I personally do not care for neither Christianity nor Mormonism, I think they are both as true as the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. But one thing I have noticed is that Mormons don’t know a thing about the bible, because if they did they would reject Mormonism outright. When I was a Pentecostal evangelist I found that when I was out witnessing and ministering to people on the streets the easiest religious sect to refute was the Mormons.
It was all in the so called foundation of their church where I found the one major flaw that basically made all the rest of their doctrines obsolete and completely worthless. The founder of Mormonism Joseph Smith claimed that he received a visitation from an angel named Moroni that basically told him that he would lead him to some golden tablets buried under a mountain in upstate N.Y.
Smith also claimed to have received a Urim and Thummim, two seer stones that were supposed to aid him in translating the text of an unknown language on the plates into English. Of course when he was done translating what is now known as “The Book of Mormon”, conveniently the angel Moroni came back to claim the tablets and the stones. So once again to be a Mormon you have to accept this charlatans story on faith.
Mormonism in my opinion is just one of many other religious sects that just goes to prove my theory that people are willing and gullible enough to believe anything regardless of education. My problem with Mormonism is that if you are going to be an offshoot of a religion you should at least follow the rules set down by the religion you are borrowing from. Obviously, Joseph Smith must have overlooked Galatians chapter 1 verses 6 through 9. Mormons when you have a chance you can read it for yourselves.
The main focus of Galatians 1:6-9 that interest me the most and that is the most damning to Mormonism is particularly verses 8 and 9. 8 But even if we ourselves or an angel from heaven preaches to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let God's curse be on him. 9 I repeat again what we declared before: anyone who preaches to you a gospel other than the one you were first given is to be under God's curse. (NJB) The apostle Paul knew and even experienced in his day opposing doctrines and beliefs, so he warned the Galatians apparently because some of them were being led astray.
Now let’s look at this text in perspective, Paul said “if we ourselves” (the apostles) and in this case Joseph Smith or an angel from heaven such as Moroni was purported to be, preaches to you a gospel…. As you can see the entire foundation of the Mormon church based on the words of Paul come crashing down. Although both religions are false; Christianity being the parent religion takes precedence over its bastard child Mormonism.
Mormons would assert that mainstream Christianity is the one preaching a "different gospel" and that is why a restoration was needed. Galations 1 does not in any way refute Mormonism. It refutes the arguments put forth by 1st Century judaizing Christians who insisted that in order to be a Christian you had to follow the Law of Moses. But whatever...
ReplyDeleteLmao! Mormonism has done exactly what has been done by Christianity in regards to Judaism. All religions build upon each other and evolve and change. Mormonism also has this made up story about Jesus and the Americas that cannot be confirmed by any historical or archeological evidence because it was invented entirely by Joseph Smith.
ReplyDeleteMy bronze age book claims that I can sell my daughters as slaves as long as it is in another country!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! My old book claims nipples are not to be covered by the sacred garments!
It is like debate night at the loony bin!
You claim to find both Mormonism AND Christianity false.
ReplyDeleteBut then you use arguments that only a right-wing Evangelical would bother using.
Seriously, what atheist uses Galatians 1:6-9 as a refutation of Mormonism?
I think someone here isn't being exactly up front about his position.
Seth as I stated in my post Mormonism is the bastard child of Christianity. I am an atheist because I have come to my senses about the falsity of religious beliefs. But if Mormonism is going to claim truths based on the bible then it should at least adhere to the rules.
ReplyDeleteI heard the Easter bunny claims that Santa Claus is a just a distorted myth based on his generous giving honoring Jesus' resurrection. He says the whole Christmas thing is based on a pagan holiday and how can an obese milk chugging, cookie smacking, red suited clown be real.
ReplyDeleteI think he makes some good points.
I heard on FOX News that the easter bunny has been secretly funding Playboy magazine - as can be viewed by the surprising similarity in the logo. You know what they say about those rabbits. Hey, Glenn Beck drew it on his chalkboard, so it must be true.
ReplyDeleteI would disregard anything the easter bunny tells you - freaking hypocrite!
The easter bunny is more believable than Jesus Christ any day lol.
ReplyDelete"I personally do not care for neither Christianity nor Mormonism, I think they are both as true as the tale of Little Red Riding Hood."
ReplyDeleteOK, you crossed the line here Chat, you've dissed Little Red Riding Hood, I have no further use for your commentary!
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 1:18
ReplyDelete"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38
I have to admit to being a bit of a fan of Mormonism. I wrote an apologetic: http://church-discipline.blogspot.com/2011/07/mormonism-as-hermetic-christianity-part.html
ReplyDeleteThe religion of the Book of Mormon is a sort of folk liberal Protestantism that existed in the New York of the 1820s and 1830s. It isn't really a different gospel yet, Joseph Smith is a monotheist when he writes BoM. There is no particular reason to believe him, but it isn't "heretical".
The more interesting theology happens well after this starting around 1837. That's when Joseph Smith really is deciding to found his own religion. That stuff you see in Journal of Discoursed and Doctrines and Covenants. I'm not sure how much of this was Joseph Smith learning Hermeticism through groups like the Freemasons and how much was his intuitive attraction to Hermeticism but when he was done he created a politically conservative Hermetic Christianity. I don't know of anything else like it.
Mormonism today is really at a cross roads ripped between 3 factions:
Classical mormonism -- King Follet style mormonism in Mormon Doctrine,. These are the "As man is God once was, as God is man may be" style Mormons that ones that are really interesting. They have Heavenly Mothers, they have an entirely unique (to Christianity) notion of grace on imputation of righteousness....
Neo-orthodox -- An attempt to reframe Mormonism as a form of evangelical Christianity.
Cultural mormonism -- Non theological and heavily focused on behavior, like canning.
And what the institution Church of Latter Day Saints is doing right now is trying to prevent these 3 wings from tearing the church apart. Essentially they are repeating the tensions that led to the Fundamentalist / Modernist controversy a century ago in American Protestantism though different issues are on the table.
So IMHO Mormonism is worth paying attention to.
I have no respect for Mormonism or any other offshoot of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Religious beliefs in my opinion are the remnants of primitive thinking and beliefs derived from a pre-scientific age. It all boils down to the questions about origins. Granted, there have been several creative forms of religions that have come and gone but I am way past the oh this is interesting phase.
DeleteI am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that man created all the gods and their corresponding religions. Therefore in my view all religions are false. I am a naturalist and believe that all things can be explained naturally. But some things are not yet quite known but I am comfortable with the not knowing without making assertions to certainty basing myself on faith and revelations claimed by other men.