LDS beliefs about Jesus Christ?

[Stephen168]

It’s things like this that make Catholics doubt your claims.

Do you mean his claim to be Catholic and not Mormon? Or his claim to know something about Catholicism?

 

[KathleenGee]

JeanMichael,

I do not like it when people deny there has been injury and abuse.

Or deny the anti-Catholic teachings I was exposed while visiting a Mormon bookstore in good faith, or they never really existed. and I am subsequently saying something false. I do not like hearing of the Mormons taking down their numerous sites that supporting my own experience.

It is apparent the Catholic undergoes alot more pressure married to a Mormon than the other way around.

The ex Mormons have read our sites with amusement seeing the Mormons deny they have had no anti-Catholicism in their upbringing. The former Mormons here are expressing the realities of their own experiences because of what they experienced in it.

Mormonism bases its belief on secret, unchallenged knowledge. That is dangerous. Furthermore, Mormonism operates on the belief that Christianity is an abomination and corrupt, and does not define who the early Christians were or what defines them as being outside Christianity.

There is not an openness within Mormonism where people can actively challenge their faith, for fear of being excommunicated.

We are talking here about belief system and practices, not about nice people. And, may be to help with understanding, Jean Michael, with all your travels you should spend some time in Utah.

 

[KathleenGee]

Likewise there is an intense missionary zeal within Mormonism to bring people, especially Christians into their fold. Many times these young people are not taught very well, and an experienced Christian can see through their faulty theology.

This intensity of missionary is intended to stake as many as they can, people rushed into baptism, and after the event, find a different creed. This is unprofessional and a violation of the dignity and freedom of the human person…bait and switch even goes against good business practices.

The apostles warned us of strange teachings, and there is only so far you can go in protecting such.

And JeanMichael, you yourself has stated you do not like organized religion!

 

[CowboyCatholic]

So many good posts here. I did not read them all, but I did read some.

The problem with Mormonism is that the mormons use so many of the same words and names that we use, but they mean different things.

Yes, they use the name Jesus, but the Biblical/Christian Jesus is the only Son of the One True and only God.

In the Mormon faith, their “God” is not the only God, but one of many gods. Jesus is just one of his sons. Jesus is the brother of Lucifer. Jesus and Adam created the world under God’s instruction.

And the list of differences go on and on.

So, if I call myself Brad Pitt, does that make me THE Brad Pitt? Of course not. Just because Mormons use the same names for people and believe in a few of the same the same things we believe in, that does not make them “Christian”.

Though, over the last 20 years or so, the Mormon Church has desperately tried to run froim its roots and history using denial and misdirection. You might see, in the next 20 years, the changes continue to the point that LDS appear no different than Baptists.

 

[po18guy]

Indeed, He is on the side of anyone who follows the Savior, and the Savior is a larger Light and a larger Truth than is encompassed in any one religion. “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess”–that is how large the sweep of the Savior’s saving and redeeming power is. Gospel truths are given as those who desire them, seek them. As in “seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened.” (The reverse is also true.)

(By the way, that “Missionary Commission” may have been singular to your particular mission, since I know many missionaries and was one also and have never heard that used.)

To believe that the Millennium will really happen, is to believe that the Bible is really true, and during the Millennium there will indeed be a time when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the seas.” There are those of us who look forward to that day, and understand that it is being accomplished in the Lord’s own way and on His own timetable, and it will never be perceived by those who have a “dream of a night vision” and when they awaken, they find that the success they thought they were dreaming about was not the reality. It will come as a surprise, and fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah, of Jeremiah, and of Daniel.

Everything you say, that is contained in the bible (with proper interpretation) is true, but such must be a true revelation via the True Church. It must be in scriptural prophecy. Sadly, after Christ, the only prophets mentioned in scripture are 'false prophets". It was into the age of false prophets that Joseph Smith was born. I cannot and will not place my eternity and my relationship with God on the claimed revelation of one man - one self-proclaimed prophet in 1800s America – especially one man whose claimed “revelation” has completely and irrevocably changed the very nature and substance of God. No deal.

Another thing that bothers me greatly is the constant switching back and forth between the bible and BoM. One refutes the other. One has mountains of evidence - the other only man’s word. Choose one, but don’t play both sides of the fence. To me, that is being double-tongued.

 

[SteveVH]

I have never understood why Mormons have never used the word Christian. Granted they use the name of Jesus in the title of their church, but even from the very beginnings of their church I have never heard that they took the name Christian.

What might that tell you?

This criticism of not being Christians seems to have created a true wound for them and one they won’t let go of. I wonder what I would feel if someone said you may believe that Jesus was and is the promised Messiah, is the Son of God, that he died for for all the sins of humanity, was raised from the dead, sits on the right hand of the Father, and will return one day, BUT you are certainly NOT a Christian! I think I would feel wounded too. How do you think you would feel?

Of course, there is also the part about polygamy, racial discrimination, God being once a man, the Father having a body of flesh and bone, denial of the Trinity, rejection of the creeds, a man sticking his face in a hat and reading crystals, co-eternal “intelligences”, co-eternal matter, heaven cosnisting of ruling over your own planet and creating spirit children for eternity, etc., etc… That might have something to do with it.

 

[KathleenGee]

My issue is that they do not consider us–as a Church, and part of main line Christianity --as Christian because our creed and faith is corrupt.

The bigger issue is the changing beliefs and issues in governing…and that as such, implies that there are a number of people within Mormonism, coming out of its past teachings that have not been healthy or truthful to the Mormon people themselves.

False doctrines, manipulation, control – the Catholic church has had its own number of wayward clerics… – and misleading people can cause alot of faith damage to the individual involved, where they don’t believe any more in any form of religion.

The Catholic Church is self-reforming and can publicly admit its wrong doings…

I do not recall Mormonism admitting to any wrong or past mistakes here on CAF…that is my impression…but the bigger issue is what such control does to its own people, and how they view their own as well as others’ faith…separation and hurt.

 

[zaffiroborant]

Do you mean his claim to be Catholic and not Mormon? Or his claim to know something about Catholicism?

Both, though more the first.

 

[ParkerD]

Everything you say, that is contained in the Bible (with proper interpretation) is true, but such must be a true revelation via the True Church. It must be in scriptural prophecy. Sadly, after Christ, the only prophets mentioned in scripture are 'false prophets". It was into the age of false prophets that Joseph Smith was born. I cannot and will not place my eternity and my relationship with God on the claimed revelation of one man - one self-proclaimed prophet in 1800s America – especially one man whose claimed “revelation” has completely and irrevocably changed the very nature and substance of God. No deal.

Another thing that bothers me greatly is the constant switching back and forth between the Bible and BoM. One refutes the other. One has mountains of evidence - the other only man’s word. Choose one, but don’t play both sides of the fence. To me, that is being double-tongued.

Po18guy,

The Bible was given to the world for its betterment, and there are those who are seeking the hidden treasures and hidden wisdom that the Bible repeatedly speaks about, who will find those hidden treasures as well, but only through seeking and not if they seek them in the world’s way.

The world’s way “has mountains of evidence”. The Lord’s way “is hidden in a field”. People pass by and notice it not, or turn their backs on it, or scorn and belittle it, because it is not shown to them “in the world’s way” nor will it be found “in the world’s way.”

You might want to look up the word “prophet” through any word search tool in an on-line Bible, and if you do you will find that the world “prophet” was not applicable to “only false prophets” after Christ.

The relationship sought after in the gospel is with Christ, through the power and inspiration of the Holy Ghost and through His personal, one-to-one shepherding in a promised joint yoke of discipleship. He promises to be the Rock foundation against which the storms may beat with fury but will never penetrate or engulf because the person so founded is “founded upon a rock.”

Prophets are only helps in following after Him, just as the apostles taught. One of Christ’s major messages was that the house of Israel as a people and its leaders had often “stoned the prophets”. That is what people do with the message of a prophet, often, because they don’t want to hear the message since it may challenge their existing way of doing things. Christ’s message is that there is indeed a “gospel way” of doing things that is not the way of the world, and that brings inner peace and the knowledge of having found the “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:46).

Any Jew who had listened to Paul before his conversion could have called him “double-tongued” when he completely changed his message and his outlook on the teachings of the Old Testament about the promised Messiah, the Christ whom he had previously so vehemently rejected and fought against. His about face was dramatic, and his major teachings became “Christ is the promised Messiah, and was crucified and resurrected for the saving of mankind” and “love one another as He taught” so that one does not become a “sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”

The Bible is clear that it is not the only place in the world where the gospel message was found or will be found. (But it also gives clues that there will be hidden treasures of gospel knowledge for those who seek them with all their hearts, with pure intent.)

A wish of peace to all. The gospel you have is the gospel you desire, and that is as it should be for each of us. What we gain from the gospel is what our free will choice brings us to seek after.

 

[po18guy]

The Bible was given to the world for its betterment, and there are those who are seeking the hidden treasures and hidden wisdom that the Bible repeatedly speaks about, who will find those hidden treasures as well, but only through seeking and not if they seek them in the world’s way. The world’s way “has mountains of evidence”. The Lord’s way “is hidden in a field”. People pass by and notice it not, or turn their backs on it, or scorn and belittle it, because it is not shown to them “in the world’s way” nor will it be found “in the world’s way.” You might want to look up the word “prophet” through any word search tool in an on-line Bible, and if you do you will find that the world “prophet” was not applicable to “only false prophets” after Christ.

Take a quick look at Matthew 5:17 in which Jesus states clearly that He fulfilled not only the law,* but the prophets*. All after Him are, by implication, false. Fulfillment is completion. He speaks of the future false prophets as “leading even the elect astray”. This is why the Catholic Church declares that public revelation closed with the death of the last Apostle. Other faiths continue on, with a succession of disagreeing ‘prophets’. We are clearly in the age of false prophets. I view any religion as false that needs a prophet in addition to Jesus. The Lord promised no prophet after Jesus. Of course, you hold to a different Jesus than Christians do - this much is shown by the drastic difference in very substance of the Mormon “Jesus”. The “hidden in a field” was a parable relating to the finding of a spiritual good. No “golden plates”, no “reformed Egyptian”, no “America”, no “19th century” is ever mentioned. Only false prophets are mentioned.

From your own KJV (blue mine): Matthew 11:13-15 “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. (Remember that Elias/Elijah was to ‘restore all things’) He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Does the LDS “Jesus” need additional prophets to get his message across? Did he fail in some way? This, I cannot understand.

Prophets are only helps in following after Him, just as the apostles taught. Christ’s message is that there is indeed a “gospel way” of doing things that is not the way of the world, and that brings inner peace and the knowledge of having found the “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:46).

Nowhere in the New Testament is anyone encouraged to look forward to any prophet or prophets. Quite the contrary, even Jesus, and especially Jesus, warned to watch for false prophets.

The Bible is clear that it is not the only place in the world where the gospel message was found or will be found. (But it also gives clues that there will be hidden treasures of gospel knowledge for those who seek them with all their hearts, with pure intent.)

The bible is clear that God is One and there is no other beside Him. The bible is clear that Jesus is in God and God is in Jesus; that Jesus always existed as co-eternal. I would expect the LDS to read the bible 180º differently, because of the different nature and substance of the LDS God, ‘Jesus’ and holy spirit.

A wish of peace to all. The gospel you have is the gospel you desire, and that is as it should be for each of us. What we gain from the gospel is what our free will choice brings us to seek after.

Greater than peace is the truth. Peace, while desirable for its own sake, does not set you free. Only the truth does that (John 8:32).

 

[JeanMichel]

I am committed. I am around many other committed Catholics here in Utah. You are around them right now as well. What astounds me about the Catholics I surround myself with is their spirituality. When I am with them we speak about many things spiritually.

And this is coming from one who once believed Catholics to be cold. You see the first few times I attended Mass they did not all come up to me to welcome me as if I was the most important person in the room. Or a fish to be caught. No I had to get out of myself and turn to them. In this I found the warmest, most loving people I have ever known. My conversion did not come by way of a plan that was going to make my life better, more comfortable, more blessed, rather it came by way of falling in love with Jesus.

No one tells us what we should be doing; we pretty much go with the flow of life. My life consists of before I go to confession, while I am in Confession, then after Confession until I return again. It keeps me close to Jesus so that I can be a better servant for Him as good works is always about Him, never about us. We get to share in His life and this is the best gift we as Christians will ever have been gifted.

Knowing that the Catholic Church is the most charitable organization on earth should tell you something. Not to many Catholics boast on this fact because boasting is a great sin. I bring it because you have brought it. I once asked a Priest for help, he asked what do you need. He gave me what I needed. When I went to embrace him he turned and walked away giving praise to God. I did not recognize this as sin then, giving praise to a man who knew where all praise goes. These are just some of the reasons I love being Catholic. It’s deep in truth, truth about our sin, a great place to take it. The Church gave me a good sense of the Holy Trinity. I know who I am, I know who I am not.

Here is one that I work with as to the RCIA. Take the time to read this. It may open your eyes.
http://utahmission.com/pages/Here_I_am.html

Thank you for your post. The very spirit with which you talk about the Church is the Spirit with which I pray we all can live the teachings of Christ. It is filled with peace and love; completely absent of anger; and allows others to see come of the beauty of the Catholic Church. If we all followed your example the result would be that we would throw wide the doors of the Church and all would flow unto it. Your words teach truth and invite others to find out more.

 

[JeanMichel]

Do you mean his claim to be Catholic and not Mormon? Or his claim to know something about Catholicism?

You seem to have a problem?!? You who claim to have read John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter, “Fides et Ratio” and completely missed the entire meaning that when Reason fails Faith must guide us. Then you had the sheer audacity that only ignorance can provide continue to accuse me of distorting John Paul II’s words.

I begin not to question your Catholicity, but your Christianity. If I can block your comments, as of today I will do it. May God have mercy on you and may he bless all those who are forced to deal with you daily. On this forum, I am not forced to deal with you.

 

[elenalee]

your posting about jesus was good
but i cannot understand LSD and non LSD because i am not aware of it​

webdesign

 

[Holly3278]

Mormons believe that Jesus Christ was a “spirit child” with the Father in the beginning. They believe that He is not begotten but is created. This is idolatry. Therefore, they do not believe in the true Jesus Christ. I know this because I have been a Mormon in the past and have studied many different religions in my past.

Note that this is contrary to what we know about God through the Bible and Sacred Tradition.

Distinctive Beliefs of the Mormon Church

The Gods of the Mormon Church

Mormon Stumpers

Mormonism’s Baptism for the Dead

Problems with the Book of Mormon

 

[Eric_Hilbert]

Dissect the topic not each other please

 

[ParkerD]

Take a quick look at Matthew 5:17 in which Jesus states clearly that He fulfilled not only the law,* but the prophets*. All after Him are, by implication, false. Fulfillment is completion. He speaks of the future false prophets as “leading even the elect astray”. This is why the Catholic Church declares that public revelation closed with the death of the last Apostle. Other faiths continue on, with a succession of disagreeing ‘prophets’. We are clearly in the age of false prophets. I view any religion as false that needs a prophet in addition to Jesus. The Lord promised no prophet after Jesus…
From your own KJV (blue mine): Matthew 11:13-15 “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. (Remember that Elias/Elijah was to ‘restore all things’) He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Does the LDS “Jesus” need additional prophets to get his message across? Did he fail in some way? This, I cannot understand.

Nowhere in the New Testament is anyone encouraged to look forward to any prophet or prophets. Quite the contrary, even Jesus, and especially Jesus, warned to watch for false prophets.

Hi, again, Po18guy,

I understand that you would have a strong desire to uphold the Bible’s teachings, including those verses in Matthew 5 and Matthew 11. Yet Luke, as the writer of Acts, had no hesitation in describing certain leaders among the people–Agabus, Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul (Paul)–as “prophets” (Acts 11:27 and 13:1).

Matthew 5:17 and Matthew 11:13 provide an opportunity to participate in using one’s free will choice to explore what the Savior was teaching about Himself as “fulfilling the prophets”. Any Jewish listener would have understood that He was talking about “the prophets” meaning those they had studied or had heard read from, and was emphasizing that the prophets had testified of His coming and of His mission on the earth. “All the prophets prophesied until John” doesn’t mean that after John the Baptist there were going to be no more prophets. I think it would be well to cross reference those verses with the Savior’s teachings to the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:15-27, and with Peter’s words in Acts 10:43, which both show that “to him give all the prophets witness” which is what John also taught in Revelation 19:10 and 22:9 about the “testimony of Jesus” which is “the spirit of prophecy”.

The idea of Jesus “needing” prophets to get His message across changes the word “prophet” to something that it is not. Prophets testify of Christ and His mission. They help bring people to Christ, by upholding His message that He is the One and only Savior and Redeemer, and the King of Israel who is the Rock of salvation, and by speaking through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to teach how to follow Him.

Jesus could have done everything Himself. He could have come to earth repeatedly throughout time and been all over the world teaching about Himself and the need for all mankind to come unto Him. Yet He entrusted prophets with a calling to teach about Him instead of His doing everything Himself. That provides an opportunity for humankind to have a greater need for faith, because of not seeing Him in front of us with our eyes but instead hearing His message with our ears and by reading, and feeling His love in our hearts by the testimony of fire through the Holy Ghost that comes into our hearts.

So there is not a case of “failure” by saying there are such a thing as modern prophets. It is a case of saying that Jesus is still doing that which He did when the prophets before Him were on the earth and when the apostles and “prophets” among them were on the earth–He is teaching humankind to come unto Him through the calling of prophets who testify of Him and of His mission.

By the way, I agree totally that if a supposed prophet were to be teaching some other way of salvation than through Christ, or teaching some other teaching about Him than that He is indeed the Messiah, the promised “Anointed One” who did indeed fulfill the prophets, then they would be a “false prophet”.

Of course, you hold to a different Jesus than Christians do - this much is shown by the drastic difference in very substance of the Mormon “Jesus”. The “hidden in a field” was a parable relating to the finding of a spiritual good. No “golden plates”, no “reformed Egyptian”, no “America”, no “19th century” is ever mentioned. Only false prophets are mentioned.

Jesus being truly the Only Begotten Son of God does not make Him of a “different substance” than God the Father. It means God the Father was literally His Father, which is why He had the power to resurrect Himself and had the bodily strength to endure the pains of the infinite atonement for all of our sins and all of our pains and afflictions.

As to “spiritual goods”, it seems to be a limitation on what God is allowed to do, to say that He could not inspire more teachings to the world than what are contained in the compilation of teachings called the Bible. Surely to call such precious teachings “spiritual goods” is something that would be considered priceless for some people, who happen to want such additional “spiritual goods”. God gives to each person that which they seek, and desire with all their heart.

 

[ParkerD]

Continuation in response to your post, Po18guy:

The Bible is clear that God is One and there is no other beside Him.

Yes, and in every such case of Biblical teaching, Jehovah (Jesus Christ, the Messiah Himself) is speaking, which is why it speaks of Him being the Savior, and why Jesus said “I Am that I AM.” There is no other Savior beside Him. He is the only Savior.

The Bible is clear that Jesus is in God and God is in Jesus

Yes, and They are one just as Jesus prayed in His intercessory prayer, and we are to be “one” also and be “made perfect in one” and be “one in us”. (John 17:21-23)

But we have the free will choice to decide whether we want to believe we can really become “one with Them” or whether we will take Jesus’ words and disregard them or not have sufficient faith in Him to allow Him to do what He prayed that He could do and would do.

that Jesus always existed as co-eternal.

The Latter-day Saints believe and teach that Jesus always existed and is co-eternal. There is a distinction in that by saying He is the Only Begotten of the Father, Latter-day Saints acknowledge that He did have a Spirit Birth as the First Born Spirit, but that yet He was already in existence before that Spirit Birth, and was “in the bosom of the Father”.

So there is indeed a difference and a distinction, but not in “always existed as co-eternal”.

Greater than peace is the truth. Peace, while desirable for its own sake, does not set you free. Only the truth does that (John 8:32).

Yes, I love those verses, which is to say “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

So what needs to happen to be “made free” or to be “set free” is to “continue in His word” and “be His disciples” meaning allow Him to be the Master Teacher and to be brought into His discipleship where He will continue to teach one how to be.

Because He will do that for each and every one of us, we will be “free indeed”–free from our sins, but also free from our limitations and from not knowing ourselves because He will change us from the inside out. He will help us become a completely new person. That is why we will have inner peace through this being “free indeed”, which only the Savior can bring into a person’s life.

Again, wishing peace and a great day to you and all.

 

[KathleenGee]

Parker,

You did not address the specifics SteveVH addressed to JeanMichael…the difficulties in accepting Mormonism.

Scriptural history reveals God coming to us in various ways…how He came to Abraham, Moses, the prophets…a burning bush, a voice, the Pillar of Fire leading the Jews and the parting of the Red Sea, coming in the gentle breeze…light, fire, water, wind, breeze, His voice, the theophany of God at Christ’s baptism and the appearance of the dove in the Holy Spirit before St. John the Baptist and his followers, up to Christ Himself.

Smith’s claim of looking into a hat, referring to golden plates and to a some lost tribe in America…these types of medium, as well as a different creed and secret rituals reflecting Masonry, and a different practice and exclusiveness other than how God has come to the Jewish people, what Christ Himself professed and directed us to look at our own hearts, effects Mormonism to place itself in another place. The Holy Spirit continues through the Church.

One of the characteristics of Christ is that He has set us free, and through His divine life within us, that we are bondage to no man. No one can take away personal liberty and autonomy, one’s human dignity, and the Catholic Church has always respected that.

The Lord has shared His divine life with us. He has set us free. And the more Christian, the more transparent and open. This shared life with the divine began at our baptism, the purifying waters of Christ incorporating us into Him…the Eucharist and sacraments nourishing us with His very own, body, soul, blood, and divinity.

Our faith in Christ and every attribute of His entire being, our unity with Him…completes us and our faith in God. How can anything other than Christ Himself, the giving of HImself for us, be better or more prophetic than Christ Himself?

 

[catholic-rcia]

I found that the best way to understand the LDS Beliefs about Jesus was to learn about the Catholic beliefs about Jesus.

There is a passage below regarding Jesus and the Cross that struck my heart as I learned about the Catholic faith 12 years ago here in Northern Utah. How it opened my heart to the Christian Jesus, where I saw my life at a “cross” roads.

I remember our parish Priest telling me how the cross of Christ has struck my heart.

My thoughts were why was I always told that Jesus bore the sins in the garden and not on the cross.? That all the cross represented was a type of murder weapon. I was told “if your son was in a car accident would you place the car on the wall with him in it?” Really not just once did I hear this, more than once. All is forgiven in all sincerity.
Who wants to gaze upon a Crucifix? Front and center in our Church? Who wants to think of the suffering it portrays? Who really wants to suffer in this life as the resurrection of Jesus is so much easier to place our focus.

One brings a certain sadness, the other a certain joy. As for me, a Catholic I choose the Crucifix with its allotted portion for me, my sins that He bore for me. I have been blessed by this faith to discover sin, even those that I did not know I had. It’s always the other person over there. Hitler was always an easy target when I had the need to feel better about myself. Or marry over there, Jim over there etc…

It is easy to focus on the joyful things of life because it tends to bury the bad. Until one can resurrect the truth about sin, suffering and death I do not believe one can ever really find the joy that is found in the suffering Christ. “I am a sinner, the least of many and He dies for me. He dies for me.”

It would be hard to face the fact that as good as I think I may be I am just a lowly sinner looking for positive transactions with others, not knowing that type of thief within. To steal his Glory away from Him!
To discover that type of sin for the first time, the crashing sinking feeling it can bring. I know because I am a truth seeker with a little bit of courage, courage like the Lion in the Wizard of oz, that type of courage. If I did not discover Jesus at the same time, wow…now that is scary.

It makes me think of my own mother who took her own life because she found herself to be not good enough. She discovered true suffering that this world with no Cross can bring. This world is just to heavy without it!

I thank God every day for the joy I have found in the Cross of Christ. Knowing how much I am truly loved by my Lord and God. Right now in the thick of the Easter Season.

In Christ

Beloved:
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted, he returned no insult;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,
so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you had gone astray like sheep,
but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

 

[ParkerD]

Parker,

You did not address the specifics SteveVH addressed to JeanMichael…the difficulties in accepting Mormonism.

Hi, KathleenGee,

I didn’t address the specifics SteveVH addressed to JeanMichael because they weren’t addressed to me, nor were they asking a question of a Latter-day Saint for an answer. People are going to believe what they want to believe, regardless of how many times or in how many ways they may be told that what they believe about someone is an inaccurate or an incomplete perception. That is what human nature does. I haven’t addressed those you have presented, either, for the same reason.

Scriptural history reveals God coming to us in various ways…how He came to Abraham, Moses, the prophets…a burning bush, a voice, the Pillar of Fire leading the Jews and the parting of the Red Sea, coming in the gentle breeze…light, fire, water, wind, breeze, His voice, the theophany of God at Christ’s baptism and the appearance of the dove in the Holy Spirit before St. John the Baptist and his followers, up to Christ Himself.

Smith’s claim of looking into a hat, referring to golden plates and to a some lost tribe in America…these types of medium

Surely you don’t dispute the possibility of records being kept on a metallic surface with inscribed writings?

Surely there exists the reality that the Bible tells of lost tribes of the house of Israel, and that they would be scattered throughout the earth to eventually become a blessing to all people as the children of Abraham.

The need for looking “into a hat” was quite similar to what one does when they screen a light source such as the sun, when trying to look more carefully at a kind of material that has reflective properties, such as when you look at your computer screen and if you were to do so out in the sunshine or if someone looks at a smooth surface but needs to screen out light that makes words that might be “on” such a surface, more difficult to read. The hat was just a means of blocking out extraneous light in the room.

, as well as a different creed

Indeed, not using a creed that is neither in the Bible nor is directly Biblical and is thus “another gospel.”

and secret rituals reflecting Masonry

Masonry said they got their “rituals” from the builders of Solomon’s temple, so it should really come as no surprise that there might be similarities although not exactly the same or be used in the same way. That is how “apostasy” happens–with small incremental changes from an original source that was pure.

,

and a different practice and exclusiveness other than how God has come to the Jewish people

The Jews as a people rejected their Messiah, all because their leaders scoffed at Him and rejected His teachings or even the possibility that they could be wrong.

,

what Christ Himself professed and directed us to look at our own hearts

Which is what I have suggested over and over that people should do, is look at their own heart and seek Him with all their heart and with all their mind and with all their soul.

The Holy Spirit continues through the Church.

Which is a different teaching than the apostles taught, in that they taught the Holy Spirit should be with each person on a personal, individual basis.

Peace and good day to you.