tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78354701788107278152024-02-18T21:49:28.160-07:00The Ensign and other Mormon Teachings vs. The BibleThis blog is written to accept the challenge of Brigham Young.
“Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”
Every month the LDS church puts out a magazine for adult members called "The Ensign". It contains articles written by leaders of the LDS church. (The Ensign can be found online at www.lds.org/magazine/ensign). This blog will be comparing the Ensign, and other LDS publications with the Bible.~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-16333393376380086942013-05-11T15:53:00.000-06:002013-06-25T09:52:31.912-06:00Thomas S. Monson Priesthood Address April 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Come, All Ye Sons of God</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Priesthood
Conference Address May 2013 by Thomas S. Monson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The May 2013
issue of the Ensign is a record of the April General Conference. In the Priesthood Session, Thomas Monson
spoke to the men of the LDS Church. His
talk is found on pg. 66 of the Ensign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The topic of Mr.
Monson’s talk is missionary work. The
main difference between Monson’s perspective and the Biblical perspective is
where the focus is. Monson’s missionary focus
is on the missionary and the church. The
Bible’s perspective is on Jesus and the Holy Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monson explains
that missionary work requires adjustments to one’s lifestyle. This is all dependent on the work of the
individual missionary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“At best, missionary work necessitates drastic adjustment to one’s
pattern of living. It requires long
hours and great devotion, selfless sacrifice and fervent prayer.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then Monson says
that a missionary’s personal work will earn them eternal joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“As a result, dedicated missionary service returns a
dividend of eternal joy which extends throughout mortality and into eternity.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is a
perfect example of the work based religions and teachings that the Bible warns
us about. John 15:5 reminds us that if
we are not in Christ, we can do nothing.
So anyone who teaches us to knuckle down and make ourselves change is a
false teacher. A true teacher of God will teach you to submit all to Christ –
your will, your thoughts, your desires, etc – because only HE can change you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I am the vine, ye</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">are</span> <span style="color: red;">the branches: He
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for
without me ye can do nothing.”</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monson teaches a
formula to ensure missionary success.
The Bible does not teach a formula.
Also, the Bible does not teach that there is any way to ensure success –
in anything here in this life. The only
thing the Bible says we can know for sure is that we will have eternal life if
we put all our faith and trust is Jesus Christ and profess our faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s not really
clear what success Monson thinks his formula will bring – he doesn’t make that
clear. Is he suggesting that by
following his formula a missionary will definitely have converts? It sounds like that is what he is implying,
but it’s never said, so it’s anyone’s guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is Monson’s
formula for success: (bolded words are bolded in the Ensign)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“May I suggest a formula that will ensure our
success: first, <b>search the scriptures with diligence: </b>second, <b>plan your life with purpose </b>(and, I might add, plan your life
regardless of your age): third, <b>teach
the truth with testimony; </b>and fourth, <b>serve
the Lord with love.</b>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First, he says
to search the scriptures with diligence.
According to the Bible, the BIBLE is the only scripture – so if you are
studying the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, or Pearl of Great Price,
you are not in line with what the Bible says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Proverbs
30:5-6 “Every word of God is tested…Do not add to His words, or He will reprove
you and you will be proved a liar.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second, Monson
says to plan your life with purpose.
Well, the Bible says we cannot know from one day to the next what God
will do with our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">James
4:13-16 “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such
a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be
like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that
appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord
wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now before you
jump down my throat and accuse me of saying that planning your life is evil, remember
that I am just comparing what Monson said to what the Bible says. Mr. Monson is claiming that planning your
life with purpose is one of the steps of a formula that will ensure success. THAT is not Biblical. There is nothing wrong with planning your
life, as the Bible says, as long as you go with “what the Lord wills”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third, Monson’s
formula says to teach the truth with testimony.
The Bible does indeed teach us that we should share the gospel and teach
God’s truth. But the “gospel” of
Mormonism is NOT the same gospel in the Bible.
And if you are not teaching the gospel as taught in the Bible, you are
not teaching truth, and should be cursed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Galatians
1:8 </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Paul
is speaking) <span style="color: #c00000;">“But even if we, or an angel from
heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you,
he is to be accursed.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fourth, “serve
the Lord with love.” This principle
aligns with what the Bible teaches.
However, serving the Lord with love is in no way linked to any promise
or certainty that you will have success – in a career, in marriage, in life, or
in missionary work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Mormon
church teaches that the current prophet is the mouthpiece for God here on the
earth. Today that is Thomas Monson. So if Monson is standing at the pulpit,
addressing members all around the world, acting in the capacity of his calling
as a prophet, and even closing his remarks “in the name of Jesus Christ”, would
it be safe to assume that the general membership of the Mormon church believes
that he is speaking in the name of the Lord?
Yes, of course! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, the Bible
says that if you hear a prophet speak in the name of the Lord and do not obey,
you will be held accountable to God. If,
however, a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and what he says will happen
does not actually happen, you should separate yourself from him and not be
afraid of him. In other words, this is
how you identify a false prophet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Deut.
18:18-22 “I will raise up a prophet from
among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he
shall speak to them all that I command him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak
in My name, I Myself will require it of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not
commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that
prophet shall die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know
the word which the Lord has not spoken?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or
come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you
shall not be afraid of him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Think about that….
If even one person who has ever served an LDS mission, who is currently serving
an LDS mission, or ever will serve an LDS mission follows Monson’s formula and
does NOT have success (converts), then Thomas Monson is a false prophet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible also
clearly teaches that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches and converts
people. For an example, read <span style="color: #c00000;">Acts 10</span>.
Cornelius is a Roman leader who is a righteous man. He is not, however, converted until at the
end of the chapter when the Holy Spirit falls on him. Even though it was Peter who was teaching
Cornelius at the time, Peter is not the one who converted him. The Holy Spirit is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monson gives the
credit of conversion to the missionaries themselves, and their own
righteousness. There is no mention of the
Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Each year our young men in uniform bring many souls
into the kingdom of God </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(WHO
brings souls into the kingdom of God????) <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">by honoring their priesthood, living the commandments
of God, and teaching to others the Lord’s divine word.” </span>(how are these souls brought to the
kingdom? By the missionary’s
righteousness and teaching????)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Like I said at
the beginning, Monson is teaching missionaries to focus on themselves – not on
the Holy Spirit or Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the May 2013 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the May 2013 issue of the Ensign,
the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Holy Spirit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-30051063786928578692013-04-04T22:56:00.000-06:002013-04-04T22:56:14.790-06:00The Holy Ghost Comforts, Inspires, and Testifies<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">“The
Holy Ghost Comforts, Inspires, and Testifies”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the April
2013 issue of the Ensign, the section “What We Believe” is about receiving the
gift of the Holy Ghost. It is on pg.
10-11.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The article
describes what the Holy Ghost does: <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“...the Holy Ghost comforts, inspires, warns, purifies, and guides us…
He teaches ‘the truth of all things’… we receive revelation and spiritual gifts
from God through the Holy Ghost… we receive our testimonies of Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hooray! We have a moment that LDS teachings are
fairly consistent with the Bible! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However... LDS
teachings go on to contradict the Bible.
The article says <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Before
you were baptized, you could feel the Holy Ghost from time to time. But only by receiving the gift of the Holy
Ghost after your baptism could you enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy
Ghost, provided you are worthy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Baptism does not
need to come first. Here is an example
in the Bible where people received the Holy Spirit first, and then they got
baptized second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“While
Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who
were listening to the message. All the
circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the
Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues
and exalting God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
Peter answered, ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized
who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?’ And he ordered them
to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 10:44-48<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But much more
important than the order of baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit is the idea
that you can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost “<b><span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">provided you are worthy</span></b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The LDS call
this the “gift” of the Holy Ghost. What
kind of a “gift” is that? It’s not
really a gift at all. You can only have
it when you have earned it. If that’s
the case, then for my daughter’s birthday, I think I’ll get her a brand new car
– as soon as she earns the money to pay for it.
Nice gift, right? NO! That’s not a gift at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Another problem
with this teaching is that the LDS Church teaches its members that they can
actually BE worthy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible says, <span style="color: #c00000;">“There is none righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So do LDS
leaders teach their members to just ignore the Bible? Or maybe just ignore the parts that they
don’t like? Or do they teach that God
didn’t really mean that verse? Or do
they teach that there are none righteous, except Mormons who are trying their
best? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Either way, it’s
denying the word of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If anyone thinks
that their good works or obedience to laws and ordinances makes them worthy… or
if they think they could possibly be without sin for even a fraction of a
second…the Bible tells them they are lying.
Therefore, they are sinning, so they are not worthy anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“If
we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in
us.” 1John 1:8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The article goes
on to say, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“ Because the
Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples, (Helaman 4:24) we must be
worthy of His companionship.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is not how
the Bible says we get the Holy Spirit in us (by being worthy). The Holy Spirit enters into a believer the
moment he or she exercises a saving faith in Christ. And the Holy Spirit stays there forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“However,
you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells
in you. But if anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
Romans 8:9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is saying
that if you do not have the Holy Spirit, you do not belong to Christ. So if LDS teachings are right, and you don’t
always have the Holy Spirit with you, but only have it when you’re “worthy”,
then you don’t belong to Christ most of the time. Or at least some of the time. (None of the time, if you truly understand
that you cannot ever be worthy.) So I
ask Mormons – Who do you belong to during those times when you are a little
short of being worthy and the Holy Spirit isn’t dwelling in you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After the
resurrected Jesus spent time on earth with his disciples, he promised <span style="color: #c00000;">“…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Was Jesus
lying? Because he isn’t here with
us. No, he was not lying… he sent the
Holy Spirit to be with us. He is with us
through the Holy Spirit. He did not say
he would be with us only at the times we are worthy. He said he would be with us ALWAYS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To the LDS
reader: Have you entered into that
saving faith? Have you been born again?
Please trust God and His word to teach you truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the April 2013 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the April 2013 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Unger’s Bible
Dictionary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-33802625798931352442013-02-13T11:52:00.000-07:002013-02-13T11:52:00.424-07:00Born of Water and the Spirit<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">“We
Must Be Born of Water and of the Spirit”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7tSLg2rslmhvkndEZIYN7jYTRIRGGTBMRnSb9NoZLsgnlapfUeX9agOyOK5-JBj8JbMcJStj05rg8ZXzK633cBdG0LfCZb1c9hAw-9mtMLftN61dwI64RdAShhK4YBacYyhxu_yboCE2/s1600/baptism-boy-asians-37810-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7tSLg2rslmhvkndEZIYN7jYTRIRGGTBMRnSb9NoZLsgnlapfUeX9agOyOK5-JBj8JbMcJStj05rg8ZXzK633cBdG0LfCZb1c9hAw-9mtMLftN61dwI64RdAShhK4YBacYyhxu_yboCE2/s200/baptism-boy-asians-37810-gallery.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the February
2013 issue of the Ensign, the section “What We Believe” is about being baptized
and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
It is on pg. 14-15.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The article
begins, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“We believe we must
be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (through an ordinance called
confirmation) to be saved in the kingdom of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The LDS Church
teaches that there are requirements to be saved in the kingdom of heaven. Right here they mention two – the ordinances
of baptism and confirmation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However, the
Bible teaches that we are saved by grace alone – not by grace plus ordinances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“For
by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; <i>it is</i> the gift of God, not of works,
lest anyone should boast.” Eph 2:8-9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Another way to
say that we are saved in the kingdom of heaven is to say that we are
justified. Justified means to be made
perfectly righteous in the eyes of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus
Christ…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gal
2:16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When the LDS
leaders teach that you MUST do something (like be baptized) in order to be
saved in the kingdom, they are making it a law.
The Bible teaches that the law does not save us, but faith in Christ
alone saves us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The article goes
on to say, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“The Savior
taught, ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God’. (John 3:5)”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The LDS Church
teaches that “born of water” means the ordinance of water baptism, and “born of
the Spirit” means the ordinance of confirmation, or receiving the Holy
Ghost. However, when we study that verse
in context, we find it to mean something different. Here is the text that surrounds the quoted
verse– where Nicodemus is confused about how a man can be born a second time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Jesus
answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly,
I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born
when he is old? He cannot enter a second
time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus
answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’”
John 3:3-6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Jesus
explains it to Nicodemus, he says “born of water”. And then he clarifies, “born of flesh.” Therefore, “born of water” means “born of
flesh”. In other words, it means when we
are born physically into this world. And
being “born again” means to be born of the Spirit. Jesus is not talking about baptism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“The Lord also taught that the ordinance of baptism –
like all other gospel ordinances – must be performed by a worthy priesthood
holder…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This idea is exclusive to the LDS religion. It’s fine if they believe that ordinances are
required for salvation, or that the priesthood was restored, or even believe
that it’s somehow possible for any priesthood holder to be “worthy” – HOWEVER,
the LDS Church claims to be Christian, and claims that they believe in the
Bible. Therefore, this is a
contradiction in their claims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First of all, the Bible teaches that no one is
“worthy”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What
then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that
both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin; as it is written, ‘There is none
righteous, not even one’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans
3:9-10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second, the
priesthood of the Bible (the one that the LDS Church claims to have been
restored only to them) was given to the descendants of Aaron. It was the lineage that was required – not
righteousness or worthiness. Also, the
priesthood of the Bible has nothing to do with baptism. The purpose of the Biblical priesthood was
for a high priest to make animal sacrifices to cover the sins of the
people. The priests and high priests had
ceremonial washings in order to prepare for these sacrifices, but they had
nothing to do with baptism, or confirmation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m thrilled to
point out that this next sentence in the article is Biblically accurate! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Baptism by immersion symbolizes the burial of the
sinner and the spiritual rebirth of the person to live in ‘newness of life’.”
(Romans 6:4)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Baptism is just
that – a symbol. It’s an outward symbol
of what has happened on the inside – that we have died in our old self, and
become united with Christ to become a new creature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(2 Cor.
5:17) It is not, however a requirement
for salvation. It is something new
believers do to obey and be identified with Jesus. It’s just a symbol.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But then the LDS
Church adds some kind of “covenant” that is not found anywhere in the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Baptism also includes a sacred covenant, a promise,
between Heavenly Father and the individual who is baptized. We covenant to keep His commandments, serve
Him and His children, and take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. He promises to forgive our sins, ‘pour out
his Spirit more abundantly upon [us]’ (Mosiah 18:10), and offer us eternal
life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What this means
is that once you are baptized, if you break any of the commandments, God is no
longer under a covenant to forgive you, give you the Holy Spirit, or offer you
eternal life. What a heavy, crushing
burden to bear! The only way around this
is to delude yourself into thinking that you can actually keep all the
commandments all the time. I’m sure there are many people who are comfortable
with living in that delusion for now. But
the eternal consequence of that choice is NOT heaven. The
Church does offer a process of repentance – but that is a topic that needs its
own article because it, also, a burden on the people, lengthy to describe, and
impossible to really do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The final note
of the article is this: <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“By baptism and confirmation we
become ‘fellow citizens with the saints’ in the ‘household of God’.” (Ephesians 2:19)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If we read this
verse in context, it actually disproves that baptism and confirmation are what
bring us into the household of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ephesians
2: 11-19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Therefore
remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh… that you were at that
time separate from Christ… But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far
off have been brought near by the blood of Christ<b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Read that one
more time – were we brought near by baptism and confirmation? No – <b>BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.</b>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
He Himself is our peace, who made both groups </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[Jews and Gentiles] <span style="color: #c00000;">into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments
contained in ordinances…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus abolished
the enmity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What was the
enmity? The Law of commandments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What was the Law
of commandments contained in?
Ordinances! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">…so
that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing
peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross… So
then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with
the saints, and are of God’s household.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The leadership
of the LDS Church has continued to teach that the ordinances of baptism and
confirmation are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The Bible teaches that they are not. Being united with Jesus Christ is the
entrance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the February 2013 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the February 2013 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-69613970795029534372012-12-17T16:59:00.000-07:002012-12-17T16:59:07.824-07:002012 Conference - Priesthood Session<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">“See
Others as They May Become” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">by Thomas S. Monson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“<i>We
must develop the capacity to see men not as they are at present<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">but as they may become.”</span></i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
November issue of the Ensign contains all of the talks given by the leadership
of the LDS Church during October’s General Conference. This talk was given by the president of the
Church, Thomas S. Monson, during the Priesthood Session. It is found on pg. 68-71.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible is
based on the theme that we are all sinners, and therefore unworthy of God’s
blessings because His standard is perfection – absolute and complete
perfection. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans
3:10 “There is none righteous, no, not one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans
3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even our good
works and obedience is not acceptable to God because it is tainted with
sin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Isaiah
64:6 “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are
like filthy rags;”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This makes us
unworthy of living with Him in heaven, and even unworthy of every good thing
God offers. The only thing we deserve is
death – both physical and spiritual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans
6:23a “For the wages of sin is death…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God provided a
solution to our problem in Jesus Christ.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans
6:23b “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus lived
perfectly. Then as a perfect sacrifice
for sin, he atoned for all our sins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2
Cor. 5:21a “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be in for us…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If we accept Him
as our Lord and Savior, then God counts all our sins as completely paid for,
and grants us Christ’s righteousness instead of our own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2
Cor. 5:21b “…that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr. Monson’s
talk is based on a very different theme from the Bible. He talks about how we can work hard to change
ourselves into something righteous.
Since he is talking to the men, he talks about how they can make
themselves worthy to hold the priesthood, and even be the incentive for other
men to make themselves worthy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(I have bolded
the words that Mr. Monson uses to keep church members in the bondage of their
own works.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“If you feel that you do not yet have the depth of
testimony you would wish, I admonish you to <b>work</b> to achieve such a testimony.
If it is strong and deep, <b>labor</b>
to keep it that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“…there are countless individuals who have little or no
testimony right now, those who could and would receive such a testimony if we
would be willing to <b>make the effort</b>
to share ours and to <b>help them change</b>. In some instances <b><i>we </i>can provide the incentive
for change</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“We need to bear in mind that <b>people can change</b>. <b>They can put behind them bad habits</b>. <b>They
can repent</b> from transgressions. <b>They can bear the priesthood worthily</b>. <b>And
they can serve the Lord diligently</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“…<b>they had
turned their lives around</b> and <b>had
fully qualified</b> to become elders.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Speaking about
men who are not active) <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“It is our <b>responsibility</b> to <b>give them
opportunities</b> to live as they should.
<b>We can help them to overcome
their shortcomings</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“When <b>our lives
comply with God’s own standard</b>, those within our sphere of influence will
never speak the lament, ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are
not saved.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All this
“worthiness” is credited to the efforts of men.
No credit is given to God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible
teaches that we cannot “qualify” by keeping God’s commandments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus
Christ…for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Galatians 2:16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(“Justified”
means to be declared free of blame – in other words, God declares us righteous.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…for
if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the November 2012 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the November 2012 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-40602732436504340682012-07-14T14:30:00.001-06:002012-07-14T23:14:28.804-06:00Covenants<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">“Understanding
our Covenants with God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">An Overview of our Most Important
Promises</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">No
particular author noted, but sent from the leadership of the LDS Church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“<i>…sacred
covenants are to be revered by us, and faithfulness to them is a requirement
for happiness. Yes, I speak of the
covenant of baptism, the covenant of the priesthood, and the covenant of
marriage as examples.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">… President Thomas S. Monson</span></i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
article is found on pg. 22-25 of the July 2012 issue of the Ensign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First
of all, I want to explain what the Bible says about covenants…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
the Bible, God makes two covenants with man that relate to receiving eternal
life. (He does make others, but they are
not directly regarding our eternal life.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The two major
covenants God makes with man are commonly known as the Abrahamic Covenant (the
Old Covenant), and the Covenant of Grace (the New Covenant). Another word for “covenant” is
“testament”. This is why we have two
parts to the Bible – The Old Testament, and the New Testament – they describe
each of the two “covenants”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE FIRST
COVENANT: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God promises
Abram that he will have a great number of descendants, he will inherit a great
land, and through him, the families of the earth with be blessed.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #c00000;">Gen 12:1-3 “Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family,
and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless
you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will
curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be
blessed.”</span><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The sign of this
covenant is circumcision:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gen
17:11 “and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it
shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This covenant
(testament) is fulfilled when Abraham does become a great nation (the nation of
Israel), his nation inherits the land of Canaan, and finally all the families
of the earth are blessed because Jesus Christ came (through the lineage of
Abraham).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God gave His
“covenant” people many things. One was
“the law”. After God brought them out of
slavery in Egypt with Moses leading them, He gave Moses the 10 Commandments for
the people. God knew that the people
could not keep these commandments. In
fact, they were breaking most of them at the very moment God was giving them to
Moses! So, God instituted the Levitical/
Aaronic Priesthood. The purpose for this
priesthood was to sacrifice animals at the temple to cover the sins of the
people in the sight of God. This did NOT
take away the sins, only COVERED them. It
was a picture of the greatest sacrifice yet to come – that of Jesus Christ to
not just cover, but take away our sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE SECOND
COVENANT: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hebrews
8:6-13 (which quotes from Jer. 31:31-34)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“But
now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator
of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For
if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought
for a second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Because
finding fault with them, He says: <i>‘Behold,
the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and with the house of Judah –<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not according to the covenant that I
made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand and lead them
out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I
disregarded them, says the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For this is the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write
them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">…For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no
more’. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
that He says, ‘A <i>new covenant</i>’ He has
made the first obsolete. Now what is
becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So in this new
covenant (testament), God no longer has his laws written on stone (like the 10
commanements), but puts them in the minds and hearts of those who believe in
Him… and they shall be His people. <span style="color: #c00000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the new
covenant of grace – that our righteousness comes by our faith in Jesus Christ
and His finished work on the cross, and NOT by our own works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The sign of this
covenant is the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ephesians
1:13-14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“In
Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit
of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romans
8:16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The
Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now, let’s take
a look at the Ensign article to see how the covenants within the LDS Church fit
in with these two covenants of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act
performed by the authority of the priesthood.
Some ordinances are essential to our salvation. As part of these ‘saving ordinances,’ we
enter into solemn covenants with God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a Mormon, I
did every ordinance and entered into every covenant that was possible for a
woman to have – baptism, washing/ anointing, endowments, and marriage
sealing. Every covenant I made basically
boiled down to keeping all the commandments (the law) and consecrating my life
and blessings to the Church. Look at
what the Bible says about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ephesians
2:14-15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“For
He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle
wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law
of commandments contained in ordinances…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Abolished… hmmm…
abolished…. That means “to do away
with”. And yet the LDS Church has
disregarded what Christ did, and continues to burden its members with rules and
laws and commandments, and unnecessary covenants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“When we receive these saving ordinances and keep the
associated covenants, the Atonement of Jesus Christ becomes effective in our
lives, and we can receive the greatest blessing God can give us – eternal
life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible says
that receiving eternal life has nothing to do with covenants or ordinances, but
only our belief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John
3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not
believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John
5:24 “He who hears My word and believe in Him who sent Me has everlasting life,
and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Baptism by immersion in water, performed by one having
authority, is the first saving ordinance of the gospel and is necessary for an
individual to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When we are baptized, we covenant to take upon ourselves
the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, and to keep His
commandments.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“We are baptized
because we believe and <i>have been</i>
saved by His blood, not <i>to </i>believe or
<i>be</i> saved by His blood. To the Christian, water baptism is an
outward, public pronouncement of an inward faith, symbolic that we are willing
to be buried with Christ (thus turning our back on the former things of our
life) and being raised with Him unto a new life. It is <i>the</i>
public profession of our faith.” <sup>1<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
the Mormon Church continues to claim that baptism is mandatory for eternal
life, or in other words, claiming that we are saved by our works, in addition
to grace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The ordinances of baptism and confirmation are the
gate through which all who seek eternal life must enter. (see John 3:3-5)”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Mormon
Church leaders use this verse incorrectly.
They say it means that we must be baptized by immersion in water, and
also receive the Holy Ghost – both ordinances to be performed by Mormon
priesthood authority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here is what the
verse ACTUALLY says:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Jesus
answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’
Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s
womb and be born?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The explanation
comes in verse 6 – <span style="color: #c00000;">“That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So being born of
water does not mean to have a baptism in water – it means “born of the flesh”…
as in… being born. When we are born, we
come out of the water that we lived in for 9 months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Being born of
the Spirit is what Christians refer to as being “born again”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE SACRAMENT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Those who have received the saving ordinances of
baptism and confirmation partake of the sacrament each week to renew those
covenants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Remember –
baptism and confirmation do NOT save – only Jesus saves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The “sacrament”
that the LDS refer to is the Lord’s supper – taking the bread and wine to
remember Him. (The LDS use yeast-risen
bread, and since they believe drinking wine is a sin, they use water –
completely destroying the symbolism of both. Yeast represents sin – so the
bread used is WITHOUT yeast – like Jesus was without sin. The wine coming from grapes represents the
fruit of the vine – Jesus is the vine. Using grape juice still creates this
symbolism, but Mormons don’t even do that.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here’s a quick
question you may ask a Mormon – “Why do they need to <b>renew</b> those covenants each week?
Did the covenant expire? Did they
break their covenants? (Just wondering)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The ordinance of the sacrament is an opportunity each
week to renew sacred covenants that allow us to be partakers of the Savior’s
atoning grace with the same spiritually cleansing effect of baptism and
confirmation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So this is
saying that the <i>covenants that are being
renewed</i> are what allow us to be partakers of grace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What does the
Bible say allows us to be partakers of grace?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John
1:17 “For the law was given through
Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS covenants
are basically promises to keep the law – so they mix up the law with
grace. The law came through Moses – but
grace comes through Jesus Christ alone – not Jesus plus ordinances and
covenants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romans
11:6 “And if by grace, then it is no
longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace;
otherwise work is no longer work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible
clearly says that grace and works (keeping the law) cannot be combined to earn
our salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible also
says that grace is a free gift – not based on our covenants, or worthiness.
(The following verse is comparing the fall, or offense, of Adam to the <b><i>gift </i></b>of
grace from Jesus Christ.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romans
5:15 “But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died,
much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus
Christ, abounded to many.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE OATH AND COVENANT OF THE PRIESTHOOD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When men live worthy to obtain the Aaronic and
Melchizedek Priesthoods and “[magnify] their calling,” God promises they will
be “sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.” They become heirs of the promises made to
Moses, Aaron, and Abraham. (See D&C 84:33-34)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once again the
LDS Church makes being “worthy” a requirement for something that is crucial for
salvation – the priesthoods. I won’t go
into detail here about the priesthood, because I have in several other articles
– but just as a quick review… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Aaronic
Priesthood was based on being a descendant of Aaron in the tribe of Levi – NOT
on personal worthiness. Also, this
priesthood is made obsolete when Christ made the FINAL sacrifice for sin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Melchizidek
priesthood is only held by Jesus. He <i>offered</i> the final sacrifice and <i>was</i>
the final sacrifice. He alone is our
high priest now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Holding the Melchizedek Priesthood is necessary for men
to qualify to enter the temple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The purpose of
the temple was for sinners to receive atonement for their sins. If people had to be worthy, or “qualify” to
go to the temple, there would have been no point in having a temple. So the LDS temples are clearly NOT a
restoration of God’s temple in the Bible.
They are created and used for completely different purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By receiving all of the saving ordinances of the
priesthood, all people can receive the promise of “all that [the] Father
hath” (See D&C 84:35-38)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Incredible blessings flow from this oath and covenant
to worthy men, women, and children in all the world,” taught Elder Russell M.
Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a Mormon,
when I really thought about this, it caused me stress! The Church always taught me that I had to be
“worthy” – without clearly defining how much I had to do to achieve the point
of “worthiness”. The Church also
promised “incredible blessings” – with absolutely no explanation of what they
were. So I believed that if I wasn’t
receiving the blessings I thought I was worthy of, something was wrong, and I
usually blamed myself. I figured I was
not worthy enough somehow – even though I was doing everything I thought I
should. I would remember sins I had
committed, and figured that God hadn’t completely forgiven me yet. What a horrible burden to carry!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO23tLIISxnjquKvAZWJ1VxRYp86VPKG00fRz0BBnPT6aSi1NFNvK3a14az65ieJhel9E3NQnipp6LtSEXyDJEBrzPMEX0m7b_CB63ZM1OJrstTIhyFMBpW7kxWKW7YEP9ColHxUoP0E6B/s1600/temple+marriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO23tLIISxnjquKvAZWJ1VxRYp86VPKG00fRz0BBnPT6aSi1NFNvK3a14az65ieJhel9E3NQnipp6LtSEXyDJEBrzPMEX0m7b_CB63ZM1OJrstTIhyFMBpW7kxWKW7YEP9ColHxUoP0E6B/s1600/temple+marriage.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE SEALING<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The temple ordinance referred to as “temple marriage”
or “being sealed” creates an eternal relationship between husband and wife that
can last beyond death if the spouses are faithful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Matthew
chapter 22, the Sadducees were trying to stump Jesus about the resurrection by
asking him a hypothetical question – If a woman’s husband dies, and she marries
his brother – then that brother dies so she marries the next brother, and on
and on until she has married all the brothers, whose wife will she be in the
resurrection?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matthew
22:29-30 “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the
Scriptures nor the power of God. For in
the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like
angels of God in heaven’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mormons: You are also mistaken, not knowing the
Scriptures – there is no marriage beyond death.
So please stop putting the burden on people of being faithful to all
their covenants in order to receive something that Jesus Himself said does not
exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
teachings in the July 2012 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the July 2012 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Where
Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face” by Shawn McCraney pg. 65<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS magazine,
“The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Research
partner, Art Haglund<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-12461180607103543222012-06-10T22:03:00.000-06:002012-06-10T22:03:58.024-06:00The Honor and Order of the Priesthood<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPFBOluTM0fu1lJlx9QU1Fz9x-SuRJ1955rd8WqZ2Ikf7MPLK-2LND1AZGfm0jFYGFm204wASjuRsZ1atZ1bT8z1a8DEZo5SaXQG_nXqmxONOweyLGMOFQ18CCaZpcgs0PlBKt2x9Ysqz/s1600/boyd-k-packer-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPFBOluTM0fu1lJlx9QU1Fz9x-SuRJ1955rd8WqZ2Ikf7MPLK-2LND1AZGfm0jFYGFm204wASjuRsZ1atZ1bT8z1a8DEZo5SaXQG_nXqmxONOweyLGMOFQ18CCaZpcgs0PlBKt2x9Ysqz/s1600/boyd-k-packer-10.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">“The
Honor and Order of the Priesthood” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">by
President Boyd K. Packer (President of the Twelve Apostles)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“<i>The
authority and power of the priesthood form the foundation of all that we do in
the Church.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
article is found on pg. 21-25 of the June 2012 issue of the Ensign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
entire basis of the LDS Church is that it is a “restored” gospel. They believe Mormonism is the religion that
Christ established and was quickly lost from the earth after He died; until it
was restored through Joseph Smith. The
priesthood is also believed to have been restored from the time of Jesus. The problem is this: The Mormon priesthood has absolutely no
resemblance to the Biblical priesthood, and therefore, is NOT a restoration,
but an invention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
first words in this article are </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The
authority and power of the priesthood form the foundation of all that we do in
the Church.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the Bible,
the purpose of the priesthood was for a high priest to represent the people to
God and make sacrifices to atone for their sin.
The high priest was the only one authorized to make sacrifices to God on
behalf of the people. Exodus 28-29
explains that only men in the tribe of Levi can be priests. Priests serve in
the temple – setting things up, cleaning, etc.
Only men in the Levi/Kohath/Amram/Aaron line could be high priests. High priests were the ones who performed the
sacrifices. Those were the only
“offices” of the priesthood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS Church
has created more “offices” – such as “deacon”, “teacher”, and “elder”. These were not a part of the Biblical
priesthood. Also, every <i>worthy</i> male member over the age of 12
can hold the LDS priesthood, regardless of whether or not they are a descendent
of Levi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once Christ
completed the FINAL sacrifice for sin, there was no more need for a
priesthood. <span style="color: #c00000;">Hebrews
10:12 </span>(referring to Jesus)<span style="color: #c00000;"> “But this man,
after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand
of God;”</span><i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus is our
High Priest – and he is the only High Priest.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">An Invitation to Prospective Elders<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr. Packer
speaks to “prospective elders” (those men who are over 18, who for whatever
reason have not been given the Melchizidek priesthood yet). <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“The office of an elder is a calling of dignity and honor, spiritual
authority and of power.” </span>Remember,
there is no such office in the Biblical priesthood. Everything about the Biblical priesthood
pointed to Christ – it held no dignity, honor, authority, or power for the
individual who held the priesthood – all the glory was to God - for His mercy
and forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Packer
encourages young men who may have left the church to return so they can hold
the priesthood. <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“If you will return to the environment where spiritual
truths are spoken, there will flood back into your minds the things that you
thought were lost…If you make your pilgrimage back among the Saints, soon you
will be understanding once again the language of inspiration…Soon you will feel
complete and adequate in His church and in His kingdom. Then you will know how much you are needed
here and how powerful your voice of experience can be in redeeming others.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First of all,
Packer claims that returning to an “environment” with “the Saints” is what will
help someone understand spiritual truths.
That is just not true. The only
“environment” where one can learn truth is in the pages of the Bible. God wants us to fellowship with other
believers so we can love, serve and encourage one another – not for
understanding truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Second, if
anyone can feel complete and adequate in God’s kingdom, I don’t believe that
they have any idea just how holy God is and how worthless, INcomplete, and INadequate
they are without being in Christ. Think
of how Isaiah felt when he had a vision of the Lord. The first words he said were <span style="color: #c00000;">“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips…”</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Third, Packer
says that the prospective elder’s voice of experience can be powerful in
redeeming others. Only Christ can
redeem. If He uses our voice to preach
the gospel to someone, all the glory is His.
I think that Packer’s words only serve to puff up the pride of those who
take him seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Callings in the Priesthood<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible
explains that we are given spiritual gifts, and then led directly by the Holy
Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1
Cor 12:4-11 “Now there are varieties of
gifts, but the same Spirit…For to one is given the word of wisdom through the
Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to
another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one
Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles and to another prophecy, and
to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues
and to another the interpretation of tongues.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Holy Spirit
can inspire each one of us to use our particular gift the way God wants us
to. There is no need for a man, a
“priesthood leader” to stand between us and the Holy Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">However, Packer
explains how callings (assignments) come through priesthood leaders – not
directly from the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“A call is more than an invitation or a request. It is a call from the Lord through His chosen
servant…We do not call ourselves to offices in the Church. Rather we respond to the call of those who
preside over us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <u><span style="color: #4f81bd;">The Importance of Ordination<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr. Packer
explains how the LDS priesthood is passed on.
<span style="color: #4f81bd;">“The priesthood is
conferred through ordination, not simply through making a covenant or receiving
a blessing. It has been so since the
beginning.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The priesthood
was NEVER conferred through ordination.
Remember, the priesthood was received by being born in the tribe of
Levi. There was no laying on of hands,
or giving a blessing, or making a covenant.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Power of the Priesthood<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The “power” of the
priesthood was God’s power to forgive sins.
There is no reference in the Bible to the “power of the
priesthood”. Yet Mr. Packer places a
burden on LDS men by telling them that they are responsible to be righteous in
order for the power of the priesthood to be used. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“…<i>power</i> in
the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring
covenants. It is increased by exercising
and using the priesthood in righteousness.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is what
keeps the LDS people under the control of the Church leadership –they must obey
their leaders in order to have this power.
This can fill a person with pride in their self-righteousness, or fill
them with shame and guilt because of their unworthiness… let me explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let’s say an LDS
Priesthood holder gives a blessing to someone who is sick, and through his
priesthood power promises them that they will be healed. If instead of getting better, they die –
whose fault is it? The priesthood holder
– because either he was unworthy, so his priesthood power had no effect, or he
was unworthy to be in tune with the Spirit, and promised something he shouldn’t
have. On the other hand, let’s say the
sick person got better. This would be
external proof that the priesthood holder was indeed worthy and righteous. Who gets the glory then? He does.
Of course God gets credit, too, but not completely because it’s shared
with the “worthy” man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The <i>power</i>
you receive will depend on what you do with this sacred, unseen gift. Your authority comes through your ordination;
your power comes through obedience and worthiness…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Power in the priesthood comes from doing your duty in
ordinary things: attending meetings,
accepting assignments, reading the scriptures, keeping the Word of Wisdom” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">True Servants of the Lord<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“We do not hear of the priesthood keys being exercised
in other Christian churches. It seems
odd that we are described by some as being non-Christian when we are the only
ones who have the authority and the organization that He established.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t know how
to make this any more clear. Mr. Packer,
you are described as being non-Christian because your religion has not only created
an entirely different “priesthood” than the one God established in the Bible,
but it has also denied the finality of Christ’s atonement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hebrews
7:27 “Christ does not need daily, as
those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for
the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Christians
understand that the priesthood was inherited by birth as a Levite, and was done
away with once Christ came. They also
understand that there is only one high priest alive at a time, and that since
Christ is the final High Priest, no one else can be a High Priest (unless they
don’t believe Christ is risen from the dead.)
So you either deny that Christ’s atonement was complete, final, and
sufficient to justify those who believe, OR you deny that Christ is raised from
the dead because you allow others to hold the office of a high priest – (or
maybe both?). Either way, those beliefs
are NOT Christian.<span style="color: #2f393a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
teachings in the June 2012 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the June 2012 issue of the Ensign,
the LDS religion <b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Where Mormonism
Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face” by Shawn McCraney<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-71250429737290148182012-05-23T10:48:00.004-06:002012-05-23T10:48:39.912-06:00Thomas S. Monson's Conference Address April 2012<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuW9_dLSYbrMxmAqW1rF10ipSbx-ZtE7CYcC2bljhz5EvkKI1IeYbwtxFlhmNbJwWjZoi67g9FtgFZ3ZKvHt2zbUddo_JYzNE8FmU8VakHGQ96_uazA1XaNoKBnvh5xA16_AaHi5UrL6P/s1600/thomas-s-monson-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuW9_dLSYbrMxmAqW1rF10ipSbx-ZtE7CYcC2bljhz5EvkKI1IeYbwtxFlhmNbJwWjZoi67g9FtgFZ3ZKvHt2zbUddo_JYzNE8FmU8VakHGQ96_uazA1XaNoKBnvh5xA16_AaHi5UrL6P/s1600/thomas-s-monson-10.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">“The
Race of Life” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">by
Thomas S. Monson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“<i>Where
did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after this life? <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">No longer need these universal questions remain
unanswered.”</span></i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
LDS Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
May issue of the Ensign contains all of the talks given by the leadership of
the LDS Church during April’s General Conference. This talk was given by the president of the
Church, Thomas S. Monson. It is found on
pg. 90-93.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr.
Monson explains that the LDS Church provides answers to three questions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;">
</span></span></i><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Where did we come from? <i>LDS
Answer: A previous existence as literal
spirit children of God.<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;">
</span></span></i><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why are we here?
<i>LDS Answer: To be tested to see if we will qualify for
the blessings of heaven.<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;">
</span></span></i><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Where do we go after this life? <i>LDS
Answer: We want to earn a celestial glory to be in the presence of God.<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For this
article, I want to focus on the second question, “Why are we here?” Monson repeats the concept many times that we
are here to become worthy for what God holds for us in the next life. He doesn’t always say the word “worthy”, but
he uses terms and phrases that mean the same thing such as “qualify”, “become
perfect”, “successfully cross the finish line”,
and “earn”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“How grateful we should be that a wise Creator
fashioned an earth and placed us here, with a veil of forgetfulness of our
previous existence so that we might experience a time of testing, an
opportunity to prove ourselves <i>in order
to qualify</i> for all that God has prepared for us to receive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First, our
Creator actually “CREATED” the earth. To
say He “fashioned” the earth implies that He merely molded it, or gave shape to
it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible says, <span style="color: #c00000;">“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen 1:1<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second, there
was no “veil of forgetfulness” because we did NOT exist previous to our earthly
existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third, and on the
topic of Monson’s “worthiness”, our purpose here is not for a “time of testing”
or to “prove ourselves”. If that is the
case, then everyone has failed. Absolutely
no one will qualify for presence in God’s glory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“There
is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none
who seeks after God.” Romans 6:10-11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“For
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“By obedience to God’s commandments, <i>we can qualify</i> for that “house” spoken
of by Jesus when He declared: ‘In my
Father’s house are many mansions’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We cannot “qualify”
by keeping God’s commandments. We get
into that “house” spoken of by Jesus by grace alone – being justified through
our faith alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus
Christ…for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Galatians 2:16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(“Justified”
means to be declared free of blame – in other words, God declares us blameless.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…for
if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monson also
says, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“God, our Father, and
Jesus Christ, our Lord, have marked the way to perfection. They beckon us to follow eternal verities and
to <i>become perfect</i>, as They are
perfect.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr. Monson
misquotes the Bible here when he says “become perfect”. The Bible says, “BE perfect”, not “become”. This is not a process, but a command to be
perfect right now. How do we do
that? Not by our own works, that’s for
sure. Jesus is the only person who lived
perfectly. When we are born again, not
only are we forgiven of all sin through Christ’s atonement, but his
righteousness is applied to us so God can look at us and count us as
perfect. Right now. When God “justifies” us, it is like declaring
us to be perfect. Keep that in mind when
reading these verses:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Therefore,
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ.” Romans 5:1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">See how this
says we have already been justified? We
are already seen as perfect… we don’t have to “become” perfect, or “become”
justified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Therefore
the law was our tutor <i>to bring us </i>to
Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
Galatians 3:24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monson
continues, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“…and I do not
overlook the holy scriptures, which contain the word of the Lord and the words
of the prophets – provided to us to help us <i>successfully
cross the finish line</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In 1 John chapter
5 is God’s witness to us that if we believe in the Son, we have eternal
life. God does not witness to us that he
will provide help for us to achieve eternal life, He says that those who
believe HAVE IT now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“It is the celestial glory which we seek. It is in in the presence of God we desire to
dwell. It is a forever family in which
we want membership. <i>Such blessings are earned</i> through a lifetime of striving, seeking,
repenting, and finally succeeding.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When the Bible
speaks of “eternal life” or being “saved”, it is referring to living in the
presence of God, with all the blessings of heaven. The Bible says these blessings cannot “be
earned” like Monson says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“For
by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the May 2012 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on May
18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the May 2012 issue of the Ensign,
the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-28858279442495697922012-04-10T14:46:00.000-06:002012-04-10T14:46:05.322-06:00The Great Apostasy<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Apostasy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By
Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Mormons have the only pure and perfect
Christianity on earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">All other systems of religion are false.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Bruce R. McConkie, <i>Mormon Doctrine</i> page 626<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Quotes from the
Mormon Teachings in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What Does Mormonism Say About Apostasy?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“After times of righteousness, people
have often turned to wickedness. One
example is the Great Apostasy, which occurred after the Savior established His
Church. After the deaths of the Savior
and His Apostles, men corrupted the principles of the gospel and made
unauthorized changes in Church organization and priesthood ordinances. Because of this widespread wickedness, the
Lord withdrew the authority of the priesthood from the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"> During
the Great Apostasy, people were without divine direction from living
prophets. Many churches were
established, but they did not have priesthood power to lead people to the true
knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Parts of the holy scriptures were corrupted or lost, and no one had
authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost or perform other priesthood
ordinances. This apostasy lasted until
Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 and
initiated the restoration of the fullness of the gospel.”<sup>1<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, in a
nutshell, the Mormon belief in a Great Apostasy boils down to three points:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christ’s
gospel became corrupted and changed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Bible became corrupted, and incomplete<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Priesthood power is taken away from man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In this article,
let’s deal with points #1 and #2. For
more information on the false priesthoods of Mormonism, you can see the
articles under the category of “Priesthood” on this blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some of the
Biblical verses that the LDS use for proof of a complete worldwide apostasy
are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Thessalonians
2:1-4; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; and Acts 20:28-30.
These are cited in the Book, “LDS Beliefs” on page 46.<sup>2</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Acts 20:28-30<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Therefore
take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has
made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His
own blood. For I know this, that after
my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up,
speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What is the
context here? Paul is speaking to the
elders in the church at Ephesus (verse 17).
And he is warning them about what is headed their way, <i>in their respective church at Ephesus,</i>
NOT in the entire world!”<sup>3<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2
Thessalonians 2:1-4<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Now,
brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering
together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either
by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ
had come. Let no one deceive you by any
means; for <i>that Day will not come </i>unless
the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of
perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that
is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that
he is God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“This passage is
speaking of a very specific period of time, AN END-TIME PROPHECY, when there
will be an apostasy, but not of the whole church! ... He [Paul] is saying that
Jesus will not come until there comes a falling away first, a specific falling
away WHEN the Anti-Christ is revealed… Yes, this passage does refer to
apostasy, but it is a SPECIFIC apostasy, at a SPECIFIC time and a SPECIFIC
place in history when the anti-Christ reveals himself – nothing before and only
one.”<sup>4<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Timothy 4:1<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will
depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of
demons.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Now,
notice that Paul didn’t write…<i>that in the
latter times </i><b>all </b><i>shall depart from the faith</i>! But instead wrote <i>that in latter times </i><b>some</b><i> shall depart from the faith.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some. <b>Some!</b></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
Not the entire world.”<sup>5<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The existence of
the Mormon Church hinges on the world wide apostasy. In the Joseph Smith History (found in their
books of scripture), Joseph claims he wanted to know which church to join, so
he went out to a grove of trees to pray for an answer. This is where Joseph says Heavenly Father and
Jesus appeared to him as two separate beings with physical bodies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Joseph writes
their answer to his question, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“I
was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the
Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in
his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: ‘they draw near to me
with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the
commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof’.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since then, LDS
leaders consistently teach that all other churches are wrong…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“The people called Christians are shrouded in
ignorance, and read the Scriptures with darkened understandings.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:333)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“What does the Christian world know about God? Nothing; yet these very men assume the right
and power to tell others what they shall not believe in. Why so far as the things of God are concerned,
they are the veriest of fools; they know neither God nor the things of God.”
(John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 13:225)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“And virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom
have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom
they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated,
immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit” (Bruce R.
McConkie, <i>Mormon Doctrine</i>, 1966 pg.
270)<sup><o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
yet Mormons continue to claim they <b>ARE</b>
Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What Does the
Bible Say?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus said to
Peter, <span style="color: #c00000;">“I will build my church and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it!”
Matthew 16:18<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus is saying
that His church will be able to stand up against anything. He is saying that it will not fall into
apostasy after He and His apostles die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He said to his
followers, <span style="color: #c00000;">“Lo, I am with you always, even to the
end of the world.” Matthew 28:20<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus promises
to be with his followers until the end of the world. He sent the Holy Ghost as a promise that
those who believe will have eternal life.
Jesus will not take that away… at least not until the end of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul writes, <span style="color: #c00000;">“Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus
throughout the ages, world without end.”
</span><i>Throughout the ages</i>
means it would never leave earth.
Therefore, there would NOT be a complete apostasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even though
Mormons claim to be Christian, their belief about a Great world-wide apostasy
is NOT Biblical, and therefore, NOT consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the subject of Apostasy, the LDS
religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-84896807273235179552012-03-12T10:53:00.000-06:002012-03-12T10:53:36.853-06:00Sustain Church Leaders and Follow The Prophet<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">“We
Sustain Our Leaders”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the monthly sections of the Ensign is called “What We Believe”. In the March 2012 issue, this article is
entitled “We Sustain Our Leaders”. It is
found on page 8-9.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
article begins, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus
Christ Himself is the head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. He calls, through inspiration,
prophets and apostles to lead His Church.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Growing up LDS,
I was taught to follow the prophet’s councel at virtually all costs if I wanted
to be worthy of … well, <i>everything</i> I
needed to be worthy of: taking the
sacrament each Sunday, holding a calling, attending the temple, having the Holy
Ghost with me, and ultimately earning my eternal salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Following a
prophet’s councel is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible says that God used prophets to speak
to His people <i>only up until John</i>. After that, Jesus came. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews
1:1-2 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets… in these
last days has spoken to us in His Son…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We have the
direct words from Jesus in the Bible to lead us now. And Jesus said we can trust it because it will
not pass away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew
24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This was Jesus
speaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Jesus died,
the veil in the temple was torn in half from the top to the bottom – in other
words, it was torn by God. That veil is
what separated the inner temple from the Holy of Holies, where only the high
priest could go to intercede between the people and God. With that veil gone, the Holy of Holies is
open for everyone. Now believers can all
have one on one direct contact with God.
So we have no more need of a prophet to speak to us for God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Ensign
article explains five ways to follow the LDS leaders:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"> We
sustain the General Authorities of the Church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">We can show, by raising our hands, that
we will sustain our local leaders and others who are called to serve us. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(In Church meetings, the congregation is
sometimes asked to sustain the leaders by raising the right hand to show that
they are in agreement.)<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">We sustain our leaders by following their
counsel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">We sustain our leaders by accepting
callings, for callings are extended to us “by those who are in authority”
(Articles of Faith 1:5)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">We sustain our leaders by praying for
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A different
article in this same Ensign demonstrates a couple’s dedication to the LDS
Church leaders. The name of this article
is “Follow the Prophet” written by Randall K. Bennett, Of the Seventy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">In the weeks leading up to our engagement, Shelley and
I had spent significant time talking about how we wanted to raise our family
and what we wanted our marriage to be like.
One of the things at the center of that discussion was our determination
to always follow the prophet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">Two months before we were engaged, we listened to lots
of talks at the October 1976 general conference reinforcing the principles of
self-reliance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">…After our engagement, as Shelley and I contemplated
the beginning of our marriage and family life, these messages were ringing in
our ears. Unbeknownst to each other,
both of us were thinking about how to start home storage for our family. To obey the counsel of that time, we needed
to start acquiring a year’s supply of food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They decided to
sell her engagement ring to start their one year supply of food storage. The article goes on to explain how good they
feel about their decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">In the years since, we have been blessed in many other
ways by heeding the prophetic word. We
have learned not to question the validity of what the prophets and apostles
teach or to wonder if it makes sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible
teaches that we SHOULD question the validity of what anyone calling themselves
a prophet says. The Bible says we SHOULD
wonder if it makes sense. Paul, an
apostle called directly by Jesus Christ, was teaching the Bereans about
Jesus. He taught them that the Messiah
had come, had died, and was now resurrected.
They didn’t take him at his own word, nor did they pray about it to get
a burning in the bosom to know if it was true.
They studied their scriptures to see if what Paul was saying lined up
with the Word of God. Paul praised their
study and called them noble-minded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Acts
17:11 “Now these </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[the
Bereans]<span style="color: red;"> were more noble-minded than those in
Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures daily <i>to see</i> whether these
things were so.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bennett
continues, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Some might call
our actions blind obedience. But we have
the Lord’s personal promise that the prophets will never lead us astray.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr. Bennett, I
challenge you and all LDS people to be like the Bereans, and study the Bible to
see whether these things are so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the March 2012 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the March 2012 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">My research partner,
Art Haglund.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you also
to my husband, Ken, who sacrifices time with me while I study and write, and
provides proofreading and editing services!<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-45201681769962359982012-02-18T10:57:00.002-07:002012-02-18T10:57:15.998-07:00The Law of Health<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">“The
Lord Has Given Us A Law Of Health”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the monthly sections of the Ensign is called “What We Believe”. In the February 2012 issue, this article is
entitled “The Lord Has Given Us A Law of Health”. It is found on page 8-9.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
article begins, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“One of the great blessings we received
when we came to earth was a physical body.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
This refers to the LDS belief that we all existed in a pre-mortal life
as spirits. They also believe that the
spirits who lived their pre-mortal life <b>worthy
enough</b>, would get the blessing of coming to earth to gain a physical
body. (I want to stay on the topic of a
law of health, so just as a side note: this belief is not consistent with what
the Bible teaches, but I will go further into that in other articles.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Ensign
continues, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Our bodies are
holy and so important that the Lord calls them temples of God (see 1
Corinthians 3:16). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So let’s take a
look at 1 Cor. 3:16 <span style="color: red;">“Do you not know that you are a
temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This verse does
indeed say that we are temples of God and that the Spirit of God lives inside
us. But the LDS Church mistakenly
assumes this applies to everyone. It
does not. 1 Corinthians is a letter
written by Paul, specifically to believers – those who have already accepted
Christ and been born again. You can find
that easily when you turn back to 1 Cor. 1:1-2 where it says: <span style="color: red;">“Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of
God… To the church of God which is at Corinth, <b>to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus</b>, saints by
calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
their <i>Lord</i> and ours.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So as the Ensign
claimed, yes, our bodies are holy temples – but ONLY after they have been
sanctified in Jesus. I hope that is
understood very clearly: It’s JESUS who
makes us clean – nothing else.
(Especially not what we eat or drink, or refrain from eating or
drinking.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Ensign
article continues, <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Because
our Heavenly Father wants us to take care of our bodies, He revealed essential
information on how to do so. Much of
this information is found in Doctrine and Covenants 89 and is known as the Word
of Wisdom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"> Here
we learn several things we should and should not do to keep our bodies
healthy. The spirit of this law is to
consume nutritious foods and to refrain from anything that is habit forming or
harmful to our bodies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So basically the
spirit of this law is to eat things that are healthy, and not eat things that
are harmful. When I read this, I just shook my head with
my forehead in my palms thinking to myself, <i>I
can’t believe I used to be so grateful for this “wisdom” that I was told to be
from God! </i>Our simple common sense
can figure out that eating nutritious foods is good for our bodies, and eating
or drinking harmful substances is bad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It now seems not
only ridiculous, but insulting to have to be told this as claimed revelation
from God. I can’t think of a louder way
to scream to Mormons that they are not capable of thinking for themselves, and
must look to their leaders to even know what they should and shouldn’t eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Just because
something is wise to do or not do, does not mean that it is a revelation or a
commandment from God. Do we really need
to be commanded, or have the LDS prophet receive a revelation for mothers to
not give all their children maximum doses of Benadryl to help the kids fall
asleep – NO! We have common sense. Do we need revelations to tell us to not get
drunk and drive? NO! We have common sense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Among the things the Lord commands us not to take into
our bodies are alcohol and tobacco…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is contradicts what Jesus Himself did…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matt
11:19: The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man
gluttonous, and a winebibber…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Calling someone
a “winebibber” back then was like calling them an alcoholic. They were making exaggerations to falsely
accuse Jesus. We know Jesus ate – But His
accusers called him “gluttonous” as an exaggeration. We also know Jesus drank wine, but his
accusers again exaggerated and called him an alcoholic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
2:9-10: When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine,
and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the
governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, ‘Every man at
the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that
which is worse; but thou hast keep the good wine until now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That was an
account of the first miracle Jesus performed.
It was turning water into wine.
Not cheap wine, watered down, or anything like just grape juice, but the
“good” wine, which meant the most fermented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1
Timothy 5:23: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your
stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul gave this
instruction to Timothy for some kind of stomach problem Timothy was having: to
not drink only water, but to use a little wine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Ensign article also says, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“The Lord
counsels us against the use of ‘hot drinks’ (D&C 89:9) Prophets have
explained that this means coffee and tea…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Quick question
to consider: Why wouldn’t the Lord
explain to <i>Joseph Smith</i> that “hot
drinks” meant coffee and tea when this supposed revelation took place?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Fruits, vegetables, and wholesome herbs are to be used
‘in the season thereof’ and ‘with prudence and thanksgiving’ (D&C
89:10-11)”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Meat and poultry have been ‘ordained for the use of
man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly. (D&C
89:12)”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Deuteronomy
14:26 “And you shall spend that money
for whatever your heart desires; for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink,
for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God,
and you shall rejoice, you and your household.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God is saying to
eat and drink whatever you want – and glorify God in doing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In Matthew 15,
Jesus is teaching the people about God’s commandments and man’s traditions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matt
15:11, 17-18 “Not what goes into the
mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man…Do you
not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is
eliminated? But those things which
proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus is telling
us that God is concerned and interested in what is in our hearts – not in our
stomachs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul explains it
again in Romans 14:17 <span style="color: red;">“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1
Corinthians 8:8 “But food does not
commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not
eat are we the worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">See how the
Bible teaches that what we eat or drink does not matter to God? What does matter is that we have given our
heart over to Jesus Christ, our Lord, God, and King. Once we have done that, all our sins are
forgiven – past, present, and future – so what we eat can’t make even a tiny
dent in the surety of our eternal life in heaven. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Actually, the
LDS law of health (Word of Wisdom) is a very good idea in a lot of its points –
eating meat sparingly, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid addictive
substances and other harmful things. But
instead of just being a suggestion, the LDS Church makes your salvation depend
on obedience to it. You cannot go to the
temple if you do not obey the Word of Wisdom.
If you can’t go to the temple, you cannot get sealed to your spouse for
eternity, or perform ordinances that the LDS leaders claim are required for
salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When I was a
teenager, my dad was the bishop of our ward.
He told me that bishops hold a high calling of being “judges in
Israel”. Part of what that meant was
that bishops should interview members at least once a year to make sure they
are still worthy to attend the temple.
After the member answers all the interview questions, the bishop is to
judge the worthiness of the member. One
of these questions is “Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?” Another one is “Do you keep the Sabbath Day
holy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With that in
mind, let’s take a look at Colossians 2:16…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“So
let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon
or Sabbaths.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I think that’s
pretty clear – no man on earth has the right to judge us based on what we eat
or drink. Sorry, bishops, but according
to the Bible, you are out of line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I would
challenge you, if you are LDS, to study this further. Read Romans 14 – the entire chapter, and ask
yourself – is the Word of Wisdom from God?
Or is it invented by men as another rule you must follow to be a good
Mormon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in the February 2012 issue of the Ensign <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are
NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brigham Young issued a challenge on
May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46): “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the February 2012 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Resources
used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Word of God
(The Bible)- King James Version and New King James Version<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The LDS
magazine, “The Ensign”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Where Mormonism
Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face” by Shawn Aaron McCraney<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">My research
parter, Art Haglund.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you also
to my husband, Ken, who sacrifices time with me while I study and write, and provides proofreading and editing
services!<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-1096851707451527972012-02-02T18:27:00.000-07:002012-02-02T18:27:12.801-07:00Angels: What are They?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Angels <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By
Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Quotes from the
Mormon Teachings in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although
one’s understanding about Angels is not essential for salvation, I wanted to
write a comparison to point out that even in some of the smaller details (like
the nature and purpose of angels), Mormonism and Biblical Christianity contradict
each other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What Does the Bible Say?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The word
translated as “angel” in the Hebrew is “malak”; in Greek it is “angelos”. Both mean “messenger”. It can be used to describe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Human
Being Messengers: 1 Sam 11:3; Job 1:14; Luke 7:24, 9:52<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Prophets: Isaiah 42:19; Haggai 1:13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Priests: Malachi 2:7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Non-human
agents (used figuratively): Ex 14:19; 2
Sam 24:15-17; Psalm 104:4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However, in the
Bible, the most common use for “angel” refers to specific spiritual and
superhuman beings who are sent to humans as messengers from God. The Bible describes the characteristic of
these spiritual and superhuman beings:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
have a personal existence: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gen
16:7-11 – An angel speaks with Hagar in a two-sided conversation <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Judges
13:2-21 – An angel has a conversation with Manoah and his wife <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matt
28:2-7 – An angel speaks to the women at Jesus’ empty tomb. He is described <span style="color: red;">“his
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
are very numerous:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Daniel
7:10 <span style="color: red;">“Thousands upon thousands were attending Him”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matt
26:53 <span style="color: red;"> “…more
than twelve legions of angels”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
have different ranks in dignity and power:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Zech
1:9-11 <span style="color: red;">“These are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol
the earth”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Daniel
12:1 <span style="color: red;">“…Michael, the great prince who stands guard over
the sons of your people…”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1
Thess 4:16 <span style="color: red;">“For the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of
God…”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eph
1:21 – Christ is above all – <span style="color: red;">“far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion…”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Coloss
1:16 <span style="color: red;">For by Him all things were created, both in the
heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
rulers of authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
are spirit:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews
1:14 <span style="color: red;">“Are they not all ministering spirits…?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
appear to man in human form:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luke
24:4 <span style="color: red;">“While they were perplexed about this, behold, two
men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“We know angels
never die (Luke 20:36) and they possess superhuman intelligence and power (Mark
13:32; 2 Thess 1:7; Psalms 103:20). We
know their strength is great, which could be a result of not being confined to
a physical nature (Psalms 103:20; Rev 5:2, 18:21) We also know their activities are described
as ‘marvelous’ (Isaiah 6:2-6; Matthew 26:53; Rev 8:13)”<sup>1<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“There are no
reports of angelic appearances to man until after the call of Abraham. And then from that time onward there are
frequent references to their ministry on earth.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then Jesus was
born.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And here we are
introduced to what we call <i>the
ministrations of angels.</i> It sort of seems like Jesus brought them with Him
to earth and they came with their King to do him service while He was here.”<sup>2<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“So there’s the
Biblical view. In summary, angels are a
creation of God, superior to human beings in power, might, and ability, who
govern the affairs of heaven and earth, and the final state of the redeemed
humanity is said to the ‘<i>like’</i> them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bottom line in
Mormonism: they are all human beings in
some state of progression or another.
The LDS completely discount the Biblical idea that angels are a
completely different species from humans, created in heaven for heavenly
purposes.”<sup>3</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What Does Mormonism Say?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Angels are not, as traditional Christians aver
[believe, declare], special creations of God.
Rather, they are human beings who minister for the Lord. An angel may be a resurrected being (D&C
129:1); a translated being; an unembodied spirit, one who has not yet taken a
physical body; a disembodied spirit, one who has lived and died and now awaits
the resurrection…”<sup>4<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Indeed, one of the signs of the times, and one of the
spiritual indicators of a people’s worthiness, is the extent to which angels
continue to minister, inasmuch as ‘it is by faith that the angels appear and
minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the
children of men, for it is because of unbelief’ (Moroni 7:37)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">‘The keys of the ministering of angels’ were restored
by John the Baptist on 15 May 1829 (D&C 13:1). Further, the ministry of angels is a gift of
the Spirit (Moroni 10:14), a gift the Saints of God are encouraged to seek
(D&C 46:8).”<sup>5<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The LDS
scriptures teach that if a man and woman
do not get married in the temple, (with the LDS priesthood authority), they
will not be sealed together but instead they will only be as the angels – like
it is a form of punishment – and they will not be able to progress any further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and
he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he
is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force
when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not
bound by any law when they are out of the world. Therefore, when they are out of the world
they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in
heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are
worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory. For these angels did not abide my law;
therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without
exaltation, in their saved condition, to
all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever
and ever” D&C 132:16-17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Angels are those beings who have been on
an earth like this, and have passed through the same ordeals that we are now
passing through. They have kept their
first estate far enough to preserve themselves in the Priesthood. They did not so violate the law of the
Priesthood and condemn themselves to the sin against the Holy Ghost as to be
finally lost. They are not crowned with
the celestial ones. They are persons who
have lived upon an earth, but did not magnify the Priesthood in that high
degree that many others have done who have become Gods, even the sons of
God. Human beings that pertain to this
world, who do not magnify or are not capable of magnifying their high calling
in the Priesthood and receive crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal lives,
will also, when they again receive their bodies, become angels and will receive
a glory. They are single, without
families or kingdoms to reign over. All
the difference between men and angels is, men are passing through the day of
trial that angels have already passed through.
They belong to the same family that we do; but they have proven
themselves worthy only of an exaltation to the state of angels, whereas we have
the privilege of obtaining not only the same exaltation they enjoy, but of
going further until we become Gods, even the songs of God.” (Brigham Young, January 5, 1860, <i>Journal of Discourses</i> 9:102-103<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“<i>Those
without eternal marriage may be angels. </i> Now, the angels will be the people who did not
go to the temple, who did not have their work done in the temple. And if there are some of us who make no
effort to cement these ties, we may be angels for the rest of eternity. But if we do all in our power and seal our
wives or husbands to us… then we may become gods and pass by the angels in
heaven. Some might say, ‘Well, I’d be
satisfied to just become an angel.’ But you would not. One never would be satisfied just to be a
ministering angel to wait upon other people when he could be the king
himself.” <i>The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball (12<sup>th</sup> President of the
LDS Church), </i>pg. 51<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“God, angels, and men are all of one
species, one race, one great family, widely diffused amont the planetary
systems as colonies, kingdoms, nations, etc.”
LDS Apostle, Parley P. Pratt, <i>Key
to the Science of Theology</i> 1978, pg 21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mormons claim
they are Christian. However, the LDS
belief about angels is NOT Biblical, and therefore, NOT consistent with
Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the subject of Angels, the LDS
religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to
Face: An A to Z Doctrinal Comparative
between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity” by Shawn Aaron McCraney
(2011) pg. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">14-15</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">2 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ibid</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> pg </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">15-16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ibid</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> pg </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">16-17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">LDS Beliefs: A
Doctrinal Reference” by Millet, Olson, Skinner, and Top; Robert Millet is the author of the section on
Angels in this book. Pg. 36<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">5 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ibid </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">pg. 36</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Other
Sources used for this article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The BIBLE <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The New STRONG’S
Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The New UNGERS
Bible Dictionary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“In Their Own
Words – A Collection of Mormon Quotations” Compiled by Bill McKeever<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Book of
Mormon (LDS Scripture)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Doctrine
& Covenants (D&C) – (LDS Scripture)<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-21187420711720858352012-01-17T09:51:00.000-07:002012-01-17T18:56:07.136-07:00Thomas Monson's "Abundant Life"<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">Thomas
Monson’s Message "Living the <b>Abundant
Life</b>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Compared
to the Bible by Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere
to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the
abundant life…” President Thomas S.
Monson, January 2012 Ensign, pg 4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Quotes from the
Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">One
of the monthly sections of the Ensign is the “First Presidency Message”. In the January 2012 issue, this article is
written by the president of the LDS Church, Thomas Monson. It is found on page 4-5.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since
it’s the beginning of a new year, Monson challenges the members of his church
to take a personal, diligent, and significant quest for the abundant life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson
goes on to explain that an abundant life is </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“a
life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The first thing
I notice is how vague this is. What
exactly does he mean by success? How
much goodness counts for an ‘abundance’?
What blessings is he talking about?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well, in Mormon
culture, the measure of success, goodness, and blessings is really not that
vague. All you have to do is look around and see which members consistently get
the more respected assignments (ie, presidents of organizations, bishops, etc).
They are the people who are baptized, are Eagle Scouts, are married in the temple,
have served missions, appear to be financially stable, have nice, clean homes,
and who openly bear their testimony that the LDS Church is true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is very
rarely any mention of Christ, or their relationship with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is a horribly
sad cycle of failure when your abundance of blessings and success is measured
by these external, very visible accomplishments. I personally know many parents who feel like
failures as parents because their children haven’t completed these things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">One LDS woman I
know couldn’t even bring herself to show up for her own Mother’s Day dinner one
year. She left a note for her family
explaining that she felt like a failure as a mother. And yet here were all her children and her
husband gathered together to spend time with her, and each other. How sad.
Imagine the pain she was in – and the message that she sent to her
children that day – you aren’t good enough, therefore, I am not good enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now before
anyone gets too upset with me, I do recognize that the Bible mentions
abundance:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus said, “</span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: grey; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">it</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">more abundantly.” (John 10:10)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh
in us,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3Jn 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou
mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Verses such as
these, IF they were ALL that the Bible said on the subject, one would surely
think that God’s plan for believers is to give them all kinds of worldly
things. As it is, it is NOT all that
the Bible says on the subject. Context
is the key to all understanding from any writing, and is especially important
when dealing with things of such utter importance as our spiritual lives.” <i>Art
Haglund (research partner)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Let us look at
these verses, which are almost always
and conveniently ‘forgotten’ when this heresy is spoken of:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Luk 12:15 And he said unto
them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in
the abundance of the things which he possesseth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto
him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air <i>have</i> nests; but the
Son of man hath not where to lay <i>his</i> head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mat 10:24
The disciple is not above <i>his</i> master, nor the servant above his
lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mat 10:25 It is enough for
the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they
have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more <i>shall they call</i>
them of his household?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We see from these verses that God does not
consider the abundant life to be equal to many possessions, or success in a
career. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson never
mentions that the abundant life he refers to is in heaven. From reading his entire article, it is clear
that he means success, goodness, and blessings will come in this life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the book of
Luke, there is a story of a rich man, and a beggar named Lazarus. After they both die, the rich man is in
torment and the beggar is in Abraham’s bosom.
The rich man asked Abraham why… <span style="color: red;">Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your
lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but
now he is comforted and you are tormented.”
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The rich man had
success, goodness, and blessings while on earth. But that did nothing for his eternal
life. Lazarus did not have success and
blessings on earth, but he gets comfort in heaven. Now the Bible isn’t necessarily saying that
if you have blessings on earth, you won’t go to heaven – I am not saying
that. God, of course, can bless anyone
with abundance and success. The Bible
teaches that our heart should not be placed on the things (success and
goodness) of this world, but completely on God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Luke
10:27 </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="color: red;">“You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength,
and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But Monson is encouraging Mormons to seek after success
and goodness – NOT GOD. Not only that,
he is telling them to seek after this abundant life with a “personal, diligent,
and significant quest”. It sounds a lot
like giving your heart, soul, strength and mind to living the abundant life –
not loving God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is exactly
opposite of what the Bible teaches – as we can see in Matthew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matt 6:19-21 </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lay not up for yourselves treasures
upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through
and steal:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, serif;">But lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not
break through nor steal:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, serif;">For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson continues, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Just
as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to help us all gain the
abundant life… A in my ABCs refers to attitude… B is for believe – in yourself,
in those around you, and in eternal principles…C is for courage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once again, God
is not mentioned – in fact Monson himself takes credit for <b>his own</b> ABCs to help gain the abundant life. He is teaching us to rely on <b>our</b> attitude, belief in <b>ourselves</b>, and <b>our </b>own courage. With this
approach, any blessing, success, or good thing that comes our way will be
credited to us, not God (at least in most people’s minds). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">To support his
message, Monson includes quotes from William James (an American psychologist
and philosopher), Charles Swindoll (an author educator, and Christian pastor),
William Shakespeare’s “King Henry the Eighth”, Thomas Fuller (an English
churchman and historian who lived in the 17<sup>th</sup> century), and Ralph
Waldo Emerson. He does not ever quote
Jesus, or even the scriptures – not even the LDS scriptures! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">At one point, he
refers to David fighting Goliath, but credits the win to <i>David</i> not to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson’s final
words are, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“May we remember these ABCs as we begin our journey
into the new year, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can
achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges
may come our way. Then the abundant life
will be ours.”</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
teachings in this article are NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the January 2012 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-77339129409050801662012-01-06T22:03:00.000-07:002012-01-07T17:23:42.293-07:00Adam and Eve Part 2<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">Adam
and Eve Part 2: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">God
Gives Opposing Commandments?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By
Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">The LDS Church believes: “The Fall is an integral part of Heavenly
Father’s plan of salvation… It has a twofold direction – downward yet
forward…If Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen, … and Adam and
Eve would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state
of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they
knew no sin.” (True to the Faith, pg. 57
– published by the LDS Church)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Quotes from the
Mormon Teachings in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before we dive
into the topic, I just have to mention – one of the books I was really looking
forward to using for my research was the new LDS publication, “Teachings of
Thomas S. Monson”. This is a compiled alphabetical listing of his teachings. I hope you are as disappointed as I am that
the so-called prophet of the so-called “Church of Jesus Christ” does not have
section in his book about Adam and Eve, or the Fall. (Instead of finding articles on the Fall at the beginning of the "F" section, I
found sections on Family History Work and Family Home Evening.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The lack of
theological teaching from the prophet in the Mormon Church is astounding!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now on to Part 2
of Adam and Eve…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible
teaches that God gave Adam and Eve two commands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Multiply and replenish the earth. (Genesis 1:28)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil. (Genesis 2:17)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First </span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a Mormon, I
was taught that in order to keep the first command, Adam and Eve must break the
second command, or vice versa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“All of this is
built on man-made pre-supposition and a kind of strange notion that God is a
God of tricks and games. It assumes that
Adam and Eve could not have learned to multiply; or, if they had had questions
on how, that they couldn’t have asked God how to go about it.” <sup>1<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is nothing
in the Bible that suggests you must break one commandment in order to keep the
other. It simply says to do both<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“According to
Mormon doctrine, <i>they wouldn’t know how
to procreate until they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil!</i> So in ORDER to get God’s true plan going,
they had to eat the fruit – the fruit that God Himself commanded them not to
eat. And then, when they did, He
punished them for their disobedience to His will.”<sup>2<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How could anyone
worship a God as diabolical and twisted as the one Mormonism has created??<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Second<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This concept
also puts sex and procreation into the “evil” category. Follow my logic here – if Adam and Eve were
in the Garden of Eden, and everything in the Garden was good… and if it was true that they could not
“multiply and replenish” while in the Garden, then the act of “multiplying and
replenishing” must not be good – it can only come when they gain a knowledge of
good AND EVIL. Therefore, there is an
underlying implication that sex <i><u>is
evil</u></i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have
personally known LDS newlyweds and “not so newly”-weds who have had seriously
twisted and deep seeded issues which caused trouble in their marriage because
of this belief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Third</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Mormonism,
Adam and Eve are looked up to for their brave and noble decision. You see, LDS doctrine teaches than all humans
existed as spirits in a pre-mortal world with our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.
The next step towards becoming Gods ourselves was to gain a physical
body. In order for that to happen, Adam
and Eve had to break God’s command. Here are
some LDS quotes to explain:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The Fall is an integral part of Heavenly
Father’s plan of salvation (see 2 Nephi 2:15-16; 9:6). It has a twofold direction – downward yet
forward. In addition to introducing
physical and spiritual death, it gave us the opportunity to be born on the
earth and to learn and progress. Through
our righteous exercise of agency and our sincere repentance when we sin, we can
come unto Christ and, through His Atonement, prepare to receive the gift of
eternal life. The prophet Lehi taught:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ‘If
Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained
in the garden of Eden. And all things
which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were
after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ‘And
[Adam and Eve] would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained
in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good,
for they knew no sin.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ‘Adam
fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”<sup>3<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS
scripture Pearl of Great Price goes on to say:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Moses
5:10-11 “Adam blessed God and was
filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying:
Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened,
and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ‘And
Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad saying; Were it not for our
transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good
and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth
unto all the obedient.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This doesn’t
even make sense – Eve is saying that by being “disobedient” (transgressing),
they will receive the gifts that God only gives to the “obedient”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“In
other words, she is saying, ‘I am so glad I sinned so I could then experience
Jesus saving me from sin.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">‘Forget
about the price He paid for the sin.
Forget about the pain HE endured or the crime that sin is against God in
the first place. Instead, Joseph Smith
has Eve rejoicing in her transgression because she could now rejoice in the
solution to it!”<sup>4<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mormons claim
they are Christian. However, the LDS
belief about Adam and Eve is NOT Biblical, and therefore, NOT consistent
with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On the subject of Adam and Eve, the
LDS religion <b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to
Face: An A to Z Doctrinal Comparative
between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity” by Shawn Aaron McCraney
(2011) pg. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">7</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">2 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ibid</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> pg </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">3 </span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“True to
the Faith: A Gospel Reference” published
by the First Presidency of the LDS Church in 2004 pg. 57-58<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">4</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> “Where
Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face: An A to Z Doctrinal Comparative between Mormonism
and Biblical Christianity” by Shawn Aaron McCraney (2011) pg. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">9</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-40465423430803385742011-12-29T15:39:00.000-07:002011-12-29T15:40:44.868-07:00Adam and Eve Part 1: Who is Adam?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">Adam
and Eve Part 1: Who Is Adam?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By
Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“And the Lord appeared unto them, and
they rose up and blessed <b>Adam,<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">.” D&C
107:53-54</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Quotes from the
Mormon Teachings in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First of all,
remember that Christians believe that the Word of God is contained in the Bible
alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So what does the Bible alone teach us
about Adam?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Genesis
2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living being.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">That “breath of
life” kick-started humanity. (That
living soul started with Adam, and was passed on to every one of his
descendants.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then… God put
Adam into the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:16).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then… God made
woman from Adam’s rib (Gen 2:18; 21). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Simply put, God
created Adam out of the earth, and brought him to life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What does Mormonism teach about Adam?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In one of the
Mormon scriptures, the Doctrine & Covenants, section 107 teaches how the
priesthood began to be handed down… <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos,
Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all high priests,
with the residue of his posterity who were righteous into the valley of
Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing. And the Lord appeared unto them, and they
rose up and blessed <b>Adam, and called him
Michael, the prince, the archangel</b>.”
D&C 107:53-54<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the book,
“LDS Beliefs” (published 2011) Brent L. Top explains, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“Adam was known as Michael, the prince, the
archangel… Undoubtedly, the archangel
joined with the Father and the Son in governing the kingdom of heaven and
preparing the earth. President Brigham
Young taught that ‘Father Adam came to assist in organizing the earth out of
the crude material that was found’ (Journal of Discourses, 16:167). Likewise, President Joseph Fielding Smith
taught: ‘It is true that Adam helped to
form this earth. He labored with our Savior
Jesus Christ’…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just as Michael helped prepare the earth, so will the
postmortal Adam play a deeply significant role in preparing the earth for the
Second Coming and the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom. He ministered to the Prophet Joseph Smith…” pg. 21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let me just
point out here that the Bible teaches that angels are a different species from
man, so Adam would have to be a hybrid of some sort- which the Bible says
absolutely nothing about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(If you are
subscribed to this blog, you will the article on Angels when it comes out, and
there will be more information on this subject.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS
scriptures also teach that the term, “Ancient of Days” from Daniel chapter 7
refers to Adam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“…it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his
people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the
prophet.” (D&C 116:1)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Daniel, in his seventh chapter speaks of the Ancient
of Days; he means the oldest man, our father, Adam, Michael…” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church 3:386)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“This is one of the
laughable and lamentable mistakes of Joseph Smith because the Bible is clear
that this revelation refers to deity; namely, and uniquely, first to the
Father, and then the Son – not Adam.”<sup>1<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The second
president and prophet of the LDS Church, Brigham Young taught that Adam was
none other than God the Father, Himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“How much unbelief exists in the minds of the
Latter-day Saints in regard to one particular doctrine which is revealed to
them, and which God revealed to me – namely that Adam is our father and
God” (Brigham Young, Deseret News, June
18, 1873, p. 308)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although Brigham
Young proclaimed this to be DOCTRINE, the LDS Church today discourages its
members to believe it, calling it only a theory. They chose to carry on with the belief that
Adam is Michael the archangel, instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">(More references
about these beliefs can be found at </span><a href="http://www.utlm.org/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">www.utlm.org</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I know the
Mormon Church REALLY wants people to consider them to be Christian. However, like most of their beliefs, the LDS
belief about the Adam is NOT Biblical, and therefore, NOT consistent with
Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On the subject of the Adam, the LDS
religion <b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to
Face: An A to Z Doctrinal Comparative
between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity” by Shawn Aaron McCraney
(2011) pg. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">7</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-42069091754428234182011-12-20T20:08:00.000-07:002011-12-20T20:12:25.291-07:00The Aaronic Priesthood<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">The
Aaronic Priesthood<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By
Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Quotes from the Mormon
Teachings in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As with so many
other Biblical terms, LDS leadership has taken “Aaronic Priesthood”, and
created a completely different meaning for it.
They have twisted it and added to it so much that it’s not even
recognizable as the Biblical priesthood it truthfully is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let’s take a
look at what the Aaronic Priesthood meant in the Bible…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, the Aaronic
Priesthood was hereditary and was non-transferable to anyone outside the
descendants of Levi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In his book,
“Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face”, Shawn McCraney
explains this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “When Moses led the children of
Israel out of Egypt, the ancient manner of “head-of-household” priests was
still being observed by them. But on
Mount Sinai, a change in this ancient practice was made. Exodus 28 teaches us that God had a
hereditary priesthood take over. The
heritage assigned to the priesthood line was the tribe of Levi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are two important things to
remember; </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">first,
there were <i>priests</i> in this hereditary
priesthood; and second, there were <i>high
priests</i>. A man’s Levitical lineage
determined the two. You see, Levi had
three sons whose names were Gershon, Merari, and Kohath (Genesis 46:11). Kohath had a son named Amram (Exodus 6:18);
and Amram had sons named Aaron and Moses (Numbers 26:59).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Got
that? ONLY those men who came from the
Levi/Kohath/Amram/Aaron line could be <i>high
priests</i> while the rest of the sons of Levi – the offspring of Gershon and
Merari – acted as <i>priests,</i> subordinated
to Aaron’s line in their temple duties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How
important were these hereditary lines in this priesthood? Well, let me blow your mind a bit here. Not even JESUS himself, being from the tribe
of Judah, could officiate in the Levitical priesthood duties as either a high
priest or a priest. Don’t believe
me? Hebrews 7:14 <i><span style="color: red;">For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which
tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.</span></i>”<sup>1<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">During the
rebuilding of Solomon’s temple, some Aaronic priests returned from exile. They could not find their family records to <i>prove</i> that they were in Aaron’s line, so
they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. (Nehemiah 7:63-64)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So being in the
correct line, and proving that lineage was absolutely essential for anyone to
participate in the Aaronic priesthood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Second</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, in the Bible,
everything the Aaronic priests did was for <i>the
one and only purpose</i> to point forward to the <b>finished work</b> of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“This
leads us perhaps [to] the most important point relative to the misapplication
of the Aaronic priesthood today by the LDS.
The Aaronic priests represented the people before God, and offered the
various blood sacrifices which were all <i>shadows
of the coming Messiah</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once
a year, on the day of atonement, the high priest<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who
came from the Kohath line of Levi,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who
had to be between 30 and 50 years of age,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who
had been purified ritualistically like no other,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who
had to be dressed in severely restricted and detailed ways,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
who would perform rites and rituals <i>exactly</i>
as God commanded him…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">…would enter the
Holy of Holies alone and once a year offer sacrifice to God for the sins of the
people <i>as a type of the Messiah who was
to come! </i> This was the reason it was
on earth! It pointed to the <i>finished work</i> of Jesus.”<sup>2<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now, what do the
LDS say about the Aaronic Priesthood? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the LDS
publication, “True to the Faith” says, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“Joseph Smith… and his scribe Oliver Cowdery went into the woods to
inquire of the Lord concerning baptism.
As they prayed, ‘a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of
light.’ This messenger was John the
Baptist, the prophet who had baptized Jesus Christ centuries earlier. John the Baptist, now a resurrected being,
laid his hands on Joseph and on Oliver and conferred upon each of them the
Aaronic Priesthood, which had been taken from the earth during the Great
Apostasy. With this authority, Joseph
and Oliver were able to baptize one another. (See Joseph Smith – History
1:68-72)<sup>3</sup></span></span><sup><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS Church
wants its members to believe that John the Baptist gave the Aaronic Priesthood
to Joseph and Oliver without the slightest consideration as to whether or not
they are descendants of Aaron. In fact,
the LDS Church doesn’t even pretend that Joseph and Oliver were in the lineage
of Aaron, or even in the general tribe of Levi.
The Church acts like heredity doesn’t even matter anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not only that,
but the Aaronic Priesthood had nothing to do with baptism, or any authority to
baptize. But according to Mormonism, it
suddenly does?!?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“In the Church today, worthy male members may receive
the Aaronic Priesthood beginning at age 12.”<sup>4<o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So any 12 year
old boy who is considered “worthy” by his bishop can receive the Aaronic
Priesthood. (In Mormonism being worthy
means you are keeping all the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Church – these
include the 10 commandments, paying a full tithing, obeying the Mormon dietary
laws called the “Word of Wisdom”, and supporting and sustaining all the LDS
leaders, to name a few).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">They believe
that the Aaronic Priesthood is a <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“…lesser priesthood, which is a preparatory priesthood – preparing and
training its worthy possessors to receive the Melchizidek Priesthood…”<sup>5<o:p></o:p></sup></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Remember that in
the Bible, the sole purpose of the Aaronic Priesthood is to point forward to
the finished work of Jesus Christ? Well,
in Mormonism the Aaronic Priesthood points forward to….the Melchizidek
Priesthood – NOT CHRIST! (More on the
Melchizidek Priesthood coming up later this year in another article).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the Bible,
the Aaronic Priesthood had two positions – priest, and high priest – that’s
all. But in Mormonism, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“the offices in the Aaronic
Priesthood now include bishop, priest, teacher, and deacon…”<sup>6<o:p></o:p></sup></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Finally, in the
book, “LDS Beliefs”, A.C. Skinner inserts the Aaronic Priesthood into a
Biblical passage that has absolutely nothing to do with the priesthood. He says, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“The lesser priesthood was a ‘schoolmaster’ to bring or
prepare Israel to understand and receive Christ (Galatians 3:24)<sup>7<o:p></o:p></sup></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let’s take a
look at Galatians 3:24-25… <span style="color: #c00000;">“Therefore the law was
our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer
under a tutor.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some
translations of the Bible use the word “tutor”, and some use the word,
“schoolmaster”. But either word refers
to THE LAW – not the Aaronic Priesthood.
Even if “law” means “Aaronic Priesthood” (which it doesn’t), this verse
says that it is a tutor to lead us to Christ where we are justified (made
perfect) by FAITH. Then once we have
that faith, we no longer need the tutor!
So if the Aaronic Priesthood is this tutor, or schoolmaster, this verse says
we no longer need it! This is a perfect
example of how the LDS Church inserts their own doctrines into the Bible
without understanding what the Bible really teaches. It just doesn’t make sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS belief
about the Aaronic Priesthood is NOT Biblical, and therefore, NOT consistent
with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of
the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On the subject of the Aaronic
Priesthood, the LDS religion <b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to
Face: An A to Z Doctrinal Comparative
between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity” by Shawn Aaron McCraney
(2011) pg. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">460-1</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">2 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ibid</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> pg </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">463-4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">3 </span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">“True to
the Faith: A Gospel Reference” published
by the First Presidency of the LDS Church in 2004 pg. 3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">4</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <i>Ibid </i>pg. 3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">5</span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> “LDS
Beliefs: A Doctrinal Reference” by Robert L. Millet, Camille Fronk Olson,
Andrew C. Skinner, and Brent L. Top.
(2011), pg 4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">6 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ibid </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">pg 5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">7 </span></sup><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ibid</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> pg 5</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-8339221490274076472011-12-13T20:56:00.002-07:002011-12-13T20:56:48.136-07:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Color Key:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quotes from the
Ensign in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quotes from the
Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All my own words
are black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Work
First, Atonement Second?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By
Connie Raddon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the monthly sections of the Ensign is “We Talk of Christ”. In the December issue, this article is
written by Michael D. Woodbury. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Woodbury
states, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“Because of the Atonement, I will be
resurrected and any physical pain will be wiped away. My wife, children, and I are sealed together
as an eternal family. The Atonement made
that possible too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This goes against what the Bible teaches.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">The Sadducees were questioning Jesus. They posed a
hypothetical situation about a woman who married each of seven brothers after
the previous one died.</span> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">They asked who she would be married to after she was
resurrected.</span> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">“Jesus said to them,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Is this
not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or
the power of God?</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For when they rise from
the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in
heaven.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">Mark 12:24-25</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Woodbury goes on to say, </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“<b>IF </b>we move forward with <b>FAITH</b>
in our Savior as we pass through the <b>TRIALS</b>
of life and <b>ENDURE </b>to the end<b>,</b> the Atonement will provide the path
we need to follow, with the glorious promise of eternal life waiting at the
end.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Notice how all these
things are based on what WE do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">WE have faith… WE pass
through trials…WE endure to the end…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The “glorious promise of eternal life” that Woodbury refers
to depends on…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moving forward with <b>FAITH</b>
in our Savior. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Passing through the <b>TRIALS</b>
of life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ENDURING</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> to the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When the LDS leadership talk about “passing through trials”
and “enduring to the end”, it’s not very clear what they mean. When I was a Mormon, I understood that “enduring
to the end” meant overcoming all the trials in life by remaining obedient to
all the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Church. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The following paragraphs will explain what the Bible says
about FAITH, passing through TRIALS, and ENDURING to the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">FAITH: The Bible teaches that faith is something that we can’t
get for ourselves. It is a gift from
God. <span style="color: red;">1 John
5:4 “For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world. And this is the
victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” </span>Our faith is born of God. We can’t even take credit for our faith
because IT is a gift from God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">TRIALS: The article says that we must overcome our
trials. The Bible also teaches that we
will have trials. The difference is the
LDS teach that you must overcome your trials in order to prove yourself worthy
of the benefits of the atonement, and eternal life. The Bible, on the other
hand, teaches that once you are born again, the Holy Spirit is with you always
– renewing you and strengthening you.
All the glory and all the credit goes to God when you overcome a
trial. If you believe you overcome it on
your own strength, all the glory and credit goes to YOU. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus is speaking to his disciples in John Chapter 15 about
how we must rely on Christ. <span style="color: red;">John 15:5 “I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who
abides in Me, and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”</span> Trials are overcome with the power of God. The glory is His. We don’t deserve the credit, God does.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ENDURE: Like I said
before, most Mormons understand this to mean overcoming your trials on a
continual basis by obeying all the laws and ordinances of Mormonism. In the Bible, Paul speaks to the Philippians
about how he has learned to be content no matter what happens. Christ will give him whatever he needs. <span style="color: red;">Phil 4:13 “I can do
all things through Chirst who strengthens me.”
</span>We endure because God gives us every single thing that provides
endurance. To take any credit is to rob
God of His glory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, this article explains that you must have faith, overcome
your trials, and endure to the end FIRST.
THEN you will have earned, or been “worthy” to receive the benefits of the
atonement. And according to Woodbury,
the atonement will provide the path. This
means your work is not finished. The
atonement only provides <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“the
path we need to follow.” </span>In Mormonism, following that path means to obey
all the laws and ordinances of Mormonism, like going to the temple, paying a
full tithing, obeying the Word of Wisdom (dietary laws), just to name a few. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So let me point out
that if the promise of eternal life comes to us after we have done all these
things to earn it, then the credit and glory for this accomplishment would be
ours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible says something very different:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace we are saved, through faith, and that <b><i>not of yourselves</i></b>, it is
the gift of God, <b><i>not of works</i></b>, so that no one can boast.” </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the Bible, “saved” means the same thing as “eternal life”, or “exaltation” in
Mormonism. Paul is trying to teach the
believers in Ephesis that they do not need to earn eternal life through
obedience to laws. He says that eternal
life can’t come from works, because then people would be able to boast and take
credit for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So once again, let’s review what Woodbury said. <span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“If we move forward with faith in our Savior as we pass through the
trials of life and endure to the end, the Atonement will provide the path we
need to follow, <b><i>with the glorious promise of eternal life waiting at the end</i></b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He says the promise of eternal life comes after our trials,
endurance, and obedience. But the Bible
says we can be saved right now… immediately… currently… in the present. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me <b><i>has everlasting life</i></b>, and
shall not come into judgment, but <b><i>has passed</i></b> from death into life.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This means that once you believe, or have faith, you have
eternal life immediately. You just
happen to be spending the first few years of your eternal life here on
earth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Notice how Jesus does not say that he who believes WILL HAVE
everlasting life. He says instead, he
who believes HAS everlasting life, and HAS PASSED from death to life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
teachings in this article are NOT Biblical, and therefore,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT
consistent with Christian beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the
Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have accepted that challenge from
Brigham Young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the December 2011 issue of the
Ensign, the LDS religion <b><span style="background: yellow; color: #6600cc; mso-highlight: yellow;">FAILS</span></b>
this test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-72711444080351819962011-11-28T17:42:00.001-07:002011-12-12T11:47:37.503-07:00October 2011 Conference Issue: Thomas Monson<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Color Key:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from Thomas Monson in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">Stand in Holy Places</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The November 2011 Ensign is entirely dedicated to the messages that were given in the October 2011 sessions of General Conference. The leadership of the LDS Church give talks on different subjects that they feel the general LDS population needs to hear. I would like to focus on what their prophet, Thomas S. Monson had to say in his talk entitled, “Stand in Holy Places”. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article begins by explaining the moral decay that is going on in society today. He says that </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Behaviors which once were considered inappropriate and immoral are now not only tolerated but also viewed by ever so many as acceptable.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible also tells of societies which fell into moral decay – Genesis 18 and 19<span style="color: #c0504d;"> </span>tell of the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the book of Judges, the Israelites “did what was right in their own eyes” and were told by God how unrighteous they were.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Both the LDS Church and the Bible point out that immoral behavior and wickedness exist. Monson, however, turns away from Biblical teachings when he explains that righteous “moral behavior” comes by way of us taking control of our lives, controlling our behavior and our environment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“…there is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing </i>which can bring more joy into our lives or more peace to our souls than the Spirit <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">which can come to us as we follow the Savior and keep the commandments</b>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That Spirit cannot be present at the kinds of activities in which so much of the world participates</b>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible teaches that once the Holy Spirit dwells in us, He will never leave. He is not limited to being present only when we are at the right kinds of activities.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John 14:16: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>forever</u></b>.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">These were the words of Jesus. He also said, <span style="color: #c0504d;">(Matt.28:20) “…and lo, I am with you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>always</u></b>, even to the end of the age.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The apostle Paul declared the truth: ‘The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ The term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">natural man</i> can refer to any of us <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">if we allow ourselves to be so</b>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We are all “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">natural man</i>” until we accept Christ’s righteousness in substitute of our own and turn our lives over to Him. Then the Holy Spirit moves in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">permanently</i> and changes us.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2 Corinthians 5:17-18 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God changes us. We cannot take any credit. We don’t have the power to “allow ourselves” to flip flop between having the Holy Spirit in us and not; between being a “natural man” and being a “spiritual man”. That power is God’s alone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">ETERNAL LIFE:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible teaches that eternal life in the kingdom of God is not ours to surrender – it is a gift from God. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life;…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God’s grace is what gives us eternal life in the kingdom of God. He gives that freely as a gift to those who believe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But Monson claims that moral behavior is necessary for eternal life in the kingdom of God.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“We must be vigilant in a world which has moved so far from that which is spiritual. It is essential that we reject anything that does not conform to our standards, refusing in the process to surrender that which we desire most: eternal life in the kingdom of God.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson’s teachings are NOT Biblical, and therefore, NOT consistent with Christian beliefs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the November 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I sincerely thank my research partner, Art Haglund. </span></span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-71087762842841522942011-10-25T18:58:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:48:17.149-07:00The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">“The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The October 2011 Ensign magazine is dedicated entirely to the Book of Mormon. One article is called, “The Book of Mormon: A Witness with the Bible”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will test the Book of Mormon as a “witness”, as this article claims that it is. The introduction to the Book of Mormon begins, “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In this article, I am going to take a look at the evidence for both the Bible and the Book of Mormon being witnesses of Christ. Like in a courtroom, we will place them both on the stand and examine their evidence. You are the judge.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: If you claim to be a witness of Christ, you must be accurate. What proof do you have that you have been copied accurately?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bible: </span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">My Old Testament can be compared to the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back nearly to the time of Christ. They contain the entire Old Testament with the exception of the Book of Esther. Over 98% of today’s Bible is consistent with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The inconsistencies are very insignificant, and don’t change words or meanings. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">My New Testament has more written manuscripts, earlier manuscripts, and more accurately copied manuscripts than any other book in the ancient world. </span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since early forms of paper are not very durable, there are no complete individual copies of my entire New or Old Testaments, yet there are over 5,500 fragments that have survived and contain the totality of the New Testament.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(The second book in the running is Homer’s Iliad, having 643 copies within 500 years of the original.) If an error took place in copying one of those manuscripts, it would stand out like a sore thumb among all the other manuscripts. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon: </span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately, there are no original manuscripts. The plates that I was translated from are back in heaven. The first publication was in 1830. Since then there have been over 3,000 changes. Only a few change the meaning of the text significantly. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Book of Mormon was published in 1830. However in the next printing, in 1837, thousands of words were changed. While most of these changes were to correct spelling or grammar, a few definitely affected the meaning of the text.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In four places the phrase "the son of" was added to verses speaking of God.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7835470178810727815" name="aa14"></a> For instance, on page 25 of the first edition is a prophecy of the coming Messiah: "the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh." This was changed in 1837 to read, "... Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of <b>the Son of</b> God" (1 Nephi 11:18), thus altering the concept of God from Modalism to a more traditional Trinitarian view.) </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Additional changes have been made since Smith's death. In 1981 a change was made to obscure the racial teachings in the Book of Mormon. In the Book of Mormon story the Israelites who came to the Americas divided into Nephites (the followers of God) and Lamanites (those in rebellion against God). The Lamanites were given a "skin of blackness" due to their rebellion,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7835470178810727815" name="aa17"></a> but in 2 Nephi 30:6 they were promised that at some future time, when they repented, they would become "a <b>white</b> and delightsome people." This verse was changed in 1981 to read: "a <b>pure</b> and delightsome people."<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7835470178810727815" name="aa18"></a> However, the book still retains its racial position of dark skin as a mark of God's displeasure.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7835470178810727815" name="aa19"></a>)</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">utlm.org/newsletter/116</span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: If you claim to be a witness of Christ, your stories must be true. Can you prove the geography of your stories?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bible: </span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes! Today you can visit cities and rivers that existed when I was written. For example, the Jordan River, Sea of Galilee, Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Jericho, and Bethlehem are all still in the same place. Just look at all the maps in the back of any Bible. I can show you exactly where the Land of Canaan was, where Jesus was born, lived, and died, and where Paul and the other apostles travelled. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon:</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The LDS Church takes no official position on the geography of the Book of Mormon.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(I would like to point out that the general membership of the Church believes the Book of Mormon stories took place in Central America. Many paintings, illustrations, and films produced by the LDS Church show scenes from the Book of Mormon with Mayan temples, clothing, and artifacts that give the impression of the scene taking place in Central America.) </span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: If you claim to be a witness of Christ, the people you speak of must have existed. What proof do you have that you have they did actually live?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bible: </span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many of my people still exist today – the Jews, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks. There is much archeological evidence, as well as the written records left from these Empires. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon: </span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God promised that the Jaredites would become the greatest nation on earth. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ether 1:43 “And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth.”</i> </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(This verse is God speaking to Jared and his brother [Hebrew descendents], promising to send them to a promised land, which is the Americas.)</span></i><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(In Ether chapter 15, the Jaredite nation is utterly destroyed – one a man named Coriantumr remains. So the Jaredites did NOT become the greatest nation on earth)</span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The DNA evidence proves that the American Indians are actually from Asian descent, and NOT Hebrew like you claim. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon: </span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">You shouldn’t worry about those scientific or historical facts. Just read my pages and pray to know if I’m true. If you get a good feeling from the Holy Ghost, then you will know that I am true. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Moroni 10:4-5 “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things.”</span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: Tell me about the plants and animals that are recorded on your pages.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bible: </span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is reference to lions, sheep, cows, doves, donkeys, and whales. As for plants, there were palm trees, olive trees, and fig trees. All the animals and plants can be proven to have existed at the time and place I said they did by evidence outside the Bible. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon: </span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">My people also have cows, sheep, ox, and horses. And my pages mention many plants - including grains like wheat and barley that my people used for food.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: Book of Mormon, horses did not exist on the American continent when you claim to have taken place. They came much later when the Europeans arrived in America. Neither was wheat or barley found there. <span style="color: #0070c0;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Book of Mormon: </b>It’s really more important that you pray sincerely to know if I am true than it is to worry about animals and plants.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Questioner</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: Are there any outside sources that make any kind of reference to the people or places found in your stories?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bible: </span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Absolutely. The history of the Greeks and Romans mention Jesus, Pontius Pilate, and several of the King Herods. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon: </span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">No. There are no other writings of Jaredites, Nephites, or Lamanites. Unfortunately, there is ZERO manuscript evidence of my truthfulness because the gold plates were never copied – only translated from Reformed Egyptian by Joseph Smith, and then returned to heaven. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Question</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: Wait, you said “gold plates”. There was no technology available then to make plates of metal. There was no mining done prior to the Spanish conquest. Also, linguists today have never heard of such a language as “Reformed Egyptian”.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(In 1 Nephi Chapter 3, the story is claimed to take place in Jerusalem. That would mean that these records of the writings of the Holy Prophets were part of the Jewish records, which we have still with us. There are NO Jewish records, written on metal, as any part of the Royal (official) record, they are always, 100% of the time called scrolls).</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Question</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">: Both of you have stories of great battles taking place. Is there any evidence to support those stories?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bible: </span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes. On the sites where these battles have taken place many arrowheads have been found from both the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. Also, many skeletal remains have been found. The remains of horses and chariots are found in the Red Sea which supports the account found on my pages of the Israelites leaving Egypt. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book of Mormon: </span></b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">No. Millions died in a great battle on Hill Cumorah. The LDS Church owns that site, and doesn’t want to excavate it for trinkets. It’s a beautiful landscape. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(There is no evidence to support the claims of a Hebrew family leaving the Holy Land and populating the Americas.)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So now I turn to you, the reader. You be the judge. Based on the evidence of places, people, materials, weapons, plants, animals, language, records, technology, and culture, is the Book of Mormon “<span style="color: #2f393a;">a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible”? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Is the Book of Mormon a credible “witness with the Bible”?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Are you willing to base your salvation on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon’s witness of Christ?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God gave you a mind to search these things out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you are interested in more information, I would recommend this one hour documentary on “The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon”</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtq62XQ4jw"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtq62XQ4jw</span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the October 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I sincerely thank my research partner, Art Haglund. </span></div>
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<br /></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-82816681007137599602011-08-10T15:48:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:50:12.251-07:00Family<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Ensign article in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each Ensign Magazine has a section entitled, “What We Believe”. In the August 2011 Ensign, this section has an article called “God Sends Us To Earth As a Member of a Family”. This is an official message from the leadership of the LDS Church. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For references, the article cites </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS teaching manual, “Gospel Principles 2009” pg 207-11</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">M. Russell Ballard, ‘What Matters Most is What Lasts Longest’ Ensign Nov. 2005 pg 41-44</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article begins by saying, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Our Father in Heaven has a plan for us, and sending us to earth as members of a family is part of that plan… God wants His spirit children to receive a physical body. When parents bring children into this world, they are helping our Heavenly Father carry out His plan of salvation. They welcome into their family each new child as a child of God.”</span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible does not teach that families are a part of God’s plan of salvation. God’s plan for our salvation was <span style="color: #c00000;">“…that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 </span>No family required – only belief.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible does not teach that God had spirit children that needed to come to earth to get a physical body. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible does not teach that we need to “help” Heavenly Father carry out His plan of salvation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All the work required for salvation was completed by Jesus on the cross. <span style="color: #c00000;">“Therefore, when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” John 19:30</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Notice how Jesus didn’t say, “It is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">almost</i></b> finished… now everyone just needs a family.” That’s how ridiculous it sounds to say that we can do anything to “help” Heavenly Father carry out his plan of salvation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible teaches that we are NOT born as children of God, but BECOME children of God when we believe in Jesus Christ. <span style="color: #c00000;">“…but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father! The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,” Romans 8:15-16</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">become</b> the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next paragraph says, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Our Heavenly Father knew that being a member of a family provides each of us the best opportunity to be loved and cared for while on earth.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible does not say anything like this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This statement comes from a myopic view that assumes children born into families are also born into a loving and caring environment. Some children are much better off being born and placed immediately into an orphanage than they would be in a home that was full of addiction or abuse.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“As family members give encouragement and praise to one another, feelings of confidence and love grow.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This statement teaches three things that are against Biblical truth:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> It teaches that love is a feeling. Love might bring feelings with it, but it alone is NOT a feeling. In Titus 2:4, we read that older women are to help younger women to love their husbands. <span style="color: #c00000;">“so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands…”</span> Young women already have that “feeling” of being in love. They must be taught, encouraged, and helped so that they can learn how to CHOOSE real love – as a behavior, not a feeling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It teaches that we can expect our confidence and love to be built up by other people. This is an “outside-in” perspective. God changes us from the inside out. All our trust and confidence should be in Him – not our families. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It teaches that our “feelings” matter. We are commanded to love – not to feel love. We are commanded to love no matter what other people may do. <span style="color: #c00000;">Ephesians 5:2 “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you…” </span>Christ loves us even when we don’t love Him back. That kind of love is a choice about how to behave – not a feeling that can come and go based on the weather, our hormones, our schedules, and thousands of other factors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article also says, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“Successful families show hope and persistence in sustaining each family member in individual needs and in helping each other learn and work together in love. Their goal is to become a joyful, eternal family unit.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is an impossible standard for families. I think it’s not only unfair, but unkind for the LDS leaders to suggest to their members what their family should be doing in order to be a successful family. In other words, if your family does not help each individual member meet their needs, and help each other learn and work together in love, your family is not successful. And what do you call an unsuccessful family (other than normal)? UNSUCCESSFUL. By this LDS created standard, I do not know one single family that is “successful”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">After I was divorced and re-married, I was part of a blended family. Some days it was all we could do to tolerate each other and the constant rotation of living arrangements. His kids at our house sometimes, my daughter at her dad’s house sometimes, everyone at our house sometimes, no one at our house sometimes… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every Sunday it seemed like at least one thing was mentioned about eternal families. It was like rubbing salt in my wound over and over and over. My family was broken and “UNSUCCESSFUL”… with absolutely no hope for healing. I didn’t even know what family I would be a part of if I made it to the Celestial Kingdom. I felt like a failure and a disappointment to God because the LDS Church had always taught me that the FAMILY was the center of God’s plan of salvation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well… not mine, apparently.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article ends with, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God… The family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible says that the central plan for God’s creating us in the first place is for His own good pleasure and glory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God will not share His glory with anyone or anything.<span style="color: #c00000;"> Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another…”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Isaiah 48:11 “…And My glory I will not give to another.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Making the family “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">central</b>” to God’s plan is replacing God with the family unit. It is giving God less glory, and giving the family unit more. The family unit doesn’t deserve ANY glory – and to hold it up where God should be is blasphemy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the August 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I sincerely thank my research partner, Art Haglund. </span></div>
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<br /></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-27985311585952403322011-07-16T12:05:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:51:27.325-07:00WORK: An Eternal Principle???<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each Ensign Magazine has a section entitled, “What We Believe”. In the July 2011 Ensign, this section has an article called “WORK is An Eternal Principle”. This is an official message from the leadership of the LDS Church. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For references, the article cites </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS books: “Doctrine & Covenants” and “Pearl of Great Price”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS teaching manual, “Gospel Principles 2009” pg 155-60</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article begins by saying, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ worked to create the heavens and the earth… Their example shows us that work is important in heaven and on earth.”</span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t see anywhere in the Genesis account of the creation an emphasis, or even a suggestion that work is an important eternal principle. The account shows an awesome God creating something from nothing. His “work” is so far above our comprehension, that it demonstrates how much greater He is than we are. It demands giving God glory and praise. There is no explanation of whether it’s a great labor for God or not. This isn’t a work ethic lesson from God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then the reference, John 5:17 is given in the article as a support for this idea. The Bible verse, however, has nothing to do with a good or eternal work ethic. That becomes clear when you include verse 16.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Pharisees were upset with Jesus, because He was breaking the Sabbath, and calling Himself equal with God. But the LDS church also teaches to not work on the Sabbath, and that Jesus is not equal with God. So they are actually on the side of the Pharisees in this story. This verse does NOT support the point they are trying to make.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“When God created man and woman in His own image, He placed them in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 1:26-27; 2:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is correct. The Garden of Eden was perfect. It produced all that man needed with no human effort. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Later, when they were cast out of the garden, the Lord said to Adam, ‘In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread’ (Genesis 3:19). From that time on, Adam and eve worked to provide for their own needs and the needs of their children.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is true, too. But as a Mormon, I was always taught that the fall of Adam was a<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">good</b></i> thing. It wasn’t. It was a sin. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> God also cursed the land as a punishment for that sin. All humans are born into this sinful state, and also under the punishment of having to work to provide for our needs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> As a Mormon, I always had the idea that God gave Adam and Eve two commandments, which could not possibly both be kept. It was necessary to break one in order to keep the other. Although it was a tiny little thought in the back of my brain somewhere, it justified sin to me. I could always imagine that I HAD to lie, disobey, cheat, lust, be angry, etc… in order for God’s bigger purpose to happen in my life. It made sense to me. It was a logical example of the Adam and Eve “paradox” and how it applied to my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The problem with that idea is that SIN IS NEVER OK WITH GOD. So, it caused me to minimize God’s holiness, and his absolute perfection, and believe that sin was ok with God depending on the situation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the following points, notice where the focus is. It is on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">us</b>… our works, our blessings, and our feelings. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>responsible</u></b> to care for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ourselves</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our families</b>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Our works)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Parents have a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>sacred duty</u></b> to care for their children. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Our works)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Children <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>will be blessed</u></b> as they care for their aging parents. (see 1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8) </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Our blessings)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 Tim 5:3-4, 8 “Honor widows who are really widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God… But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is no promise of any <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">blessing</b> in these verses. The chapter is talking about how families should take care of their own so that they are not a burden on the church. Not only that, but these verses are specifically talking about widows – NOT aging parents. This verse does NOT support the point they are trying to make.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>should</u></b> help members of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">our</b> extended family when possible. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Our works)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>strengthen our character</u></b> and develop work skills. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Focus on ourselves)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>feel</u></b> the joy of God’s plan for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">us</b> on earth. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Our feelings)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We become more prepared and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>self-reliant</u></b> as we build a three-month supply of food, water, and other necessities. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Rely on ourselves)<span style="color: #4f81bd;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">These points are all about us… What we should do and what we will get. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus only gave His believers TWO commandments: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matthew 22:37-40 “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus also promised His believers that if they would place their trust 100% in Him, they would be filled with the Holy Spirit as a constant, permanent companion. The Holy Spirit will guide all of us in how to keep this commandment to love – day by day, person to person, and situation to situation. By studying God’s Word (the Bible), and having His Spirit living in us, we have an intimate, direct line to God. But the LDS church stands between its members and God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Church leaders tell the members whom to love (families, children, aging parents), when to love, and how to love. Then it promises blessings that don’t exist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article says, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“Blessings come to us as a result of work.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible says that you will probably have a much rougher time here on earth once you are a believer:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The only blessing God promises is eternal life (salvation, being saved, living in heaven with Him). And that blessing only comes through faith. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>NOT OF WORKS</u></b> lest anyone should boast.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS Church has no right to promise these blessings. It caused me to expect blessings because of my own righteousness. I believed that if I obeyed what God said to do, he was somehow bound by law to give me the blessings that I had earned. This made me confused and frustrated when I thought I was keeping all the commandments and doing everything that God wanted me to do, and yet still struggling with finances, or relationships, or school, or career or raising my daughter, etc. The Church kept promising that if I was obedient, I would be blessed. So I kept spinning in my little hamster wheel as fast as I could so I could be blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wish that I could have known then what I know now – that Jesus completed <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ALL</b> the work necessary for my salvation, and if I trust in Him 100%, he will give me peace, and he will give me rest. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matt 11:30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the July 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I sincerely thank my research partner, Art Haglund. </span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-4280014953684736612011-07-01T11:50:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:51:48.280-07:00The Priesthood Part 2: Offices<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Ensign article in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">Priesthood (Part Two): Offices</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each Ensign Magazine has a section entitled, “What We Believe”. In the June 2011 Ensign, this section has an article called “Priesthood is the Authority To Act In God’s Name”. This is an official message from the leadership of the LDS Church. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For references, the article cites </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS scriptures (mainly the Doctrine & Covenants), </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS teaching manual, “Gospel Principles 2009” pg 67-80</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS published book entitled, “True to the Faith”, pg 124-128</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article outlines the offices that worthy men can hold in each of the LDS orders of priesthood. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The offices and some of the duties of the Melchizedek Priesthood:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elders</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.” (D&C 20:41)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">High Priests</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “administer in spiritual things” and have “a right to officiate in” the offices of elder, priest, teacher, and deacon.” (D&C 107:12)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Patriarchs</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> give patriarchal blessings. (See D&C 107:53; 124:91-93)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Seventies</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> preach the gospel and are special witnesses of Jesus Christ under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. (See D&C 107:25, 34)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">5.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Apostles</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> serve as “special witnesses of the name of Christ in the entire world.” (D&C 107:23)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are ZERO “offices” in the Melchizedek Priesthood in the Bible. Therefore, the LDS Melchizedek Priesthood is not a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">restoration</i></b> of the Biblical Priesthood. Restoring something is bringing it back to its original state. The LDS priesthood is something completely different from the Biblical priesthood. Many of the same words are used, but they have different meanings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">These office titles are found in the Bible, but not in connection with the priesthood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">ELDER: The purpose of an elder as set forth by Paul is similar to what the LDS call a bishop. But there can be more than one elder for one church. The qualifications and duties of an elder are found in <span style="color: #c00000;">Titus 1:6-9 “…above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of rebellion…God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick tempered, not addicted to wine… but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just devout, self-controlled… to exhort in sound doctrine, and to refute those who contradict.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So according to the Bible, none of the prophets or leaders of the LDS church could qualify to be an elder until after Wilford Woodruff wrote the Manifesto in 1890 claiming that the LDS Church would no longer practice polygamy, and only then if they stopped practicing polygamy and became the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">husband of one wife</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another interesting point is that according to the Bible, an elder can drink wine, as long as he is not addicted to it. (The LDS “Word of Wisdom”, which prohibits drinking wine is in contradiction with the Bible).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Biblical purpose for an elder is to teach doctrine and refute any contradictions to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">HIGH PRIEST: The High Priest is an office of the Aaronic priesthood – not Melchizedek. The Bible also says that there can only be one living high priest. His duty was to make a sacrificial atonement for the sins of all the people once a year. The Bible also says that Jesus is our final and permanent High Priest. So anyone claiming to be a high priest is not only in contradiction with the Bible, but is committing blasphemy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">PATRIARCH: This word is just another way of saying ancestral father, or oldest living male in the family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">SEVENTY: Jesus had approximately seventy disciples who abandoned him – is this what the LDS are referring to???? (There are no other references to an office titled “Seventy”)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">APOSTLE: Jesus Christ Himself – personally called the twelve apostles. Judas died before the mission of the apostles began, so Jesus called another to fill the vacancy: Paul. The other eleven apostles took it upon themselves to “vote” in a twelfth. They chose Matthias. But that is the last we hear of him. Paul, whom Jesus called, went on to write most of the New Testament. So a true apostle cannot be called of men, either by voting or working your way up through the ranks. The apostles were also eye witnesses of the resurrected Jesus Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">To my knowledge, none of the LDS apostles have had Christ appear to them. If He has, they should be proclaiming it loudly to the world because that was the purpose and duty of an apostle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When I was a young Mormon, I heard things said during talks at General Conference that sort of, almost, in a roundabout way insinuated that the apostle speaking had seen Christ. But I was always told that this kind of revelation was far too sacred to share with the public, so they couldn’t come right out and admit it. Now I know that this is exactly the opposite of what an apostle is supposed to do!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article then describes the offices in the Aaronic Priesthood.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The offices and some of the duties of the Aaronic Priesthood:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Deacons </span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">pass the sacrament.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teachers </span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them.” (D&C 20:53)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Priests</span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “teach,… baptize and administer the sacrament and visit the house of each member.” (D&C 20:46-47)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bishops </span></b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">are presidents of the priests quorum and, as high priests, preside over all members in a ward. (See D&C 107:87-88)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">DEACON: The office of a deacon in the Bible is not related to a priesthood. It is very much like an elder. Deacons must fulfill the same qualifications as an elder. (Titus 1:6-9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since the LDS Church gives the office of “deacon” to twelve year old boys, the question begs to be asked… “Are they all husbands of one wife with believing children?” Obviously not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">TEACHER: The only way the Bible refers to Teachers is when the person is actually teaching. Once again, this title is not related to a priesthood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">PRIEST: The other article for the June 2011 Ensign (part 1) covers this in much more depth. Priests must be able to prove their lineage to be from Aaron. They also had to be at least twenty five years old. The LDS church gives this office to any worthy male who is fourteen or older, regardless of their lineage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">BISHOP: Bishops are the same as a pastor – and their duties include, training, teaching evangelizing, and appointing other leaders. Bishops in the LDS Church hardly do any training, teaching, or evangelizing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the June 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.</span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-24108567289790845642011-06-11T15:26:00.001-06:002011-12-12T11:52:02.149-07:00The Priesthood Part One: Melchizedek and Aaronic<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Ensign article in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">Priesthood (Part One): Melchizedek and Aaronic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each Ensign Magazine has a section entitled, “What We Believe”. In the June 2011 Ensign, this section has an article called “Priesthood is the Authority To Act In God’s Name”. This is an official message from the leadership of the LDS Church. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For references, the article cites </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS scriptures (mainly the Doctrine & Covenants), </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS teaching manual, “Gospel Principles 2009” pg 67-80</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LDS published book entitled, “True to the Faith”, pg 124-128</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article begins, </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“To govern His [Father in Heaven’s] Church on earth, He delegates a portion of His power and authority to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b> male members of the Church. This delegated authority is called priesthood.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In last month’s blog article (May 2011), the topic of being “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b>” was covered. So for now, we will skip over the heresy taught by the LDS Church that its members can be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b> by obedience to laws and ordinances – and we will continue on with the PRIESTHOOD.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“We see this pattern of delegated responsibility in the New Testament, when Jesus Christ gave His Apostles the authority to act in His name (see Matthew 16:19)”.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matt 16:19 – “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus is speaking to Peter, and giving Peter the “keys” of the “kingdom of heaven”. Giving keys is a metaphor for giving someone responsibility or even authority. The “Kingdom of Heaven” here on earth is Christ’s Church, which includes ALL believers. Jesus was giving Peter the responsibility to open up the gates of the Church on earth. Peter did this when he preached the gospel to the Jews, and then the Gentiles. This has nothing to do with deeming yourself WORTHY to act in God’s name. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">You can hear more about this verse in a clip from “Heart of the Matter”. The part about Matt. 16:19 starts at nine minutes into the program, and lasts eight and a half minutes. (The entire clip is an hour long.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://hotm.tv/shows/20110524.htm"><span style="color: purple;">http://hotm.tv/shows/20110524.htm</span></a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Those who hold the priesthood are authorized to act in God’s name in leading His Church and in administering the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sacred ordinances necessary for salvation</b>, such as baptism, confirmation, administration of the sacrament, and temple marriage.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">JUSTIFIED</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> means to “be declared righteous”. To have salvation, we all need to be declared righteous. Both Mormons and Christians believe that anyone who is NOT righteous cannot be in the presence of God, and therefore, cannot have salvation. However, the LDS church teaches that there are “sacred ordinances necessary for salvation”. The Bible clearly states that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">no one will be justified (saved, gain salvation) by the works of the law</b>. The Bible says we are saved by faith alone, in Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Temple marriage is the ordinance that most stressed me out. As a young woman, I felt I needed to find a worthy returned missionary and marry him as soon as I could. As most teen girls with a “fluctuating” self esteem, I often worried that I wasn’t attractive enough or worthy enough and might not get the chance to get married. Not only was I worried about getting married, I had to make sure I was worthy to go to the temple. If I didn’t get married, and have that marriage performed in the temple, I couldn’t live with God. That is an incredible amount of pressure for an immature, naïve 18 year old girl. My thoughts were focused on myself, on finding a husband, and on the temple. Jesus couldn’t really take up too much of my time, heart, or mind – I had too much work to do.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE PRIESTHOOD </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the LDS Church:</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“There are two divisions of the priesthood: Melchizedek and Aaronic.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the Bible:</span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">Melchizedek Priesthood</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible refers to a priesthood “<span style="color: #c00000;">according to the order of Melchizedek</span>” <span style="color: #c00000;">Heb. 7:11.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The person, Melchizedek was a “type”, or picture of Christ. Here are the similarities…</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">CHRIST</span></u></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">MELCHIZEDEK</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A priest</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 5:5-6</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A priest</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">From the tribe of Judah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:14</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not from the tribe of Levi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Superior to Abraham</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Abraham paid tithes to</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">No beginning or end</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rev 1:8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Beginning and end are unknown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Prince of peace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Isaiah 9:6</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">King of peace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Only Christ could hold the “priesthood according to Melchizedek”. <span style="color: #c00000;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:17 “For it is attested of Him, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heb 7:24 “but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">No one other than Christ can qualify for the priesthood without being in the line of Aaron, deserves tithes from Abraham, has no beginning and no end, and is called the King of Peace. Therefore, no one other than Christ can have the Melchizedek priesthood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Joseph Smith claimed that Peter, James, and John appeared to him and Oliver Cowdry and gave them the Melchizedek priesthood. This cannot be true, because Peter, James, and John didn’t hold it – only Christ did, (and still does as our only high priest).</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">Aaronic Priesthood</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the Old Testament, the only priesthood was the Levitical priesthood. One had to be from the tribe of Levi to serve in it. Aaron was born into the tribe of Levi. Only sons of Aaron could be priests and high priests. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God is speaking to Moses about Aaron and his sons in <span style="color: #c00000;">Ex 40:15 “and you shall appoint them [sons of Aaron] even as you have anointed their father [Aaron], that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God was serious that ONLY the descendents of Aaron could be included in the priesthood. We see an example of this in Nehemiah. <span style="color: #c00000;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Neh 7:64 “These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The LDS Church gives their “Aaronic Priesthood” to any teenage male who obeys the laws and ordinances of Mormonism <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">regardless of their ancestry.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Joseph Smith claimed that John the Baptist appeared to him and Oliver Cowdry and gave them the Aaronic Priesthood. This cannot be true because John the Baptist, being a first cousin to Jesus through their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, was from the tribe of JUDAH – NOT LEVI. Therefore, he could not have held the Aaronic Priesthood himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the June 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #6600cc;">FAILS</span></b> this test.</span><br />
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Thanks to research partner, Art Haglund</div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-34720682027753778652011-05-27T08:06:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:52:26.532-07:00May 2011 Conference Issue: Thomas Monson<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Color Key:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Ensign article will be in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible will be in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">“Priesthood Power” (Being <u>Worthy</u>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">By Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The May Ensign is a written copy of all the talks that were given at General Conference in April. The article I chose from the May 2011 Ensign is from the Priesthood Session of Conference, entitled “Priesthood Power”. This talk was given by Thomas S. Monson, the current president of the LDS Church.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson is speaking to all the males in the LDS church who hold the Mormon priesthood. One of the themes woven throughout the talk is “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>worthiness</u></b>”. The LDS church measures your personal worthiness by how well you keep the Ten Commandments. As well as pay your tithing, attend all your church meetings, hold a calling (a job in the church) and fulfill that calling, serve others, keep the Word of Wisdom, and attend the temple regularly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The following are the mentions of being worthy, or words that means the same thing as being worthy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“May we be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b> recipients of the divine power of the priesthood we bear.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Tonight I wish to address matters which have been much on my mind of late… In one way or another, they all relate to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">personal worthiness</b> required to receive and exercise the sacred power of the priesthood which we hold.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and…the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood of the authority of that man.” (D&C 121:36-37)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In other words, when we sin, the heavens withdraw and the Spirit of the Lord withdraws. So the only way we can have the Spirit of the Lord with us, or the power of the Mormon priesthood, is to be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“A testimony needs to be kept vital and alive <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">through obedience to the commandments…</b>”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Be careful, lest you destroy your <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">eligibility</b> to be so married [in the temple].”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Any man in this Church who… exercises unrighteous dominion over [his wife] is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">unworthy</b> to hold the priesthood.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“They were otherwise <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b> people…”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Our actions must be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">above reproach</b>.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“There is nothing else to compare with [the gift of the priesthood] in all this world. Safeguard it, treasure it, live <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b> of it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Being <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">worthy</b> is referred to nine times in just this one talk! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible says that we are NOT worthy. The only thing we deserve is death – both physical and spiritual. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romans 3:10 “There is none righteous, not even one.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The only way we are made righteous is by grace through faith. Not by our obedience to the Ten Commandments, the Word of Wisdom, etc. This way, no human can ever have any reason for boasting.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romans 3:27-28 “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we maintain that a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law</b>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a Mormon, I was always trying to keep myself “WORTHY”. Most of the time I really believed I <u>was</u> worthy. In order to believe that I was worthy, I had to be extremely puffed up, arrogant, and focused on myself. I would compare myself to others in the world. I didn’t do all the “unworthy” things that they did – I didn’t drink alcohol. I didn’t smoke. I didn’t even drink coffee. I didn’t live with a boyfriend. I attended church every week. I was married in the temple. I dressed modestly. The list could go on about all the things that puffed up my pride to make me think I was more “WORTHY” than so many other people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is what a religion does to people when it teaches them that they must obey laws and perform ordinances, and be WORTHY. It creates unrighteous judgment and pride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I did not understand about the nature of man, or the nature of God. I had absolutely no clue what the holiness of God really meant. I didn’t revere Him, or worship Him, or even praise Him because of how much greater He is than me. I believed Jesus was my big brother who did a wonderful thing for me – (but I felt I deserved it because of what a wonderful child of God I was). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was reverent at church. I sang the hymns respectfully. And I said my morning and evening prayers. I did this mostly with the understanding that these things would bring the Spirit of God closer to me. I was obedient and worthy because of what was in it for ME.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There were times, however, when I felt “unworthy”. When I had committed a sin, I would feel so guilty and ashamed that I didn’t even want to talk to God about it. I just wanted to work hard to balance the scales back in my favor. Then I could hold my head high again. (I liked feeling “worthy”).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monson teaches that if males over the age of 12 are “WORTHY”, they can get some kind of sacred, divine POWER called the priesthood. This Mormon priesthood is so completely different from God’s priesthood, that I will save that topic for another article so I can take the time to fully explain all the differences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the May 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <span style="color: red;">fails</span> this test.</span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-5423536358895642132011-04-18T17:45:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:53:19.136-07:00The Purifying Power of Gethsemane by Bruce R. McConkie<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Ensign article will be in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible will be in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">“The Purifying Power of... Gethsemane”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article chosen from the April 2011 Ensign is from the sectioned titled, “Gospel Classics”. The title of the article is “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane”. It is a talk given by Bruce R. McConkie in General Conference on April 6, 1985. McConkie passed away on April 19, 1985.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article begins, </span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I feel, and the Spirit seems to accord, that the most important doctrine I can declare, and the most powerful testimony I can bear, is of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This one sentence says a LOT. I need to break it down.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I feel…” </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a Mormon, I was taught to trust my feelings. I was taught that the Holy Ghost witnessed truth to me through a burning in my bosom, or a “feeling”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible says, <span style="color: #c00000;">“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9) </span>and <span style="color: #c00000;">“He who follows his heart is a fool. But he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.” (Proverbs 28:26).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The “heart” described in the Bible is referring to our feelings and emotions. It says we are fools if we follow our hearts/ feelings. They can deceive us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was a senior in high school when McConkie gave this talk. I was making life altering decisions at that time – college, dating, getting married, etc. I followed my feelings and believed they were inspirations from the Holy Ghost. When I was 18, in love, and presented with a diamond ring, my “feelings” were not at all objective, reliable, sane, or rational. But I followed them without questioning. I never turned to the Bible for answers. I never thought I had to – I had already been given a “feeling”, therefore, I believed I had my answers. (My first two marriages resulted in heartache, frustration, and divorce.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">McConkie goes on, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“I feel, and the Spirit seems to accord…”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The “feelings” come first, and it “seems” like the Holy Spirit is going along with his feelings. This is a “man-centered” view being backed up because it seems like God is in agreement. No matter what the topic is, this is NOT the way God works. God has given us His Word in the Bible. Our feelings about it don’t matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">McConkie <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“declares” and “bears testimony”</span> of the atonement. This is a common Mormon practice – using one’s own testimony to validate the truthfulness of something. Our feelings about something are not only irrelevant, but can be deceitful. They cannot be trusted.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“[The atonement] is the supreme act of goodness and grace that only <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">a god</b> could perform.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“A” god suggests that Jesus was one of many gods. It also suggests that Jesus is a separate god from God, The Father, and lesser than The Father. The Bible does not teach that Jesus was “a” god, but that Jesus was THE God. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>was God</u></b>… and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory…” (John 1:1, 14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If the “Word” became flesh, it means the “Word” was Jesus. If the “Word” was God, it means that Jesus IS God. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another…” (Isaiah 42:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God will not give His glory to anyone else.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In both John 1:14, and John 17:5, Jesus is glorified – even with the Father. If no one else can share in God’s glory other than God, this means that Jesus is God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article refers to the Garden of Gethsemane as <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“this holy ground where the sinless Son of the Everlasting Father took upon Himself the sins of all men on condition of repentance”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The word, “Garden of Gethsemane” is only used in the Bible twice. Each of these times, it is just mentioned as the place where Jesus prayed. On the other hand, the word “cross” is used and referred to all through the Bible in many ways:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The message of the cross: <span style="color: #c00000;">“For Christ did not send me [Paul] to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the cross</b> of Christ would not be made void.” (1 Cor. 1:17)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The power of the cross: <span style="color: #c00000;">“For the word of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the cross</b> is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to use who are being saved it <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">is the power of God</b>.” (1 Cor. 1:18)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The reconciliation of the cross: <span style="color: #c00000;">“and might <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reconcile</b> them both in one body to God <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">through the cross</b>, by it having put to death the enmity.” (Eph 2:16)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Disciples are commanded to carry their own cross: <span style="color: #c00000;">“If anyone should come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are no references like these to the Garden of Gethsemane. ‘The garden’ is not made void; ‘the garden’ is not the power of God; we are not reconciled to God through ‘the garden’; and we are not commanded to deny ourselves, take up our ‘garden’ and follow Christ. If God points out over and over again throughout the Bible that the cross is important and significant, then it must be! If the Garden were the sacred place where Jesus took upon the sins of the world, the GARDEN would be referenced either instead of, or at least in addition to the cross – but it’s not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a Mormon, I understood that Jesus overcame sin in the Garden of Gethsemane, and overcame death when he rose from the dead. The cross, as I was taught, was merely the method of torture and death. So to acknowledge the cross was disrespectful. To wear that symbol on a necklace, or have it in your home was to ignorantly honor the cruelty and gruesomeness of Christ’s death. When I saw someone with a cross for a necklace, I would feel a little sorry for them, because they didn’t understand what I believed about the truthfulness of Christ’s atonement (how it really happened in the Garden), and their beliefs were misguided. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I tried to avoid people with crosses. The cross made me uncomfortable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">McConkie says, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“We know He sweat great gouts of blood from every pore…”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many claim that Jesus actually sweat blood. But reading the entire verse puts the analogy in context: <span style="color: #c00000;">“And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">as it were</b> great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">His sweat was LIKE drops of blood. It wasn’t actually drops of blood. The words "as it were" is a word picture explaining that he was under a great strain and sweating so much that the amount of sweat was seemingly equal to the amount of blood he would have lost had he been bleeding profusely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Regarding the resurrection, McConkie states, <span style="color: #4f81bd;">“… and arose in that glorious immortality which made Him like His resurrected Father. He then received all power in heaven and on earth, obtained eternal exaltation, …”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As I pointed out earlier, the Bible teaches that Jesus IS God. God the Father is NOT a resurrected man. So this idea that Jesus is now like His resurrected Father is not Biblical in any way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the Bible, Jesus never had to “obtain eternal exaltation”…</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb 13:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the March 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <span style="color: red;">fails</span> this test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">I’d like to acknowledge and thank my research partner, Art Haglund.</span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7835470178810727815.post-46542847932766070032011-03-14T23:48:00.001-06:002011-12-12T11:53:41.856-07:00God Reveals Truth Through His Prophets<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">by Connie Raddon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Ensign article will be in <span style="color: #0070c0;">blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quotes from the Bible will be in <span style="color: #c00000;">red.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All my own words are black.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18pt;">“God Reveals Truth… Through His … <u>Prophets</u>???”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each month the “Ensign” has a section called “What We Believe”. In the March 2011 issue, the article in this section is called “God Reveals Truth to His PROPHETS And To Us”. (There is no specific author for this section – it is put together by the leadership of the church. They cite “Gospel Principles 2009”, “True to the Faith”, and a talk given by Dallin H. Oaks as recorded in the Nov. 2010 Ensign, as references.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article begins, </span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“A prophet is a special witness for Jesus Christ and testifies of His divinity.”</span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible teaches it is not prophets who are called to witness and testify, but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">apostles</b>. In Acts 1:8, Jesus speaks to his <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">apostles</b> saying, </span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“…and you shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and all of Judea, and in Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Biblically, prophets are those with the gift of prophecy. After Christ died, He sent the Holy Spirit to be with believers. Through the Holy Spirit, each believer receives one or more spiritual gifts. So there are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">many</b> who are given the gift of prophecy today, not just one person. The Bible demonstrates this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Acts 13:1 <span style="color: #c00000;">“Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">prophets</b> and teachers:”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 Corinthians 12:4-10 <span style="color: #c00000;">“Now there are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">varieties of gifts</b>, but the same Spirit. And there are also varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effect, but the same God who works in all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and to another prophecy…”</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus explains that some of these gifts are greater than others. The LDS church has them out of order.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 Corinthians 12:28 <span style="color: #c00000;">“And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations…”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The greatest is to be an apostle – one called to go out and testify as a special witness of the resurrected Christ. The second is to be a prophet – which can either mean having the gift of foretelling future events, or the gift of understanding the Word of God with clarity and speaking it with power. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Notice how “administrations” of the church are much further down on the list? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Mormon church names their president as a prophet (who is responsible for the administrations of the church), claims there is only one prophet (who may or may not demonstrate the gift of prophecy), and calls apostles to work <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">within</b> the church – giving talks and assisting in administration (none of which claim to have a special witness of the resurrected Christ, nor do they go out from their homes to preach to the unbelievers), and placing the prophet above the apostles. None of this is biblical.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article continues, </span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“God calls a prophet to be His representative on earth… Prophets are on the earth today just as they were anciently”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God had prophets as His representatives only under the OLD covenant. Those who believe there are living prophets today to lead God’s people have a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">severe</b> misunderstanding of what the difference is between the Old and the New Testaments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible that all the Law and all the prophets testified up until John the Baptist. They were testifying of the person who came right after John – Jesus Christ! Now that Christ has come, there is no more need for the Law or the prophets, because God speaks to us by His son, Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matthew 11:13 <span style="color: #c00000;">“For all the prophets and the Law prophesied <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">until John</b>.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hebrews 1:1-2 <span style="color: #c00000;">“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in these last days has spoken to us in His Son</b>, whom He appointed heir of all things…”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God’s Word, (The Bible) is complete, infallible, and totally sufficient for us. If anyone claims that God is speaking to His church through them today, they might as well wear a huge sign that says, “I AM A FALSE PROPHET!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And yet in this article, the LDS leaders claim, <span style="color: #0070c0;">“When the prophet speaks for God, it is as if God is speaking.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">My entire life as a Mormon (41 years), I looked to the LDS prophet and apostles for guidance. I almost never missed a session of conference so I could be edified and encouraged by their words. I believed with all my heart that the prophet was speaking to me for God. Then I turned to God in prayer to help me be worthy and obey the things that the prophet had spoken about. I read the church magazines every month – as a teen, I read “The New Era”, and as an adult, “The Ensign”. I thought I was keeping God’s words close to my mind. If I believed I was living worthily, I was filled with self righteousness and pride when I listened to the prophet speak. It was like he was giving me a huge pat on the back. But if he spoke on a particular sin that I believed I was guilty of, I felt shame. There was absolutely no comfort – no rest – no peace. I had to just keep working as hard as I could to reach the light that was at the end of the tunnel (after this life).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now I’ve learned that the LDS prophets cannot provide comfort, peace, forgiveness, mercy, or eternal life. I have cleared all the obstacles out that stood between me and Christ – the bishop, the stake president, and all other LDS leaders, including the prophet. I have a direct, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There is peace and forgiveness in Christ that I never knew existed. I want all Mormons to get it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Anyway, the article goes on to say, <span style="color: #0070c0;"> “…the most common way God communicates with us is through the quiet spiritual promptings of the Holy Ghost. Through personal revelation we can receive strength and answer to our prayers.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are two huge problems with this belief. 1) The Bible does NOT teach it, and 2) it denies the purpose of God’s Word! God communicates with us through – the WORD! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First, I was always taught that I had to learn how to feel these “spiritual promptings”. Time and time again I had warm feelings in my chest when I prayed about different things. For all I know, I created them myself. But I believed I was being led by the Holy Ghost – that He was confirming the truth of what I was praying about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here is the problem. This is also the way that Muslims get confirmation that Allah is the one true God, and that their holy book is the most correct book on the earth, and that God’s will for them is bring his kingdom to earth by killing all those who don’t believe the way they do. Who is right, the Mormon or the Muslim? They both got confirmation by feeling “spiritual promptings”. I know as a Mormon, I believed I was right just because I KNEW I was right. I was being very self-centered and arrogant by having that belief. It only served to keep my eyes closed and my nose turned up to hearing anything other than what my “church” taught me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible warns about trusting our feelings, hearts, or emotions. They are evil. They are fickle. They can be easily manipulated by our circumstances, Satan, or even us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Matthew 15:19 <span style="color: #c00000;">“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Proverbs 28:26 <span style="color: #c00000;">“He who follows his heart is a fool. But he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We ‘follow our hearts’ by trusting spiritual promptings to confirm truth. We ‘walk in wisdom’ by studying God’s word. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I understand that God can use our feelings – he can move us and guide us with promptings. But he will NEVER confirm TRUTH that way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus never suggested to his disciples, or to anyone to pray about what He was teaching. In fact, in much of His teachings, He quoted from the Old Testament. If it’s good enough for Jesus, shouldn’t it be good enough for us?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The LDS church teaches that everyone who is a member of the LDS church and has received “the gift of the Holy Ghost” through the LDS priesthood can receive <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">personal revelation.</b> This article says, <span style="color: #0070c0;">“Keep the commandments so you can be worthy to receive inspiration from the Holy Ghost.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well, as an LDS woman, I wanted to have personal revelation and inspiration in my life. I was taught that any time I needed to make an important decision, I should ponder in my mind what to do – come to a decision on my own, and then pray about whether it was the right thing to do or not. I did this many times. And when I felt a warm feeling, I believed it was the Holy Ghost confirming that my decision was correct. In other words, I had received “personal revelation”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The problem was that I knew that no one was perfect – including me. So to some extent, my sin could be making me <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">not worthy</b>, or not “in tune” with the Holy Ghost, making me less able to receive or interpret any kind of personal revelation. I never really knew to what extent my sin was blocking the Holy Ghost from me. Many times I felt I had received confirmation about a decision, and went ahead with it. Then if things didn’t work out, I would always be second guessing myself: “Did I misunderstand the revelation?” “Was I unworthy to receive the personal revelation I thought I received?” “Was I only 80% worthy, and therefore only got 80% of the revelation?” “Was I completely off, and don’t really understand how to interpret the revelation of the Holy Ghost?” etc. etc. etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was no peace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was no comfort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The only way to have complete peace and comfort would have been to not care whether I was pleasing God or not – but I did care, so I lived in a nagging turmoil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In August 2009, I was born again, receiving the true Jesus Christ, and finding true peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On May 18, 1873 (as recorded in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16 p. 46), Brigham Young issued a challenge: “Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have accepted that challenge from Brigham Young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the March 2011 issue of the Ensign, the LDS religion <span style="color: red;">fails</span> this test.</span></div>~Connie~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07321150119488585619noreply@blogger.com4