿto the present editions used today, ÿand ÿhas
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received further changes in the new 1981 "Triple Combination" edition.
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The ÿpresence ÿof ÿ"Divine Truths" ÿwithin the Book of ÿMormon ÿis
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merely a result of Joseph Smith, ÿJr. ÿincorporating 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 ÿMarquardt). ÿÿThus, ÿthe Book of Mormon must be regarded ÿas
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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. ÿGod's word does not change. Jesus Christ
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is the same yesterday, ÿtoday and forever (Hebrews 13:8) ÿand His Word
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shall never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). The Jesus Christ
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who ÿshed his blood on Calvary's cross to save you is not the Jesus of
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present-day ÿMormonism. ÿÿJesus ÿinvites all people to ÿexperience ÿa
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spiritual ÿrebirth ÿand to receive the free gift of ÿeternal ÿlife ÿby
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trusting in him alone for salvation.
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Write ÿto 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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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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