Why Mormons Build Temples

[LDSGuy]

Oh my goodness! I’m at a loss for words after just now seeing that “Why Mormons Build Temples” video.

There goes another shamefully deceptive marketing and PR tactics by the devil. The second half of that officially sponsored LDS movie has a liberal Protestant dressed up in religious garb portrayed as a respectable priest/bishop which most people would unknowingly assume is Anglican or Catholic, and they have him (he’s actually a Lutheran) speaking of how glorious and Christian the Mormon religion and temple is. The intention is clear, to give off the impression to the weak minded that mainline Christianity recognizes Mormonism as a genuine believer of basic Christian doctrine. It is a filthy demonic sales pitch by the Mormon church, shameful!! It is the Mormon sales department’s recent method (over the last few years) of trying to make itself outwardly seem mainstream Protestant Christian,** when they know dang well it’s a deceptive lie because they believe only the LDS are true and every other Christian branch is corrupt at the core**.

It is pure deception and un-Christian for an organization like that to market that way in the hopes of luring in an unsuspecting Protestant or Catholic.

Yes, pure deception to show what we really believe about temples, and what one non-LDS believes (or used to believe, as he passed on). Just like that pure deception when various Catholics spoke out against the Da Vinci Code.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Yes, pure deception to show what we really believe about temples, and what one non-LDS believes (or used to believe, as he passed on)

Put together in video form by a marketing dept. Like a vacation marketing video. Come to Cabo, where the sun never stops shining. That sort of thing.

Promptings from Edelman PR…designed to give you those warm feelings that LDS call the Holy Ghost.

. Just like that pure deception when various Catholics spoke out against the Da Vinci Code.

No marketing dept. Just people speaking out.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Yes, pure deception to show what we really believe about temples, and what one non-LDS believes (or used to believe, as he passed on). Just like that pure deception when various Catholics spoke out against the Da Vinci Code.

LOL, putting a guy dressed as a Anglican/Catholic priest who was uttering praises of how Scriptural and Christian the Mormon temple and religion is was done on purpose to give off the impression Mormonism is another mainstream Christian branch and that Christians acknowledge it as such.

I should not be surprised at desperate attempts by LDS posters to spin this. You say it was “one non-LDS” believes, ignoring what type of person it was and what he said and the prominent place given to him in the movie.

 

[LDSGuy]

I really don’t get what the whole issue is with the LDS Church putting up videos is about. There is no deception involved. And the point was/is to provide accurate information on our beliefs to those that wish to find out from the Church. Youtube is obviously becoming or already is a major tool used to connect people and to view the world. It doesn’t seem bad if the Church uses it to spread its message. The same with Facebook and other social networking tools. And for many, video is more accessible and “likeable” than writing. We all know that’s true in today’s Western society.

I think it’s some Catholic posters on here that are spinning the videos as well.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

I really don’t get what the whole issue is with the LDS Church putting up videos is about.
There is no deception involved. And the point was/is to provide accurate information on our beliefs to those that wish to find out from the Church. Youtube is obviously becoming or already is a major tool used to connect people and to view the world. It doesn’t seem bad if the Church uses it to spread its message. The same with Facebook and other social networking tools. And for many, video is more accessible and “likeable” than writing. We all know that’s true in today’s Western society.

I think it’s some Catholic posters on here that are spinning the videos as well.

LOL, I love you man! This is great!
“what’s wrong with putting up videos, is that a sin or something?”

“YouTube (and Facebook) is the place to connect with the world, and we LDS are making use of it, why are you Catholics so ticked off?”
“What me worry?”

 

[RebeccaJ]

ldsnow.org/forums/

LDS cyber missionary forum

 

[LDSGuy]

LOL, I love you man! This is great!
“what’s wrong with putting up videos, is that a sin or something?”

“YouTube (and Facebook) is the place to connect with the world, and we LDS are making use of it, why are you Catholics so ticked off?”
“What me worry?”

You claim that the LDS Church is being deceptive in their Mormon Messages. I see no deception. And tell me that communication is not different now than it was decades, centuries, etc. ago. Or that audiovisual learning is in many cases more stimulative than reading. The deception is really only in your mind.

 

[zerinus]

LOL, putting a guy dressed as a Anglican/Catholic priest who was uttering praises of how Scriptural and Christian the Mormon temple and religion is was done on purpose to give off the impression Mormonism is another mainstream Christian branch and that Christians acknowledge it as such.

I should not be surprised at desperate attempts by LDS posters to spin this. You say it was “one non-LDS” believes, ignoring what type of person it was and what he said and the prominent place given to him in the movie.

It is obvious how rattled you are by the LDS attempts to present their side of the story with regard to temples and temple worship. Your rants should not normally merit a reply; but for the benefit of others a few words are in order:

Point #1: The “guy dressed as a … priest” was Krister Stendahl, the Dean of Divinity Emeritus (now deceased) at Harvard University. We did not “dress him up” like that. That is how he dressed of his own accord.

Point #2: We did not show him in the video in order to give the impression that we are part of the “mainstream Christianity”. We believe that early Christianity apostatized, and LDS Church is a restoration of the ancient and true from of Christianity. The last thing we want to do is to give people the impression that we are part of that “mainstream”. The other person in that video clip was Frank Moore Cross, who is professor of Ancient History again at Harvard. We showed them so that people will know that not all “mainstream Christians” think the same way about us as Mormon apostates and anti-Mormons like you do.

Point #3: Did you not listen to Elder Boyd K. Packer’s remarks? Didn’t you notice him mentioning that the LDS religion is the Restoration of the ancient truth—restoration of something that was lost—i.e. in the Apostasy? Do you think he is trying to make Mormonism look like “mainstream Christianity” by telling them that Christianity is Apostate and Mormonism is a restoration of the real thing? Are your brain cells still working, or has your anti-Mormonism killed them all off one by one?

zerinus

 

[dianaiad]

Yes. The LDS PR department is very good at what it does.

in Christ
Steph

I hope so, Steph.

Someone has to counter the sort of mean spirited, hateful and truly nasty attacks that are prevalent out there.

(shrug) I notice that the RC PR department is pretty good, too…which is also a very good thing, for the same reason.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Point #1: The “guy dressed as a … priest” was Krister Stendahl, the Dean of Divinity Emeritus (now deceased) at Harvard University. We did not “dress him up” like that. That is how he dressed of his own accord.

I never suggested the person was dressed up in the sense he was a fake dressing up. My point was the picture shown (as opposed to just a voice or plain clothes) was to give off a Anglican/Catholic priest/bishop image.

Point #2: We did not show him in the video in order to give the impression that we are part of the “mainstream Christianity”. We believe that early Christianity apostatized, and LDS Church is a restoration of the ancient and true from of Christianity. The last thing we want to do is to give people the impression that we are part of that “mainstream”. The other person in that video clip was Frank Moore Cross, who is professor of Ancient History again at Harvard. We showed them so that people will know that not all “mainstream Christians” think the same way about us as Mormon apostates and anti-Mormons like you do.

Then you don’t understand LDS marketing and PR. There is no other logical reason at all to put that guy up in the movie, NONE. He is an apostate, he doesn’t belong giving testimony. He was put there precisely to show a priest speaking fondly of Mormonism, it was a priest affirming Mormon doctrines and practice. Mormonism has been going into overtime in their marketing to give off the appearance they are Christian just like other Christians.

We showed them so that people will know that not all “mainstream Christians” think the same way about us as Mormon apostates and anti-Mormons like you do.

**You just proved my point! **
You just got through affirming Mormonism considers mainstream Christianity as FALSE yet you turn around here and say these mainstream Christians were SHOWN SO THAT the impression that “mainstream Christians” ACCEPT Mormonism as genuine!
You would never see Muslim or Buddihst or any such professor of another religion put on the LDS movie.

Point #3: Did you not listen to Elder Boyd K. Packer’s remarks? Didn’t you notice him mentioning that the LDS religion is the Restoration of the ancient truth—restoration of something that was lost—i.e. in the Apostasy? Do you think he is trying to make Mormonism look like “mainstream Christianity” by telling them that Christianity is Apostate and Mormonism is a restoration of the real thing? Are your brain cells still working, or has your anti-Mormonism killed them all off one by one?

You don’t understand marketing! I KNOW and the LDS in the marketing and PR department know that all Christian groups are apostate, but they KNOW they can lure unsuspecting Protestants and Catholics in if they come off as any other Christian group.

There are plenty examples I can find, look what I just found on the lds page:
SALT LAKE CITY 5 September 2008

Values
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of New Testament Christianity as taught by Jesus and His apostles. It is not Protestant, evangelical, Catholic or Orthodox. Nevertheless, the basic values of morality, civility and family espoused by the Church are similar to those of most other Christian faiths. Church members find refuge from the uncertainties of the world in the gospel message of hope and happiness. The reality that life has divine purpose, that God cares for each individual and that everyone has the capacity for improvement through correct choices is a central theme of Mormon thought.
newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/who-are-the-mormons

SALT LAKE CITY 19 August 2008

Most first-time visitors to a Mormon church building comment on the number of rooms. Many expect to find one large interior space, such as in many other Christian denominations’ buildings of worship.

newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/what-you-will-find-when-you-step-inside-a-mormon-chapel

It is brilliant marketing and PR. On one hand the LDS wants to be the ONLY TRUE Christian group, yet they speak in the context of “other Christian faiths.” They want to identify as closely as possible as ‘just another Christian group’ while actually believing they are the only true Christian and the “other Christians” are in fact damned apostates.

 

[sweetnay]

Agreed, however I wouldn’t even refer to them as “Christian”–they are not.

 

[RebeccaJ]

It is brilliant marketing and PR. On one hand the LDS wants to be the ONLY TRUE Christian group, yet they speak in the context of “other Christian faiths.” They want to identify as closely as possible as ‘just another Christian group’ while actually believing they are the only true Christian and the “other Christians” are in fact damned apostates.

This is accurate. LDS define themselves as not Christian, by what they believe and their very anti-Christian doctrines. While at the same time working at coming off as the only Christians.

They have one goal, and one goal alone. To replace True Christianity, entirely, with their heresies.

 

[JLFuller]

This is accurate. LDS define themselves as not Christian, by what they believe and their very anti-Christian doctrines. While at the same time working at coming off as the only Christians.

They have one goal, and one goal alone. To replace True Christianity, entirely, with their heresies.

That is absolutely not true. For those who do not know, the official name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and the only way by which mankind can be saved. Traditional Christians like to say we are not Christian because we beleive Christ, God the Father and the Holy Ghost are seperate and distinct beings and not an all-in-one version known as the Trinity. The Trinity notion is not biblical. It derives from the fourth and fifth century Greek philisophical leanings of the Neo Platonists. This is too easy for interested people to check out. Just Goodle Trinitariansim.

In one way, Rebecca J is correct. We do say we are the restoration of the Christ’s original church as was prophecied would be restored in the latter days. Rebecca knows this. We have had this discussion before ad nauseum. We present this message to those who are interested. If they choose to listen, we will tell them the story. But to say we are rpelacing Christianity with some non-Chrisitan heresy is just not so. I can understand why some consider any theology other than their own as heretical is understandable but in this case we are correcting the many errors that have crept into the dominant religion thinking. We are not replacing it. The message is bringing back the original beliefs not adding new ones.

This mesage is 2000 years old and older. It is the way in which God the Father administers the universe. It is the restoration of the authorized priesthood and authority to seal families together for time and eternity, to bring the saving ordinances of baptism to those who never had a chance to hear the gospel while living and to prepare men and women to live with Christ and God the Father as co-inheritors of Christ’s full inheritance. We bring the truth of this message not by the words of any human being but by the testimony of the Holy Ghost which is independant of any man.

 

[RebeccaJ]

That is absolutely not true. For those who do not know, the official name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and the only way by which mankind can be saved. Traditional Christians like to say we are not Christian because we beleive Christ, God the Father and the Holy Ghost are seperate and distinct beings and not an all-in-one version known as the Trinity. The Trinity notion is not biblical. It derives from the fourth and fifth century Greek philisophical leanings of the Neo Platonists. This is too easy for interested people to check out. Just Goodle Trinitariansim.

In one way, Rebecca J is correct. We do say we are the restoration of the Christ’s original church as was prophecied would be restored in the latter days. Rebecca knows this. We have had this discussion before ad nauseum. We present this message to those who are interested. If they choose to listen, we will tell them the story. But to say we are rpelacing Christianity with some non-Chrisitan heresy is just not so. I can understand why some considere any theoilogy other than their own as hereticl is understandable but in this case it is a correction and is nothing new. It is 2000 years old and older.

Mormonism is something “other”. Your church leaders give sermons often about the “falsehoods” of Christianity. Especially regarding the One True God. These are the teachings of a people who are not Christian. It is not possible to fight against Christianity while calling yourselves Christian.

Yes, you are correct. Mormonism is not a new heresy. It is a form of gnosticism, which is an old and renounced heresy.

Please, you have 40,000+ missionaries who proselyte to CHRISTIANS, pulling them away from truth rather than building their strength in Truth.

 

[JLFuller]

Mormonism is something “other”. Your church leaders give sermons often about the “falsehoods” of Christianity. Especially regarding the One True God. These are the teachings of a people who are not Christian. It is not possible to fight against Christianity while calling yourselves Christian.

Yes, you are correct. Mormonism is not a new heresy. It is a form of gnosticism, which is an old and renounced heresy.

Please, you have 40,000+ missionaries who proselyte to CHRISTIANS, pulling them away from truth rather than building their strength in Truth.

It is more than 40,000 Rebeca it is 50,000 plus every member is a missionary. We are a missionary Church. Also, gnosticism is a study in its self and is usually considered as orginating with second and third century Greek Christinaity. We are not gnostics. Our message pre-dates the gnostics. But it is an intersting story and well worth the effort to know the difference between original Chrisianity and the diverse teachings of the gnostics. They had a powerful influence in the dominant religious authority of the time. Gnosticism for those who don’t know, is Greek for “knowing”. The Oxford English dictionary defines it this way: “* a heretical movement of the 2nd-century Christian Church, teaching that esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of the supreme divine being enabled the redemption of the human spirit”.* It was a corruption of the original Christian theology.

 

[RebeccaJ]

It is more than 40,000 Rebeca it is 50,000 plus every member is a missionary. We are a missionary Church. Also, gnosticism is a study in its self and is usually considered as orginating with second and third century Greek Christinaity. We are not gnostics. Our message pre-dates the gnostics. But it is an intersting story and well worth the effort to know the difference between original Chrisianity and the diverse teachings of the gnostics. They had a powerful influence in the dominant religious authority of the time. Gnosticism for those who don’t know, is Greek for “knowing”. The Oxford English dictionary defines it this way: “* a heretical movement of the 2nd-century Christian Church, teaching that esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of the supreme divine being enabled the redemption of the human spirit”.* It was a corruption of the original Christian theology.

40,000+, you dropped some.

JLFuller, you have been deceived. Your religion was fired up by a conman in 1830. You can pretend all you like that the early Church was Mormon, the facts, the history, the very beliefs, prove otherwise.

The most important understanding, of the Eucharist, you have not at all. You have a deficient Protestant understanding.

 

[JLFuller]

40,000+, you dropped some.

JLFuller, you have been deceived. Your religion was fired up by a conman in 1830. You can pretend all you like that the early Church was Mormon, the facts, the history, the very beliefs, prove otherwise.

The most important understanding, of the Eucharist, you have not at all. You have a deficient Protestant understanding.

What else would one expect from someone of another faith than to claim fraud? Of course you would say that. The difference to the intersted person is why they would want to investigate another Church if they are already in one that met all thier expectations. Most would not. But for the person who still has questions, or has done the homework about this religion or that and wonders how they can know, I suggest the Holy Ghost will porovide the answer when accompanied by sincere prayer, fasting as Christ did in the wilderness, having faith that God will prompt them.

What makes us different is that we do not rely upon another man to give us definitive proof of the truthfulness of what we pray for. We believe God provides that proof with direct comunication to the honest in heart who seek Him as James the apostle said in James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Mankind does not have to depend on other men for the truth. Listen and pray and expect an answer - not from any man, but from God. It makes no difference who the man is whether he is a priest, apostle, pastor, archbishop, pope or prophet. No man can provide the proof. Only God can do that and only through the manifestations and confirmation of the Holy Ghost directly to the petitioner. No one needs someone else to interpret or act as intermediary.

 

[sweetnay]

If you’re referring to the Nicene Creed, as most mormons do when arguing against the Triune God, (yawn)–you’re dead wrong. That is where the belief --that was held from 33AD and onward, was FORMALIZED. It is implicit in the Bible and there for those with eyes not clouded by the delusions of a 19th century man.

God works in the physical world, and we believe in his Word through Faith–however–he has couched it in REALITY --we can walk the streets of Jerusalem etc and visit the various sites in the Bible, as he created our minds and knows that belief need not be divorced from reason.

youtube.com/watch?v=dTtq62XQ4jw

 

[LDSGuy]

If you’re referring to the Nicene Creed, as most mormons do when arguing against the Triune God, (yawn)–you’re dead wrong. That is where the belief --that was held from 33AD and onward, was FORMALIZED. It is implicit in the Bible and there for those with eyes not clouded by the delusions of a 19th century man.

God works in the physical world, and we believe in his Word through Faith–however–he has couched it in REALITY --we can walk the streets of Jerusalem etc and visit the various sites in the Bible, as he created our minds and knows that belief need not be divorced from reason.

youtube.com/watch?v=dTtq62XQ4jw

yes yes, the Councils were primarily aimed, not at defining new doctrine, but explicitly stating what was already believed, to defined your Church against heresy.

That video is old, and simply rehashes what anti-Mormons have been stating for a long time. Do a search for LDS views on archaeology and see what our sources also say.

 

[RebeccaJ]

What else would one expect from someone of another faith than to claim fraud? Of course you would say that. The difference to the intersted person is why they would want to investigate another Church if they are already in one that met all thier expectations. Most would not. But for the person who still has questions, or has done the homework about this religion or that and wonders how they can know, I suggest the Holy Ghost will porovide the answer when accompanied by sincere prayer, fasting as Christ did in the wilderness, having faith that God will prompt them.

What makes us different is that we do not rely upon another man to give us definitive proof of the truthfulness of what we pray for. We believe God provides that proof with direct comunication to the honest in heart who seek Him as James the apostle said in James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Mankind does not have to depend on other men for the truth. Listen and pray and expect an answer - not from any man, but from God. It makes no difference who the man is whether he is a priest, apostle, pastor, archbishop, pope or prophet. No man can provide the proof. Only God can do that and only through the manifestations and confirmation of the Holy Ghost directly to the petitioner. No one needs someone else to interpret or act as intermediary.

This is the belief of all Christians. What LDS ask is far beyond. You ask to believe in fantasy. In the word of one man who claimed a vision. You have no proof of this vision.

Many people witness Jesus Christ. Many people witnessed His resurrection. The gift of the Holy Spirit is from God, not your church. God guides people to Truth, not to nice feelings. Sometimes, truth requires letting God take you to where it’s tough. LDS never go those places. You only go where you feel good. At all times.

Your missionaries tell people what they should believe, and then ask them to ask God if this belief is correct. This is not a honest path to truth. This is not letting God show you the way. This is telling God what you want. This is defining God for yourself. If a person does not believe what you have told them to believe, still, you tell them something is wrong with them. To try again.

All you do is define people’s feelings for them. Tell them what they should feel and what those feelings mean. Truth is not a feeling.