But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than
the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have
already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel
other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians
1:8-9)
| 1.1 |
Membership – Total world membership is 9 million. Half of
these are in the United States. Their growth rate ranges between
250,000 or 300,000 new baptisms annually; 75.3% of these claim a
previous Christian affiliation. |
| 1.2 |
Missionary Activity – Teenagers are required to volunteer
two years of missionary service. Over 40,000 missionaries serve
in 200 missions around the world. Each missionary baptizes about
six people a year. House to house visitation and proselytizing those
within Christian denominations is their major thrust. |
| 1.3 |
Literature – Over three million copies of the Book of Mormon
are distributed annually. Periodicals and commercials offer free
copies or videos. |
| 1.4 |
Wealth – With business and land holdings totaling over ten
billion dollars, it is second only to the Catholic church in wealth. |
| 1.5 |
Mormon Temples – Currently, there are fifty temples worldwide
with another dozen in the planning stages. Three important functions
are performed in the temples: temple endowment ceremonies (to guarantee
entrance to heaven), eternal marriages, and baptism for the dead
(living Mormons may be baptized on behalf of the dead). Only selected
Mormons may enter the temples. |
| 1.6 |
Practices
| 1.6.1 |
Mormons are asked to tithe one-tenth of their income.
No offering plate is passed; the local Bishop is responsible
for collecting the tithe. |
| 1.6.2 |
The following items are forbidden: hot drinks, tobacco
(except for treating bruises and sick cattle), and alcohol
(except for washing the body). Meat should be consumed sparingly.
Coffee and tea are rejected, but hot chocolate is permitted. |
| 1.6.3 |
Mormons promote large families. Devout Mormons hold "Family
Home Evening" on Monday evenings, where families are
encouraged to participate in activities together. |
|
| 1.7 |
Structure – A local congregation of Mormons is called a Branch
(usually about 200 members). A Ward is a local congregation of 200
to 800 members. Above Branches and Wards are Stakes (5 to 12 Wards),
Areas (a large geographical district), and the Headquarters in Salt
Lake City, Utah. |
| 1.8 |
Government – The Prophet holds the highest rank, and along
with two counselors form the First Presidency. They are considered
the living oracles of God. Under the First Presidency is the Council
of the Twelve Apostles, and the First and Second Quorums of the
Seventy. Each member of the Quorums is assigned a geographic area. |
| 2.1.1 |
Born – Sharon, Vermont. Moved to Palmyra, New York in 1817 |
| 2.1.2 |
Parents – Born to Joseph and Lucy Smith, inactive Protestants.
His father was known to spend great time digging for buried treasures,
using peep stones and divining rods. His son, Joseph, joined him.
He was also known to mint his own money. |
| 2.1.3 |
Reputation – "There exists no contemporary pro-Mormon
statements from reliable and informed sources who knew the Smith
family and Joseph intimately." The Smiths were regarded as
"destitute of character" and were much persecuted as Mormonism
grew. |
| 2.1.4 |
First Vision – In 1820, he claimed that God the Father materialized
and spoke to Smith as he prayed in the woods, telling him that all
the churches are wrong and that "all their creeds were an abomination
in his sight." |
| 2.1.5 |
The Golden Plates – Smith claims that an angel named Moroni
appeared to him on September 21, 1823. According to Smith, Moroni
claimed to be a former inhabitant of America who, shortly before
his death, buried some golden plates which recorded the history
of the people and the fullness of the gospel. Moroni commissioned
Smith to translate the plates from "Reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics"
to English using special stones called the Urim and Thummim. The
following day, Moroni appeared and took Smith to a hill and showed
him the plates. He forbade Smith to remove the plates until 1827.
On September 22, 1827, Smith dug up the plates along with the Urim
and Thummim. |
| 2.1.6 |
Priesthoods – In two separate visions in 1829, Smith claims
that John the Baptist and Peter, James and John appeared to him
and a friend and conferred on them the Aaronic and Melchizedekian
priesthoods. |
| 2.1.7 |
The Book of Mormon – Smith translated the Book
of Mormon with the help of his seer stone, instead of using
the Urim and Thummim. He reportedly sat behind a curtain and read
the translated text to various scribes, including his wife. The
Book of Mormon was published in March 1830. |
| 2.1.8 |
Other Writings – Smith began to "translate" the
King James Version to a new version without using the Hebrew or
Greek manuscripts. Instead, he used "the gift and power of
God." He continued to receive 135 direct revelations, and he
published them in other books. |
| 2.1.9 |
Founding of the Mormon Church – The church was founded in
1830 in Fayette, New York. After two name changes, they settled
on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1834. Strongholds
were established, and Mormons began to be persecuted. |
| 2.1.10 |
Smith's "Martyrdom" (1844) – Mistrust of Smith
and Mormonism multiplied, particularly because of their acceptance
of polygamy. When Smith ordered the destruction of an anti-Mormon
publication The Nauvoo Expositor, the State of Illinois arrested
Smith and his brother. On June 27, 1844, an angry mob stormed the
jail. In the gunfight that followed, Joseph Smith was killed. |
| |
Mormon Belief |
Christian Belief |
| Authority |
Bible (King James Version), The Book of Mormon (1830),
Doctrine and Covenants (1833), and Pearl of Great Price (1851). In
addition, the current prophet can give new revelation which can overrule
any previous prophet or teaching. |
The Bible is the very Word of God; the sixty-six books
comprising the Old and New Testaments are inspired by the Spirit of
God and are therefore wholly without error as originally given by
God; and it is our final authority, our only and all-sufficient rule
of faith and practice. |
| God |
God the Father is an exalted man from another planet
like earth. He was begotten of the species of the gods, who existed
before him in an infinite series of gods who were once men. He was
married, died, and was resurrected to be the god of heaven. He and
his goddess wife, Mother God, had millions of spirit-children in heaven. |
There is one God, who is Creator of all things, holy,
eternal, and perfect. |
| Trinity |
There are three gods who are perfect in knowledge,
power and glory. They have distinct bodies, although the Spirit only
has a spirit-body. They are one in purpose, thought, and will. |
God self-exists in three distinct Persons –the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each of whom is to be honored and worshipped. |
| Christ |
Jesus was the firstborn of all other spirit-children,
including Lucifer, Adam, and humanity. |
We believe in the absolute and essential deity of Jesus
Christ, and that He eternally dwelt in heavenly glory before being
born as a man. He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died
in the place of sinners to take their punishment for sin, was raised
victoriously from the dead, and ascended into heaven. He now intercedes
on behalf of Christians and will return triumphantly to the earth
again. |
| Holy Spirit |
Early Mormons differentiated the Holy Ghost from the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a divine influence who bears witness
to the truths of Mormonism. |
The Holy Spirit is truly God and truly a person. His
work includes giving new spiritual life to sinners, aiding believers
in personal holiness, and comforting those who believe in Jesus Christ. |
| Man |
Human beings preexisted as organized intelligences,
born of Heavenly Parents. Part of our progression to godhead includes
a probationary period on earth. In heaven, a third followed Lucifer,
and two thirds followed Jesus. Of those who followed Jesus, one third
were less valiant and thus received black skin. Adam transgressed
but did not sin. We are not responsible for Adam's sin. The ultimate
goal of humanity is to become a perfected god. |
Man was directly created by God in the likeness of
God, and is not a product of evolution. Man through personal disobedience
became a fallen creature, incurring physical death and spiritual death.
Every part of human nature has been affected by sin, and all are guilty
before God. |
| Salvation |
Christ only atoned for Adam's sin. Our salvation began
with Christ's atonement, but it is completed through human works.
Baptism can be applied by proxy to the dead. There are three levels
of heaven. |
Salvation is the free gift of God, neither deserved
nor obtained by any work of man, but received by personal faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is entirely by the sovereign grace
of God through the all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ. |
| Church |
The original church fell away from the truth after
three centuries. Mormonism is the restoration of the true church.
It has prophets, apostles, and the seventy, and the authority to act
in Christ's name. |
The local church is a group of baptized believers,
who worship God, help and encourage one another, observe the ordinances,
and reach out to their community for Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is
the Head of the church, and every church has the right under Him to
govern its own affairs. The two offices in a church are pastor and
deacon. |
| End |
There will be a gathering of Israel and great tribulation
for the earth. Jesus Christ will personally return to the earth, where
He will set up a millennial reign. The righteous will receive one
of the three heavenly kingdoms. Those in hell can gain heaven if they
repent and obey Christ. |
Jesus Christ will personally, gloriously, and visibly
return to earth. There will be a day of judgment, when the bodies
of both the righteous and unrighteous will be raised. The righteous
will eternally exist in a state of joy with the Lord; the unrighteous
will eternally and consciously endure punishment. |
