DID YOU KNOW? 50 amazing ‘home truths’ of the Mormon Church by Keith GlasgowDid you know? (According to the Mormon Church) People live on the moon dressed in Quaker style clothes? GOD has a wife? GOD was once a man? Jesus Christ is brother to Satan? Keep reading for 50 amazing 'home truths' of the Mormon Church J. Fielding Smith, tenth President of the Mormon Church stated: “Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. Either he was a prophet of God, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world as ever seen. There is no middle ground.” Judge for yourself … Joseph Smith Jnr., the founder of the Mormon Church claimed to be a prophet of God, yet… 58 of his prophecies failed to come to pass! Two examples: In 1835, Joseph Smith prophesied that the coming of the Lord was near – within 56 years. “There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ 1 comes.” In September 23rd, 1832, Joseph Smith predicted a temple would be built in the State of Missouri before all those living them would pass away. Even after being driven from Missouri to Utah, the Mormons 2 expected to return and fulfil the prophecy. People on the moon: In 1837, Joseph Smith said that the moon was inhabited by men and women like those on earth except they lived to about 1000 years of age, and they dressing uniformly “like Quaker's 3 style”! Joseph Smith’s character: * Joseph Smith was “married” to at least 12 women prior to July 12, 1843, when he claims to have received a revelation permitting polygamy. * On March 20th 1826 in Beinbridge, New York, Joseph Smith was found guilty of 4 being a “glass looker” (sorcery – same as crystal ball gazing) * Joseph Smith boasted: “God is my right hand man … “ and … “I have more to boast of than ever any man had … neither Paul, John, Peter nor Jesus ever did it. I 5 boast that no man ever did such works as I” Joseph Smith added his own name to the Bible! * Smith claimed authority to alter the text of the Bible. His 'inspired translation' contains many additions and changes (including the very convenient addition of his own name) to Genesis chapter 50: “And that seer (prophet) I will bless … and his 6 name will be called Joseph …” Some of Smith's revisions to the King James text contradict current Mormon doctrine. Mormon leaders have sidestepped the issue by alleging that Smith died before completing the translation. But Smith wrote on July 2, 1833 at Kirtland, Ohio, 7 “this day finished the translating of the Scriptures” Mormon Doctrines: There are many Gods: “In the beginning the head of the Gods called the council of the Gods and they came together and the concocted a plan to create the world and 9 people it” But the Bible says there is one GOD: Deuteronomy 6:4-6, Isaiah 43:10, 45:10, and 1 Timothy 2:5 God has a body of flesh and bone: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as 10 tangible as man's: The Son also… “ But the Bible says GOD is an invisible spirit: John 4:24, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:16. God has a wife: Our Eternal Mother “This doctrine that there is a Mother in heaven 11 was affirmed in plainness by the First Presidency of the Church … “ But the Bible says that spirits don't marry (Matthew 22:30) , and not even a hint of GOD having a wife. 12 Pre-existence: All inhabitants of earth, and many other worlds are inhabited with God's 'spirit-children' (“begotten sons and daughters unto God”) . In practical terms, this means that God would be producing over 500,000 spirit children every day just to keep up with births on earth alone! But the Bible says we began in out mother's womb: Psalm 139:13-16. God was once a man: “It appears ridiculous to the world, under their darkened and 13 erroneous traditions, that God has once been a finite being” “As man is, God once 14 was: as God is, man may be” But the Bible says God is not a man: Numbers 23:19. People can become Gods: “The Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming Gods like himself … We are created … to become like Gods like unto out 15 Father in heaven” But the Bible says that Satan tempted Eve to sin with the thought of becoming like God: Genesis 3:5.The Virgin birth God the Father, in a physical body, had sexual intercourse with the 16 Virgin Mary in order for Jesus to be conceived and born. But the Bible says that the Holy Spirit caused the conception in the virgin's womb: Luke 1.35. Satan is a brother of Jesus! “He was called Lucifer,... This spirit-brother of Jesus 17 desperately tried to become the Saviour of mankind” But the Bible says Jesus is God, and is worshipped by all the angels: John 1:1, Hebrews 1:6. Priesthood: On June 1, 1978, the Presidency and the Twelve Apostles of the Mormon Church permitted African-Americans to hold the Priesthood. Previous to this announcement they were not permitted, even if they had “a drop of Negro blood” (Brigham Young). Church 'prophet' Brigham Young said that if the Presidency and Apostles should confer the priesthood on the “black race of Cain”, 18 on that very day “the priesthood is taken from this church…” Racism: “Millions of souls have come into this world cursed with a black skin and have been denied the privilege of priesthood and the fullness of the blessings of the 19 gospel” *”… are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally 20 bestowed upon mankind” Orson Pratt, Mormon President and prophet said: “Convince us of our errors of doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the Word of 8 God and we will ever be grateful for the information … ” Judge for yourself! The Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith claimed to have translated the Book of Mormon from buried golden plates he had found. He claimed: “These plates … have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct”. Yet … * There are 2,800 changes to the Book of Mormon, not counting punctuation changes (examples on page …) * Joseph Smith claimed that the golden plates were written in “Reformed Egyptian” text by Hebrews several hundred years before Christ, yet the Jews would never write sacred history in any language other than Hebrew. To a Jew, his language is as sacred as the Hold Scriptures. * Many verses from the Book of Mormon are supposed to have been written between 600 B.C. and A.D. 421. Why do they parallel, and in some cases, quote verbatim the A.D. 1611 King James Version of the N.T. , written 1,000 years after the Book of Mormon was supposed to have been written? Even the italicised words (which were not in the original Greek text of the New Testament) were plagiarized! Parallels with “View of the Hebrew” – a book written by Ethan Smith, which was published in 1823, seven years prior to the Book of Mormon! “View of the Hebrew” tries to prove that the American Indians descended from the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Mormon apostle and historian B. H. Roberts showed 18 major parallels between the two books. Examples: 21 1. Both say that the American Indians descended from the Hebrews pp. 172, 184 2. Both claim there was a lost book buried in the ground: “… having lost the knowledge of reading it, they concluded it would be of no further use to them: and they buried it ..” pp. 223-224. 22 3. Both emphasise the use of the 'Urim and Thummim' Other facts that disprove the Book of Mormon: * The Book of Mormon quotes from Malachi, which was written between 200 and 300 years after Lehi! * The Book of Mormon contains the words “Alpha and Omega” which are from the Greek language, which was not known 600 years B.C.! * The Book of Mormon mentions “most precious steel” (not known at that time), sailing across the ocean with the aid of a “compass” (invented about 1000 A.D.) * In the Book of Mormon, Jacob bids his brethren “adieu” (the earliest French was about 700 A.D.) The Book of Mormon and Archaeology Since the Book of Mormon claims that there was once an ancient civilized society living on the North American continent, it seems logical to conclude that there would be great archaeological findings supporting this position. This has not been the case. 1. No Book of Mormon cities have ever been located. 2. No Book of Mormon names have been found in 'New World' (ancient American) inscriptions. 3. No Book of Mormon persons, nations or places have been found mentioned in any place. 4. No genuine inscriptions in the Hebrew language have been found in America. 5. No genuine inscriptions in Egyptian or anything similar have been found in America. 6. No ancient inscriptions have been found in America to indicate early inhabitants with Judaist or Christian beliefs. 7. No ancient copies of the Book of Mormon have been found. 8. No artefact of any kind that would demonstrate that the Book of Mormon is true has been found. 9. In the Book of Mormon pages 107 to 359, we find bows and arrows: steel swords, breastplates of brass and copper, arm shields, stone slings, clubs, axes, javelins, horses and chariots. The early Americans knew nothing of metal until the coming of the Spaniards. They wore body armour composed of quilted cotton that had ben steeped in brine and shields made of wickerwork and covered with hides.Modern Mormon Church beliefs contradict the Book of Mormon! Which is wrong? Contrary to the Mormon Church's present day beliefs, the Book of Mormon teaches: 1. There is only one God – Alma 11:28,29 2. God is unchanging – Mormon 9:9,19 3. God is a spirit – Alma 18:24,28 4. The Holy Spirit is God – Alma 18:28 5. Jesus Christ is God – 2 Nephi 10:3 6. Jesus Christ was virgin born – Alma 7:10 7. Polygamy condemned – Jacob 1:15; 2:23 The Book of Mormon is supposed to contain the “fullness of the gospel”. Yet it does not mention or even support the distinctive Mormon doctrines – Baptism for the dead, Melchizekedek priesthood, the plurality of Gods, Mother of God, The Adam- God doctrine, Polygamy, Celestial marriage, Pre-existence, Degrees of glory! Changes in the Book of Mormon: In the 1830 edition, p.200, we read: “…King Benjamin had a gift from God, whereby...“ 23 NOW: “… King Mosiah had a gift from God, whereby…” This is important because according to the chronology found in the Book of Mormon, Benjamin would have been dead at this time. In the 1830 edition, p200, we read: “ … that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father, and the Saviour of the world …” NOW: “… that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal God, and the saviour…” Changes in the Doctrine and Covenants * At least 2,812 alterations have been made of the original 65 sacred revelations from God in the 1833 “Book of Commandments”. EXAMPLES: * Over 400 words were added to chapter 28 of the original “Book of Commandments” (1833 edition) to make it read as it does today in section 27 of “Doctrine and Covenants”. * “… and he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.” (Book of Commandments 1833 edition) Changed to “…you have the gift to translate the plates: and this is the first gift that I bestowed on you; and I commanded that you should pretend no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this: for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished” (1835 edition) Joseph Smith claimed to be able to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics before Egyptologists discovered how to interpret them. “ … I commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics, and much to our joy found that one of the 25 rolls contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of Egypt …”Later he was shown by a consensus of Egyptologists to be a fraud. Dee Jay Nelson resigned from the Mormon Church, stating that he did not “wish to be associated with a church which teaches lies…” He said: “I found no mention of Abraham or his religion in the text but discovered that it is in reality a part of the Egyptian “Book of 26 Breathings.” He showed how Joseph Smith 'translated' 177 English words out of the single hieroglyphic word “khons”! Mormon prophet Brigham Young said: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion 28 of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test” Why not 'take up your Bible' and see what the truth is. Jesus said: “The truth with set you free.” God's word declares that only faith in Jesus Christ will save us from the punishment of sin: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23) Salvation (getting right with God) is not found in a church, or prophet, or by doing good works. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9) All a person needs is the Lord Jesus Christ: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12) 1. History of Church, volume 2, page 182 2. Doctrine and Covenants, volume 84, pgs 5, 31 3. Young Woman's Journal (Mormon Magazine), 1892 also see Journal of Discourses, Vol 13, p. 271 4. History of the Church, Volume 6 5. Wesley P. Walters , July 28th, 1971 6. Genesis 40:33 “inspired Version” 7. History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 368 8. The Seer, p. 15 9. Abr. 3:1-5:8 10. Doctrine and Covenants 130:20 11. Mormon Doctrine 1966, p. 516 12. Doctrine & Covenants. 76:24 13. Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p. 333 14. Articles of Faith No. 13 15. Journal of Discourses, Vol. 10, p. 223 16. Orson Pratt, The Seer, Washington D.C. 1853-54, p. 158 17. Feb. 5th, 1852, Ms d, 1234, Box 48, Folder 3, L.D.S Archives 18. Joseph Fielding Smith, 'The Way to Perfection', p 102 19. Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 290 20. The Gospel Through the Ages”. P. 15 21. Alma 10:3 22. Doctrine & Covenants 17:1 23. 1964 ed., p. 176. V. 28 24. 1 Nephi 13:40 25. Joseph Smith, “History of the Church”, vol. 2, page 236 26. See the Book of the Dead, Facsimiles of the Papyri of Hunefer, Anhai, Kerasher and Netchemet, by E.A. Wallis Budge, London 1899, p. 33 www.keithglasgow.comNext >