Divine Truths in the Book of Mormon Anyone �visited �by �a �Mormon Missionary has �heard �the �Elder's testimony �concerning the Book of Mormon: �That he knows this book is the �Word �of God and that the founder of the Mormon �Church, ��Joseph Smith, �Jr., translated it by the gift and power of God. Further, the prospect is encouraged sincerely to study the Book of Mormon and �"The divine truths it contains." The Book of Mormon indeed does contain a number of "divine truths", first set forth in the Bible, the most important of which are: 1. GOD IS SPIRIT Alma 18:28 (p. 242) - "Believest, thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things". 2. TRINITARIAN VIEW OF GOD 3 �Nephi 11:27 (p. 422) - "Verily I say unto you, that the Father and �the Son and the Holy Ghost are one." �In addition, �three �close associates �of Joseph Smith who gave testimony of the authenticity �of the Book of Mormon, close with words: "And the honor be to the Father, and �to �the �Son and to the Holy Ghost, �WHICH IS �ONE �GOD. ��Amen." (emphasis added) This endorsement is found in the front of every Book of �Mormon and further documents the Book of Mormon's �acknowledgement of the triune nature of God. 3. GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE Moroni 8:18 (p. 517) - �"For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; �but he is unchangeable from all �eternity to all eternity." 4. NO SALVATION AFTER DEATH Mosiah 3:25 �(p. 141) - "And if they be evil they are consigned to an �awful view of their own guilt and abominations, �which doth �cause them �to �shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of �misery and endless torment, �from whence they can no more return; ��therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls." 5. ONLY TWO DESTINATIONS AFTER DEATH Mosiah 16:11 �(p. 166) - "If they be good, �to the resurrection of endless life and happiness; �and if they be evil, �to the resurrection of endless damnation." 6. SALVATION BY CHRIST"S WORK - NOT MAN'S Helaman 5:9 (p. 369) - "...remember that there is no other way nor means �whereby �men can be saved, �only through the atoning �blood �of Jesus Christ, �who shall come, yea, �remember that he cometh to redeem the world." The Book of Mormon also emphasizes the need for spiritual rebirth. For �example �Alma 5:14 �states "And now behold, �I �ask of �you, ��my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received �his image in your countenances? �Have ye �experienced �this mighty change in your hearts?" Much �of �the �major theology set forth in the Book of �Mormon �is indeed in harmony with orthodox Christianity. �However, �many who are visited by the LDS Missionaries are unaware that the present �theology of �the Mormon Church is very different from their own Book of Mormon. Further, �not only are today's major doctrines different, �they are in total �opposition with this work of Joseph Smith, �Jr., �for which �he claimed divine inspiration. Mormon �theology is not contained in, �but rather contradicted �by the �Book �of �Mormon. �The members of the Mormon Church now turn �to newer �publications �and �revelations for their �beliefs. ��A ��brief examination of some of these will document the contradictions. 1. ��Mormonism today teaches "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22). 2. �Joseph Smith, later in his life, flatly denied the Trinity: �"Many men say there is one God, �the Father, �the Son and the Holy Ghost are one God! �I saw that is a strange God anyhow - three in one, �and one in �three!" �He further concludes that the Father, �Son and the �Holy Ghost �are not one God, �but rather three Gods (History of the �Church 6:474, 476). 3. The LDS Church no longer adheres to the unchangeable nature of God, but �rather �states: �"God himself was once as we are now and �is �an exalted man... We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you may see". (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). 4. ��Bruce �R. �McConkie announces on page 73 �of his �work, ��'Mormon Doctrine': ��"The Lord has ordained baptism for the dead as the means whereby �all �his �worthy children of all ages �can �become �heirs �of salvation in his kingdom." 5. ��Mormonism today informs its members that all mankind will �occupy one of three heavenly kingdoms. �The highest is the Celestial Kingdom (which itself contains various levels). �This kingdom is reserved for all �faithful Mormons and could lead to Godhood for the �male �members there. �The middle Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, is for those who did �not �accept the gospel according to Mormonism, �but who lived �an honorable �life. ��The �lowest or Telestial �Kingdom �still �contains murderers, ��adulterers, �liars and thieves. �(Doctrine �& �Covenants section �76). ��Hell �in Mormonism is usually thought to �be �only �a temporary �state of suffering, �which can be terminated through �self- atonement. ��In �summary, �all will be resurrected and �receive �some degree of glory, according to Mormonism. 6. Mormons believe not in the infinite atonement of Christ, but rather that �"redemption �from �personal sins can only �be �obtained �through obedience �to �the �requirements of the Gospel, �AND A �LIFE �OF �GOOD WORKS." (emphasis added) (Talmage, Articles of Faith pgs. 478-479) These �changes �and contradictions contained within �these �easily available �LDS �Scriptures leave no doubt as to the human, ��man �made origin of Mormonism. While �Mormons regard the Bible as the Word of God, �the Bible �is actually placed lower and superseded by their other Scriptures, �which in addition to the Book of Mormon include the Doctrine & Covenants and the �Pearl �of Great Price. �This devaluation of the Bible �is �found within the LDS Articles of Faith, �in the Pearl of Great Price, �where it �is �stated �that Mormons "believe the Bible in so �far �as �it �is correctly translated." God's �word, ��the Bible, �has definitely stood the test of �time, whereas in its short existence the Book of Mormon has not. The Bible, has been used by and confirmed by archeology, - the Book of Mormon has not. �The Bible, �has through recent ancient manuscript �discoveries, been �demonstrated to have been transmitted and translated accurately, where the Book of Mormon contains nearly 4000 textual changes from the first �edition �in 1830 �to the present editions used today, �and �has received further changes in the new 1981 "Triple Combination" edition. The �presence �of �"Divine Truths" �within the Book of �Mormon �is merely a result of Joseph Smith, �Jr. �incorporating much of the Bible into his work. (see 'The use of the Bible in the Book of Mormon by H. Michael �Marquardt). ��Thus, �the Book of Mormon must be regarded �as fiction, not as inspired Scripture. Changes within Mormonism and the Book of Mormon make it clear that Mormonism is not from God. �God's word does not change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, �today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) �and His Word shall never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). The Jesus Christ who �shed his blood on Calvary's cross to save you is not the Jesus of present-day �Mormonism. ��Jesus �invites all people to �experience �a spiritual �rebirth �and to receive the free gift of �eternal �life �by trusting in him alone for salvation. Write �to us and let us share with you more information concerning our Risen Saviour Jesus Christ and how you can receive Him. PERSONAL FREEDOM OUTREACH Route 3 Weir Lake Rd., Kunkletown, PA. 18058 (215) 381-3661 P.O. Box 26062, Saint Louis, MO. 63136 (314) 388-2648 P.O. Box 30073, Phoenix, AZ. 85046 (602)867-0538 P.O. Box 15081, Santa Ana, CA. 92705 (714) 832-9385 X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm) & the Temple of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845 Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766 realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510-527-1662 Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 415-583-4102 My Dog Bit Jesus Suzanne D'Fault 510-658-8078 New Dork Sublime Demented Pimiento 415-566-0126 Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives, arcane knowledge, political extremism, diverse sexuality, insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS. Full access for first-time callers. We don't want to know who you are, where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother. "Raw Data for Raw Nerves" X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X