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A different Gospel
A different concept of God
The doctrine of exaltation
Contradictions to the Bible
Issues with marriage and polygamy
Things that were not found in America before 1492
False prophecy in Mormon scripture
A different Gospel
Salvation is provided by Jesus
Christ alone. "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any
man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
Look at 2 of the LDS "Articles of Faith":
#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.
A book on Mormon doctrine says, "If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd edition, Bruce R. McConkie, 1966, page 670).
Paul did not practice baptism for the dead. He excluded himself by using the pronoun "they" rather than "we" or "ye" in 1st Corinthians 15:29. He is asking a question rather than making a statement. "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27 KJV). Because we are not saved by works (Galatians 3:3) how could we be saved by works done by others?
Paul said, "if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galations 1:8-9 KJV). It is important to notice that this warning is found in the Book of Galations. "Salvation by grace alone" is one of the book's main topics.
A different concept of God
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man" (Teachings
of Joseph Smith, pg. 345).
The Bible says, "even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."
(Psalms 90:2).
"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." (D&C Section 130:22).
According to the Bible, God is
spirit (John 4:24) and a spirit has not flesh and bones (Luke 24:29).
A section in the Book of Mormon (Alma 22:8-11) calls God a "Great Spirit"
3 times (see also Alma 18:26-8).
"And it came to pass when I [Abraham] was come near to enter into Egypt,
the Lord said unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to
look upon... Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy
soul shall live." (Abraham 2:22-25).
God commanded Abraham to lie?
Some Mormons would say that God just wanted Abraham to say 'she is my sister'
while not denying that she is also his wife (like in Genesis 20:12).
The problem here is that this was not an issue of kin but one of marital
status. It goes on to say, "...the Egyptians shall see her, they
will say - She is his wife; and they will kill you..." (Abraham 2:23).
It seams that this passage is telling us that God wanted Abraham to say,
'she is my sister (and by implication not my wife)'. This is an implicit
lie!
The God of the Bible "cannot"
(does not) lie (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2).
The Book of Mormon says, "Yea,
Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth,
and canst not lie." (Book of Mormon, Ether 3:12) and, "Wo unto the
liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell." (2 Nephi 9:34).
The doctrine of exaltation
According to Chapter 47 of the "Gospel Principles" (www.lds.org) one
of the "Blessings of Exaltation" is that exalted believers will "become
gods". According to "Achieving A Celestial Marriage" (student manual,
1976, page 136), "Christ Performed His Atonement so That We Could Become
Gods".
God says, "before me there was
no God formed, neither shall there be after me." (Isaiah 43:10 KJV).
Paul said, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23 KJV).
"We will become exalted, just like our Heavenly Father" (www.lds.org,
Chapter 47 of "Gospel Principles").
The God of the Bible says, "I
am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me" (Isaiah
46:9 KJV).
"...[Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] have entered into their exaltation, according
to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods."
(D&C Section 132:37).
The Bible says, "there is none other God but one" (1 Corinthians 8:4
KJV).
And again, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well"
(James 2:19 KJV).
Contradictions to the Bible
Joseph Smith said that he restored the church.
Jesus Christ said, "I will build
my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew
16:18 KJV). Paul said, "for other foundation can no man lay than
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (see 1st Corinthians 3:11).
The Book of Mormon says, "And behold, he [Jesus] shall be born of Mary,
at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers..." (Alma 7:10).
The Bible says, "Now after Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod..." (Matthew 2:1 KJV).
And, "Has not the Scripture [Micah 5:2] said that the Christ comes from
the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
(John 7:42).
Are we to believe that the Book
of Mormon lacks the precession to distinguish between Jerusalem and Bethlehem?
The town of Bethany is even closer to Jerusalem then Bethlehem and all
four Gospels see it as a independent area.
The Mormons say, "...let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished,
a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all
acceptation" (D&C, Sec.128:24).
Paul said, "Neither give heed
to fables and endless genealogies" (1 Timothy 1:4 KJV). And, "But
avoid foolish questions, and genealogies... for they are unprofitable and
vain." (Titus 3:9 KJV).
The Book of Mormon says that people were called "Christians" BEFORE
the time of Christ. "...yea, all those who were true believes in
Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they
were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come." (Book
of Mormon, Alma 46:15).
The Bible tells us that "the disciples
were called Christians first in Antioch." (Acts 11:26). This was
during Paul's ministry some time AFTER Christ.
"Latter-day revelation confirms the biblical account of the Garden of
Eden, and adds the important information that it was located on what is
now the North American continent." (Mormon Bible Dictionary: Eden, Garden
of).
The Bible says that the Garden
of Eden was around the Tigris ("Hiddekel" in KJV) and the Euphrates rivers
both found in the Middle East (Genesis 2:14).
Joseph Smith says, "He [the angel] also quoted the second chapter of
Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last [verse 32]. He also said
that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be." (Pearl of Great Price,
Joseph Smith - History 1:41).
At Pentecost Peter said to the
crowd that Joel's prophecy was being fulfilled before their own eyes.
He said, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel..." (Acts
2:16 KJV), Peter then goes on to quote Joel Chapter 2, from the twenty-eighth
verse to the last (verse 32).
Issues with marriage and polygamy
"And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood--if any man
espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her
consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed
to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they
are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that belongeth unto
him and to no one else." (D&C Section 132:61).
Behold, David and Solomon truly
had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith
the Lord. (Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:24).
"A bishop then must be blameless,
the husband of one wife" (Bible, 1st Timothy 3:2). Genesis 30:1,8
and 1st Samuel 1:2-7 tell us of the struggle and pain women have suffered
by being one of several wives.
Chapter 38 of the "Gospel Principles" (www.lds.org) says that marriage
is eternal. Jesus says that there is no marriage at the resurrection
(Matthew 22:30, Mark 12:25 and Luke 20:35). Paul was single and encouraged
us to be like him, "I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is
good for them if they abide even as I." (1st Corinthians 7:8).
If marriage was eternal than the
law of marriage would not end with the death of a spouse. But Paul
said, "For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband
so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the
law of her husband." (Romans 7:2 KJV).
The D&C (Section 131) says that marriage is needed for exaltation. The Bible says that it is better for a man not to marry (1st Corinthians 7:1, 8, 32-4, 38) and that some "have made themselves eunuchs [or renounced marriage] for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (Matthew 19:12 KJV).
Things that were not found in America before 1492:
Iron, steel and brass (2 Nephi 5:15, Jarom 1:8, Mosiah 11:3-8, Ether
10:23).
Wheat, barley, oats, and millet (Mosiah 7:22, 9:9, Alma 11:7-15).
Silk (Alma 1:29).
Pigs, cattle, horses, donkeys and chickens (1 Nephi 18:25, 3 Nephi
4:4, 10:4, Ether 9:18).
Honey bees (Ether 2:3).
See also [http://www.godandscience.org/cults/smithsonian.html]
to see what the National Museum of Natural History (SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
in WASHINGTON, D.C.) has to say about these items found in the Book of
Mormon.
False prophecy in Mormon scripture
"I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of
the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son,
if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the
face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more
on this matter." (D&C: Section 130:14-15)
Smith would have turned 85 in
1890 but he died in 1844, one year after this "prophecy" was made.
This was a false prophecy. One might then say, "Jesus did not return
in 1890 because Joseph Smith was dead." However the return of Jesus
is NOT dependent on Joseph Smith. Such is blasphemy!
"And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations,
beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be
divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call
on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and
they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves
against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations.
And thus, with the sword and by
bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and
plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid
lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the
wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the
consumption decreed hath made a full fend of all nations" (D&C Section
87:2-3, 6).