Witnessing to the Mormons‏

Hello Friends!

Today I would like to share the following commentary pertaining to the door-to-door "preaching" of the religious group The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or more commonly recognized as the Mormons. 

In my quest to understand the worldview and philosophies of this organization, I began to study the history of this "church" and its founding "prophet" Joseph Smith. Herein is where one must start to fully grasp the tangled web of deception that drives its members and their families to an eternal state of damnation. During my investigations of this distinctly influential cult, I learned of and became friends with ex-Mormon bishop, Lee Baker, author of the book Mormonism: A Life Under False Pretenses. 

The following outline is taken from Lee's excellent book and represents a first-hand account of a very effective method of reaching today's Mormon with the true Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is my hope this information will assist you in your outreach with to Mormon.  Enjoy!

 

Witnessing to the Mormons

It is my opinion, as a former Mormon Bishop and member of that faith for over 30 years, that the best possible situation to teach a Mormon. Mormon Investigator or even a Mormon Convert about Mormonism, is within their own sheltered environment and from their own authorized and public documentation.  In this safe atmosphere, as opposed to a cold-contact within a large group, they are naturally and more genuinely committed to the teaching opportunity that they perceive is under their control.

The very point of this strategy of love and compassion is to plant the seeds of truth at the lowest possible level within the Mormon Church, and then to have those truths repeated up through the Mormon Leadership, into meetings and among those whom you and I will never have access to.  If this process is repeated hundreds or even thousands of times, then Mormons will struggle with other Mormons to deal with the truth, on our behalf, as they justify or defend Church actions or Doctrine that they themselves would not otherwise have found the need to come to terms with.

Below you find only two basic questions followed by the precise internet path to search for and print the exact information provided here.  The information presented here has two primary purposes: first – to provide you the opportunity to study the questions, read and understand the homework as well as the additional comments, which clarify the point of the question, and second – to provide your Mormon acquaintances with the opportunity to see for themselves where this information has come from, all authorized and official publications, scriptures and statements from the Mormon Church itself.

The information found between the asterisks (*******) is precisely what is found from the Mormon Church sources.  As such, you may print and use this presentation of the facts or use this as a guide to build the identical information along with your Mormon associates if they do not believe the references here are accurate.

Lee B. Baker

Former Mormon Bishop

Author: Mormonism – A Life Under False Pretenses

QUESTION 1: I somewhat understand the history of Polygamy, and I know that the Mormon Church no longer teaches that principal, but could you explain to me the practice of Polyandry as it relates to the Laws of the Priesthood found within the Doctrine and Covenants?

HOMEWORK Question 1 - Part 1:  The internet path to search on the Official Mormon website will be: lds.org (then at the very bottom left side of that page select) Go to Classic LDS.org (then select from the top left menu, Gospel Library, then Scriptures, then Doctrine and Covenants, then within the Jump to Section 132), then scroll down to Verse 61, for the highlighted information below.

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61:   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 that belongeth unto him and to no one else.

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Clearly the “Law of the Priesthood” concerning the practice of Polygamy (Plural Marriage) is condition upon three unyielding requirements found within the Official Mormon Scriptures:

1 -  The first wife must give her consent for the man to take another virgin wife.
2 -  That the next wife or wives must be a virgin, and
3 -  That the next wife or wives must not be vowed or belong to another man.

The Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. did not meet these “Laws of the Priesthood” with many of his 33 wives, but most graphically with the wives of other men, who were both not virgins and were vowed to another man with no divorces required to any of the sharing of these wives.  In fact, not only did Joseph’s first wife, Emma, not know of the majority, neither did the majority of the shared husbands know that Joseph had taken their wives.  Could this truly have been a deed commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ that you have come to know?

HOMEWORK Question 1 - Part 2:  The internet path to search on the Official Mormon website will be: lds.org (then at the very bottom left side of that page select) Go to Classic LDS.org (then select from there) About the Church (then select) Church History (then select) BYU Resources (then select) Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship (then within the search window type) Todd Compton Plural Wives of Joseph Smith (and select Go), the first item will be: The Prophet Joseph Smith and His Plural Wives (select that item and scroll down to the following two headings for the highlighted comments) Note: the specific URL will be:
http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=10&num=2&id=290

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General Observations about the Book

Overall, In Sacred Loneliness is extremely informative. The book features a high level of research, generally good judgment in the use of source materials, and a fairly comprehensive collection of known data pertaining to the wives of Joseph Smith. No biographer in Mormon history has ever been ambitious enough to write a group biography as extensive as this. Because of the complexity of the subject and an obvious lack of detailed primary sources, the job of compiling full-chapter biographies of Joseph Smith's plural wives could be insurmountable. In Sacred Loneliness was recently honored with the annual best book award from the Mormon History Association. This recognition is deserved because it is the most detailed study of the lifetime experiences of the women sealed to Joseph Smith.
 

Status of Women at the Time They Were Sealed to Joseph Smith	#	%
Single with no prior marriage	17	59
Single and widowed	4	14
Married to a husband with good church standing	4	14
Married to a disaffected or nonmember husband	4	14

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Clearly the Official website of the Mormon Church recognizes that Joseph Smith took eight women, who were already married to other men, as his own wives.  How is this disgraceful action NOT in violation of the “Laws of the Priesthood” found within the Mormon Doctrine and Covenants?

HOMEWORK Question 1 - Part 3:  The internet path to search on the Official Mormon website will be: lds.org (then at the very bottom left side of that page select) Go to Classic LDS.org (then select from the very top of the page, A-Z Index), scroll down to Articles of Faith, specifically the 12th Article of Faith for the highlighted information below.

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Articles of Faith

Of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
History of the Church, Vol.4, pp. 535-41, 1843, Joseph Smith, Jr.
12.  We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

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At the very time that Joseph Smith wrote the Articles of Faith in 1843, he was married to 33 wives, and 8 of them were clearly the wives of other men.  His actions were in clear violation of the Laws of the United States and the Laws of the State of Illinois, how then could he claim that both he and the Mormon Church believed in honoring and sustaining the Law?  Additionally, after his death in 1844, the Mormon Church went on for some 60 plus years to actively disobey, violate and avoid many Federal and State Laws, and yet still claim to obey, honor and sustain the Law, as recorded in the Mormon 12th Article of Faith?  

HOMEWORK Question 1 - Part 4:  The internet path to search on the Official Mormon website will be: lds.org (then at the very bottom left side of that page select) Go to Classic LDS.org (then select from there, within the search box to the right) Polygamy (Plural Marriage) - (and click search, the first item will contain the information highlighted below)

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Polygamy (Plural Marriage)

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. At certain times and for His specific purposes, God, through His prophets, has directed the practice of plural marriage (sometimes called polygamy), which means one man having more than one living wife at the same time. In obedience to direction from God, Latter-day Saints followed this practice for about 50 years during the 1800s but officially ceased the practice of such marriages after the Manifesto was issued by President Woodruff in 1890. Since that time, plural marriage has not been approved by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any member adopting this practice is subject to losing his or her membership in the Church.

Additional Information

The Bible indicates that Abraham, Jacob, and others of the Lord’s servants had multiple wives (see Genesis 16:1–3; 29:23–30; 30:4, 9; Judges 8:30; 1 Samuel 1:1–2). Joseph Smith asked God why He had permitted this practice and was told that God had commanded it for specific purposes. One reason given by the Lord for plural marriage is mentioned in the Book of Mormon: “If I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall [have only one wife]” (Jacob 2:30; see also v. 27).

After God revealed the doctrine of plural marriage to Joseph Smith in 1831 and commanded him to live it, the Prophet, over a period of years, cautiously taught the doctrine to some close associates. Eventually, he and a small number of Church leaders entered into plural marriages in the early years of the Church. Those who practiced plural marriage at that time, both male and female, experienced a significant trial of their faith. The practice was so foreign to them that they needed and received personal inspiration from God to help them obey the commandment.

When the Saints moved west under the direction of Brigham Young, more Latter-day Saints entered into plural marriages. 

Influenced by rumors and exaggerated reports, the United States Congress, beginning in 1862, enacted a series of laws against polygamy that became increasingly harsh. By the 1880s many Latter-day Saint men were imprisoned or went into hiding.

In 1889 in the face of increasing hardships and the threat of government confiscation of Church property, including temples, Wilford Woodruff, President of the Church at the time, prayed for guidance. He was inspired to issue a document that officially ended the sanction of plural marriage by the Church. The document, called the Manifesto, was accepted by Church members in a general conference held in October 1890 and is published in the Doctrine and Covenants as Official Declaration 1 (see also “Excerpts from Three Addresses by President Wilford Woodruff Regarding the Manifesto” following Official Declaration 1).

Just as the practice of plural marriage among the Latter-day Saints began gradually, the ending of the practice after the Manifesto was also gradual. Some plural marriages were performed after the Manifesto, particularly in Mexico and Canada. In 1904, President Joseph F. Smith called for a vote from the Church membership that all post-Manifesto plural marriages be prohibited worldwide.

More recently, President Gordon B. Hinckley has reiterated that plural marriage is “against the law of God. Even in countries where civil or religious law allows [the practice of a man having more than one wife], the Church teaches that marriage must be monogamous and does not accept into its membership those practicing plural marriage” (“What Are People Asking about Us?” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 72).

Groups who teach polygamy today are not part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Again, at the very time that Joseph Smith wrote the Articles of Faith in 1843, he was married to 33 wives, and 8 of them were clearly the wives of other men.  His actions were in clear violation of the Laws of the United States and the Laws of the State of Illinois, how then could he claim that both he and the Mormon Church believed in honoring and sustain the Law?  Additionally, after his death in 1844, the Mormon Church went on for some 60 plus years to actively disobey, violate and avoid many Federal and State Laws, and yet still claim to obey, honor and sustain the Law?  

Question 2: According to the Official Church website, a primary belief of the Mormon Faith is that we, each in this room can become a god.  Is there any Biblical justification for this belief?

HOMEWORK Question 2:  The internet path to search on the Official Mormon website will be: lds.org (then at the very bottom left side of that page select) Go to Classic LDS.org (then select from there, within the search box to the right) Chapter 47: Exaltation (and click search, the first item will contain the information highlighted below)

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Chapter 47: Exaltation,” Gospel Principles, 301

When we lived with our Heavenly Father, he explained a plan for our progression. We could become like him, an exalted being. The plan required that we be separated from him and come to earth. This separation was necessary to prove whether we would obey our Father’s commandments even though we were no longer in his presence. The plan provided that when earth life ended, we would be judged and rewarded according to the degree of our faith and obedience. We would then be assigned to the place for which we had prepared.

Jesus taught, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2). From the scriptures we learn that there are three kingdoms of glory in heaven. The Apostle Paul mentioned that he knew a man who was “caught up to the third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:2). Paul named two of the kingdoms in heaven: the celestial and the terrestrial (see 1 Corinthians 15:40–42). The celestial is the highest, and the terrestrial is second. Through latter-day revelation we learn that the third kingdom is the telestial kingdom (see D&C 76:81). We also learn that there are three heavens or degrees within the celestial kingdom (see D&C 131:1).

Discussion

•  Have someone tell about our Heavenly Father’s plan for us.

What Is Exaltation?
Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation. 

If we prove faithful to the Lord, we will live in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of heaven. We will become exalted, just like our Heavenly Father. Exaltation is the greatest gift that Heavenly Father can give his children (see D&C 14:7).
Discussion

•  What is exaltation?

Blessings of Exaltation
Our Heavenly Father is perfect. However, he is not jealous of his wisdom and perfection. He glories in the fact that it is possible for his children to become like him. He has said, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). 

Those who receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ will receive special blessings. The Lord has promised, “All things are theirs” (D&C 76:59). These are some of the blessings given to exalted people:

• 1. They will live eternally in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see D&C 76).
• 2. They will become gods.
• 3. They will have their righteous family members with them and will be able to have spirit children also. These spirit children will have the same relationship to them as we do to our Heavenly Father. They will be an eternal family.
• 4. They will receive a fulness of joy.
• 5. They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have—all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge. President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “The Father has promised through the Son that all that he has shall be given to those who are obedient to his commandments. They shall increase in knowledge, wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until the fulness of the perfect day shall burst upon them” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:36).

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In closing: 
Is there any Biblical justification for this distinctively unchristian belief?

Blessings on your studies and involvement in understanding and sharing the Truth!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

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