Replies

Mormons also state that Jesus Christ came to Earth three times and each time His message was unsuccessful [fattigermaster]

Gonna have to ask for references for that one. [T.P. Pole]

1. Jesus came to Middle East. Mormons say Jesus failed in that mission to keep a church together...Mormons say it apostatized after disciples died off. Joseph Smith boasted he was the ONLY man who knew how to keep a church together --that Jesus didn't do it; Paul didn't do it.

2. Lds say Jesus came to South or Central America. Started a church there. But they died off in warfare. (Jesus "failure" #2...per Mormonism)

3. Mormons say Jesus came yet again -- this time to upstate NY...when Joseph was either 14 or 16 yo... No church immediately resulted from this visit...Actually, after a child was born to Smith, he was taking classes with his wife (1827) I recall to join the Methodist church.

So here that was 6-8 yrs AFTER the Mormon Jesus came again...still no church!

So per Mormonism...3 visits...2 church failings/apostasies...And it wasn't the supposed 3rd visit that jumpstarted a church...that was linked to the Book of Mormon...a "message" that the Mormon Jesus did NOT leave with Smith...that (start of the church) supposedly came thru gold plates & a urum & thummim...

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your attempt to speak for another. I am going to disagree with your response, however. Mormonism teaches that there have been multiple times that Christ's church with all its power and authority has been on the earth. We generally refer to them as "dispensations." We teach that various prophets have had the authority to provide saving ordinances.

[Side note here - I understand that this is not agreed with in the orthodox Christian world, but Mormons believe that there are ordinances, such as baptism, that are required to be saved, and that they must be performed by someone with the proper authority from God]

We also teach that the wickedness of men has caused that this authority be removed from the earth for a time. We generally refer to things like "the dispensation of Adam" or "the dispensation of Moses." Or Enoch, or Noah, or Abraham. And Christ.

But we also teach that in each of these the authority was removed from the earth.

We consider this to the the "dispensation of the fullness of times" when all things are restored, never to be taken from the earth again. This dispensation is connected to Joseph Smith.

And so, Mormons would consider each of these, and there are more than three, to be a time when Christ came to earth to establish His church, all of which expect this last one, the authority was later removed from the earth.

I'll mention why I asked for references - every now and then you will find someone who believes that maybe one of the earlier prophets was actually Christ in for a trial-run (or some such other craziness). Let me be clear - this is not something that mormons teach, and cannot be reconciled within mormon doctrine, but it is something you might hear about in late night conversations amongst the crazy. I was wondering if that is what the original poster was referring to, and therefore was asking for references to back up that mormons actually state such a thing officially.