But I’m a good Mormon wife: Sean and I had the perfect life. Then his faith started to crumble...

Salon ^ | June 1, 2012 | Maren Stephenson

[Colofornian]

...When Sean replaced his temple garments — the sacred underwear he’d promised to wear day and night — with boxers, I couldn’t take it anymore. It was too much betrayal. I called up a neighbor with a husband like mine and cried. But instead of empathy, she offered questions that stunned me into silence. Was Sean addicted to pornography? Watching R-rated movies? What sin had brought him to this terrible place?

...Her questions were so off-base...She was sincere, and trying to help, but she believed what the Church teaches — that a man would only leave because he’s disobeying the commandments. She couldn’t understand this was a rational inquiry. She saw everything as the result of sin.

...The Church was wrong about him. What else might they be wrong about?...

...I often found him hunched over his iPad reading everything he could find on Mormon origins...“I’m sorry, but I just have to tell you. Did you know that…” and then he’d tell me...About how Joseph Smith mistranslated some Egyptian hieroglyphics that are part of our canonized scripture. About how he translated the Book of Mormon while looking at a stone inside of a hat.

I listened half-heartedly...though I wasn’t about to go looking at them myself...until one night it was about polygamy, my archnemesis.

“Did you know that Joseph Smith married a 14-year-old girl against her will? Did you know that he’d send men on missions and marry their wives in secret when they were gone?” ...he kept talking, a horror growing in my gut. I knew that if Sean was right, then Joseph Smith was a fraud. I saw no difference between his acts and the modern-day acts of Warren Jeffs, whom I abhorred. And if Joseph Smith was a fraud — then what did that make the Church?

[Elsie]

Religion in politics is so 13th Century.

And 14^th and 15^th and 16^th and 17^th and 18^th and 19^th and 20^th and 21^st and...

[Nervous Tick]

>> I’ve seen ads for the LDS church for over a decade

OK. Thanks for the insight.

Guess they didn’t play in my area... or I wasn’t paying attention.

[Elsie]

I pray that those who declare an inability to vote for a Mormon soon realize that they may be speeding up Sharia law.

I pray that those who choose to vote for a Mormon soon realize that they may be speeding up polygamy again in America.

[Elsie]

Did SOMEone say 'Sharia' and 'MORMON' in the SAME post???

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“I Will Be a Second Mohammed”

In the heat of the Missouri “Mormon War” of 1838, Joseph Smith made the following claim, “I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword.’ So shall it eventually be with us—‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’ ”[1]

It is most interesting that a self-proclaimed Christian prophet would liken himself to Mohammed, the founder of Islam. His own comparison invites us to take a closer look as well. And when we do, we find some striking—and troubling—parallels. Consider the following.

• Mohammed and Joseph Smith both had humble beginnings. Neither had formal religious connections or upbringing, and both were relatively uneducated. Both founded new religions by creating their own scriptures. In fact, followers of both prophets claim these scriptures are miracles since their authors were the most simple and uneducated of men.[2]

• Both prophets claim of having angel visitations, and of receiving divine revelation to restore pure religion to the earth again. Mohammed was told that both Jews and Christians had long since corrupted their scriptures and religion. In like manner, Joseph Smith was told that all of Christianity had become corrupt, and that consequently the Bible itself was no longer reliable. In both cases, this corruption required a complete restoration of both scripture and religion. Nothing which preceded either prophet could be relied upon any longer. Both prophets claim they were used of God to restore eternal truths which once existed on earth, but had been lost due to human corruption.

• Both prophets created new scripture which borrowed heavily from the Bible, but with a substantially new “spin.” In his Koran, Mohammed appropriates a number of Biblical themes and characters—but he changes the complete sense of many passages, claiming to “correct” the Bible. In so doing he changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place. In like manner, Joseph Smith created the Book of Mormon, much of which is plagiarized directly from the King James Bible. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon claims that this same Bible has been substantially corrupted and is therefore unreliable. In addition, Joseph Smith went so far as to actually create his own version of the Bible itself, the “Inspired Version,” in which he both adds and deletes significant portions of text, claiming he is “correcting” it. In so doing he also changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place.

• As a part of their new scriptural “spin,” both prophets saw themselves as prophesied in scripture, and both saw themselves as a continuation of a long line of Biblical prophets. Mohammed saw himself as a continuation of the ministry of Moses and Jesus. Joseph Smith saw himself as a successor to Enoch, Melchizedek, Joseph and Moses. Joseph Smith actually wrote himself into his own version of the Bible—by name.

• Both prophets held up their own scripture as superior to the Bible. Mohammed claimed that the Koran was a perfect copy of the original which was in heaven. The Koran is therefore held to be absolutely perfect, far superior to the Bible and superceding it. In like manner, Joseph Smith also made the following claim. “I told the Brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book.”[3]

• Despite their claim that the Bible was corrupt, both prophets admonished their followers to adhere to its teachings. An obvious contradiction, this led to selective acceptance of some portions and wholesale rejection of others. As a result, the Bible is accepted by both groups of followers only to the extent that it agrees with their prophet’s own superior revelation.

• Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith taught that true salvation was to be found only in their respective religions. Those who would not accept their message were considered “infidels,” pagans or Gentiles. In so doing, both prophets became the enemy of genuine Christianity, and have led many people away from the Christ of the Bible.

• Both prophets encountered fierce opposition to their new religions and had to flee from town to town because of threats on their lives. Both retaliated to this opposition by forming their own militias. Both ultimately set up their own towns as model societies.

• Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith left unclear instructions about their successors. The majority of Mohammed’s followers, Sunni Muslims, believe they were to elect their new leader, whereas the minority, Shiite Muslims, look to Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, whom they consider Divinely appointed, as the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the first imam. (Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad). Similarly, the majority of Joseph Smith's followers, Mormons, believed their next prophet should have been the existing leader of their quorum of twelve apostles, whereas the minority, RLDS, believed Joseph Smith's own son should have been their next prophet. Differences on this issue, and many others, have created substantial tension between these rival groups of each prophet.

• Mohammed taught that Jesus was just another of a long line of human prophets, of which he was the last. He taught that he was superior to Christ and superceded Him. In comparison, Joseph Smith also made the following claim.

“I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.”[4] In light of these parallels, perhaps Joseph Smith's claim to be a second Mohammed unwittingly became his most genuine prophecy of all.

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[1] Joseph Smith made this statement at the conclusion of a speech in the public square at Far West, Missouri on October 14, 1838. This particular quote is documented in Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, second edition, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971), p. 230–231. Fawn Brodie’s footnote regarding this speech contains valuable information, and follows. “Except where noted, all the details of this chapter [16] are taken from the History of the [Mormon] Church. This speech, however, was not recorded there, and the report given here is based upon the accounts of seven men. See the affidavits of T.B. Marsh, Orson Hyde, George M. Hinkle, John Corrill, W.W. Phelps, Samson Avard, and Reed Peck in Correspondence, Orders, etc., pp. 57–9, 97–129. The Marsh and Hyde account, which was made on October 24, is particularly important. Part of it was reproduced in History of the [Mormon] Church, Vol. III, p. 167. See also the Peck manuscript, p. 80. Joseph himself barely mentioned the speech in his history; see Vol. III, p. 162.”

[2] John Ankerberg & John Weldon, The Facts on Islam, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1998), pp.8–9. Eric Johnson, Joseph Smith & Muhammed, (El Cajon, CA: Mormonism Research Ministry, 1998), pp. 6–7.

[3] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.4, pp.461.

[4] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.6, pp.408–409.

[Elsie]

How many Mormons ran for President before Romney...NONE.

Sorry; you must have been absent the day this was discussed in American History class.

Try ONE.

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...the presidential campaign of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith in 1844: “Challenging Democrat James Polk and Whig Henry Clay, Smith prophesied that if the U.S. Congress did not accede to his demands that ‘they shall be broken up as a government and God shall damn them.’

Smith viewed capturing the presidency as part of the mission of the church.

[Elsie]

How many Mormons ran for President before Romney...NONE.

HUNTSMAN ran at the same time as Romney.

[Elsie]

But, how does that alter the fact Mitt Romney will be the next POTUS?

We appear to have anOTHER prophet amoung us!

Quick!! Got any stock tips?

[Elsie]

Hypocrisy is an issue for the Moslems and the leftwingtards. The Prophet said "kill the hypocrites".

It seems to have no boundaries...

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THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

SECTION 132

51–57, Emma Smith is counseled (commanded) to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.

51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to ^aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.

52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, ^areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.

53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been ^afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.

54 And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and ^acleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be ^bdestroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.

55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ^ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of ^beternal lives in the eternal worlds.

56 And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid ^aforgive my servant Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to ^brejoice.

 

 

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Whatever HAPPENED to Emma???

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Eliza was a devout Mormon.

 

At age 38, she became Joseph Smith's 14th plural wife (in addition to Smith's lawful wife, Emma).

 

In 1842, after learning Eliza was pregnant, Emma Smith beat Eliza with a broomstick and

knocked her down a flight of stairs, causing Eliza to miscarry Smith's baby.

Wow!!

 

I guess ol' Emma got VAPORIZED by GOD!!!

 

We know that multiply him thing sure didn't work out!          

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_Joseph_Smith,_Jr.

[Elsie]

You keep making the charge, without evidence.

Office of First President & Living Prophet®:

April 1st, 2012

URGENT!

Fellow MORMON Freeper Christians!!

 

Due to the charges being leveled at our pesky opponents of "Out Of Context" comments; we have been challenged repeatedly to then post the TRUTH IN context! How dumb do they think we ARE??

 

We do not have to spend time refuting the facts against MORMONism; we get LOTS more mileage out of claiming the Christians are in error, then backing away and watch them sputter.

 

So, bottom line, stay aWAY from defending our faith, as it is a vain effort.

Stick to CONSERVATISM (you can even rag on Mitt, if you want - it makes your message seem more authentic that way.)

 

As always, Tommy M.

 

[Elsie]

Ooops!

Due to the charges being leveled at our pesky opponents of “Out Of Context” comments; we have been challenged repeatedly to then post the TRUTH IN context! How dumb do they think we ARE??

We do not have to spend time refuting the facts against MORMONism; we get LOTS more mileage out of claiming the Christians are in error, then backing away and watch them sputter.

So, bottom line, stay aWAY from defending our faith, as it is a vain effort.

Stick to CONSERVATISM (you can even rag on Mitt, if you want - it makes your message seem more authentic that way.)

[AppyPappy]

They are happy family ads. We also hear them on the radio during Dave Ramsey.

[SaraJohnson]

Huntsman was never the nominee and never close to getting the nominee. He was never vetted for president because he was a waste of air.

[svcw]

I know you have said something brilliant but I can not see the yellow font. ;-(

[svcw]

Wow, yet late last year SLC lds announced a NEW campaign.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-10-02/mormon-church-media-campaign/50637136/1

[reaganaut]

Excellent post!

[reaganaut]

use your secret decoder ring, then you can read it.

[Graybeard58]

That was my point exactly.

I know that, I was agreeing with you and tried to phrase it so it wouldn't sound negative or accusatory.

[svcw]

Your question was “how many mormons have run before Romney”, it was not who had a chance to win or who was vetted.

George Romney
Harry Reid
Orin Hatch
Mitt Romney twice
Joseph Smith
Morris Udall
Ezra Taft Benson
Parley P. Christiansen
Eldridge Cleaver
Sonia Johnson
James G. Gritz

[AppyPappy]

I’m waiting for the “We’d tell you what we do but then we’d have to kill you” campaign.

[SaraJohnson]

Your question was “how many mormons have run before Romney”,

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Clever. But I did not ask the question you made up. I made the statement that Mittens is the first Mormon to run for President. Turns out Joe Smith was actually the first Mormon to run for President and Milt is the second.