Mormons and Luz Del Mundo

[TexanKnight]

Luz del Mundo is a religious denomination. Here are some facts…

Restorationism[edit]
La Luz del Mundo teaches that there was no salvation on Earth between the death of the last Apostle (Apostle John) around 96 AD and the calling of González in 1926. Members believe that the Church itself was founded by Jesus Christ approximately two thousand years ago and that after the deaths of the Apostles of God, the church became corrupt and was lost.[6][57] The Church claims that through González, it is the restoration of the Primitive Christian church that was lost during the formation of the Roman Catholic Church. After those times passed, the beginning of González’s ministry is seen as the restoration of the original Christian Church.[58] Salvation can be attained in the Church by following the Bible-based teachings of their leader.[2]
Calling of the Servants of God[edit]
The Church states that its members believe in “the calling of the Servants of God, sent to express the will of God and Salvation”.[59] It teaches that Flores was elected by God as Apostle and the new leader of the Church after González died in 1964. La Luz del Mundo teaches that it is the only true Christian church founded by Jesus Christ because it is led by Flores, who it considers the only true servant of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ.[6] Members believe that this Apostolic Authority allows them to find peace, feel close to God and attain meaning in their lives from the hopes of joining with Christ to reign with him for eternity.[60]

Sound familiar?

THIS is why there were to be no prophets after Christ.

Christ knew that people like this guy and js, Ellen white and others would claim to be THE prophets of God.

 

[HojaVerde]

I agree.

God has told us everything He wanted through His Word (Jesus Christ). No prophet can improve, correct or add something to what Jesus taught us and revealed to us. His work and presence is continued by His Church. And this has to be like that until the end of times as he promised. God cannot lie.

Jesus has prevented us from false prophets many times in the gospels.

Of course if there are many pretended restored churches, all of them cannot be true. So it’s a pity many people take advantage of people’s faith to make up their own church and deceive them.

This cause me a lot of pain but I trust God can bring good out of bad.

We have to pray for this.

 

[iepuras]

Interesting. It sounds very familiar. I drive by one of their churches on my way to work every morning. I never remembered to google La Luz Del Mundo when I wasn’t driving.

So what makes Joseph Smith the prophet of the restoration and not Gonzalez? Is it because Joseph Smith restored polygamy?

 

[robertkchacon]

How do Mormons respond to this “Church”? How would they argue they are any different except that their religion was founded by Joseph Smith and had new testament?

And, how do they explain the bible they use?? Do they believe in some “transcription” theory that argues the bible was simply dropped from the sky before all the Apostles died?

 

[TexanKnight]

Interesting. It sounds very familiar. I drive by one of their churches on my way to work every morning. I never remembered to google La Luz Del Mundo when I wasn’t driving.

So what makes Joseph Smith the prophet of the restoration and not Gonzalez? Is it because Joseph Smith restored polygamy?

I walk at least 5 miles a day…we old guys gotta do something…anyway, was walking today and walked past one of the Luz del Mundo churches. I saw women walking in with veils on their faces and it made me curious, so I googled it.

was surprised. It sounded all too familiar.

 

[Tarquin]

To me it sounds more like Apollo Quiboloy’s his Kingdom of Jesus Christ, than like Mormonism. I suppose there are others out there that haven’t hit the headlines yet. There must be a reason for this new approaches (denominations) - maybe it’s “a sign of the times”?

 

[georgie29]

Luz del Mundo has the building with the gold dome as you drive into Houston on Hwy 59 from the north. With my rudimentary Spanish, I got Light of the World. Didn’t know it was a denomination.

 

[kimg901]

Luz del Mundo has the building with the gold dome as you drive into Houston on Hwy 59 from the north. With my rudimentary Spanish, I got Light of the World. Didn’t know it was a denomination.

You are correct with your translation of Luz del Mundo.

 

[Porknpie]

Luz del Mundo is a religious denomination. Here are some facts…

Restorationism[edit]
La Luz del Mundo teaches that there was no salvation on Earth between the death of the last Apostle (Apostle John) around 96 AD and the calling of González in 1926. Members believe that the Church itself was founded by Jesus Christ approximately two thousand years ago and that after the deaths of the Apostles of God, the church became corrupt and was lost.[6][57] The Church claims that through González, it is the restoration of the Primitive Christian church that was lost during the formation of the Roman Catholic Church. After those times passed, the beginning of González’s ministry is seen as the restoration of the original Christian Church.[58] Salvation can be attained in the Church by following the Bible-based teachings of their leader.[2]
Calling of the Servants of God[edit]
The Church states that its members believe in “the calling of the Servants of God, sent to express the will of God and Salvation”.[59] It teaches that Flores was elected by God as Apostle and the new leader of the Church after González died in 1964. La Luz del Mundo teaches that it is the only true Christian church founded by Jesus Christ because it is led by Flores, who it considers the only true servant of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ.[6] Members believe that this Apostolic Authority allows them to find peace, feel close to God and attain meaning in their lives from the hopes of joining with Christ to reign with him for eternity.[60]

Sound familiar?

THIS is why there were to be no prophets after Christ.

Christ knew that people like this guy and js, Ellen white and others would claim to be THE prophets of God.

Pretty arrogant thinking in bold. Misleading Christ’s flock too.

PnP

 

[NeuroTypical]

How do Mormons respond to this “Church”?

I’ve never heard of them before, but LDS Article of faith #11 is how we respond to folks with which we disagree:

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

Its been made pretty clear to me - Catholics are much bigger on fighting heresy and taking strong issue with claims of other churches. LDS are content to hand out a book of Mormon and invite you to ask God about it.

Honestly, we don’t spend a lot of time bashing other faiths. I mean, individual mormons will, but institutionally there’s been very little of it. Some folks will have anecdotes that say otherwise, and anecdotes are anecdotes. My kids memorize and practice the AOF, and we work on teaching them not to succumb to peer pressure and disrespect the other guy just because they’re different.

 

[Tarquin]

Its been made pretty clear to me - Catholics are much bigger on fighting heresy and taking strong issue with claims of other churches. LDS are content to hand out a book of Mormon and invite you to ask God about it.

If you will study your Church history, you will discover that believers in Joseph Smith and/or the Book of Mormon have fought their heretics with extreme violence at times, and with bitter vituperation at other times.

Honestly, we don’t spend a lot of time bashing other faiths. I mean, individual mormons will, but institutionally there’s been very little of it.

It doesn’t matter to me whether I am burned at the stake by an institution or a single crazed terrorist, as far as the net result is concerned: my voice is silenced. Likewise, whether heretics are attacked institutionally or popularly, by cleric or by laity, by apostle or by elder or by kids beating up “polygs,” the process is the same: fighting heresy; and the result is intended to be the same: remove the heresy bodily or intellectually.

Some folks will have anecdotes that say otherwise, and anecdotes are anecdotes. My kids memorize and practice the AOF, and we work on teaching them not to succumb to peer pressure and disrespect the other guy just because they’re different.

… NeuroTypical says, anecdotally.

 

[TexanKnight]

I’ve never heard of them before, but LDS Article of faith #11 is how we respond to folks with which we disagree:

well…they claim almost exactly what you do,…how do we know which of them God actually spoke to? Maybe the guy in Mexico…after all, I saw no reports that he had at least 9 versions of HIS story…

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

Its been made pretty clear to me - Catholics are much bigger on fighting heresy and taking strong issue with claims of other churches. LDS are content to hand out a book of Mormon and invite you to ask God about it.

Honestly, we don’t spend a lot of time bashing other faiths. I mean, individual mormons will, but institutionally there’s been very little of it. Some folks will have anecdotes that say otherwise, and anecdotes are anecdotes. My kids memorize and practice the AOF, and we work on teaching them not to succumb to peer pressure and disrespect the other guy just because they’re different.

That is simply not true. First…as an LDS missionary, we TAUGHT that no other church was true. Calling other churches liars or untrue is not bashing?

But, let us look at what LDS leaders say:

John Taylor said . . .

“We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense… Myself and hundreds of the Elders around me have seen its pomp, parade, and glory; and what is it? It is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol; it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century,” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, 1858, p. 167).

“Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom,” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, 1863, p. 127).

Joseph Fielding Smith said . . .

“Again, following the death of his apostles, apostasy once more set in, and again the saving principles and ordinances of the gospel were changed to suit the conveniences and notions of the people. Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness,” (Doctrines of Salvation, page 266).

Spencer W. Kimball (12th LDS President of the Mormon Church) – “Presumptuous and blasphemous are they who purport to baptize, bless, marry, or perform other sacraments in the name of the Lord while in fact lacking the specific authorization” (Miracles of Forgiveness, pg.55).

“Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the “whore of Babylon” whom the lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness.” (Mormon Apostle Pratt, The Seer, p.255)

"Believers in the doctrines of modern Christendom will reap damnation to their souls (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.177)

ALL RELIGIONS!!
“Brother Taylor has just said that the religions of the day were hatched in hell. The eggs were laid in hell, hatched on its borders, and kicked on to the earth” (Journal of Discourses 6:176). John Taylor (Mormonism’s 3rd President) –

When asked “Will all be damned but Mormons?” Smith replied, "Yes, " (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 119).

“Are Christians ignorant? Yes, as ignorant of the things of God as the brute beast” (Journal of Discourses, John Taylor [3rd Mormon President], 13:225).

“All the priests who adhere to the sectarian [Christian] religions of the day with all their followers, without one exception, receive their portion with the devil and his angels” (The Elders Journal, Joseph Smith, ed. Vol. 1, n. 4, 60).

[Under the heading, “Church of the Devil,” Apostle Bruce R. McConkie lists:] “The Roman Catholic Church specifically—singled out, set apart, described, and designated as being ‘most abominable above all other churches’ (I Ne. 13:5)” (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, 129).

and these are just a few.

Don’t bash other faiths, huh?

 

[NeuroTypical]

Honestly, we don’t spend a lot of time bashing other faiths. I mean, individual mormons will, but institutionally there’s been very little of it.

Hi Texan, I notice you’ve cut and pasted a handful of quotes, and the most recent one seems to be more than 40 years old. I see you’ve included quotes from Pratt’s The Seer (repudiated by both the church and Pratt himself since 1865), and McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine, which is not an official book at all, and is often jokingly referred to as “The book of Bruce” for some of the embarrassingly undoctrinal things found in it. From where I’m standing, your response basically proves my claims - we don’t spend a lot of time doing it, individual mormons will, and institutionally there’s been very little.

I mean, I see your point that passions seemed to be hotter in the past. That’s pretty obvious and expected. It happens. But I was answering robertkchacon’s question. He wanted to know how mormons respond to a church with conflicting claims. I told him.

 

[TexanKnight]

Hi Texan, I notice you’ve cut and pasted a handful of quotes, and the most recent one seems to be more than 40 years old. I see you’ve included quotes from Pratt’s The Seer (repudiated by both the church and Pratt himself since 1865), and McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine, which is not an official book at all, and is often jokingly referred to as “The book of Bruce” for some of the embarrassingly undoctrinal things found in it. From where I’m standing, your response basically proves my claims - we don’t spend a lot of time doing it, individual mormons will, and institutionally there’s been very little.

I mean, I see your point that passions seemed to be hotter in the past. That’s pretty obvious and expected. It happens. But I was answering robertkchacon’s question. He wanted to know how mormons respond to a church with conflicting claims. I told him.

I was clear what I was told to teach…

but yes, I felt it important to show what your “prophets, seers and revelators” have said…they are your leaders, right? they speak for the lds church? or do you now disown what they taught? Does the lds God’s truths change?

You made a claim…I showed how it is not so.

 

[jadamo]

What is faith, if the teachings of Jesus were lost and distorted so long ago as so many of these churches teach? How could God expect his people to stay faithful to Him, if He was no longer faithful to us?
Even in the worst of times in the OT, God always had a small group of faithful people to carry on His promises through, He always kept his covenants to His people. After all, what is a covenant if God Himself cannot keep it?
Jesus, the very Word of God, came to us to teach us, show us what love really is, and how we should live our lives to gain eternal life, and He established a new covenant with us. And I have faith and hope that Jesus would never fail us!
He knows what is in our human hearts, how we are prone to fall and to sin, yet He has always taken care of us, and that is what faith* is*! Truly trusting in the supreme love, goodness, faithfulness, and mercy of our God!!!

 

[Tarquin]

Hi Texan, I notice you’ve cut and pasted a handful of quotes, and the most recent one seems to be more than 40 years old. I see you’ve included quotes from Pratt’s The Seer (repudiated by both the church and Pratt himself since 1865), and McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine, which is not an official book at all, and is often jokingly referred to as “The book of Bruce” for some of the embarrassingly undoctrinal things found in it. From where I’m standing, your response basically proves my claims - we don’t spend a lot of time doing it, individual mormons will, and institutionally there’s been very little.:

Then since you reject the teachings of your founding prophet and apostles, the reason you don’t spend a “lot” of time on decrying heresy and “false churches” is obviously because you are a different church than the one founded by Joseph Smith in the 1830s. I don’t say this as a particular criticism, but so we understand that the church you belong to has only a tenuous historical - but only feebly doctrinal - connection with the Church of Christ founded by Joseph Smith in 1830.

Bruce McConkie was held in exceptionally high esteem during his apostleship, and his “Mormon Doctrine” is still used by some Mormons. Of course, as you rightly assert, it is a not an official book. (Are there any?) But it was believed as much as books by any living prophet is believed during his tenure. It’s just that when an apostle dies, his works are likely to die with him. “The king is dead. Long live the king.” The new ones (kings, prophets, and apostles) bring in new programs, and declare their predecessors, in many cases, anathema. It seems disrespectful to mock Apostle McConkie’s sincerely held religious beliefs by denigrating his chief work to express Mormon Doctrine as an opinionated “book of Bruce” rather than by the name he chose to describe its contents. Or would you not be slightly offended if someone who thought Jeffrey Holland was off-center referred to his book (For Times of Trouble : Spiritual Solace from the Psalms) as “Jeffrey’s troubles,” or to Dallin Oaks book (The Lord’s Way) as “Dallin’s Way”. The main difference is that McConkie is dead and discredited. Otherwise, we can put just as much trust in their doctrinal expositions as we can in those of Gonzalez.

But I was answering robertkchacon’s question. He wanted to know how mormons respond to a church with conflicting claims. I told him.

A shade less than half your post said what your response as a Mormon would be. The second half, however, went a little beyond a direct answer to robertkchacon’s questions.

1. That half addressed your judgment of “Catholics fighting heresy” and responding to claims made by other churches;
2. As well as the allegedly calm, low pressure approach of Mormons quietly handing out books of Mormon.
3. Then thirdly, just before you closed with an anecdotal statement of your own, you brought up the issue of the Mormon institutional reaction to claims by other churches: “Honestly, we don’t spend a lot of time bashing other faiths. I mean, individual mormons will, but institutionally there’s been very little of it.”

In light of those facts, there is no reason to shrug off TexanKnight’s valid quotations from official Church spokesmen – prophets all, and how can you get more official than that.

I will meet halfway between the two views, to say it is greatly appreciated to see modern Mormon prophets hold back from the condemnation – and in some instances even damnation, that were once common among Church leaders – of Christian denominations other than their own. This new civility demonstrates that Mormon Church leaders have become more willing to adapt to the realities of Christian culture.

Finally, based on my understanding, and from Mormon acquaintances, La Luz del Mundo has to be seen as a “false church,” the same as Mormons have described the New Apostolic Church, since both these “false” churches mimic “the only true church” (the Mormon Church). To cite only La Luz del Mundo’s doctrines as a taste of what all three churches believe: “________ teaches that there was no salvation on Earth between the death of the last Apostle (Apostle John) around 96 AD and the calling of ______ in 1926. Members believe that the Church itself was founded by Jesus Christ approximately two thousand years ago and that after the deaths of the Apostles of God, the church became corrupt and was lost. The Church claims that through ______, it is the restoration of the Primitive Christian church that was lost during the formation of the Roman Catholic Church. After those times passed, the beginning of ____’s ministry is seen as the restoration of the original Christian Church. Salvation can be attained in the Church by following the Bible-based teachings of their leader.” You could put either church’s name in the first blank, and either church’s founder in the next two blanks. The similarities are obvious, and from the perspective of comparative religion, they are intriguing.

 

[soglelaw]

U.S. Federal District Court Deportation hearing transcript reveals La Luz Del Mundo CHURCH supplied falsified U.S. immigration documents for members travelling to its Guadalajara Church Capital’s “Lord’s Supper”. Attendence and donations are mandatory for church followers. LLDM leader Samuel Joaquin Flores and family own houses in Beverly Hills, and worldwide. The church is reportedly involved in human trafficking, sexual molestation of its members’ children, fraudulent real estate transfers, and money laundering. The current leader Samuel and his father enjoy the title of “Apostle” ending a 2000 year void from God’s first 12. Joaquin’s son, Uzziel, is expected to become the 15th Apostleship appointment pending Samuel’s condition of terminal cancer. Enforcement of the church’s practices has been hampered for years due to lack of cooperation from victims, repercussions by the church itself, along with the political power LLDM enjoys in its native Mexico. Please encourage funding to FBI and DHS to actively investigate this sect’s organized criminal activity and help bring an end to a society whose victims can’t easily complain.

The Catholics and La Luz Del Mundo are adversaries, in part due to the beginnings of the sect taking Catholic members away to begin their growing dynesty. LLDM is the second largest religious sect, second only to the Catholic church. There are rumors that it was in fact LLDM that murdered a Catholic Cardinal in the Guadalajara airport parking lot in the 90’s. It was blamed on a drug gang. When the Pope visited Guadalajara, LLDM promoted a competing event with signs saying “We are Not Catholic!”.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

docs.google.com/file/d/0Bw6lgc1KBLb0RDVqY0FnTXBZRGs/edit

 

[soglelaw]

bakirita.blogs.com/xico/2012/05/the-pope-vs-light-of-the-world-luz-del-mundo-a-diversion.html

 

[TexanKnight]

Looks like most Mormons stayed as far away from this as possible…too close for comfort.

But IF the Mormon Church was true, seems this church would know SOMETHING about the Book of Mormon since it happened in that neck of the woods…

 

[Nicea325]

Luz del Mundo is a religious denomination. Here are some facts…

Restorationism[edit]
La Luz del Mundo teaches that there was no salvation on Earth between the death of the last Apostle (Apostle John) around 96 AD and the calling of González in 1926. Members believe that the Church itself was founded by Jesus Christ approximately two thousand years ago and that after the deaths of the Apostles of God, the church became corrupt and was lost.[6][57] The Church claims that through González, it is the restoration of the Primitive Christian church that was lost during the formation of the Roman Catholic Church. After those times passed, the beginning of González’s ministry is seen as the restoration of the original Christian Church.[58] Salvation can be attained in the Church by following the Bible-based teachings of their leader.[2]
Calling of the Servants of God[edit]
The Church states that its members believe in “the calling of the Servants of God, sent to express the will of God and Salvation”.[59] It teaches that Flores was elected by God as Apostle and the new leader of the Church after González died in 1964. La Luz del Mundo teaches that it is the only true Christian church founded by Jesus Christ because it is led by Flores, who it considers the only true servant of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ.[6] Members believe that this Apostolic Authority allows them to find peace, feel close to God and attain meaning in their lives from the hopes of joining with Christ to reign with him for eternity.[60]

Sound familiar?

THIS is why there were to be no prophets after Christ.

Christ knew that people like this guy and js, Ellen white and others would claim to be THE prophets of God.

Yes sir! There is a Luz del Mundo church near where I live here in So.Cal. They are actually everywhere here in So. Cal. Speaking to them is like speaking to JW’s-they simply refuse to listen.