Board index ‹ Mormonism; Latter Day Saints

[Scape211]

So yesterday I was headed out the door and a couple Mormon missionaries approached me. Overall, they were kind, asked me what I believed and told me they were of a local church; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They also gave me a Book of Mormon and asked me to read a chapter - 3 Nephi 10. They said they would come back sometime later and discuss it with me.

Now, I know the basics of Mormon faith and clearly they got some doosey's in there that don't really add up in my mind. However, do the core tenants match all sects of Mormonism? The missionaries who came left me with a card also that had a website to go to: https://www.comeuntochrist.org/beliefs/ ... se-of-life . I looked at it and started poking around other pages and it all feels vague. Almost like they dont want to breakdown what makes them different. Even when they talk about the life of Christ they say he was born of a human mother, he was Baptized, did his ministry around his 30s, and was resurrected. They dont get into how he was born sexually by God and a woman and that He is a brother to Satan and one of many. At least not from what I have found. I guess I just wonder how much of the Mormon belief structure has changed and/or what different sects have come about.

I also didnt really get the point of passage they asked me to read. Have you read this one? I mostly just want to feel prepared for whatever they may counter my beliefs with. Ive talked to Jehovahs Witnesses before and the differences have always felt more upfront. This for whatever reason feels less obvious. Maybe I'm just having a brain fart....

[jimwalton]

As far as I know, all Mormons subscribe to the same beliefs. If there are sects within Mormonism, I'm not aware of it.

Interestingly, one time I brought some Mormon missionaries into our youth group, as part of a series on other belief systems, so they could explain to the kids themselves what they believe. I noticed they were very dodgy about what they said and how they said it, to the extent that the kids couldn't tell the difference between Mormonism and Christianity. But after they left, I explained to the kids what they really believe, and showed them how they expressed it to avoid telling the truth and showing the difference, the kids felt very deceived, and rightly so. It seems you had the same experience. They must be trained in how to present to Christians so as to come across as parallel rather than heretical. It's VERY deceptive.

> 3 Nephi 10

3rd Nephi chapter 10 is about "Silence in the land; the voice from heaven; the darkness disperses; only the more righteous people are spared." It vaguely parallels Rev. 8.1 (silence in heaven); Matthew 23.37-39 (Jesus mourning over Jerusalem); the crucifixion period of darkness. It then says the righteous were spared: they were not swallowed by the earth, drowned in the sea, burned in the fire, crushed to death, or swept away by winds. In the end Jesus appears to the people of Nephi and ministers to them.

It all seems to me a rather disjointed chapter. It's hard to see how the various elements relate to each other.

I can't even imagine why they would have wanted you to read this chapter in particular. As far as responding to them, you just have to see what they say about it. Be a good listener and a thoughtful responder.

If you want to get them to break down the differences without hiding what they truly believe, you could try these questions:

1. Do you believe that god the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s? (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Jesus taught that God is Spirit in Jn. 4.24.

2. Do you believe that your heavenly father was once a man and lived on another earth, then, after death continued to progress to Godhood? (Joseph Smith, “King Follet Funeral sermon,” History of the Church, Vol. 6). The Bible teaches that God the Father has always been God in Psalm 90.2

3. Does your church teach that Jesus was the spirit brother of Lucifer? The Bible teaches that Jesus has always existed as God (Jn. 1.1; 8.58; cf. Exod. 3.14), and that he was Lucifer’s creator, not his brother (Ezk. 28.13-15; Col. 1.16).

4. Do you believe that your heavenly Father came down and had sexual relations with Mary to produce the Son of God in the flesh? (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:50-51; Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:18; Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 545-46). The Bible says that Jesus was begotten by the Holy Spirit (Mt. 1.18-20; Lk. 1.34-35).

5. Do you believe that the church was lost after the apostles died? The Bible teaches that the church could never be lost. (Mt. 16.18; Eph. 3.21; Heb. 12.28).

[Scape211]

Glad I'm not the only one who felt like they were dodging the very things that make them Mormon. The website scarily feels like a Christian church site. Really lends to cult behavior of being deceptive and getting you in before you realize what they believe.

And yea, that chapter they asked me to read feels all over the place. I assume they use it to show the end times. Almost like old school fire and brimstone preaching, but probably much softer.