Questions from a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon)

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CommanderSouth

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Hello all,
I am an active member of the LDS church, and have been for about 10 years now. I grew up pentecostal, and all I knew about Catholics at that time was they “worshipped Mary”. I do know better than that now, but am in an odd state at the moment. I do believe what my churches to be true, but my wife and I are going to Mexico in a few weeks and we will be able to see the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Which of course reminds me of the Juan Diego wishbone episode I saw so many years ago (and recently rewatched). I remember being so fascinated by the reality of his tilma, and that unlike so many other things, this is a miracle one can hold.

Which of course leads me to wonder about what is truly right. I believe in my faith on faith, I have had personal experience that confirms it, but those can be subject to personal understanding of how to interpret my own feelings and thoughts.

That being said, I know the halmark of conversion in the LDS faith is the gaining of a testimony through personal revelation. WIth that in mind, how would I be able to know the Catholic church is the true church? I ask as I do believe in the idea of extra Ecclesiam nulla salus in so far as if there is a church that does have authority to the means of salvation, and there is a need to understand correct doctrine (to a point) to be “saved” then you would need to find that church. Not so much God can’t save who he will apart from that, just that I don’t want to find out I was in the wrong boat.

I guess that is the basic question. How do I know the church is true? So many people believe the same bible so many different ways, how can I KNOW which one is right…
 
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Okay. Thanks 😊

Well in Mormonism there’s the great apostasy right?

Do you believe it was a complete apostasy?

Do you have any proof in history that it happened?

Concerning the great apostasy (if it was a complete one )how do you reconcile it with Matthew 16:18 what’s the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the church?
There’s also your interpretation on Ephesians
3:21 and " throughout all generations.".
 
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There is the belief in the Great Apostasy.

I would say historical proof would be hard to provide, as apostasy and changes to doctrine are going to be hard to p(name removed by moderator)oint.

I do believe the apostasy was at least complete enough for priesthood authority to be withdrawn from the earth, though I am not able to say, a date or even a specific time.

Ephesians brings an interesting thought process to it, I have been more familiar with Matthew being the go to against universal apostasy. I think there is enough leeway in what constitutes prevail. I can understand the idea regarding the apostasy being Satan prevailing, but since the church was restored in LDS doctrine, I do feel you can harmonize the restoration with Satan not prevailing overall against the church.
 
In response to what you said about the apostasy … I ask why should I believe in Mormonism and what it says about the great apostasy? 🤔☺️
 
I would say if you are of the Catholic faith then I would feel you are in a more defensible position than my Protestant upbringing. I think we find commonality in the claim to authority. And the need for authority to lay down contention and speak the will of the Lord to his people. The Catholic claim being one of unbroken succession and the Latter Day Saint claim of restoration.

To truthfully answer your question I think the Book of Mormon is a powerful reason to investigate if one’s understanding of God’s methodology of dealing with his people is correct. From there the questions that introduces can be further investigated.
 
CommanderSouth said:
I guess that is the basic question. How do I know the church is true? So many people believe the same bible so many different ways, how can I KNOW which one is right…
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Follow the persecution. Its the easiest way.

Peace!!!
 
CommanderSouth said:
I guess that is the basic question. How do I know the church is true? So many people believe the same bible so many different ways, how can I KNOW which one is right…
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You can’t. At some point you just have to pick the one you think is right and hope for the best
 
There is the certainty of faith, which is a God-given gift. But one could come to reasonable certainty about the RCC being the true Church by reviewing early Church history, Patristic testimony, and coming to understand Catholic ecclesiology.
 
CommanderSouth said:
Not so much God can’t save who he will apart from that, just that I don’t want to find out I was in the wrong boat.

I guess that is the basic question. How do I know the church is true? So many people believe the same bible so many different ways, how can I KNOW which one is right…
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That you are asking is very, very good. Just recently I’ve remembered that seeking God pleases God. So we should never cease as there is so much to know. Once we feel like we know all we need to know of God, we should know we don’t know God.

So that’s my answer to you. Keep looking. Keep searching. Keep glorifying the Lord our God.
 
Look through history and see what Church was founded by Christ.
Look at the various miracles and long spiritual tradition of various saints and mystics.
Then compare to a “church” founded by an American relatively recently, with a whole new book added to the Bible. See how Mormon teaching on polytheism is just completely separate from the solid understanding of the Bible and tradition of belief in the One and only God.

Feelings should flow from reason, and hence a “personal experience”, which can be faked by even the devil, is quite dangerous to take on its face. In private revelation the Church takes great pains to investigate it to make sure it is “worthy of belief”, and even then, we are not obligated to believe it.
 
TechieGuy said:
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CommanderSouth:
I guess that is the basic question. How do I know the church is true? So many people believe the same bible so many different ways, how can I KNOW which one is right…
Click to expand...
You can’t. At some point you just have to pick the one you think is right and hope for the best
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I dont think a loving God would leave us in this predicament. He did establich a church and send us the Paraclete!

Peace!!!
 
adf417 said:
I dont think a loving God would leave us in this predicament. He did establich a church and send us the Paraclete!
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Sure, but you have to pick amongst multiple churches that make the claim that theirs is the Church He established
 
TechieGuy said:
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adf417:
I dont think a loving God would leave us in this predicament. He did establich a church and send us the Paraclete!
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Sure, but you have to pick amongst multiple churches that make the claim that theirs is the Church He established
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Ok i will bite. What do you mean by “sure”?

Peace!!!
 
I am a convert from Evangelicalism to Catholicism. For me it came down to three things:
  1. Authority (which you as a Mormon can appreciate). Why do we accept the Biblical canon? The authority of the Church. Evangelicals claim “Sola Scriptura” yet Scripture itself, their one authority, does not teach this doctrine nor provide an index (canon).
  2. Scripture. We could go through a thousand specific issues, but I eventually concluded that the many passages or verses Protestants find difficult make perfect sense in a Catholic context.
  3. History / Tradition. Reading the earliest Church Fathers of the 2nd century down to the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council in the 20th century, there is a continuity of doctrine and practice.
You brought up Guadalupe. I will add that Mormons, like Catholics, believe there is a heavenly mother. Yet Mormons have no relationship with her and know almost nothing about her.
 
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adf417 said:
Ok i will bite. What do you mean by “sure”?
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I mean that, Joseph Smith’s claims notwithstanding, God usually doesn’t give personal revelations about which church is His and one needs to do some evaluation as to which church is likely to be the one God established
 
Much respect for Mormons. Love your discipline and family values. If I had it all to do again I would strongly consider keeping my restless thoughts and metaphysical pontifications to myself. Despite LDS doctrine is so preposterous (lol and that from a Catholic - that’s rich) Marry a beautifull Mormon woman and have a clutch of kids. What else matters on this dirt but the love of a good women, a family and a God I am far to stupid to understand?
 
TechieGuy said:
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adf417:
Ok i will bite. What do you mean by “sure”?
Click to expand...
I mean that, Joseph Smith’s claims notwithstanding, God usually doesn’t give personal revelations about which church is His and one needs to do some evaluation as to which church is likely to be the one God established
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May i ask one more question before i try to address your point -

At what moment in time did this phenomenon (individuals needing to choose among “true” churches) begin? - please be precise.

Peace!!!
 
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