As everyone should know, it’s just a made-up belief necessary for J.S. to start a church after his own liking.
I guess the “logic” goes like this:
Christian churches today (as well as in the 19th c.) teach things that are incompatible with Mormonism, the Trinity being one prominent example. The Apostles and the members of the earliest Christian Church were, of course, Mormons. Therefore, there must have been a “Great Apostasy”.
It doesn’t make a difference if there’s no historical proof; if it makes no sense considering Who started the Catholic Church which He Himself said is His Church that He founded on Peter (the Rock) and which He Himself said would last until the end of time and Who , with the Father, He sent on His Apostles to be with them
always, teaching them all truth; or if it goes completely against Scripture and the ways of Almighty God we see in Scripture.
“I know the Book of Mormon is true is true. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know the Mormon Church is true.”
“There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet.” They might as well include, “I know the Quran is true,” the Quran being their new “holy book” given directly to their “prophet” by an angel. Sound familiar?
It’s amazing the parallels between Mormonism and Islam. Obviously, J.S. pulled things from the Islamic religion that he thought would be useful to his made-up story and new church, along with elements of his Masonic religion. Muslims, in a similar way, believe that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were Muslims and that when Jesus walked the earth, it was not God walking the earth, but
only a man. Muslims believe that Jesus is a prophet; Mormons believe that he was a man who eventually became a god through “progressive transformation”. I’m not sure what Muslims would say about the whole “Christianity” thing. Probably that it is a Great Apostasy! (the “true faith” being “restored” in the 7th century by Mohammad, of course). Sound familiar? Just substitute “Joseph Smith” for “Mohammad” and “the 19th century” for the “7th century” and there you go!
Interestingly, Muslims also believe that the Trinity is an “abomination”. In J.S.‘s made-up story, he said God told him “all Christian creeds are an abomination”. Of course the Apostles’ and Nicene Creed concern primarily: The Trinity! They were developed in response to Christological and other heresies concerning God Himself and as a statement of what it is that we believe. Like this line: “God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.” Not quite to J.S.'s or his god’s liking. Abominable! Surely a sign that there must have been a “Great Apostasy” by this point in Christian history.
“O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead [us].”
God bless
I really don’t understand. Where precisely have I dodged anything? You just dismissed my answer claiming it to be a dodge when I discussed precisely what you said. 