It explains the beliefs of Mormonism, why there is a conflict in public trust, and the goals of political involvement by Mormons. Mitt Romney was not the first Mormon to run for president. I believe there have been 4, including Joseph Smith himself while he lived in Nauvoo, IL.

Hey, are you just throwing out “facts” just like in Roe vs. Wade where attorneys who wanted abortion rights simply invented or infated statistics to get what they wanted? You are a liar my friend and your hatred for Mormons won’t be justification for that! Oh and by the way, even if your accusation was true, what one Mormon does should not be a condemnation for every Mormon. Just because some “Christian” Preacher protests soldier’s funerals with signs about how God hates gays and is punishing the nation for them, doesn’t mean every Christian should be held accountable.

Your argument against Mormons is the same argument the Pharisees used against Christ–he must be from the devil because he didn’t see things their way. And Jesus’ response said, if you won’t believe me, then believe in the works I do.” By your own admission the Mormons do good works, and yet you will not even take Jesus’ counsel on that. Your line of their good works isn’t the same as our good works because we are right! Instead you will demonize a whole group of people just as extremists do today and feel God expects you to use your religion to hate and persecute others. At least Mormon doctrine allows people the freedom of religion which so many men and women of our nation fought and died for–in your America, people are only free if they believe what you believe, and to me that is definitely NOT the message Christ intended.

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“I believe the Prophet Joseph Smith was a prophet because he did many superhuman things. One was translating the Book of Mormon. Some people will not agree, but I submit to you that the Prophet Joseph Smith in translating the Book of Mormon did a superhuman work. I ask you … to undertake to write a story on the ancient inhabitants of America. Write as he did without any source of material. Include in your story 54 chapters dealing with wars, 21 historical chapters, 55 chapters on visions and prophecies, and, remember, when you begin to write on visions and prophecies you must have your record agree meticulously with the Bible. You write 71 chapters on doctrine and exhortation, and, here too, you must check every statement with the scriptures or you will be proven to be a fraud. You must write 21 chapters on the ministry of Christ, and everything you claim He said and did and every testimony you write in your book about Him must agree absolutely with the New Testament.

“I ask you, would you like to undertake such a task? I would suggest to you too that you must employ figures of speech, similes, metaphors, narrations, exposition, description, oratory, epic, lyric, logic, and parables. Undertake that, will you? I ask you to remember that the man that translated the Book of Mormon was a young man who hadn’t had the opportunity of schooling that you have had, and yet he dictated that book in just over two months and made very few, if any, corrections. For over 100 years, some of the best students and scholars of the world have been trying to prove from the Bible that the Book of Mormon is false, but not one of them has been able to prove that anything he wrote was not in strict harmony with the scriptures.”
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Joseph Smith had only a 4th grade education. He came from a poor family of farmers, living in small rural towns in the early 1800′s. He had no resources to draw from to write the Book of Mormon, other than the family bible. It’s simply impossible that he wrote it.
Where are the gold plates today? They were handed back to the angel Moroni, but not before they were seen and held by 11 other men who signed their names as witnesses.

Archeological evidence? Tyler mentioned a good website in his post dated 11/2, 7:32 p.m. But if the Book of Mormon was supported by indesputable physical evidence, would it really change your mind?

Thank you for your kind words and prayers.

The fact you do not see any hope in the true gospel of Jesus Christ speaks volumes about the level of deception in the LDS church. Christianity is all about hope. I have detailed that hope in my response about the biblical gospel.

I will continue to pray for you and the entire LDS church that you will turn to the true Jesus of the Bible.

Thanks for the conversation.

Les

You have no idea how much I appreciate your honesty and your effort to accurately answer the questions posed to you. In my years of interacting with Mormons, I’ve never had any answers to my questions so eloquently articulated. Thank you.

You are correct; I suppose we are at a stand still. You believe it is true; I do not. And trust me, that doesn’t make me “mad” at you. After all, I don’t even know you. Certainly a dialogue in a comments section of a blog entry will convince neither of us to change our minds or change our position.

Now, you have asked for my opinion about the Book of Mormon. You asked me how it came to be, where it came from, who wrote it. My sincere, honest opinion is this which answers all three questions: it came from the imagination of Joseph Smith. You are right when you say that it all comes down to that book. It comes down to the credibility of the book and its origin, and the one who brought it to light. If, indeed, there were gold tablets, then there would be evidence of them. If, indeed, there were ancient cultures and peoples that Jesus ministered to in the Americas, there would be credible, independent archeolgoical evidence. In my opinion, Joseph Smith lied. The apostles continue the lie. Mormon missionaries carry this lie around the world to a world that is already lost and dying.

Brenda, you say the Book of Mormon fills in the gaps. I say it just doesn’t make any sense at all. You say it fits like a puzzle piece; I say it is a piece that belongs to a whole separate puzzle. I believe that the warning in Galatians applies directly to Joseph Smith and his visions. I believe that he was not a prophet of God. I believe that the Book of Mormon is not true. I believe the teachings of LDS is based on a deception and they continue to perpetuate that deception to this day.

You have brought up some incredible insights into LDS beliefs in your last post to Les. Since it was addressed to him, I’ll let him answer you.

Thanks ~ and know that I am praying for you and Mormons around the world!

My God wants happiness for all His children, just as we, as parents, want it for our children. He sent His beloved son, Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our sins, so that we can return to Him. This also involves faith, repentance, obedience to His commandments, and ultimately His grace. There will be a way for all people to hear the true gospel, but not all will be able to hear it in this life. We will be judged by what’s in our hearts.
My God allows families to be together forever, to enjoy the same bonds that we have here on earth.
When I compare my Christianity with what I’ve read here, I’ll take mine.

No trap intended. Christians have no problem with someone moving from one denomination to another. No one is excommunicated because we do not believe that “church” saves: Jesus saves. My concern is that the LDS church believes they are the “one, true church.” To believe that you must belong to a particular church is a classic hallmark of a cult.

Now I will address your questions to me.

You said, “How can you possibly believe in a God who would send good and honorable people to hell? People who sincerely believe they are following His will? You don’t know me, yet you say I am going to hell. Also, what kind of God condemns people who have never heard of Christ nor had the chance to accept Him?”

1. God does not send “good and honorable” people to hell because there are no good and honorable people. The bible clearly teaches that we have all rebelled against God. We are all sinners under the sentence of death and deservedly so. What is amazing is not that God sends people to hell. What is amazing is that God, in His grace and mercy, chooses to save anyone through the blood of Christ.

2. The old saying, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” is applicable here. Sincerity has nothing to do with salvation. Muslims are just as sincere in their faith as you are. So are Hindus, Buddhists, and other world religions. But Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). As for you, your own words communicate that you do not believe in the Christ of the Bible. You may be sincere, but I am concerned that you are sincerely wrong.

I believe in both heaven and hell because Jesus taught both very clearly.

As for those who have never heard, Romans chapter one says that all people have been exposed to God’s revelation and they are “without excuse.”

Les