ATL2CDG
Life's wastebucket
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 243
Birdstrike:
Let me do this a second time... if you insist in called me a Mormon, at least spell it correctly... M-O-R-M-O-N. However, in all actually, I am more properly addresses as a Latter-Day Saint.
As I've said, you've been misled and misinformed, which is quite unfortunate.
Sorry, we're not a cult and it's not plain and simple. Let's first look at the full name of the Church... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . Jesus Christ is the cornerstone upon which our Church is built. Let me just cut and paste our Articles of Faith as they lay out the basics of what we believe:
Contrast and compare with creeds of other churches; they all have variances, they all have conflicting specifics, but they, including ours, are all basically of the same stock.
As you can read above, belief in Christ is required for salvation and exaltation. We believe the Christ is the literal Son of God. We believe He led a perfect life and showed mankind the path to eternal glory. We believe He, through faith in Him and following the commandments He ordained, is the ONLY means to return to the presence of Heavenly Father.
This is perhaps the most horrid of the falsehoods spread by those unwilling to learn and understand (not necessarily believe). We do NOT worship Joseph Smith. We believe that he was a prophet, chosen by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, to restore the gospel on Earth. We hold him in the same light as Moses, Isaiah, Paul and other ordained prohets of God. We believe he was the vessel by which Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ decided to reveal the true path to return to the presence of God and was responsible for the establishment of the restored church of God. As such, if one takes him to be a prophet, then the Book of Mormon and other revelations through him must be true. Heavenly Father and Christ, for thousands of years, used imperfect, human prophets to reveal the Word of God and lead true believers... that tradition continued with J. Smith and continues today with Gordon B. Hinckley. Prophets are human. Humans are falliable, flawed and imperfect. While the works of J. Smith were great, he was just a man, and CERTAINLY not worthy of worship; idolatry is a grave sin.
Well, since we've determined that the core belief in the necessity of Christ for salvation is shared between the two of us, I think we can say that we DO co-exist as two different paths to the same end. However, given how you think differences in any form are d*mnable, then who is true among the Catholics, hundreds of branches of Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalist, Presbyterians, Churches of Christ, Churches of God, Episcopals, etc.? Who has it right? At least with my faith, ALL MANKIND has the ability to be saved, whether they were ministered to on Earth or lived thousands of years before Christ in the depths of Africa; ALL MANKIND is worthy of exaltation, not just Brother Bubba and those who believe Rev. Joe at First Baptist Church in Normalsville. --Also, we don't think Christ is a prophet... he's part of the Godhead.
Obviously you talked to the Mormon missionaries and did not care to listen to them. That's all haters of our faith want to do... is talk... Heaven forbid that you should actually LISTEN to what we say we believe; it's quite apparent that you know everything about us.
~sigh~
And it's not indoctrination, it's the presence of the Holy Ghost entering our open hearts and showing us that the Church is true and that salvation is attained through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It's people of your mindset that would destroy the Church; at least we have the civility to let you exist and worship as you wish (see number eleven above).
TysV
Let me do this a second time... if you insist in called me a Mormon, at least spell it correctly... M-O-R-M-O-N. However, in all actually, I am more properly addresses as a Latter-Day Saint.
As I've said, you've been misled and misinformed, which is quite unfortunate.
I'll just cut to the chase here. You're in a cult, plain and simple. What you believe is not Christianity - it's mormanism. Why do think Christians reject your faith? It's because it's false.
Sorry, we're not a cult and it's not plain and simple. Let's first look at the full name of the Church... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . Jesus Christ is the cornerstone upon which our Church is built. Let me just cut and paste our Articles of Faith as they lay out the basics of what we believe:
1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Contrast and compare with creeds of other churches; they all have variances, they all have conflicting specifics, but they, including ours, are all basically of the same stock.
You should know that there will be consequences of rejecting Christ as the ONLY way to God... It's not my rule or system, that's what He said Himself "I am the way and the truth and the life...no one comes to the Father but through Me..."
As you can read above, belief in Christ is required for salvation and exaltation. We believe the Christ is the literal Son of God. We believe He led a perfect life and showed mankind the path to eternal glory. We believe He, through faith in Him and following the commandments He ordained, is the ONLY means to return to the presence of Heavenly Father.
Not Me and ____, or me and Joseph Smith, just through Me. He states that He doesn't take lightly anybody else setting themselves up as false gods or leading others astray either. Hmmm.
This is perhaps the most horrid of the falsehoods spread by those unwilling to learn and understand (not necessarily believe). We do NOT worship Joseph Smith. We believe that he was a prophet, chosen by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, to restore the gospel on Earth. We hold him in the same light as Moses, Isaiah, Paul and other ordained prohets of God. We believe he was the vessel by which Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ decided to reveal the true path to return to the presence of God and was responsible for the establishment of the restored church of God. As such, if one takes him to be a prophet, then the Book of Mormon and other revelations through him must be true. Heavenly Father and Christ, for thousands of years, used imperfect, human prophets to reveal the Word of God and lead true believers... that tradition continued with J. Smith and continues today with Gordon B. Hinckley. Prophets are human. Humans are falliable, flawed and imperfect. While the works of J. Smith were great, he was just a man, and CERTAINLY not worthy of worship; idolatry is a grave sin.
Our two faiths don't coexist as separate branches of Christianity depite your faith's deceptive practices to do otherwise. it's like me saying that the earth is 186,000 miles from the moon and you saying that it's a million miles away...we both can't be right. One of us is wrong. Jesus isn't just a prophet, he's equal with God the Father Himself and the Holy Spirit.
Well, since we've determined that the core belief in the necessity of Christ for salvation is shared between the two of us, I think we can say that we DO co-exist as two different paths to the same end. However, given how you think differences in any form are d*mnable, then who is true among the Catholics, hundreds of branches of Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalist, Presbyterians, Churches of Christ, Churches of God, Episcopals, etc.? Who has it right? At least with my faith, ALL MANKIND has the ability to be saved, whether they were ministered to on Earth or lived thousands of years before Christ in the depths of Africa; ALL MANKIND is worthy of exaltation, not just Brother Bubba and those who believe Rev. Joe at First Baptist Church in Normalsville. --Also, we don't think Christ is a prophet... he's part of the Godhead.
You're correct in that you have every right to your faith and its articles. I know you're sincere, but unfortunately you're sincerely wrong. I know you won't accept that, I've talked to many of the Mormans that knock on my door. The indoctrination is incredible.
Obviously you talked to the Mormon missionaries and did not care to listen to them. That's all haters of our faith want to do... is talk... Heaven forbid that you should actually LISTEN to what we say we believe; it's quite apparent that you know everything about us.
~sigh~
And it's not indoctrination, it's the presence of the Holy Ghost entering our open hearts and showing us that the Church is true and that salvation is attained through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It's people of your mindset that would destroy the Church; at least we have the civility to let you exist and worship as you wish (see number eleven above).
TysV
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