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  1. 50 Questions to Ask Mormons Questions are a great way to witness to Mormons. Most cultists will turn you off if you begin to preach to them, however, asking questions gives them hope that you are genuinely interested in learning more about their religion. It also is a great way to get them thinking about things they may have never thought about and researching into the false teachings of their church. Questions are great seed-planters that the Holy Spirit can make grow in their hearts and minds and, ultimately, lead them to Christ. They are also great conversation starters. The questions below are grouped into 4 different categories. Mormon Prophets 1. Why does the Mormon Church still teach that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God after he made a false prophecy about a temple being built in Missouri in his generation (Doctrine and Covenants 84:1-5)? 2. Since the time when Brigham Young taught that both the moon and the sun were inhabited by people, has the Mormon Church ever found scientific evidence of that to be true (Journal of Discourses, 1870, v.13, p.271)? 3. Why did Brigham Young teach that Adam is “our Father and our God” when both the Bible and the Book of Mormon (Mormon 9:12) say that Adam is a creation of God (Journal of Discourses, Apr. 9, 1852, vol.1, p.50)? 4. If Brigham Young was a true prophet, how come one of your later prophets overturned his declaration which stated that the black man could never hold the priesthood in the LDS Church until after the resurrection of all other races (Journal of Discourses, Dec. 12, 1854, 2:142-143)? 5. Since the Bible’s test to determine whether someone is a true prophet of God is 100% accuracy in all his prophecies (Deuteronomy 18:20-22), has the LDS Church ever reconsidered its teaching that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were true prophets? 6. Since the current LDS prophets sometimes contradict the former ones, how do you decide which one is correct? 7. Since there are several different contradictory accounts of Joseph Smith’s first vision, how did the LDS Church choose the correct one? 8. Can you show me in the Bible the LDS teaching that we must all stand before Joseph Smith on the Day of Judgment? Mormon Scripture 9. Can you show me archeological and historical proof from non-Mormon sources that prove that the peoples and places named in the Book of Mormon are true? 10. If the words “familiar spirit” in Isaiah 29:4 refer to the Book of Mormon, why do familiar spirits always refer to occult practices such as channeling and necromancy everywhere else in the Old Testament? 11. Why did Joseph Smith condone polygamy as an ordinance from God (Doctrine and Covenants 132) when the Book of Mormon had already condemned the practice (Jacob 1:15, 2:24)? 12. Why were the words “white and delightsome” in 2 Nephi 30:6 changed to “pure and delightsome” right on the heels of the Civil Rights campaign for blacks? 13. If God is an exalted man with a body of flesh and bones, why does Alma 18:26-28 and John 4:24 say that God is a spirit? 14. Why did God encourage Abraham & Sarah to lie in Abraham 2:24? Isn’t lying a sin according to the 10 commandments? Why did God tell Abraham and Sarah to lie when 2 Nephi 9:34 condemns liars to hell? 15. Why does the Book of Mormon state that Jesus was born in Jerusalem (Alma 7:10) when history and the Bible state that he was born outside of Jerusalem, in Bethlehem? 16. If the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, as Joseph Smith said, why does it contain over 4000 changes from the original 1830 edition? 17. If the Book of Mormon contains the “fulness of the everlasting gospel”, why does the LDS Church need additional works? 18. If the Book of Mormon contains the “fulness of the everlasting gospel”, why doesn’t it say anything about so many important teachings such as eternal progression, celestial marriage, the Word of Wisdom, the plurality of Gods, the pre-existence of man, our mother in heaven, baptism for the dead, etc? 19. Why do you baptize for the dead when both Mosiah 3:25 and the Bible state that there is no chance of salvation after death? 20. Since the word grace means a free gift that can’t be earned, why does the Book of Mormon state “for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23)? 21. Does the LDS Church still regard the Pearl of Great Price as Holy Scripture even after several prominent Egyptologists proved it was an ancient funeral scroll? 22. Why does the Book of Abraham, chapters 4 & 5, contradict Alma 11 in stating that there is more than one God? 23. Why does Doctrine and Covenants 42:18 say there is no forgiveness for a murderer when 3 Nephi 30:2 says there is forgiveness for him? 24. If the Adam-God doctrine isn’t true, how come Doctrine and Covenants 27:11 calls Adam the Ancient of Days which is clearly a title for God in Daniel chapter 7? 25. Why does the Book of Mormon contain extensive, word-for-word quotes from the Bible if the LDS Church is correct in teaching that the Bible has been corrupted? 26. Why do the Bible verses quoted in the Book of Mormon contain the italicized words from the King James Version that were added into the KJV text by the translators in the 16th and 17th centuries? 27. If the Book of Mormon was engraved on gold plates thousands of years ago, why does it read in perfect 1611 King James Version English? Bible Questions 28. If marriage is essential to achieve exaltation, why did Paul say that it is good for a man not to marry (1 Corinthians 7:1)? 29. Since the Word of Wisdom teaches us to abstain from alcohol, why did Paul encourage Timothy to drink wine for his stomach (1 Timothy 5:23)? 30. If obeying the Word of Wisdom - which tells us to abstain from caffeine, alcohol and tobacco - is important for our exaltation, why did Jesus say that there is nothing that can enter a man to make him defiled (Mark 7:15)? 31. If Jesus is the Jehovah of the Old Testament and Elohim is referred to as God in the Old Testament, can you explain Deuteronomy 6:4 to me: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD (Jehovah) our God (Elohim) is one LORD (Jehovah)? 32. Why does the Mormon Church teach that we can be married in heaven when Jesus said in Matthew 22:30 that in the resurrection men neither marry, nor are they given in marriage? 33. How can worthy Mormon males become Gods in the afterlife when God already said that before him no God was formed, nor will there be any Gods formed after him (Isaiah 43:10)? 34. If God had a father who was a God, how come Isaiah 44:8 says that he doesn’t know him? 35. If God was once just a man who progressed to becoming a God, how do you explain Psalm 90:2: “…even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God”? 36. How can God be an exalted man when Numbers 23:19 says that God is not a man? 37. Why does the Mormon Church teach that Elohim had sexual relations with Mary to produce Jesus when both Matthew and Luke teach she was a virgin (The Seer, January, 1853, p.158)? 38. Why does the LDS Church teach that Jesus paid for our sins in the garden of Gethsemane when 1 Peter 2:24 says it was on the cross? 39. Why did Bruce McConkie write that a man may commit a sin so grievous that it will place him beyond the atoning blood of Christ (Mormon Doctrine, 1979, p.93) when the Bible says that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7)? 40. Why does the LDS Church teach that man first existed as spirits in heaven when 1 Corinthians 15:46 says that the physical body comes before the spiritual? 41. Since Jesus statement, “Be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48) is in the present tense, are you perfect right now? Do you expect to be perfect soon? According to Hebrews 10:14, how are we made perfect? 42. Why do Mormons say the sticks in Ezekiel 37 represent the Bible and the Book of Mormon when Ezekiel 37:20-22 tells us that the sticks represent two nations, not two books? 43. Why does the LDS Church teach that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers when both the first chapter of John and Colossians teach that Jesus is the Creator of all things, including Lucifer? 44. Why do worthy Mormon males hold the Aaronic priesthood since Hebrews 7:11-12 clearly teaches that it was changed and superceded by something better? 45. If your leaders are correct about the complete falling away of the true church on earth, was Jesus in error when he said that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18)? General 46. If having a physical body is necessary to become a god, how did Jesus become a god before he had a body? 47. Do you think the LDS Church will reconsider its teachings that the American Indians are descendants of the Jewish race now that DNA evidence has proven that they are actually descendants of the Asian race? 48. If polygamy was officially re-instituted by the Mormon Church, how would your wife feel about you taking another woman? 49. Since the LDS Church teaches that there was a complete apostasy of the true church on earth, does that mean that the 3 living Nephites and the Apostle John went into apostasy also? 50. Why are Mormon Temple ceremonies secret to the public when the Old Testament temple ceremonies were open to public knowledge?
  2. The Book of Mormon predicts that the Lamanites (American Indians) would soon change to white skin colour. “Many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and delightsome people.” 2 Nephi 30:6. Dark skinned Mormon Indians have never become lightened due to their holding Mormon doctrines. Indian murals show Indians of 4 skin colours, all living peaceably. Question: If the light skinned Nephites were wiped out in 421 AD as the Book of Mormon claims, why are both light and dark skinned Indians portrayed in later wall paintings at Bonampak and Chichen-Itza? The Book of Mormon is wrong on Indian warfare. It is mostly a book of wars, oppression, slavery, treachery and bloodshed. The writer has an obsession with warfare and killing, with killings starting from Chapter 4. Weapons used from 544 BC to 52 BC (p107-359) are listed as bows and arrows, steel swords, axes, brass and copper breastplates, shields, horses and chariots, and cimiters. Question: What is wrong with this picture? Almost everything. The author knew almost nothing about early American life, lack of warfare, and politics. Early Americans from 600 BC to 421 AD had very little interest in war, and had no occasion for war because: a) They spent most of their time farming. b) They had no great cities of great population as are mentioned in the Book of Mormon. c) Mongoloids have a different philosophy of life and war than Europeans and Semites. d) Early Americans knew nothing of iron and steel for swords, until the Spaniards came. e) Breastplates of brass and copper were unknown then. f) Cimeters were curved swords used by Persians, Arabs and Turks, only appearing 1000 years later (1400 AD). g) Arm shields and axes of metal were not yet invented in America. h) The earliest metals in America were gold beads dated 600 AD. Copper, bronze, and silver came much later, when smelting was invented. i) Horses and chariots were not used in America before the Spanish conquest. j) The wheel was never used in America before the Europeans came. Roads were pedestrian roads approaching the temples, and were not built in the Book of Mormon period k) The sinewed bow and arrow of the American Indians came 600 years later, after 421 AD. They instead used an atlatl, or throwing stick. l) Wars of conquest were unknown because the gaining of new territory for occupation was unnecessary, as there was plenty of room for all Indians. The Book of Mormon forgets that glass windows were not invented in 2200 BC at the Tower of Babel. (The first glass vessels were invented around 1500BC in Egypt. The first window glass was invented around 50AD. World Book Encyclopedia. Jared and others supposedly migrate from Mesopotamia to America when the Tower of Babel was built. For light in their boats, God was supposed to have given them luminous stones. “For, behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces.” Ether 2:23. Smith did not know that the Phoenicians had not yet invented glass. Amazingly, 50-80 people sailed for 344 days, without any loss of life, or running short of food. Darkness covered the whole earth at Christ’s crucifixion for 3 hours (Matthew 27:45 and Mark 15:33), but the Book of Mormon mistakes it to be 3 days (Helamen 14:20,27). Smith thought that Elijah (O.T.) and Elias (N.T. spelling) were different people. They are the same person. Elijah is the Old Testament name, and Elias is the New Testament name. This is found in “Doctrines and Covenants” Section 109 and 110:11-13, which is devoted to a prayer offered at the dedication of the temple in Kirtland, Ohio, March 27, 1836, where Smith states: “The Lord appeared, ... Moses appeared before us... Elias appeared... After this vision was closed another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us.” Elijah and Elias are the same person. What a blunder! Elijah and Elisha are distinguished correctly in Luke 4:25,26: “Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias (Elijah)... Many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus (Elisha) the prophet; and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian.” Once this revelation was presented as the word of God, there was no easy way to correct this mistake. The Book of Abraham Fraud This is found in the Mormon scripture known as “The Pearl of Great Price”. Joseph Smith in 1835 purchased an ancient Egyptian papyrus found in mummy wrapping acquired by Michael H. Chandler. Smith, believing that he had the gift of interpreting ancient Egyptian, claimed that the rolls contained the writings of Abraham himself, signed personally by Abraham. In 1842, Smith published his translation under the title “The Book of Abraham” in “Times and Seasons”. He claimed that a picture in it was Abraham sitting on Pharaoh’s throne. These papyri were lost for many years, but they turned up and were presented to the Mormon Church by the Metropolitan Art Museum of New York on November 27, 1967. When translated, they found that not a single word of Joseph Smith’s translation was correct. The text had nothing to do with Abraham, but described magical spells to open the mouth of the dead to prepare him for his audience with Osiris to be judged. Hence Joseph Smith’s translation of Egyptian is proved false. Many earthquakes with great destruction and loss of life supposedly accompanied Christ’s death, to show God’s displeasure. Mormons claim that this took place in Yucatan in Mexico. This is an area of flat jungle on limestone, which has been free from earthquakes. Ruins here date from 150 AD or later, not before. What is wrong with this passage? a) Jesus rebuked James and John for wanting to call down fire from heaven to destroy the scoffing Samaritans. b) The inhabitants of America were no greater sinners than the chief priests who demanded Christ’s death. Christ did not curse them, but prayed for their forgiveness. c) Calvary was an act of mercy, not of destruction. No one died in the Jerusalem earthquake, nor when the temple veil was torn. So why should many people die in America who were not responsible for Christ’s death? 3 Nephi 8:1-24. d) Christ came to save men’s lives, not destroy them. Smith never understood God’s mercy and grace to man at Calvary. How can Helaman 12:26, supposedly written in 6 BC, quote John 5:29 which was not yet written until 85 AD? You cannot quote something that is not yet written. “fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall receive everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation.” Helaman 12:26 in 6 BC. It is obvious that this is a great mistake, proving the Book of Mormon to be a fake, made up by someone who did not know his facts, and who was given to lying. John 5:29 quotes: “And shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” QUESTION:: Does this verse teach salvation by good works? Answer: No, because John’s theology forbids this (3:17-21; 6:28,29). It states that those who are truly born again will live a life of good works after salvation. They obey Christ (14:15), they abide in Christ (15:5-7), and they walk in the light (John 8:12). Damnation is because of rejecting Christ (John 3:36). Of the 38 cities in the Book of Mormon, leading archaeologists have not found any remains of any of these alleged cities. The Smithsonian Institute in Washington states: “There is no correspondence whatever between archaeological sites and cultures as revealed by scientific investigations, and as recorded in the Book of Mormon... Thus far no iron, steel, brass, gold and silver coins, metal, swords, breastplates, arm shields, armour, horses and chariots, or silk have ever been found in pre-colonial archaeological sites.” Kingdom of the Cults, W. Martin, p.162. The testimony of the 3 witnesses which appears at the front of the Book of Mormon (Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris) ... declares that: “an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engraving thereon...” Martin Harris denied to Professor Anthon that he had actually seen the plates, but that he only saw them “with the eye of faith.” Note: All three of these witnesses later apostasized from the Mormon faith, and were described by Mormon contemporaries as thieves and counterfeiters. Joseph Smith lied to try and prove the book of mormon Joseph Smith, in an effort to prove the Book of Mormon, claimed in the “Pearl of Great Price” Section 2, verses 62, 63, 64, that Professor Charles Anthon verified the “reformed Egyptian language.” Smith allegedly quotes Professor Anthon as follows: “Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac and Arabic and he said that they were true characters”. This later proved to be a TOTAL LIE, as Professor Anthon wrote in a letter to E.D. Howe, that he NEVER SAID ANY SUCH THING. Mormons have NEVER been able to refute this letter or ANY of Howe’s research. An excerpt from Professor Anthon’s letter of rebuttal is as follows: New York, N.Y., Feb. 17, 1834 Mr E.D. Howe Painseville, Ohio Dear Sir, ... The whole story about my having pronounced the Mormonite inscription to be “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics” is perfectly false... Yours respectfully, Charles Anthon, LL.D. Columbia University. All reputable linguists who have examined the Mormon evidence have rejected it as mythical. Mormon misunderstanding of the Sticks of Joseph and Judah in Ezekiel 37:15-23. Mormons claim that the “stick of Judah” refers to the Bible, and the “stick of Ephraim” refers to the Book of Mormon. They claim that the joining of the 2 sticks refers to the union of the Bible and the Book of Mormon as an addition to the Word of God. Answer: The subject under discussion is not books, but people and nations. It refers to the then divided nation of Israel (587 BC) of the northern and southern kingdoms becoming reunited as one nation in the land, just before and after Christ’s second coming. “These bones are the whole house of Israel”. Ezekiel 37:11. The 2 sticks becoming one stick in Ezekiel’s hand represent Judah (2 1/2 tribes) and Israel (9 1/2 tribes) being united in the end days. “I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, ... and bring them into their own land: I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel,.....they shall be no more 2 nations”. Ezekiel 37:21,22. The Mormon view totally ignores the context, hoping no one will read the passage too carefully. There are no rivers emptying into the Red Sea. “... When he had travelled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.... He called the name of the river Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the border near the mouth thereof.” I Nephi 2:4-9. a) It would have been impossible for an old man (Lehi), women and children to travel the 175 mile journey from Jerusalem to the Red Sea in 3 days. Question: Could you walk 58 miles per day for 3 days? Travelling 3 miles per hour, you would need to travel for 20 hours each day non-stop for 3 days. This would have been quite impossible. b) There are no rivers running into the Red Sea along their route, the eastern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, at this or any other point. There are not even any traceable ancient river systems in this part of Arabia. This part of the world was well known and well travelled in 600 BC. Had there been a river as Nephi describes, the area would have been one of the best known in the world of its day. It would have supported a sizeably populated civilization, as always happened where fresh water was available. The mouth of such a river would have been a world-renowned port, if not a capital city, in 600 BC. c) These 6 people then cross 1400 miles of the Arabian peninsula, 400 miles being rugged mountains and 1000 miles of desert. d) They find a bountiful, fruitful land on the Persian Gulf. Alexander’s troops in 330 BC avoided this as desert area. e) They then build a ship sufficiently seaworthy to carry them two-thirds around the world in rough seas to the west coast of America, now known as Peru. American Indians are Mongoloids from East Asia, not Semites from Jerusalem as the Book of Mormon claims. For 200 years before 1820, many philosophers thought that the American Indians were the lost tribes of Israel. The dark skin of the Indians is not caused by their bad morals, as the Book of Mormon claims, but by genetics. American Indians are Mongoloid, not Jewish, because: a) Mongoloids lack face and body hair, (growing at most 3 inches of beard in a lifetime), but Jews have much face and body hair. b) Mongoloid hair is coarse, black & straight, but Jewish Semite hair is moderately fine, wavy and brown. c) Mongoloids have reddish skin pigmentation, but Jewish Semites have an olive-gray pigmentation. d) Mongoloids have prominent cheek bones, not like Semites. e) Mongoloids appear slant-eyed, but Semites have deep seated eyes. f) Mongoloid babies have a Mongolian spot on their backs. This is a slate-blue round pigment spot that disappears after a few months or years. It is not present on the backs of Jewish or Semite babies. Hence American Indians could not descend from Jews. Mormons must defend their prophet even if they have to close their eyes to do so. No coinage system was ever developed in ancient America. If the alleged ‘Nephites’ were descended from Jews raised in Jerusalem, their coinage and money values would have survived to the New World. Hence Joseph Smith created a system of coinage for people of the Book of Mormon in America. It seems strange that Smith did not continue using Jewish shekels and talents, but that he devised coins such as senines, seons, shums and limnals of gold. Unfortunately for Smith, while his guess was logical, it was completely wrong. No system of coinage was ever developed by ancient Americans. The Mayans who traded had: a) No money transactions in their records. b) Their coins would have been discovered in their graves and homes. c) No coins were found in sacred wells, where so many valuable ornaments and jewels were thrown as offerings to their gods. d) All the known Mayan media of exchange have been identified, both of their own land, and also along the ancient trade routes of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Sea, but never have they found metallic money. e) Columbus was told by a Mayan chieftain in 1502 that all transactions were by barter. f) Interregional markets were found at Xicalenco, a market town between Aztec and Mayan populations, where Aztec, Mayan, Toltec, Mixtec and Totocan peoples met. Surely if there had been a coined money system it would have been found here. g) Cacao beans came closest to a standardised medium of exchange for uneven barter. h) Taxation had no metal coinage, but was a work service. Question: Why did they have no coinage? Answer: Because they had no metal until gold was discovered after 600 AD. Gold was used only for ornamentation. Silver was discovered around 900 AD. There never was an iron age in America before Columbus. In spite of this, Joseph Smith had his ancient Nephites and Lamanites using iron and steel swords. Iron was the scarcest and most valuable metal. Gold was the most plentiful and cheapest metal. Silk and fine linen have never been successfully grown in America. Joseph Smith has Alma, a judge of the Nephites in 100 BC, stating that his people possessed “an abundance of silk and fine twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.” Alma 1:29. Smith was wrong here because: a) Silk was unknown in the Americas until the Europeans came, and that it has never been successfully introduced since then. b) Cortez tried to grow silk in Mexico in 1522, but the industry died out 75 years later. Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 1959 ed. XX, 664. c) James I of England in 1609 tried to introduce silk culture in the American colonies, but failed. d) Silk still has to be imported to the US from the Orient. e) In Alma 17:25-33, Ammon protects King Lamoni’s flocks from attackers. This is wrong because there were no domestic sheep in America before the Spanish came (Morley, The Ancient Maya, p.408). Central America and southern Mexico never have been suitable for raising sheep. Sheep could not thrive in jungle country. Indians wore fabric of rabbit hair, birds’ feathers &Kapok tree. Joseph Smith’s failure to mention these, and his mention of materials totally unknown in any early American period, proves that the Book of Mormon was written by a completely uninformed scribe who knew nothing of life in Ancient America. Impossibility of churches, temples and synagogues in America from 539 BC-34AD a) The Book of Mormon mentions “synagogues” at least 12 times. Alma 16:13 speaks of synagogues “built after the manner of the Jews”. They date synagogues from 559 BC to 34 AD. Nephi and his successors in America could have known nothing of synagogues. Why? Because synagogues were founded after the Temple’s destruction in 586 BC, when Temple worship was an impossibility because Jews were in Babylonian exile. Nephi would never have seen a synagogue in Israel. b) II Nephi 5:16 tells us that Nephi built a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”, not more than 20 years after the migrant party landed in America between 588-570 BC. What is wrong with this? i) They didn’t have enough workers. In I Kings 5:13-18 Solomon needed 183,300 workers (made up of 70,000 labourers + 80,000 stone quarriers, 3300 supervisors + 30,000 loggers) over 7 1/2 years, to build his temple. Yet Nephi had only about 12 adults, because half the company had apostasized. Five couples could not produce more than 50 children in 20 years. It would have been impossible for Nephi, with 5 men’s help, to construct a building requiring many specialised skills. ii) There could be no practical use for it, because the population was so small (about 20). Solomon’s temple served a nation of several million worshippers. iii) II Nephi 5:15 says that materials “were in great abundance”. This contradicts v.16 which says that the materials were ‘not to be found upon the land’. “And I, Nephi, did build a temple; ... after the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land...” v.16. Here Joseph Smith tripped badly, because he has Nephi saying in the previous verse: “And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores which were in great abundance.” II Nephi 5:15. Note: At this same time Smith has Nephi making swords of steel, long before the invention of steel anywhere in the world, to arm his soldiers against about 40 of his apostate brother’s people.
  3. 3 Nephi 28:4-8 speaks of three men who were told by Jesus that they would never die, but would remain on Earth until His second coming. However, the Bible is clear in explaining that God has “appointed” man to die (Hebrews 9:27). Such a tale is so imaginary many Mormons are reluctant to admit they believe it.
  4. Mormonism and Christianity The Doctrine of God: Historic Christianity: The one God is a Spirit who is the personal, eternal, infinite Creator of all that exists. He is the only God and necessary for all other things to exist. He exists eternally as a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (see Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 44:6-8; Matt. 28:19; John 4:24; 17:3) Mormonism: God (Heavenly Father) is an exalted man with a physical body of flesh and bone. LDS founder Joseph Smith said, "If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible-I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). The trinity is denied with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost seen as three separate entities. "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (Doctrine and Covenants [D&C] 130:22). The Doctrine of Jesus Christ: Historic Christianity: Jesus Christ was the virgin born God incarnate who existed in all time with the Father and Holy Spirit in the eternal Trinity. As a man He possessed two natures -human and divine. He lived a sinless life and willingly died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sin of all humanity. (see John 1:1-18; 8:56-59; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:13-22; Heb.1:3; 13:8) Mormonism: Jesus was the spiritual "first born" Son of God in the preexistence. "Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ, so he is literally our elder brother" (Gospel Principles [GP], p. 11)."And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn" (D&C 93:21). He is also the "only begotten" physical offspring of God by procreation on earth. "Jesus is the only person on earth to be born of a mortal mother and an immortal father. That is why he is called the Only Begotten Son" (GP, p. 64). His atonement (death and resurrection) provides immortality for all people regardless of their faith. "Christ thus overcame physical death. Because of his atonement, everyone born on this earth will be resurrected . . . This condition is called immortality. All people who ever lived will be resurrected, 'both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous' (The Book of Mormon [BOM], Alma 11:44)" (GP, p. 74). (See GP, pp. 11, 17-19, 61-77.) The Doctrine of Scriptures and Authority: Historic Christianity: The Bible (Old and New Testaments) is the unique, revealed, and inspired Word of God. It is the sole authority for faith and practice for Christians. (see 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21) Mormonism: Recognizes the LDS Four Standard Works as authoritative. These include the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly" (Articles of Faith 1:8). It also includes The Book of Mormon (BOM) which Joseph Smith declared is "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 194). The church also regards The Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) as Scripture. It "is a collection of modern revelations . . . regarding The Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored in these last days" (GP, p. 54). The Pearl of the Great Price (PGP) is the fourth book believed to be inspired. "It clarifies doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible and gives added information concerning the creation of the earth" (GP, p. 54). The church's president is regarded as "a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet" (D&C 107:91-92). The Doctrine of Humanity: Historic Christianity: Human beings are created in God's image, meaning they have personal qualities similar to God's. Every person is a unique, precious being of dignity and worth. (see Gen. 1:26-27) Mormonism: People are the preexisted spiritual offspring of the Heavenly Father and Mother. "All men and women are . . . literally the sons and daughters of Deity . . . Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal (physical) body" (Joseph F. Smith, "The Origin of Man," Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, pp. 78,80, as quoted in GP, p. 11).They are born basically good and are "gods in embryo." A commonly quoted Mormon aphorism (attributed to fifth LDS president Lorenzo Snow) says "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." The Doctrine of Sin: Historic Christianity: Human beings have chosen to sin against God, rejecting His nature and pursing life opposed to His essential character and revealed law. (see Rom. 3:23; 7:14-25; 1 John 1:8-10) Mormonism: People sin by disobedience to God's laws. Adam's fall, a part of Heavenly Father's plan, caused a loss of immortality, which was necessary for mankind to advance, (see GP, pp. 31-34). As Eve declared according to LDS scripture, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have . . . known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient"(PGP, Moses 5:11; see also BOM, 2 Nephi 2:22-25). Each person is responsible for his or her own sin. The Doctrine of Salvation: Historic Christianity: Salvation is release from the guilt and power of sin through God's gift of grace. It is provided through Christ's atonement and received by personal faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. (see Rom. 3:20; 10:9- 10; Eph. 2:8-10) Mormonism: Jesus' atonement provided immortality for all people. Exaltation (godhood) is available only to Mormons through obedience to LDS teachings: faith, baptism, endowments, celestial marriage, and tithing. "Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God-Wherefore, all things are theirs" (D&C, 76:58-59). These are some of the blessings given to exalted people: 1. They will live eternally in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see D&C, 76). 2. They will become gods. 3. They will have their righteous family members with them and will be able to have spirit children also. These spirit children will have the same relationship to them as we do to our Heavenly Father. They will be an eternal family. 4. They will receive a fullness of joy. 5. They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have - all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge (See GP, p. 302). Baptism for the dead provides post-mortem salvation for non-Mormons, and is "by immersion performed by a living person for one who is dead. This ordinance is performed in temples" (GP, p. 375). (See also GP, chapters 18-23.) The Doctrine of Life after Death: Historic Christianity: Eternal life in heaven with God for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. Eternal separation from God's presence in hell for the unsaved. (see Matt. 5:12-30; 25:41; Rev. 20-22) Mormonism: One of three levels of glory: 1. Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom for faithful Mormons where people may become gods or angels; "Then shall they be gods" (D&C 132:20). 2. Terrestrial Kingdom for righteous non-Mormons; "These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fullness" (D&C 76:75-76). 3. Telestial Kingdom for wicked and ungodly (not hell); "These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers . . . who suffer the wrath of God on earth"(D&C 76:103-104). (See also D&C 76:57-119; 131:1-4.) The Doctrine of the Church: Historic Christianity: Christians congregate together in local bodies and along denominational lines sharing distinctive doctrinal and ecclesiastical concepts. There is no organization or denomination that can claim exclusive designation as the "one true church. The universal church consists of all the redeemed in Jesus Christ in all of the ages. (see Matt. 16:15-19; 1 Cor. 1:12-14; Eph. 2:19; 3:11-12) Mormonism: Asserts that the LDS is the one true church on the face of the earth. Joseph Smith claimed Jesus Christ told him to join none of the existing denominations because "they were all wrong . . . that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt" (PGP: Joseph Smith-History 1:19-20). Mormons claim only the LDS possesses the divine authority of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood as restored by God to Joseph Smith in 1829. (D&C 13; 27:8- 13; 107:1-20; PGP: Joseph Smith-History 1:68-73)
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