Response to Mormon Missionary Age Announcement Remains Enthusiastic and Unprecedented

Mormon Newsroom ^ | January 7, 2013 | News Release

[Elsie]

Dang!

Messed up my afternoon!

[Elsie]

It's by design to get people to make that assumption.

And you KNOW this; how???

[Elsie]

I haven;’t recognized what would be called Mormon arrogance or insults, all I’ve noticed is them defending themselves.

Here; perhaps I can help your education.

I'm SURE that MORMONs will show up on this thread to PROVE that these attitudes and ideas no longer permeate MORMONism.

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Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

Joseph Smith: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

 

 

 

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

 

 

 

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

 

 

 

Orson Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses

, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses , 18:172).

 

 

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses , 10:127).

 

 

 

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

 

 

 

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

 

 

 

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "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" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

 

 

 

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

 

 

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 2, p.196).

[Elsie]

Are you a regular atheist, or just a cultist?

Probably just an Enlightened Person who took a Comparitive Religion class in college once.

[stuartcr]

I’m not going to read that. I thought you were talking about freepers. I really don’t care what Joseph Smith or Brigham Young said.

[MeOnTheBeach]

It contains ALL of the Gospel of Christ.

Would you not agree that this is speculation on your part? You don't know if it does or if it doesn't. Since the Bible isn't in chronological order nor is it a linear story you can't be sure it contains everything that you should know or do.

You can't show me in any writing where God said to make a subset of all the writings. I mean, there are many references to other prophets and other writings in the Bible that aren't contained in the Bible. If it was important enough for God, in scripture to reference these writings, how do you know that you are not missing something important?

Not a thing wrong with that.

Unless the one doing the translating has a doctrinal bias.

I am simply saying you are looking to the Bible to ask why people don’t agree. People don’t agree on what color car to buy. People don’t agree on what the Constitution means. I posit the problem with people.
That said, the Gospel of Christ is their in black and white.

This is clearly a contradiction and several logical fallacies. People don't agree on colors because of personal taste not because of reading comprehension skills. On the other hand you argue that the Gospel is black and white and people can not see it simply because they are disagreeable.

The more reasonable answer is that the Gospel of Christ is not in black and white.

Oh yea, every day, Christians kill each other... not.

Since you seemed to have missed this part, let me restate it: Its a well documented fact that only recently has the differing factions of modern Christianity stopped killing each other

But this seems to be a distraction. Again, you are focusing on people and not on the issue you raised about the Gospel. Distraction for you?

You cannot separate the Gospel from people. The Gospel was made for the people and they are inseparable. The supreme litmus test for any gospel taught by man is the effect it has on the people. The servant reflects the master. I can look at the behavior of any group and see the true God they follow.

No problem. They show the unchanging Bible.

Only 40% of the DSS's reference the Hebrew Bible. I do not believe the Hebrew Bible references the New Testament. Nor does this justify the latest translations. Hardly shows an unchanging Bible, quite the contrary.

No. I’m claiming that all Scripture is God-breathed and not all is about the Gospel we are discussing. Really, if you read the Bible, you wouldn’t have to ask questions that are basic.

Is the whole Bible scripture or is it not?

Just read the Bible...really? And what if my conclusion about the Gospel is different than yours?

The Pope had the king of Spain launch the Spanish Armada to recapture England for the Catholic Church. Are you saying that if the Pope would have just read the Bible he would understood the basics, as you do, that are right there in black and white and would have thought better of it and all those Catholics would have been spared?... Interesting.

[MeOnTheBeach]

as an aside...

You as a n00b, wandered onto a conservative website, dedicated to conservative values and faith in the Christian God. Yet you are questioning the Bible, the basis of Christianity.

In addition to asking if you are an atheist, are you also a troll?

Because everyone knows that asking reasonable questions are a bad thing. Is your faith really that weak? Is the foundation of your beliefs so shallow that I can't ask you why you believe them?

If that kind of thing bothers you so much, then I would suggest not sending replies.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

n00b,

I read Koine Greek. I’ve spent extensive time doing translation. It is obvious to me, by your questions, that you don’t even understand the issues involved. It is equally obvious to me, you think you do.

I’ve concluded you are probably an atheist who has no interest in truth, and perhaps a troll. Perhaps I’m wrong.

In any case, when you reach a point where you are ready to learn, you know where to find me. Until then, I leave you worship the small god you’ve extolled.
Kindest regards,
ampu

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Because everyone knows that asking reasonable questions are a bad thing. Is your faith really that weak? Is the foundation of your beliefs so shallow that I can’t ask you why you believe them? “

And that is the bottom line. Your questions are troll questions. No problem, the Religion Moderator has Troll-Be_Gone and knows how to use it.

[Elsie]

I’m not going to read that.

Of COURSE not!

If you READ it; then you'll be forced to make a comment one way or the other.

This way, you can plead ignorance.

Either way; you've just marginalized yourself in the eyes of many Freepers.

Sleep well.

[Elsie]

I really don’t care what Joseph Smith or Brigham Young said.

Maybe YOU don't; but it's a FACT that MILLIONS of MORMONs DO!

(It's also a fact that they will NOT disagree one bit with what was said.)

[Elsie]

Every parade has a bunch of wannabes yelling from the sidelines...

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Every parade has a bunch of wannabes yelling from the sidelines...”

Sho nuff!

I am going to demonstrate that parts of the Bible that do not relate to the Gospel, still have practical value... for instance:

“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive not in him the lips of knowledge.” Proverbs 14:7

Did it. “All Scripture is profitable...”

I await the appearance of teppe, who told me that the Bible prophesied that the Gospel would need to be restored. I asked her for the Bible reference that says that.

I am still waiting...

[MeOnTheBeach]

In any case, when you reach a point where you are ready to learn

You were backed into corner by your own words. So you make a general appeal to your vastly superior knowledge, try to denigrate me, appeal to mod to save you, and then run away.

Well that's one way to change the subject. Nice...

Just because you're afraid of your own answer doesn't make it a "troll".

[stuartcr]

Why wOUld I BE forCED to make a COMMENT?

I don’t care ABOUT Mormonism, I’m just here to talk WITH people. I’ve already said a number of times that I don’t know much about any religion. I’d SAY the same thing to anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, if there were other threads here THAT were like these Mormon threads.

Besides, we have to have margins, otherwise, we’d go off the screen...I use a medium default font, full screen. I think the margins are determined by the monitor size and your screen resolution.

nite

[stuartcr]

sweet

[stuartcr]

OK, sounds GREAT.

[Religion Moderator]

Free Republic is pro-God meaning "pro" the Judeo/Christian God.

This is the Religion Forum on Free Republic.

If you are "anti" the Judeo/Christian God, then leave the Religion Forum.

If you are not "anti" the Judeo/Christian God and wish to post here, then you must comply with the Religion Forum guidelines, the main one being to "discuss the issues all you want, but do NOT make it personal."

[Elsie]

I’ve already said a number of times that I don’t know much about any religion.

Well; I can see WHY!

When you REFUSE to read stuff posted for your education; instesd turning your nose up at it!

[Elsie]

Besides, we have to have margins, otherwise, we’d go off the screen...I use a medium default font, full screen. I think the margins are determined by the monitor size and your screen resolution.

Sounds like you need to turn WordWrap on.