[greyfoxx39]

For those of use who have been invoved in the debate here at FR, this is an opportunity to look at the LDS-approved answers and compare them to the answers we have found through our own research of LDS and other sources. It further is interesting that the LDS church is mobilizing a cadre of apologists for "internet duty" and incidentally to provide the "milk before meat" message.

[greyfoxx39]

Ping

[JohnnyZ]

With enough gullibility, anything can be explained.

[BipolarBob]

“Consider the source” ping.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Mormonism is nothing more than blasphemy towards God/Jesus/ and God's word the BIBLE.
Some Mormons say that even the early Christians were called cult.... the early Christians were called followers of Christ before they were called Christians and to attribute Christianity as a whole as a false cult is more or less saying that Jesus Christ was not from GOD and was a false Prophet.
To attribute as the Mormons believe that Jesus Christ and Satan were brothers is blasphemy.
Mormonism is a cult of a false persuasion

[colorcountry]

I don’t even know where to start.....so I won’t.

But I found this concerning LDS apologists.

” They is paid indirectly by the Mormon Church to publish articles and reviews on the Brigham Young University Website called “FARMS”. Many LDS Apologists are professors at the Mormon owned Brigham Young University. They spend countless hours writing apologetic material for the LDS Corporation and posting on the apologetic FAIR boards.

The job as a Mopologist (Mormon Apologist) is to contradict, counteract, suppress, withhold and dismiss any claims made by persons outside the LDS Church (read: Anti-Mormon). They do this by discrediting authors, creating answers to Mormon questions (such as horses in the Book of Mormon were really tapirs) and dismissing any Anti-Mormon claims in any way they can. Often, the apologist uses his “professor” status and his knowledge of the English language to write works that impress and convince Mormons that his answers are all that is required.

Experience shows that there is nothing, and I mean nothing, in the Mormon past or present, in its history, or in its culture that apologists will not excuse, rationalize, downplay, explain away, dismiss, or ignore, as a means to support pre-determined conclusions that the Mormon Church is the ONLY “true and living church” (common Mormon phraseology) on the earth. This includes, among other things, Joseph Smiths’ lying and philandering, murder of innocents, Gordon Hinkley’s repudiation of long-held “divine” teachings, racism, sexism, homophobia, anachronisms and blatant errors in divine texts, wholesale plagiarism in divine texts, uncharitable practices and statements of “divinely inspired” men, personality cults, etc., etc. In short, many, many things that decent and moral people (including Mormons in other contexts) find objectionable.”

[killjoy]

[zerosix]

Interesting that Joseph Smith "taught" that the inhabitants of the Americas were the "lost tribe of Israel" which could only be argued for years.

Now that we have DNA research, a Mormon DNA researcher did investigate the origin of ancient inhabitants of the Americas and find ...... that they are NOT of any Semitic tribe but rather Oriental (the Mormon research, has, of course, been silenced)!

So much for Joseph's "prophecy."

[Reaganesque]

You state:

For those of use who have been invoved in the debate here at FR, this is an opportunity to look at the LDS-approved answers and compare them to the answers we have found through our own research of LDS and other sources. It further is interesting that the LDS church is mobilizing a cadre of apologists for "internet duty" and incidentally to provide the "milk before meat" message.

From FAIR's website:

FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided on this site are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice.

Click here and go to the very bottom of the page.

If you want official LDS doctrine, you go to the source: LDS.org

Apologists are individual members who interpret doctrine according to their own intellectual backgrounds and upbringing. Prophets and apostles, as was the case in the Old and New Testaments, receive revelation from God. These revelations are doctrine, not the interpretations of individual members. LDS.org is official. FAIR is not by their own admission.

Individual members cannot receive revelation for the church, so, I suggest you read from the source of this doctrine and then make your comparisons. Asking God for his direction in this search would also be helpful. "If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God..." "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you..." etc., etc...

[Domandred]

Tag here, digesting

[neodad]

FAIR, CAIR. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[muawiyah]

Looking at #3, the Adam-God pronouncement by Brigham Young, I don't know any more about why he came up with that than the Mormons, nor any more about what it means than they ever did (which the official answer is "we don't know").

However, it's remarkably like the "Odin father/god" dichotomy unraveled several years back by Thor Hyerdahl.

Turns out "Odin" was a real man about 2000 years ago, possibly living in Azerbaijan, who took his tribe and fled to the far North to escape Roman conscription. No doubt at all about the "father/god" situation for Odin.

The Apostolic Charismatic Church of the First Born had members well versed in the old time religion of the far North (in the Sapmai) and they would have brought that belief with them in the early 1700s when they came to cut down trees in what is now Vermont and New Hampshire. Young could have been doing nothing more than discussing his neighbors' religious beliefs ~

Now, when do I expect the LDS to look into that possibility? Never, actually, there being a general inclination at the top to avoid the COTFB guys like the plague!

[Gamecock]

After reading the above I have come to the following conclusion:

[maine-iac7]

this is an opportunity to look at the LDS-approved answers

These may be discussion boards but no one other than the leadership of the church gives "approved answers" for the church =

This is nothing more than what was alluded: a phony plan to trash the church under the guise of it being church members and church sanctioned.

Individual members have the right to speak for themselves and to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit for themselves - but cannot speak for the Church. They can testify as to their beliefs, but only the leadership can speak for the church itself.

This "Answers to 50..." is a red herring.

All one has to do to find out what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believes is to go to their official website:

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e419fb40e21cef00VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD

or to the leaders of a branch of the church or the missionaries...They are they ones with the authority to speak for the church. No one else. Nor should people take as 'gospel' hearsay from questionable sources on ANY subject. Go to the horses mouth.

[SeaHawkFan]

Having read the first 15 questions and answers, I would say:

1. The questions are quite good.

2. The answers suck, big time. Every answer all but admits that the factual bases for the questions are true.

3. Bill Clinton would feel very comfortable in the Mormon church. With all the prevarications, twisting of words, outright lies; he could become a stake president in no time. There is also the polygamy thing.

If the Mormon church really thinks these responses are going to help them or Romney, they are mistaken.

[Brad from Tennessee]

One day the Pope was sitting in the Vatican when the phone rang. He answered, “Hello. Who’s calling?”

“It’s God,” said the voice on the other end. “I’ve got some good news, Pope, and I’ve got some bad news.”

The Pope asked, “What’s the good news?”

“I’m starting a new, worldwide religion,” said God. “Everybody will worship in the same church. There won’t be any more arguments, disputes or wars. Peace will reign.”

“Gosh,” the Pope said, “That’s fantastic. What could the bad news be?”

“I’m calling you from Salt Lake City,” said God.

[BenLurkin]

"assume that Mormons must have inerrantist ideas about scripture or prophets like conservative evangelical Protestants do"

Hmm...

[Wings-n-Wind]

This is just my humble opinion...
To which I am entitled to hold... and post...

(To each his own convictions and opinions...)

PROPOSITION:
If the Book of Mormon, (and the teachings and praxis of the church derived therefrom) -- remains a true, God-given extension of the written revelation of The LORD, God -- and the person Jesus Christ...

Then it was intended for all who acknowledge and fear the LORD, as the Supreme God and King.... and follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; and if proven true -- should be heeded and followed by these believers and disciples.

MY INQUIRY:
As a committed ( not perfect)... and studious follower of Jesus Christ--

I have examined the "Mormon Gospel" --
(Ostensibly given by angelic revelation to Joseph Smith -- and supported by the commitment of his friend Brigham Young...)

AND... IT APPEARS AND SEEMS TO ME, THAT....

The historical transmission of Mormon teaching documents (D&C... etc)

(1)To be self-conflicted.... and...

(2) Often conveniently "revised"
(In such ways that a pure revelation from the LORD would not need to be "revised"...)

AND....
(3) From time-to-time, held secretly and re-transmitted at later dates after these revisions were in place...

AND...
(4) To be in such extraordinary doctrinal/practical tension with the Holy Bible (The 66 books -- non apocryphal)...

AND...
(5) Likewise seriously conflicted with the previous 1800+ years of the faithful central teachings, commentary, and practice of the universal Body of Christ...

***********

MY PERSONAL CONCLUSION:

I personally cannot accept the "Mormon gospel" as an extra-Biblical Holy-Spirit-inspired revelation of the Living God -- which was intended to "update" (...in some cases seems to attempt to-- supplant--)
---The clear instructions and commands of God given to many witnesses throughout the Biblical ages of authorship and the excellent stewardship of the Gospel through the earliest years of church history.

Now, I am sure our Mormon friends here might say I will miss many blessings here & hereafter.... or even miss Heaven...

Yet I will stick with the Biblical faith, as revealed, revered, and practiced before, during, and after the time of the Mormon revelation...

Thanks for considering my personal point of view>
Again: these are my personal thoughts and conclusions.
(To each his own convictions and opinions...)

Have a nice day...

[tantiboh]

I don’t have a problem with the thread being posted, but what business does it have on News/Activism? Shouldn’t this thread be in Religion?

[tantiboh]

~”It further is interesting that the LDS church is mobilizing a cadre of apologists...”~

You’re being too smart by half, Greyfoxx. I guess I’m still waiting for my call from Salt Lake to “mobilize.” We’re passionate, not organized.

What I have seen is - at the local ward level - discussions of how Romney’s campaign is raising the profile of the Church, and how we should be prepared to answer any questions that come our way. Sinister, no?

[rwfromkansas]

Geez, the Mormons are already lying here in the first question.

QUESTION ONE!

Here is the D and C passage......now, they say this is only a “command,” not a “prophecy.”

Gee, what does this sound like to you???

“Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city a New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be creared in this generation.
5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.”

VERILY THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL A HOUSE SHALL BE BUILT UNTO THE LORD....

Verily means truly, truly. That is a prophecy from God saying this WILL happen.

It didn’t.

Therefore, it was a false prophecy.

This was NOT a “command” only. Was it a command? Yes.

But, it was a prophecy also. Like most of the time, the Mormon Church has some truth in their answers.

But, like Satan appears as an angel of light, the truth is mixed with deception and lies.